Chapter 966 We can't get out of Yumen Pass!
In less than a quarter of an hour, Li San Niang saw several horses galloping towards her, followed closely by about a hundred soldiers.
Qiu Xiang rode her horse behind a general in armor. When they arrived at the roadside where Li San Niang and the others were standing, Qiu Xiang dismounted and ran to Li San Niang. She quickly said to Li San Niang, "San Niang, this is General Gong Xiangwu, the garrison commander of Yumen Pass."
Li San Niang put down her scarf, revealing her face, and took the goldfish charm that Qiu Xiang handed her—her official document that she had just given to Qiu Xiang.
After hanging the fish tally back on her belt, Li Sanniang bowed to Gong Xiangwu, who had dismounted and walked up to her.
"General Gong, my name is Li Mingfang, and I am a fifth-rank physician in the Imperial Medical Bureau of Chang'an!"
This goldfish-shaped talisman was personally bestowed by His Majesty!
After Li San Niang revealed her official status, she took out her travel documents and handed them to Gong Xiangwu.
"This is my official document regarding my journey from Chang'an to Shule. It states that my purpose in going there is to address the epidemic at the border."
Please take a look, General!
Gong Xiangwu returned the greeting with a cupped hand, said nothing, and simply took the document handed to him by Li Sanniang and read it.
He had already seen the goldfish charm when Qiu Xiang came to the pass to look for someone, so it should be real.
In Gong Xiangwu's view, there must be no one who would dare to forge the goldfish charm.
As a border garrison commander, a mere seventh-rank officer, Gong Xiangwu had never actually seen a gold fish talisman before, though he had seen silver and bronze fish talismans a few times.
The Yumen Pass here has only become more popular in recent years due to the opening of trade routes. In the past, very few officials from the capital came here on official business.
Moreover, Li San Niang just said that she was a fifth-rank official, but the official credentials she presented were gold fish tokens, which were only used by officials of the third rank or above.
Furthermore, Li San Niang explained that this goldfish talisman was "personally bestowed by the sage";
Gong Xiangwu understood what was being said. It meant that although Li Sanniang's official rank was only fifth grade, it was practically the same as a third grade, and she was favored by the emperor.
So, after reading through Li San Niang's official documents word by word, Gong Xiangwu handed the documents back to Li San Niang and then asked directly, "Why did Physician Li have someone inform me to lock the pass?"
It's not that I'm unwilling to heed Physician Li's advice, but the Jade Gate Pass connects to the Western Regions, with numerous merchant caravans passing through. To close the pass so suddenly is a truly serious matter!
Li San Niang naturally understood Gong Xiangwu's meaning. She wrapped her scarf around herself again and looked at Gong Xiangwu: "General and those around you should find something to cover their mouths and noses, leaving only their eyes exposed."
As soon as Li San Niang moved, Qiu Xiang, Lao Shi, and Shao Yang, who were beside her, all wrapped the scarves they were wearing on their heads again, imitating Li San Niang, covering their mouths and noses, leaving only their eyes exposed.
Seeing Li Sanniang and her men's actions, Gong Xiangwu and his soldiers dared not be careless.
This place is a pass where yellow sand swirls everywhere, so people here always have to wear hoods or scarves to protect themselves from the sandstorms when they go out.
So, Gong Xiangwu turned up the scarf around his neck himself and gave the soldiers behind him a look, and they all followed suit.
Meanwhile, Li San Niang had already arrived at the caravan where An Yan was.
Li San Niang called An Yan over and said, “Tell Kang Ada that I am a physician from the Tang Dynasty. I have discovered that he is ill and I need to check on his condition. Tell him not to be afraid, that I am trying to save him.”
An Yan, however, went to check on Gong Xiangwu and the others who had come with Li San Niang. After all, the sudden arrival of a hundred or so Tang soldiers wielding long swords, who had intercepted their foreign merchant caravans entering the pass, was quite frightening.
Li San Niang was anxious. Seeing An Yan's expression, she scolded him directly: "What are you looking at!"
This official orders you to inform Conada!
"Doctor Li, I wonder if these Sogdians can understand Chinese?"
Or shall I have someone summon the interpreter?
“Sir, sir, I can understand Chinese. My father is Han Chinese. Yes, I will tell Kang Ada right away.”
As soon as Gong Xiangwu finished speaking, An Yan hurriedly stepped forward and pulled Kang Ada, who was trembling with fear, to talk to him.
Kang Ada's scarf was pulled down again. Even though Gong Xiangwu didn't understand anything, just by looking at Kang Ada's face, he knew that this person must be sick!
“General, look, this man’s face is flushed, his eyes are bloodshot, his lips are chapped, and he is breathing rapidly,” Li Sanniang said, using her handkerchief as a pad to touch Kang Ada’s wrist. As soon as she touched him, she could tell that his body temperature was unusually high.
After taking his pulse and counting his breaths, Li San Niang was certain that this person had been infected with the plague!
Even without seeing Li San Niang's entire facial expression, just by looking at her exposed eyes, Gong Xiangwu could tell that this Sogdian was probably not a good person.
"Senior brother!"
Li San Niang turned around and called out to Senior Brother Shao Yang, who then stepped forward. Gong Xiangwu also made some room for Senior Brother Shao Yang.
Using Li San Niang's handkerchief, Senior Brother Shao Yang also reached out to feel her pulse.
This time, Senior Brother Shaoyang took a little longer to feel Kang Ada's pulse, and after he touched Kang Ada's hand, he also gestured for Kang Ada to put a handkerchief under his other hand.
After touching both hands, Senior Brother Shaoyang nodded solemnly to Li Sanniang.
"An Yan, could you ask him for me if he has a headache? Has he vomited?"
An Yan's forehead was already covered in a thick layer of sweat, and he knew that his caravan was probably in real trouble.
Just now, the caravan leader, who is also An Yan's uncle An Randian, tugged at An Yan's sleeve and whispered to him, "Watch how that general acts, and listen to the Tang people in everything!"
So, just as An Yan was about to ask Kang Ada the question Li San Niang had raised, Kang Ada suddenly vomited in front of everyone!
An Yan's entire front was vomited on by Kang Ada!
A pungent smell of sour water and vomit wafted over everyone's noses.
What could Li San Niang say when she saw Kang Ada like this?
She turned directly to Gong Xiangwu, whose eyes were filled with surprise, and said, "General Gong, this man has contracted the plague!"
We must lock the gate immediately!
I must summon the Imperial Medical Bureau to inspect all the caravan members here!
We must not allow people infected with the epidemic to pass through Yumen Pass!
If we let one person go, more than one person will die. If this epidemic is very severe, I'm afraid it will kill a whole bunch of people!
Moreover, I have arrived late, and I do not know if any sick merchant caravans have already passed through Yumen Pass on their way to Chang'an!
I will send a letter to Chang'an in the future, instructing the Imperial Medical Bureau branches along the route to conduct self-inspections!
However, General, please lock the gate now!
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