Xuanqing Guard
Chapter 165: Disaster Situation
Flying Dragon jumped when he received Shen Hao’s Thousand-Mile Sound Talisman, thinking it was something major, but when he looked at it he was so angry his hand trembled.
He only dared to mutter in his heart: So you really think I’m your subordinate in the Xuanqing Guard? Why are you coming to us to investigate a disaster instead of going through the Xuanqing Guard’s channels?
Grumbling to himself, but not daring to delay. The more glamorous Flying Dragon appeared now, the more panicked he felt beneath it all, because he knew exactly what his current situation was built on. If Shen Hao turned his hand against him, he would fall into a pit of no return. So for now, he had no way to get off Shen Hao’s boat.
That very day, Flying Dragon arranged for some people to probe around the Wan River to the east of Pingshun City. As the saying goes, the snake has its path and so does the rat. Although not as open and aboveboard as the Xuanqing Guard or the government office, Flying Dragon now counted as somewhat of a figure around Pingshun City, so finding out some things was still easy for him.
But this wait dragged on until late at night; as he drank, Flying Dragon’s brows grew more and more furrowed. He didn’t particularly like being at Shen Hao’s beck and call, but he liked it even less when his own men were so inefficient. An entire day, and not a single scrap of news? What the hell!
It was almost 3 a.m. when the back door finally opened, and two men, soaked and obviously exhausted, walked in—it was the two Flying Dragon had sent out to investigate.
"What took you so long?"
"Brother Feilong, we didn’t want to take so long either, it’s just, it’s just... Old Chen, you say something." One of them looked frustrated, unwilling to speak.
The other picked up: "Wan River over there, the official statement is that it was a flood, some areas submerged. In reality, while there was some, it wasn’t severe, nowhere near a disaster—that’s just the local government office reporting nonsense. We kept heading north and reached Shi Pan Town—it’s basically empty, nine out of ten households have fled, the few who remain are old, weak, sick, or disabled, all looking miserable."
According to the remaining people in Shi Pan Town, further north is the disaster area. Over there, an epidemic has broken out."
At these words, Flying Dragon jumped straight up from his chair, stepped forward and asked in a deep voice, "An epidemic? Are you sure?!"
"Old Chen and I went deeper north from Shi Pan Town precisely to confirm the news, and... the road was littered with corpses. Some buried, some only half buried, some simply piled in pits, not covered at all. Just the bodies we saw numbered no less than a thousand, all apparently dead of illness, with lots of black spots all over them. It really, really looked like deaths from an epidemic."
"Did you see any living people?"
"None. Past Shi Pan Town, the main road was blocked—governmental officials with blades guarding it, but we sneaked through. We walked more than twenty li inside and didn’t see a single living soul. We didn’t dare go any further."
Daring to step foot in the disaster zone was already the height of recklessness; after all, the plague is invisible and intangible—if your Cultivation isn’t at the Gathering Spirit Realm, you can’t even tell if you’ve been infected. The only difference is that cultivators resist better—if they do get sick, their chances of dying are much lower than ordinary folk.
Flying Dragon immediately told the two to clean themselves thoroughly, burn all their clothes and trousers.
Then Flying Dragon picked up his Thousand-Mile Sound Talisman to relay the news to Shen Hao. He didn’t embellish it, just reported clearly what his men had seen and heard up front. As for how Shen Hao would judge the situation afterward, Flying Dragon didn’t want to interfere. At the same time, he was considering whether he should leave Pingshun City for somewhere further away to avoid the trouble—epidemics were nothing to be trifled with.
...
"Bang!"
Shen Hao slammed his palm down, shattering the armrest of his chair. He had just received Flying Dragon’s report, and a wave of rage surged through him.
"Utter deadweights! Scum! All of them scum!"
Shen Hao never imagined that the local government office at Wan River would dare to file a false disaster report, and even unilaterally block information while letting disaster-stricken civilians scatter unchecked!
If it really is an epidemic, then counting the incubation period, there were refugees in so many cities in Jingxi by now—who knows how many of them might already be infected?! If it breaks out... Shen Hao shuddered at the horrors that flashed through his mind.
Shen Hao paid no more heed to anything else, and hurried out into the night, going straight to pound on Wu Changhe’s front door.
The Wu Mansion steward saw Shen Hao say it was urgent and didn’t dare delay, rousing Wu Changhe; the two met in the study.
"What is it?" Wu Changhe’s face was calm, not angry—he knew Shen Hao wouldn’t come rouse him deep in the night for no reason, it had to be important.
"Sir, I’ve just received news that a large-scale epidemic may have broken out at Wan River, east of Pingshun City, but the local government office has lied, reporting a flood, and has sealed off the disaster area on their own authority. As for the disaster refugees, not only have they not been corralled and controlled, they’re being allowed to flee in all directions..."
"Wait! Do you know what you’re saying?"
"Yes, sir. I have solid intelligence that strongly suggests there is already an epidemic at Wan River."
Wu Changhe gave Shen Hao a long, searching look. He didn’t ask how Shen Hao obtained his so-called intelligence, but he was certain that the Black Banner Battalion had already set up a new intelligence network outside the Xuanqing Guard’s usual channels. This was news to Wu Changhe. But the plague was a grave matter—he didn’t dare take it lightly.
"Hundred Households of Shen, at present neither the Pingshun City government office nor the Xuanqing Guard Station has issued any disaster bulletins concerning Wan River. In your opinion, if Wan River’s side is blocking information, does that mean Pingshun City is colluding as well?"
"That possibility can’t be ruled out. My view is that Thousand Households Station should directly intervene, and first establish clearly whether or not there is an epidemic. If not, we can all breathe easy; if there is, then swift measures must be taken—at the very least, we can’t let the local disaster refugees flee unchecked."
Wu Changhe paced back and forth, understanding that while he agreed with Shen Hao’s suggestion, it was risky. At worst, it meant a lack of trust in the local authorities; at worst, it was overstepping his authority.
"Sir, the Xuanqing Guard is empowered to act in special situations; the disaster is urgent, and we’ve already lost too much time. If we delay any further, you know how pointless the local bureaucracy’s bickering is—this can only be turned around by you!"
Shen Hao no longer cared about the old friction between himself and Wu Changhe; in the face of catastrophe, he was willing to give the other man an out. This was the truth—only through Wu Changhe’s powerful intervention could the matter be clarified and brought under control most quickly.
Wu Changhe waved his hand, telling Shen Hao to go; he needed time to think.
Shen Hao had no choice but to return for now. But early the next morning, he was summoned to the Public Office by Wu Changhe.
"The matter of the plague is serious—we can’t afford to be lax. First, we have to confirm that your information is true. I’ll assign a hundred of the Thousand Households Guard to you, together with your Black Banner Battalion men, to proceed at once to Wan River to ascertain the facts. Should you meet with obstruction, you may act at your own discretion."
As he finished speaking, Wu Changhe handed a personally signed order to Shen Hao.
"Whether or not there is an epidemic, we must do what needs to be done," Wu Changhe said meaningfully as his final instruction.