CHAPTER 1757: 1757 CHAPTER: WHEN TWO ARMIES ENGAGE IN BATTLE, MESSENGERS ARE NOT KILLED

"In a battle between two armies, there’s no killing of envoys. General Cai, why do this?" Cheng Yu said calmly and unhurriedly.

Tang Yin’s expression had become extremely gloomy. He snorted coldly and said, "This person’s words are outrageous. Drag him out and give him twenty lashes, then put him in prison first."

Only then did Cheng Yu show a frightened expression, "Your Majesty, you are not a muddle-headed person, why treat an officer like this?"

Look here, this tone is not one used towards the emperor, obviously directed at a high-ranking official, otherwise the officials should refer to themselves as "your humble servant" to the emperor.

"Take him away." Tang Yin said impatiently.

Very quickly, Cheng Yu was dragged away, given twenty harsh lashes, and then thrown into the prison of Beiyu City.

The Guest Palace was originally a place for the emperor to visit and vacation, and it did not have such things as dungeons from the start.

Then, on the morning of the second day, Meng Liangshen hastily went to see the emperor, saying that Cheng Yu in the prison had a fever and was talking nonsense, looking like he wouldn’t make it!

"Isn’t he a martial artist? Why can’t he handle twenty lashes?" Tang Yin squinted his eyes, "Did someone tamper with the prison?"

Meng Liangshen bowed, "Your humble servant is incompetent, allowing someone to exploit a loophole. I’m afraid Cheng Yu was poisoned."

"Call Jiu Sheng of the Imperial Medical Bureau to take a look." Tang Yin snorted softly, "Wasn’t this all part of King Rui’s plan from the beginning? To blacken my name, he casually sacrifices his men, truly fitting his sinister and cunning style."

However, Meng Liangshen’s expression was very grave. The current situation was that although the Capital was seized by King Rui, the people of the world did not accept him.

On one hand, he is not the legitimate ruler, having usurped the throne, with a bad reputation.

On another, Elder Jiang Ge killed himself in the hall, and the old imperial censor nearly did the same, angering scholars all over the world.

Additionally, the heavenly omens orchestrated by Jiang Yichun made the common people further believe that King Rui’s position was illegitimate and words unjustified.

But at this time, both scholars and military generals adhered to certain rules, such as not killing envoys during war. Killing Cheng Yu was nothing, but it could be used by King Rui’s side to propagate Tang Yin’s harshness and penchant for killing, exploiting the temper of scholars to condemn Tang Yin for breaking the rules in madness.

Otherwise, with Cai Yucheng’s temper, Cheng Yu would have been cut down with a sword long ago, and he wouldn’t have been allowed to enter the palace.

Very soon, Meng Liangshen summoned Jiu Sheng and other Imperial Doctors to treat Cheng Yu, and because of Cheng Yu’s situation, he was temporarily taken out of prison and housed in the Beiyu City Guest Lodge.

"Lord Meng, he has been poisoned, but forgive my inability, I cannot cure this poison." Jiu Sheng, after much fuss, even bled Cheng Yu’s fingers, but ultimately could not write a complete formula.

At this moment, Cheng Yu was flushed with fever, muttering delirious words, but his voice was weak, as if he could quiet down at any moment.

"What about Bai Ruozhu? Does she have a way?" Meng Liangshen asked.

"Master’s medical skills are far superior to ours. Perhaps she can find a solution." Jiu Sheng said, not discouraged, but even a bit excited, eager for Bai Ruozhu to come and treat, so he could learn well by her side.

"Go, find someone to invite Lady Bai, the Chief Doctor, over." Meng Liangshen spoke, his eyes dimming slightly, as his eldest son resided at the Bai Residence. He wondered if his son would come along, as he worried about him, yet Huilin always seemed to be avoiding them.

At the Bai Residence, Bai Ruozhu happened to be talking to Senior Fox, with Bai Yihong by her side, the three of them tinkering with a new limb for Xu Huilin.

"This wood is still a bit heavy. I think we can make it thinner, no need for too much weight. The hand can also be slightly shorter." Bai Ruozhu offered her opinion.

Bai Yihong stroked his chin thoughtfully, then suddenly looked up and said, "Won’t it not look like a real arm if placed inside the sleeve?"

"Do you want it to look good or be useful? The most important thing is ease of use, right?" As she spoke, she looked at Senior Fox, thinking he shouldn’t be someone who cares too much about appearance, right?

No wait, it seems Senior Fox does care a lot about how he looks...

Xu Huilin laughed, "You’re right, as long as it’s practical."

Bai Ruozhu was taken aback, then also laughed, "If we can find my senior brother, and make a Mechanical Arm, these issues will be easily solved."

Xu Huilin and Bai Yihong did not respond, but Bai Ruozhu herself became worried, where on earth have Ning Yu and Diao Bin gone?

"Miss, Lord Meng sent someone to invite you over."

Jianqi’s voice interrupted Bai Ruozhu’s train of thought. She quickly collected herself and asked, "What’s the matter?"

"The messenger said that yesterday, an envoy from the Capital came to deliver King Rui’s decree. The emperor found the envoy’s words outrageous and ordered him to be given twenty lashes and imprisoned in Beiyu Prison. Unexpectedly, the envoy was barely alive by morning. Jiu Sheng and the others looked at him, saying he was poisoned but could not detoxify him."

"Oh? King Rui’s envoy?" Bai Ruozhu raised an eyebrow. Being a modern person, she was not so deeply rooted in the rule of ’not killing envoys during a battle between armies’.

"What’s the point in saving him? Let him die."

Senior Fox shot her a disdainful look and said, "See, you women don’t understand. In war, you don’t kill envoys. If the envoy dies here, King Rui might use the rumor to fuel propaganda, tarnishing the emperor’s name as tyrannical and unjust. Especially since those scholars and military generals value these rules the most, why let King Rui have his way?"

Only then did Bai Ruozhu understand, "It seems King Rui’s own reputation is bad, so he can only use this strategy to taint the emperor. Fine, I’ll make the effort and go."

Jianqi directly instructed Muyu to carry the Medical Box. Such instructions no longer required Bai Ruozhu herself to give them.

"Ruozhu, be careful outside, take care of yourself and the two little ones inside." Bai Yihong said worriedly.

Bai Ruozhu nodded, "Dad, I will."

Senior Fox followed along, lazily saying, "Fine, I’ll go have a look too, and let the old man know I’m well, so they don’t worry all the time."

Bai Ruozhu glanced at his already equipped right prosthetic arm, thinking he probably wanted to show it to Meng Liangshen to ease his worries.

She pursed her lips, not saying it out loud, so that he wouldn’t feel embarrassed and refuse to go.

Bai Ruozhu boarded a horse carriage, with Senior Fox accompanying her. Bai Ruozhu hesitated but realized it was inconvenient, yet considering he couldn’t ride a horse anymore, how could she chase him off?

Besides, Senior Fox was her sworn brother, and also her husband’s senior brother, there weren’t too many rules about that.

Xu Huilin sat across from Bai Ruozhu, with a maid, Min Xiang, attending to them in the carriage.

"Ouch..." Xu Huilin suddenly exclaimed.

Bai Ruozhu was pondering something, which pulled her back to reality. She quickly looked up and saw Xu Huilin had fallen onto the floor, her lips twitched unwillingly.