Datang: Just been appointed as the crown prince, the counterattack system is here

Chapter 387 This is a blatant conspiracy! [Seeking monthly votes]

"Dean Sun! Those people have surrounded our medical school, and they won't even let us use their oxen anymore! What kind of situation is this?!"

"Yes, Dean Sun! You have to think of something! If we don't get those vaccines soon, we'll miss the trial period!"

Dean Sun

On the experimental building of Chang'an Medical College, Sun Simiao was surrounded by a group of medical professionals and students who kept telling him about their current predicament.

Sun Simiao, however, frowned and remained silent.

In fact, he still doesn't understand why the epidemic prevention work, which was going well, turned out like this.

It should be noted that before Li Ke returned, the epidemic in Chang'an had already been effectively controlled.

Even though people in Chang'an were still getting infected every day, the number of infected people was not large.

It's at least several times less than at the beginning.

This is also the main reason why their medical school dares to draw most of its mobile medical staff to develop smallpox vaccines.

In addition, the imperial court's cooperation was excellent, with even the imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical Academy being mobilized.

But why did Li Ke become like this after he came back?
To say that Li Ke was causing trouble? He wasn't. He even formed his own medical team to treat smallpox for the people of Chang'an and actively cooperate with epidemic prevention.

But somehow, it suddenly turned out like this.

The public no longer trusts medical schools and their pandemic response efforts.

Therefore, Sun Simiao was unsure whether he should suspect Li Ke about the matter.

Although Li Ke's doctors cured some of the smallpox patients, he still harbored suspicions about those doctors.

After all, even he, a "miracle doctor," couldn't effectively prevent smallpox, and they still pinned their hopes on the cowpox vaccination method provided by Li Chengqian.

How did those physicians who treated Li Ke manage to do it?
Just as Sun Simiao was racking his brains trying to figure it out, the noise and commotion outside grew louder and louder, as if it were about to get out of control at any moment.

"Hand over the medical school!"

"Let His Highness the King of Shu's divine physician come in!"

"You frauds! Incompetent doctors! You're letting people die!"

"What cowpox! Bullshit! They just want to kill us!"

"Smash this godforsaken place! Release all the cattle! Let the King of Shu's physician come and save us!"

The waves of anger rose higher and higher, like tangible fists slamming into the walls of the medical school, and also into the hearts of Sun Simiao and all the doctors and students.

Several agitated burly men began ramming their shoulders against the heavy vermilion gate, producing dull thuds as the bolt groaned in pain under the immense force.

The atmosphere inside the experimental building was oppressive and suffocating.

Through the cracks in the window, one could see the angry crowd outside.

They were dressed in rags, their faces bearing the marks of a sickly flush or pustules, the scars of smallpox.

At this moment, these marks seem to be proof that they were deceived and abandoned.

"Dean Sun—!"

Several young medical students stumbled over, their faces still bearing the traces of childishness and the exhaustion of days and nights of staying up late. Their voices were trembling with tears: "They...they stole all the cattle we had worked so hard to quarantine and observe, and they were almost ready to collect their vaccines! They said they were 'evil creatures' that were harming people."

As he spoke, he pointed to a young man next to him, whose forehead was bleeding and who was being helped up: "Senior Brother Wang went to reason with them, but he was also beaten up by them!"

"Dean Sun, what should we do?!"

Another doctor in charge of vaccine extraction was so anxious he was stamping his feet. He was holding a specially made sterile glass bottle in his hand: "Without those oxen, all our observations and records over the past few days have been wasted! If we can't find suitable oxen to extract the vaccine, the window period will pass! This...this is equivalent to cutting off our only hope!"

"Send the Imperial Guards! Drive these fools away!" someone shouted in grief and indignation.

"No!"

Sun Simiao finally spoke, his voice low yet carrying an undeniable authority.

His hair and beard were all white, and his face showed deep weariness and indescribable heartache.

He looked out the window at the people who had fallen into madness, blinded by fear and incitement, his eyes filled with complex emotions: "They are patients, they are people with nowhere else to turn! They are our compatriots! Using force will only deepen the hatred and give those with ulterior motives more excuses!"

"Besides."

He paused, his voice tinged with bitterness: "They were simply blinded, driven mad by smallpox, and exploited by those with ulterior motives who took advantage of their fear."

Counting, he walked to the window, pushed it open a crack, raised his voice, and tried to appease everyone with his lifelong prestige and medical ethics: "Fellow villagers! Quiet down! Listen to what this old Taoist has to say! The method of smallpox vaccination is by no means a myth!"

"It's a case of fighting poison with poison. It involves taking the mild smallpox virus from cattle, implanting it into the human body, and giving the person resistance!"

"Although this method is risky, it is currently the only way to eradicate smallpox! The so-called cures claimed by His Highness the Prince of Shu's physicians are unheard of. How can smallpox be so virulent and easily eradicated? There must be something fishy going on here!"

"Please calm down! Trust the government! Trust science! Give us time!"

Although he spoke with utmost sincerity, his voice sounded so faint amidst the raging roar, like a pebble thrown into a raging sea, instantly swallowed up.

"Bullshit! That old Taoist priest is lying!"

"His Highness the Prince of Shu clearly healed the person! We all saw it!"

"What science? It's just something you liars made up to fool people!"

"You just want to watch us die from this plague! How cruel you are! What are you doing using our oxen for experiments! Are you planning to take our oxen for free?!"

"Don't listen to his nonsense! Charge in! Smash those harmful things!"

As someone kept stirring things up, the crowd completely spiraled out of control.

Snapped!Snapped!Snapped!
Someone threw a few stones, smashing the glass windows of the experimental building with a piercing cracking sound.

This seemed to be a signal, and more stones, sticks, and even rotten vegetable leaves rained down on the medical school building.

The enraged crowd began using every tool they could find to smash the fence and storm the gate.

"Protect the laboratory! Protect the vaccine samples!"

Sun Simiao knew he was powerless to reverse the situation, so he decisively gave the order.

With tears in their eyes, the students and doctors frantically transferred the precious experimental records and some of the extracted smallpox vaccine samples to a safer inner room, and used their bodies to block the broken windows.

Grief and indignation burned in their hearts. They were not afraid of smallpox, but they were heartbroken by this ignorant trampling and the slander of the way to save lives.

Their perseverance and efforts appear so pale and powerless in the face of the surging tide of populism.

Meanwhile, on the periphery of the chaotic crowd, several figures watched coldly, a sneer playing on their lips.

These were some of the "Five Tigers and One Tai Sui" who were on good terms with Li Ke.

But Li Zong said with a hint of amusement, "It seems our Crown Prince's Imperial Guards are no good either! Such a huge mess, and they don't dare to utter a single word. I really overestimated them!"

"Ha, Li Chengqian only dares to act recklessly because of His Majesty. I couldn't stand him back in the Prince of Qin's residence!" Chai Zhewei sneered. "If it weren't for the fact that Third Brother's status was lower than his, His Majesty should have chosen a more virtuous person, someone far superior to him!"

"Alright, enough said. If the Crown Prince were really as bad as you all say, he wouldn't have done so many inexplicable things, let alone destroyed two countries in one battle!" Cheng Huailiang said this with some displeasure.

“That’s right! Although we’re on Third Brother’s side, we shouldn’t be blindly arrogant. Remember, pride comes before a fall!” Yu Chi Huan echoed.

"Alright, alright, enough of that, let's get down to business!"

Seeing that the group couldn't agree on anything, Chai Zhewei impatiently changed the subject and then ordered the people behind him, "It's your turn to go on stage. You know what to do, right?"

"Don't worry, young master! We know!"

One of the leading beggars immediately stepped forward and started a conversation with him in a fawning manner.

Chai Zhewei frowned in disgust, then pulled out a few strings of coins and tossed them into the air: "Take these! There will be a generous reward later!"

"Thank you for your generosity, young master."

The beggar in the lead accepted the few strings of coins with a mixture of surprise and delight. Without saying a word, he and his companions mingled into the crowd, adding fuel to the fire and stirring up trouble.

"Look! They're feeling guilty! They're trying to destroy the evidence!"

"Charge! For our lives! For the life-saving grace of His Highness the King of Shu!"

Chaos, utter chaos, escalated into a complete riot in a very short time.

Boom!

The medical school gates collapsed under the frenzied assault. The enraged crowd surged into the campus like a burst dam.

They smashed anything they saw, destroyed any equipment they saw, and shoved and verbally abused anyone wearing medical school uniforms.

The precious microscope was smashed, the petri dishes were trampled, and the notes that recorded countless hours of hard work were torn up and burned.

The air was filled with a pungent odor, a mixture of medicine, burning paper, and the sweat of the crowd.

"Stop! Stop it!"

Sun Simiao was tightly protected by several students. Watching their hard work and future hopes being so brutally destroyed, tears streamed down his face, his voice hoarse, filled with endless sorrow and helplessness.

"You have destroyed the hope of salvation! The hope that future generations will no longer suffer from smallpox!"

Despite his voice filled with grief and indignation, no one heard him amidst the mob's revelry and destructive clamor.

Just as the medical school was in chaos, the riot was escalating, and some out-of-control mobs were even attacking medical school staff who tried to stop them, and the scene was about to turn into a bloodbath, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from afar.

Prince Li Yin of Liang, dressed in military attire and surrounded by a group of guards from his palace, appeared on the edge of the chaos with a look of shock, anger, and anxiety.

He reined in his horse and roared with all his might, "Stop! All of you, stop right now! Do you want to rebel?!"

His roar was so loud it was almost like a megaphone.

In just a moment, the noise was quelled.

The crowd quieted down slightly, then looked at the suddenly appearing Tang Dynasty prince with surprise and uncertainty.

But then Li Yin said with a pained expression, "I was ordered by the King of Shu to assist the court in fighting the epidemic! How dare you unruly commoners storm the imperial court and destroy the pillars of the nation? You are simply lawless!"

Then, he changed the subject, subtly pointing the finger at the medical school's inaction: "Can you tell me what exactly is going on?!"

"Your Highness, this is what happened."

"Enough! I don't want to hear your explanations now. The plague is raging in Chang'an, and the people are filled with resentment, all because the officials have failed to provide adequate medical care and have stood by while the people suffer!"

Before the medical school representative could finish speaking, Li Yin angrily interrupted him, then said with deep sorrow, "I thought you were an office established by the Crown Prince, but I never expected you to be so incompetent, even inciting a popular uprising and causing such a disaster! This is a crime of dereliction of duty!"

After speaking, he surveyed the chaotic scene, glancing at the medical staff who were either trembling with fear or glaring angrily. A barely perceptible gleam of pleasure flashed in his eyes before he adopted a decisive demeanor: "Since you cannot handle such a serious matter, and I am here, I cannot stand idly by!"

As he spoke, Li Yin abruptly turned his horse around and sternly addressed one of his personal guards:

"Immediately take this imperial token and proceed to the Ministry of Personnel to meet with Chancellor Fang and General Li, and report the perilous situation here. The people, driven by resentment, have stormed government offices; the situation is urgent, and the defenses of Chang'an are in grave danger!"

"To ensure the safety of Chang'an and to save the people from the riots, I implore you two gentlemen to prioritize the affairs of the state and quickly transfer the city's defenses to me for temporary custody!"

"I will do my utmost to quell the riots, restore order, and fully cooperate with His Highness the King of Shu in treating the plague!"

His words were forceful and grandiose, packaging a meticulously planned riot as a sudden event of government coercion leading to popular rebellion.

He knew that, faced with such a large-scale riot and an out-of-control plague, Fang Xuanling and Li Jing, even if they had doubts, would never dare to risk Chang'an falling into complete chaos and the plague spiraling out of control by refusing to hand over some of their military power.

This is a naked conspiracy!

The guards received the order and spurred their horses to gallop away.

Li Yin remained where he was, directing the guards of the Prince's Palace to maintain order and separate the rioting crowd from the medical school staff, but in reality, he had completely taken control of the medical school.

He looked at Sun Simiao and the others, who were under the protection of guards, their faces ashen and their eyes filled with despair. He looked at the mess on the ground and at the Shu Prince's physicians, who were regarded as saviors by the people, starting to take over the scene. Finally, a sinister smile of victory appeared on his face.

Half an hour later.

Inside the Ministry of Personnel's office, the atmosphere was as heavy as the deathly silence before a storm.

Fang Xuanling looked at the heavy Chang'an city defense tally in his hand, then looked up at Li Yin's personal guards who were anxious and earnest, and at Li Jing who was silent but had sharp eyes like an eagle.

"Your Highness, is that really what you said?"

Fang Xuanling's voice was devoid of emotion, but his knuckles were slightly white from the force he was using.

Military power is a vital instrument of the state; it should not be entrusted lightly.

Especially at such a sensitive time, handing over military power to a prince is surely a source of chaos.

What did Fang Xuanling do?

One of the planners who once followed Li Shimin in launching the Xuanwu Gate Incident!

How could he not see the problem here?
"It's absolutely true, Fang Xiang!"

The guard knelt on one knee and said urgently and loyally, "A riot has broken out at the medical school. Unruly people have stormed government offices, injured doctors, and burned equipment. Furthermore, rioters are attempting to storm the capital. The defenses of Chang'an are under attack in many places. His Highness Prince Liang has acted swiftly and decisively, leading the guards of the Prince's Palace to fight desperately to suppress the rioters. However, the rebels are overwhelming!"

"His Highness said: In order to ensure the safety of Chang'an, to save the people from suffering, and to fully cooperate with His Highness the Prince of Shu in treating the smallpox plague, we must immediately take control of the city's defenses and mobilize troops in order to quell the chaos!"

"Delay could lead to unforeseen changes and unimaginable consequences. Your Highness implores both of you to prioritize the greater good!"

Upon hearing this, Li Jing frowned deeply.

Although he disliked politics, he was knowledgeable about military affairs.

The riot came too suddenly, too violently, and its target was too clear—directly targeting the medical school, one of the foundations of Crown Prince Li Chengqian.

The one who demanded military power was none other than Li Ke's younger brother, Li Yin.

If Li Ke weren't behind this, Li Jing's name would be reversed.

"A medical school riot is to be suppressed by the Jingzhao Prefecture and the Jinwu Guard. Why should we use the city's garrison troops?"

"General Li, you are wise. The yamen runners of the Jingzhao Prefecture have long been scattered. The Imperial Guards are too far away to help in this urgent situation. The mob is as big as a tide and cannot be controlled by ordinary yamen runners!"

"What about the Embroidered Uniform Guard? Has His Highness the Crown Prince's Embroidered Uniform Guard been deployed?"

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard can only arrest lawbreakers and handle extraordinary cases! How could they possibly stop other riots? If they could, they probably would have been mobilized long ago!"

"This"

Li Jing was speechless for a moment, but still somewhat indignant, he lowered his voice, which carried the murderous aura of war, and squinted as he said, "The movement of the military tally is no small matter. Does Your Highness Prince Liang have His Majesty's decree? Or the Crown Prince's edict?"

The guard felt a chill run down his spine, but he was prepared. He immediately said with grief and indignation, "Your Highness Prince Liang is in a dangerous situation. He has personally witnessed the ferocity of the rioters. I fear that their violence could spread throughout the city and overthrow the state!"

"His Highness said: Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. Once the riots are quelled and the plague is brought under control, we will naturally apologize to His Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince!"

Having said that, he knelt down again with a thud, kowtowing heavily, his forehead hitting the ground with a resounding thud: "At this moment, the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in Chang'an are all tied to the military tally. I beg General Li and Lord Fang to reconsider!"

"This"

Fang Xuanling and Li Jing exchanged a glance, both seeing deep worry and helplessness in each other's eyes.

The guards' words, though half true and half false, struck at their most vulnerable spot.

The plague spiraled out of control, compounded by large-scale riots.

If Chang'an were to fall into complete chaos, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Li Yin demanded military power under the guise of saving the people, quelling the rebellion, and cooperating with the fight against the epidemic. If they resolutely refused, and a major upheaval occurred in Chang'an afterward, no one could bear the responsibility.

Li Ke's miraculous healing has won over the hearts of the people, and at this moment, public opinion is overwhelmingly on the side of the King of Shu.

Fang Xuanling let out a long sigh, a sigh that seemed to drain all the strength from his body.

He slowly handed over the military tally, his voice tinged with endless weariness and a barely perceptible chill: "The military tally is here. I hope Your Highness, Prince Liang, will act prudently! You must prioritize the lives of the people, quell the riots as soon as possible, and restore order! If you misbehave..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but the unspoken meaning carried immense weight.

"Thank you, Prime Minister Fang! Thank you, General Li!"

The guard was overjoyed. His hands trembled as he accepted the military tally as if it were a supreme treasure. He kowtowed again and then turned and ran away.

Watching the guards disappear into the distance, Li Jing slammed his fist on the table, causing the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone to scatter wildly: "Lord Fang! Once this military tally is handed over, Chang'an may no longer be the Chang'an of the imperial court! Li Ke and his brothers, their hearts are wicked!"

Fang Xuanling closed his eyes, rubbing his throbbing temples: "How could I not know what General Li said? However, when faced with two evils, choose the lesser. At this moment, suppressing the riots and controlling the plague are the top priorities!"

"Besides, do you think His Majesty gave us the military tally so that we could use it?"

"this!"

Li Jing was deeply moved and was speechless.

Fang Xuanling slowly rose from his seat, put his hands behind his back, and said leisurely, "Wei Zheng is right. A son using his father's troops is nothing more than a whipping. I only hope that His Highness the Crown Prince can return to the capital soon and restore order!"

(End of this chapter)