Chapter 1511
The Final Battle, the Evolution of the Plague, and the Death of Xun Lao [4]
Chapter 1511 The Final Battle, the Evolution of the Plague, and the Death of Xun Lao [4]
"His mouth and nails were cyanotic, his pulse dropped sharply, and his blood was frozen, but his temperature was high... He vomited blood, coughed up blood, and urinated blood. He had three seizures. After his death, his body was covered with bruises, some of which were so dark they were almost black, like the bruises from someone who had beaten him to death." Commander Ling described the state of Zeng Tongzhi before and after his death.
Inside the hall, everyone was shocked upon hearing this; the manner of the death was enough to demonstrate the ferocity of the plague bacteria.
"My lords, it's confirmed now. This is the most serious plague that our master and Master Qin were talking about, the septicemic plague." Si Pei didn't know much about rat plague, but he was certain: "The most powerful plague has landed on us... We need to hurry up and make our funeral arrangements."
*Smack!* Lord Yan slammed his hand on the table, glaring at Si Pei: "Speaking lightly of life and death at a time like this is deliberately undermining morale. I can punish you!"
Si Pei said innocently, "Lord Yan misunderstands. What I meant by 'making arrangements for the aftermath' was to either cast or burn the historical records of this battle that we have made, and then bury them underground. Otherwise, I'm afraid they might not be able to be preserved."
Ah, that's right. We really should start preparing now, otherwise if we wait a few more days, we might not even have the energy to prepare.
Lord Yan acted as if nothing had happened, and said only: "You took the lead in making wartime records. I'll entrust you with the task of preserving wartime historical records. That will ensure that it has a proper beginning and an end."
“I obey!” Si Pei said again, “But Lord Yan, Prince Ye, Envoy Qi, and Deputy General Lang need to give me a joint letter before I can get people to do this.”
You brat, you sure know how to enjoy life!
Lord Yan was a little angry.
"Report! Lord Shi requests an audience with His Highness the Prince of Ye!" A messenger under Commander Ling shouted from outside the main hall gate.
"Lord Shi? Who?" Yu Chenghao asked, looking completely bewildered.
Qin Xiaogu said, "He was sent by His Majesty to be the head of the Ministry of Works to build the imperial residences for our families."
"Oh, it's this gentleman." Yu Chenghao suddenly realized, "I had almost forgotten about him."
These are the nicest words; what they really mean is that Lord Shi is shirking his responsibilities and has no sense of duty.
Ever since the villagers of Baofu County came to the capital city to escape the war, the craftsmen and artisans under Lord Shi's command have been working like crazy, while he, on the other hand, has been hiding in the Wuyuan Garden.
So much happened during that time, yet he stubbornly refused to show his face, remain silent, or express his opinion, doing an excellent job of protecting himself.
Lord Yan glanced at the students in the hall: You should learn more from Lord Shi, and I guarantee you'll spend less time in jail on your path to officialdom.
Qi Tianshi also glanced at the students in the hall: You should all learn from Lord Shi. You'll never get His Majesty to look up to you even if you work your whole life!
Students: Why are you two giving us such scary looks? It's terrifying!
"Please invite Lord Shi in," the Prince of Ye said.
"Yes." Commander Ling and a royal guard went out to meet the person.
Why is the compensation so high?
They feared he had contracted an epidemic, which was why he had suddenly come to see them, hoping to become a source of infection for the pillars of the hall.
After all, he's been an invisible man for so long, it's normal for everyone to be wary of him when he suddenly appears.
Upon arrival, Lord Shi immediately apologized: "As an official dispatched to supervise the construction of the imperial residence, I dared not get involved in local affairs. Therefore, since entering the capital city, I have strictly adhered to the rules and dared not interfere. I am guilty and ashamed..."
"Upon learning of the death of Zeng Tongzhi from the plague, I was overcome with grief and wept bitterly. I felt I could no longer adhere to the old ways, so I came here to plead guilty and beg you gentlemen to give me work so that I may fulfill my duty as a Wei citizen to this land before I die."
Good heavens, even those two old, cunning officials, Lord Yan and Prefect Fei, couldn't say such eloquent words, yet he did.
Lord Yan's narrowed old eyes widened slightly. Lord Shi was very uneasy... He had been hiding for so long because this battle was extremely difficult, and as a mere official in the Ministry of Works, he could only protect himself.
But now the plague has breached the entire capital city, and a high-ranking official has died. If he continues to hide, he will be cursed even after he dies.
Both were deaths, but Zeng Tongzhi would be praised as a hero who died fighting the epidemic, while he would be cursed as a coward who remained indifferent to the nation's crisis and ultimately could not escape the plague... His reputation was not only unpleasant but also laughable.
Lord Shi wasn't that thick-skinned, so he came out to ask for work to protect his official reputation.
In truth, Lord Shi was also wronged. He cursed Emperor Wuxing in his heart again... Why did he have to be given a house? If he hadn't been given this house, wouldn't I have been able to stay in the capital and avoid this undeserved disaster?!
"Lord Shi, there's no need for such formalities. Please rise," the Prince of Ye said, and before he could hesitate, he asked, "What kind of work does Lord Shi wish to undertake?"
Ah this?
Can I decide this?
After showing a hint of surprise and joy, Lord Shi quickly composed himself, bowed deeply, and said, "I am the head of the Ministry of Works and am familiar with the management of manufacturing and construction of weapons... Manufacturing weapons is a matter of national secrets, and I dare not get involved. However, I have heard that you students intend to forge weapons to record and preserve the historical facts of this battle for future generations to explore. I am able to help with this matter."
Upon hearing this, the students in the hall, including Si Pei, Yu Chenghao, Si Feng, Wen Xiangnan, Qi Yucong, Wu Lianshu, and Su Baitai, were all furious: So you old man came here to steal our credit!
They were so angry that they wanted to hit Lord Shi, but they didn't dare. They could only glare at Shi Songxin, wishing they could drag him out and beat him up.
Shi Songxin: "..."
Heh, Qi Tianshi didn't say anything, just smiled, glanced at the King of Ye, and watched the show.
The Prince of Ye sighed inwardly and said directly, "Lord Shi is the head of the Ministry of Works, so let him take charge of the construction of the city wall."
It's a job that matches your major; if you don't take it, you're just afraid of dying.
Besides, you were the one who begged for the job, how can you refuse it?
Lord Shi felt a pang of guilt, but he did not refuse. He bowed again and said, "Thank you, Prince Ye. I accept your command and will live and die with the capital city."
"This is a joint appointment letter. Take it, Lord Shi, and go report to General Chu." The King of Ye gave him an appointment letter with his seal and name added.
"Your humble servant obeys." After receiving the letter of appointment, Lord Shi bowed to the officials and turned to leave, escorted by two Wei soldiers to General Chu's location.
After he left, Si Pei asked worriedly, "Wouldn't he have opened the city gates for the enemy?"
Bang! Lord Yan slammed his fist on the table again: "To openly frame an official of the imperial court without any evidence, do you want to go to jail right now?"
These kids are so hard to manage; they can't even talk yet.
If his political enemies were all the kind of people who could give him ammunition so easily, then he, surnamed Yan, would have become the Grand Secretary and Cabinet Minister of the Great Wei Dynasty long ago!
Si Pei continued, "He's been hiding for so long, and now he suddenly comes out asking for a living. It's hard not to be suspicious."
The King of Ye said, "Don't worry, General Chu and the other commanders are not to be trifled with. Moreover, Lord Shi is a civil official, and only a director of the Ministry of Works. He can't even get close to the city gate without a military order from the Wei army."
The city gates were triple-layered, all made of iron, and their mechanisms were complex, making them difficult to open.
"Here's the joint letter. Go and do your important task of preserving the historical facts of this battle." Lord Yan is fed up with them. Zeng Tongzhi is dead, and you're still busy gossiping about Lord Shi. Instead of wasting time gossiping, you should go smash Wen Tao's door and confiscate his supplies.
"Thank you, Lord Yan!" Si Pei was delighted and solemnly accepted the joint appointment letter. With this appointment letter, they could use their status as students to mobilize the personnel and resources of both the government and military departments.