Chapter 221: Bashan Vige
"Chi-Lan Marquis, will that be fine for such a small group to apany you on your way past the border?" a soldier politely asked Qin Lan as his group.
As long as Qin Lan travels close to five miles from this border, he will enter a border-free zone where his Shuiyue County is located.
"I''m sure of it. Please inform the city lord that this marquis is grateful for the care he''s been showing me for these few days. If there''s a chance, this marquis will return with some local gift for him in the future." Qin Lan cupped his hand together before steering his horse outward.
"Let''s move! We''ll get to Shuiyue County before nightfall!" said Qin Lan while pointing his hand in the direction of hisnd.
*Hi-Ah!*
With around fifty Crimson Mist soldiers following him, Qin Lan made his way out from the city. There was a mix of feelings in the soldiers taking care of the garrison between the Wu-Shu border.
"What do you think? To send a young marquis like him to the wild barbard?" one of the soldiers casually talked about the king''s decision to send Qin Lan out to handle the small county.
Even right now, the Shuiyue Country was not included in the Country of Wu''s map. It fell into the hand of the country less than three months ago. And in the previous three months, thisnd is said to be struck by several disasters.
First of all, there''s a famine happening here. This is why the county surrendered after fighting against the Country of Wu for close to three years. And secondly, there''s an outbreak of an unknown disease here.
Right now, this ce can be said to be abandoned by both Wu and Shu.
Perhaps, that''s the reason why the soldiers were discussing this after Qin Lan left. In their opinion, thend is not as attractive as they thought.
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"My liege, we''re getting close to the first vige in the Shuiyue County. Based on the information we get from the locals that moved out of this ce, it''s called Bashan Vige." one of the soldiers immediately reported.
"Good. Send a scout there and check the ce before my arrival. Make sure you approached them calmly and tell them that the person handling thend is here. Get the person in charge toe out and greet me upon my arrival." Qin Lan said.
"Your subordinate understood! I''ll get it done right now! You three, follow me!" the soldier cupped his fists together at Qin Lan before taking three soldiers with him.
Making his way to the Bashan Vige first, there''s no obstruction as the soldier entered the vige and made his way straight to the elder''s house. It took him close to fifteen minutes to get the idea that a newndowner is passing the vige.
By the time Qin Lan arrived with his forty-five soldiers, the vigers had gathered at the entrance to the vige.
"Ma - Marquis Chi-Lan... The Bashan Vige wees you. We''re happy for your - Your humble arrival in this rural vige. Please allow us to host you a banquet before you continue on your way." the vige chief stuttered as he invited Qin Lan to his shabby amodation.
"Vige chief, please stop right there. Is this all the people you have in the vige?" Qin Lan asked. Although the number might be inurate, he remembered that in the list of the household registrar, it was said that the Bashan Vige had about a thousand vigers, from young to old.
But there are only about three hundred people here. To a marquis who expected to settle and build his influence in this ce, missing seven hundred people in his first visit is a big problem.
"We... We have more people, but they''re sick right now... Please forgive them for noting to greet noble sir. We''ve prepared some food, women, and wine to great sir, so please don''t be angry." the vige chief quickly tries to mediate this matter. From his speech, he''s worried that Qin Lan will feel offended due to their absence.
''Heaven bless us... Heaven blesses us... Please don''t let this noble get angry...'' some female vigers whispered. Because they had almost little to no cultivation at all, they failed to notice that the fifty people here had an acute sense of hearing.
"Bring me to the sick people and let me have a look. Take this Qiankun Pouch and prepare some food to feed the vigers. If anyone has something for my concern, bring it up to my officer here." Qin Lan said as he gets down from his horse.
"Vige chief, please!" Qin Lan urge him to move instead of standing right with his unbelieving expression.
"I''m sure all of you have many things to say, but let''s leave them toter. I have limited time here in the Bashan Vige, so I hope everyone would cooperate with me. Bring the sick people together, so I have to travel less around the vige."
"For the women that healthy enough to cook, please support my men in case the food they cook might not suit the local''s vor. As for meat, vegetables, and grains, there''s plenty inside the pouch in their hand, so feel free to use them to feed a thousand people."
Qin Lan finished what he had to say in a sh. Looking around at the confused vigers, he had to show some of his Foundation Qi to bring them back to their attention.
"Let''s not waste our time. Get things done right now." Qin Lan smiled as he invites the vige chief to take the lead.
"At - At once! Milord!" the vige chief immediately took Qin Lan into one of the houses where an entire family of four is struck by the illness.
They were shivering cold, although their face is flustered. From Qin Lan''s initial diagnosis, it seems that they''re some sickness rted to the parasite growing inside their body.
"The problem likely came from the water they''re drinking. The vige chief, please get a few locals to bring my men to where the vige''s water came from. They''ll know what to do." Qin Lan said.
"Milord, is there a problem with our water source? Won''t this contaminate the food the vigers are cooking now?" the chief asked.
"Don''t worry. The problem can be easily solved by applying some Spiritual Qi into the water to kill the parasite. Please prepare some ce for the people to relieve themselves after taking medicine and gathered the people together."
"I''ll be preparing the cure for this illness now," said Qin Lan.
"N - Now?" the vige chief asked.
"Yes. Now." Qin Lan smiled and nodded at the chief.
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Nighttime.
The vigers of Bashan Vige will not forget the kindness milord had shown us." the vige chief and close to eight hundred vigers kneeled before Qin Lan. It only took Qin Lan a single afternoon for him to solve the problem that''s been guing the vige for months.
"Please rise, fellow vigers. I am only doing what andowner should have done to his people. Unfortunately, I can only spend a short time here before making my way to another ce." Qin Lan waved his hand across the vigers.
Through the preciseness of Spiritual Qi usage, Qin Lan effortlessly brings the vigers up from their knees.
And at this moment, a banquet finally started. This was just the first day here in thend bestowed by the King of Wu to him, but he already sessfully obtained the support of the entire vige behind him.
Speaking with the vige chief also gave Qin Lan a rough idea about the resources avable around the Bashan Vige. To Qin Lan, information like this was more precious than anything else he can ask for.
With the banquet as a pretense, Qin Lan allowed his men to rx for the night. Since most of his men were single, he finds no reason to stop them from finding a soul partner amongst the singledies here if both sides were willing.
"Milord, we''ve solved the problem. The nest of Carrion Lizard Beast was taken care of. There''s indeed a track that this was done on purpose by someone." the officer came to Qin Lan''s side and whispered beside his ears.
"Is there anything else left around the source where the water came from?" Qin Lan asked. Using his finger to poke a hole in the jar of wine in his hand, Qin Lan poured himself a cup of Plum Flower Fragrance to moisten his throat.
"Yes. We found a few medicinal bottles littered around that ce. From the craftmanship on the pottery, it should be a product from the Shu." the officer continued as he ced a broken medicinal bottle on Qin Lan''s table.
"Have you check if there are any suspicious individuals in this vige?" Qin Lan continued as he poured himself another cup.
"So far, no suspicious individuals found in the vige. I''ve asked the vigers for suspicious individuals that came three months ago. But weirdly, their answer was no. They hardly have visitors because you''ll have to climb through an elevated slope before arriving at this vige."
"Also, there''s an interesting finding from the vigers. It seems that the first few people that died from this illness were actually the vige hooligans that often gathered around the riverbank." the officer said.
"Then, it''s likely done by a fellow viger by promising them some benefit. What they have no idea were that little wealthes with the cost of their own life." Qin Lan chuckled.
*Knock - Knock - Knock*
"Milord, have you fall asleep?" the vige chief''s voice can be heard from the outside.
"I''m still awake. Pleasee in if there''s anything you need." Qin Lan waved his hand and opened the door. What was unexpected is the vige chief ising into the house with close to ten young maidens dressed to impress.
"What''s the meaning of this?" Qin Lan asked.
"Milord... They''re the most beautiful girl in our vige. I brought them here because they would like to personally thank milord for your kindness." the vige chief used a roundabout way to express his gratitude.
"Vige chief, you''re too generous. But unfortunately..." Qin Lan shook his head.
"Unfortunately?" Qin Lan''s behavior puzzled the vige chief.
"I''m a married man. It won''t be good for people to be seen associating myself with unwed maidens at night. Please bring them away." Qin Lan politely rejected the vige chief''s offer forpanionship from any of the young maidens he brought.
"Then... Then..." the vige chief scratched his head from not knowing what to do.
"I have more to do tomorrow. If there''s nothing else, please rest early. Beauties, thank you foring here to express your gratitude in person."