Every phenomenon has a cause. Thanks to Chi Ying, Bai Lianzan recovered. As he recuperated, Cao Qian investigated the plague's origin. Initially hindered by incapacitated patients, now with treatment, patients improved, providing clues. Bai Lianzan questioned the first patient, discovering he bought a pearl necklace cheaply in Yucheng. "Do you still have the necklace?" Bai Lianzan asked. Searching revealed it missing. The soldier panicked, suspecting theft. Bai Lianzan assured, "The thief must be among the sick. We'll find it. But burn it to prevent infecting your family." The soldier reluctantly agreed. Outside, Cao Qian suggested interrogating all infected. Bai Lianzan disagreed, "They won't admit it. Pearl necklaces are rare; even knowing the danger, they'd hide it." "Then what do we do?" Cao Qian asked. Bai Lianzan smiled, "Easy. Follow my plan." Half an hour later, Cao Qian rode through camp, shouting, "His Majesty lost a red jade dragon pendant. Whoever returns it will be spared; otherwise, execution!" Soldiers gathered, curious. Finding nothing, Cao Qian ordered a search. Knowing there was no real pendant, the thief remained unsuspecting. Soon, a guard found the pearl necklace. Stunned soldiers realized the trick. Cao Qian pointed to the crowd, identifying a single pair of alarmed eyes. Pointing, he ordered, "Seize him!" Guards caught the burly soldier trying to flee. Holding the necklace, Cao Qian demanded, "What's this?" The soldier struggled, lying, "A gift for my wife." "Actually, it caused the plague," Cao Qian said, "As the owner, you're responsible."
You have come to take responsibility for this plague. Guards, drag him out and behead him!"
The soldier was so terrified that he wet his pants and quickly changed his statement, claiming the necklace was not his and had nothing to do with him. After further interrogation by Cao Qian, the man admitted that he had stolen the necklace, repeatedly kowtowing and apologizing. Following Bai Lian's instructions, Cao Qian sentenced him to thirty military rods and sent him to the nearest county for detention.
"To contract a plague, one must either come into contact with an infected person or with objects used by someone who is sick."
After identifying the source of the epidemic and punishing the thief in the army, Bai Lian reported the details and results to Cui Yi: "According to Chen Erzhu's account, the seller of the necklace was a masked and gloved merchant from the Humonto tribe. The Humonto people live in the desert, where both men and women wear veils. However, there is no need for such attire in Yucheng, which has neither sandstorms nor the necessity for gloves. In my opinion, this person must know that the original owner of the pearl necklace had contracted the plague, perhaps even died from it, and deliberately sold the item cheaply to a soldier to spread the plague within the camp."
Cui Yi leaned forward, interlocking his fingers under his chin, his tone heavy: "A Humonto merchant..."
Xu Cheng was livid: "It must be that Guo Ziyang playing tricks! To think of such a vicious scheme, too cowardly to fight us head-on, resorting to underhanded methods behind our backs! When we catch him, everyone will take a stab at him, flaying him alive!"
Cao Qian hesitated: "We can't be certain it's his scheme. Using a plague to harm others doesn't align with his usual tactics..."
"Indeed, it doesn't seem like something Guo Ziyang would do," Bai Lian agreed. "Last year, back in the capital, Her Majesty once told me about Guo Ziyang's character. He is very smooth-talking, adept at navigating among officials, always leaving room for compromise and never going too far. Such a ruthless plot does not fit his style; it seems more like Fu Zhi's past actions."
Suddenly, Cui Yi coughed loudly, interrupting him. Bai Lian looked puzzled, but Cui Yi changed the subject: "Regardless of who did it, we narrowly escaped this time. We cannot let our guard down in the future. They can think of using plagues to harm us, and they will surely come up with even more sinister plans. We must be vigilant."
Though Bai Lian didn't understand why Cui Yi interrupted him, he complied: "Your Majesty is right. I will send out more spies to gather information." With Cui Yi's nod, he left the tent.
At the mention of Shan Jian's name by Bai Lian, Xu Cheng, who had been passionately denouncing earlier, suddenly turned pale, looking as if he were constipated. Seeing this, Cao Qian couldn't help but ask, "Why do you look so bad? Are you also infected? Go see the military doctor immediately!"
Xu Cheng found it awkward to explain and mumbled as he left. Cao Qian was perplexed: "What's wrong with Yuan Ke?"
"Perhaps he's ill," Cui Yi remarked ambiguously.
Several days later, the two armies clashed at Liangzhou's Batai Plain. The Anti-Rebellion Army had more troops and superior weapons, but over half of the allied forces were cavalry, giving them an advantage on the plains. The battle lasted from noon until dusk, ending with both sides retreating to their camps for dinner.
In the command tent, Cui Yi urgently convened a meeting to discuss the allied forces' unique cavalry unit.
Countries in the Western Regions are founded in oases amidst deserts, where besides horses, camels are commonly used as mounts. However, these animals, known as "ships of the desert," had never been employed in combat before. Although Bai Lian had learned about the allied forces' camel cavalry, he could not effectively analyze their combat capabilities or propose countermeasures. As a result, they nearly suffered a significant defeat in the first battle.
Camels, accustomed to living in arid areas with extreme temperature fluctuations, are incredibly strong, capable of carrying heavy loads better than horses, unafraid of sandstorms, taller, and larger in size. Mounted on camels, cavalry could easily knock people down and deliver lethal blows with their hooves.
Generals initially thought camels were too cumbersome to run fast or turn as nimbly as horses. Only after experiencing their power firsthand did they realize their mistake and avoid direct confrontation, opting instead to maneuver around. This psychological disadvantage affected their morale, making them feel inferior despite the battle being a draw.
Bai Lian cautiously suggested: "While camels are immensely powerful, large animals often have weaknesses. Perhaps we could send a team to attack their undersides. If we cut open their bellies, I doubt they could continue fighting."
"But camels are incredibly strong. People might get knocked away before they even get close," a general noted fearfully.
Another proposed: "Since they used plagues against us, we could try poisoning their food or water supply. Whether it's poison or laxatives, anything to incapacitate them."
This suggestion was rejected by Cui Yi: "Camels can survive without food or water for three to four days in the desert. Besides, most of the terrain here consists of grasslands. Camels mostly graze locally, making it difficult to poison their food. Poisoning the water sources would harm our own horses first. It's not feasible."
Numerous suggestions were discussed, but none were practical or beneficial. No effective solution was reached.
The next day, the Anti-Rebellion Army avoided direct confrontation with the camel cavalry, focusing instead on the horse cavalry. Casualties decreased slightly, but the problem wasn't fundamentally resolved. Even Cui Yi faced dangerous situations, barely escaping thanks to his bodyguards. Post-battle casualty counts revealed 1,600 seriously injured and nearly ten thousand lightly wounded, with almost a third injured by camel attacks. Morale plummeted, and even the usually confident Cui Yi felt overwhelmed by the overwhelming advantage of the enemy's cavalry.