I Built a Territory in Ancient Times Chapter 155

Chapter 155

Just moments ago, on the right side of the mountain wall in the valley, Tuoba Ren stood with his hands behind his back, observing everything below. He personally saw a team from the Great Yan entering the valley, and their arrangements went smoothly.

Standing beside him was Chacha Qi. Although he had witnessed every move His Highness made, he was still utterly confused. Those people just now could have been completely kept under control. Yet, His Highness had merely ordered a few rust-covered, tattered arrows—whose origins were unknown—to be fired haphazardly. The shots were disorderly, wounding only a few people lightly before the matter was left at that.

And then there were those five thousand troops—Tuoba Ren had gone to great lengths to secure them, yet His Highness abandoned them without hesitation. Who could possibly make such a sacrifice so easily?

He glanced at Tuoba Ren, wanting to ask, but he remained silent. When Tuoba Ren had allowed him to observe, he had already made it clear that he should not ask questions. Despite his confusion, Chacha Qi held his tongue.

Tuoba Ren smiled in satisfaction, cupping his fist and lightly coughing before waving his hand. “Let’s go.”

“Wang Ye! What about those soldiers?” Chacha Qi pointed to the soldiers who had been killed in the valley, feeling compassion. “Shouldn’t we do something?”

Tuoba Ren glanced at him. “If you’re not afraid of death, go down to the valley.”

“What’s in the valley? Is going in there dangerous? The team we saw earlier didn’t seem to have any issues,” Chacha Qi asked in confusion.

A victorious smile appeared on Tuoba Ren’s face. “Just because there’s no problem now, doesn’t mean there won’t be one later. Wait and see, it won’t be long before they start falling apart.”

Chacha Qi was still mulling over his words when he looked up to find that Tuoba Ren had already walked away.

Xie Yixiu decided to retreat. He couldn’t make sense of Tuoba Ren’s actions, so he thought it best to be cautious. The wisest course of action now was to pull back.

Not even ten days later, soldiers began to fall ill. After the army’s doctors examined them, they thought little of it and simply prescribed some medicine. However, the condition worsened instead of improving. More soldiers fell ill, all with the same symptoms, and even the doctors were at a loss.

Everyone grew anxious, and when Xie Yixiu learned of it, he quickly summoned all the military doctors to inquire.

“General, we’ve been practicing medicine for decades and have never seen a disease like this,” one doctor said, shaking his head.

Xie Yixiu scanned the room. “Illnesses always have a source. Why can’t we find the cause of this one?” He felt a sense of unease, wondering if this was somehow connected to Tuoba Ren from a few days ago.

There was silence. If there were a cause, they might still be able to find a cure.

At that moment, a trembling voice spoke up. “General, I have an idea, though I’m not sure if it’s worth mentioning.”

Xie Yixiu nodded. There was nothing that couldn’t be said here, as he had gathered them to brainstorm solutions.

“I’ve been practicing medicine for over fifty years and have seen countless diseases. From what I see, this illness resembles a plague,” the doctor said cautiously.

The room fell into shocked silence.

Someone stammered, “Dr. Liu, you shouldn’t speak carelessly.”

Xie Yixiu was silent for a moment before asking in a low voice, “Are you sure?”

Dr. Liu hesitated. He wasn’t certain but spoke carefully. “When I was young, I traveled and once encountered a village where no one survived a similar illness. The symptoms are strikingly similar to what we are seeing now.”

As a military leader, Xie Yixiu couldn’t afford to panic. He quickly realized that this was likely a scheme of Tuoba Ren’s. The livestock that had died in the valley, along with the rusty arrows—these were the sources of the problem. He hadn’t expected Tuoba Ren to be so ruthless, spreading the disease within the Great Yan army.

Though he didn’t want to believe it, Xie Yixiu had no choice but to take the situation seriously. He now believed Dr. Liu’s words and asked gravely, “Is there a way to treat it?”

Everyone exchanged uneasy looks. This wasn’t just a simple illness; it was a plague. One wrong move could wipe out the entire army.

Dr. Liu spoke softly. “I remember Wang Ye once trained in medical knowledge in Liangcheng. I attended a few of those sessions. If this is a plague, whether it is or not, we must separate the sick from the healthy immediately and prevent any contact. We should also send word to Wang Ye, asking him to bring doctors from Liangcheng to help formulate a treatment plan.”

This advice was wise, and Xie Yixiu nodded in agreement. He quickly ordered someone to act, at least to separate the sick from the healthy to prevent further infection.

“Do not let this news spread; otherwise, the consequences will be dealt with according to military law. Think of a way to contain the spread of the disease,” Xie Yixiu commanded sharply. If word of this got out, it could lead to utter chaos. Without hesitation, he issued a strict order.

“Yes!” everyone responded, not daring to defy him, and they quickly dispersed.

Xie Yixiu clenched his fists, thinking deeply. After a long time, he sat down to write a letter. However, his thoughts were scattered, and after writing a few words, he crumpled the paper. The light from the lantern flickered, casting shadows on his face, which was so grim it seemed as if water could be squeezed from it.

Unable to complete the letter, Xie Yixiu set down the pen and lowered his gaze, still uncertain about what steps to take next.

They couldn’t rush back. If it truly was a plague, the consequences of returning to the borderlands were still unknown. He couldn’t risk becoming a sinner for all of Great Yan.

Ming Yu finally received the news. After reading the contents of the letter, he almost lost his footing. Clenching his fists, he slammed the table hard and gritted his teeth. “Good! Well done, Tuoba Ren! Well done, Song Lian! Such ruthless traitors deserve to die a thousand deaths!”

“Wang Ye, what’s the situation?” Great General Wei and Prefecture Magistrate Liu had also received the news and hurried over, immediately asking for an update.

Ming Yu’s expression was grim, but he did not reveal the full truth. He carefully selected some key details and said, “Tuoba Ren escaped. The army has headed west.”

“What? West?” Great General Wei was in disbelief. “Why would that brat Xie go west? If he continues further, he’ll be deep in enemy territory. If he encounters the main forces of Suixi, his ten-thousand-strong army might not even be enough to fill their ranks!”

Xie Yixiu was not the reckless type. How could he decide on his own to lead the army deeper without any discussion? Even if they had failed to capture Tuoba Ren and the others, they had already agreed to return to the border as soon as possible. Yet now, the news from Wang Ye said that the army had gone west—this was no simple matter.

“Wang Ye, why would General Xie go west? Did he say anything about it?” Prefecture Magistrate Liu, remaining calm, asked.

Ming Yu shook his head and did not answer. His mind was in complete turmoil. Countless thoughts surged through his head, so chaotic that they made his brain ache.

Xie Yixiu would be fine. Forcing himself to stay composed, Ming Yu took a deep breath. He understood Xie Yixiu’s reasoning. In the army’s current condition, returning was impossible. If they spread out across the borderlands, what would happen to the people there? What would happen to the Great Yan?

Ming Yu knew the horrors of plagues. Europe’s Black Death had lasted for centuries, killing countless people. Epidemics had occurred throughout history, and records described the devastation: “The plague spread everywhere. Every household mourned the dead, and every room echoed with cries of sorrow. Some families perished entirely behind closed doors; others lost their entire clans.” Xie Yixiu’s first thought was to avoid dragging others into this disaster. But he hadn’t considered how much worry he would cause Ming Yu. If they returned, Ming Yu could still control the spread of the disease. But now, they had chosen to go west, determined to fight to the death with the barbarians. It was simply too reckless.

Ming Yu stood up. “ Great General Wei, prepare five thousand troops. I will personally go to Suixi.”

“What!” Great General Wei nearly jumped in shock. “Wang Ye, what did you just say? If reinforcements are needed, this old man can still move. How can we let Wang Ye put himself in danger?”

The memory of Ming Yu being kidnapped by the barbarians was still fresh in everyone’s mind. There was no way they could allow him to lead troops into Suixi. They were all seasoned veterans—Ming Yu’s words immediately triggered an ominous feeling in their hearts. Something must have happened to Xie Yixiu’s army; otherwise, Wang Ye wouldn’t have made such a request.

Ming Yu shook his head and paced a few times. “The border still needs Great General Wei to oversee it. Besides, this matter is of utmost importance. If I go personally, there may still be a chance to turn things around. Otherwise…” He shook his head, unable to finish the thought, but the meaning was clear.

Prefecture Magistrate Liu stood up, his expression solemn. “What exactly happened?”

Knowing he could no longer hide the truth, Ming Yu waved his hand, dismissing all irrelevant personnel. Only then did he speak in a heavy tone. “It’s a plague.”

“What?” Prefecture Magistrate Liu collapsed into a chair, his lips trembling, unable to utter another word.

Great General Wei’s face also turned pale. Though he had some suspicions, he had never imagined it would be such a grave matter. This… what should they do?

“Wang Ye, in that case, you must not go!” Great General Wei immediately tried to stop him. If Wang Ye went into such a dangerous situation, it would only put him at greater risk. No matter what, they had to prevent this.

Ming Yu barely managed a smile. “No, I have a way to contain the plague. The soldiers of the Great Yan cannot die in a foreign land without even knowing why.”

Prefecture Magistrate Liu snapped out of his shock upon hearing this and immediately spoke. “Wang Ye absolutely cannot go. If you truly have a way to control the disease, you can teach others how to do it.”

“That’s right,” Great General Wei quickly agreed.

Ming Yu shook his head with a bitter smile. “If it were that simple, I wouldn’t need to go. This kind of situation requires direct action. Just like a doctor—how can they prescribe medicine without seeing the patient?”

Seeing that the two were about to object again, he didn’t give them a chance to speak and continued, “I wouldn’t be going if I weren’t confident. I only need five thousand soldiers, plus my personal guards and the elite imperial troops. There won’t be any danger.”

Their concern wasn’t just about Ming Yu’s safety on the journey. If the army truly became infected, what would happen if Wang Ye was exposed to the disease?

As if seeing through their thoughts, Ming Yu smiled faintly. “Since I’ve said I have a way to contain the plague, do you think I wouldn’t know how to protect myself?”

Seeing that Wang Ye’s decision was final, Great General Wei stepped forward. “In that case, this old minister will accompany Wang Ye.”

Ming Yu shook his head. “Liangzhou’s affairs are too numerous to count. Prefecture Magistrate Liu and Great General Wei cannot be absent. If you leave, what happens to the garrison? How will border defense decisions be made? If the enemy takes advantage of this and attacks, who will take charge?” Then he turned to Prefecture Magistrate Liu. “The development of Liangzhou and the Western Qi Corridor needs direct oversight. Everything depends on you. As long as we follow the plan, there shouldn’t be any major issues.”

The management of the Western Qi Corridor couldn’t rely on Ming Yu alone. Prefecture Magistrate Liu had always been in charge of its affairs, fully familiar with Ming Yu’s strategies. With him staying behind, Ming Yu felt reassured.

These two, one civil and one military, complemented each other perfectly. They were the backbone of Liangzhou’s stability.

Originally, Ming Yu had requested only five thousand troops. However, General Wei ended up sending ten thousand. In addition, Ming Yu gathered nearly all the doctors in Liangcheng, emptied the city’s pharmacies of medicinal herbs, stockpiled cotton cloth from textile shops, and collected all the strong liquor from taverns.

One must never go to battle unprepared. These were all urgently needed supplies for Xie Yixiu’s forces. Ming Yu had to be ready for anything. If they lacked medicine when the time came, even if he had a solution, he would be powerless to implement it.　

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