After rebirth, the Queen and I are on the run.

Chapter 1139 The Outbreak and the Start of the War [2]

Dangdang Dangdang!
"From the sixth to the tenth post, retreat three miles and place all personnel under house arrest for epidemic isolation!"

"Those who are behind the eleventh sentry post should retreat to a place ten miles away. There is no need for quarantine measures for the time being!"

At the outpost in the desolate mountains, messengers shouted orders at various posts along the defensive line. Upon hearing this, all the personnel at the posts panicked and were afraid, but quickly evacuated!
"Xi boy, Xi boy, how did you end up at the sixth post!" Qian Zongqi was both angry and regretful when he saw Xi Xiaoqi: "Everyone at the sixth post has to be quarantined for the plague. You'll have to stay with us for a few days."

"Greetings, Commander Qian." After greeting him, Xi Xiaoqi asked, "Commander Qian, have there been any cases of infection at the outpost in the desolate mountains?"

"Yes, that's right." Qian Zongqi didn't keep them in suspense and quickly explained in detail: "Four days ago, on the first day of May, a serious criminal who had been in contact with the infected package started to show symptoms such as high fever and chills, and his whole body ached, especially his neck, armpits, and groin. When touched, there were small lumps."

"There are doctors among the serious offenders. Two serious offender doctors were sent to see him. The two prisoners said it looked like typhoid fever, but General Liang gave each prefecture a prescription for treating rat plague, so they treated him according to the prescription given by General Liang. As for now... he is not dead yet, but his condition has not improved. Meanwhile, the two serious offender doctors have been infected and started having high fevers and chills last night."

"The doctor, a serious criminal, said that if it has already caused an infection, it can be identified as a plague. He told us to hurry up and do things to eradicate the plague, otherwise it might get out of control."

Why are two doctors who are convicted of serious crimes so dedicated?
Because all the serious criminals who were taken to the remote mountain outpost signed a letter of merit given to them by General Liang.

General Liang promised them that as long as they cooperated to the best of their ability, their criminal status would be erased after their deaths, and their families would be able to return to being a clean family with no criminals.

And this deadly job was something that hardened criminals were all vying to do... always wanting to leave something for their families.

Xi Xiaoqi frowned: "The illness started four days ago, how come the prefectural city didn't receive the news?"

Qian Zongqi: "The garrison on the mountain waited a day to assess the situation before sending the message down the mountain; the receiving point at the foot of the mountain then implemented epidemic prevention and isolation measures, which took another two days; the message was finally sent to the prefectural city before dawn today."

Qian Zongqi was also helpless.

This is a plague. If they weren't afraid of infecting the people of the prefecture, they could have sent the news back to the city within half a day.

"It was the boy's rudeness; please punish him, Commander Qian," Xi Xiaoqi apologized to Commander Qian.

Qian Zongqi waved his hand: "Stop talking nonsense. Hurry up and retreat with us to a place three miles away. You might still be able to survive."

The last few words weighed heavily on Xi Xiaoqi's heart. Gazing at the desolate mountain, he asked, "If we can't control it, we'll set the mountain on fire?"

Qian Zongqi: "Yes, that's the only way."

They also had to send men to surround the area at the foot of the mountain. If anyone tried to escape down the mountain, whether they were Wei soldiers or serious criminals, they would all be shot to death with arrows.

Meanwhile, the Wei troops who besieged the barren mountains to finish off the remaining enemies might also be killed by the Wei troops behind them, thus cutting off the spread of the plague.

Dangdang Dangdang!
"Retreat, retreat! Don't linger at your posts. Every extra minute you stay increases the risk of infection and the need for another day of isolation!"

Near the outpost, the shouts of messengers filled the air as Xi Xiaoqi led his soldiers in a retreat, following Qian Zongqi and his men.

They retreated to a distance of three miles and re-established camp.

Everyone was terrified, constantly monitoring the condition of the patients at the outpost in the desolate mountains.

"Report!" The scouts rushed into the new camp, and Qian Zongqi and others came out one after another, urging, "Speak quickly!"

The scouts reported, "The trenches at the foot of the barren mountain have been dug. Once the pine resin is used to irrigate the trenches and set on fire, it will become a powerful weapon to eradicate the plague!"

This barren mountain was quite large, and from the moment it was selected, the soldiers began digging trenches at its foot, which took a month to complete.

But this wasn't good news. Qian Zongqi and the others waved their hands and said, "We know... Go and rest first, have a good meal, and then go back to wait for new information."

Commander Qian then addressed the soldiers: "Brothers, we've received a lot of supplies from all sides. And today happens to be the Dragon Boat Festival, so let's start eating our battle meals from today onwards. Eat as much as you want, there's no limit!" "Yes, sir!" Regardless of anything else, the soldiers were happy at this moment.

That night, the new camp was filled with the aroma of meat, and everyone enjoyed a hearty and juicy battle meal.

On the sixth day of the fifth month, news came again from the outpost in the desolate mountains: "The first serious criminal, Zhu Laoda, has not worsened, but he has not improved either; the two serious criminal doctors who were infected with the disease have developed lumps on their bodies, and the lumps are in the same location as Zhu Laoda's."

There was no new progress on the seventh and eighth days of the fifth lunar month.

The ninth day of the fifth lunar month.

"One of the soldiers who was escorting Zhu Laoda to open the package developed early symptoms of the plague, including high fever and chills."

The various military doctors, Doctor Shi from Wuze Pharmacy, and Doctor Lu from Changji Pharmacy all recorded these details.

Upon receiving news of the outbreak of disease at the outpost in the desolate mountains, the prefectural government sent military doctors and physicians willing to come to the vicinity of the mountains to observe the plague.

That's why Dr. Shi and his colleagues are here.

“I remember there were three soldiers guarding Zhu Laoda when he went to open the package? So, the infection rate of this plague is 30%.” Doctor Shi said with a bit of hope, “Gentlemen, judging from this, the infectivity of this plague is not too frightening.”

Don't say things like "avoiding prophecy."

The following day was the tenth day of the fifth lunar month.

"Report! Six new cases of COVID-19 have been reported at the outpost in the desolate mountains today. The first patient, Zhu Laoliu, has developed pus on the lumps on his body!"

"The two doctors, both convicted of serious crimes, suggested removing the tumor. If the condition improves after the tumor is removed, the disease can be cured and will not be considered a plague. They should be given a great merit, preferably an official position. If that's not possible, they should at least be given a house and land!"

"..." Qian Zongqi: "Yes, yes, yes, I will definitely report their demands to the prefectural government."

Scout: "The two doctors, who are serious criminals, said that we must report this to General Liang. The prefectural government is too low-ranking, and they don't dare to trust the promises made by the prefectural government."

Damn their ancestors!

Qian Zongqi and the others cursed inwardly, but they wrote down a letter of commitment and handed it to the scouts: "Use catapults to throw this letter of commitment up the mountain, so that they can do their best to treat the plague. The court will not treat such talented people unfairly!"

"Yes." The scout took the letter of commitment and immediately went to carry it out.

On May 11, new information came back.

"Old Zhu is dead. There was a festering lump on his neck that cut into a blood vessel, causing him to bleed to death."

"The two doctors on the mountain insisted on continuing to remove the lumps, but only the lumps in the armpits and groin, leaving the lumps in the neck intact, to see if the condition could be controlled after removing the two lumps. If so, with the addition of herbal decoctions, they might be able to control the plague!"

"The head of the household in the mountain has already given permission to the two doctors to continue this treatment."

"I'll listen to Commander Hang." Commander Qian then asked, "How is Commander Hang's health?"

The scout reported, "There are currently no cases of infection."

However, Hang Baihu had other ailments that were almost incurable, so he volunteered to become the head of the outpost in the barren mountains.

Other soldiers were also selected from those who were disabled, had old or chronic illnesses, or whose sons were old enough to support their families... General Liang used his private treasury to give each family one hundred taels of silver in advance as a form of compensation.

If they all die on the mountain, the imperial court will also provide their families with additional compensation and a plaque.