Zhu Su was still working in despair, Hu Nayin, Liu Ku, Li Heng, Guo Songmi, Shao Rong, and the others were still immersed in their efforts to find the antidote, thence they paid no attention when several guards came in and gave reports.
"May we report Your Highness! San Hu Wei has returned!"
Zhu Su turned his head, a languid expression still hanged on his face. Negativism made him think that San Hu Wei returned in the form of dead bodies. His chest felt like he was crushed by a large rock when he said, "Okay... I will see them..."
But before he got to his feet, Wu Qi and A Nuo had stepped inside in confidence.
"Your Highness! We have accomplished our task! The rebellion has been put down, Huan Shikang and Rumilie have died, and we have taken Suo Junhuan into custody. The rebellion has completely finished now!"
Wu Qi said confidently, his eyes sparkling with joy as he looked at Zhu Su who stared back at him with wide eyes. Of course, Zhu Su still could not believe with his eyes. He was frustrated just now, thinking that Fate was playing with him by thwarting all of his efforts just when only one step remained for him to reach success. Then now, Wu Qi and A Nuo who were said to be dying could instead stand in front of him vigorously, even reported that the entire rebellion had been successfully extinguished and the leaders had also died, how could he believe it?
Could it be, he was dreaming?
"Wu Qi…" Zhu Su stuttered. "Don't you suffer from a terminal disease? Why now?..."
"I am very well, Your Highness!"
"But... isn't there no antidote for this disease? And those who catch it, will surely die?..."
"But the proof is, A Nuo and I are still alive. And we are very healthy as well."
The members of the Team of Wellbeing also watched them with wide eyes. Some of them still doubted their eyes. Li Heng and Guo Songmi quickly stepped forward. "Wu Qi and A Nuo, let us examine you!"
Li Heng and Gio Songmi examined Wu Qi and A Nuo very thoroughly, and it took quite a long time to do the examination. Everyone watched curiously as Li Heng and Guo Songmi finished checking and then gave their reports.
"Wu Qi and A Nuo are completely in good health without a single illness!"
The entire hall soon turned boisterous. Hu Nayin and Liu Ku even approached Wu Qi and A Nuo. Liu Ku was also examining both of them. On the other hand, Hu Nayin blinked. "Just now I felt very guilty for causing a disease that endangered your lives... but thank goodness. You are okay, I'm very happy to hear..." Her smile turned wider.
Wu Qi looked at Hu Nayin. He smiled back, bowing respectfully. "Thank you for your attention, my Lady!"
Liu Ku finished examining A Nuo. He smiled, appeared very satisfied. "I know why they can be completely healthy even though this disease is so fierce and anyone who catches it will definitely die."
Everyone looked interested. "Why?"
"Because Wu Qi, A Nuo, and other San Hu Wei soldiers basically have good stamina."
"Oh yeah?! Simply because of that?!..." Qing did not believe it. "But this disease killed so many people in Shuizhen and Shuanghu?!"
"But not the rebel leaders like Huan Shikang and Rumilie, right? Because they also have good stamina. Different from the people of Shuizhen and Shuanghu who are really destitute. They are actually lack of good nutrition. Bad lifestyle, bad sanitation. So, with bad stamina, how can they fight the disease? Of course they would die in a matter of days. It's different from Wu Qi, A Nuo, and the San Hu Wei soldiers who have good stamina and therefore can recover quickly."
"And one more important factor. I believe that Wu Qi has a strong desire and determination to recover from illness," added Liu Ku, he stared at Wu Qi who immediately nodded.
"That's right. At that time, I felt that my energy was insufficient to pull me from the border of life and death. Even more, my head hurt so badly and my heart almost stopped, I even thought that I had died. But I keep struggling to fight the illness. My desire to return to the battlefield and suppress the rebellion is so great. So that's why, even though only pitch black I could see, and my strength was totally gone, as if by magic, I could regain my energy. I got my power in an instant! I could even get up from the bed and return to the battlefield!" Wu Qi explained in excitement.
"Our energy helped the medicine we consumed become effective," A Nuo chimed in.
Everyone now stared in admiration at Wu Qi and A Nuo. They knew, to tell the story was easy, but it was far difficult to endure it by themselves. Wu Qi had endured the horror of suffering from a deadly malignant disease, he managed to recover and had even become a hero in saving the country.
"With Wu Qi, as well as A Nuo and other San Hu Wei soldiers as the living evidences, we can make them the examples for the people of Shuizhen and Shuanghu, as well as Kaifeng people who become victims of rebel forces and get infected by them. That there is a way to diminish this disease despite the fact that it is has no antidote. So they don't have to worry anymore. Sometimes, psychological healing is more important than physical healing!" said Liu Ku happily.
"However, not all of San Hu Wei soldiers have totally recovered. Yan San is still not recovering from his illness, as well as the other San Hu Wei soldiers," Wu Qi added.
"Oh, by the way, I heard that you got infected because of Rumilie's trap?" Zhu Su asked again.
Wu Qi then told everything in a very sequential manner, from beginning to end.
Stunned, Zhu Su sighed. "That means, the incompetent one is Yan San. He even nearly brings disaster to all of you. He shouldn't have been appointed as chief commander. I want to bring him back to his previous position, and about the position of chief commander, will be held by you, Wu Qi."
"Don't deny it anymore. You deserve to get this. If I don't appoint you as the chief commander then it means I can't manage the country properly because my incapability of recognizing good talent. You have made a great job by suppressing rebellions and it has made you worthy of that greatness."
Touched, Wu Qi soon bowed deeply, "Thank you very much for your generosity! I promise, I will not waste this grant, I will carry out my responsibilities properly!"
"Alright! This is not an official appointment! Wait until I hold the ceremony officially, then you can salute like that!" Zhu Su laughed. "You said, you have arrested Suo Junhuan? Can you bring him here?"