Chapter 255: Zhang He, Gongxi [Seeking Monthly Tickets]
You mean Zhang He?
Gu Ren didn't react for a moment.
He sought confirmation once again.
"Sixth Brother, are you talking about Zhang Yongqing? Not someone else?"
"It's none other than him, the former Imperial Physician of the Xin State Medical Bureau." The sixth brother nodded with great certainty. "I would never mistake him for someone else. But—in that case, isn't this Zhang Yongqing inextricably linked to the Gu worms on Thirteen's body?"
Gu Ren's eyes conveyed a single sentence—
Do you think it's possible?
The sixth brother remained suspiciously silent for a long while.
Not only did Gu Ren find it absurd, but he also thought it impossible—you see, Zhang He might be unknown and untraceable in other places, but in Lingzhou he was a well-known figure, truly "popular with the people"! He was genuinely "deeply loved by the people"! Just how good was his reputation?
So good that if the son said a bad word about Zhang He, the elderly parents would sever their father-son/mother-son relationship with this unfilial son the very next day!
This is absolutely not an exaggeration!
It is true!
Gu Ren and his brothers were also witnesses.
The old father beat his son while tears streamed down his face, and then kowtowed violently in the direction of Zhang He's residence, like a believer who had made a mistake and was confessing to his faith—confessing that he had raised such an ungrateful son!
At first, Gu Ren and the others also thought it was too exaggerated.
The people of Lingzhou want to elevate Zhang He to a divine status!
They had suspected that this was a staged performance by Zhang He to promote his own reputation, but after careful investigation, they discovered that they had been judging him by their own petty standards. His reputation was genuinely good, without any exaggeration.
Gu Ren had secretly envied Zhang He, who could command countless people to follow him to the death with just a shout. Although he could do one or two tenths of that, he was definitely not as relaxed as Zhang He.
He also had twelve sworn brothers to assist him.
On the other hand, what about Zhang He?
They built their business all by themselves, working their way up from the bottom.
In this respect alone, I am far inferior to him.
If his sixth brother hadn't named him, Gu Ren doubted he would have suspected Zhang He, so—could it really be him?
The sixth brother frowned and pondered for a while, then suddenly thought of something and exclaimed, "Wait! Eldest brother, do you remember how Zhang He made his fortune? How did he gain such a high reputation among the people? It seems that it's not impossible for Zhang He to do so—"
Gu Ren didn't quite grasp the idea for a moment.
"How did Zhang He rise to power? He wasn't a compassionate healer; he went alone into the epicenter of the epidemic in Lingzhou, and then—" Gu Ren paused, then his face suddenly turned as if covered in white plaster. He jumped up and down, "Epidemic! It's the epidemic!"
Gu Ren remembers it very clearly.
One year, a large-scale plague broke out in Lingzhou.
The plague ravaged everywhere, and countless people were infected.
This illness is strange; it's not fatal, but it causes general weakness, a sallow complexion, and loss of appetite. Even if forced to eat, the person will vomit due to discomfort. What's even stranger is that this plague only breaks out among the lower classes.
There are virtually no cases of members of aristocratic families falling victim to this.
Therefore, some people speculated that the plague was caused by "poverty," and that ordinary people of low birth were not clean and were targeted because of this.
For this reason, the Lingzhou prefecture government did not pay much attention to it.
The plague raged for over a month, and every day, the corpses of emaciated people were dumped in mass graves and other places outside the city, piling up into small mountains. Public outrage was immense, and desperate people demolished and smashed the gates of the prefectural government.
finally--
This matter reached the court of the Xin Kingdom.
However, because the plague only spread among the lowest-ranking people, the former king of Xin Kingdom didn't pay much attention to it, sending a dozen or so medical officers from the Imperial Medical Bureau as a perfunctory measure. With a shortage of medicinal materials and manpower, the medical officers made little progress in their research over a month or two.
The former king, fearing that the "poverty" of Lingzhou would spread to other places, carefully considered the matter and ordered the Lingzhou government to concentrate the sick people in one city. Ostensibly, this was to facilitate treatment by the medical officials, but in reality, it was to leave them to fend for themselves!
It was at this very moment that Zhang He descended from the sky.
Emmm——
To be precise, it tells the story of a filial daughter who, after seeking medical help everywhere with her ailing mother without success, decided to embark on a journey with her mother to avoid starvation. However, they unexpectedly stumbled upon Zhang He's secluded small clinic and were cured of the plague.
Zhang He also learned about what had happened outside from the filial daughter, and immediately packed his bags and went out of the mountains to treat patients. According to Zhang He, he was originally the son of a branch of a desolate clan. He was weak since childhood, became a doctor through long illness, and later learned three parts of the true teachings from his divine master.
How could he stand idly by while all living beings suffer?
Undeterred by the dirt, exhaustion, and stench, Zhang He ventured alone into the city teeming with sick people, pleading with a powerful local family for medicinal herbs. The family patriarch made things difficult, saying he would give him credit if he knelt for three days. Zhang He actually knelt for three days and three nights!
Due to a shortage of manpower, Zhang He intercepted the medical officers from the medical bureau who were evacuating overnight. He defeated the crowd with his superb medical skills and taught some medical techniques to ordinary people without reservation. With his tireless spirit, he finally opened the city a month later!
Thus, Zhang He became famous in one battle!
The once-prosperous but now-defunct tribe also stepped forward and acknowledged this member of their tribe.
Zhang He opened a clinic in Lingzhou.
Whether it was because of the plague or not, he treated ordinary people for free, but charged exorbitant prices for treating the wealthy and powerful, squeezing a thick layer of profit out of them for saving a life! Upon hearing this, the people all applauded and praised Zhang He for doing a good job!
Of course, this incident alone is not enough to elevate Zhang He's reputation to such a high level; he also possesses an extraordinary skill!
It is said that Zhang He learned this from his divine mentor.
No matter if it's a serious illness or a minor one, even if the patient is half-dead, just one packet of medicine can scare away the King of Hell!
Even the poorest people can afford a packet of medicine for three coins if they grit their teeth. If someone is truly so poor that they can't even afford three coins, Zhang He won't make things difficult for the patient; he'll just give it to them for free.
It is no exaggeration to say that Zhang He is like a second father to many people in Lingzhou, especially the poor!
Such a person—
It's quite possible that he was the culprit who harmed Thirteen!
That plague was the battle that made Zhang He famous!
Gu Ren murmured, "So many highly skilled medical officers in the Imperial Medical Bureau were helpless against this plague, yet Zhang He managed to handle it all by himself. It's hard to say that he didn't cause this plague... But, would anyone really be so heartless and insane?"
The sixth brother said, "That's hard to say."
Gu Ren fell into a long silence.
The sixth brother continued, "Actually, thinking about it now—"
Gu Ren: "What?"
Sixth Brother: "That plague was less of a plague and more of a curse, because the people weren't sick at all; they were cursed! The medical officials all went in the wrong direction, trying to cure the curse with methods for treating the disease, which naturally couldn't work! Besides, eldest brother, do you believe there is any disease in the world that only targets the poor and lowly common people?"
A slight ripple appeared in Gu Ren's eyes.
The more he thought about it, the more he felt that it wasn't impossible.
Gu Ren scolded his sixth brother in a low voice: "Watch your words! How dare you say such things? This is not something you can talk about carelessly!"
It's even less likely they'll admit it!
To acknowledge the existence of such a disease is tantamount to admitting that the blood flowing in the veins of ordinary people is inferior, unlike that of those born into noble families. Even if some ordinary people manage to rise to prominence through generations of hard work, how can the blood flowing in their veins be changed?
Hoping to change their bloodline through marriage with a noble family?
That's utterly absurd!
Sixth Brother rarely saw Gu Ren get angry.
He scolded them like that, and they shut up in embarrassment.
Gu Ren rubbed his sore and swollen temples.
"Sixth Brother, now that we know where the problem lies with Thirteen, let's proceed in that direction. We have to give it a try. As for Zhang He—if it wasn't him, that's fine. But if it really was him, hehe! We'll make sure he's utterly disgraced!"
Gu Ren and Zhang He already had a conflict of interest.
Previously, Gu Ren had been hesitant to confront Zhang He directly due to his good reputation, fearing it would incite public anger and backfire on him. Now that he had a handle on him, it could be considered a "blessing in disguise".
The sixth brother sighed.
He was an expert in treating children's and women's illnesses, but he had little knowledge of Gu worms, so he could only try the method suggested by Master Shen.
But in doing so, we'll owe them a huge favor.
Gu Ren was aware of this as well.
However, he already knew how to repay it.
The night was dark and the wind was high.
A dark figure slipped back to the main tent without alerting anyone. Seeing that the tent's furnishings hadn't been touched, Gongxi Chou breathed a sigh of relief.
He raised his hand to take off his armor and have someone bring in a basin of clean water to wash up, but his expression suddenly turned serious!
"Who's there! Show yourself!"
He whispered a rebuke into the shadows.
The next instant, a human-like shadow appeared in the previously empty shadow, and then transformed into a familiar person.
Disgust crept onto Gong Xichou's face: "How come it's you?"
The newcomer's expression was grim: "What are you doing out here so late at night, young general? Colluding with the enemy is a serious crime!"
Gong Xichou curled his lip.
"Colluding with the enemy? Do you have witnesses or physical evidence?"
He really hated this advisor to the Pig King.
His voice was like a venomous snake flicking its tongue, giving off a sticky and sinister feeling. The worst part was that he was persistent, appearing here out of nowhere, which aroused Gong Xi Chou's murderous intent.
The advisor to the King of Pigs said, "I am the witness."
Upon hearing this, Gong Xichou revealed a mocking smile and gestured for him to proceed: "Fine! I'll trouble you, the witness, to go in person and tell my godfather that I've colluded with the enemy. Whether it's being torn apart by chariots, slowly sliced to death, or cut in half at the waist, I, Gong Xichou, am ready for you! If there's nothing else, I won't keep you company for now!"
After saying that, he prepared to take off his clothes and go to sleep.
The advisors of the King of Pigs looked at him with deep, unfathomable eyes.
"Gongxi Chou!"
"I'm here."
Gong Xiqiu turned his back to him and sorted through the scattered military documents.
The advisor to the King of Pigs asked, "Do you know what my family name is?"
Gong Xichou grinned sarcastically, "What does it matter to me what your surname is, sir? It doesn't matter if it's a cat, a dog, a pig, or a cow—"
He was interrupted by the King of Zhi's advisors before he could finish speaking.
"My family name is 'Gongxi'."
Gong Xichou's smile froze instantly.
The advisors of the Prince of Zhi watched his reaction with great interest and sneered, "What's wrong, General Gongxi? Why do you make that face?"
Gong Xichou's face showed anger.
Guess what I want to do right now?
The King of Pigs' advisors met his gaze without the slightest fear.
Gong Xichou: "I want to twist your head off!"
This person is utterly despicable!
Don't be fooled by his cheerful and optimistic demeanor in front of Shen Tang, which makes him seem indifferent to everything. There is one thing that is his Achilles' heel and his Achilles' heel!
He would not allow anyone to make fun of his deceased clan!
The King of Pigs' advisors, however, did not care.
The question is: "Would you like to see evidence?"
Gong Xichou: "..."
He hesitated to answer.
Aside from their own clansmen, few people know that each member of the clan wears a mark that serves as their identification.
Seeing that Gong Xi Chou remained silent, the advisor sneered, reached out and untied his waistband, slowly took off his upper garment, revealing his shoulder blades. He slightly activated the literary energy in his Danfu, and soon, a complex circular pattern slowly emerged.
Gong Xichou: "..."
The advisor pulled his robe, which had been hanging down his shoulder, back up.
He asked, "So you believe it now?"
Gong Xichou: "..."
The envoy of the King of Pigs said, "Forget it, it's fine if you don't believe it."
Gong Xiqiu replied, "No one in the clan has been reduced in number."
"What?"
“I collected the remains of every clansman, not a single one is missing, and the clan genealogy is in my possession. Who are you?”
Their clan is neither small nor large.
Including him, there are only 265 people.
He checked each corpse against the others, crossing out their names, for a whole day and night, not even missing the corpses that had been boiled in earthenware jars until their flesh and bones were separated—there was no one else alive except him.
Who is this person in front of me?
"Oh, you mean the name on the family tree? I crossed it out myself, the day I left the clan territory." The advisor to the King of Pigs said indifferently, as if stating a trivial matter. Gongxi Chou looked at his face and did something he had wanted to do since meeting the advisor: he punched him.
result--
The fist passed right through someone's body.
The shot missed!
The advisor looked at Gong Xichou as if he were looking at a fool. How could he not know that Gong Xichou harbored murderous intent towards him?
He's not stupid; he knows all along, yet he still leaves himself a backup plan.
Gong Xichou: "Who exactly are you?"
The advisor said, "Can't you look up the family tree yourself?"
Gong Xichou: "...Then why did you aid and abet the wicked?"
The advisors and messengers scoffed.
"You have the right to ask that question? You scoundrel who recognizes a thief as his father!"
Gong Xichou was so enraged that his eyes turned red.
If he could hit the person, he would have torn him in two alive! Gong Xichou gritted his teeth: "I have my reasons for doing this! Besides, he's just a knife in someone else's hands. I want the culprit's life!"
The advisor simply gave a curt "oh".
What do you mean by that?
The advisor did not answer.
Gongxi Chou suddenly remembered something.
"Have you never thought about avenging your people?"
The advisor didn't answer directly: "Go back and check your family tree. If you do, you won't ask such a stupid question. I didn't come here to arrest you for 'colluding with the enemy,' but to tell you that the troops in Xiaocheng might be withdrawing..."
Gong Xichou frowned: "Withdraw the troops? Why so suddenly?"
The advisor suddenly revealed a strange sneer: "The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind; the imperial seal has already fallen into the hands of others."
(ω)
Happy New Year, everyone!
in addition--
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(End of this chapter)
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