Qin Zheng looked towards the direction of Sisui City but remained silent.

If there was trouble in Beiting, Chu Chengji would undoubtedly mobilize his forces immediately to aid.

With only a hundred or so women soldiers, and if the Chen camp refused passage, tens of thousands of troops would need to pass through.

However, the Chen camp would fear retaliation, so they wouldn’t dare refuse passage.

The condemnation of the world against Shen Yanzhi and Li Zhong was probably insignificant by now.

If Shen Yanzhi persisted in his folly after learning the truth, a showdown between Great Chu and him and Li Zhong was inevitable.

At Sisui City.

There had never been a scene where civilians beat up soldiers in front of the public before.

The women’s army had left the city for quite some time.

When people heard that there was a group of people beating up soldiers at the city gate, they still rushed over in droves.

At first, the officials and soldiers on the city tower wanted to suppress the turmoil, but they soon realized they couldn’t.

Fists were no match for multiple assailants, and the soldiers were beaten black and blue, some even lost several teeth.

When the three thousand soldiers led by Shen Yanzhi returned to the city, the civilians scattered in a panic upon seeing the large army returning, leaving behind only the beaten soldiers unable to stand.

Seeing the current situation of Sisui City, Chen Qin thought they were under attack. With Shen Yanzhi unconscious in the carriage, he was extremely anxious and asked at the city gate, “What’s going on?”

The young officer guarding the gate was the most badly beaten, having lost two front teeth.

He got up pitifully and reported, “We wanted to inspect the coffin that the women’s army escorted back from Chu. However, they incited the civilians to attack us…”

Chen Qin, eager to take Shen Yanzhi into the city to find a doctor, frowned at the young officer and led the army into the city directly.

The young officer felt a chill down his spine when he saw Chen Qin’s expression.

He had only thought about not letting the traveling doctor leave the city before.

If they caught the doctor, he would have accomplished a great deed.

The women’s army intended to take the doctor out of the city, and they had found fault with the women’s army.

They could have gained some benefits from them.

Now, seeing the reaction from above, he realized it was not good.

After understanding everything, the young officer’s back was soaked in cold sweat.

After Shen Yanzhi had a violent bout of laughter and fainted in the pavilion, he remained unconscious for days with a high fever.

When he finally regained consciousness, he found himself in Bianjing.

Chen Qin went in to deliver the medicine and found him awake but staring blankly at the tent’s ceiling, as if all life had been drained from him.

Chen Qin said, “Master, take your medicine.”

Shen Yanzhi’s eyes were dull, and his already thin body had become even thinner due to days without food.

His lips were so dry that a layer of skin had formed, and his voice was hoarse and out of tune when he spoke, “Put it down, leave.”

Chen Qin advised helplessly, “Master, please have something to eat. Don’t treat your body like this.”

After a pause, he continued, “If you fall, who will Empress Dowager rely on?”

Shen Yanzhi still just said, “Leave.”

Chen Qin had no choice but to leave.

Shen Yanzhi continued to stare blankly at the ceiling, but a clear tear slid down from the corner of his eye, disappearing into his hair.

He didn’t know if it was because of his thoughts during the feverish days, but he always found himself trapped in a dream.

The vermilion palace walls, the falling petals of jade flowers, the woman lying on the dressing table with white silk wrapped around her neck, and the wide sleeves sweeping the gold and jade ornaments on the dressing table to the ground…

Those tearful eyes pierced Shen Yanzhi’s heart with unbearable pain.

Ah Zheng… his Ah Zheng…

Was it true that, as in the dream, she left with all her anxiety and reluctance while he was still unaware?

Shen Yanzhi didn’t dare to think about it.

He closed his eyes in agony, and another two clear tears streamed down his cheeks.

As there was still no prescription for treating the plague from the Great Chu’s side, it was fortunate that the Wandering doctor My was there.

She taught the doctors in Zhuzhou to take care of the patients and shared everything she had learned.

Qin Zheng originally thought that treating the plague was just a matter of a prescription.

After listening to the Doctor Mu explain the characteristics of the disease and the treatment methods several times, she realized that it was not something a simple prescription could solve.

Just having a fever can be caused by both wind-heat and wind-cold.

Although the symptoms displayed by patients are similar, the causes of the disease are different, so the medications used can vary greatly.

Sometimes, patients may appear to have different symptoms but are caused by the same underlying factors, requiring the same medication.

Whether there is sweating or not, and the speed of the pulse, also require careful consideration in medication.

Qin Zheng knew that medical students in future generations would have to learn a lot, but without experiencing medical training herself, she couldn’t fully empathize.

Hearing so much from Doctor Mu about understanding the causes of the epidemic, she felt overwhelmed by the complexity.

During the day, Doctor Mu accompanied the doctors to diagnose patients with the epidemic, and in the evening, she worked overtime to rewrite the notes she had previously recorded about the conditions of the epidemic patients.

Qin Zheng saw that in just a few days, she had almost finished writing a book, but had not yet completed documenting the various conditions of the patients and their treatments.

It suddenly dawned on Qin Zheng why the Doctor Mu didn’t directly write prescriptions for Magpie to take back when she was in Sishui City.

There was just too much to do, how could one finish writing it all in one night?

The situation of the epidemic seemed to have stabilized.

Lin Yao personally escorted Wang Dama back to Liangyan Mountain for burial, and Wang Biao rushed back from Huzhou upon learning of his biological mother’s death in Beiting, to mourn.

Qin Zheng personally attended Wang Dama’s funeral at Liangyan Mountain, and Chu Chengji posthumously titled Wang Dama as “Huaihua Langjiang.”

After Wang Dama was buried, Wang Biao hurried to Qingzhou.

Like Lin Yao, he sought permission from Chu Chengzhi to join the northern expedition.

While Qin Zheng was busy assisting Doctor Mu in treating the epidemic victims and supplying various medicinal herbs and daily necessities, Chu Chengji and his ministers were also discussing the northern expedition day and night.

What the women’s army brought back was not only Wang Dama’s coffin but also a personal letter from Lian Qinhou.

Lian Qinhou was also injured in the battle at Qiangliu Pass.

However, fearing that the Northern Barbarian people would take advantage of the weakness of Beiting and continue to attack the city, he kept the news tightly sealed.

Except for Lian Qinhou’s personal guards, no one else knew.

Lian Qinhou could no longer lead the troops into battle, and Qiangliu Pass was in danger.

Xiao Houye Xie Chi, who was guarding the border between Liangzhou and Beiting, couldn’t possibly take care of Qiangliu Pass in the rear.

Lian Qinhou’s eldest son, Xie Huan, was not skilled in warfare, and there was no one to defend Qiangliu Pass.

In this letter, Lian Qinhou expressed his gratitude to Lin Zhao for saving him, requested assistance, and expressed his intention to continue to acknowledge Chu Chengji as his sovereign after pacifying Beiting.

Even if this letter hadn’t been sent, Chu Chengji would still send troops northward.

However, with Lian Qinhou’s prior declaration, when his advisers were formulating their strategy for the northern expedition, they seemed more determined.

Whether it was the Northern Barbarian or the remnants of Li Xin’s forces, as long as one was dealt with first, stability could be achieved in the territory.

After all, if they joined forces with Lian Qinhou, whether they were fighting the Northern Barbarian or clearing out Li Xin’s remnants, victory would be assured.

The advisers were divided into two factions:

One advocating direct warfare, suggesting attacking the remnants of Li Xin’s forces blocking the path to Beiting;

The other advocating temporary peace talks.

“The forces under Li Xin’s command, currently controlled by Shen Yanzhi in Bianjing and Li Zhong in Qinxing Pass.

Given the strength of Great Chu today, though not afraid of battle, we can’t afford to delay in Beiting! It’s better to send someone to negotiate a temporary peace agreement.”

The proponents of direct warfare immediately scoffed, “With tens of thousands of troops passing through, won’t the rebels fear a sudden change of heart and occupy our cities?”

The advocates for peace continued to argue, “We won’t know until we try. If Beiting falls, the next target for the Northern Barbarian people will be Shen Yanzhi and Li Zhong’s forces. By supporting Beiting, we might gain some advantage.”

After much debate among the advisers, Chu Chengzhi realized that Beiting couldn’t wait and chose to send officials to negotiate temporary peace and passage with Shen Yanzhi and Li Zhong.

While there was no response from Bianjing, Li Zhong quickly responded.

The official who returned from negotiations looked at Chu Chengji, his voice unintentionally lowered, “Li… Li Zhong said that while passage is feasible, he fears we might change our minds and occupy their cities. He doesn’t want the cities we pass through. He wants us to exchange them for other cities.”

With these words, the audience erupted in an uproar.

Immediately, the advocates for direct warfare cursed loudly, “Those lackeys of the Li family, following the same path as Li Xin! They must have plundered those cities empty, leaving nothing for the people! Now they want to exchange those poor lands for our rich lands in the Jianghuai region!”

Another adviser angrily shouted ” War! Teach those damn traitors a lesson! and those filthy Northern Barbarian! “