Chapter 208

"Deception of the throne is punishable by death. Did you just say that Red Earth City can cultivate the Ming Fa herb, which is a component in the remedy for this plague?" The second prince asked again to confirm. His eyes widened, and both of them turned red.

There was no need to say how excited the prince was. His current feeling was that he could hardly believe what he had just heard. Of course, it wasn’t just the second prince who was in such a state; even his followers, who had traveled with him through many cities, couldn’t believe that the salvation for the people of the Bai Region lay in Red Earth City!

The governor of Green Wood City understood their reactions well. Initially, he had indeed invited the governor of Red Earth City and his wife for a meeting, seeking ordinary cooperation, mainly to purchase medicine from them. Of course, he did not expect himself to have the ability to negotiate on these matters, so their initial talks were not very significant.

To be honest, the talk of medicine was just a pretext for the governor of Green Wood City to invite them. His main duty was to host the governor of Red Earth City, who was passing through his city on the way to the capital as per the royal decree. It was during their smooth conversation that the governor of Red Earth City and his wife suddenly mentioned their successful cultivation of the Ming Fa herb, which would enable Red Earth City to produce large quantities of medicine in the future.

The governor of Green Wood City couldn’t believe it at first until they confirmed it firmly. Only then did he realize how fortunate he was!

Everyone in the Bai Region knew that Red Earth City was like a hellhole. It was believed that the Bai Region kept Red Earth City in such a state solely because of the Red Mo herb. If not for Red Earth City’s suitability for growing Red Mo, which was one of the herbs used to treat blood circulation disorders, even the Emperor might not want to keep such a worthless and burdensome city.

No one ever thought that Red Earth City would one day be able to cultivate something other than Red Mo. So, what did this imply? It meant that Red Earth City was on the verge of a significant transformation, didn’t it?

"That’s right, Your Highness. Thanks to my wife’s expertise in cultivation, which she has loved studying since her days in the Du Region, she was able to devise a method to cultivate the Ming Fa herb," Mu Heng replied, providing assurance to the second prince, who would support them on this journey.

"Good, very good! When we return, I will tell my father to reward you!" Upon hearing that, the second prince clapped his knee in satisfaction. The epidemic issue was nothing more than a shortage of medicinal herbs.

Previously, they had no idea how to treat this terrible disease. Initially, everyone believed the epidemic would remain confined to the worthless Red Earth City. Unexpectedly, within a few months, it had spread throughout the entire Region. If it had stayed in Red Earth City, who would have cared? But once it spread across the Region, even neighboring Regions were affected. How could they ignore it?

Fortunately, his uncle had great foresight, bringing talented individuals to the Bai Region by appointing the governor of Red Earth City. This forced the other party to find a solution for the epidemic. It was incredible that the new governor, whom his uncle favored, indeed had such capabilities.

After learning that Red Earth City could produce the medicine, the capital had already inquired about the method of preparation. Naturally, with the Emperor’s decree as the ruler of the Region, those beneath the throne couldn’t refuse. Thus, the formula for medicine was also in the hands of the royal physicians.

However, they quickly realized the dire situation upon seeing the recipe. The preparation method wasn’t complicated, but it certainly presented a significant problem.

The Ming Fa herb, the primary ingredient, could only be cultivated effectively in one city in the entire Bai Region. This city had been renamed Ming Fa City for easy recognition.

They were the sole production center. Until now, there had never been any issues since the Ming Fa herb was just a component in a few medicines. So, when Red Earth City initially submitted a request for herbs to the capital, no one thought much about it and sent the herbs, believing they were to be used for energy-boosting medicines. Who would have thought it was a component for an epidemic cure?!

By the time they realized, there were hardly any of those herbs left in the stockpiles. As a result, the second prince had to visit Ming Fa City to inspect how bad the situation was and determine if there were any alternative solutions.

Naturally, there was no solution. The herbs in Ming Fa City had just been harvested, and it would be another four months before the next harvest. Even then, it would only be enough to produce less than ten thousand bottles of medicine, indicating that there was no hope.

As the second prince traveled back, he could only check the situation along the way, having no other options. Who would have thought that his aimless journey would lead him to a solution for this problem?

The second prince laughed for a while in relief. The burden on his chest that had weighed him down for many days had caused him great stress—not because of his father’s orders, but because he genuinely cared about the well-being of the people. If he had to wait four months to refine 10,000 bottles of medicine, wouldn’t that be the same as telling the townspeople to wait for death?

After nearly an incense stick’s time, his flushed face gradually calmed. His eyes focused on the beautiful woman who was said to have devised the method for cultivating the rare herb. He recalled his uncle’s words warning him not to underestimate this woman, realizing now how foolish he had been.

Earlier, he had seen her demeanor with her husband, and she seemed like an annoying common woman, idly admiring beautiful things and appearing not very intelligent. The only positive thing he noted was her candid and sincere manner of speaking with her husband. Who would have thought she had such capabilities?

She could concoct medicine and find ways to cultivate herbs! If she wasn’t called a divine physician, what else could she be called?!

Thinking about it, he couldn’t believe that the Du Region had let her and her husband go so easily. If it were the Bai Region, as long as they were talented, they would provide substantial resources to retain these individuals, knowing that such people would be a driving force propelling the Bai Region forward and elevating it above others.

If the abilities she mentioned were true and she could indeed cultivate a large number of Ming Fa herbs, wouldn’t that mean she was bringing immense profit to the Bai Region?

It was reported that people from the Hu Region had started showing symptoms of the epidemic. Even if it was the Hu Region! The herbs like Ming Fa flowers would certainly be insufficient.

They never considered the importance of Ming Fa herbs. In the future, the Hu Region might increase their cultivation, preventing a shortage of Ming Fa flowers. This could be seen as a blessing for a prosperous Region.

However, the current situation was different. They needed to wait until the Ming Fa herbs were ready for use. If the Bai Region could help them in the meantime, wouldn’t that improve the relationship between the two Regions?

"You can cultivate Ming Fa flowers. Does that mean they will be ready for harvest soon?" The second prince asked again for confirmation.

"Yes, Your Highness. The Ming Fa flowers we cultivated using a special method will be ready for harvest in one month," Mu Heng signaled, letting his beautiful wife answer. Yueqian then responded directly to the second prince.

"That soon?"

"Yes, Your Highness. Additionally, we have cultivated a large quantity. We believe that in one month, we can send enough to the capital to produce tens of thousands of bottles of medicine," her clear voice continued to chatter. Her tone did not seem to have any intention of flattery. Her demeanor was rather stiff and kept a considerable distance. This made the prince raise an eyebrow at her manner.

It seemed that this couple could easily be misunderstood as arrogant if not seen from another perspective. Ah... I mean, from the perspective of secretly eavesdropping. No! The perspective where they were talking naturally.

"Prepare a written report. Once we reach the capital, I will let you present this to my father," the second prince nodded as he spoke, showing his confidence in his decision.

If it were another prince, they would have to present themselves as the ones who made things run smoothly and solved the problem, and would never allow others to report it, as it would mean stealing the credit they could claim for themselves.

Thus, this prince, taught by the Wang of the Bai Region, was different from others in his thinking. This made the couple exchange a glance, realizing that this prince seemed genuinely trustworthy.

After a few more words of discussion, the second prince informed them that he would be traveling back to the capital along with Red Earth City’s entourage. Naturally, Mu Heng did not refuse this intention, as it was highly advantageous for them.

Their journey became much safer with the second prince joining the convoy. It wasn’t because the prince had a large force with him, but because having a royal member meant they could display the prince’s emblem throughout the journey.

Even the most skilled bandits would not dare to attack upon seeing such a symbol, unless they wished to face the formidable forces of the Bai Region.

That was because the Region would never allow anyone to disgrace its honor. As long as they dared to act against a member of the royal family, it would demonstrate that the Bai Region’s royal family was disregarded by them! Therefore, even the most formidable bandits would be crushed by the Region’s army.

Not to mention the powerful factions from various cities who didn’t want the governor of Red Earth City to reach the capital. If it were just the governor of Red Earth City, it might not matter much. However, there was a significant royal figure traveling with them. If they made a move, wouldn’t it be considered treason? Who would dare to do that?!

What Yueqian appreciated most about having the second prince along was how much calmer Fang Gonggong’s demeanor had become. Since being severely reprimanded—a reprimand harsher than any he had received while serving the king—he no longer dared to flaunt his status. Even in the presence of the Red Earth City’s soldiers, who were actually the Wang’s soldiers, Fang Gonggong had to be careful with his behavior.Who would have thought that the Governor Mu’s furen possessed such capabilities, turning the soldiers’ perception of him into that of a villain? In reality, he hadn’t intended to take advantage of the soldiers; he merely wanted to bully the other party a little. Who could have predicted that the situation would escalate so much? Just thinking about it made him regret choosing the wrong enemy.