Qin Jue stepped out from the ranks of civil servants, bowed to the Emperor on the dragon throne and the Crown Prince, then turned to say: "Why don't you let me answer Magistrate Hong's question."
As everyone knows, I have a deep connection with the Jiang Family. I probably know more about their affairs than anyone else present.
It is true that Lord Jiang comes from humble origins and is neither corrupt nor greedy. Even if you strip him bare, peel his skin and dismantle his bones, he would not fetch much money. He has no silver, but his daughter, the Magistrate of Linghui County, has silver!
Not only does the Magistrate of Linghui County have her fief and food towns, she also has several doting masters and senior brothers.
As far as I know, her master gave her twenty percent of the profits from the National Medicine Bureau's Bianque Valley, which brings her over one hundred thousand taels of silver each year.
In addition, her second senior brother, Guo Jie, also gave her twenty percent of the profits from the He An Hospital in the capital. Everyone here should know how profitable the He An Hospital is.
Moreover, after she went to Suzhou, she also founded a He An Hospital and a wool spinning workshop there. The woolen sweaters and yarns you ministers are wearing now all come from her workshop.
So do you still think the source of Lord Jiang's wealth is unclear?"
There was dead silence in the great hall.
The ministers were shocked to realize: Heavens, this little county magistrate is so wealthy? Whoever marries her in the future would be bringing a moving mountain of gold into the family.
What a pity she is still quite young. Otherwise...hmm, they could arrange a childhood betrothal or something like two lovebirds. That wouldn't be impossible.
Qin Jue walked over to stand in front of the Imperial Clerk Hong, circling around him once: "As for the allegation that Jiang Wenyuan is heavily bribing the military in preparation for rebellion..."
He paused for effect before continuing painfully: "He is but a civil official, with neither money nor military power. What could he possibly rebel with? Besides, the current commander of the Yumen Pass garrison is none other than the country's son-in-law and His Highness the Crown Prince's own maternal grandfather.
To plot against one's own with the help of outsiders, has the general grown old or has a donkey kicked your brains out?"
Imperial Clerk Hong was left speechless, his face turning dark red. Laughter erupted among the crowd. Even His Majesty the Emperor at the head of the hall could not hold back an amused smile.
He coughed and said: "Alright, let's not bring this up again. Clerk Hong, you look unwell, go back and rest for two months before coming back! Oh right, no need to collect your salary for these two months. I will donate it on your behalf to the soldiers guarding our borders, as a gesture of goodwill."
With one sentence, the Emperor had sentenced him.
Imperial Clerk Hong had not expected that by making a false accusation, he would end up being confined for two whole months. He truly regretted his actions!
Suzhou.
In early November, military doctors from all camps received orders to cut short their training and return to their garrisons as soon as possible. Scouts brought back news that the Xiongnu were gathering troops and preparing to invade.
Jiang Yuqing packed ten cartloads of various prepared medicines and medical ingredients for each garrison's military doctors to bring back.
Before leaving, the military doctors knelt down together: "On behalf of the soldiers, we thank County Magistrate Jiang and Doctor Qiu for their great kindness!"
As military doctors, they did not fear death or hardship. What they feared most was running out of medicine, being forced to watch helplessly as the wounded died one by one before their eyes - that was the cruelest thing.
With the Xiongnu invasion looming, the news could not be hidden from Suzhou's commoners.
In the past, when they heard that the Xiongnu were going to invade, most commoners would be filled with trepidation, preparing to flee at any time with their belongings. Some wealthy families would even evacuate early, only returning after the fighting ended.
The mood this year was still tense, yet the commoners of Suzhou city found to their surprise that they had no desire to flee this time.
Thinking it over, it was probably because they saw Prefect Jiang busily working daily in the prefectural office, or his daughter the County Magistrate treating patients daily at the He An Hospital.
Or perhaps it was because his white tiger would show up on the streets everyday to earn its keep.
Some anxious wives urged their husbands to first take shelter in another prefecture, but the men scolded: "With such a highly respected family as Prefect Jiang's not fleeing, what do we commoners have to fear?"
The women suddenly realized: Ah, there's no need to flee!
Unknowingly, Jiang Wenyuan seemed to have become the ballast stabilizing the hearts of Suzhou's commoners.
November 9th.
The Xiongnu assembled 210,000 men and attacked Suzhou along three routes, in what they called the “Autumn Harvest”. The largest force numbering 140,000 men came towards Yumen Pass.
This was because the terrain around Yumen Pass was mostly flat desert and gobi, with few natural barriers other than a city wall.
In an instant, the whole of Suzhou was filled with the sounds of wind and cranes, as border troops prepared themselves for battle.
The north wind howled. A great battle was about to unfold!
On the same day, the He An Hospital in Suzhou city put up notices to temporarily stop accepting patients’ visits.
November 10th. Jiang Yuqing, Doctor Qiu and Lu Yi each led a medical team composed of He An Hospital personnel and Bianque Valley disciples rushed towards Yumen Pass, Jinling Pass and Hangu Pass with large quantities of medicine and surgical instruments.
These were the three main battlefields for this year’s war.
Before leaving, Prefect Jiang brought his whole family to see them off. At the city gate, Jiang Yuqing, dressed in smart men’s clothing, gave each of her parents and brothers a hug before nimbly mounting a deer and leading a long convoy away.
Watching her daughter's little figure gradually disappearing into the distance, Lady Lu's eyes finally overflowed with strings of tear droplets.
Her daughter's still somewhat childish parting words still rang in her ears: "Mother, I am a doctor, and a doctor's duty is to save lives and tend to the injured. So no matter how you try to stop me, I will still go! On the battlefield, one more doctor means one more life that can be saved!"
She could not stop her daughter. All she could do was pray to Heaven to protect her daughter and bring her back safely.
The scene moved many commoners deeply.
That was the young daughter of Prefect Jiang right? Heavens, she looks so tiny, yet she dared to lead people to support the border garrisons. That place is a battlefield where people can die if they are careless!
Some young men clenched their fists on the spot.
Damn it all, they would also join the army!
Even a child as small as the little county magistrate dared to go onto the battlefield. It would be unreasonable for full grown seven-chi men like them to shrink back like cowardly turtles!
Screw it all! No matter how fierce those barbarians may be, they still bleed like men. They refused to believe they did not fear death either. At worst, they would return as great men after eighteen years!
After returning home, these young men proposed to their families that they wished to enlist. Some open-minded elders immediately agreed: "Good, you're real men. Go on, your brothers and I will handle things at home. Stay safe, but remember not to shame the people of Suzhou!"
"I'll remember that, father!"
Some parents objected: "Mother, I wish to enlist!" the young man said to her.
She put down her winnowing tray and grabbed a stick to beat him over the head: "I'll beat you dead, you unfilial child! Soldiers endure great hardship, and those barbarians kill without blinking. Going there is seeking death."
The young man replied her calmly: "Mother, I saw Prefect Jiang at the city gate today. He had gone to send off his daughter the County Magistrate of Linghui."
He paused briefly before continuing: "Mother, the County Magistrate doesn't even come up to here--" he indicated a height. "She's from Suzhou, and still just a young girl, yet she dares to go. Why can't I?
As a full grown seven-chi man and native of Suzhou, when the Xiongnu invade, how can I not even protect my hometown? Mother! I don't want to flee again. I don't want to shrink back like a turtle!"
"You!" When the woman saw her usually carefree young son reveal such a firm side for the first time, it was as if he had suddenly grown up overnight.
The woman eventually did not say anything more, she just cried as she packed her son's belongings.
Just as her son said, even a young girl had the courage to go to the border pass to make her contribution to Shu Prefecture, as a native of Shu Prefecture, what face did she have to stop her own son from going to protect his hometown?
The news of Jiang Yuqing leading people to reinforce the border pass aroused the bloodiness of Shu Prefecture's men.
They responded one after another, returned home to pack up their luggage, and prepared to enlist in the army. As a result, similar scenes were also staged in various parts of Shu Prefecture.
At this time, in a peaceful courtyard on the west side of Shu Prefecture's city.
An elderly lady with white hair asked her young son kneeling below, "Fei'er, are you sure you want to enlist?"
He Yunfei heavily kowtowed to his mother, "Yes, Mother!"
Mrs. He got up with the help of her elder son, bent down and helped up her young son, "In times of national crisis, every man has a responsibility! Go ahead, don't fail your father's prestige!"
She paused, took out a neatly folded white cotton cloth from her sleeve and put it in her son's hands, "Take this with you at all times!"
"Yes, son remembers," He Yunfei held the white cotton cloth and bowed to his mother and elder brother again before turning around and striding away.
After returning to his room to pack his luggage, he remembered the white cotton cloth his mother had given him. He unfolded it and saw a big black "death" character embroidered on it in black thread.
Next to it were a few small words: “I bestow upon my son a death banner, to wipe blood when injured, and to wrap body when dead. Advance bravely without looking back.”
He Yunfei tightened his fingers, and swallowed back the heat in his eyes. He shouldered his luggage, and headed straight to Yumen Pass without looking back...
Bianque Valley, and especially the addition of Doctor Qiu and his apprentices, undoubtedly injected a shot of stimulant into each camp. The commanders of the various camps truly wished they could hug and kiss them.
With them and the precious medicines they brought, if nothing else, at least the number of casualties could be reduced by half.
