At night, the soldiers on the top of the city abandoned the bodies to the southeast corner. This strange behavior was immediately discovered by the Song Army scouts on the battlefield. The Song Army scouts were puzzled by what they meant, but they returned to the military camp to report in time.
In the Chinese army's tent, several important generals were discussing tomorrow's battle plan. General Li Muching proposed the idea of a fire attack. He replaced ordinary crossbow arrows with kerosene arrows and fired arrows into the city from all directions, causing a fire throughout the city.
But Orihiko was not very in favor of this plan, mainly because the houses in Fugu County were mainly made of mud and stone, and there were very few wooden houses. This was just a waste of gunpowder and arrows.
During the discussion, a soldier reported at the gate of the main tent, "We are reporting to the capital, and the scouts came to report. The enemy troops threw hundreds of corpses down from the top of the city. For some unknown reason? They are in the southeast of the county."
Everyone was stunned, what does this mean? Zheyan asked: "Have the scouts gone to check?"
"The scout said that he was afraid of the enemy's deception and did not dare to come forward."
Zhang Xiao stroked his beard and said: "It is indeed possible that the enemy soldiers pretended to be corpses. When our scouts went to check, they were captured in one fell swoop and taken into the city to torture for information. The enemy probably wanted to know about our logistics and food situation.
"
What Zhang Xiao said made sense, and Zhe Yanzhi immediately ordered: "Keep the scouts away and wait until daybreak!"
The soldier who reported the news went out, but not long after he left, he ran back and said: "Report to the Governor, the scout said something happened again!"
"What happened again?"
"The east gate of the city opened, and hundreds of people came out of the city. They were staggering and supporting each other. They looked like sick old people."
Everyone looked at each other, what was going on? Could it be that the old man was just covering up, and the enemy's main force was behind, preparing to sneak attack the Song army's camp? It's impossible even if you think about it!
At this time, Shao Long, who had been sitting silently in the corner, suddenly said: "It might be an epidemic!"
"What?" Everyone looked at him together.
Shao Long said calmly: "When I mentioned throwing corpses just now, I thought about whether some sick people were pretending to be soldiers who were killed by arrows and threw them into the city. When our soldiers went to deal with them, they were thrown into the city.
infection, and now there are many sick elderly people. If these elderly people are infected with the epidemic, the consequences may be disastrous."
Everyone broke out in a cold sweat. Two days ago, they were still saying that if more than 100,000 people and millions of livestock were crammed into a small county, epidemics would easily occur. Could something really happen?
Zhe Yanzhi immediately said: "Instruct five thousand cavalry to dispatch, use spears to hold them back, and not allow them to approach the camp."
Then Orihiko ordered that the scouts who were on duty outside tonight were not allowed to return to the camp, but went directly to the wounded barracks to wash and change clothes.
The situation was critical, Niu Gao personally led five thousand cavalry to rush out of the camp and stopped hundreds of sick old people two miles away from the camp.
The cavalryman raised his gleaming spear and shouted sternly: "Don't come close, otherwise we will kill you without mercy!"
An old man named Dangxiang who could speak Chinese came closer and shouted: "We are all seriously ill. There is no cure in the city. Please help us!"
"What disease have you contracted?"
"Diarrhea, vomiting, fever all over the body, and death will occur in seven or eight days."
Niu Gao's head went "buzzing!", this is the plague! Fortunately, Shao Long thought of the poisonous plan used by the other party, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable.
"You go to the northeast. There is an empty resettlement camp over there. Our military doctors will give you medicine and treatment."
The Song army had a complete set of methods to deal with the Xixia people, and it was very successful. The extermination order was mainly to eliminate the nobles and the army, not ordinary people. After the herdsmen were broken up, they were organized into Qiang households and sent to the Qiang tribe for resettlement.
They are scattered to various counties, which are very far apart. There are at most dozens of households in one county, and they have changed their place of origin. If they want to survive, they have to speak Chinese and change their living habits. In two generations at the latest, they will integrate into the Han nationality.
Therefore, the Song army will not kill the old, weak, women and children, but will still try its best to treat these sick elderly people. In the northeast, a few miles away from the Song army camp, there is a shelter and resettlement camp, which is prepared to accommodate ordinary party members after the city is broken.
Zhe Yanzhi almost stayed up all night. The sudden epidemic made him dare not be careless. The main thing was to investigate. All the scouts who were close to the city were gathered together for isolation. At the same time, they sent people to nearby counties to mobilize doctors and issue announcements.
Strictly conduct inspections and inform all the people not to have contact with party members, and to notify the government immediately if party members are found.
In addition, Zheyanzhi also knew that lime was rich in Huju Mountain in the southwest of Fuzhou, about forty miles away from Fugu County. Zheyanzhi immediately sent three thousand soldiers to Huju Mountain to mine large quantities of lime.
At the fifth watch, news came from everywhere that all the scouts were normal and not infected, but they still needed to be observed for a few more days.
Almost all of the more than 400 elderly people were infected with the disease. A dozen of the most serious elderly people died soon after arriving at the military camp. The military doctor confirmed that it was the plague.
Inside the tent, Zhe Yanzhi said to Niu Gao: "We still have to find a way to dispose of the hundreds of corpses in the southeast corner, otherwise there will be hidden dangers and the wind will blow those dirty things to our camp."
Niu Gao said without hesitation: "Just use fire. Send someone to bring a skin bag of kerosene to burn it, cover your mouth and nose with a cloth, and burn all your clothes when you come back. Generally, you will not be infected."
"I'm afraid the soldiers on the city will shoot arrows!"
Niu Gao laughed and said, "I promise not. They would like our soldiers to come back and spread the disease after being infected. I firmly believe this."
Zhe Yanzhi nodded, "I'll arrange someone right away, but I don't know what's going on with the epidemic situation in the city?"
"According to the old people, it was only in the first few days that the disease mainly occurred in the northwest corner, where the elderly live. The Party Army used barracks to isolate it, but their underground water is connected and cannot be isolated at all."
Zhe Yanzhi frowned and said, "Come to think of it, we have to be careful when drinking water here!"
"I have also thought about this. We go to the upper reaches of the Fugu River to get water, and then the water must be boiled. Then there will be no problem."
Zhe Yanzhi immediately sent a hundred soldiers to burn the corpse. They were tightly wrapped, and their mouths and noses were sealed with thick cloth.
The soldiers discovered them, but did not fire any arrows and allowed them to dispose of the corpses, hoping that they would all be infected.
The Song army sprayed fire oil, and the fire burned fiercely. Hundreds of infected corpses were engulfed in the flames.
Since the plague broke out in the city, the Song army was no longer in a hurry to attack the city. The original bow and arrow battle was also cancelled. The entire army used lime to disinfect. Mainly, the toilets and roads were covered with lime. The entire military camp was filled with a strong smell of quicklime.
odor.
In Jingzhao City and Guanzhong, the autumn wheat has been harvested and put into storage, and various farmland and water conservancy projects have begun to get busy again.
As the weather turned colder, Chen Qing's family moved from Qifeng Pavilion to various yards on the shore. In the study, Chen Qing paced back and forth with his hands behind his hands. He had just received the military report sent by Zhe Yanzhi. Fugu County
A plague actually broke out.
Because they discovered it in time, they prevented the spread of the plague in the army. Currently, no plague has been found in the army, but to prevent it before it happens, Orihiko asked to support military doctors and medicines as soon as possible.
Chen Qing was considering whether he should go and take a look in person.
At this time, Lu Xiu walked in and put a cup of ginseng tea on the table, "I heard from Qiao Yun, are you going to Fuzhou?"
"I haven't decided yet, but it's more likely to go."
"My husband is worried, so go and have a look! It can also boost the morale of the frontline soldiers."
Lu Xiu didn't know that the plague broke out in Fugu. If she had known, she would have persuaded her husband not to go because it was too dangerous.
Chen Qing nodded, "You are right, I need to inspect the enemy in front and boost the morale of the soldiers."
He smiled at Lu Xiu again and said, "I'll be away for a month and a half at most, and I'll be back in time to celebrate the New Year."
Lu Xiu thought for a while and said: "If it's just a patrol, then take Ah Ying with you. I can rest assured that she will take care of my husband's daily life."
Chen Qing smiled happily and said: "Okay! I will take her to Fuzhou this time. When I come back, I will go to Yanzhou. I can take a look at her hometown."
Chen Qing finally decided to go to Fuzhou for inspection. He immediately ordered the military department to gather doctors and medicinal materials.
Two days later, Chen Qing led 500 doctors, 20,000 cavalry, and 30,000 camels loaded with supplies and medicinal materials. The army left Jingzhao and headed east of the river in a mighty manner.