Chapter 72: Unwavering Loyalty

At night, after a day of exhaustion, Yang Xuan and his companions sat outside the mine. The chorus of insects filled the summer night, but there were no sounds of beasts in the mountains. It was said that ever since the iron mine had been discovered, all the wild animals had vanished. Humans arrived, beasts departed—an unspoken understanding.

Bonfires lit the surroundings, while laborers continually carried soil and stones out of the mine. Yang Xuan leaned against the mountain wall and asked wearily, "How are the sick?"

Zhou Ning stood nearby. "Nine out of ten have improved a lot. I’ve always wanted to ask... why does drinking saltwater help?"

"People feel weak if they don’t eat salt."

"I know that."

"So we’ve concluded that salt is essential for the body."

"Yes!"

"There’s salt in the food people eat every day."

"Yes!"

"For healthy people, that’s enough. But those patients have had diarrhea for days—diarrhea washes away the body’s salt. The consequences of salt deficiency gradually show themselves."

"I see." Zhou Ning’s eyes brightened with a hint of admiration. "How did you learn these things?"

"Chance!" Zhuque interjected, "Show off a bit—women like men who show off!"

Yang Xuan fell silent for a moment. "That year, I was hunting in the mountains. I ate something bad and had severe diarrhea, nearly couldn’t make it. Starving, I managed to boil some water in a clay pot, but it tasted bland, so I added salt. After drinking it, I slowly regained some strength and was able to walk out of the mountains."

He gazed into the night. "From then on, I knew that with diarrhea, drinking saltwater is crucial."

Zhou Ning stood to his side, watching Yang Xuan’s profile in the firelight, a gentle smile on her lips.

"Hunting? You’re only fifteen—when did you go hunting?"

Yang Xuan suddenly laughed. "Why talk about such things? It’s all past now."

Zhou Ning studied him carefully. "Alright."

Zhuque was flustered. "You’re playing hard to get! You’ve roused her curiosity—a woman’s curiosity can kill a man..."

Yang Xuan said nothing.

Long after Zhou Ning had left, he got up to change shifts.

"Hey! That story wasn’t true, was it?" Zhuque asked.

Yang Xuan headed toward the mine.

"Of course."

Wang Lao’er rushed out. "Master, there’s a sound."

Yang Xuan hurried inside.

The blocked section had already been excavated quite a bit.

There were many people at the scene, huddled on either side, leaving the middle clear where Old Rogue was squatting.

Torches blazed.

Old Rogue pressed his ear against a stone.

He looked up. "Someone’s knocking on the stone!"

The scene erupted instantly.

Cheers echoed.

"Knock a few times."

Yang Xuan was excited as well.

Old Rogue picked up a stone and knocked.

Bang bang bang!

He knocked a few times and listened.

Bang... bang...

He turned around.

Everyone stared at him, anticipation in their eyes.

Old Rogue nodded vigorously. "Let’s get to work!"

A shout, and everyone set to work with renewed vigor.

As cultivators, Cao Ying and Old Rogue fought on the front lines.

"There’s a huge stone!"

A few massive stones blocked the way.

"This is it—once we break through, we’re in," an improved miner said excitedly.

"Stand back!"

Such places could only be tackled by those with cultivation.

Wang Lao’er stood guard.

Cao Ying and Old Rogue strained to pry the stones loose.

Squeak!

The crowbar bent, emitting a tooth-grinding sound.

Thud!

Two giant stones fell almost simultaneously.

Cao Ying and Old Rogue each held one up.

Wang Lao’er leaped over.

Cao Ying’s face was flushed purple, desperately nodding at Wang Lao’er.

Can’t hold much longer.

Old Rogue was in the same predicament.

Wang Lao’er rushed to Old Rogue’s side without hesitation and helped him brace the stone.

Old Rogue broke free and helped Cao Ying.

"Cao, should you let go now?"

Cao Ying, teased, could only smile wryly.

Soon the stones were dragged away.

The three strongmen were invited out for drinks.

Wang Lao’er, not fond of alcohol, said, "Master, meat."

You damned glutton, you’ll bankrupt me sooner or later.

Yang Xuan tossed him a piece of jerky. "Not much left."

Seeing him gnaw happily, Cao Ying rotated his arm and asked, "Why did you help Old Rogue first?"

"Because I’m more lovable," Old Rogue replied shamelessly, earning a collective eye-roll.

"Meat!" Wang Lao’er looked up.

"What kind of meat?"

"You took my meat last time."

"I was just joking with you."

Cao Ying was speechless.

Wang Lao’er took a bite and swallowed. "I don’t joke."

...

That night, none slept.

At dawn, hundreds walked along the mountain path.

At the front was Liang Jing.

The emperor had sent men to support the mine, and Liang Jing volunteered. The imperial concubine forbade it, fearing he’d catch the plague, but at that moment, Liang Jing recalled his reckless days as a ruffian and insisted, sneaking past the concubine to volunteer.

The emperor was delighted and agreed immediately. As for placating the concubine afterward, well, that was not for outsiders to know—no doubt it would take considerable effort.

Halfway, a soldier came to greet them.

"Where’s Chen Jin?" Liang Jing asked.

"The captain is tending the sick."

Liang Jing nodded. "Where’s Young Steward Yang?"

The soldier’s eyes brimmed with admiration. "Young Steward Yang is rescuing people in the mine."

"Is he being foolish?" Liang Jing tapped his forehead. "Ten or so trapped in the mine, two thousand sick from the plague—which is more important? Of course, keeping an eye on the sick is the right thing, wasting effort on the mine... must have been drunk."

The accompanying officials echoed him.

Human life, at this moment, was worth little.

For instance, when building city walls, if the wall collapsed and killed a few, it was no matter for the Ministry of Works. Some compensation, a few crying relatives, and after half a day, everyone forgot.

Arriving, the soldier said, "Ahead is the camp."

Liang Jing shivered, his ruffian bravado nearly vanished. "Let the doctors treat; I must see my poor brother."

"Lieutenant Liang, your loyalty knows no bounds!" someone flattered.

But everyone knew—the camp was now a plague stronghold, entering was courting danger.

"Where’s Yang Xuan?"

Liang Jing headed toward the mine.

Suddenly, cheers erupted ahead.

Torches were waved.

"What’s happening? Let’s see!"

Liang Jing, intrigued, quickened his pace.

At the entrance, the crowd blocked their way.

"Hey! Move aside, move aside!"

Someone cleared a path.

The people in front slowly shifted aside.

Liang Jing walked forward.

"Blindfolded, don’t uncover them."

Over a dozen blindfolded miners were led out.

A boy of six or seven stood at the entrance, trembling, tiptoeing to peer inside.

"Father!"

The cry was heart-rending.

A miner stopped, listening.

"Did I just hear my eldest son’s voice?"

"Father!"

The boy rushed forward.

The miner crouched, and the boy flung himself into his arms.

"Father!"

Tears streamed down the faces of father and son, tracing lines through the grime.

Liang Jing’s gaze shifted, seeing a dusty man nearby.

The man watched the reunion, grinning.

"Zi Tai!"

The man turned at the sound, and laughed.

"My brother Liang!"

"Zi Tai!" Liang Jing, inexplicably, found his eyes brimming with tears.

Yang Xuan walked over, arms wide.

"Lieutenant, step back!"

Someone warned, reminding Liang Jing that Yang Xuan might already have the plague.

Just as he was about to dodge, Yang Xuan embraced him.

"Brother!"

"Zi Tai!"

Liang Jing’s face turned pale.

But Yang Xuan, ever mischievous, hugged him a moment longer.

Liang Jing collapsed, struggling to maintain his composure. "Exhausted, utterly spent."

"Soak your feet," Yang Xuan said, knowing his friend was now full of regret.

"Young Steward Yang."

The boy’s voice called.

Yang Xuan turned.

The boy knelt.

Yang Xuan reached to help him.

The boy bowed deeply. "Thank you, Young Steward Yang."

Bang!

He bowed again. "This one’s for my father."

Yang Xuan lifted him up. "Lao’er."

"What?"

"That jerky I gave you—give him a piece!"

Wang Lao’er was reluctant, until Yang Xuan kicked him, then finally handed the boy a piece.

"Zi Tai, I’m not afraid of death," Liang Jing protested, barely able to stand, maintaining his facade.

Yang Xuan coughed once, then again.

"You..." Liang Jing trembled.

He’d lived a modest life, until his sister became a princess, and things improved. When she entered the palace as a concubine, he’d leapt from a basket of chaff to one of rice.

The better life gets, the harder it is to give up—he wished he could live ten thousand years.

Liang Jing was just so.

"It’s not the plague!"

Cheers erupted from the camp.

This time, nearly all accompanying doctors were plague veterans.

"It’s food poisoning," Zhuque said calmly. "A major case—who’s responsible?"

Yang Xuan didn’t know, nor did he care.

Liang Jing instantly revived, dragging Yang Xuan’s hand. "Come, let me introduce you to a man from the palace."

At the back of the crowd stood a man in his forties—thin, with reddened eyes.

"Yang Xuan?"

His voice was gentle.

"Yes."

The man nodded. "I’m Han Stone."

Chief attendant of the Inner Court, confidant of the emperor, Han Stone?

Yang Xuan hurried to salute. "Greetings, Attendant Han."

Even the unruly Liang Jing grew subdued upon meeting Han Stone.

"Greetings, Attendant Han."

Han Stone ignored him, watching Yang Xuan, his reddened eyes probing.

"Why did you rescue the ten trapped first?"

What’s he asking?

Chang’an cared about—

The epidemic!

They feared it spreading.

So, was he saying I acted without weighing priorities?

How to answer?

Say it was for His Majesty?

Too fake!

Thoughts spun in his mind—an instant.

Yang Xuan decided to speak frankly. "I saw a six or seven-year-old child kneeling outside the cave, calling for his father, and I couldn’t bear it."

Foolish!

Liang Jing shook his head, thinking—what about the bigger picture? In the grand scheme, what does a single life matter?

Han Stone neither approved nor disapproved, but continued, "Why did you dare to approach those possibly plague-stricken patients? Are you not afraid of death?"

The crucial question.

Yang Xuan answered sincerely, "Those patients were wailing. I thought His Majesty is merciful; if he knew, he would surely send someone to inquire after them. What I thought, I acted upon... As for my life, at that moment, I only thought of my loyalty to His Majesty."

That flattery!

I can’t compete! Liang Jing was stunned beside him.