Chapter 241 (1/2)

Deputy general Qian did not respond, instead turning to look at Feng Yu Heng. Xuan Tian Ming immediately said: “This is county princess Ji An.”

“County princess Ji An?” That person seemed very surprised to hear this information, “You really are county princess Ji An?”

Feng Yu Heng nodded, “I am.”

“That’s perfect!” Deputy general Qian rubbed his hands repeatedly, as he was both anxious and joyous, “With county princess Ji An here, the soldiers can be saved!”

Feng Yu Heng’s face immediately sank, as she quickly looked towards Xuan Tian Ming. The two asked in unison: “There are patients?”

Deputy general Qian Li dropped to his knees, “This insignificant general is guilty, would general please decide on a punishment.”

Xuan Tian Ming coldly said: “Now is not the time to discuss punishment. Speak clearly on the situation first.”

Only then did Qian Li say: “This morning, this insignificant general sent general out of the mountains, so neither of us ate at camp, which can be considered as having avoided disaster. But when this lowly general returned to the camp, I noticed the soldiers who had just finished eating all collapsed to the ground. Those that were lightly affected were rolling around on the ground, while those that were affected more severely passed out.”

“How many people in total were poisoned?” Xuan Tian Ming asked, “Has the person who made the food been captured?”

Qian Li replied: “Eighty percent or more were poisoned, and the one who prepared the food… was also poisoned.”

The people inside the carriage fell silent for a while. Xuan Tian Ming clenched his fists tightly, his anger surging forth. The entire carriage was filled with his oppressive aura.

Feng Yu Heng stood up and lifted the curtain, informing Bai Ze: “Increase our pace. We must hurry to the camp.”

Bai Ze heard the conversation going on inside the carriage and swung his horsewhip. Even the carriage behind them, driven by Ban Zou, increased its speed.

Inside the carriage, Xuan Tian Ming was requesting Qian Li describe the details of the poisoning.

Qian Li pondered for a while before saying: “When this insignificant general returned, I saw a group of people on the ground. Some people were rolling around on the ground, holding their stomachs, but some had lost consciousness. Upon seeing that scene, I knew that they had been poisoned. Rushing forward to take a look, the people who had lost consciousness had fortunately only fainted. They did not stop breathing, but their faces were turning blue, and white foam was coming out of their mouths. Their fingers were also stiff, and I don’t know if they can endure until we return. The soldiers who were not poisoned are also in a panic. Some of them even rushed over to the kitchens to settle the debt with the cooks, but they discovered that they had also been poisoned and were collapsed next to the pots. Of the three doctors at the camp, two were poisoned and one is at a loss over what to do. He said that it was poison from the zhen, and that there is no cure.”

Qian Li said this while looking towards Feng Yu Heng. He noticed that Feng Yu Heng inhaled sharply upon hearing about the zhen.

His heart immediately became cold.

Xuan Tian Ming slightly raised his head, a fury filled his chest, but he had no place to vent it. The doctors at the military camp had been with him at the battlefield in the Northwest. Their medical ability was perhaps even higher than the imperial physicians of the palace. But now, two were poisoned and one had no solution. Was the poison from a zhen truly so fierce?

“The zhen is a type of bird.” After a long while, Feng Yu Heng faintly spoke, “I originally thought that type of bird was merely a myth passed down in history, but I did not think that this era would really have something like a zhen.”

“Heng Heng.” Xuan Tian Ming turned to look at her, “Is there anything you can do?”

Feng Yu Heng did not answer, but she did ask: “How many people are there in the camp?”

Qian Li said: “In the entire camp, there are thirty thousand.”

Xuan Tian Ming also said: “They are all people I brought back from the battle in the Northwest. A portion was left there to keep the peace. This thirty thousand returned with me and set up a camp in the suburbs of the capital.”

“Thirty thousand…” Even Feng Yu Heng revealed a trace of despair, “How many were poisoned?”

“At least twenty thousand or more.”

She frowned, “There are too many people.” Not to mention the era, even if it was in a modern hospital of the 21st century, there would not be enough doctors to accommodate suddenly having twenty thousand patients.

“Is there truly nothing that can be done?” Xuan Tian Ming’s tone was gloomy, “Heng Heng.” Calling out Heng Heng, he revealed a pleading look.

Feng Yu Heng went over and held his hand, explaining to him: “There is something that can be done, but there are too many people. With just me alone, there’s no way for me to save them all.”

“Then this lowly general will go get some doctors from the city to the military camp.” Qian Li immediately recovered upon hearing that there was something that could be done.

But Feng Yu Heng very quickly splashed cold water on his idea: “There’s no point. They don’t know how.”

Xuan Tian Ming slightly closed his eyes. Perhaps Qian Li did not understand, but he could understand a bit. Feng Yu Heng saying that others did not know how meant that they truly did not know how. He had once watched Feng Yu Heng treat Princess Xiang’s illness. The odd things and mystical methods were things he had never seen before.

But now…

“Let’s get to the camp first to take a look at the situation.” She faintly sighed, as she reaffirmed her thoughts of training more doctors.

The two carriages rushed hastily towards the military camp. When they finally began climbing the mountain, Xuan Tian Ming carried Feng Yu Heng and made use of his qing gong to climb it. Only when they arrived at the military camp did those who were not poisoned let out a sigh of relief.

Everyone gathered around Xuan Tian Ming to salute, and one of them said: “General, quickly come take a look. A large number of people are already… almost unable to hold on.”

Xuan Tian Ming’s heart tightened. Unable to worry about anything else, he moved his wheelchair and flew into the camp.

Feng Yu Heng followed behind him and very quickly saw the devastation in the military camp.

Just as Qian Li said, some people were unconscious, some were still slightly conscious, but their bodies were twisting about. Their faces were blue, and white foam came from their mouths.

Qian Li told Feng Yu Heng: “The situation is much worse than when I left. I fear that they will not last if we delay any longer.”