Chapter 106: Fighting in the Southwest Won't Be So Easy
The goddess intends to conquer the southwest and northwest.
Several key military leaders attached great importance to this matter. After making the necessary arrangements for the New Year's Eve military parade, they immediately came to discuss it with He Qinglan.
He Qinglan's reply was very straightforward: "Currently, only the southwest and northwest are relatively easy to obtain."
What else?
Of the other neighboring prefectures, two belong to Sun Yannan, and even the imperial court couldn't guarantee taking them if it attacked him, let alone Jinzhou now? One belongs to the imperial court, hmm…
Upon hearing this, everyone wore helpless expressions; it was a reason that couldn't be more straightforward.
It's just that we're too weak; we can only pick on the weakest ones.
“However, the southwest is not so easy to conquer,” Zhu Youchuan had already taken notes. “The complex terrain, climate, and mosquitoes in the southwest are our natural enemies. If we are not prepared and the army enters the southwest, I am afraid many people will fall ill.”
He and Mo Jingchun made a special trip to the printing house to look through the books they had brought, which contained knowledge about the geography of Southwest China, and took careful notes.
Qi Shuyu, who was called to the meeting, understood immediately. "Therefore, we need to understand the local terrain and climate temperature differences, what kinds of mosquitoes there are, how to prevent being bitten, and how to treat being bitten."
Zhu Youchuan snapped his fingers. "That's right."
Qi Shuyu nodded. "Let's go back and have a meeting to look up some information on this." She thought for a moment, "Actually, it would be best to talk to the local people and doctors."
No matter how much information they research, they can't understand it as well as the locals.
Mo Jingchun took out his notebook and said, "Then let me introduce the geographical environment of the Southwest region."
He Qinglan said, "Wait, let me tell you something first."
Everyone looked over.
He Qinglan made a startling statement: "When you are preparing for the war in the southwest, you cannot take all your manpower and resources into account, because next year, Sun Yannan and Lu Hong will unite the princes of the world to 'purge the court of corrupt officials'."
The people present: "..."
Purge the court of corrupt officials?
Is it that sudden?
Lu Wei and Sun Yannan and Lu Hong haven't finished fighting yet. Could it be that Sun and Lu lost this time and are not satisfied, so they've gathered other lords to fight Lu Wei to get revenge?
He Qinglan looked at her beloved subordinates, a slight smile playing on her lips, and said, "So half of you will come with me to the alliance meeting. The other half will take advantage of the allied forces' 'purging of the emperor's inner circle' to conquer the southwest region."
This is our opportunity.
Ning Huai'an and Hu Dazhu exchanged a glance, their eyes sparkling with a bright light.
Hu Dazhu pondered and felt that accompanying the goddess to the alliance meeting was very meaningful: This was the first time the goddess had truly stood before the people of the world, and I wanted to protect her safety and make contributions for her in the process of attacking the imperial court.
However, attacking the southwest and northwest would also allow Jinzhou to acquire more territory, which would benefit Jinzhou's future development.
Choosing between the two is so difficult, I don't know which one to choose.
Clearly, Ning Huai'an thought so too.
He Qinglan glanced at the two of them, but didn't make things difficult for them.
She said, “Let’s draw lots. I’ll draw the lots, and you two can draw them. If you draw the Southwest, you can lead your troops to attack the Southwest. If you draw Shengzhou, you can come with me to Shengzhou for the alliance meeting.”
While Xiang Yuesheng was still thinking about the alliance meeting and "purging the court of corrupt officials," he looked up and saw the goddess pick up a brush and write words on two pieces of paper. Then she folded the papers and put them into a lottery box that appeared out of thin air.
Xiang Yuesheng: "..."
Ah, everyone accepted the idea of attacking both the imperial court and the southwest so quickly?
With our current strength, can we do it?
No one sympathized with his thoughts; everyone was focused on the draw between Hu Dazhu and Ning Huai'an.
Hu Dazhu gestured for Ning Huai'an to draw first.
Ning Huai'an hesitated for a moment, then said to Hu Dazhu, "Shall we play a game of rock-paper-scissors?"
Hu Dazhu laughed, "Okay."
The two played a finger-guessing game.
Hu Dazhu produces cloth.
Ning Huai'an produced stones.
Hu Dazhu raised his right hand and waved it at the crowd, showing off that he had won.
Mo Jingchun looked ashamed and said, "Hurry up and smoke."
Hu Dazhu walked to He Qinglan's side and put the hand he had won the rock-paper-scissors game into the fist-sized hole at the top of the lottery box.
He felt around and found a small crumpled piece of paper, which he took out without hesitation.
Open.
The paper bore two powerful characters: Southwest.
Hu Dazhu flashed a smile and said to Ning Huai'an, "This is destiny. I'll go to fight in the southwest, and you'll accompany the goddess to the alliance meeting!"
Ning Huai'an didn't say anything; he nodded to indicate that he had no objection.
The campaign to conquer the southwest, like the alliance meeting, was crucial to the future of Jinzhou, making their tasks extremely important.
He Qinglan's lips curved into a smile, and her cold gaze swept over everyone as she said, "You can start preparing now."
Hu Dazhu, full of energy, said, "Goddess, please rest assured, I will definitely conquer the Southwest for you!"
Ning Huai'an was also filled with fighting spirit, "I will make sure that no one in the world will dare to underestimate Jinzhou from now on!"
He Qinglan encouraged the two of them expressionlessly, "I believe in you, keep it up."
The goddess could foresee what would happen in the future.
However, when it came to development, construction, and sieges, Hu Dazhu and his men never considered seeking shortcuts from the goddess.
Everyone actively explored solutions to the problem, and if they failed, they tried again and again.
Back when they were still in Yunhe County, they clearly understood that they had to rely on themselves for everything and couldn't depend on the goddess. Otherwise, what would happen to their descendants if the goddess left one day?
Mo Jingchun coughed lightly, "Then, shall we continue?"
He Qinglan gave an "OK" sign.
Mo Jingchun opened his notebook and said seriously, "I'm going to introduce the geographical environment of the Southwest region to everyone."
Everyone present adjusted their expressions and looked at Mo Jingchun attentively as she lectured.
Liangzhou.
"Dr. Mei, thank you!" The young man looked at Mei Leshu with teary eyes. "If you hadn't come to Liangzhou, I would have died. I just got married! You must come to our house sometime. Our whole family wants to thank you properly!"
Mei Leshu politely declined, as was her usual practice, "No, no, I have a lot of things to do here. You should go back first and live a good life from now on."
The young man nodded with tears in his eyes and left, turning back to look at himself every few steps.
Mei Leshu watched him leave the medical area, thinking to herself that although the smallpox was cured, her face would be covered in pockmarks from now on.
But being alive is more important than anything else.
He's so young, the pillar of his family. If he dies of smallpox, his family will definitely not be able to bear it.
Wow, I saved another family! I'm awesome!
Just as she was about to go back to work, a guard suddenly walked up to her.
Mei Leshu froze, then looked up.
The guard immediately clasped his hands in a salute to her, saying, "Doctor Mei, Grand Commandant Xue wishes to see you. Please come with me."
Mei Leshu asked instinctively, "Did you get vaccinated?"
Guard: "...It's planted."
Mei Leshu then asked, "Did Xue Rang plant it too?"
The guard confirmed, "Yes."
Dr. Mei nodded in satisfaction, then realized what was happening and asked the more crucial question in shock, "How did he come to Liangzhou? When did he arrive?"
The guard replied, "Well..." As a subordinate, he didn't dare to ask.
Mei Leshu frowned and said, "Wait for me a moment. I'll go back and tell my colleagues, and then I'll go out with you."
The guard respectfully replied, "Yes." Colleague?
Mei Leshu quickly returned to the doctors' work area, handed over her work to the other doctors, and said that she was going out.
An older doctor asked her with concern what she was going out to do and if she was going to buy anything.
Mei Leshu smiled and said, "I'm going to see an old friend. Don't worry."
She took off her gray cloth gown, mask, and gloves, changed into a coat, and followed the guards out of the medical area to see Xue Rang.
Xue Rang stayed in the most famous inn, in room number one of the highest tiers.
Seeing Mei Leshu enter the room, he asked, "Senior Sister Mei, would you like something to eat? The food at this inn is quite good."
Mei Leshu refused decisively, "No, the food given by our goddess is a hundred times better than the dishes in these inns."
Her attitude remained hostile, but Xue Rang didn't care. After all, Mei Leshu had never given him a kind look since they met again.
Xue Rang poured a cup of black tea and pushed it in front of Mei Leshu.
Mei Leshu didn't even glance at me, and asked, "What did you want to say to me?"
Xue Rang countered, "Then why is Senior Sister Mei willing to come see me?"
Mei Leshu said, "For the Goddess."
Xue Rang was surprised that Mei Leshu held He Qinglan in such high esteem.
"Let's get down to business," Mei Leshu said.
Xue Rang stopped wasting time and got down to business.
“I am very grateful to He Qinglan. Please allow me…” The young man’s eyes were deep, filled with extremely complex emotions, “to give her a gift of thanks.”
Mei Leshu was puzzled.
Xue Rang didn't explain, but took out a letter and handed it to Mei Leshu, saying, "Please give this to He Qinglan after you return to Jinzhou, Senior Sister Mei."
He didn't say how he knew Mei Leshu was going to finish her work and return to Jinzhou, nor did he say what he had come to Liangzhou specifically for.
Mei Leshu didn't bother to ask any questions. She took the letter, looked at Xue Rang, and emphasized again, "One day, I will bring my junior sister home."
Xue Rang's eyes were unfathomable. "Don't worry, Senior Sister Mei, I won't let Caiwei stay in this filthy place."
Mei Leshu sneered and remained silent.
Mei Leshu is gone.
Xue Rang stood by the window, watching the pedestrians coming and going on the street below. A young couple caught his eye.
The fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl took the little windmill handed to her by her sweetheart, pouted and blew on it, and the little windmill started to spin.
The boy looked at the girl, and two blushes rose on his face.
They left side by side, leaving Xue Rang with their backs turned.
The young man closed his eyes.
When the guard knocked and entered, Xue Rang had already suppressed all his emotions and returned to his usual gentle demeanor.
He asked, "Has the visiting card been given to Liao Zhen?"
The guard respectfully replied, "Yes, Governor Liao said he will visit you on time."
Xue Rang smiled slightly, "Very good, I don't think he will refuse."
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