The first snow of this winter stopped, and it lasted for several days. The quiet cold night covered the ground one after another, and the moonlight against it was even more chilly. There is a thick layer of snow on the undulating glazed golden roof of the Dazheng Palace, as if the whole world has turned into a plain white world.
The white snow covered everything, and everything grew quietly in the snow, no one noticed, and there was no way to notice.
The night was deep, but Qing Chen hadn't slept yet, leaning against the head of the bed with a scroll in one hand to study carefully, wearing a fox fur, the color of the fox fur was soft and lustrous, rivaling the white snow outdoors, reflecting her snowy skin like jade Ying.
Ye Tianling sent someone to send this fox fur over the day before yesterday. Qing Chen read a book for a while, then subconsciously stretched out his hand to stroke it, and then remembered Ye Tianling's firm embrace, which was also warmly cared for, wrapped around him layer by layer, calling People are steadfast from the bottom of their hearts. Now standing in the Taiji Hall every day, seeing his tall and calm figure, everyone in the world feels that everything is not difficult, there is hope at all times, she can wait and endure, and unconsciously, his shadow has already disappeared. It is so deeply engraved in the bottom of my heart, and it becomes more and more dyed with time.
There are several medical books on the table in the room. Within a few days, the number of patients in Yige City increased again. This sudden epidemic, like a flood of beasts, devoured people's lives mercilessly, and it became more and more serious day by day. Suffering from limited conditions, many of the methods Qing Chen knew were useless, so he studied Chinese medicine in detail, hoping to make new discoveries.
In the blink of an eye, she turned off the lights and went to sleep. Just when she was in a daze, she heard someone outside the window calling softly: "Princess, princess..." The voice was light and urgent, vaguely like Baguio.
She put on her clothes and got out of bed, opened the door, and saw that Baguio was only wearing a brocade robe, shivering in the snow, and when she saw her coming out, she rushed forward and bowed down: "Princess, please save our sisters, please...please... …”
Qing Chen hurriedly pulled her up, and said in a low voice, "What are you doing, how dare you come to Zhiyuan Hall privately late at night?"
Baguio knelt in the snow but couldn't help it: "We have no choice but to come and beg the princess."
Seeing her like this, Qing Chen knew that something must have happened, and while supporting her, he said in a deep voice: "Don't disturb others, come in first."
Bi Yaofang followed her up, Qing Chen saw that she was shivering from the cold, and found a piece of clothing to put on her: "What's the matter? Take your time."
Bi Yao's eyes were bloodshot, and he looked anxious: "The Queen Mother... The Queen Mother has a headache and high fever tonight, and now she is unconscious and unconscious."
Qing Chen was startled in his heart: "Stupid! You don't want to announce the imperial physician, why did you come to me instead?"
Baguio choked up and said, "I dare not... Danqiong...she also has a high fever..."
Qing Chen's eyes tightened suddenly, and he didn't care to pursue his matter: "What!" She grabbed Bi Yao: "Who else is there?"
Baguio was so frightened that he could only shake his head, Qing Chen said coldly, "Tell me the symptoms in detail."
Baguio cried: "Headache...fever all over...cough...all groggy..."
Listening to her words, Qing Chen felt a sudden chill in his heart. This was exactly the same as the symptoms of the plague in Yige City. He grabbed the cloak and said, "Go, go and have a look."
Arriving at Yanxi Palace, Zi Yuan, who was on duty with Baguio tonight, was anxious like an ant on a hot pot, and walked around in the front hall of the bedroom. When she saw Biguio bringing Qingchen, she cried and begged: "The Princess save us."
Seeing that Zi Yuan had the courage to hide it with Bi Yao, Qing Chen was surprised, but he didn't have time to investigate further, so he said to them, "Stay at the door."
She entered the Empress Dowager's bedroom alone, Bi Yao and Zi Yuan could do nothing but hold hands and weep. Not long after, Qing Chen came out, his complexion was hidden under the dim eaves and he could not see clearly, Bi Yao asked urgently: "Princess..."
Qing Chen waved her hand: "Take me to see Dan Qiong, Zi Yuan is guarding here, no one, including yourself, is allowed to enter the palace."
Danqiong and Baguio shared a room, covered with a brocade quilt, unconscious, his face flushed abnormally due to high fever. Before entering the room, Qing Chen covered his mouth and nose with a silk handkerchief, and now he was taking her pulse, his eyes became more and more serious. Quickly left the house, went back to the Empress Dowager's dormitory without saying a word, Baguio trotted all the way behind, but didn't dare to call her, she lowered her head in thought, went out of Chaoshou corridor and asked: "When did this happen? "
Baguio replied, "It's today."
Qing Chen suddenly stopped, looked directly at her and asked, "Has Dan Qiong been out of the palace?"
Bi Yao knelt down on the ground, kowtowed and cried: "Don't dare to lie to the princess, Zi Yuan worried that there was only her mother in the family, and she went out secretly to deliver some medicine at noon, Dan Qiong was young and playful, and while I didn't know, I was pestering her to follow her." I went away, but who knows that it will be like this when I come back." While sobbing, he just kowtowed.
Qing Chen suppressed his voice and said: "You guys really don't want to die! Did I give my orders in vain a few days ago? The plague came in from the palace, even if I was willing to hide it for you, Dan Qiong might not be able to live. What's more, how big is this? Who can hide it!"
Baguio's face turned pale when he heard the words: "Princess, help me."
Qing Chen frowned and said, "Get up, what's the use of crying! You and Zi Yuan are lucky if you didn't get infected. Who else knows when they are leaving the palace?"
Baguio shook her head: "No one knows, there is a locked palace gate at the back of Jianning Palace that is unguarded, and the lock has been broken for a long time. They would go out from there quietly if they wanted to leave the palace in private."
Qing Chen knew that the epidemic was coming fiercely, and he was very anxious in his heart. He forced himself to calm down and said: "Don't cry anymore, you go to the imperial hospital immediately, report that the queen mother is not feeling well, and announce the imperial doctor to come. If the imperial doctor asks after seeing it, he must not admit it. Some people have been out of the palace, and they say that Dan Qiong has been serving the Queen Mother all the time, and Zi Yuan is with you. As long as no one sees it, no one will be able to find out. Much lighter."
Baguio was quite frightened, and said: "This... If this is found out, it will be a serious crime of deceiving the emperor."
Qing Chen's eyes sank: "The crime of deceiving the emperor, no one knows about it, so there is no such thing as deceiving the emperor. Remember that what you and Zi Yuan said cannot be the same, life and death depend on this." In the night, Yanxi Palace is uncertain. When the light came over, a silent figure was cast in the snow, the pupils were reflected, and the lights were dim.
Baguio was supported by her calm tone, her mind became much clearer, she kowtowed and said: "The princess took such a risk for us, and we will not be able to repay it in the next life."
Qing Chen sighed: "I don't know if I can escape this catastrophe. It's too early to say such a thing. I can't cure this disease now, and it's not cured by prescriptions. It depends on luck." Bi Yao knew the matter Seriously, I kowtowed and hurried away.
Qing Chen quietly returned to Zhiyuan Hall, and soon someone from Yanxi Palace came to report to the Emperor of Heaven, saying that the Empress Dowager was seriously ill.
It must be very bad if it is not to be disturbed at dawn and late at night. The Emperor of Heaven immediately drove to Yanxi Palace when he heard the news, but when he arrived at Yanxi Palace, he was stopped outside the bedroom by people from the Imperial Hospital. Sun Shian stepped forward and shouted: "Bold! Dare to stop the Holy Majesty! Hurry up and get out of the way!"
For the Empress Dowager's condition, He Ruyi, the imperial physician on duty who was taking the pulse, had long suspected the spread of the epidemic. Forgive me for being so bold that I dare not invite the emperor in."
But the Emperor of Heaven could still hold his breath, and said solemnly: "He Ruyi, tell me why you can't go in!"
He Ruyi said: "The Empress Dowager's pulse condition is vain, and she has a high fever... The matter is very important. I dare not speak nonsense, but please take care of the dragon's body first, Your Majesty."
Qing Chen saw that the Emperor of Heaven was getting angry. This He Ruyi was a disciple of Song Defang. Although his medical skills were good, he was notoriously pedantic and incomprehensible in the imperial hospital. He got the nickname "He Yumu". The Emperor of Heaven stepped forward and said: "Your Majesty, why don't you let me go in and have a look first, and then ask the Emperor to make a decision."
At this time, Sun Shi'an also heard that the matter was not simple, and he didn't dare to make the Emperor take risks, so he persuaded: "The emperor calms down, you might as well let the princess go and have a look first."
The Emperor of Heaven had some trust in Qing Chen's medical skills, after thinking about it, he finally agreed. Qing Chen followed He Ruyi into the bedroom, and Sun Shi'an served the Emperor of Heaven to serve tea in Ruichun Pavilion to keep warm.
Qing Chen knew all about the symptoms of the Empress Dowager, so he just went through a formality and asked He Ruyi, "Physician He, I'm afraid it's really that disease, what do you think?"
He Ruyi shook his head and said: "It's a fluke for the lower officials. I cut off the wrong pulse. Now the princess also believes that it is the epidemic. I'm afraid he is right. This disease is very serious. I will persuade you no matter what. Your Majesty, don't come close, if they spread out in the palace, it would be unimaginable."
Qing Chen said: "Now the first thing I'm afraid is to block the source of the disease first, otherwise it will be difficult to prevent it from spreading."
He Ruyi said: "It's not too late, I'm going to report to the emperor right now, and ask the emperor to make a decision."
Qing Chen thought to himself that the only way to seal Yanxi Palace and isolate the people in the palace was, but how could this be easy? I want to persuade He Ruyi to be more tactful and tell the Emperor of Heaven that He Ruyi has already stepped into the Ruichun Pavilion to face the saint. Qing Chen followed him in, and reported the Empress Dowager's illness to the Emperor of Heaven in detail. The Emperor of Heaven himself knew the principles of medicine, and the more he listened to it, the more serious his face became, and he asked, "He Ruyi, what did your empress dowager say?"
He Ruyi bowed and replied: "Back to the emperor, the empress dowager's disease is consistent with the epidemic situation in Beijing and Li, and I have the courage to ask the emperor to seal the Yanxi Palace temporarily."
As soon as the words fell, the Heavenly Emperor was really displeased and said: "Bold! Yanxi Palace is the Queen Mother's bedroom, how can you let me seal it up?"
He Ruyi immediately knelt down and kowtowed: "The minister is telling the truth, please consider the emperor's discretion. If the Yanxi Palace is not sealed, everyone's life in the palace will be in danger."
The Emperor of Heaven shouted: "It's nonsense! The palace is cautious, how can there be an epidemic?"
He Ruyi kowtowed again and said, "I don't know how the disease entered the palace, but the Empress Dowager is seriously ill, so you must not be careless."
The Emperor of Heaven said angrily: "He Ruyi, you can't cure the Empress Dowager's illness, and you just randomly push it to the epidemic. I must go and see for myself! If there is anything wrong, how many heads do you have?" After finishing speaking, he wanted to go to the Empress Dowager's bedroom. Sun Shi'an and others hurriedly persuaded him, but no one dared to stop the supreme body of the Emperor of Heaven. Instead, Qing Chen caught up with him, knelt in the snow and said, "Please stay, Your Majesty!" persuade.
The Emperor of Heaven was stopped by her, and said: "Qing Chen, you are also bold, dare to block my drive! My mother is sick, but I am not allowed to visit, how can the world be so reasonable!"
Qing Chen kowtowed slightly and said, "Qing Chen would rather disobey the emperor than let the emperor in. What's more, you are not only the son of the empress dowager, but also the emperor of the world. regardless of?"
The Emperor of Heaven didn't expect Qing Chen to be so outspoken, but her words were reasonable, and it was difficult to refute them for a while. She walked back and forth in the snow, upset: "Okay, you all know medicine and medicine, but tell me what to do. !"
Qing Chen said: "What Imperial Physician He said is very true. Please order the emperor to seal the palace immediately so that the epidemic will not spread. Qing Chen would like to ask himself to stay in Yanxi Palace. First, he came to serve the Empress Dowager, and second, he came to seek prescriptions and medicines. can cure this disease.”
Although the Emperor of Heaven was very anxious about the Queen Mother's situation, he was not confused. Tai Hospital and Qing Chen came to the same conclusion, how dangerous the epidemic is in the palace, how can one be careless, calmed down and asked, "Are you sure?"
Qing Chen lowered his eyes and said: "No, but I just want to do my best." She had already made up her mind to do so since the moment she helped Baguio and the others to hide it. Why don't you blame Ziyuan Danqiong for being reckless and causing trouble, but even if you say it, what's the point except to pay a few more lives
At this time, Zi Yuan, who was serving the Queen Mother, hurried over, knelt down and replied: "Your Majesty, the maid Dan Qiong who has been serving the Queen Mother all afternoon suddenly fainted, it seems... It seems that she also developed a high fever."
Everyone was shocked at the same time, only Qing Chen was still looking at Bai Xue indifferently in front of him, this was exactly what she had just taken the opportunity to order Zi Yuan to report, so that the Emperor of Heaven might make up his mind to block Yanxi Palace, and once it was found out, it would be impossible It is easy to say that Dan Qiong was serving the queen mother who contracted the disease, so that the cause of the incident and Ziyuan and Baguio would not be involved.
He Ruyi hurriedly asked Zi Yuan, "But the maid who was with the Queen Mother just now? Does she have the same symptoms as the Queen Mother?"
Zi Yuan nodded: "Yes, Dan Qiong and I have been serving the Queen Mother. Symptoms... symptoms servants dare not make judgments." There are many maids in Yanxi Palace, and He Ruyi can't recognize and remember them all, only when Dan Qiong was serving the Queen Mother There.
Taking this opportunity, Qing Chen kowtowed deeply to the Emperor of Heaven again: "Please issue an order to seal the palace!"
He Ruyi also knelt down in the snow and bowed his head: "Please issue an order to seal the palace."
There were people kneeling beside him, and the Emperor of Heaven stood facing the direction of Yanxi Palace for a long time, and said slowly: "I pass on my word to seal Yanxi Palace." Qing Chen saw a very painful expression on the face of Emperor Tian at that moment, Leaning in the snow, the whole body is icy cold, and the ice and snow slowly turn into snow water with the temperature of the body, soaking the robe and penetrating the skin.