Rebirth of the eldest daughter

Chapter 1384 The King Has His Own Reasons

He always uses the imperial edict to put pressure on others as soon as he opens his mouth. When doing things, Zhang Jingkun always gets to the point without any roundabout way.

Liu Yao naturally knew that his current foundation was not stable. Not to mention disobeying the order, even confronting a powerful figure like Zhang Jingkun head-on was something he could not do easily unless he had no other choice.

Forbearance is something he has been learning.

So he smiled and cleverly avoided the main point: "I would like to thank Lord Zhang for his kindness."

Zhang Jingkun heard this and did not continue to greet Liu Yao. He took a look at the current situation and then asked, "Your Highness, can you confirm that someone here is infected with the disease?"

Liu Yao nodded slightly: "Doctor Fang has made a clear diagnosis. There are indeed people here suffering from the epidemic. From the clues of the general's investigation, the epidemic came from wild animals."

"The first person to be infected with the disease was Old Li. He probably picked up a wild animal in the mountains and brought it back to eat, which led to him contracting the disease, and then spreading it to his close neighbors."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jingkun pointed at several small sheds and said angrily: "Since there are people infected, what are these for? Your Highness, are you going to save them?"

Liu Yao nodded: "Exactly."

After hearing Liu Yao's answer, Zhang Jingkun lifted his skirt and knelt on one knee.

His voice was harder than iron: "Your Highness, I cannot agree with this. In the past, when common epidemics occurred, villages had to be burned to contain them and prevent their spread."

"But this disease comes from animals. Ancient books have long recorded that it is an incurable terminal illness and a rapidly spreading poison!"

"Your Highness, when the incident had just happened and there was still room for maneuver, you did not make a decision, but instead showed mercy and wanted to save people. This is simply stupid!"

"The lives of all the people in Jiangbei may be implicated by this! I beg Your Highness to burn down the village immediately to curb the epidemic for the sake of the overall situation!"

Liu Yao stood there silently, neither refuting nor agreeing immediately.

Seeing that Liu Yao was unmoved, Zhang Jingkun immediately questioned: "Your Majesty has entrusted me with the task, and I can make the decision at the critical moment."

"Since Your Highness is unwilling to listen to my kind words, then I have no choice but to bring out the imperial edict. Your Highness, please obey it!"

After saying that, Zhang Jingkun stood up and shouted, "Someone come!"

Bai Mingwei's guards were unmoved, Liu Yao's guards were on edge, and Zhang Jingkun's men had already come to his side to listen to his orders: "Sir, please give your orders."

Zhang Jingkun gave a stern order: "There are people infected in this village. Seal off the village immediately and burn it down!"

The guards treated it as a formidable enemy and immediately prepared to take action.

Bai Mingwei's guards slowly surrounded them, while Liu Yao's guards had already drawn their swords.

In such a tense atmosphere, Liu Yao spoke calmly: "Master Zhang, don't worry. I have my reasons for doing this."

Zhang Jingkun insisted: "May I ask your Highness, what is the reason?"

He was entrusted by Song Taifu to handle the corruption case in a roundabout way.

However, he did not make any concessions on this matter.

It is his duty, his mission, and his position on the matter.

When it comes to trying cases, he is a cruel official who advocates harsh laws and severe punishments.

It is not surprising that he advocated such measures in the face of a plague that could break out on a large scale at any time.

Liu Yao did not think that he could convince Minister Zhang, but he also needed to make his position clear to Minister Zhang.

In response to Zhang Jingkun's question, he answered word by word: "If someone in the village is infected, burn the village to solve the problem; then if someone in the town is infected, should we also burn it to solve the problem?"

"Our doctors haven't tried it yet, how can Lord Zhang know that there is no cure for this disease? If we can develop a prescription for the disease, wouldn't it benefit the world?"

When Zhang Jingkun heard this, he immediately felt that Liu Yao was just trying to gain fame by daring to think of defeating the epidemic.

If it was when I had nothing to do, it would be harmless to have such thoughts. But what was the situation in Jiangbei now?
We have to do something unprecedented. Maybe before the prescription is developed, Jiangbei will have fallen.

Isn't this a joke on the lives of more people?
Thinking of this, Zhang Jingkun's attitude became more resolute:

"Your Highness, I am deeply moved by your ambition, but I will never allow Your Highness to make a mistake just because of a tiny possibility."

"We must burn the village to stop them. If Your Highness insists on doing what he wants, then I will have no choice but to charge Your Highness with the crime of disobeying an imperial order!"

Faced with such a tough attitude, Liu Yao did not argue, and his tone became more gentle: "Master Zhang, if the situation is under control, I will not take such a risk."

"At present, the nearby villages have been sealed off, and entry and exit are prohibited, isolated from the outside world; and people and places that have come into contact with those infected with the disease will also be controlled by garrisons."

"Since we set foot in Jiangbei, the king and the general have been prepared to deal with the epidemic at any time. Under such conditions, the king has made up his mind to seek a prescription to solve the problem while saving these people."

"Nonsense!" After listening to Liu Yao's explanation, Zhang Jingkun not only did not understand it, but he thought it was simply a fantasy.

He quoted classics and gave many examples to warn Liu Yao not to have any fluke mentality.

He said: "Your Highness is young, and the general is also young. It is inevitable that they are impulsive and naive. But Your Highness, the epidemic is not a joke."

"How many people in Dongling have lost their lives due to epidemics over the years? We decisively burned down the village and sealed off the city, but we still couldn't control it."

"Your Highness actually wants to use only a few thousand troops to fight against a disease comparable to a natural disaster. This is simply ridiculous!"

The movements of the two people had already attracted many people to watch.

In addition to the guards, there were also villagers who were housed in sheds.

Hearing Zhang Jingkun's ruthless words, the villagers fell into despair.

They were already in a panic and began to cry.

"What the hell did that damn old Li do to deserve to be infected with the disease?"

"Now the whole village has been implicated."

"According to the old rules, we must die."

"What kind of world is this..."

"Life was already hard, we were living like ants, and now we have no way to survive."

"Oh my God...why don't you have eyes?"

"Why is it so difficult to live?"

"Why is it so difficult..."

The shrill and sad crying lingered in my ears.

Liu Yao tightened his hands behind his back again and again.

But he remained calm and composed: "Master Zhang, please follow me and let me talk for a moment."

Zhang Jingkun was furious: "Your Highness, if you have anything to say, just say it here!"

Liu Yao looked at him silently for a moment, then asked:
"Do you think that I am seeking fame and reputation, and that I am willing to gamble with the lives of the people for my own ambitions? I am willing to put the entire Jiangbei region in danger?"

Zhang Jingkun did not give Liu Yao face: "May I ask Your Highness, isn't it? Your Highness has made some achievements in Jiangbei, repelling the flood and comforting the victims, which is already a great achievement."

"If Your Highness develops a prescription to treat the epidemic at this time, wouldn't it be icing on the cake for Your Highness's achievements?"

"Your Highness will be the savior, the great hero of Jiangbei, and the great contributor to His Majesty! Don't you have any selfish thoughts?"

(End of this chapter)