Sweep Yuan

Chapter 66 Dinghong County has a plan beyond its control

Deng Shunxing sighed, dropped the spear in his hand, and hid the dagger in his sleeve.

"These bandits in the East Market must have spotted Dalang, but they haven't chased after us. They probably won't bother us. Dalang and I will go over first. If nothing happens, you can drop your weapons and come over. If something happens, don't worry about us, you all run away!"

"Big brother!"

Han Tieyi, fearing that Deng Shunxing wanted to die to escape, interrupted:

"You stay here, or let my second brother and I go first!"

Having been brothers for many years, Deng Shunxing understood his younger brother's feelings perfectly, and patiently explained:
"Second brother, third brother, I didn't give up in despair and walk into their trap. I've just figured it out. On the battlefield, swords and spears have no eyes. Everyone serves their own master. Although we killed some bandits, didn't they also kill our fourth brother?"
If the Red Turban rebels wanted to gain a foothold in Hong County, they had to kill people to establish their authority during the siege. After the city fell, they would definitely want to win people's hearts. Since they had killed County Commandant Gao in battle and captured Lin Chihudu to sacrifice to their banner, it would be reasonable for them to let us commoners go after the battle.

Our roots are in Hong County. Staying in the city might bring some temporary setbacks, but as long as we have connections, we'll always have a chance to turn things around. Once we leave here, we'll truly be homeless dogs.

Seeing that Han Tieyi wanted to persuade him further, Deng Shunxing added:

"My fourth brother is still lying on the city wall. We're all gone. Who will collect his body?"

"Ugh!"

Zheng Zhongliang had also figured it out and spoke up.

"If that's the case, let's stop arguing. If we're going to leave, we'll leave together! If we're going to die, we'll die together!"

In the East Market, fearing that rioters would take the opportunity to cause trouble, all the shops in the city were closed once the battle started. Apart from Chen Daye and his group, there was no one else in the entire East Market. Deng Youlong retreated as soon as he showed his face. How could he avoid Chen Daye's eyes and ears?

Having followed Qianhu for a long time, Chen Daye gradually got used to Shishan's "grasping the main contradictions" approach to work. This trip was specifically to escort Shao Zhao to receive treatment, and not wanting to cause any unforeseen complications, he only arranged for his men to strengthen their defenses and did not send anyone to pursue them.

Just as Shao Ronggang knocked on the door of the clinic and entered with his apprentice, Deng Shunxing and the others also came over.

After questioning, it was learned that the four were defeated soldiers who had abandoned their weapons and returned home. Chen Daye instructed them, "The Red Heart Battalion does not harm the innocent. Since you have already laid down your weapons, we will not pursue you further. However, the city is in chaos, so do not wander around after you return home." He then let them go.

As things unfolded as he had predicted, Deng Shunxing secretly breathed a sigh of relief, quickly thanked them, and left. He had only taken a few steps when he heard angry shouts coming from inside the clinic.

"Sex-eyed man!"

The chicken doctor's hand, which was grinding medicine, suddenly trembled, and the pestle clattered into the copper bowl. Instinctively, he shrank back into the shadows of the medicine cabinet, his emerald pupils contracting sharply like a startled cat.

"M-Sir, Dr. Chicken isn't, no, he's—"

An unexpected turn of events occurred, and Li Song was secretly annoyed that he had forgotten to introduce this matter beforehand. However, he was so nervous that he became tongue-tied, and the more he explained, the more confused he became.

“Yes, I do have a Semu name, ‘Buheqiyar’.”

The person Shao Rong was pointing his long sword at had black hair and blue eyes, very thick eyebrows, a slightly light complexion, and a goatee. Upon closer inspection, he did indeed look somewhat like a person of mixed ethnicity, but when he spoke, he had a genuine local accent.

"But that was obtained by my father through the appointment of the Huai'an Road Medical Supervisor. The villagers are used to calling me 'Doctor Chicken,' and not many remember my Han name 'Bu Ciyuan.'"

Bu Ciyuan was over forty years old, wearing a tall hat and wide belt, and from a distance he looked quite like a doctor. However, when he spoke, his blue eyes darted around and his tone was neither yin nor yang. No matter how you looked at him, he seemed lewd.

Cai Fu couldn't stand this shifty-eyed man, so he approached Shao Rong and retorted to Bu Ciyuan:
"You still say you're not a Semu person, so why do you have these strange eyes and such a strange name?"

As they spoke, Bu Ciyuan noticed that the dozen or so people who entered the clinic were mainly led by Shao Rong, and the wounded people they carried in bore a striking resemblance to him. He hurriedly said:

"General, this man's injuries are serious and cannot be delayed. Although I am skilled in using golden needles and can connect the yin and yang, I cannot bring back a soul that has been signed by the King of Hell."

Shao Rong realized he had gone too far. Regardless of whether the man was a Semu or not, as long as his brother could be saved, that was all that mattered. He waved for Cai Fu and the others to make way, and bowed to Bu Ciyuan, saying, "Please, doctor, save him."

Bu Ciyuan quickly rolled up his sleeves, washed his hands, and instructed everyone and his apprentices:

"Quickly lift the wounded onto the treatment bed. Lue'er, fetch some strong liquor and mulberry bark thread—it must be soaked in strychnine juice!"

Shao Rong noticed a red string tied around Bu Ciyuan's wrist, with a golden bell hanging from the knot. She was dressed like a Hu woman, but she held it down tightly to prevent it from making a sound as she moved, and Shao Rong frowned.

Bu Ciyuan thought Shao Rong suspected him of using mulberry bark thread, and explained:

"Mulberry bark thread needs to be soaked in strychnine juice and then dried to prevent the wound from festering, just like a young lady applying lip rouge—it always needs to be thoroughly soaked before she applies it—"

Before he could finish speaking, he saw Shao Rong's face grow increasingly gloomy, and Bu Ciyuan's heart skipped a beat. He abruptly changed his words.

"That's exactly what medical principles mean!"

Shao Rong suddenly remembered something and said:
"I've been to Hong County before when I was a sheep trader, but I've never heard of Doctor Chicken."

Li Song finally got a chance to interject and took the initiative to explain:
"Dr. Chicken is a renowned doctor in this area with an official medical certificate from the local medical bureau. He just came to Hong County for a round of medical consultations last month."

Shao Zhao's wound was burned by the strong liquor, and he groaned but did not wake up.

Bu Ciyuan's hands never stopped; while quickly stitching up the wound, he quietly answered Shao Rong and the others' questions.

"Our ancestors came to the Central Plains during the Zhongtong era. By chance, they obtained medical household registration and intermarried with Han people for generations. The traces of Western Region blood in our ancestors were long ago washed away by the herbal soup."

"If a wolf cub is born in a dog kennel, eats dog food, learns to bark like a dog, and spends its days guarding the house, and then mates with a domestic dog, General, would you say it's a wolf cub or a dog cub?"

The main hall of the county government office.

"Whenever there is unrest, the wealthy fear most the disorder between superiors and inferiors, while the common people worry only about not having enough to eat and wear. After the chaos in Xuzhou, prices in Hong County rose steadily, and the common people suffered terribly. The third strategy is to stabilize prices!"

Fang Zhongwen analyzed for a long time and finally got to the point. Shi Shan nodded, signaling him to continue.

"The imperial court's reform of currency has undermined its foundation, and the people are resisting it. A few days ago, we learned that Lingbi had been lost and liberated by the rebel army, and some shops in the city refused to accept paper money. General, why don't you follow the will of the people and abolish paper money?"

It's one thing for the people to resist the paper money, but it's another for you, a rebel, to order its abolition. This policy is clearly a huge trap.

"In the future, we will not use paper money to discourage the soldiers from rewarding merit, nor will we force them to barter under our jurisdiction. As for whether the common people use it or not, our current position is awkward, so we should not interfere too much."

Stabilizing prices is essentially stabilizing currency value. However, the imperial court has not minted coins for many years, resulting in a severe shortage of copper coins in circulation. We lack both skilled minters and copper resources, so the only way to stabilize prices is through barter.

Those qualified for this post are none other than those with provisions of grain and cloth, with grain being the most important. I just reviewed the account books, and the official granary holds less than six thousand shi of grain; the actual amount is likely discrepancy. Registrar Fang, where did this grain come from?

Fang Zhongwen was greatly shocked. He had underestimated Shi Shan because he was young and a thief, and all the plans he offered were full of hidden tricks. He did not expect that the other party had seen through his tricks and could come up with a solution. He dared not take him lightly anymore.

But it's absolutely impossible for him to admit his mistake and beg for forgiveness.

People have varying degrees of insight, and subordinates may be cunning, but it is not a problem if they are weak in ability and full of bad schemes. What is fatal is when the ruler cannot make good judgments.

Besides, although the bandit leader is ruthless and kills his subordinates without hesitation, he is also a pragmatic person. As long as they are useful to him and can solve problems, he will not be killed because of an occasional bad scheme.

Having thought all this through, Fang Zhongwen forced himself to remain calm, pretending he knew nothing, and continued:
"General, you are exceptionally wise. You should know that before the city fell, Lin Chihu had already solicited donations from the wealthy households in the county."

(End of this chapter)