Chapter 256 - 31 Xiang Lin City
31 Xiang Lin City
On the second day of Feng Yi Xuan’s travels, a man in white intercepted their path…
“It’s you!” Feng Yi Xuan looked at Gui Yi dressed in white robes, carrying his luggage, with surprise as he asked, “Did Nian Nian let you come?” Feng Yi Xuan knew of Gui Yi’s skill in medicine. If Gui Yi could go with to Xiang Lin city, they will naturally multiply the results with half the effort. But Feng Yi Xuan didn’t mention it because Feng Yi Xuan knew Gui Yi and the others were Nian Nian’s family. He didn’t hope any of them to meet any accidents. It would only make Nian Nian upset.
Gui Yi stood there, giving people an air of a celestial but when Gui Yi looked at Feng Yi Xuan, there was warmth in his eyes. This man was already acknowledged by all of them. He was little junior sister’s future husband.
“No, I came myself to help you. This break out of the plague is strange. It’s likely it is man-caused. Though my medical skills can’t compare to master, it is better than those imperial physicians!” Gui Yi said. When he learned of this matter, he immediately followed after them. He learned medical skills with the intention to relieve the suffering of others, though he didn’t have a bleeding heart.
Feng Yi Xuan nodded and urged his steed forward. From the very start Feng Yi Xuan suspected this plague was man-made. In Feng empire’s history, there has never been a situation with a plague happening. This occurrence with the plague was simply too coincidental, not only breaking out in Xiang Lin city but also while Yue empire was eyeing them with hostility. It was like someone deliberately did this. By going to Xiang Lin city, he not only wanted to suppress the outbreak of the epidemic to rescue Xianglin city from its clutches, he also wanted to investigate into how this epidemic happened. With Gui Yi’s help, he will have a much easier time.
The team led by Feng Yi Xuan finally arrived at Xianlin city after four days of fast marching. Because of the urgency of the matter, Feng Yi Xuan’s marching speed was very fast. Fortunately, many of the guards were soldiers who have folowed him to the battlefield, so they could bear the burdens. But those imperial physicians following them were in a miserable situation. A prestigious imperial physician was about to fall apart after several days of being tossed about, but none of the imperial physicians dared to complain about the toil. Who didn’t know of Prince Ming’s reputation? They didn’t want to lose their life.
“Greetings to Prince Ming! Young Master Lan, Young Master He!” Xianglin city’s officials knelt in front of Feng Yi Xuan’s horse. They received news today that Prince Ming came to manage the plague. They originally planned to suppress the matter of the plague but as the plague grew more severe, they were completely unable to suppress it anymore. When Feng empire knew of the outbreak in Xianglin city, Prince Ming already led his troops here. All the officials were trembling with fear. Though they were only some local officials and have never seen Prince Ming, they have heard plenty of rumors about Prince Ming.
Feng Yi Xuan stared coldly at the officials kneeling on the ground. His entire person emitted an elegant and noble air, but intermixed with this elegance was a hint of sinful charm and apathy. He was extremely displeased with these officials, not only because these officials turned a blind eye to the current events and didn’t report it to the higher ups, also because of their actions he had to leave Nian Nian. So in Feng Yi Xuan’s eyes, he already imposed a death sentence on these officials.
Feng Yi Xuan didn’t let these officials rise but looked at the once harmonious Xianglin city has bow become filled with wails and weeping at every corner. There were piles of dead bodies in the streets. The entire Xianglin city has become desolate. There was no one to take care of the rice fields. It seemed as if the whole sky overhead was brimming with a gloomy atosmosphere.
“Mo Xian, take people to father all the dead bodies and burn them!” Feng Yi Xuan ordered, “Chu Yang, take people to isolate those who are not infected with the plague, as well as those who have been infected must be isolated as well.”
“Yes!” Lan Mo Xian and He Chu Yang led their own teams and left. Each of them wore a cloth that Gui Yi soaked in medicinal herbs to fend off the plague. As they started to take over Xianglin city, they showed none of the gentleness like when they were gathering with the others but gave off the air of the iron blood of soldiers.
“Gui Yi, take those imperial physicians to start treatment!” Feng Yi Xuan said. Gui Yi wasn’t his subordinate. If he took account, he should be calling him eldest brother” like Nian Nian. Regarding Gui Yi’s assistance this time, Feng Yi Xuan remembered it in his heart.
Gui Yi nodded and carried his medicine box into the crowd, leaving only Feng Yi Xuan, the guards as well as the officials kneeling on the ground at the starting point. Though Feng Yi Xuan wanted to behead all of these officials, he knew if killed off so many officials all at once, there will be many holes that need to be filled. At the moment, there weren’t so many officials to fill up their spots. Xianglin city was facing a time of turmoil. If something else was to happen, people’s hearts become unstable. For an empire, that wouldn’t be good.
Feng Yi Xuan’s eyes were like blades as he glanced over those officials. Just one glance made those officials tremble with fear, not even daring to breathe.
Feng Yi Xuan didn’t bothersome with those annoying officials and led the guards to start taking over control of Xianglin city. He must have Xianglin city recover so at this moment he needed to stabilize the hearts of people and to deal with those who are purposefully making trouble during the turmoil.
When the officials saw Prince Ming leave, they all heaved a sigh of relief. It was too scary! Prince Ming didn’t need to say anything and already made them feel their life was standing over a cliff. Now they couldn’t help feeling lucky to get their life back.
“Official Wang, from the looks of it, Prince Ming probably won’t hold us accountable!” A middle aged man in official’s clothing said to another official.
“Prince Ming’s temper is unpredictable. I fear we…. Tonight, isn’t there a dinner banquet welcoming Prince Ming. Official He, find a beautiful and seductive woman to serve!” That Official Wang said to Official He. Hearing this, the other officials agreed with lecherous grins.
“But his lowly official heard Prince Ming already has a fiancee and adores her, already vowing to have only her. If we do this, wouldn’t it…” Official He said uneasily. All those rumors said Prince Ming adored Miss Miao Yin and that Prince Ming wasn’t fond of women.
Official Wang guffawed. The chubby belly seemed ready to break through his ministerial uniform, “Ha, how could there be a man who doesn’t have an affair? Much less for Prince Ming with his status! Prince Ming’s fiancee is General Lan’s beloved daughter. Perhaps this is Prince Ming’s means of winning over Lan manor. After tonight, once that beauty seduces him, do you think Prince Ming can sit still? When that beauty says some nice words, our crime of failing to report will be cast aside wouldn’t it?”
Thinking it over, they all felt Official Wang was right. All of the officials present followed Official Wang’s lead, so they all went back to prepare for tonight’s banquet, striving to get the beauty they sent up to obtain Prince Ming’s favor.
At this moment, Prince Ming Feng Yi Xuan who had so many people try to please him was currently taking command where the plague was concentrated. If they encountered those fearful civilians who wanted to disrupt the order, Feng Yi Xuan would deal with it immediately. Feng Yi Xuan’s face was frosty and grim as he unhurriedly commanded the soldiers. One wouldn’t be able to see that Feng Yi Xuan too had his moments of gentleness.
“I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die!” A civilian, after being found to have been infected with the plague by Gui Yi’s group, was taken to another place where all the people who were found to be infected with the plague. There were already some imperial physicians there doing intensive treatment. Though many people who were afraid but still cooperated but this person seemed to be afraid to die and refused to listen to the soldiers. Under the suppression of the soldiers, he actually escaped to harm the other civilians. In his eyes, since he can’t live, then other people didn’t need to live either.
Feng Yi Xuan stood in front of the guards and looked at the civilian who seemed to have gone mad and directly took the long sword and slayed that civilian. The blood followed the length of the blade, slowing dripping down, quieting those civilians who wanted to resist.
“His Majesty sent this prince to save you. If you continue like this, there is no need to continue living!” Feng Yi Xuan’s voice filled with icicles entered the ears of the civilians, calming them down and understood the court hasn’t given up on them but if they didn’t submit to the soldiers’ control, the court will abandon them.
Feng Yi Xuan did this to shock those civilians. Was it wrong that these civilians were afraid to die? They weren’t in the wrong but if because of their fear of death they disrupted the order, the entire Xianglin city will become even more difficult to control the plague, so Feng Yi Xuan did this to give them a warning.
After Feng Yi Xuan’s move, the entire camp quieted down a lot. Those people who’ve been inspected by Gui Yi were more stable. There were even some civilians who didn’t need the soldiers to arrest them to get a check up and those who were found to be infected obediently listened to the solders’ arrangements. In an instant, things became speedier as they divided up the civilians of Xianglin city.
At night’s arrival, after everyone has been busy an entire day, the entire Xianglin city quieted down. Soldiers patrolled back and forth in case something goes wrong with the patients. Feng Yi Xuan, Lan Mo Xian and the others were all arranged to rest at the government office of Xianglin city.
When Feng Yi Xuan and the others returned to the government office, those officials were already waiting there. The whole government office was brightly lit. Feng yi Xuan’s expression didn’t change but those imperial physicians and others with them were delighted. They were exhausted after busying all day but because of Prince Ming’s presence, they didn’t dare utter a word of protest. They were overjoyed to have a good place to rest for the night.
“Greetings to Prince Ming!” The officials bowed. At the head, Official Wang said, “Prince Ming and the other sirs have been busy all day. This humble official prepared some dishes for the sirs to enjoy!”
Lan Mo Xian and He Chu Yang’s lips curled into the same mocking smirk. Though they’ve followed Prince Ming on the battlefield many years, they’ve encountered plenty of these kind of situations. These officials received the court’s salary without doing anything and now had the desire to fawn over Prince Ming. They really lived to the end of their days.
Feng Yi Xuan didn’t say much and walked into the courtyard of the government office to eat. He hasn’t eaten anything the entire day but Feng Yi Xuan still remembered Nian Nian telling him to take care of himself, so Feng Yi Xuan prepared to eat before resting, striving to return to the capital as soon as possible.
When everyone followed Feng Yi Xuan to the large hall, Feng Yi Xuan’s face remained unchanged but his eyes turned cold and Gui Yi who followed behind furrowed his brows, recalling the wretchedness of Xianglin city’s civilians and then looking at the grandiose dishes and those fawning faces, Gui Yi felt the court was really disgusting.
Feng Yi Xuan took his seat without giving those officials an opportunity and started to eat. Lan Mo Xian and the others were the same, doing the same as Feng Yi Xuan. Though those imperial physicians had the heart to enjoy, seeing how Prince Ming was eating hastily, they didn’t have the guts to cause a ruckus.
“Prince Ming! This lowly officials knows Prince Ming has been busy all day and especially prepared song and dance to let the sirs drive away exhaustion!” Official Wang said. From outside, a lot of exposed women walked in, twisting their alluring bodies.
Feng Yi Xuan seemed to not see it as he continued to eat. Those women started to dance. They were informed that a lot of big shots came to Xianglin city. They weren’t prostitutes of brothels but the concubines and daughters of the officials. As long as they could clutch onto one perosn, they can go to the capital to enjoy an luxurious life, so they danced even harder.
Feng Yi Xuan, from the start, didn’t spare those women a glance. Amongst those women, one of the dancing women would frequently look at Feng Yi Xuan, sending flirtatious looks but didn’t receive a glance from Feng Yi Xuan.
She was the prettiest amongst the women, called Qiu Ling. It can be said in the entirety of Xianglin city, there was not one person who didn’t know of her name. She was Official Wang’s daughter. Unfortunately she was a girl and didn’t have her father’s love. But today Father had her dress prettily and told her of the nobleness of the arrivals.
Qiu Ling knew her chance has come. She knew the most noble amongst these arrivals was Prince Ming, a prince of an empire. They wouldn’t normally have the chance to see such a character. Originally Qiu Ling believed Prince Ming was a coarse brute but today, this one glance made Qiu Ling know there was such a handsome man in the world. Prince Ming was tall and lean, handsome, the brows on the handsome face were like straight willows, the fair skin exuded a healthy glow. Qiu Ling felt if she could enter Prince Ming’s eyes, even if she didn’t have any status, she was willing. Such a man, whether it was identity or looks, was one no woman would reject.
Feng Yi Xuan elegantly ended the meal. An Yi handed over a handkerchief. Feng Yi Xuan received it to wipe his mouth and hands. At this moment, some women wanted to come forward to seduce Prince Ming but were dealt with by An Yi with a dagger. Those charming women instantly lost their breath. This made those other women scream in horror even Qiu Ling trembled in fear, stopping her feet that were about to walk towards Prince Ming.
“Who made the arrangements for this banquet?” Feng Yi Xuan asked, walking over to the entrance.
Official Wang cowardly walked out and knelt, “It’s, it’s this lowly official!” He didn’t expect Prince Ming to kill people so openly without any indication. Too frightening!
“An Yi, take care of him!” Feng Yi Xuan left the hall to rest. He didn’t have the time to handle these matters.
“Have mercy! PRince….” Before Official Wang could finish, he was already dealt with by Lan Mo Xian. They were already displeased with these officials. Amongst the women, Qiu Ling looked at her father’s death without any heartache, even feeling the pleasure of revenge. But remembering she no longer had anyone to depend on, Qiu Ling glanced at the departing Prince Ming, her eyes flashing with admiration.
“Let’s go!” Lan Mo Xian said to He Chu Yang said. They already finished eating so there was no need to stay any longer. There were still many matters to handle tomorrow.
“En.” In moments, there was no one remaining in the hall…