“I understand.” Du Ruhui was about to make arrangements when he unexpectedly saw Imperial Physician Jiang, who should have been treating the soldiers, hurrying toward them. Before he could inquire, Imperial Physician Jiang was already speaking with a panicked expression: “Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! Something terrible!”

Li Shimin’s expression became stern as he urgently asked: “What has happened?”

Imperial Physician Jiang rushed closer, caught his breath, and said frantically: “Reporting to Your Majesty, the more than nine hundred soldiers who had previously taken the medicine prescribed by myself and Imperial Physician Qi and whose conditions had stabilized have suddenly experienced a deterioration in their condition. They have lost control of their bowels and bladder. The two of us have done our utmost to treat them, but still cannot control it. Now… the situation is very bad, and I fear their lives are in danger!”

Li Shimin never expected to suddenly hear such news and urgently asked: “Why is this happening?”

Imperial Physician Jiang said with a mournful face: “I also don’t know why the situation has taken such a sudden turn for the worse. The only thing I can be certain of is that what they have been poisoned with is definitely not ordinary diarrhea poison, but as for what exactly it is, I truly cannot diagnose it. Please punish me, Your Majesty!”

Li Shimin had no time to punish him at this moment and quickly walked toward the place where those nine hundred soldiers were housed. As soon as he approached, he smelled a foul stench and knew it must be caused by the soldiers’ loss of bowel and bladder control.

Du Ruhui also smelled it and blocked Li Shimin’s path: “Your Majesty, it is filthy ahead. Let me go instead.”

“No need.” Dropping these words, Li Shimin strode forward. Du Ruhui had no choice but to follow behind him.

Imperial Physician Qi was sweating profusely as he administered needles to a soldier whose eyes had rolled back and whose body was convulsing. He didn’t even notice Li Shimin’s arrival.

Although Imperial Physician Qi used every means at his disposal, he ultimately could not save the soldier’s life and could only watch helplessly as he died, saying dejectedly: “Another one.”

“How many have died already?” Hearing these words, Imperial Physician Qi finally noticed Li Shimin was beside him and hurriedly stood up to bow. “Reporting to Your Majesty, this is already the third one!”

“Have you determined the cause of death?” Li Shimin’s face was terrifyingly dark. He knew clearly that these three people were only the beginning. If this continued, the nine hundred people before him, and even those eight thousand others, would all die!

Imperial Physician Qi shook his head heavily: “I have done my utmost, but the poison they have been affected by is unlike anything I have ever seen. I suspect it may be a foreign poison!”

While they were talking, a soldier came to report that among those eight thousand other patients, deaths had similarly occurred, and in just a short time, there had been as many as ten cases!

Li Shimin gritted his teeth tightly. From onset to death was a matter of only a few hours, so fast that people were caught off guard. If this continued, those nine thousand people would probably lose their lives before dawn tomorrow.

Du Ruhui said hatefully: “This Li Jiancheng is simply mad and heartless. Killing so many innocent people, isn’t he afraid of karmic retribution?!” Since these soldiers had died, then the common people living along the river and drinking from this section of the Qi River would also certainly face certain death.

Li Shimin said coldly: “If he understood the meaning of ‘karmic retribution,’ he wouldn’t have done this!” Speaking to this point, he took a deep breath and said to a soldier waiting nearby: “Give the fallen soldiers a proper burial!”

Just as the soldier left, Du Ruhui suddenly remembered something and said in alarm: “Since what Li Jiancheng put in the water source is lethal poison, then General Yuchi… wouldn’t his life also be in danger?”

Li Shimin bit his teeth and said nothing. Yuchi Jingde was a general he relied upon heavily. If he died like this, it would be a great loss whether for him or for the Great Tang. But now… seeing the situation deteriorate, he was powerless to do anything!

Yuchi Jingde was housed separately in a tent. His condition had not yet deteriorated, but according to the two Imperial Physicians Qi and Jiang, deterioration was only a matter of time.

Seeing Li Shimin and Du Ruhui enter, Yuchi Jingde struggled to get up, but Li Shimin quickly held him down: “Lie down properly. Can you still hold on?”

Yuchi Jingde’s gray-white face forced out a smile: “It’s just a bit of diarrhea, nothing life-threatening. After resting for a night, tomorrow I’ll be fine. Then I’ll be the first to charge into Luoyang City and capture that dog thief Li Jiancheng for Your Majesty to deal with.”

He still didn’t know that what he had been poisoned with was a foreign exotic poison, and that quite a few people had already died. He thought it was just a minor poison that would cause diarrhea.

Li Shimin suppressed the sadness in his heart and said: “Don’t think about these things first. Recovery is important. As for the siege, there are still Ruhui and the others.”

Du Ruhui tried to put on a relaxed appearance: “Exactly. Unless General, you think that with your illness, we can’t take Luoyang City?”

“Of course not, it’s just…” He had only said half when Du Ruhui had already taken over: “Since it’s not, then put your mind at ease and lie down properly. Don’t make His Majesty worry about you when he’s attacking the city.”

Yuchi Jingde nodded, then said: “By the way, I heard that many people were poisoned this time, and there aren’t enough medicinal materials. What should we do about this?”

Li Shimin forced a smile: “I have already sent orders to transport medicinal materials from Chang’an. They… will all get better!”

“That’s good.” Before he finished speaking, Yuchi Jingde’s face suddenly became extremely ugly, and his abdomen made “gurgling” sounds, as if something was rolling around inside.

Li Shimin knew something was wrong and quickly said: “Quickly summon Imperial Physicians Jiang and Qi!” Whether it was useful or not, having imperial physicians present would always be somewhat better. Du Ruhui had the same thought, so before Li Shimin finished speaking, he had already rushed outside the tent.

Soon, Jiang and Qi hurried in. Yuchi Jingde’s condition was the same as those previous soldiers – chaotic pulse, deteriorating condition, and he also showed signs of incontinence.

Li Shimin said urgently: “Please, both Imperial Physicians, you must save General Yuchi!”

“We will certainly do our utmost!” After saying this, Qi and Jiang began to apply their medical skills with all their might, hoping to save Yuchi Jingde’s life.

After calming his emotions somewhat, Li Shimin said to Du Ruhui: “Now that Jingde is poisoned and cannot oversee military affairs, you will take over the defense. Also, according to General Liu’s earlier estimation, Li Jiancheng will soon send people to launch a surprise attack. You must be careful.”

“Yes, I’ll go handle it immediately!” Just as Liu Hongji had predicted, at the fourth watch, a unit of Luoyang troops led by Jiang Yuan launched a surprise attack on the military camp. Fortunately, they were prepared, causing them not only to return empty-handed but also to lose many men.

After repelling the Luoyang troops, Du Ruhui was concerned about Yuchi Jingde and hurried back to the camp. Liu Hongji was also there, talking with Imperial Physician Jiang. As for Yuchi Jingde, his eyes were tightly closed and he appeared to have lost consciousness. His body was stuck with many silver needles, which Imperial Physician Qi was removing one by one.

“Fortunately, General Yuchi has an extremely good physical constitution and didn’t ingest much of the poisoned water, so for now his condition has stabilized.” Just as Imperial Physician Qi finished speaking, Li Shimin frowned and asked: “For now, meaning there’s still danger?”

Imperial Physician Qi said shamefully: “Your Majesty, please forgive me. Both Imperial Physician Jiang and I are encountering this kind of poison for the first time and know very little about it, so… as for the subsequent situation, I truly dare not make any definitive statements.”