After speaking, Zhao Sheng took out a prescription recorded on sheepskin from his chest and threw it to Yang Wuce.
“This is what Princess Zhenguo asked me to give to Brother Yang. Princess Zhenguo said this is Jin’s prescription for treating the epidemic. Please have Brother Yang pass it to Great Liang’s court so they can treat more people and soldiers! Wars between nations are, frankly speaking, all for gaining benefits for their respective motherlands – in the end… It’s for the benefit of those in power in each nation. The most innocent are the people and soldiers! Even if Brother Yang is unwilling to betray his motherland today, Princess Zhenguo can understand Brother Yang’s loyalty to your ruler. If we attack and enter Liuzhou City in the future, she will surely restrain Jin’s army well – they won’t burn, kill, or plunder, and won’t harm a single civilian.”
Yang Wuce gripped the sheepskin tightly, his gaze toward Zhao Sheng still full of wariness.
“Brother Yang, Yan is now attacking Wei to destroy Wei, laying the foundation for future unification with no worries from the south! Now Princess Zhenguo attacks Liang, vowing to make Liang submit to Jin, to clear northern obstacles for future unification! Princess Zhenguo’s vision and ambitions are extremely grand… she definitely won’t stop!”
“Military generals capable of conquest and skilled in battle have never been lacking in this world! What’s lacking… are true heroic lords who can pacify the realm! The most difficult thing for us military officers is encountering a heroic lord capable of pacifying the realm to serve loyally! Great Yan has already moved. If Brother Yang misses Princess Zhenguo, in the future… you’ll only be able to huddle in this Liuzhou territory, watching others compete for supremacy in this chaotic age!”
As soon as Zhao Sheng finished speaking, he bowed to Yang Wuce, turned his horse around, and left.
Yang Wuce held the sheepskin with the epidemic treatment prescription, looking puzzled at Zhao Sheng’s retreating figure. He unfolded the sheepskin. He didn’t understand whether this prescription was real or fake, but glancing over it roughly, he felt several medicines differed from the prescription sent back from the temple. He squinted and looked again at Zhao Sheng’s retreating figure.
The prescription Jin’s army used to treat people in the temple had been sent back to Liuzhou City. Yang Wuce had already reported this prescription to the capital Han City, hoping His Majesty would quickly send this prescription to all parts of Great Liang so Great Liang’s epidemic could be cured. But now Jin’s prescription differed from the previous one…
Yang Wuce didn’t believe Jin would be foolish enough not to worry that the epidemic treatment prescription from the temple had already been discovered by Great Liang, yet send a fake prescription to harm Great Liang.
So… what was Jin up to?
After a moment, Yang Wuce took the sheepskin, turned his horse around, and returned to Liuzhou City, summoning the city’s physicians to study whether this prescription was real or fake.
Zhao Sheng rode swiftly back to Jin’s military camp. Before he could report to Liu Hong and Bai Qingyan, he heard Lin Kangle ask: “What did you just give Yang Wuce?”
“I had General Zhao give General Yang the improved epidemic treatment prescription,” Bai Qingyan said, looking at Lin Kangle. “General Lin needn’t worry!”
Hearing this, Lin Kangle’s eyes widened. Though he didn’t contradict anything in front of Zhao Sheng at the time, after Jin’s army returned to camp, he still couldn’t help wanting to see Bai Qingyan.
Wang Xiping had already tried to dissuade Lin Kangle before he came, but failed to stop him. Wang Xiping worried that Lin Kangle’s direct speech might offend Princess Zhenguo, so he had no choice but to come along. After all… Princess Zhenguo’s body couldn’t withstand being angered now.
Bai Qingyan was sitting in her tent, watching Bai Jinzhi read through local gazetteers…
After taking Liuzhou, Bai Qingyan, Liu Hong, and Bai Jinzhi would divide into three routes. Bai Jinzhi’s route was already decided, so naturally, she needed to study the local gazetteers – this would help with future military campaigns.
When Bai Jinzhi was distracted, she looked up to see Lin Kangle and Wang Xiping walking toward the tent while pulling at each other. She turned to Bai Qingyan, who was leaning against a hidden pouch reading, and said: “Elder Sister, General Lin Kangle and General Wang Xiping seem to be coming to see Elder Sister!”
Bai Qingyan, holding bamboo slips, sat up straight and said to Bai Jinzhi: “Go invite General Wang Xiping and General Lin Kangle in.”
Bai Jinzhi responded and rose, walking outside the tent. Standing with her hands behind her back, she watched Wang Xiping and Lin Kangle still pulling at each other, smiling: “General Wang, General Lin!”
Seeing Bai Jinzhi, Lin Kangle shook off Wang Xiping’s hand gripping his arm and strode quickly toward the tent. He bowed to Bai Jinzhi before entering the tent, kneeling on one knee and bowing to Bai Qingyan: “Princess Zhenguo, please forgive this subordinate’s boldness in asking – when Princess Zhenguo previously sent Zhao Ran with physicians and medicine to treat Liuzhou City’s people abandoned in the temple, this subordinate was already worried the prescription would be secretly sent back to Liuzhou City by Great Liang’s physicians! Today… Princess Zhenguo even directly gave Great Liang the epidemic treatment prescription. If Great Liang doesn’t get the prescription, it would be easier for us, Jin, to take Great Liang, and fewer soldiers would die! This subordinate doesn’t understand Princess Zhenguo’s actions.”
Wang Xiping also entered the tent and quickly bowed to Bai Qingyan: “Greetings to Princess Zhenguo!”
After nodding to Wang Xiping, Bai Qingyan looked at General Lin Kangle, who was holding back anger: “This is the first time I’ve seen General Lin so indignant!”
Wang Xiping quickly stepped forward with a smile: “General Lin fears that after Great Liang cures the epidemic, they’ll be able to deploy more troops to turn against us Jin, causing greater casualties among our Jin soldiers. Please don’t blame General Lin, Princess Zhenguo!”
Bai Qingyan set down the bamboo slips in her hands, gestured for Wang Xiping and Lin Kangle to sit first, then slowly began: “So, General Lin… knowing that when I sent Zhao Ran and the physicians to the temple to treat Great Liang civilians last time, the prescription might have already been sent back to Liuzhou City, why would I give General Yang Wuce another copy of the prescription?”
Bai Qingyan’s counter-question stumped Lin Kangle.
“Has General Lin heard… these four words: ‘The people are the foundation of the state’?” Bai Qingyan asked with a smile.
Lin Kangle, kneeling before the low table, nodded, his hand gripping his sword hilt, obviously still unconvinced.
“General Lin’s perspective needs to be broader. We’re conquering Great Liang and occupying Great Liang’s cities, so… in the future, these Great Liang people will be Jin’s citizens. Now with the epidemic raging, we give the prescription to Great Liang… if Great Liang’s Emperor can help the people quell this epidemic, isn’t that good? Moreover, this prescription was given to Great Liang through Liuzhou’s defending General Yang by us Jin. In the future, won’t the defending generals and people of Great Liang’s various cities be grateful for this kindness?”
Lin Kangle lowered his eyes, quietly contemplating Bai Qingyan’s words.
“After Great Liang’s Emperor gets the prescription, he’ll need large quantities of medicinal herbs to treat the epidemic. But will Great Liang’s Emperor prioritize the soldiers first, or the people first?” Bai Qingyan smiled slightly at Lin Kangle, unhurried and untroubled, yet her presence was quite overwhelming.
“Great Liang’s Emperor is single-mindedly focused on revenge – he’ll prioritize the soldiers first!” Lin Kangle looked up.
“In that case, won’t Great Liang’s people… Hope that Jin’s army, which is willing to save their lives and give them medicine, can capture the cities to save their lives or their relatives’ lives?”