As Tan Hanchi's "Northern Expedition Proclamation to the World" spread throughout the Yong Dynasty, the power of words began to emerge.

Qiao Zhongguo led the team northward. Wherever they passed, there were officials and civilians waiting on the roadside, donating food, medicine or money, and there were also children and the elderly lining the road to see them off.

At first, Qiao Zhongguo couldn't bear to reject everyone's kindness, but as more and more people followed his example, he could only send people to convey messages in advance every time he passed through a state, and he refused to accept any funding.

There's no other way. We've been riding at full speed all the way, and the amount of medicinal herbs and food we brought is limited. Bringing more will affect our speed of traveling north.

If everyone has such good intentions, after he has seen the situation in Wuding, they will send a letter for help if necessary.

Another strange thing happened to Doctor Zou.

Before setting out, there were a total of thirty-two doctors, headed by Doctor Zou. However, along the way, there was always a doctor who volunteered to pack his bags and waited by the roadside, swearing to go north with them no matter what.

Imperial Doctor Zou really had not anticipated this scene. He kept on persuading people, but in less than ten days, the number of people under his command had increased to fifty-three!

As for the medical staff, Qiao Zhongguo left the decision to Doctor Zou. After all, bringing more people along wouldn't have much of an impact.

This time on the northward journey, the Qiao family army, which had been disarmed for a long time, can be said to have "returned to its old business."

Qiao Zhongguo had already ordered Qiao Diyi and Xiao Qianyue to lead a thousand men and rush to the northern border to find out the actual situation. Qiao Bo and his men were experienced and could provide assistance.

On this side, Qiao Diyi and Xiao Qianyue traveled day and night and finally arrived in Beiding City half a month after setting off!

There were two major passes in the northern border of the Yong Dynasty, one was the national gate Wuding, and the other was the iron gate Beiding.

There used to be a joke in the north: Wuding can be broken, but Beiding will not fall.

Because there is a plain behind Beiding, once it is breached, the northern bandits will be able to attack, and the consequences will be disastrous.

The Northern Territory Governor Zhu Leili had received the imperial edict from the capital and had been waiting in Beiding City for a long time.

When Qiao Diyi and others arrived exhausted, Prefect Zhu came to greet them personally. Without waiting for Qiao Diyi to ask, he spoke anxiously about Wu Ding's predicament.

There is a Wuding Long Road between Wuding and Beiding, which is the only way for people to travel between the two cities on weekdays.

More than a month ago, when General Ren sensed the signs of an epidemic, he acted decisively and ordered the garrison on the long road to block it.

When Zhu Leili heard the name "typhoid fever", he immediately felt like he was facing a formidable enemy. On the one hand, he sent a message to General Ren to inquire about the situation in Wuding, and on the other hand, he ordered the garrison of Beiding City to block the remaining small roads between the two cities.

It's not that he doesn't want to leave a way out for the people of Wuding City, but after Beiding is the northern border and even the entire Yong Dynasty. Once the epidemic spreads, it will be a disaster for everyone!

Zhu Leili had to be careful in his response. Even for the letters sent back from General Ren, he ordered his men to carefully roast them to dissipate the air before he dared to read them.

The situation in Wuding was not optimistic. General Ren said in his letter that the plague spread very quickly and almost the entire Wuding, including the military camp, had fallen.

The doctors and military surgeons in the city were helpless. Hundreds of people died every day. Everywhere you looked, the whole city was covered in mourning and wailing.

Also, due to the closure of the Wuding Road, the city is now in urgent need of medicine and food, and people are in a state of panic, almost to the point of collapse.

After Zhu Leili received the news, in addition to passing the news to the capital, he also searched for doctors in the northern border, and then mobilized the government to raise medicinal materials and food and send them to the outside of Wuding City.

Although Qiao Diyi had anticipated the tragic situation in Wuding, he still felt heartbroken when he heard that "hundreds of people died every day."

Zhu Leili also had a frown on his face. He was so worried that he almost couldn't sleep at night.

"General, we can still sustain the food and medicine now. It is not difficult to transfer them from other places. What we are worried about is that there is no cure for the epidemic!"

"There are thousands of civilians in the city, the elderly, children, women and the most helpless, and there are also 200,000 soldiers who have left their homes and guarded the border day and night without enjoying a single day of happiness."

"When I think of them dying here and their families waiting in vain, as the governor of the northern border, I feel so ashamed that I wish I could take their place!"

When Governor Zhu said this, he bent his back and burst into tears in front of Qiao Diyi.

When Qiao Diyi saw this, he felt a sour taste in his throat, and the seven-foot-tall man's eyes also turned red.

He held onto Governor Zhu's arms and said in a deep voice:

"Master Zhu, my father has brought a group of doctors to help us. They will arrive at Beiding in five days at the earliest and seven days at the latest."

"Doctor Zou is known as a miracle doctor. He will definitely do his best to find a good prescription and cure this epidemic."

Governor Zhu knew very well that there had never been an antidote to the typhoid epidemic in history, and every time the Hui people survived the disaster, they would be killed or injured. Qiao Diyi was probably just trying to comfort him.

But being in a desperate situation, he could only pin his hopes on the miracle doctor Zou.

Thinking of this, Governor Zhu clenched Qiao Diyi's arm and nodded with tears in his eyes.

Qiao Diyi had already sorted out his thoughts after rushing all the way here, and now he asked about some details about Wuding City.

When he heard that the gates of Wuding City were closed and no one had escaped from the city for more than a month, Qiao Diyi's mind was filled with thoughts and his expression slowly became solemn.

"Master Zhu, we want to go to Wuding City for a visit."

Zhu Taishou was shocked when he heard this. "General, this cannot be done. The epidemic is extremely severe. Once it comes into contact with the people of Wuding, they will definitely not be spared! Let's wait until Lord Qiao and Doctor Zou arrive in Beiding before making a decision!"

Qiao Diyi shook his head and said, "Master Zhu, this is not an act of impulse on my part. This epidemic came out of nowhere. My father sent me ahead to find out the source of the epidemic as soon as possible."

When Governor Zhu heard that this was what Qiao Zhongguo meant, he immediately stopped talking.

When Qiao Zhongguo was appointed General Zhenbei in times of crisis, he was only the city supervisor of Beiding City.

At that time, Beiding City was about to be breached. After he and the city guards covered the retreat of the remaining civilians, he was imprisoned and unable to escape. He decided to hang himself on the city gate and live and die with Beiding.

At that time, the rope was around his neck. Suddenly, a horn sounded. He looked up and saw General Qiao leading a group of elite cavalrymen charging from behind, breaking the northern bandits' formation into pieces, as if the god of war had descended from the sky.

To the people of the North, General Qiao is truly a god.

When he heard a few days ago that the one coming to reinforce the Northern Border was General Qiao, he truly breathed a sigh of relief from the bottom of his heart.

Now that it was General Qiao's instruction, he thought it had a deeper meaning, so he would not interfere with the actions of the General of the Central Army. However, there were some things he had to remind him of.

"General Zhonglang, this epidemic started in Wuding City. General Ren also wanted to investigate the source, but the city was in chaos and everyone was busy with their own affairs. Even the military doctors and doctors fell ill one after another. The source of the epidemic is still unknown."

"If you don't go into the city, it will be difficult to trace the source. But if you go into the city, you may never come back."

Qiao Diyi had already made up his mind, and nodded without hesitation when he heard this.

"Master Zhu, please take care of the rest of the people. They will stay in Beiding to wait for my father. I will only go with my family guards."

Qiao Diyi saluted to Governor Zhu, then turned around and mounted his horse.

Xiao Qianyue and Qiao Bo followed closely behind, and the group of people turned their horses around and galloped towards Wuding City!