Yuanqing seventeen years, June 23rd.
The morning sun covered Chang'an Sixth Street. With the sound of the morning drums, the east and west cities also became lively. In June, hundreds of flowers are in full bloom, and there are many people who go out for fun, enjoy flowers and write poems. No, the carriages are going one by one to the suburbs.
Lu Yan's carriage passed through the West City, entered Guangdefang, and stopped in front of Jingzhao Mansion.
Holding a few documents from various prefectures and counties in his hand, Sun Xu walked to Lu Yan's side and said, "Master Lu, this is the record of the prefecture and county pharmacy you want. Likewise, there is no sign of a plague."
Lu Yan took it, frowning slightly.
He remembered that dreams were the same. Chang'an before June 30 was peaceful, and there was no sign of natural disasters at all. But after that, the ferocity of the plague was completely beyond the imagination of the government and the people, the household registration plummeted, and tens of thousands of people died under such a plague. How many mansions are hung with white gauze...
"Master Lu, I don't know if I should say it or not." Sun Xu whispered.
"Master Sun said it directly."
"Master Lu attaches so much importance to the matter of the plague, but because of the national fortune measured by the two Taoists at the beginning of the month?" Sun Xu paused and continued, "But yesterday, the people from the Imperial Physician's Office also said that our Jingzhao Mansion was too nervous. already."
Lu Yan raised his head and said directly, "A few days ago, I retrieved the file from the Imperial Physician's Office and read the plague records of our great Jin Dynasty. There were about 15 major plagues, all of which are once every six years. Master Sun, can you remember when the last plague broke out?"
Sun Xu frowned and calculated, "It seems that it was really six years ago, but Master Lu, this kind of thing is a natural disaster... and it's not absolute."
"Although it's not absolute, it shouldn't be taken lightly." Lu Yan raised his hand and took a sip of tea, and continued: "The plague broke out in Yuanzhou City in the eleventh year of Qingyuan. If one household is infected, one city will fall. Six years ago, there were not as many inns as there are now. After the imperial court got the news, although they immediately opened warehouses and sent a lot of soldiers and doctors, they were on their way back and forth. A full month was missed. What happened in the end? The local governor cried and reported that the Yangtze River area was full of corpses and no one buried them. During the outbreak of the plague,"
Sun Xu's face gradually became serious.
"After the pandemic, the population plummeted, and the people lost their ability to farm, and could only rely on the government's food to survive. At that time, the border was uneasy, just in time for the Turks to invade. Our army was not weak. The Shang Shu wants to lead a hundred officials to persuade the saints to stop the war, and at the same time send an envoy to unite the Uighurs, in the final analysis, it is just because the vitality is hurt, and it is impossible to fight."
"Master Sun, the population of Yuanzhou City is only 20% of that of Chang'an. Once an accident occurs in Chang'an, it will be more serious than before, and Jingzhao House is to blame."
Sun Xu raised his hand and rubbed his face, took a deep breath, and said, "Lord Lu, don't scare me, you said I'm already a little hot." After that, he touched his forehead.
Lu Yan got up and said in a very low voice, "People from the Imperial Physician's Office are not credible."
As soon as the words fell, Sun Xu's eyes changed suddenly, "Master Lu means..." These words can't help but cause people to think deeply.
"Master Sun sent someone to check the places where the Imperial Physician's Office has already checked. Let's check it again."
Sun Xu nodded and said, "I see."
—
After lunch, Lu Yan closed the papers and went to the East Palace.
Walking to the front of the door, he bowed to the servant in front of the door and said, "Lu Yan, Shaoyin of Jingzhao House, has something to ask His Royal Highness."
"Sir, wait a minute, the servant will inform you."
"Get up." A kind-faced father-in-law greeted him with a smile, and said in a thin voice, "His Royal Highness said that there is no need to go through those tedious etiquettes when Lord Lu comes to visit. The old slave will show you the way."
"Thank you father-in-law."
"Why did Master Lu come to the East Palace at this time?" The prince said with a smile, his complexion was obviously much better than the previous few months.
"His Royal Highness, I am here today because I have an important task at my disposal."
The prince nodded thoughtfully, "But because of the recent plague in the capital, you came to see Mr. Bai?"
Lu Yan nodded and said yes.
"Exactly, I have something to tell you." After that, the prince took out a map of the Jin Dynasty, dipped a pen in ink, circled Luoyang, and handed it to Lu Yan.
After Lu Yan looked at it, he raised his head and looked at the prince, instantly adding a conjecture.
Since the plague in the dream broke out near Chang'an, he subconsciously believed that the sick people would definitely appear near Chang'an, but he has recently investigated layers and layers, and there is nothing wrong with it. If it breaks out suddenly, it is impossible.
Unless, the beginning was not in Chang'an, but someone brought this plague to Chang'an.
"What news did your Highness hear?" Lu Yan asked.
"Two days ago, I went to Dali Temple and Prison. I met Shen Wenqi and talked to him about the epidemic." The prince paused and said, "He pointed me to this place in Luoyang."
Hearing the words Shen Wenqi, Lu Yan raised his eyebrows subconsciously.
The prince continued: "Three years ago, the sage wanted to expand Luoyang and build a palace there. You should have returned to the capital by then, do you remember this?"
"I remember that the Marquis of Yunyang was opposed to this matter at that time."
Hearing his title to Shen Wenqi, the crown prince couldn't help but smile sincerely: "Then do you still remember the reason?"
Lu Yan nodded, "If you want to build a palace, you will have to cut down a lot of trees, and you will be extremely laborious. The Marquis of Yunyang objected to the fact that Luoyang is located in the Yellow River area. this matter."
"That's right, the sage was extremely displeased at that time because of his words." Thinking about it, the emperor wanted to build a palace for himself, but he didn't support it. He even said that this move would bring disaster. Who would be willing to listen
However, Emperor Cheng Yuan was also a wise man, and he knew that Shen Wenqi was born with that temper, so he did not take his anger out on him.
After a long silence, Lu Yan said in a low voice, "But last year the Chengxi Canal collapsed and the Marquis of Yunyang's house was raided, and the Minister of Works was replaced by the Sun family..."
Lu Yan didn't say the rest, but the prince and he were very clear.
That Sun Shangshu really doesn't have any ability. If he has to talk about his ability, flattery can be counted as one. Since he took office last year, the expansion of Luoyang City has begun...
First, a large number of trees were cut down, and then the rare and rare stones, trees and grasses, rare birds and animals in the north of Wuling were collected to fill the garden. The project is huge and extravagant and breathtaking.
The prince said again: "Shen Wenqi reminded me that more than half of the plagues in the past dynasties occurred in the Yellow River Basin. Branches, but not in Luoyang, if the plague occurs in Luoyang, the water from the well can instantly infect a city."
"Has your Highness sent someone to Luoyang?"
"Not only in Luoyang, but also in Suzhou and Hangzhou, I have sent people over, but it will take four days to wait for the news to come back from the station."
Lu Yan's vision suddenly flashed again in front of his eyes. Layers of white gauze were hung in hundreds of mansions, and there were less than half of the officials above the court...
Clenched fists.
Only he knew that if it was the same as in the previous life, after seven days, Chang'an City would not be able to hold, and there would be no time at all.
If there is an epidemic spread from the local area, Chang'an must be blocked immediately.
—
Inside the Anhua Hall, Queen Xu was lying on the couch, raised her hand, and said softly, "I'm far away, ask her to come and dye my nails. Yesterday, the sage glanced at it and said that it is not as good-looking as last time, so please change it for me. return."
The sixth prince strode into the hall, waved to the palace maid and the servants and said, "The king and the queen have something to say, so they all go outside to guard."
The palace maid and the servant hurriedly bowed and stepped back.
Empress Xu saw that his eyebrows were full of gloom, and said, "What's wrong with you?"
"Does the queen mother know where Lu Yan just went?"
"What are you selling with your mother, just say it." Queen Xu squeezed a grape and put it in her mouth.
"He went to the East Palace." The sixth prince gritted his teeth and said, "My son heard people say that the father-in-law next to the prince came out to greet him. When did his relationship with the East Palace become so good? Did the aunt choose a side to live in? ?"
"Jing'an will not intervene in these matters." Queen Xu wiped her hands, and added: "Lu Yan works in the Jingzhao Mansion, and is His Majesty's person. Contact with all places is inevitable. When Donggong walks in, it’s just official business. These are not important, Ye’er, how many days will the people from Luoyang be able to enter the city?”
"Three days at most."
"How many people came?"
"I wanted to send more, but some people with obvious cough symptoms were screened out, and then the ones who died on the way, that is, a hundred people."
"Enough." Empress Xu smiled and took out a list, "Find a lady and sell these people who are sent in to the various houses."
The sixth prince whispered: "Jingzhao Mansion has dispatched troops to station at the gate of the city, and the investigation is quite strict. Who is the mother going to handle this matter?"
Empress Xu hesitated for a moment, then said slowly, "The Sun family."
The sixth prince looked down at the list and asked in confusion, "Mother, why are there people under my sect here?"
"Otherwise? What would your Majesty think if all the people who get sick are officials who don't get along with you on weekdays?"
The author has something to say: See you tomorrow with Zhen Zhen, I need to push the plot quickly.
Papers referenced in this chapter:
"Research on Plague and Society in the Tang and Five Dynasties"
"The relationship between ancient plagues and environmental changes in the middle reaches of the Yellow River"