turmoil

Chapter 71

The person Zhang Jingche was waiting for was Zong Yu, the leader of the Haichao Gang. They hadn't seen each other for many years, and the "Boss Zong" who used to yell and kill him when they met each other seemed to be his right-hand man.After receiving the letter from Zhang Jingche, Zong Yu, who was far away in Nanyang, stayed around day and night. He insisted on landing more than half a month in advance, and then transferred to a carriage and horse. To the Northwest Camp.

At that time, the Northwest camp had already begun to die, and the soldiers who could not survive were wrapped in straw mats and placed one by one on the woodpile.The former colleague covered his face with a cloth towel, weeping silently while lighting the firewood.

The flames rose ragingly, and the thick smoke rolled up the heroic soul and rushed to the sky.

Zong Yu has been in the south of the Yangtze River for a long time, and rarely set foot in the northwest. He has suffered a lot from acclimatization on this journey, and he still retches after getting off the car.However, he didn't dare to delay. Hearing Zhang Jingche's summons, he quickly rinsed his mouth and helped Congren into the barracks.

There were wars outside and epidemics raging inside. Days of internal and external strife soaked the Northwest camp in panic. If Zhang Jingche hadn't arrived in time to help the Northwest garrison repel the Beile cavalry, the situation would have been a hundred times worse.If so, Zhuo Jiusi also turned gray with worry, being caught between the sick soldiers and the foreign enemies who were eyeing him, wishing that he was the one who got the disease, and replaced Dingbianhou to take charge of the overall situation.

Zong Yu's arrival didn't cause much splash, only Zhang Jingche knew what he brought.Hearing that Boss Zong had arrived, he greeted him personally, and helped up Zong Yu who was about to pay respects: "No need to be too polite, this trip has been hard!"

Zong Yu hurriedly said, "Don't dare": "It is our duty to do things for the young master... If it weren't for the young master, we people, the grass on the grave would be half the height of a person, how can we talk here?"

Ever since the Pei Guogong case, Zong Yu admired Zhang Jingche so much that he was willing to serve as his pawn.Over the years, he has acted on Zhang Jingche's behalf, using the influence of the Haichao Gang to start a huge business in the south of the Yangtze River. He is no longer the trafficker who was bullied by others back then.

Zong Yu knew how much he was worth, and he knew even more that it was thanks to whom he was able to get to where he is today.Because of this, he never had the idea of ​​establishing his own family, and followed Zhang Jingche wholeheartedly.It's not that the people below didn't talk a lot, they were all dealt with severely by Boss Zong.

"...Young Master asked us to go to Nanyang to find something. Lao Zong, I ran to more than ten islands, and finally found it." Boss Zong stayed on the ship for several months, but he was not used to land. The calf trembled slightly, "This thing is not common in the Central Plains, but it is common in Nanyang, but the locals love it very much, and they gave it a weird name, and we can't remember it. I only know that it translates to 'tree of life'. No felling... Hey, these foreigners are really interesting, no matter how rare they are, they are still trees, so how about looking at them like treasures?"

Zhang Jingche listened intently, Zhuo Jiusi also came over, and couldn't help but interjected: "Tree? What tree? Mr. Zhang hurriedly urged you to come here, is it for this reason?"

Boss Zong couldn't understand it for a while, so he called his servants, and took out a red brocade box from the package. It really contained a bare tree branch without any flowers or leaves. The bark had been peeled off separately and had been dried dry.

Zhuo Jiusi looked at it for a long time, but couldn't see why, so he could only turn to Zhang Jingche: "Mr. Zhang, this is..."

Zhang Jingche didn't care about explaining, so he ordered someone to call Wang Xuan, and handed the brocade box to her: "Grind the dried tree bark into powder, boil the medicine separately, and pour it into the seriously ill soldiers!"

Not surprised, Wang Xuan turned around and left.

Zhuo Jiusi realized something belatedly, his eyes burst into light: "My lord means..."

Zhang Jingche nodded to him: "This kind of tree is called cinchona tree, which can only be found in the hot and humid South Sea islands. It also has another name, called the 'Tree of Life' - because the local people are easily infected with the disease and suffer from diseases." After the disease, the bark is picked, dried and ground into powder, decocted and taken to cure the disease, hence the name."

In an instant, Zhuo Jiusi was overjoyed from the sky, and his excitement was beyond words: "So...the sick soldiers have been saved?"

The corners of Zhang Jingche's eyes were slightly curved, but the wrinkles between his brows were not completely stretched: "I can only say that there is a great hope for a cure... I don't dare to guarantee it without actual verification."

However, Zhuo Jiusi was on the verge of desperation. As long as there was a glimmer of hope, he would not let it go: "It's okay! Anyway, the military doctor has no better way, so I will try it on the seriously ill soldiers. If it is really effective, give it to me." It’s not too late for others to take it.”

This is the safest way, and Zhang Jingche has no objection, but soon, they found that they could not wait for the results of the drug test, because that evening, Dingbianhou's condition suddenly worsened, with high fever and convulsions at times, showing signs of being overwhelmed .

This time, no one could stop Zhang Jingche, he ordered someone to kick open the door, covered his face with a cloth towel, and rushed in first.The room has been closed for many days, the air is stagnant and smelly, a simple bed is set up in the corner, Yang Fan is curled up in the corner, wrapped in two quilts, swinging uncontrollably.

Zhang Jingche stared at Yang Fan, the corners of his eyes blushed silently.For a moment, he felt that he hated this person to death.The man surnamed Yang is like a wolf who doesn't know when to stop, barbarously breaking into his own territory, stirring up a pool of stagnant water, and then getting out as if nothing happened...

Zhang Jingche had never hated anyone so much in his life, and he had never remembered someone so deeply in his heart.

The military doctors rushed in one after another, feeling the pulse and administering the needles, busy like a chicken without a head, but Dingbianhou's pulse still weakened irreparably.Zhuo Jiusi was sweating profusely. There was nothing he could do, so he could only say to Zhang Jingche, "It's impossible to go on like this! The commander's body...seems like it won't last long, so we can only take a risk!"

Zhang Jingche turned to look at him, and nodded slowly in the dead silence of the room.

Zhuo Jiusi knew that he was the one in charge of the Northwest Camp, but at this moment, he had no choice but to seek Zhang Jingche's support, because the front line of life and death was not others, but Marquis Dingbian!That is the backbone of the four-border garrison, and standing there, he can calm the four-border Xiaoxiao who is about to move.The weight of this life is too heavy, Zhuo Jiusi can't bear it, let alone make decisions at will.

Zhang Jingche knew that Cinchona Cream was a special medicine for treating malaria, but this time and space was different from the time he lived in, and he was also not sure, so he could only take a big gamble.Soon, the hot soup was served, and the military doctors surrounded Dingbianhou, trying to make him swallow the soup.Unexpectedly, Yang Fan gritted his teeth tightly, and the military doctors were sweating profusely, but there was still nothing he could do.

Zhang Jingche couldn't stand it anymore, grabbed the medicine bowl with his hands, and pinched Yang Fan's cheek.He seems to be used to it, and the strength is just right, Yang Fan opened his mouth involuntarily, and the hot soup poured into his throat, and he poured it down without any explanation.

Yang Fan didn't like the bitter taste of the soup, he was not fully awake yet, he had already started to struggle.Zhang Jingche didn't want to indulge him, so he wrapped him in a quilt, forcibly suppressed his siblings, and poured down the soup one by one.

Yang Fan frowned, showing a slight look of grievance.

Zhuo Jiusi had good eyesight, seeing that the atmosphere was not right, he called the military doctor to leave early in the morning, and he did not forget to close the door when he left.Zhang Jingche lost his worries, and grabbed Yang Fan's collar with all his strength: "You can show me some strength! I've eaten and wiped it all away, and you still want to start messing around and end up giving up? Tell you, it's a dream!"

Yang Fan was woken up by his torment, and opened his eyes in a daze.With the bitter taste of the soup still remaining in his mouth, he subconsciously struggled: "You...you go!"

Zhang Jingche simply tore off the veil and stared straight at him: "Where am I going?"

Yang Fan turned his face away with difficulty: "I'm sick... I'll take care of it for you!"

Zhang Jingche snorted coldly: "So what? Let me tell you Yang Yuanzhou, no one forced you to promise anything back then, but you gave it all to me, and you still want to take it back? There is no such good thing in the world!"

Yang Fan heard deep panic and anxiety from his unreasonable voice. He wanted to comfort Zhang Jingche, but he couldn't reach out, so he could only helplessly smile: "Then what do you want?"

Zhang Jingche looked at him deeply: "If you live... If you live, I will forgive you!"

These words seemed familiar, Yang Fan couldn't help being stunned.After a while, he looked away: "If I..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Jingche pinched his chin, and turned him gently but unquestionably: "Yuan Zhou, let me tell you a secret, okay?"

Yang Fan said in his heart: I can't wait for the fire, why is the secret so important?Say it quickly, and get out of here when you're done talking!

Zhang Jingche said softly: "Didn't you always wonder why I know so many things that others don't know, and come up with so many ideas that others can't even dream of?"

This is indeed the question that Marquis Dingbian has been asking all along. He was obsessed with getting to the bottom of it, but he was relieved after he understood his feelings for Zhang Jingche.After all, in a lifetime, who doesn't have his own secrets?Others don't say it, but there are unavoidable difficulties and helplessness, Yang Fan has no intention of forcing others to make things difficult.

"Let me tell you that I have studied medicine since I was a child. This is not a prevarication lie, but the truth." Zhang Jingche leaned into his ear, and breathed out every word gently, "It's just that my home is far away, separated from here by more than 1000 years. If you look at me with such eyes, of course you feel out of place.”

At first, Yang Fan thought that there was something wrong with his ears, but later he realized that Zhang Jingche looked serious and had no intention of laughing, so he was stunned: "You..."

At this moment, Zhang Jingche stretched out a finger to press against his lips.

"I know you don't believe it, but think about it, if I hadn't come from a foreign land, how could I have sent the ship south, how could I know how to modify the lance, and how could I have come up with so many weird ideas?" He said softly, "Because in the In my era, these are commonplace, and I can shock the world just by doing them at my fingertips."

Yang Fan wanted to say "how is this possible", but he couldn't open his mouth, because Zhang Jingche's words and deeds were really weird.At first, Yang Fan thought it was because he was rebellious by nature and didn't like to make small fusses. Later, he realized that there was something strange about this man, like a ghost flying from the sky, wandering in the world, wandering around without knowing the way back.

"You..." Yang Fan wanted to say something, but when he opened his mouth, he found that his voice was very hoarse, "Why... tell me this?"

"Because I want you to know your final outcome." Zhang Jingche said softly, "Your fate is recorded in the history books, and I remember every word clearly—you were in command at sixteen, you were named a marquis when you were young, He fought for half his life and was invincible. Only when he was 24 years old, he was seriously ill and his life was hanging by a thread. Fortunately, he finally survived. Since then, his life has been smooth and he died..."

Yang Fan stared at him blankly: "You..."

"I know your fate. This epidemic is a catastrophe for you. It has caused you a lot of suffering, but it can't kill you." Zhang Jingche poked his thin face, "Sleep peacefully, wait When you wake up, everything will be fine."

Rationality told Yang Fan that what Zhang Jingche said was pure nonsense, it was just fabricated in order to rekindle his fighting spirit.However, Marquis Dingbian heaved a sigh of relief for no reason, and for some reason, he actually believed the lies.

It may be because he is really unwilling to die and needs a reason to cheer himself up.It may also be because he subconsciously knew that Zhang Jingche would not lie to him.

Zhang Jingche was not lying. Three days later, the seriously ill soldier miraculously lost his fever. Although he was still weak, he could barely sit up. He even knew he was hungry and asked for food.

Several military doctors took the pulse repeatedly and confirmed that the condition had improved, and they couldn't help but be amazed.They knew how terrible the epidemic was. Not to mention the lack of medical treatment and medicine in the northwest border, even the capital with all the supplies was not safe.

So far, no one doubted the effectiveness of Cinchona Cream. Bowls of decoction were fried out and sent to the camp in a flowing manner.Zhang Jingche personally guarded Yang Fan's bed, even if this man was very sick and drowsy, he still had a way to pour down every drop of the soup and medicine.

After another two days like this, the sick soldier gradually improved, and his mind became clearer day by day, but he just recovered from a serious illness, and his body was weak and needed to be recuperated.Zhang Jingche got a batch of cattle and sheep from nowhere, slaughtered them and boiled them into sheep soup, which was specially prepared for the soldiers.For several days in a row, the fragrance of broth wafted over the huge camp.

Zhang Jingche touched Yang Fan's forehead to make sure that the man's fever was gone and he didn't flinch, so he walked out of the barracks with an empty bowl.Zhuo Jiusi was waiting outside the door, seeing this, he hurriedly asked, "How is the commander?"

Zhang Jingche handed the empty bowl to the soldier, and wiped his face wearily: "Fortunately, the burn is gone, and he is fast asleep... Several military doctors have come to see him, so there shouldn't be any serious problems."

Zhuo Jiusi felt his whole body relax, as if a mountain had been unloaded out of thin air: "That's good... that's good!"

The conditions in the army were poor, and Zhang Jingche didn't pay much attention to it, so he simply sat down on the threshold: "This epidemic is strange... I read the letter, it seems to be related to the Beile people?"

Speaking of this, Zhuo Jiusi was full of resentment, he briefly told the cause and effect, and said: "Beile wolf is ambitious, and he resorted to such insane methods... If Mr. Zhang hadn't sent the elixir, the northwest garrison would have died a lot Man, Marquis Yang can't escape this!"

Jing Che drooped his eyelashes, not knowing what to think of, showing a coldness in Wan Lai's silence.

Zhuo Jiusi still said to himself: "Beile's plan is nothing more than to weaken our army's combat power... Thanks to the foresight of the commander-in-chief, he came up with an empty plan. With Tumen Khan's suspicious nature, he may now be able to point out which family and the Northwest. Daying colluded and deliberately lured the Beile people into the bait, so we can breathe a little bit."

Zhang Jingche was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "Not necessarily!"

Zhuo Jiusi looked at him in surprise.

"I have fought against Tumen Khan. He is not a reckless person. If he doesn't move, he will be shocked." Zhang Jingche said in a deep voice, "Although we are retreating for now, the Beile people have waited for this opportunity for too long. They Will not give up easily."

"I have a hunch that the dormancy is only temporary, and they will make a comeback soon!"