dognovel Chapter 998 United as one
Chapter 998 United as one
He immediately remembered Hua Chang'an's instructions and hurriedly added, "Lord Duke, there is another crucial issue. The Imperial Physician Hua specifically instructed that it takes forty days from the onset of this illness for the body to be completely free of the living virus and no longer contagious before one can come into contact with other healthy people."
Even if your soldiers recover, there is still a risk of transmission if the recovery period is short.
Upon hearing this, Wang Sanchun laughed heartily: "Who said soldiers? I was referring to the people in this city."
"The common people?" The physician was taken aback again. "The common people... are actually willing to help?"
Wang Sanchun's terrifying face now revealed a 'gentle' smile, though the smile looked even more bizarre against the backdrop of his scarred face: "How could I not be willing? How do you think this prefecture city achieved its current order?"
He suppressed his smile and slowly explained the reason.
It turned out that after the outbreak of the epidemic, Wang Sanchun immediately sealed off the city and ordered the troops that had not entered the city to retreat to camp several miles away.
He himself, along with the soldiers who had initially followed him into the city, stood guard outside the city gates to prevent any civilians from escaping.
Initially, Wang Sanchun's goal was to prevent the sick from leaving the city and infecting more people.
Just as Wang Sanchun had thought, many people in the city fled outwards. After all, being in such a hellish place, escaping was a human instinct.
Having exhausted all other options, Wang Sanchun had no choice but to personally shoot and kill several of the most troublemakers after his attempts to persuade them failed, thus bringing the situation under control.
Logically speaking, if things continue to develop this way, the local people will only become more afraid of Qingjun and Wang Sanchun.
But listening to the painful cries of the people in the city every day and seeing the desperate faces of the disaster victims, Wang Sanchun and his soldiers felt extremely tormented and could not bear to sit idly by.
Finally, one day, a soldier suggested entering the city to help the people, and the other soldiers readily agreed.
Everyone thought the general would be furious, but unexpectedly, Wang Sanchun not only did not stop him, but also took the lead himself.
First, they organized soldiers who volunteered to enter the city into a suicide squad, risking infection to enter the city.
They buried the mountains of corpses, gathered the still-breathing patients together, and distributed food, water, and medicine...
It was precisely because of their almost selfless actions that the prefectural city did not completely collapse into chaos and was able to barely maintain the current situation.
As a result, Wang Sanchun and many of his soldiers contracted smallpox.
He himself was among the first to be infected because he was at the forefront of the fight against the epidemic.
The people of Qiongzhou are not heartless.
They witnessed firsthand how these Qing soldiers, who could have safely evacuated, risked their lives and even paid the ultimate price for their sake.
This kindness is deeply etched in the hearts of the people of Qiongzhou.
Now that the imperial court has sent a team to provide disaster relief and needs manpower, how could they possibly back down?
After listening to Wang Sanchun's account, the physician looked at the disfigured Duke before him and couldn't help but feel a surge of admiration.
He finally understood why His Majesty's old Feng Army was invincible.
How could such an army have any rivals, and who would be willing to be their enemy?
. . . . . .
Before long, the news spread, and hundreds of people gradually gathered in the open space in front of the government office.
Most of them looked haggard, and many had pockmarks of varying depths on their faces and arms.
They stood silently, looking at Wang Sanchun and the physician standing on the steps of the government office.
The physician stepped forward and explained to everyone what was to be done next, without concealing the risks involved.
Although they are immune, they will face the most severe illness and death, a dual test of mental and physical strength.
After he finished speaking, the room fell silent.
Fear is a biological instinct.
Having just crawled back from the brink of death, the thought of actively confronting death and illness again would make anyone hesitate.
However, courage is the hymn to humanity.
From the crowd, a young man dressed in a Confucian robe slowly walked out.
His face was sallow, showing signs of weakness after his illness, but his eyes were quite clear.
Reaching the steps, the young man bowed respectfully to Wang Sanchun: "Duke Dingguo, what... do you intend for us to do?"
Wang Sanchun looked at the young man; he recognized him—the man he had personally picked up from the street and brought back to the camp.
He's usually quiet and reserved, so I never expected him to be the first to step forward.
"Our country will not force anyone; this matter is entirely voluntary."
"However, there are still tens of thousands of fellow villagers in Qiongzhou who are struggling to survive. I earnestly request that you all extend a helping hand to save more people."
Upon hearing this, the young man spoke with unwavering conviction, almost without hesitation:
“In that case, I am Cui Yan, and I am willing to go!”
Wang Sanchun looked at him, his ferocious facial muscles twitching slightly, a hint of emotion flashing in his eyes.
He stepped forward, disregarding his status as a duke, and bowed deeply to the young scholar:
"On behalf of His Majesty, on behalf of the Imperial Court, and on behalf of the countless people of Qiongzhou awaiting rescue, I, Wang, thank the righteous man!"
The young man named Cui Yan quickly stepped aside, refusing to accept his full courtesy.
He looked up at Wang Sanchun, a look of shame on his face, and raised his voice slightly: "Duke Dingguo, you mustn't! To be honest, I am not a native of Qiongzhou."
He paused, as if making up his mind: "I am a son of a concubine in the Cui family."
These words immediately caused a stir among the crowd.
The Cui family was one of the powerful families that instigated this rebellion.
Facing the astonished and suspicious gazes of the crowd, Cui Yan continued in a loud voice: "The aristocratic families fled south and carved out their own territories, which led to endless wars and ultimately attracted the royal army to conquer them. This is all the fault of my aristocratic families."
He changed the subject, turning his gaze to Wang Sanchun and the Qing army soldiers behind him: "However, the Qing army came to quell the rebellion because it was their duty, and they had no personal grudges."
"In particular, I am deeply impressed by the Duke of Dingguo and his soldiers who risked their lives to enter the city and rescue people when Qiongzhou was in turmoil!"
He faced the crowd, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, and said earnestly, "I am not talented, but I have read a few lines of classical texts since childhood and I deeply understand the principles of 'gratitude and repaying kindness' and 'the benevolent love others'."
"In the past, I was confined by my family and even wanted to hide my identity here. But today, having witnessed the benevolence of the royal army and received the Duke's grace in saving my life, if I were to shrink back again, how would I be any different from a beast?"
"Fellow villagers, the war was caused by powerful families, and this is what we owe to Qiongzhou!"
"As for the Qing army, they came to end the chaos. They had no obligation to save us, but they did! The Duke of Dingguo saved us!"
"Today, there are still tens of thousands of people in Qiongzhou struggling between life and death!"
He took a deep breath and almost shouted, "Cui Yan is here, and I humbly beg you all, please, for the sake of our fellow townsmen, lend a helping hand! Save them, save Qiongzhou!"
His heartfelt words, like a boulder thrown into stagnant water, stirred up ripples.