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THE PRINCE OF HERBS

1389 AD, Ming Dynasty, China "Guardsmen! Take him to his exile in Yunnan, right now!" "Fu Huang!..." "Shut up! Oh... how can my own son stab me from behind... Not only other people I can't trust, and now I can't even trust my own son either!... It's far more painful..." *** "Tomorrow morning," Xie Wang said slowly. "Tomorrow morning... you will see dozens of dead bodies lying all over the streets in Yunnan." Xie Wang looked straight to Zhu Su, his eyes as sharp as a knife, "This is a war. The battle between me, Yuan Prince, and you Ming Prince. A battle to determine who is the most suitable to be the next ruler of Yunnan!" *** "Your Highness... Bad news, Your Highness!" Wu Qi was breathless as he answered, "All streets in Yunnan... are full of dead bodies..." Zhu Su stunned. It can't be, Witchcrafts of Xie Wang is the hell real?!? He just walked not any longer, yet he had found a dead body was lying face down on the street. The farther he walked, the more corpses he found. And finally, he arrived at the town square, where people had been crowded together. *** "I am Zhu Su, the fifth son of Hongwu Emperor, I promise to smash the Witchcrafts of Xie Wang, and get you all free from the outbreak!" Zhu Su sharpened his voice. "The promise from a leader is not a children's game. Bear it in mind!" A man in early forties, who seemed to be the leader of rebels, held his spear up, shouted, "Fine! We appreciate your determination, Ming Prince, so keep your promise! If you fail to keep it up, then I'll make sure that Ming honor, as well as yours, will be ruined!" *** A biographical novel of Prince Zhu Su, the fifth prince of the Hongwu Emperor who was the founder of Ming Dynasty, who devoted himself for medical science and humanity. But before he could fulfil his devotion, he was forced to go through royal disputes, conflicts, power struggles, punishments, rebellions, and even death threats. Could he overcome those problems and reached his noble dream? Find out in this novel. This is a work of biographical novel about a real historical figure. Some characters, plot premise, and certain sections of the story are based on historical events and figures, but there are some parts which are pure fiction. Some of names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner; any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. This novel is an original work of myself, not a translated work. Last but not least; I hope you enjoy this story. And thank you very much for your appreciation and support! Have a nice day!

amelia_siauw · 历史
分數不夠
342 Chs
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BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH 1

"I apologize... but, there is no antidote for it, Your Highness..."

"No antidote?!?"

"I'm not the only one who makes the disease. Lady Hu too. Lady uses a lot of compositions that I don't know of, and it's beyond my ability..."

"Summon Nayin to come here!" Zhu Su ordered a eunuch who immediately carried out his duty.

Hu Nayin came in a hurry. "Your Highness, you call me?" Looking that everyone was staring at her in tension, her mind was soon engulfed by panic.

"Nayin, do you know the antidote for the disease you made with Liu Changshi last time?"

"Eh?..."

"You must tell us, Nayin! The disease is now infecting our troops because of fighting with the enemy and having direct contact with them!"

Hu Nayin's face was deathly pale. She was clearly frightened. Her voice faltered as she replied, "That's... I apologize... but that disease... has no antidote!"

"What?!" Zhu Su exclaimed in disbelief. He gripped Hu Nayin's shoulders. "Try to remember! This is a disease of your own making, you must know clearly about it! How come there is no antidote?!"

"At that time I just focused on working, that's all! I never thought it would turn out like this, because what I thought at that time was only to destroy them! I... of course, I must help them!" Moreover, Wu Qi is fighting there. Hu Nayin's eyes dimmed, her expression was very miserable, full of the squeezes of guilt that attacked her nonstop. She pursed her lips, and looked at Zhu Su seriously.

"The one who makes this disease, is me. I must be responsible for solving it!"

Hu Nayin gasped, breaking away from Zhu Su's grip. She immediately ran out of the room.

"Nayin! Where are you going?!" Zhu Su chased after Hu Nayin, as did Liu Ku.

"To the Medical Center!" Hu Nayin replied. "I will try to make the antidote there!"

***

The contagion effect of the outbreak was faster than expected. Just when the San Hu Wei found a good resting area far from residential areas, symptoms of the disease started to appear. Some soldiers began to complain that their bodies turned fragile and chilled. They must lie down as they could not move for longer time. Some even complained of dizziness, nausea, and vomiting.

"What I heard from the residents of Shuanghu District a while ago, this disease doesn't have any symptoms of nausea and vomiting. Why do they complain about it right now?" Wu Qi could only look at the soldiers who were vomiting onto the river.

Instead of getting an answer, he even watched another problem. Not far beside him, Yan San was supporting his forehead. His face looked terrible.

"Commander Yan, what's wrong with you?" Wu Qi asked worriedly.

Yan San's breath sounded heavy and he was in great distress when he answered, "I... have a headache... as if it can burst soon..."

Wu Qi soon remembered Zhu Su's symptoms when he investigated the outbreak in Shuanghu District. "Jeez, Commander Yan, can it be that you!..."

"Contracted the disease," Yan San choked up. "Definitely..."

"Don't be pessimistic. Maybe you're just tired..."

"Maybe not." But despite the pain he suffered, Yan San kept pushing forward. He was now sitting on a chair, forcing his shaking hands to pick up the paper, and was about to write it down.

"You have to rest! Your illness will get worse if you still force yourself!"

"I can't... Wu Qi! We have to tell His Highness about this! Otherwise, he will be waiting in uncertainty. It is my duty as the chief commander to do this task. Even if I am sick, I can't neglect my responsibility!"

"You can leave this matter to me. The important thing is you have to rest..."

"No need! I can do it!" Yan San waved his hand in a sign that he was driving Wu Qi away. "Okay, okay, you may leave! You yourself also have to rest, don't mind me!"

"Well… I'm just worried about you…" No longer caring about Yan San's stubbornness, Wu Qi edged away. He took a deep breath. According to what he remembered, the duration between a person got infected for the first time and the person finally died lasted only three days. It was now the first day, some soldiers had contracted the disease. That meant, only two days left for them.

But, this disease is created by Lady Hu and Liu Ku. So they must have the antidote. Now Yan San has sent a letter to His Highness. The letter will definitely arrive there fast, and the antidote will definitely come to rescue us, Wu Qi thought, his previously restless mind calmed down in an instant.

Wu Qi did not know. What he hoped was far from reality.

Even worse, not long after, he also caught the disease.

***

"Captain Wu!" Wu Qi subdivision's men screamed in horror as they saw Wu Qi staggered and hit a nearby table. They immediately approached Wu Qi, helped him. "Sir! Are you alright?! What's wrong with you?!"

Wu Qi leaned limply against the table, but soon after, he slumped down, and was now sitting on the ground while clutching his excruciatingly sore head. It was difficult for him to breathe. His body was very weak, he had no strength to get up. "I... I'm so limp..."

Happening to be passing by, A Nuo immediately approached Wu Qi. "Sir Wu! Are you sick?!"

Even though Wu Qi was in a lower military status than A Nuo right now, A Nuo still respected Wu Qi. Because he really saluted and honored Wu Qi from his deepest heart. He squatted down and held Wu Qi's forehead. "My Heaven! Sir, you have a fever! My Heaven... have you caught the disease?!"

Wu Qi was too limp to answer A Nuo. His head was now drooping on the table.

"Bring Sir Wu Qi to the bed, quick!" A Nuo ordered to his men who soon did as ordered.

Wu Qi's condition was really bad. Now, besides dizziness, he also almost lost consciousness. A Nuo and all of his men surrounded him, their faces grieved. A Nuo muttered, "Commander Yan has also caught the disease... and now, Sir Wu Qi... our strength is almost destroyed... we can only surrender... and accept our defeat here, is that so?..."

But Wu Qi did not hear their grievances anymore. He had gone far away. Everything was pitch-black. Nothing he heard. And, nothing he saw as well.