Chapter 1059: A Situation At The Frontier
Everyone knew that Lu Tingchen was the Empress’s brother.
Moreover, Lu Tingchen had displayed great prowess and successfully subdued the enemy state in the past year’s Great Shang-Danjue battles. As a reward, the Emperor had promoted him to General, and since then, his name had spread far and wide.
At this time, many common folk had crowded outside the city gates, waiting to enter the city.
At the sound of the man’s shouts, all heads turned in his direction.
He was covered in dust from his journey, and his lips were dry and cracked, but despite how worn out he was, his eyes remained unusually bright.
At once, a series of murmurs rippled through the crowd. Emergency reports usually concerned military affairs. Could another war have broken out at the frontier?
Having heard the rider’s shouts, the soldiers at the city gates leaned over and glanced at the token in his hand, then dashed off to report to the city fort’s commanding general.
Soon, the commanding general appeared, and after verifying that the token of authority belonged to Lu Tingchen, he immediately gave orders to open the gates.
The gates had only parted by a crack when the personal guard tugged sharply on the reins and sped into the city.
As soon as he pa.s.sed through, the city soldiers quickly closed the gates.
That was because it was not yet time to open them.
Spurring his horse, the guard raced to the palace.
In the palace’s meeting hall.
There was nothing much to discuss that day, and just when Long Yang was about to end the court session, an anxious cry suddenly came from outside. “A report for His Majesty—”
Everyone turned their heads in shock, only to see a soldier covered in dirt, staggering in with the help of a few palace guards, headed by none other than Chu Yi.
His pace was rapid, and his expression grave.
“Your Majesty, we have a situation at the frontier.”
His words immediately threw the entire hall into an uproar.
Long Yang’s gaze fell on the limping soldier, and he asked in a low voice, “What happened?”
The soldier was Xu Chen, one of Lu Tingchen’s personal guards. He had hurried all the way back from the frontier without stopping to rest, and the moment he burst into the palace, he fell from his horse. Fortunately, Chu Yi and his guards happened to pa.s.s by on patrol, and after inquiring about his arrival, they brought him to the meeting hall right away.
Xu Chen had the journey back by sheer force of will, and when he heard the Emperor’s question, he replied hoa.r.s.ely, “More than half of the soldiers at the frontier have contracted an unknown disease overnight, and even the army physician couldn’t identify the cause, but from how contagious the disease is, he infers that it may be a plague. The Young General sent me back to report the matter to you and ask you to send reinforcements to the frontier, Your Majesty.”
The moment he uttered the word “plague”, fear gripped the hearts of all the court officials in the hall.
Where did this plague come from, and why had it chosen to wreak havoc at the frontier, of all places?
If all the soldiers fell to the plague, how would they be able to go to war? If the enemy were to attack at this time…
Everyone could not help being panic-stricken.
A plague was even more frightening than war.
Frowning, Lu Hetian was about to open his mouth, but Long Yang spoke up before he could. “How is the Young General doing?”
“The Young General was fine when I left. He has sealed off all the checkpoints leading to the frontier and imposed a news blackout on the situation in the military camp, so the outside world doesn’t know about the plague yet.”
Xu Chen’s answer managed to a.s.suage Lu Hetian’s worry.
Long Yang breathed a sigh of relief as well.
In the midst of the silence, Xu Chen suddenly added, “The Young General has also humbly requested Your Majesty to send the Empress and the Grand d.u.c.h.ess to a.s.sist in curbing the plague at the frontier.”
At his words, an imperceptible frown creased Long Yang’s forehead.
Asking Ling Lihua to go made sense, but how could Lu Tingchen ask the same of Weiwei, knowing that she was pregnant?
However, Lu Tingchen was not a mindless fool. If he had requested Weiwei’s presence, it must mean that the situation at the frontier was truly bleak.
Lu Hetian did not look too pleased either.