Chapter 37: Burning Incense to Report to Heaven and Stabilize the Army's Morale

  Chen Yiyao, as Wu Zisheng's trusted aide, although he was just rebuked, knew it was because of the presence of outsiders Zhang Guangcai and Chen Sheng, and Wu Zisheng had to put on a show. Now that the two men have walked far away, he stepped forward again and said: "Your Excellency, if our army follows the prince's advance and retreat, I'm afraid it will be a mix of good and bad fortune, we can't help but worry!"

  Wu Zisheng knew Chen Yi's worries. Being with Zhu Yongxing would naturally bring rapid advancement, but also made him a target for the Qing army's attacks. The Qing court had always been very concerned about the Ming imperial family and would eliminate them as soon as possible. However, as a former subordinate of Sun Keshuang, the Prince of Qin, Li Dingguo, the King of Jin, used him but also guarded against him, with deep-seated prejudices. If he were to surrender to Zhu Yongxing, there would be risks, but it was not a bad choice either.

  "The Qing army has mostly returned to Kunming, and this is also a remote area, so they won't come to attack for the time being." Wu Zisheng thought for a moment before explaining to his subordinates, "When His Highness first entered Yunnan, he had few soldiers and was short of generals. This is exactly the time for us to surrender to him, we can't miss this opportunity. Haven't you seen Chen Sheng's expression? Haven't you heard Chen Sheng's words? He's eager to try!"

  Chen Yi Yao thought for a moment, nodded and said: "I'll go and make arrangements now. We can't let that little General steal the show from Master Hou."

  Marquis Huiren Wu Zisheng smiled faintly and waved his hand, after Chen Yao left, he sat alone in contemplation, his face changing with the weather.

  ………

  Life is not a script, how can it go according to plan, with everything happening as if it had been scripted. After Zhu Yongxing figured it out, his suspicions about Wu Zisheng, the Marquis of Huairou, who suddenly appeared, were already gone by half. If you say that it's because of determination to resist the Qing and loyalty to the Ming, only those who have truly seen it with their own eyes and carefully considered it can finally make a judgment, how can you come to a conclusion based on just a few words in history books? If you say that those who surrender are not trustworthy, two years later, except for Li Dingguo's death from illness, even Bai Wenxuan chose this path, then what can be said?

  Of course, it's impossible to say that Zhu Yongxing had no doubts at all, but after some careful consideration, he also came up with a way to deal with it. Although this method is a bit crude, it should still have a significant effect on boosting morale and intimidating the enemy.

  The sunlight was a bit dazzling, Zhu Yongxing's hand shaded his eyes and looked forward, already seeing the crowd waiting ahead. Judging from Wu Zisheng's current attitude, it seemed somewhat trustworthy. However, this person's heart was the most difficult thing to fathom in the world, changing one's mind at dawn and dusk, even having the possibility of changing one's mind in a few minutes or seconds. Zhu Yongxing sighed with emotion and stopped his horse.

  As soon as they saw the imperial carriage approaching, Wu Zisheng and others knelt down in a hurry, shouting in unison: "Your Majesty's humble general welcomes Your Highness."

  Zhu Yongxing had already jumped off his horse and, seeing the crowd kneeling down, hastily rushed forward to help them up one by one. With a smile all over his face, he loudly said to the kneeling crowd: "You are not afraid of danger, you have traveled far and wide to return, it is clear that you are loyal, the generals have fought for the country, their labor and merits are high, please get up quickly, no need to be polite."

  "Thank you, Your Excellency." Led by Wu Zisheng, Marquis of Huairou, everyone stood up and bowed to thank him.

  Zhu Yongxing ordered his troops to set up camp, and then instructed Zheng Yanbei to send the grain and livestock they had brought with them to Wu Zisheng's large camp as a token of hospitality. Only then did he sit down with the other generals in a tent in the open field to ask about the situation in detail.

  Hard journey, miasma hurt the disease, grain and grass shortage...... Huairén Hóu Wú Zǐ Shèng etc. people either show loyalty or are really struggling, but they did not hide much about the current military situation.

  Zhu Yongxing was somewhat comforted, but he did not easily reveal his intentions. These situations were roughly in line with his estimates, but he had to wait for the return of the troops sent by Yi Cheng before he could implement his plan with peace of mind.

  Around noon, Zhu Yongxing set up a simple banquet in the camp to entertain Huairou Hou and others. After the banquet was over, the people who went to reward the army came back soon, and privately reported to Zhu Yongxing that no abnormalities were found in Wu Zisheng's barracks, which made Zhu Yongxing put his mind at ease.

  ………

  It is recorded that on the 26th day of the third month in the year of Renhai, the Emperor personally went to Wu Zisheng's army camp to comfort and console. Seeing many soldiers wounded and ill, groaning and sighing, he was deeply moved and tears fell from his eyes. He wrote a memorial to Heaven, saying: "The Ming army's generals and soldiers have been loyal and sincere in their resistance against the Qing and support for the Ming. Why has Heaven not helped us? If the fate of the Ming is not yet exhausted, I beg for the gift of medical treatment so that we can all strive to protect the country and restore the glory of China. If our time is already up, I beg for the suffering and illness to be added to my own body, without harming this army and people." The Emperor fasted and prayed sincerely throughout the night, and Heaven was moved by his sincerity, granting him a wonderful method of healing. All the soldiers took it...

  Miasma, only in the southeastern region. The terrain of Lingnan is low and humid, with plenty of fog and little wind. In winter, it is often warm, so the yang energy in the yin is not solid; in summer, it is cool, so the yin evil in the yang is easily hurt. Therefore, people who do not know how to protect themselves and indulge in excessive desires and labor are extremely prone to contracting it, resulting in symptoms such as fever, headache, vomiting, abdominal distension... Looking at the description of miasma in traditional Chinese medicine, it seems that it is a mixture of yin and yang, with an emphasis on internal emptiness. In fact, ancient people had very limited understanding of miasma and feared it like a tiger, describing it as "miasma steaming the body during the day, and dew wetting clothes at night".

  Miasma was almost inescapable for people at that time. Especially in the southwest, there is a folk song that says: "Ten people go to Mengchong, nine people can't return home; Want to go to Chefosan, first buy coffin boards; Want to go to Posadan, first marry off your wife." This vividly describes the fear of miasma among ancient people.

  But later generations of medical scientists have determined that the so-called miasma is actually mostly caused by swarms of mosquitoes. Large numbers of mosquitoes carrying malignant malaria bacteria gather together to fly, and from a distance they look like a dark, heavy gas. After humans and animals are bitten by them, they will become infected with malaria. In Italian, malaria is called "mal'aria", which is similar in meaning to the term miasma.

  As a specific medicine for malaria, quinine, Zhu Yongxing certainly did not have it, but this did not prevent him from using the knowledge of later generations to treat and control malaria. Qinglian, also known as Choulian, was despised by traditional Chinese medicine and people didn't know its medicinal value. Of course, extracting Qinglian essence was impossible, but Zhu Yongxing had a flexible approach, he decocted it in water for drinking, there must be some Qinglian essence inside? The amount is not enough, no problem, let's drink hard, three large bowls a day, no, those who are seriously ill need five large bowls, and at night, I was called to drink again, and then I didn't believe it!

  Nature, the common sense of preventing diseases in later generations was also compiled by Zhu Yongxing for promotion, such as isolating patients, drinking boiled water, paying attention to mosquito prevention and driving, not allowing random urination, repairing toilets and sprinkling lime... Anyway, he just wrote a piece of paper, naturally there are people busy underneath.

  If that's not enough to show Zhu Yongxing's magic, he must have thought of a more shocking trick, which is maggot therapy. In the southeastern region, the climate is hot and humid, and external injuries are most prone to infection and pus. According to the medical level at that time, without antibiotics, it basically relied on individual physical fitness and resistance to fate.