zChapter 878 - Da Shun Does Not Want Things That Do Not Belong to Humans

Xuan Tian Ming was in a decent mood. First, most of the soldiers had been able to recover from heatstroke. They had gotten through the most trying days. They gradually began to grow accustomed to the atmosphere. Second, Sha Ping City’s citizens were very welcoming of Da Shun. Up to this point, not a single person wanting to cause trouble could be found. On the contrary, they were getting along very well with the soldiers from Da Shun. Sha Ping City had already returned to normal. The shops were opening once more, and the people would go out and buy their food or wander idly. It was the exact same as before. It was as though the battle from many days earlier had never occurred. It was a very comforting thing.

With him being in a good mood, he was in the mood to speak a bit more with Jiang Xuan. Thus he raised his hand and had the two soldiers stop dragging him out temporarily and said: “The hearts of the 300 thousand troops? Why would this prince want that? The hearts of those that follow old eighth, even if I managed to get them, I would be unable to feel at ease. Who knows when they will cause trouble for me. Just like you, instead of obediently staying in the South, you came to make this prince angry. Gu Shu’s 500 thousand troops have already been chased back to Jue Ping City. This prince would not mind also chasing off the 300 thousand of you. Remember this, in this prince’s eyes, there are only two types of people. Those that are with me and the other type… isn’t it just you! You want to set up traps for this prince, but there won’t be such a possibility later on in life! Don’t think that this prince doesn’t know about how you passed along information about the movements on this side to Gu Shu. This prince just has not had the time to take care of you lot. People that help the enemy and betray the country, Da Shun does not want them!”

When he finished speaking, he let out a cold snort then said to the two soldiers: “Since Deputy General Jian does not wish to return to the capital, just lock him up. When all of the people that have betrayed the country in the Southern Army have been found, they will all be handled together. Or perhaps…” He put on a wicked smile, “If Deputy General Jiang wishes to reduce the sentence for your crimes, this prince welcomes your report.” After he finished speaking, he waved his hand. No matter how much Jiang Xuan screamed, he was ignored. It was only after Jiang Xuan was dragged away that the inside of the tent was quiet once more. Only then did he say to Xi Fang: “Have someone head to the Southern Army to investigate. It’s impossible that all 300 thousand of them are of the same mind as him. There is definitely someone there that is taking the lead to cause trouble. Capture those people. As for the rest, give them a choice, but you must remember that the Southern Army is independent. Not a single one is permitted to mingle with our army.”

Xi Fang received the order and went to carry it out.

Song Kang had roughly finished with messing around with the needle and muttered to himself: “Master already said it that the people on the eighth prince’s side all have wicked ambitions. Those that get captured… how about leaving them for me as living test subjects!” Song Kang had heard about some surgeries that involved transplanting internal organs, and he was very interested. He had already mentioned to Xuan Tian Ming about using some of the prisoners of war from Gu Shu.

But his description of the surgery had been too bloody. Even Xuan Tian Ming furrowed his brow when listening to it and never agreed. But when Song Kang mentioned it this time, he nodded and said: “That’s fine. The people from Gu Shu are from Gu Shu, after all. They fought for their own country, and this cannot be blamed on them. But there are some people that are my own Da Shun’s citizens, yet they go in the wrong direction. They should not blame this prince for treating them as beasts. This prince promises you that when those who are responsible have been caught, they will all be sent to you. You can do as you like with them!”

Song Kang leapt with joy, as he happily carried his medicine kit out. He was going to find Xi Fang and would speak with Xi Fang a bit. He definitely needed to find those responsible quickly.

Ever since taking control of Sha Ping City, Xuan Tian Ming decided to conserve energy. In the short term, they would not be attacking Jue Ping City. First, the climate in the desert required a long period of time to acclimate. Second, he was truly lacking in manpower. Governing Sha Ping City was a bit difficult. To then take over Jue Ping, it was very likely that a situation would occur where they could easily be attacked.

He had already sent a letter to Feng Yu Heng. When she came toward the South, she should bring along some capable people, especially government officials. Those without experience could slowly learn, but they had to be the type that was delighted to work entirely for the court. They also had to have a righteous moral code. They also needed to be able to stay in the desert for long periods of time and have a stronger body.

During this short period of waiting, he did not stay idle. He already knew that Fu Ya had opened a Hundred Herb Hall in Lan Zhou. During this time, he often sent people to Lan Zhou City to seek treatment, which left the Hundred Herb Hall in Lan Zhou struggling.

In the end, a fake was a fake. How could she possibly have it be as authentic as Feng Yu Heng’s Hundred Herb Hall? Faced with this large group of injured people that never seemed to end, the doctors of Lan Zhou’s Hundred Herb Hall were all suffering from headaches. Fang Ru Jiang had gone to the Feng residence a few times to invite Fu Ya, but how could Fu Ya dare to go outside? The citizens outside were drooling enough to drown her in it. She could only stay locked up inside the residence and refuse to see anyone.

As for Feng Jin Yuan, he did not see the arrival of Ji Ling Tian as he had expected. In fact, when he had secretly snuck out of the residence and visited the prefect’s manor, he found that the gatekeepers had been changed. It looked like the uniform belonged to the people that had come with Xuan Tian Ming. He just returned home with a feeling of shock and horror.

Fu Ya did not visit the Hundred Herb Hall, and Fang Ru Jiang was struggling to support it on his own, but Hundred Herb Hall could not be closed like this. His master, the ninth prince, had given him the order. Hundred Herb Hall was something that was for the sake of inciting anger. If it was perfectly calm, it would not be any fun. Some waves needed to be caused to maintain its purpose.

That day, a peddler entered Lan Zhou. Apparently, he had come from the capital. The items that he had brought were accessories and other miscellaneous items, but to the people of the South, those things were very fresh. The things were also very different from in the South. They could immediately be determined as good things.

That peddler’s stall was set up across the street from Hundred Herb Hall. While explaining to the people that the things from the capital were hard to get, and it was natural that they would be a bit more expensive, he also took in the Hundred Herb Hall that was across the street. He also observed the long line extending out of the building.

Someone could see that he was quite interested in the Hundred Herb Hall, thus they asked: “You’re a peddler. Instead of selling your things, what are you looking at a medical clinic for?”

Another person asked him: “I heard that the capital also has a Hundred Herb Hall. Is it true?”

The peddler heard them ask this and repeatedly nodded: “Of course, it’s true. The Hundred Herb Hall in the capital is the most famous one in Da Shun. That is one that was opened by Imperial Daughter Ji An herself! That place is not just a medical clinic. The people in the capital have already begun calling it Hundred Herb Hospital. In the beginning, it was just a small medicine shop, but it eventually expanded a great deal. The shops nearby were all bought out by Hundred Herb Hall. Not only are the medical pills, tablets and sweet medicines prepared by Imperial Daughter Ji An sold inside, but they also provide people with injections, infusions and surgeries. The hospital’s second floor is also a place where patients can stay at the hospital, and doctors and nurses will take care of the patients. It’s very thorough. Right, you still don’t know what infusions and surgeries are, right?”

When this peddler mentioned Hundred Herb Hall, he was truly more enthusiastic than when speaking of his goods, as he continued to explain these concepts. This included the residence that Feng Yu Heng had built outside the capital to reclaim the mountains to grow medicine. He also told the people: “Aside from going to seek treatment and get medicine, Hundred Herb Hall also takes very good care of the common folk. Some medicinal herbs will crumble a bit, and the appearance is not good, but the medical effect is the same. The people with money don’t want to buy it, thus Imperial Daughter had Hundred Herb Hall’s clerks wrap it up in cloth and give it to the poor families for free.”

He spoke clearly of the situation with the Hundred Herb Hall in the capital. Gradually, more and more people gathered around to listen. These people from Lan Zhou who had never been to the capital listened to him describe it. It was as though they themselves had been to the Hundred Herb Hall in the capital. Feelings of yearning began to fill their hearts.

Someone sighed: “The people in the capital really have it nice! They have an existence like Hundred Herb Hospital. What sort of illness can they not get treated? They don’t even need to drink bitter medical soups. They also have an anesthetic that’s better than mafeisan. The people in the capital really are fortunate!”

The peddler heard this and shook his head, “Hah! You can’t say that! Hasn’t Hundred Herb Hall already been opened in Lan Zhou? I have heard about it. In this world, as long as it’s a medical clinic called Hundred Herb Hall in Da Shun, they are all run by Imperial Daughter Ji An. If there was anyone else with a medical clinic and wanted to use this name, the government office there definitely would not agree to it. This was a decree set by the Emperor. Look, Lan Zhou now has a Hundred Herb Hall. What are you envying the people of the capital for?”

With him saying this, the citizens sighed: “Even if there is a Hundred Herb Hall, it’s not the same as the one in the capital!”

Immediately following this, the people went back and forth, ridiculing Lan Zhou’s Hundred Herb Hall for a while. This caused the peddler to feel extremely shocked: “You said that this place does not do injections, infusions or surgeries? Also, Imperial Daughter Ji An has clearly already arrived in Lan Zhou; however, she had refused to come out and treat patients? Impossible, impossible!” He repeatedly shook his head, “Although I spend most of my time traveling around, in the end, I am still someone from the capital. I spend long periods of time in the capital, and I could not be more familiar with Hundred Herb Hall and Imperial Daughter Ji An. When Imperial Daughter Ji An sees a patient, she has never paid attention to status. As long as they were sick, she would treat them, regardless of whether they were commoners or nobility. As long as a good person asked her, she would personally take care of it. I personally saw Imperial Daughter treat someone and not even ask for payment for the treatment. This was something that I saw more than just a few times. How could it possibly be like you described it?! If it really is like you said, as I see it, this Hundred Herb Hall is a fake. Even that imperial daughter that came to Lan Zhou is a fake.” While he spoke, he fiddled with his own wares and muttered: “I had heard that Imperial Daughter Ji An had left the capital, but she had gone to Ji An Prefecture. When did she come to Lan Zhou?”

When the people heard this, they quickly replied: “She came at around the new year.”

“What?” The peddler was extremely shocked then shook his head like a pellet drum: “Impossible, impossible, to say that she arrived in Lan Zhou around the new year, that’s even more impossible. At the time of the new year, Imperial Daughter Ji An was in the capital. We citizens in the capital saw her in the streets. She also participated in the palace banquet on the first day of the new year. How could she possibly have come to Lan Zhou? You must have the wrong person!”

“Ah!” Someone heard this and immediately reacted: a fake? Could it be that she really was a fake? Someone recalled: “On the day that His Highness the ninth prince entered Lan Zhou, he had gone to the Feng residence to speak for a bit. Do you guys remember?”

The people that happened to hear it on that day nodded and said: “His Highness the ninth prince himself had said it. We had also suspected it in the past. Now that we have heard this peddler little brother say this… comrades, could it be that we’ve been deceived? The Imperial Daughter Ji An in Lan Zhou is a fake?”

“But Lord Ji acknowledged her! Lord Ji is Lan Zhou’s prefect. He had also been to the capital. It’s impossible that he would fail to recognize Imperial Daughter Ji An. Even he acknowledged her. Could she be fake?”

“Oh! Aunty, is Lord Ji’s word worth listening to? Have you not looked at the prefect’s manor? It has already been surrounded by His Highness the ninth prince’s soldiers. Lord Ji has been locked up inside. It’s likely that he is in cahoots with that fake imperial daughter. The goal is to accumulate wealth!”

The people here discussed this controversial information, but they had basically determined that Fu Ya was a fake imperial daughter. At the corner of the street, a girl wearing a hat was leaning against the wall. Hearing this, she was given a start…