EBE Chapter 262 Seeking refuge with the Qin state?
Chapter 262 Seeking refuge with the Qin state?
King Ling frowned and slowly said, "Si Chao's letter mentioned that this plague was caused by an earth dragon turning over."
The land where the earth dragon turned over spread outwards from the Ling Kingdom as its center. The Si Dynasty suffered severe damage and casualties were heavy in various places. It should be said that the damage was even less severe than that in our country.
But Liu Xinhao said that the situation there had become so serious that medical professionals from all over the country had been mobilized.
It seems the plague is spreading extremely rapidly, so rapidly that the Si Dynasty may find it difficult to control the situation in the short term.
Xu Jingru stroked his beard and pondered for a moment, his brows furrowed with doubt.
"This matter seems quite strange to this old minister. The epicenter of the earthquake was clearly within our territory, so the disaster should have been the most severe there. Why is the plague in the Si Dynasty more troublesome than ours?"
King Ling shook his head, equally puzzled: "I have no way of knowing the reason behind this."
But since Liu Xinhao used a long-distance carrier pigeon to inform me, he certainly wouldn't try to deceive me with such a thing.
Xu Jingru's expression grew increasingly grave, and he said with deep concern, "Although we have developed a prescription that addresses the symptoms, the epidemic in Anxing County has not yet been completely eradicated."
If the plague in the Si Dynasty gets completely out of control and spreads, the whole situation will likely become uncontrollable.
King Ling, with a solemn expression, took over the conversation in a low voice.
“What I am worried about right now is far more than just the plague.”
The letter mentioned that the three kingdoms of Xia, Qin, and Gu Xuan were plotting something.
Moreover, the fact that the fourth prince fled to the Qin state is more concerning to me because he still harbors treacherous intentions and is trying to take advantage of this chaos to threaten the Ling state.
Sigh... I thought that Gu Xuanchao's withdrawal of troops from Qin would give the country a much-needed respite.
Unexpectedly, another plague broke out, and there were even powerful enemies lurking outside.
How should we deal with this difficult situation, beset by both internal and external troubles?
Upon hearing King Ling's words, Xu Jingru was immediately shocked and blurted out.
"Does King Ling mean that the Fourth Prince will defect to Qin and then lead the Qin army to attack Ling?"
King Ling's expression was cold and stern as he paced back and forth in the hall, each step seemingly weighing heavily on his mind.
"It's not impossible. This fourth prince has always been eyeing my throne."
Previously, they were only hesitant to act rashly because of my presence.
From the moment he did that, his ambition had reached a point where it could no longer be contained.
Given the current turbulent situation, he is highly likely to use the power of Qin to attempt to seize the throne.
Xu Jingru looked helpless and advised, "The Fourth Prince is still young and his mind is not settled. He has not yet understood the good intentions of the Spirit King."
"I urge King Ling to prioritize the greater good and refrain from impulsive actions that could lead to irreversible decisions!"
King Ling gazed into the distance outside the palace, his eyes filled with complex emotions, a mixture of heartache and disappointment.
"All I want is for him to be able to stay away from the court's intrigues and live out his life without any worries."
But now he has actually defected to the Qin state, committing such a treacherous act of betrayal against his country. How can I, the king, easily forgive him?
Upon hearing this, Xu Jingru couldn't help but sigh softly, her expression filled with worry.
"King Ling, when the late king was alive, his greatest worry was that you brothers would kill each other."
If the late king were alive, he would certainly not want to see the current situation.
"I hope that King Ling, out of consideration for the late King, will spare the Fourth Prince this time."
King Ling snorted coldly, his tone tinged with helplessness and heartache.
"If I truly wanted to take his life, why would I have merely imprisoned him that day?"
Upon hearing the Spirit King's words, a glimmer of light flashed in Xu Jingru's eyes, as if he had grasped a sliver of hope.
He quickly said, "So, from beginning to end, King Ling never had the thought of killing the Fourth Prince!"
The Spirit King's expression was solemn, and he nodded slightly, his eyes revealing a resolute determination.
"That being said, it all depends on how he actually acts this time."
If he really takes advantage of the current internal and external troubles of the Ling Kingdom to do something that will make things even worse for the Ling Kingdom and cause great suffering to its people.
For the sake of the Ling Kingdom's stability and prosperity, even a personal kinship ties are not unacceptable to me!
Xu Jingru originally thought things would take a turn for the better, but she did not expect the Spirit King to be so determined.
A sudden shock ran through him, and he wanted to persuade the king again: "Spirit King..."
But before he could finish speaking, King Ling raised his hand to stop him.
"Old Master Xu, there's no need to say any more. You and your father have gone through thick and thin together, and you naturally care a lot about the continuation of your father's bloodline."
I promise you, as long as the fourth prince does not take action this time and collude with the Qin state to invade, I will let bygones be bygones and spare him.
But if he remains obstinate and truly colludes with the Qin state, then don't blame me for disregarding our brotherly bond!
Xu Jingru understood that, at this point, the Spirit King had already made a huge concession.
He knew that if he continued to press the matter, not only would the Spirit King become dissatisfied, but he himself might also be imprisoned by the Spirit King.
After all, the Spirit King was facing a critical decision concerning the safety of the Spirit Kingdom.
The thought of the Fourth Prince Liu Lingyu filled Xu Jingru with worry.
If Liu Lingyu really colluded with the Qin state, given King Ling's temperament, for the sake of the Ling state's country and people, he might really harden his heart and kill him.
King Ling, bearing the heavy responsibility of being the ruler of a country, would never sit idly by while treacherous officials wreak havoc on the nation.
King Ling continued, "Si Chao's reminder this time was timely. However, we must be wary of the movements of these three kingdoms."
If they attack while we are dealing with the plague, the Kingdom of El Dorado will be attacked from both sides.
Xu Jingru stroked his beard and said, "King Ling, our most urgent tasks are, firstly, to control the epidemic in Anxing County as soon as possible, and secondly, to strengthen border defenses."
King Ling looked worried and sighed heavily.
"Alas... How could I not want that too! But reality is like a heavy burden, making it hard for me to breathe."
In recent years, wars have been frequent, causing immense suffering and loss of life. Countless people have perished, resulting in a sharp decline in the population of our Ling Kingdom, with less than one in ten surviving.
Old Xu, do you know how many people are left in Ling Kingdom?
Each of these numbers represents a vibrant life!
This plague has come on fiercely, like a raging flood. If it cannot be effectively controlled, countless innocent people will lose their lives in this calamity.
As the ruler of a nation, how could I stand by and watch all this happen!
Xu Jingru paced back and forth anxiously, her face full of worry.
"In the north, the Gu Xuan Dynasty is eyeing us covetously, and in the south, the Qin Kingdom is aggressively pressing forward. Our Ling Kingdom is beset by misfortunes. After the earth dragon turned over, we were struck by a plague. How can our country overcome this crisis?"
King Ling's expression was solemn yet composed: "I have already devised a plan. Let's wait until everyone is here before making arrangements."
At this moment, the vast palace was completely silent, with only their conversation echoing in the air.
The matters discussed inside the hall were like heavy secrets, kept tightly sealed away, and no outsider knew a thing of the sort.