NFBE Chapter 193 The Ruthless and Disabled Crown Prince (97)
Chapter 193 The Ruthless and Disabled Crown Prince (97)
The fourth prince was skilled in battle, but also extremely bloodthirsty. He had no mercy, massacring cities and burning them, committing all sorts of atrocities.
Although the old doctor was a Western Rong person, he did not have the ambition to conquer. He took saving people as his duty. Now, seeing the places he had been to and the people he had treated suffering such a calamity, he could not accept it.
However, there was nothing he could do. The Fourth Prince was the kind of person who would never listen to others, and anyone who dared to disobey him would die a terrible death.
The old doctor still had a wife and children, and no matter what, he wanted to live, so he had no choice but to prescribe the medicine the fourth prince wanted.
The fourth prince was fairly satisfied with his medical skills, and every time he came down from the battlefield, he would have the old doctor examine his wounds.
The old doctor increasingly realized how terrifying and ruthless the fourth prince was. He thought about escaping, but the people who captured him to curry favor with the fourth prince used his family as leverage, demanding that he continue to satisfy the fourth prince's demands.
The fourth prince even ordered him to prepare a formula for torture, which, once ingested, would cause his internal organs to feel as if they were being stabbed, leaving him unable to live or die.
The old doctor had no choice but to develop these things, and reluctantly offered them along with the antidote, hoping someone could save their life.
But the fourth prince didn't care at all. He wouldn't spare anyone's life. Killing people would make him feel good!
This situation became even more serious after General Zhuang led his junior generals Zhuang and He to sweep across the border battlefield.
For the sake of the Western Rong King's position, the fourth prince would rather lead his cavalry south and attack the enemy's interior.
However, he suffered repeated defeats. General Zhuang appeared as if he were a divine warrior descending from the heavens, seemingly able to predict the Fourth Prince's thoughts, and the Fourth Prince could not win no matter what he did.
The fourth prince could not accept this and became even more agitated.
He killed people as a sacrifice to raise his flag, not only killing prisoners but even his own soldiers. He would slash anyone he didn't like, and every time he was defeated in battle, the battlefield would be a river of blood again.
The Western Rong were a fierce people, but they were still uncomfortable with the Fourth Prince's brutal actions.
The soldiers fought even harder on the battlefield to avoid being killed by the Fourth Prince, but it was no use! No use!
All their efforts were in vain. They suffered defeat after defeat, slowly retreating into the territory of the Western Rong, and were then forced to continue retreating further inland.
In a war that leaves no room for respite, the Western Rong have already captured six cities!
The entire Western Rong army was shrouded in gloom and despair, unsure whether they had been killed by the enemy or by the Fourth Prince.
While He Pingyan was fighting, he was also searching for the old doctor.
The last time he treated Ji Shumin, who was then the crown prince, Ji Shumin wanted him to stay in the capital, but the old doctor refused.
Ji Shumin did not insist.
They couldn't find the old doctor, but they found his anxious family members. From his family, they learned where the old doctor had gone.
They arrested the old doctor's men and left people around his relatives to monitor them. The moment the news came, the old doctor was drenched in cold sweat.
In that instant, he had a flash of inspiration. Before the person threatening him could be revealed to the Fourth Prince, he spoke first.
For example, the Fourth Prince Bingming said that someone was trying to use the safety of his family to make him do something detrimental to the Fourth Prince and the Western Rong, and that he was being asked to be a spy.
Knowing that the other party was not trustworthy, he went to the Fourth Prince to confess and ask the Fourth Prince to use him as a double agent to find out the other party's background and to help protect his family.
The fourth prince's sinister and chilling eyes, like hooks, pierced the old doctor's body.
The old doctor lowered his head and closed his eyes, waiting for the fourth prince's decision. Finally, he heard a cold snort: "Explain in detail."
If his medical skills weren't truly superb, the Fourth Prince would have killed him with a single stroke. He didn't care about anything else; anyone who annoyed him was killed first.
But there was no doctor in the army with better skills than him.
The old doctor barely passed the test, but he was so scared he almost lost his soul.
After contacting He Pingyan, I learned from him about the original plan: the person monitoring me had already been dealt with, and his family had been moved away.
The old doctor replied bluntly: Who knows what you're up to? They used my family as leverage, but you didn't?
They're all despicable scoundrels, scoundrels! They're untrustworthy and dishonest! They're not upright or honorable, they don't deserve to be human, they're all pigs and dogs!
He Pingyan was not very good with words, so he communicated by secret letters. When the old doctor's letter came back, it was the first time He Pingyan had seen such a long secret letter, and it was also the first time he had seen so many vulgar and abusive words in a secret letter...
Zhuang Yuxun was laughing so hard he was doubled over, he practically wanted to copy the secret letter over and keep it as a keepsake.
It was also at her suggestion that the letter be sent directly to Ji Shumin. As a result, Ji Shumin did not use He Pingyan to communicate with him again, but instead wrote letters to him himself.
It is unknown what Ji Shumin said to him, but the old doctor actually willingly cooperated with He Pingyan and Zhuang Yuxun from both inside and outside the army, acting as a double agent to pass on the secrets of the Western Rong that he could find out to Zhuang He's army.
As a result, General Zhuang was able to quickly grasp the situation within the Western Rong and the morale of the people, which had already been shattered under the brutal suppression of the Fourth Prince.
After several more great victories, the Western Rong army had long lost its cohesion. The Western Rong king was furious these days and urged the fourth prince to achieve results as soon as possible!
Under pressure from both inside and outside, the fourth prince lost his mind.
He tried to force his way through, but to no avail, and instead suffered a serious injury himself.
As the old doctor applied medicine and bandaged his wound, he suddenly grabbed the old doctor by the neck and demanded menacingly, "Why can't this prince win? Why!"
For a moment, the old doctor thought he was going to die.
But he could only manage to squeeze out the words from his throat: "Fourth Prince... your wound has reopened..."
Then everything went black as the Fourth Prince slammed him to the ground. His old bones ached as if several were broken, but he was secretly relieved to have escaped with his life.
"Come and bandage me!"
"Yes, yes, yes..."
After this incident, the old doctor knew he could not sit idly by and wait for death. Although he was a doctor, he also valued his own life.
He wasn't some otherworldly being; he was just an ordinary person who wanted to live no matter where he was.
So they secretly began to drug the fourth prince, not too obviously. The fourth prince was able to sit in his current position not only because of his ruthlessness, but also because he had some extraordinary qualities.
It couldn't be too obvious, so the old doctor gave him mild hallucinogenic herbs.
This also played a significant role in General Zhuang's later execution of the fourth prince.
General Zhuang also felt indebted to Ji Shumin because of this matter.
Affection and trust develop gradually through getting to know each other.
After the death of the fourth prince, the morale of the Western Rong army collapsed.
A portion of the army fled back to the capital of the Western Rong Kingdom, while a large portion of the rest, without any ties, deserted in small groups. After all, as long as they remained in the Western Rong army, they would have to continue fighting.
For nearly a century, the Western Rong have gone through several rulers, and not a single day has passed without them being embroiled in war; there has never been a day of peace.
Even if they were displaced, they were unwilling to fight every day.
The Western Rong suffered a crushing defeat this time, and they may not be able to recover for the next few years.
The people on the border breathed a sigh of relief. On the day the fourth prince of the Western Rong was beheaded, they spread the news. Those whose families had been harmed by him lit incense and burned paper money to appease the spirits of the dead. It was as if they were celebrating a festival.
General Zhuang also breathed a sigh of relief.
The border area can finally enjoy a few years of peace; now the worry is with the bookmakers themselves.
When the cunning rabbit dies, the hunting dog is cooked; when the birds are all gone, the good bow is put away. Although it sounds unpleasant, it has happened frequently throughout history. How could General Zhuang not sense that the emperor had long harbored resentment and dissatisfaction with his control of the military?
Although it is said that a subject should die for his ruler, there is a distinction between how one dies. Ancient books also say: the people are the most important, the ruler is the least important; water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it.
If military generals are burdened by the emperor's suspicion and dislike, what will happen to the people on the border?
The emperor and his courtiers sit high in their halls, and over time, who can truly see what the world beyond the court is like?
His Highness the Crown Prince can see it, or at least he can see it now.
If it weren't for His Highness the Crown Prince's efforts to uphold justice and mediate the situation back then, the border war would have been averted long ago. The money and grain that bore witness to the blood and tears on the border would have undoubtedly enriched someone else.
The fate of the Zhuang family is forever tied to the border. The former Crown Prince, now the Third Prince, is the Zhuang family's most favored candidate.
The Zhuang family and the He family are old friends.
If nothing unexpected happens, they will be related by marriage in the future. Although He Diaoyu is upright, he can distinguish right from wrong. He does not participate in factional struggles, but if Ji Shumin wants to do something that is right and beneficial to the people, he will not stand idly by. If someone tries to slander him for no reason, he and Zhuang Jia will not sit idly by.
Lu Liruan listened and guessed, but finally figured out the huge and complicated network of relationships that had spanned several years before finally coming to a conclusion.
Absolutely amazing...
In fact, "breathtaking" is far from enough to describe Lu Liruan's feelings.
Ji Shumin seemed to be sitting there, and everything was in his mind, clear and complete, like the most skilled craftsman weaving things together bit by bit.
Even seemingly disparate things can be incorporated into this, working together seamlessly and ingeniously.
In some places, Lu Liruan didn't know how his mind had changed in such a way, like how he could go from being a doctor to a key player in defeating the Western Rong.
After this chess piece is used up in the Western Rong region, it will have to be returned to continue treating him...
She seemed to admire him very much, even grateful, and would do her best to treat his illness.
Besides his shrewd planning, Ji Shumin's personal charm is also not to be underestimated. Lu Liruan has never seen what he used to look like, but no matter who she hears it from, she can hear that His Highness the Crown Prince is unparalleled in elegance and talent.
But it's not limited to the past. Although Ji Shumin looks different now, Lu Liruan feels that his integrity remains unchanged, without any loss. His temperament is the same, and he has even become more resilient and determined.
What's even more interesting is that, upon closer examination of Ji Shumin's schemes, every link and every detail is devoid of any sordid or despicable elements. He was adept at overt strategies, primarily employing a combination of exchanging favors and using both kindness and coercion.
Bribery, accepting bribes to form cliques or engage in conspiracies, would be too low-level for Ji Shumin. Given his cautious and meticulous nature, such methods would be neither worthwhile nor reliable.
Kindness outweighs hatred. A person capable of such underhanded acts is not a trustworthy ally for Ji Shumin. He doesn't need such a person's interference on the path he's paving for himself…
Lu Liruan felt that she couldn't digest it at all.
I used to think that by staying by Ji Shumin's side, I could learn some tricks.
LOL... I could never learn that.
Noticing Lu Liruan looking at him, Ji Shumin lowered the sleeve he had just lifted to take her pulse.
With a flick of her wrist, she tapped her fingertips on the table, bringing Lu Liruan back to her senses: "What are you thinking about, Liruan?"
I'm wondering if you're a person with a mind of your own, or if a person grew out of your mind.
He Pingyan suddenly seemed to remember something and nodded to Lu Liruan: "Your Majesty, Yu Xun asked me to bring you a letter."
He took out an envelope and handed it to Lu Liruan.
Since Zhuang Yu found the border, he occasionally communicated with Lu Liruan, but because they were too far apart, the messages sent in one season would often arrive in the next.
As the fallen leaves turned yellow and crunched underfoot, Lu Liruan received a letter from Zhuang Yuxun describing a summer on the border.
She described the dried-up riverbed and the girl's flushed face when she went to fetch water.
The stars hanging low in the night sky, seemingly about to hit your face, will ignite the wild grass with the wildfire dancing in the wind, making the already hot and dry summer even more scorching.
Her words are bold and unrestrained, and the sentences she writes are full of vitality, just like her, brimming with inexhaustible life force.
The moment Lu Liruan opened the letter, she saw autumn on the border.
This autumn brings extra joy, as the grain on the border has finally grown up and will not be trampled before it is fully ripe and bears fruit.
Lu Liruan wanted to show Ji Shumin a look, but he glanced at her and curled his lips into a smile.
Suddenly, a thought flashed through Lu Liruan's mind.
From the very beginning, the reduction of her and Zhuang Yuxun's fees was in front of Ji Shumin. That time must have been accidental, and Lu Liruan forcibly interrupted the plot that was supposed to happen.
But later, he gradually became friends with Zhuang Yuxun. Was this also within Ji Shumin's expectations?
The marriage between the Zhuang and He families is a layer of protection. Could my familiarity with Zhuang Yuxun also be a subtle connection to this relationship?
"What's wrong?" Ji Shumin leaned forward, and the old doctor placed his hand on his back to examine his bones.
"Even if he regains consciousness, it will be difficult for him to stand up in the future..." the old doctor said frankly. "Whether he can stand up now is secondary. Let's see if His Highness can get through the joints below."
He left behind the prescription for the subsequent detoxification.
Lu Liruan originally wanted him to stay at the mansion, but the old doctor refused: "Whether I am here or not makes no difference. I can't alleviate his suffering in the slightest. Your Highness, please take care of him. I also need to go see my wife and children!"
He hadn't seen his family, who had been rescued and brought back to the capital, for a long time.
After He Pingyan and the old doctor left, Lu Liruan pondered for a long time before finally asking, "Did you ever scheme against me in the past?"
"No," Ji Shumin answered decisively, without hesitation.
"Why……"
"I was thinking at the time, how stupid must the girl be to insist on marrying me under those circumstances?" Ji Shumin chuckled softly.
"When I first saw him, he was really clumsy, so straight-headed, and he even had a habit of crawling through dog holes..."
"I didn't!" Lu Liruan interrupted him angrily.