I Built a Territory in Ancient Times Chapter 156

Chapter 156

In truth, Ming Yu himself had no real certainty. While he had seen more of the world than most, he was not a medical expert. The only thing he could rely on was the knowledge he had gained from past experiences.

Fear gripped his heart, but the thought of Xie Yixiu, of that isolated army that could be entirely wiped out by the epidemic, filled him with sorrow.

The only thing he could do was rush to Xie Yixiu’s side and support him. He would use whatever knowledge he had to slow the spread of the disease, buying time until the physicians could find a way to counter it.

Ming Yu led his army out of Shi Chongguan, heading west without delay. Every moment mattered—each second he was late could mean another soldier infected. He sent countless scouts ahead to gather information on Xie Yixiu’s army, hoping to ease his growing anxiety.

Many reports came in, but none were what he wanted to hear.

“General Xie’s army has already broken through the Xiluo Tribe, but there is no news on the whereabouts of the Suixi forces.”

“There seem to be many cases of illness within General Xie’s troops, but the exact situation remains unclear.”

“I received word that the army is stationed at Beiga Haizi. It is said that the commanding general has fallen seriously ill, and operations have been halted.”

…

Rumors flooded in, but when he heard that the commander was gravely ill, Ming Yu’s heart clenched. If… if he was too late, would he never see him again?

He had thought that he and Xie Yixiu had all the time in the world, that they could slowly get to know each other. But at this moment, he realized just how unpredictable life was. Some things came so suddenly that they left no room for regrets.

Xie Yixiu was the only person in this world who made him feel safe, someone he could trust completely. He could sense Xie Yixiu’s feelings for him. People were not made of stone—how could they remain unmoved? He had believed that if things continued this way, a quiet companionship would be enough. That with time, everything would fall into place naturally. He imagined them growing old together, tending to each other in sickness, sharing warm tea on cold days. That kind of simple, steady life sounded wonderful.

But if Xie Yixiu were gone, what would he do? He had never experienced such soul-wrenching pain before. Had he unknowingly fallen so deeply? Now, it felt absurd. He had been too cautious, taking everything for granted, never considering that change could come so swiftly.

Ming Yu was consumed with urgency, desperate to see him. They pushed forward relentlessly, covering in just over twenty days a journey that should have taken a month.

Despite the exhaustion from marching day and night, Ming Yu did not hesitate. As soon as he arrived at the central camp, he rushed straight toward Xie Yixiu’s command tent.

No one dared to stop him—not a single person even spoke. The generals scrambled to follow behind him in a flustered panic.

“How is your general?” Ming Yu asked without preamble, walking briskly as he spoke. When no one immediately answered, his anxiety deepened, and he wished he could fly to Xie Yixiu’s side that very instant.

“Wang Ye, our general, he… a few days ago, he caught—” The soldier behind him stammered, unable to finish his sentence. But before he could, Ming Yu had already seized the reins of a nearby horse, mounted in one swift motion, and charged straight toward the command tent.

His heart was heavy with sorrow. No matter what, Xie Yixiu could not be harmed.

As his horse galloped forward, it kicked up a cloud of dust, leaving the stunned soldiers behind to exchange bewildered looks. What was wrong with Wang Ye? General Xie was right there—he wasn’t going anywhere—so why was he in such a rush?

Dismounting swiftly, Ming Yu strode forward and flung open the tent’s entrance. The first thing he saw was a large folding screen, a desk in front of it neatly arranged with books and documents. An open book lay on the table, its pages fluttering in the wind he had just brought in. The ink on the brush beside it had not yet dried, as if someone had been writing just moments ago.

But Ming Yu had no time to take in these details. He knew that behind the screen was where Xie Yixiu rested. The thought of Xie Yixiu lying weak and feverish, tormented by illness, made his heart tighten.

Without hesitation, he turned and rushed past the screen. The space beyond was simple—just a wooden bed barely large enough for one person to lie on.

“Xie Yixiu!” Ming Yu strode forward in two quick steps, fully expecting to see him there. But when he reached the bed, it was empty.

No one was there.

Had… had he been too late?

A terrible thought struck him, and grief surged within him like a tidal wave.

Had he really arrived too late?

His mind went blank. His chest felt unbearably tight, his nose stung, and his eyes welled up with tears that refused to fall, hanging in crystalline stillness. He tilted his head up, forcing himself to hold them back, unwilling to let them spill.

“Wang Ye?” A familiar voice spoke behind him. Ming Yu spun around sharply and saw Xie Yixiu standing there, his face as familiar as ever.

“Xie Yixiu?” His voice was barely above a whisper, as if he were trapped in a dream.

Xie Yixiu’s fingers twitched before clenching into a fist. He had just returned from inspecting the military camp, where he had been speaking with Dr. Liu. Upon hearing that Ming Yu had arrived, he had hurried back.

At first, he couldn’t believe it. But now, seeing Ming Yu standing there, his heart swelled with an overwhelming joy and relief like he had never felt before.

He wanted to say something about their long-awaited reunion, but with so much to express, he didn’t know where to start. In the end, he could only lower his head, adhering to his duty as a subject. Pressing his lips together, he bowed deeply and said, “Greetings, Wang Ye.”

Before he could react, Ming Yu had already thrown himself forward, crashing straight into his arms. The pain from the impact was real, and it told him—this was Xie Yixiu, the real, living Xie Yixiu.

Xie Yixiu stiffened, unable to believe what was happening. But the warmth in his embrace softened his heart, filling the emptiness he had long felt. The anxiety and unease that had plagued him all this time finally dissipated, leaving behind only a profound sense of peace.

Slowly, Xie Yixiu raised his arms and wrapped them around Ming Yu. Only when his emotions had completely settled did he ask in a soft voice, “Why did Wang Ye come here in person?”

It was only then that Ming Yu snapped back to reality, suddenly feeling a bit embarrassed. He hastily wiped his face with the hem of Xie Yixiu’s clothes before pushing him away. By the time he stepped back, his expression had returned to its usual composure, as if the person who had just lost all sense of control wasn’t him at all.

Lowering his head, Ming Yu adjusted his clothing, putting on an air of calm. “I received news, so I had to come personally to see things for myself to feel at ease.” He couldn’t bring himself to say that he had been worried about Xie Yixiu—those words simply wouldn’t come out.

Just moments ago, upon hearing what others had said, he had mistakenly thought that Xie Yixiu had also fallen ill with the epidemic. That was why he had lost his composure. Now, recalling his reaction, he wanted to dig a hole and crawl into it—how utterly embarrassing. But then he suddenly remembered something and asked anxiously, “Earlier, I overheard people outside saying you were sick a few days ago. I thought…”

Xie Yixiu shook his head. “It was nothing serious, just a slight cold a few days ago. I’ve fully recovered now.” Because of the epidemic, he had been feeling restless and unable to sleep properly. Combined with his heavy workload, the cold had taken hold. However, he was young and in good health, so he had recovered in just a few days.

The soldiers had originally intended to inform Ming Yu of this, but before they could finish explaining, he had already run off in a panic, leading to this whole misunderstanding.

Hearing Xie Yixiu’s reassurance, Ming Yu finally felt at ease. He also realized how rash he had been. Now that he thought about it, he couldn’t help but feel embarrassed.

Of course, Xie Yixiu knew that Ming Yu had come because he was worried about him. This warmed his heart, but thinking about the current situation, he couldn’t relax.

Frowning deeply, he said in a stern voice, “Wang Ye should know how dangerous it is here, yet you still insisted on coming. That was far too reckless. What were Prefecture Magistrate Liu and Great General Wei doing? How could they possibly allow you to come here?”

He had no idea how his heart had skipped a beat the moment he saw Ming Yu standing in front of him. The person he had longed for had suddenly appeared before him—how could he not be overjoyed? But then he was reminded of the situation here, and his worry surged again. He didn’t care about his own safety, but if something were to happen to Ming Yu, it would be an immeasurable loss.

With that thought, urgency flashed across his face for the first time. “I’ll have someone escort you back immediately.”

Seeing that he was about to leave, Ming Yu grabbed his arm. “I will never go back. I already understand the situation here. That’s exactly why I came—because this epidemic needs a solution, and I may have a way to help.”

Xie Yixiu was momentarily stunned. He didn’t believe Ming Yu’s words at first, but then he recalled what Doctor Liu had mentioned, and he realized that Ming Yu might actually be telling the truth.

Ming Yu had once organized a training seminar for medical practitioners in Liangcheng, mainly to teach basic medical knowledge and hygiene awareness. He believed that people’s understanding of sanitation was severely lacking—they had no concept of invisible bacteria, nor did they know how to properly disinfect wounds to prevent infection.

On the battlefield, injuries were common. Often, what seemed like a minor wound could become fatal due to poor hygiene. Those with strong constitutions might survive, but many were pushed straight through death’s door.

Doctors and civilians alike were unaware of these dangers, but Ming Yu knew. Though he wasn’t a physician, he had a grasp of fundamental medical knowledge. He had compiled everything he knew into a booklet and distributed it widely, organizing multiple training sessions. He encouraged all available doctors from Liangcheng and the military to attend, spreading awareness as much as possible.

Yet, he had never expected that, due to an enemy’s sinister scheme, an epidemic—something he thought would never occur—had broken out among the troops, catching everyone off guard.

At this point, the only thing he could do was try his best to contain and mitigate the crisis.

Despite Ming Yu’s insistence, Xie Yixiu still refused to agree. If there was a way to handle the situation, he would find it himself. But Ming Yu must not put himself in danger.

“I will leave, but not now. Right now, the only thing I can do is stand by your side and face this together.” Knowing he wouldn’t be able to convince Xie Yixiu immediately, Ming Yu simply continued, “How are the patients now? I brought doctors from Liangcheng, along with medicine and supplies—these are all urgently needed. First, tell me everything about the situation here so we can plan accordingly.”

This was the priority. Xie Yixiu didn’t waste any time and explained everything—Doctor Liu’s recommendations, the current treatment methods, and the overall condition of the epidemic within the army.

Ming Yu nodded. Upon learning that Doctor Liu had already isolated the infected, he felt slightly relieved. This was likely why Xie Yixiu had been able to continue his western campaign. At least, by isolating the patients, they had prevented the epidemic from spreading widely, and the main force of the army remained intact. More importantly, panic hadn’t broken out—after all, if news of an epidemic spread unchecked within the military, the fear and disorder it would cause would be an even greater disaster.

This proved that Xie Yixiu and his men had handled the situation as effectively as possible under the circumstances.

While the isolation method couldn’t eliminate new cases entirely, it was far better than doing nothing. Reducing contact between infected patients and healthy soldiers was a necessary first step.

However, in Ming Yu’s view, there were still many shortcomings—such as sterilization, protective measures for medical personnel, and overall hygiene conditions.

But he understood the limitations. People of this era had no knowledge of disinfection, protective gear, or bacteria. The fact that Dr. Liu had even thought to isolate the patients was already a direct result of attending Ming Yu’s training sessions—it was the only preventive measure he had been able to implement.

Besides, they were in a foreign land, with severe shortages of supplies and medicine. The sudden outbreak had left them overwhelmed, and even doctors were scarce. How could they possibly expect more?

“This time, I brought many doctors from Liangcheng, along with various medicines, soap, strong liquor, and other supplies that can be used for treatment and disinfection. From now on, everyone in the army must maintain strict hygiene to prevent further spread of the disease.”

Xie Yixiu listened carefully, understanding the importance of doctors and medicine. The army was severely lacking in both. But when Ming Yu mentioned soap and strong liquor, he was puzzled—what did those have to do with treating an epidemic?

Seeing his confusion, Ming Yu explained, “Most epidemics are caused by miasma or plagues. As the saying goes, ‘A great disaster is always followed by a great epidemic.’ These outbreaks stem from unsanitary conditions. Tuoba Ren took advantage of this by using diseased livestock carcasses and contaminated arrows. That’s why we must strictly control our environment and prevent further spread at the source.”

Ming Yu’s explanation was clear. As Xie Yixiu thought about it, everything suddenly made sense—the questions that had troubled him for days were finally answered.

“All items used by the infected, as well as anything they’ve touched, must be sterilized—either with strong liquor or by boiling. Everyone in the army must wash with soap, and all drinking water must be boiled before consumption.” Ming Yu paced back and forth before adding, “There’s too much to explain in one go. I’ll compile everything into a manual. Once everyone follows it, things will improve.”

“Alright!” Xie Yixiu nodded firmly.

Ming Yu was about to start working immediately, but as soon as he took a few quick steps, dizziness washed over him. His vision blurred, and before he could steady himself, he collapsed backward. Alarmed, Xie Yixiu rushed forward in a panic to catch him.

“Ming Yu! Ming Yu!” His usually calm and composed voice was now filled with fear and desperation. In his entire life, only Ming Yu had ever been able to shake him to his core like this.

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