Ju Yi led 3,000 of the Deadly Vanguard and 600 Great Halberdiers, along with Zhang He, as they set out from Ye City, marching through the snow toward Youzhou. Although many civil officials found Ju Yi's plan to be utterly unbelievable, they all acknowledged its feasibility. A special forces assault on the enemy's leadership would certainly throw the opposing army into chaos if successful.
"Zhengli, Junyi, you two are among the few commanders under my banner who can lead armies," Yuan Shao said as he stood atop the city gate, watching the troops gradually disappear into the snowy distance. Those troops represented the most elite forces under his command, led by one of his most capable commanders, Ju Yi.
"Lord, you need not worry. Although General Ju can be arrogant, he wouldn't have proposed this plan unless he had confidence in it," Tian Feng said, seeing Yuan Shao's concern.
"Ju Yi won't fail, and Zhang He is a cautious man. How could there be any danger?" Yuan Shao dismissed his cloak with a wave and descended the stairs, though he couldn't shake a feeling of helplessness. Sending these two commanders out like this made him realize that his own strength was still lacking. Otherwise, why would such measures be necessary?
"Pass the order to all military and civil officials: prepare to cultivate the wasteland as soon as spring arrives," Yuan Shao commanded his scribe, Chen Lin, with determination.
"Lord Yuan, I request to resign," Chen Lin said, bowing his head. He had once thought highly of Yuan Shao, but after Yuan Shao intercepted the letter he had written on Liu Yan's behalf, Chen Lin's admiration turned to dissatisfaction.
As a renowned scholar, Chen Lin had always valued his integrity. He believed that if he promised to do something, he must follow through, and if he saw wrongdoing, he had to call it out. That was his principle. But Cao Mengde's outrageous actions, even though Liu Yan asked him not to, Chen Lin would have condemned them once he learned of the matter. But Yuan Shao's interception of his letter left him questioning his purpose.
"Are you determined to leave?" Yuan Shao asked, staring at Chen Lin.
"My reputation was built on my writings, documenting right and wrong in this world. If I witness an injustice and write about it, but it goes unheard, what purpose do I serve?" Chen Lin calmly responded.
If Yuan Shao hadn't intercepted the letter, it would have caused a stir throughout the land, condemning Cao Cao as a butcher. But with the letter intercepted and the truth obscured, most aristocratic families, indifferent to the plight of the common people, simply let the matter slide. Now, Chen Lin no longer wished to pursue it. Knowing the truth was enough for him.
"Where will you go?" Yuan Shao asked, knowing the answer.
"Just as there was once Xiahou An, who acted with generosity and righteousness, there is now Liu Yan, who distributes wealth generously. I will borrow from him by the millions," Chen Lin declared passionately.
Word had spread among scholars across the land that Liu Yan was a man of generosity. Those in need could turn to him, and he would help them without hesitation. So now, Chen Lin planned to pack up and leave, no longer relying on Yuan Shao's salary. He would stay with Liu Yan for a while, and then find another lord to serve. After all, Chen Lin knew he was just another scribe. To any warlord, his presence wouldn't make much of a difference.
"Is there really no need to stay? Surely you can give me some leniency," Yuan Shao tried to persuade him, even though he rarely made use of Chen Lin.
"Should I show leniency to you, Lord Yuan, who will show leniency to the tens of thousands of innocent lives in Xuzhou?" Chen Lin responded, his expression filled with righteous indignation.
"Sigh. Very well. Would you at least allow me to see you off?" Yuan Shao thought, inwardly cursing. If that letter had gone out, what face would Cao Cao have left?
"Thank you, Lord Yuan," Chen Lin bowed, then followed Yuan Shao out of the city.
Meanwhile, Chen Xi looked at the herbal decoction that Hua Tuo had brought and let out a long sigh of relief. Hua Tuo had indeed lived up to his reputation.
"How effective is it?" Chen Xi asked, pointing to the Qinghao (Artemisia annua) decoction.
"It's almost a cure-all. The other herb you mentioned, Gancao (licorice root), also has good results, but compared to Qinghao, it seems less effective." Hua Tuo replied, pulling out some root pieces from his robe. "I never would have thought this could be used medicinally. It seems I need to test every tree and weed I come across."
Looking at the root pieces in Hua Tuo's hand, Chen Xi sighed. He used to brew tea from dried chunks of this herb, but he had never seen it fresh before.
"How effective is this one?" Chen Xi asked, pointing to the root in Hua Tuo's hand. "Does it need to be dried?"
"It's not as effective as Qinghao," Hua Tuo shook his head.
"Then let's go with the Qinghao formula," Chen Xi said, somewhat disappointed. If he remembered correctly, Gancao had been used for nearly two thousand years. Could it be that Hua Tuo's Qinghao formula had surpassed the original?
"No, it's quite the opposite. Gancao is actually more suitable. Although Qinghao is potent, it's not as widely available. Even if we publish the formula, most commoners won't be able to gather all the ingredients. But Gancao can be found everywhere, from the Central Plains to the barbarian territories. It doesn't even need to be dried—just eat it fresh, and it works," Hua Tuo explained with deep emotion.
Then, as if remembering something, Hua Tuo sighed. "It's a pity that the person who first discovered Gancao didn't leave behind a drawing. Otherwise, our people wouldn't have had to suffer so much from illnesses."
Chen Xi forced a smile. Could he tell Hua Tuo that this was a remedy created by Zhang Zhongjing, who was later canonized as a saint for it? That it was developed in 202 AD and used for nearly two thousand years? Despite feeling a bit guilty, Chen Xi decided that saving lives was more important. Surely Zhang Zhongjing wouldn't mind.
"Then let's publish the formula. Since this herb is so widespread, we'll start gathering and storing it. Every medicinal herb needs to be prepared to prevent shortages," Chen Xi declared, making the decision. Compared to the ten years of disaster that would reduce the population from 55 million to less than 10 million, this formula could save tens of millions of lives.
"This is exactly why I'm here. Please, Zichuan, have a skilled artist draw the Gancao plant. We cannot let it be forgotten like before. I will spread this formula across the land, ensuring that no more lives are lost to disease!" Hua Tuo said, his eyes gleaming with a zeal that bordered on fanaticism.
"It won't be forgotten," Chen Xi nodded.
Seeing Hua Tuo's enthusiasm, Chen Xi couldn't help but tease, "Hua Tuo, with this formula, if another plague strikes after Xuzhou, I'm sure you'll have a shrine built in your honor."
At that, Hua Tuo calmed down and sighed. "Once, I too came from a prominent family in Yuzhou. When I was young, Chen Hanyu recommended me for office. Even the Three Excellencies, Huang Ziyan, recruited me. But in the end, I gave it all up. I want to write a medical text, a book that will spare the people from suffering. If I can't do it in my lifetime, then the next generation will. One generation after another, until it's done."
"Hua Tuo, your ambition is truly admirable!" Chen Xi said solemnly. "If you ever need my help, don't hesitate to ask. I won't hold back."