flstandardbreds Chapter 992 Arrival in Qiongzhou
Chapter 992 Arrival in Qiongzhou
The group continued south, and the journey was relatively smooth.
However, the situation began to change when the team crossed the Nanling Mountains and entered the Lingnan region.
Prior to this, all the checkpoints along the way where dragon flags were seen were cleared without any obstruction.
Local officials would also prepare supplies in advance and personally lead teams to comfort the troops.
It is evident that the imperial court's post-war recovery work was quite successful. Local officials and people had accepted the imperial court's notice, and no one dared to stage any more uprisings.
Of course, it's also because Li Che killed them all cleanly.
Throughout Chinese history, there have been very few genuine peasant uprisings. Whenever a rebellion broke out, it was usually orchestrated by powerful families.
Li Che wiped out the powerful families completely, and with no one stirring up trouble behind the scenes, the people would never rebel.
This peaceful journey continued until they entered Lingnan, after which everyone noticed a significant increase in military control.
Patrols of the Qing army frequently came forward to check on them, and the roadblocks they set up were more stringent, with not only government soldiers but also regular troops.
These people, acting on General Yang Zhongsi's orders, blocked the roads leading to Qiongzhou, and the civilians and caravans were all persuaded to turn back.
After Ma Zhong presented the imperial edict and the general's seal, he was allowed to pass without any problems.
But from the solemn looks in their comrades' eyes, Ma Zhong and Hua Chang'an could sense that they were no longer safe.
On another occasion, they encountered a small group of remnants of the Southern Army.
This group of people had long since lost their organization; they were dressed in rags, emaciated, and even worse off than beggars.
They hid in the mountains and forests, seemingly waiting for an opportunity to escape north.
Upon encountering this well-equipped and well-organized army, they scattered and fled at the first contact, easily dispersed by the scouts sent out by Ma Zhong.
Although the encounter was not particularly dangerous, Ma Zhong knew that he had entered a war zone and was not far from the epidemic area.
The mutinous soldiers are nothing, but if you encounter such a group on Qiongzhou Island, you might accidentally catch the plague.
The atmosphere became heavy, and the laughter and cheerful chatter that had filled the march almost disappeared.
After a long journey of nearly half a month, the team finally arrived at the southernmost tip of the mainland—the Leizhou Peninsula.
The salty sea breeze swept over them, and beyond the vast ocean lay their final battlefield.
As the group entered Leizhou city, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense.
The once bustling port city now exudes a sense of oppression.
The streets were sparsely populated, with mostly patrolling soldiers passing by, and a subtle tension permeated the air.
He Conglong remained in charge of the army's logistics and was stationed in Leizhou. Despite his busy schedule, he personally received Ma Zhong and Hua Chang'an.
Even the usually composed commander of the Fengtian Army had a worried look on his face at this moment.
Upon meeting, after a brief exchange of pleasantries, Hua Chang'an eagerly inquired about the current situation in Qiongzhou: "General He, what is the specific situation in Qiongzhou? What exactly is the nature of the epidemic?"
He Conglong sighed, shook his head, and said with a heavy expression, "Doctor Hua, to be honest, I am not very clear about the specifics either."
"Commander Yang has ordered that the strait be completely blocked, allowing entry but not exit. No one knows what the situation is like on the island now."
"With no news getting out, all we can do here is worry and speculate based on the scattered reports we received earlier."
He paused, then continued, "All I know is that the situation must be extremely dangerous, otherwise Commander Yang would never have resorted to such a desperate measure."
"Now, the other side of the strait is like being covered by a black cloth. We know nothing about life or death, or what kind of demons are causing trouble."
Upon hearing this, Hua Chang'an's gray eyebrows furrowed tightly, his worry deepening.
Complete information blocking means that the epidemic may have gotten out of control, and it may even be necessary to rely on complete isolation to prevent its spread.
This also means that he could not obtain any information about his condition before landing, let alone make any preparations in advance.
What kind of plague could make Yang Zhongsi, a veteran of countless battles, so resolute?
Looking at the weary group before him, He Conglong suggested, "You've all had a long and tiring journey. Why don't you rest in Leizhou for a couple of days to recover your strength? Then I'll arrange for ships..."
"No!" Hua Chang'an and Ma Zhong refused in unison.
Hua Chang'an said urgently, "General He, the epidemic is raging and there is no time to lose."
"Every day that passes, countless more lives will be lost on Qiongzhou Island. How can we sit here in peace?"
Ma Zhong echoed, "Commander He, please rest assured. Doctor Hua has been taking care of the soldiers' health along the way, and everyone still has energy."
Seeing that the two were determined, He Conglong stopped trying to dissuade them and nodded, saying, "In that case, I will arrange to take you to the dock."
Subsequently, He Conglong personally escorted the team to the naval port at the southernmost tip of the Leizhou Peninsula.
The closer you get to the sea, the tighter the security becomes, with heavily armed musketeers everywhere.
Upon arriving at the dock, one sees ships neatly arranged in the harbor, but few people coming and going.
All the ships had lowered their sails, clearly indicating they had no intention of setting sail.
At a secluded dock, He Conglong stopped and solemnly clasped his hands in greeting to the two men: "Imperial Physician Hua, Marquis Jiayou, I am bound by duty and cannot see you off further. Farewell!"
"Be careful ahead!"
As the head of logistics, He Conglong had to ensure the safety of the Leizhou base camp and could not afford to be exposed to any risks.
This was his duty, and also his only recourse.
Ma Zhong and Hua Chang'an returned the greeting with understanding.
Then, Li Sheng, who had been waiting there, came forward to greet them.
The naval commander, who had struck fear into the hearts of the Southern fleet in the Qiongzhou Strait, showed no joy on his face at this moment, and his expression was unusually solemn.
"Imperial Physician Hua, General Ma, the ships are ready. I, Li, will personally escort you across the sea."
Facing the top naval officer, the two dared not be presumptuous and quickly bowed in gratitude.
Without much talk, under Ma Zhong's command, the generals began to board the ship.
The sea breeze rustled the flags on the ship and also stirred the tense nerves of everyone on board.
Li Sheng and Ma Zhong stood side by side at the bow of the flagship, gazing at the seemingly calm, dark blue sea ahead.
"Governor Li, thank you for your trouble this time," Ma Zhong said.
Li Sheng stared at the blurry outline on the other side of the strait and said in a deep voice, "It is my duty. I only hope that I can bring you all back safely."
Ma Zhong grinned, wanting to say something lighthearted, but found that any words seemed inadequate at the moment, so he simply nodded emphatically.
Once all personnel and supplies had been loaded onto the ship, the mooring lines were untied and the sails were raised.
Several landing ships slowly left the dock and, escorted by three clipper ships, headed resolutely towards Qiongzhou Island.
He Conglong stood on the dock, gazing at the few sails that gradually shrank until they completely disappeared into the thin mist between the sea and the sky.
He then sighed deeply and turned to leave.