Chapter 296
Chapter 296
“Did I not say there was no need? Someone has already cured the smallpox. There is no need for you to step in.”
“Your Majesty, I dare say that man is surely a fraud.”
The King of Qiang sneered.
“You said he cured the young prince’s illness, but if my guess is correct, the young prince simply overcame the smallpox because he inherited Your Majesty's bloodline and possesses a strong constitution. It was nothing more than a natural recovery.”
This was not the least bit wrong. Smallpox could not be cured; it could only be endured. Those who survived it were left with pockmarks, and those who could not overcome it died. When the Qing Dynasty first entered the Central Plains, the imperial family was often afflicted with smallpox, and countless princes lost their lives to it.
Pockmarked Kang, the Kangxi Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, was so named because he survived smallpox, which left his face scarred. He was fortunate not to have died, and it was for this reason he became the crown prince. Throughout the ancient Eastern world, the mortality rate for smallpox patients was about one in three.
However, in a place with extremely poor sanitation like the Qiang Kingdom, the mortality rate was much higher, exceeding sixty or seventy percent. Death was not caused by smallpox alone, but by various complications, severe inflammation, and internal bleeding.
Shen Lang continued, “If my guess is correct, all his medical treatment did was put the young prince to sleep while he was writhing and crying in agony.”
What was the most fearsome aspect of contracting smallpox? The uncontrollable scratching. The pain and itching were simply unbearable. That man must have given the young prince a primitive anesthetic, causing him to fall into a stupor. After sleeping for a few days, the smallpox scabs fell off, and the prince survived. The only reason this man’s claim of curing smallpox worked was because he had arrived in the Qiang Kingdom before Shen Lang. Otherwise, his deception would never have succeeded.
The King of Qiang sneered at Shen Lang’s words.
“Regardless, he cured the young prince’s smallpox, and from now on, he will be my royal physician. I have accepted your gift, and I promised the Divine Maiden Xue Yin that I would not kill you. However, of the people you brought, all but the three of you will be put to death. Otherwise, I will lose face. I will have them beheaded at noon tomorrow.”
Shen Lang had brought a hundred men. Half were warriors from the State of Yue, and the other half were private soldiers of the Jin Clan and warriors from the Heaven's Will Society. This madman, the King of Qiang, intended to kill every single one of them.
The King of Qiang continued, “And you? I will not kill you, but I will not release you either. You will remain in the Qiang Kingdom and become a slave! Guards, take Shen Lang and these two to the dungeons. Starting tomorrow, put them in shackles and manacles and make them slaves.”
How could this be? Shen Lang had come to be the savior of the Qiang Kingdom. This was the first step in destroying the Su Clan.
“Your Majesty, please wait! The miracle doctor who claims to have saved the young prince is undoubtedly a fraud. If you do not believe me, bring him before me. I can expose his deceit.”
The King of Qiang glared at Shen Lang and enunciated each word with force.
“He is my benefactor. If you speak ill of him one more time, I may not kill you, but I will have your tongue torn out!”
This madman always kept his word. However, Shen Lang had gleaned a crucial piece of information from the king’s statement.
‘He is my benefactor.’
Why would a man as savage and selfish as the King of Qiang feel such a debt of gratitude? This fraud was no simple opponent!
“All of you, listen. If Shen Lang speaks ill of Daoist Master Baiyu again, cut out his tongue.”
“Yes!”
The guards shouted in unison at the King of Qiang’s command.
Just then, a fragrant breeze wafted through the air. It was not the transcendent scent of the Divine Maiden Xue Yin, but a fragrance concocted from a special blend of ingredients. To be preceded by one’s scent was originally Grandmaster Xue Yin’s signature. This person was using concoctions to imitate her method; he must be a man of inscrutable and sinister intentions. To use the same tactic, knowing the King of Qiang was infatuated with Grandmaster Xue Yin, proved he was a formidable fraud. What illness of the king’s could he have possibly cured for the king to regard him as a benefactor?
A Daoist priest with the air of an immortal entered, holding a horsetail whisk in his hand. He indeed had a fine appearance. On the surface, he looked like a master who had transcended the mortal world. But Shen Lang had seen frauds of this caliber before. A truly transcendent person would have no need for such pointless affectations, nor would someone truly free of desire. For example, even the impossibly cold-hearted Eldest Princess would feel a sense of unease if Shen Lang came within ten meters of her. Thus, Shen Lang could instinctively tell that this man was a fraud with a hidden agenda.
Shen Lang soon realized the man looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn't immediately place him. Running a search through his mental database of faces, he came up with Shu Tingyu of the Hidden Yuan Society. Yes, the two looked very much alike. At a glance, they were completely different. Shu Tingyu was extremely fat, while this man was very thin. But the contours of their faces were similar, and their eyes were even more so. This man had to be Shu Tingyu’s cousin, or perhaps even his brother. The Daoist priest approached Shen Lang and offered a stylish bow.
“Zuo Baiyu, a humble man who has left the world behind, pays his respects to Young Master Shen.”
‘Why did the Hidden Yuan Society send him to the Qiang Kingdom? Whatever the reason, this man is an enemy!’
“I heard that you, Master Zuo, cured the smallpox of the King of Qiang’s young prince.”
Zuo Baiyu replied, “No. It was all thanks to the grace of the heavens and the prince's own fortune. How could I dare take credit for it?”
This man was exceedingly cunning. He adopted a humble attitude, posturing as if he were above worldly desires. All high-level swindlers were like him. Those who simply took money from your pocket were amateurs. The true masters were those who made you gratefully hand over your money with both hands, feeling indebted to them.
“Did you cure the king’s illness?”
He must have cured some ailment of the king’s for him to be regarded as a benefactor. And it must have been an extremely painful one. What could it have been? A disease so agonizing it made one wish for death, yet was still curable. Shen Lang closed his eyes and began to recall information about the King of Qiang. The king had only returned to his kingdom two months ago; a few months prior, he had been at war in another country. This was normal. The King of Qiang spent most of the year plundering other nations. The saying that he fought everything in his sight was no mere exaggeration.
The states of Chu and Yue paid the Qiang Kingdom for peace, and the Four Barbarian Tribes were exceedingly poor, so he had no choice but to go and plunder the various kingdoms of the Western Regions. According to the Heaven's Will Society’s intelligence, the King of Qiang had actually returned to his kingdom before his plundering war with the Western kingdoms had even concluded. At that time, the smallpox epidemic had not yet broken out in the Qiang Kingdom. So why did he return early, his plundering unfinished? There had to be a story there.
Could it be that he had contracted an unspeakable disease? And it was highly likely that Zuo Baiyu had cured it. The King of Qiang slept with women every day, so it would be natural for him to contract a venereal disease—herpes or genital warts, for instance. These were not major illnesses, but they were extremely painful. For a man as virile and dependent on women as the King of Qiang, contracting such a disease would be enough to make life lose all meaning. If a miracle doctor appeared at such a time and cured him, the king would surely be eternally grateful and see him as a benefactor. After all, he had restored one of life’s greatest pleasures.
It would be like a man who was completely impotent suddenly meeting a miracle doctor who not only restored his virility but made him even more vigorous than before. That man would undoubtedly see the doctor as his ultimate savior.
Hearing Shen Lang’s question, Zuo Baiyu said, “What nonsense. His Majesty the King is in robust health, protected by the heavenly gods. What illness could he possibly have?”
Indeed, this man was cunning, sly, and difficult to deal with. Daoist Master Zuo Baiyu continued, “Young Master Shen, I hear you are skilled with poisons. The heavens cherish all life; I hope you will never do anything to harm that virtue.”
Damn it, that statement was laced with malicious intent. The Daoist priest was making a move to have Shen Lang killed immediately. He was subtly suggesting to the King of Qiang that Shen Lang might have been the one who spread the smallpox virus in the kingdom.
The King of Qiang asked him, “Daoist Master, what do you mean?”
“In the past, Shen Lang used poison to kill hundreds in the Count of Jing'an's estate. Later, he used a vicious scheme to kill tens of thousands of the pirate king Qiu Tianwei’s warriors. This man… he does not abide by righteousness and commits acts that will bring down heavenly retribution.”
In that instant, a murderous glint appeared in the King of Qiang’s eyes. He would not have believed it if someone had claimed Shen Lang was responsible for the smallpox outbreak in the Qiang Kingdom. Epidemics were common in both the Western Regions and the Qiang Kingdom, occurring every few years.
However, this epidemic was particularly severe, with tens of thousands already dead. Daoist Master Zuo Baiyu’s words served as another reminder to the king. If Shen Lang was truly as venomous as a snake, it would be better to kill him quickly and eliminate any future trouble. If Shen Lang were to harbor malicious intent, how much more damage could he inflict on the already devastated Qiang Kingdom? The thought alone was terrifying.
Shen Lang had never imagined he would be in mortal danger the moment he arrived in the Qiang Kingdom.
‘You vicious Daoist from the Hidden Yuan Society. You think a mere creature like you can kill me? How laughable!’
Shen Lang took a deep breath and scanned Zuo Baiyu from head to toe. Then, he spoke.
“Your Majesty, Daoist Master Zuo Baiyu seduced your wife and had an affair with her! I implore you to have him torn to pieces and fed to the dogs!”
Hearing this, the Hidden Yuan Society’s Daoist Master, Zuo Baiyu, flinched, and his legs began to tremble. But he quickly composed himself and said calmly, “Your Majesty, it is one thing for this man Shen Lang to slander me. But to dare insult Her Majesty the Queen is to insult Your Majesty himself. You must inflict the Heavenly Punishment upon him!”
What was the Heavenly Punishment? It was a penalty where the victim was tied to a high mountain, his flesh cut into a hundred pieces until he was a bloody mess, and then left as food for vultures. When two vicious men met, it seemed the situation immediately became one where one had to die for the other to live. The situation was crystal clear. Between Shen Lang and the Hidden Yuan Society’s Daoist Master Zuo Baiyu, only one could survive.
It was either you die or I die. But since you have chosen to oppose me, Shen Lang, no matter how high-level a swindler the Hidden Yuan Society has sent, you are doomed to die.