While the three of them were chatting, something major had happened at the army barracks outside Liujing.
“Commander, bad news! There’s a refugee whose fever is just not going down.” A Xiliu soldier reported.
The commander’s eyes turned frigid. “Quickly, call for the army doctor.”
The soldier opened his mouth as if to say something, but hesitated. If I say it, would I also be treated as infectious and get quarantined? But if I don’t say it, wouldn’t I be harming others?
Noticing his conflicted look, the commander ordered. “A man should speak what is on his mind. Don’t be so hesitant.”
After an intense internal battle, the soldier finally spoke. “The army doctor has already seen the refugee, but deduced that it could be the plague.”
Coldness flashed past the commander’s eyes as he instantly took three steps back. “Why didn’t you say this earlier?”
Before the soldier could answer, the commander quickly yelled for the guards outside the tent. “Someone, quickly call the army doctors for an emergency meeting to discuss mitigation measures. Also, dispatch someone to Liujing to report this matter.”
The soldier felt a shiver in his heart as if he could already imagine his approaching end.
Suddenly, the commander’s gaze became calm. “You shall stay here with me. You’re free to go once the army doctors verify that both of us aren’t infected.”
Warmth flowed through the soldier’s heart. This means that I haven’t been abandoned, right?
With the military order issued, the army doctors quickly assembled and began making masks to serve as a deterrent.
An army doctor entered the tent. “Commander, this old man is an army doctor who is here to diagnose you both.”
The army doctor was wearing a mask, and he emanated a strong Chinese medicine smell.
After checking both of them meticulously, he shared his diagnosis. “Commander, you and this soldier here aren’t infected with the plague. However, as a precautionary measure, both of you also have to drink a bowl of medicine when the time comes.”
The weight on the soldier’s heart was finally lifted.
“What are you still doing here? Quickly put on a mask, and go help out.” The commander resumed his solemn expression.
The soldier quickly nodded with a smile on his face and left with a mask on.
“Commander, there’s something this old man is unsure about mentioning.” The army doctor smiled bitterly.
The commander’s eyes became solemn. “Get straight to the point.”
“Although the current observable symptoms can still be controlled, this old man and the other army doctors are worried that the plague has already spread like wildfire across Meng County. It may just be that we are blissfully unaware.”
A grave expression clouded the commander’s eyes. “This commander understands. You may withdraw first.”
With his report complete, the army doctor swiftly left the tent.
The commander quickly wrote a letter, and arranged for someone to send it to Xiliu’s imperial palace. If such an emergency had happened some other time, he would definitely have entered Liujing by himself, but he dared not to take any chances after hearing the army doctor’s cautionary words.
Once he was done, he could finally let out a temporary breath of relief.
~~~
