novelraw Chapter 228
Chapter 228
Chapter 228: Reassurance
Talented people appear—Wei Yu is someone who never let go of an opportunity once he encounter it.
Unfortunately, although Wei Yu really wanted to have a proper chat with Doctor Yu, right now was truly not a good time for chatting, so he temporarily gave up.
Once the epidemic in Xinghua Village was resolved, it would always be possible to win him over.
Wei Yu wanted to stay and oversee the containment of the plague in Xinghua Village; however, upon hearing this, Fang Sheng showed strong resistance.
“Your Highness, it’s already very dangerous enough for me to have brought you to Xinghua Village. You absolutely cannot approach the village entrance any closer. Ding Facai and the others have been staying in Xinghua Village for several days—it’s quite dangerous. If you get infected and something happens to you, then I won’t be able to explain it to His Majesty.”
Throughout history, people have always been terrified at the mention of plague. His Highness is usually unreliable, but just coming to take a look already shows great mercy. If this time he insisted on staying in Xinghua Village, Fang Sheng would rather commit insubordination—knock His Highness out and take him away directly.
In short, anyone can catch the plague as long as it’s not His Highness—there must not be even the slightest chance of infection for him!
Just having arrived at Xinghua Village, and after exchanging a few words with Doctor Yu, Wei Yu was about to approach the village entrance for a glance when he heard Fang Sheng’s righteous and firm refusal.
He glanced at the stern expression on Fang Sheng’s face, then looked over at Ding Facai, who was perfectly fine. After pausing silently for two seconds, he shrugged, “Alright then, I won’t go over.” Indeed, coming here was risky.
Wei Yu wasn’t worried about himself, but about others.
In these times, human life is cheap. Probably in everyone’s mind, the life of someone like him, a prince, is worth more than all the others combined.
If something happened to him—even if all the infected survived—if his father found out, the emperor’s wrath could bring unknown punishment upon Fang Sheng and the others…
Wei Yu suddenly behaved obediently, surprising even Fang Sheng.
But obedient was good—it meant no hitting anyone.
Unable to stay and watch, Wei Yu could only continue to trouble Ding Facai.
Patting Ding Facai on the shoulder, he sighed helplessly, “Facai, as you’ve seen, I can’t do anything here, so I have to leave the care of this place to you. But don’t worry—even though I can’t stay nearby, I’ll wait for you in Jì County City, okay?”
“No objections!” Ding Facai replied with a dejected face, “Yes, I understand, Your Highness.”
Wei Yu was pleased, “Good kid, I really didn’t judge you wrong. You know, among so many Gray Guards, I value you the most. Lord Tan and Doctor Shi—you must take good care of them. Whether or not we can find a proper prescription to cure the plague depends entirely on the three doctors. You must not betray my trust, understand?”
His Highness values him the most!
Hearing this, Ding Facai brightened up immediately and straightened his posture, “Yes, Your Highness, please rest assured—I understand!”
Normally, he had argued with Yi Shisan for so long—wasn’t it all for the sake of hearing just this sentence from His Highness?
Ding Facai felt a warm glow inside—indeed, His Highness valued him the most, hehe~
This is how one sentence can boost a loyal subordinate's morale.
Wei Yu just needed to praise Ding Facai a little more for a job well done, indicate for him to continue as before, and then he could send the kid off.
After Ding Facai happily left, Wei Yu turned to face Fang Sheng. “What are you still looking at? Didn’t you tell me not to stay here? Let’s go.”
Fang Sheng looked at him silently, and repeated, “Among so many Gray Guards, you value Ding Facai the most?”
Wei Yu: …
What’s this? Are you jealous even as the Deputy Commander?!
—
Since he couldn’t remain in Xinghua Village, and also to make it back into the city before nightfall, Wei Yu had to spend the limited time available to comfort the people left behind.
“I am the Ninth Wise King of Great Wei. You are working under me now, so you are my people. You act under the banner of the Imperial Court! For our own people, I will never mistreat you. Now that you’ve arrived in Xinghua Village and encountered this epidemic, I know you must be afraid, but fear is useless!”
A group of people who were called back by Ding Facai were standing together. They were not far from the village entrance, staring at the young man speaking from atop a wooden stake.
The wooden stake wasn’t tall or grand, but to let those at the back see his figure, Wei Yu had no choice but to stand on it, putting on a calm and passionate speech.
“No matter what you’ve done in the past, remember—you are all subjects of Great Wei! As a prince, I absolutely cannot stand idly by and watch harm come to you!”
“You have been following Lord Ding. Lord Ding never abandoned the sick villagers. Perhaps you blame him for meddling, and think if he had left at the start, fewer brothers wouldn’t have been infected! But ask yourselves honestly: if you were villagers of Xinghua Village, would you prefer encountering ruthless, cold Imperial Court forces?”
The commotion at the village entrance was loud. Some patients in the village still capable of moving came out from their houses.
They stood with pale faces, looking beyond the fences at the crowd.
Though they could not see the Ninth Wise King’s figure, his voice could be heard.
“Lord Ding did not abandon the people of Xinghua Village, so naturally he would not abandon his subordinates! What Lord Ding means is also what I mean! So what if it’s a plague? As long as there’s hope, I will never give up on any Great Wei subject who can still be saved!”
“You previously had Doctor Yu, and I have also invited Lord Tan from the Imperial Medical Institute and Medical Saint Doctor Shi here to treat you. I have never lost hope or retreated. So why should you fear or be afraid!”
The youth’s voice was passionate and full of vitality, sharply contrasting with the lifeless atmosphere in the village.
The patients who heard his voice were deeply touched. Many could not help but shed hot tears.
They had stayed in the village far too long, day and night, lying alone on straw mats while being fed medicine and gruel.
Though Doctor Yu frequently came to check on them, the lack of progress and hope still made people lose themselves in despair.
One’s strength alone is weak, that’s true—but people tend to place great hope in the Imperial Court. They feel that with the Imperial Court’s involvement, the chances of survival increase.
A woman weakly leaned against the doorframe, tears streaming down her face as she whispered, “It’s wonderful, it’s wonderful. To have a prince come personally to see us means the officials must have known. It’s wonderful—we will be saved…”
Several frail men stood behind the fence, clutching it with their hands, watching the crowd anxiously. One pale-faced man wiped his tears weakly and mumbled,
“The prince is a good man—a very good man…”