Prince Duan nodded with a cold smile: "Since that's the case, then tell me about it."
Lu Tu said in a deep voice, "That's natural, but..." His gaze fell on Yun Tian.
Yun Tian immediately said impatiently, "Don't forget, this is my residence. You think you can just tell me to leave?"
Prince Duan rebuked, "I told you to speak, so speak! Why are you making so many demands? If your method doesn't work, you can leave your lives here!"
Upon hearing this, Nie Yun and the others immediately surrounded Lü Tu, forming a circle back to back. This was the result of their daily training and a signal that they were about to make their move.
Meanwhile, the Imperial Guards watched them calmly throughout. After all, the two sides were vastly different in strength, and they were absolutely confident that they could kill Nie Yun and the others before they could make a move. This was also why Prince Duan dared to stand so brazenly beside Lü Tu.
Lu Tu gave Nie Yun, Liu Hong, and the others a look, signaling them not to act rashly. Then he nodded confidently and said, "I have a few methods. Since Prince Duan wants to hear them, I will tell you. The decision to implement them or not rests with Prince Duan."
"explain!"
"First, gather all the people infected with smallpox and slaughter them, then dig mass graves and burn their bodies."
Upon hearing this, even the ruthless Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards) couldn't help but gasp in shock.
They gave Lü Tu a deep look, never expecting that this young man, who looked so young, would be so ruthless.
However, it must be said that this method, though seemingly too cruel, is extremely efficient. Even among the court officials, there are quite a few who approve of this method. It is astonishing that this wild boy from the desolate border region has such a far-sighted idea.
Prince Duan sat down on his own, and the maid beside him immediately poured him a full glass of wine. He then drank it all in one gulp and said, "This method isn't exactly brilliant. You don't think you're the only one who thought of it, do you? Consider this half a method. Is there anything else?"
Upon hearing this, Yun Tian secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't worried about too many civilian casualties, but rather that Zhao Xiao might adopt Lü Tu's suggestion and let Lü Tu go or even value him, which would truly be a case of trying to steal a chicken but losing the rice instead.
Even Liu Hong and the others behind him were secretly worried for Lü Tu. At this point, it was no longer just Nie Yun's life that was at stake; the safety of Lü Tu and the entire village was also tied together.
If Lü Tu couldn't figure out a way to cure smallpox, they might all perish here. Naturally, they were prepared to fight to the death at any time. If Prince Duan went berserk, they would risk their lives to block the Imperial Guards around them, so that Lü Tu would have a chance to capture Prince Duan alive.
Lu Tu said in a deep voice, "Yes! But this matter..."
"Enough with the nonsense, just tell me!"
Lu Tu stood proudly with his hands behind his back, revealing a compassionate expression: "The second method is to gather all the people infected with smallpox together."
Before he could finish speaking, he was met with another sarcastic remark from Yun Tian: "I thought it was some brilliant idea, but what's the difference between this and the one from before? Do you still dare to deny that you weren't deceiving His Highness?"
Lu Tu couldn't help but glance at him sideways, but ignored him and continued, "After gathering the people together, drive them out of the Northern Great Wall and let them spread the plague to the Wuhuan. When the plague in Wuchuan City is cured, the Wuhuan people will be infected with the plague again. It's killing two birds with one stone!"
hiss!
Everyone present was shocked. Even Zhao Xiao, a member of the royal family who didn't treat ordinary people like human beings, was utterly astonished by this method!
He gave Lü Tu a deep look: "You actually came up with such a vicious plan? You really don't treat the people like human beings."
Even the Imperial Guards responsible for protecting him couldn't help but grumble inwardly when he said those words.
Yun Tian's pupils contracted sharply. He never expected that such a vicious idea would come from Lü Tu's mouth. It seemed that this guy had been thinking about this for quite some time.
Especially considering Lü Tu's previous reputation, everyone in Wuchuan City knew that he cared deeply for the people and was even willing to use his own salary for work relief. Unexpectedly, he actually let the people become plague victims to spread the plague to the Wuhuan people, which was truly beyond Yun Tian's expectations.
Facing Zhao Xiao's words, Lü Tu met his gaze without the slightest fear: "Your Highness, am I wrong in my thinking?"
Zhao Xiao, having changed his previous hostility towards Lü Tu, clapped his hands and laughed loudly, "That's right, very good! The strategy of sacrificing a friend to save myself is exactly what I wanted!"
Seeing this, Liu Hong, Nie Yun, and the others dared not relax their vigilance in the slightest. Liu Hong, in particular, as a captain of the Southern Imperial Guard, had heard about the style of the royal family. They were ruthless and cold-blooded. One second they might be smiling at you, and the next second they would dare to stab you in the back.
Yun Tian, standing to the side, was truly panicked. He knew this method was excellent, and once Prince Duan adopted Lü Tu's suggestion, his status would inevitably rise, making Prince Duan value Lü Tu. If Prince Duan listened to Lü Tu and began investigating Yun Ao's rebellion, even if Yun Tian was the victim, he would still be in serious trouble.
“Your Highness, this is absolutely unacceptable!” Yun Tian advised.
Zhao Xiao's face immediately fell: "Why not?"
Yun Tian bowed and explained, "His Majesty has only recently ascended the throne, and this is the time to win over the hearts of the people. If we adopt Lü Tu's treacherous plan at this time, it will inevitably arouse the righteous indignation of the entire six towns of the Northern Border. In addition, there are uprisings in various parts of the country, which will exacerbate this situation. When His Majesty investigates the matter, he may not think that Your Highness did the right thing!"
After listening to Yun Tian's words, Lü Tu couldn't help but nod in approval. This old guy really lived up to his reputation as the top leader of Wuchuan for so many years; he still had some skills.
After all, neither Yun Tian nor Zhao Xiao acted in the best interests of the people. They only cared about the expression on the face of the person on the dragon throne. Understanding the emperor's will was a required course for every official. As for whether the people lived or died? That was none of their business.
Even if Yunxiao agreed with Lü Tu's method, it was only to make a good impression on the emperor. Yun Tian's words did make some sense, which made Zhao Xiao think about it.
"What Lord Yun said makes sense. Lu Tu, neither of your two plans can be implemented. You should accept the punishment for deceiving the emperor."
Upon hearing this, Lü Tu was so angry that he laughed, and the Imperial Guards around him all took a step forward in unison.
Liu Hong, Nie Yun, and the others immediately became anxious. Just as they were about to take action, they heard Lü Tu burst into unrestrained laughter: "Prince Duan, I can no longer bear the crime of deceiving the emperor."
Prince Duan sneered, "Why? Do you have another way?"
"Yes! I have a way to cure smallpox, and I can also protect you, Prince Duan, from the threat of smallpox. Even if you come into face-to-face contact with smallpox, you will not be infected!"
Upon hearing this, Prince Duan, Zhao Xiao, slammed his fist on the table and stood up: "Is this really true?"
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