With such a reminder, something suddenly came to mind.
"I was just wondering, how exactly is Prince Chen going to open the gates of Yuzhou City and take complete control of the epidemic? If he can’t do it, then all his efforts now are in vain..."
"Bai Family’s army!" Xiao Jinsen said, pausing after each word.
A slight hint was all it took for the realization to strike.
Upon hearing Xiao Jinsen’s words, Shi Yongcheng also had an epiphany at that moment.
Excited, he said, "Prince, you mean, Prince Chen will seek support from General Bai!"
"We’ve been tricked by Xiao Jinxing!" Xiao Jinsen’s face turned extremely grim, "He’s creating a diversion!"
"The Prince means..."
"Xiao Jinxing wants us to focus on his search for medicinal herbs, to divert our attention from other things he is doing!" Xiao Jinsen spoke fiercely, "Right now, without our knowledge, he is seeking help from Bai Wenwu to send troops. If I’m not mistaken, he plans to have the Bai Family’s army coordinate with Pang Nan from inside and outside to take down Chen Hezhi directly and then take control of Yuzhou City!"
"As a Military Governor and a senior official of the court, Prince Chen will likely need the Emperor’s consent before he can take down Chen Hezhi," reminded Shi Yongcheng urgently.
"No, that’s not necessary!" Xiao Jinsen’s face was as unpleasant as it could be, "Xiao Jinxing has the Imperial Sword bestowed by the Emperor. He can execute now and report afterward! As long as he has a justifiable reason to take down Chen Hezhi, the Emperor will not investigate! Moreover, if he successfully controls the epidemic and saves the people of Yuzhou City, his merit is immense; the Emperor will surely reward rather than punish him!"
Hearing the Prince’s analysis, Shi Yongcheng nodded in agreement, "Prince, what do we do now? Even if we send someone to the frontier right away to order General Bai not to send troops, it would be too late!"
"If Xiao Jinxing is so eager to win merits and show off in front of the Emperor, I will not let him have his way!" Xiao Jinsen said coldly with resolve, "You must immediately ride at full speed to Yuzhou City and order Chen Hezhi to execute all the plague patients, without sparing a single one!"
"Prince!" Shi Yongcheng was bewildered, "Didn’t we say we’d wait until we killed Prince Chen, then we’d go and claim the credit? If we kill them now, we won’t have any chance to earn merits!"
"It doesn’t matter if I don’t gain any merits, but Xiao Jinxing absolutely must not! I must not allow the Emperor to see him in a different light!" Xiao Jinsen said cruelly, "By killing the plague victims, we’ll frame Xiao Jinxing, making Chen Hezhi assert that it was Xiao Jinxing’s order to control the epidemic by slaughtering the innocent. At the same time, by intercepting Pang Nan’s medical supplies, we can also claim that Chen Hezhi wanted to use the medicine to treat the patients but was stopped by Xiao Jinxing! Xiao Jinxing, obsessed with controlling the epidemic, stops at nothing! Thus, not only will Xiao Jinxing not gain any merits, but he will also become a great sinner!"
Shi Yongcheng couldn’t help but admire the Prince’s adaptability in the face of events.
Although they could no longer earn merits in Yuzhou City, Prince Chen would be completely ruined after this.
It was a severe lesson for Prince Chen, while also allowing them a chance to vent their wrath.
"Quickly give the order to rush to Yuzhou City, tell Chen Hezhi he must not make any more mistakes this time! Otherwise, he will have to answer to me with his head!"
"This subordinate obeys the command!" Shi Yongcheng quickly retreated.
Watching Shi Yongcheng’s departing figure, Xiao Jinsen smirked coldly.
Xiao Jinxing, you want to compete with me?!
Even if you are good at hiding, I will show you that I don’t need to find you to let you experience what it’s like to be struck by a sudden and unforeseen disaster!
Xiao Jinxing respectfully reported, "Prince, the medical supplies from Pang Nan have been completely intercepted by Chen Hezhi’s men."
"Mhm." Xiao Jinxing nodded, "Where is the Bai Family’s army now?!"
"They will arrive outside Yuzhou City in no more than two hours."
"Tell Pang Nan to get ready, to coordinate from inside and outside, ready to attack the city at any time."
"Yes!" Xiao Jinxing quickly left.
He had just stepped out of the courtyard.
When a messenger from Pang Mansion appeared at the doorway, "Sir Xiao, Master Pang has just received urgent news. The Military Governor is sending people to the epidemic quarantine zone, and they are about to burn all the people inside!"
"What?!" Xiao Jinxing was stunned.
Burning? The epidemic quarantine zone?!
The Princess is still inside!
Xiao Jinxing snapped back to his senses, hurriedly running back into the courtyard, "Prince!"
Xiao Jinxing looked towards Xiao Jinxing.