Rise of a Lonely City: From Exiled Prince to Ruler of the Nine Provinces

When news of Liu Jin's uprising in Jiangnan reached Hanyuan, the city was busy harvesting the first crop of frost-covered wheat.

The fields were golden, with waves of wheat rippling in the breeze.

The people wielded sickles, sweating profusely, but their faces were all smiling.

This is the first time Hanyuan has planted wheat on a large scale. The wheat is growing better than expected, with one mu yielding two and a half shi (a unit of dry measure). Fifty mu of experimental fields would yield one hundred and twenty-five shi.

Although the number was small, it proved that good crops could be grown in the North.

Xiao Chen also went down to the field and harvested half an acre of wheat, leaving him with a sore back and aching waist. But looking at the pile of wheat ears that resembled a small mountain, his heart was full.

"Your Highness, please rest for a while."

Uncle Chen handed over a bowl of water. "The wheat is growing well this year, thanks to the composting method and watering you taught us. At this rate, we'll be self-sufficient next year."

Xiao Chen took the water and drank it all in one gulp.

"That's not enough. Twenty-five thousand people consume ninety thousand shi of grain a year. We can only produce ten thousand shi ourselves right now. The rest we have to buy or exchange. We need to continue reclaiming wasteland and improving our technology to strive for food self-sufficiency within three years."

"Yes, I understand."

Just then, Zhao Tie rushed over, his face grim.

"Your Highness, something has happened."

"What is it?"

"There's an outbreak of plague in the new district."

plague.

These two words struck everyone's heart like a heavy hammer.

"What plague? How many people are sick?" Xiao Chen threw down his sickle and rushed towards the new district.

"It's a strange illness, with fever, cough, and red rashes all over the body. More than thirty people have fallen ill since yesterday. The doctor at the clinic examined them and said it's...smallpox."

smallpox!

Xiao Chen paused, feeling a chill run through his body.

Smallpox was a terminal illness in this era.

Of those infected, seven or eight out of ten die.

Moreover, it is highly contagious; if one person gets sick, the whole family will suffer, and an entire village or city may be wiped out.

"isolation!"

Xiao Chen gritted his teeth, "Isolate the patient immediately, and isolate everyone who has been in contact with him. Close off the new district; no one is allowed to enter or leave. Anyone who violates this rule will be executed!"

"yes!"

The order was given, and the entire Cold Abyss tensed up.

The new district was sealed off by soldiers; entry was permitted, but exit was not.

The more than 30 people who fell ill were gathered in a row of empty houses on the westernmost side of the new district, where they were cared for by a doctor from a local clinic. The more than 200 people who had been in contact with the patients were also isolated in another location for seven days of observation.

But the pandemic spread faster than expected.

That evening, more than fifty people fell ill.

The next day, there were more than a hundred people.

On the third day, there were more than 300 people.

By the fifth day, over a thousand people had fallen ill.

The entire new district was filled with anxiety.

The people wanted to escape, but they were stopped by the soldiers and could not get away.

Some people started causing trouble, smashing doors and breaking through the cordon.

Wang Dashan led the Hanyuan Guards and killed more than a dozen people before they could barely suppress the situation.

But this can't go on.

"Your Highness, this won't do."

Murong Xue's eyes were red; she hadn't slept for three days. "There are too many patients, not enough doctors, and not enough medicine. Moreover, the conditions in the isolation ward are terrible—no food, no water, no medical care, no medicine. Those people... are just waiting to die."

Xiao Chen stood on the city wall, looking towards the new district.

It was pitch black there, with only a few lanterns swaying in the wind like will-o'-the-wisps.

"What other medicinal herbs are needed?"

"We're missing so many things. To treat smallpox, we need honeysuckle, forsythia, isatis root, and burdock seed. We don't have much of these herbs in stock; they'll only last us three days at most. And to prevent smallpox, we need to inoculate. But we don't have the smallpox vaccine."

Smallpox vaccination.

Xiao Chen's heart stirred.

In his previous life, he had read that ancient China had a method of variolation called "smallpox".

Smallpox scabs, ground into powder, can be blown into the nostrils of healthy people to prevent smallpox.

Although the risk is high, it's better than not taking any precautions.

"I have a way to treat smallpox."

Xiao Chen said, "Go find a few patients with milder symptoms, collect their scabs, grind them into a fine powder. Then, inoculate all healthy people with the powder."

"Vaccination?"

Murong Xue froze. "Your Highness, this...this is too dangerous. What if..."

"Not getting vaccinated is even more dangerous."

Xiao Chen interrupted her, "Do as I say. Also, have the Ministry of Works rush to produce a batch of masks, made of cotton cloth with a layer of oiled paper in the middle. All doctors, soldiers, and people who come into contact with patients must wear masks. Furthermore, have the people wash their hands with boiling water and disinfect them with lime water. The dead must be cremated, not buried."

"Cremation?" Murong Xue was startled again. "This...this is against the rules..."

"Are rules more important, or human lives?"

Xiao Chen stared at her. "Do as I say. If anything goes wrong, I'll take responsibility."

"Yes……"

Murong Xue left in a hurry.

Xiao Chen then summoned Han Lie and Uncle Chen.

"From now on, the entire city is under martial law. No one is allowed to visit each other or gather. Eat separately and sleep in separate beds. Anyone found to have a fever or cough must report it immediately. Anyone who conceals their condition will have their entire family punished."

"yes!"

"In addition, send people to Northern Yan and the grasslands to purchase medicinal herbs. Honeysuckle, forsythia, isatis root, burdock seeds—we want as much as you can. The price will be doubled, and payment will be made in cash."

"yes!"

"Also," Xiao Chen paused, "have Night Owl investigate how this plague came about. Cold Abyss has never had smallpox before, so this sudden outbreak must have a reason."

"clear!"

Orders were issued one after another, and the entire Cold Abyss, like a sophisticated machine, began to cope with this sudden disaster.

But the pandemic is still spreading.

On the sixth day, the number of people who fell ill exceeded two thousand.

The clinic was already overflowing, so schools and workshops were temporarily requisitioned, but it still wasn't enough.

The patient lay on the straw mat, groaning and moaning in agony; it was a pitiful sight.

The doctors were extremely busy, but it was all just a drop in the ocean.

Worse still, people started dying.

On the first day, five people died.

The next day, twenty people died.

On the third day, fifty people died.

The bodies were piled up like a small hill on the open ground west of the new district.

Although Xiao Chen ordered cremation, there weren't enough people to handle it all.

The stench of corpses permeated the air, and the entire new district was shrouded in the aura of death.

The people were in despair.

Some people started committing suicide, some started looting, and some started attacking the blockade in an attempt to escape.

Although the Cold Abyss Guards suppressed them, they could not kill them all or stop them.

Han Yuan was on the verge of collapse.

"Your Highness, if this continues, we're doomed."

Wang Dashan was covered in blood, having just suppressed a riot. "The people have gone mad, rushing out recklessly. We killed dozens, but the number keeps increasing. If this continues, our men won't be able to hold out either."

Xiao Chen stood on the city wall, looking down at the chaotic crowd below, his heart heavy.

He hadn't expected smallpox to be so severe.

What I never expected was that the people would be so panicked.

"Your Highness," Zhao Tie rushed over, "Night Owl has found out. The source of the plague is a refugee from Jiangnan. He arrived in Hanyuan ten days ago, and had a slight fever at the time, but didn't pay attention to it. As a result, he brought smallpox with him."

Displaced people from Jiangnan.

Liu Jin.

A cold glint flashed in Xiao Chen's eyes.

Is it a coincidence or a conspiracy?

"Where is that refugee?"

"He's dead. He died yesterday. His body has already been cremated."

There is no way to verify the truth since the dead are dead.

But Xiao Chen didn't believe it was a coincidence.

Liu Jin raised an army in Jiangnan, and then Han Yuan was struck by a plague. What a coincidence!

"Your Highness, what should we do now?" Zhao Tie asked.

Xiao Chen remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking.

"Open the granaries and distribute the grain."

"What?"

"Open the granaries and distribute grain, salt, and coal for free."

Xiao Chen said, "Tell the people that as long as they don't cause trouble, they will have food to eat, clothes to wear, and medical care. Those who die will receive a pension of ten taels of silver, and their families will be supported by the city lord's mansion. Those who survive will be exempt from taxes for three years and will be allocated land and houses."

"Your Highness, how much...how much will this cost?"

"Is money more important, or human life?"

Xiao Chen countered, "Do as I say."

"yes!"

That afternoon, notices were posted all over the city.

"The King of Zhenbei decrees: A sudden plague has struck, and the people are suffering."

My heart is breaking.

Today, the granaries are being opened and grain is being distributed. Every person in Hanyuan can receive one jin of grain, one liang of salt, and three jin of coal per day.

The clinic provides free treatment to patients.

The deceased will receive a pension of ten taels of silver, and his family will be supported by the city lord's mansion.

Those who survived were exempted from taxes for three years and were given land and houses.

We hope the people can rest assured and overcome this difficult time together.

The announcement caused an uproar throughout the city.

They opened granaries to distribute grain, salt, and coal for free, and even exempted people from taxes and distributed land.

It was pie in the sky.

The panic among the people gradually subsided.

They have food to eat, clothes to wear, medical care, and even if they die, they receive a pension; if they live, they are entitled to land.

What's there to be afraid of?

What's all the fuss about?

Order was gradually restored.

Meanwhile, Murong Xue's smallpox vaccination also began.

The first group to be vaccinated were the doctors from Hanyuanwei and the medical clinic.

Although some people were afraid, they still got vaccinated under Xiao Chen's forceful order.

After vaccination, some people developed a fever and a rash, but none of them were severe.

Seven days later, the rash subsided and the person recovered.

Moreover, you will not be infected even if you come into contact with the patient again.

"It's a success!"

Murong Xue was so excited that tears streamed down her face. "Your Highness, the smallpox vaccination was a success! Everyone who was vaccinated is fine!"

When the news spread, people rushed to get vaccinated.

Although there are still risks, it's better than waiting to die.

If you get vaccinated, you have a chance of survival.

Without vaccination, death is certain.

Ten days later, the epidemic was finally brought under control.

The number of new cases dropped from several hundred per day to several dozen, and then to just a few.

The death toll has also been greatly reduced.

Han Yuan survived.

But the cost was heavy.

More than 2,000 people fell ill, and more than 500 died.

One-third of the stored grain was used up, the medicinal herbs were almost exhausted, and the money was spent like water.

But Han Yuan held on.

Moreover, through this plague, the people's trust in Xiao Chen reached its peak.

They opened granaries to distribute grain, provided free medical treatment, conducted smallpox vaccinations, and offered compensation to the deceased.

Where can you find a prince like this?

"Long live the Prince!"

"Long live the Prince!"

The survivors knelt in the street and kowtowed towards the city lord's mansion.

Standing on the city wall, Xiao Chen looked at all this, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

Plague is both a natural disaster and a man-made one.

But having survived, Han Yuan became even stronger.

Because people's hearts are united.

"Your Highness," Zhao Tie approached, "Night Owl has sent word from Jiangnan that Liu Jin, upon hearing of the plague outbreak, is overjoyed and has held a three-day banquet. He also said he intends to turn Hanyuan into a dead city, so that Your Highness... will die without a burial place."

Xiao Chen sneered.

"Tell him I'm not dead yet. And I'll be coming to settle accounts with him soon."

"yes!"

"Furthermore," Xiao Chen added, "have the Ministry of Works expedite the forging of weapons. Three months from now, I will head south to Jiangnan to take Liu Jin's head and offer it as a sacrifice to the people who died in Hanyuan."

"yes!"

Hanyuan, reborn from the plague.

Meanwhile, Jiangnan is about to face a bloody storm.