Chapter 445
Chapter 445
Shen Lang entered the fortress of Marquis Zhenyuan's estate. Had the situation inside not been so dire due to the smallpox, he would have found the place magnificent and beautiful. In terms of architectural beauty and comfortable living, it far surpassed the Jin Clan's Count of Xuanwu's Estate. Furthermore, being built high on a mountain, it gave one a lofty feeling of looking down upon the world. Perhaps the ambitions of the Su Clan's successive generations had grown because they had spent too much time looking down upon the common people from this very place.
Of Zheng Tuo's twenty thousand troops, only about thirteen thousand survived; the rest had perished. Moreover, of the thirteen thousand who remained, more than half would soon contract smallpox and die. In this world, even under good treatment conditions, the mortality rate of smallpox was a solid fifty percent. Yet, even with half of them dead, the survivors would still be grateful to Shen Lang for saving their lives. Why? Because the dead could not blame Shen Lang, and the living would believe he had cured them.
However, a terrifying scene was about to unfold as a smallpox epidemic swept through the entire White Night Prefecture. This was because Zheng Tuo, in an earlier attempt to win favor, had gifted one-fifth of the food supplies from Marquis Zhenyuan's estate to the people of White Night Prefecture. After consuming the food from the estate, they became infected with smallpox, and one person would infect ten, and ten would spread it to a hundred. The epidemic would rage everywhere within the prefecture, except for the city of White Night itself. Every day, countless people would contract smallpox and die. In no time, the entire White Night Prefecture would be gripped by fear, so much so that even the sound of the wind would startle them.
It was then that news spread of Shen Lang's ability to cure smallpox. The news that Shen Lang, the miracle doctor, had not only created a divine medicine to save the King of Qiang but had also saved countless people of the Qiang Kingdom. Soon, large crowds began to gather and kneel before the gates of Marquis Zhenyuan's estate every day.
“Young Master Shen, please save us.”
“Lord Shen, please save us.”
“Bodhisattva Shen, we beg you to save us.”
The irony was that most of the people now begging Shen Lang to save their lives were the same ones who had previously surrounded and tried to attack him. They had hated Shen Lang to the bone. Even though the truth had been revealed, and they knew it was Zheng Tuo, not Shen Lang, who had sent the Qiang soldiers to plunder, kill, and burn. But back then, they had laid the blame on Shen Lang, cursing him with a hatred so deep they regretted not being able to kill him. Because Shen Lang had treated them with arrogance, he had earned their enmity and become a villain in their eyes.
But now, facing life and death, they cast aside their old grudges and pleaded with Shen Lang to save them. The crowd of people kneeling before Marquis Zhenyuan's estate grew larger and larger, stretching all the way down the mountain. At first, they begged, but when Shen Lang ignored them, they, trusting in their numbers, shifted their tone from pleading to subtle threats and moral condemnation.
“Lord Shen, are you going to stand by and watch people die?”
“Lord Shen, Heaven has the virtue of cherishing all life. Shouldn't you accumulate good karma for the sake of your descendants and family? Are you truly not going to save those who are dying?”
“Is it your intention, Lord Shen, to simply watch us die? Can you be at ease watching people perish? Even the most wicked person wouldn't be this cruel!”
Looking down at the dense crowd kneeling below the estate, Shen Lang still said only one word.
“Idiots!”
Then, he nonchalantly turned and left. In that instant, countless people came to resent Shen Lang even more, to the very marrow of their bones.
“Shen Lang watches people die and does nothing! Let's risk our lives and fight him...”
As someone shouted this, a few who truly did not fear death rushed forward.
*Swish, swish, swish, swish.*
A rain of arrows poured down from the fortress walls, killing all who had charged.
“Idiots!”
Shen Lang said again.
* * *
Inside the fortress, Shen Lang painstakingly wrote tens of thousands of characters detailing the rules for preventing smallpox. How to quarantine, disinfect, administer medicine, and maximize the survival rate. Furthermore, Shen Lang had already sent men to bring a large number of cows infected with cowpox from the Qiang Kingdom to vaccinate the people of White Night Prefecture. When Zhang Chong visited Marquis Zhenyuan's estate, Shen Lang handed over everything to him—the tens of thousands of characters detailing the smallpox prevention measures, the treatment plan, and even the cows needed for vaccination. After reviewing it all, Zhang Chong bowed deeply to Shen Lang.
“Young Master Shen, you have bestowed the grace of life upon the more than two hundred thousand people of White Night Prefecture.”
“I'll leave the role of the living Bodhisattva to you, Lord Zhang.”
Zhang Chong said in a trembling voice.
“Why would you do this, Young Master Shen? You have clearly poured your heart and soul into devising a way to save these hundreds of thousands of lives, yet why do you not save them yourself, instead giving me the role and the reputation for saving the people?”
In Zhang Chong's view, with Shen Lang's reputation in White Night Prefecture at rock bottom, this smallpox outbreak was the perfect opportunity to reverse his public image from an object of universal condemnation to one of universal respect.
Shen Lang asked.
“Lord Zhang, do you want the truth or a lie?”
“I want to hear both.”
“The lie is that I have no need for a good reputation. I only need people to fear me; I have no use for their gratitude. The truth is that while I can save them, I am sorry, but I cannot bring myself to bow and scrape before them, pretending to love the people as my own children. In my eyes, once an idiot, always an idiot! I have no desire to leave my name in history, to become a king or a marquis, or to rule a country. Hmph! So why should I cater to them? I just need to live as I please! Lord Zhang, you can be the saint. I'll continue playing the villain!”
Shen Lang finished speaking, patting Zhang Chong on the shoulder. Then, Shen Lang immediately issued an order to lock down the entire White Night Prefecture, imposing a curfew on all cities, day and night. No one in any village was allowed to take a single step outside. He dispatched several thousand warriors who had survived smallpox to block all roads leading out of White Night Prefecture, effectively containing the epidemic within its borders. Anyone attempting to leave the prefecture was to be killed without mercy. In a situation like this, there had to be a villain; otherwise, control would be impossible. Sometimes, employing harsh, thunder-like measures was, in itself, an act of mercy.
In just a short fortnight, the smallpox epidemic in White Night Prefecture was completely contained, preventing its spread to neighboring prefectures and cities, and the mortality rate dropped to its lowest point. Zhang Chong was hailed by all as a living Buddha, while Shen Lang was universally condemned. When Shen Lang left White Night Prefecture, the people were filled with loathing, and nearly ten thousand of them stabbed scarecrows bearing his name, showering him with curses.
* * *
After receiving the detailed report in the secret missive, the King waved his hand for everyone to leave.
“Leave, all of you, leave!”
Once Yue Jun and the several eunuchs had all departed, Ning Yuanxian, left alone in the room, finally felt his eyes redden and gently wiped away a tear. Shen Lang had achieved so much and performed so many miracles before, but none had ever shaken Ning Yuanxian's heart like this. Ning Yuanxian was a man so hardened one could say he had a heart of stone. Yet, in that instant, he understood Shen Lang's heart. To see the people and feel overflowing compassion in his heart, yet outwardly display arrogance, refusing to bow to anyone, yielding to no moral condemnation, and bound by no rules. Shen Lang did everything as his heart desired.
Ning Yuanxian was incredibly envious of Shen Lang. He was the King, a man in the highest position, yet he was bound by countless rules and had to bow his head to many things. For example, to the sages in the temples and to the people of the world. But Shen Lang was not like that; whatever he did, he acted solely according to his heart's desires.
“Who on earth does this boy take after?”
Ning Yuanxian sighed. Of course, he didn't say things like, "Why wasn't Shen Lang born my son?" If he had a son like Shen Lang, he would be his father's greatest pride, but at the same time, he would probably make him cough up blood from anger. Seeing how Shen Lang did everything on a whim, he could squander a family fortune ten times over. Ning Yuanxian had already squandered enough of his own fortune, but not to Shen Lang's extent; Shen Lang was someone who could squander anything and everything. Gold, silver, castles and cities, armies, public favor—Shen Lang squandered it all on a whim.
“Boy, you truly are an 'awesome' bastard. I am impressed!”
The King had learned the word 'awesome' from Shen Lang.
“Yue Jun.”
At the King's call, the Grand Eunuch Yue Jun entered the room.
“Issue an edict reprimanding Shen Lang, and curse him soundly. And tell him to stop causing disasters in Tianxi Province and get his ass back here at once. If he refuses to return, have him bound and brought back immediately! Also, issue an edict appointing Zhang Chong as a Viscount. As for his title, you lot figure out something that sounds nice.”
Upon hearing the order, Yue Jun bowed his head and replied.
“Yes, I obey your command!”
Truly, there was no monarch more callous. To appoint Zhang Chong as a Viscount and yet be too bothered to even think of a title for him.
“I hear the Crown Prince has a statue of Jin Mulan?”
At Ning Yuanxian's words, Yue Jun dared not reply and remained silent.
“Go and fetch it. How can he maintain his dignity doing such things? Bring it here, wash it clean, then seal it and send it to Shen Lang's home.”
“I receive your command!”
“Quickly, write the edict and bring that wretched boy, Shen Lang, to the capital. If he refuses, you must bring him back, even if you have to kidnap him!”
Yue Jun muttered to himself.
*Your Majesty, didn't you already say that once?*
Just then, another urgent voice rang out from outside.
“Urgent news, urgent news! The State of Chu has withdrawn its troops!”
Hearing the news, Ning Yuanxian laughed dismissively, a sneer on his face rather than joy. This was because when Su Nan's main army was annihilated, Chu's army no longer had the strength to continue, making their attack on Zhong Yao's forces nothing more than a play. They had held their ground only because Zheng Tuo was still causing trouble in Tianxi Province, and Chu was hoping he would create enough chaos to deal a fatal blow to the State of Yue, forcing them to cede territory. But unexpectedly, Zheng Tuo's army also collapsed with absurd speed, leaving Chu no choice but to retreat in disappointment. They couldn't afford to turn the play into a real war between the two nations.
*Damn it, Shen Lang is truly a monster. A single mad genius took two hundred men into White Night Prefecture and not only eliminated Su Nan but also got rid of Zheng Tuo. What an incredible person.*
* * *
Inside the royal palace of the State of Chu.
The King of Chu, with a complex and shaken expression, fiddled with his nose a few times.
“A loss, this was a loss. We lost soldiers and generals for nothing. Shen Lang, who is this Shen Lang? Where did he come from, to be so formidable? To eliminate Su Nan and Zheng Tuo by himself... has such a great talent emerged in the State of Yue? Why isn't he one of our Chu people? Send a delegation to the State of Yue to negotiate a truce. We cannot withdraw from the several forts we have already occupied, so tell Ning Yuanxian to compensate us with several hundred thousand gold taels. We must negotiate with a firm stance. After arriving in Yue, communicate with the State of Wu first. If our two nations apply pressure together, there's no fear that Ning Yuanxian won't compromise. The King of Wu needs our support right now, so our envoy can afford to be a little arrogant when discussing matters with Wu. Whatever we couldn't gain on the battlefield, we must extort at the negotiation table.”
“Yes!”
A few hours later, the delegation from the State of Chu set off for the State of Yue.