Chun Tiao was struck by lightning, and her face turned pale. She had experienced the plague in her hometown before, and she couldn't remember anything else. She only remembered that people fell down one after another like wheat fields.
"Doctor, are you joking? How can there be an epidemic?" asked Xiao Tong.
The doctor said, "This is not a joke. If you don't believe me, go out and ask around. The Imperial Medical Bureau has already issued the Guangji Prescription."
"This is Qinglong Temple? Could you have made a mistake?" Chun Tiao asked.
"You're right, it's Qinglong Temple," the doctor said, "the Beitian Hospital in the temple received a group of refugees the other day. At first they didn't know it was an epidemic, but when they found out it had already spread, and several monks in the temple were infected."
"What should I do then..." Chun Tiao was almost crying.
The doctor said, "I will write a prescription for you. You should hurry up and get the medicine. If you are late, you may not be able to buy the herbs. This courtyard will also be locked up. At most, one or two people will be left to look after it..."
The old doctor reminded the doctor of the points to be noted one by one, and asked, "Besides her, who else has been to Qinglong Temple?"
Chun Tiao said, "There are also servants. But I didn't notice anything."
"Not everyone will be infected, so don't worry," the doctor said, "but you also need to be isolated and not come in contact with others. Your clothes and utensils must be steamed and boiled."
Chun Tiao nodded: "I will always take care of my mother."
Not long after the doctor left, Sui Sui woke up and saw the spring strips beside the bed.
Chun Tiao's eyes were swollen like walnuts, and his voice was muffled: "Mom, are you feeling better? Do you want some porridge?"
Sui Sui smiled at her and said, "You can live in the side room and move into my room. The medicine and food are outside the door. I can get them myself."
Chun Tiao opened his mouth: "Mother..."
"I wasn't asleep just now, I heard everything the doctor said," Sui Sui's voice was a little weak and hoarse, "regardless of whether there is an epidemic or not, you haven't been infected yet, don't get too close to me... I'm a rough person, I can take care of myself..."
When she learned that she might have been infected with the plague, Sui Sui could not help but smile bitterly. She had thought that she might encounter many dangers in Chang'an, but she never expected to encounter this. She had practiced martial arts for many years, and her bones were very strong. She rarely caught a cold. If she had a headache or a fever, she would almost get rid of it after sleeping for a night. She had also encountered plague on the battlefield. At that time, she was a centurion. Many people in the barracks were infected, but she was not sick at all.
She didn't think she would die here. She still had to go back to Heshuo to deal with Xiao Tongan and Xue Zhi. The people who instigated King Chen to kill Huan Ye had not yet received retribution, so she would not die. When she was one year old, a Taoist priest read her fortune and said that she had a star of evil in her fate and was destined to be alone. She had a very strong fate and no one would die but her.
Chun Tiao couldn't help it and burst into tears: "No matter what happens to you, I will stay with you..."
Sui Sui laughed and said, "Sister Chun Tiao's boss is not as good as mine. If you fall down, I can't take care of two people."
Chun Tiao wiped her tears and smiled angrily: "It's already this time, mother, and you still have the leisure to joke! Anyway, I will not leave your side for a moment. If you are sick, just beat and scold me." Anyway, she didn't have the energy to coax her to leave.
Sui Sui knew her temper, so he stopped trying to persuade her and just asked, "Is the gate locked?"
Chun Tiao said, "Uncle Fu has locked the courtyard. Tong and the others wanted to stay, so I asked you to drive them away."
Sui Sui nodded: "Then I will."
Chun Tiao said: "Uncle Fu has sent someone to the palace to report to His Highness. Mother, don't be afraid. Just take good care of yourself. When you are well, His Highness will definitely come to see you..."
Even she herself didn't believe this.
Sui Sui just remembered this, but it was useless whether Huan Xuan knew it or not. He summoned Nanny Gao back to the palace and decided to ignore her. Perhaps his meeting with Ruan Yuewei on New Year's Day made him realize that a fake can never replace the one he loves, and using her as a consolation is ultimately a temporary solution and a self-deception.
Uncle Fu did not send his servants to the palace. He arranged everything in the Shanchi Courtyard and went there in person. First, someone in the palace had an epidemic and it was not easy to report; second, although Lu Suisui had fallen out of favor, she was the concubine of the King of Qi after all, and she had to report if she was seriously ill. He often ate the roasted quail and roasted mutton cooked by Lu Niang, and thought that he still had a good reputation in the eyes of the King of Qi, so he might be able to say a few good words for her.
However, Uncle Fu couldn't even enter the gate of the palace. He was rejected at the door.
The guard recognized him, smiled and exchanged a few pleasantries, then said, "His Highness is busy, I'm afraid it's inconvenient for me to see you at this time. If you have anything to say, please stay first. When His Highness is done, I will report to him on your behalf."
Uncle Fu could tell that he was trying to evade the question, so he insisted, "It's hard to explain this in a few words. Your Highness wants to talk about the situation in Chang'anfang, but I can't answer you. I'm afraid that Your Highness will be unhappy, and I will be troubled. Please let me know."
As he spoke, he asked for a gift.
The guard quickly dodged and said, "Aren't you going to shorten my life?"
Then he sighed and said, "You are not an outsider, so I will tell you the truth. His Highness has issued an order today that no news from your side will be allowed to enter the second gate. You, the old man, will handle the epidemic. Those who should report to the authorities should report to the authorities, and those who should be locked up should be locked up. Be careful and spread the news. It is obvious that His Highness over there does not want to care about it anymore."
Uncle Fu said, "Then please inform Chief Steward Gao."
Gao Mai has a good relationship with him, and he can talk to him in front of His Royal Highness the Prince of Qi. Even if he can't see His Royal Highness, it's the same to see him.
The guard said, "To be honest, Chief Steward Gao has gone to the capital to inspect the manor."
"What about Grandma Gao?" Uncle Fu asked.
"What an unfortunate coincidence," the guard said, "Madame Gao also went with them. She went back to Lantian to visit her nephew."
"Where are Commander Guan and Deputy Commander Song?" Uncle Fu was still unwilling to give up. "Is Ma Zhongshun here?"
The guard said, "Ma Zhongshun is accompanying Chief Steward Gao to the capital, and the two commanders have other errands and are not in the mansion. Please go back, old man. I will tell Chief Steward Gao about this when he comes back."
"How long will Manager Gao be gone this time?" asked Uncle Fu.
The guard thought for a moment and said, "It will take at least ten days to inspect several farms in the capital."
Uncle Fu had no choice but to wander outside the door for a while and then had to go back to Shanchiyuan.
…
Sui Sui's condition was sometimes good and sometimes worse. Sometimes when he woke up in the morning, his fever had subsided and it seemed that he was getting better, but in the afternoon he would have a flare-up that was even worse than the day before.
He drank bowl after bowl of medicine, but it had no effect at all.
This even surprised herself. She had never had such a serious illness before. Her whole body ached and it felt like her bones were melting.
Am I really going to die here
This thought seemed natural. She was also made of flesh and blood. If she really killed a god, people would die of illness, and she would die of illness too. Did everyone who died under her sword and arrow deserve to die? It was just retribution.
Strangely, she was not sad, she even felt relieved, as if there was a long road with no end in sight, but halfway through, someone suddenly told her that she didn't have to go any further and could now put down the burden on her shoulders.
However, Huan Xuan's revenge was only half completed, and the situation in Heshuo was a little tricky. She was worried that Duan Beicen would not be able to cope with it, and the female army she had personally built might not be able to survive under the command of a bad general.
She said to Chun Tiao, "I still owe the Chang'an Cosmetics Shop two rolls of silk. They are ready and in the cupboard. If anything happens to me, please ask someone to take it to the shop assistant with the scar on his eyebrow."
In order to prevent herself from getting into trouble, she wrote a secret letter to Duan Beicen on Juanxin, explaining the future deployment in Heshuo.
Chun Tiao was as anxious as an ant on a hot pot: "Is this doctor a quack? I have been taking medicine according to his prescription for two days, but why is there no effect?"
Sui Sui smiled and said, "The epidemic is incurable."
Chun Tiao said: "It must be that the doctor is not very good. It would be great if we could invite a doctor from the Imperial Medical Bureau..."
Originally, when their mother was in favor, they could invite the doctors from the Imperial Medical Bureau. As long as the King of Qi took it seriously, he could probably invite the imperial doctors from the Shang Pharmacy. But now...
Sui Sui smiled and shook her head. She often dealt with epidemics in the military camp, and she knew that if the imperial eunuchs in the palace were replaced, they would only use these prescriptions.
"You forgot to send the silk to Chang'an's cosmetics shop," Sui Sui said, "I don't want to owe anyone money... The two ends of the cupboard are wrapped."
Chun Tiao said with tears in her eyes: "Don't worry, mother, I will remember it."
Sui Sui nodded and closed her eyes tiredly. After saying only a few words, she felt a little sleepy.
Chun Tiao silently wrung out a cool handkerchief and applied it to her forehead, then used a piece of silk cotton dipped in water to moisten her dry lips.
In just a few days, her cheeks and eye sockets became sunken. When she occasionally opened her eyes, they no longer had the luster they once had. Chun Tiao did not dare to look at her face for too long, for fear that he would not be able to hold back his tears.
She could only recite Buddhist scriptures quietly in her heart, praying to the Buddha to bless her mother and bring good fortune.
However, contrary to expectations, the temperature gradually increased in the afternoon.
As soon as she felt relieved, the illness that she had barely suppressed came back like a tidal wave, as if it was going to return all the damage she had done to herself over the past twenty years.
By the evening, she was no longer conscious and was even shivering.
Chun Tiao listened to her mumbling and put his ear close to her: "What did you say, mother?"
Sui Sui closed his eyes tightly and just called "Your Highness" softly, over and over again.
Chun Tiao burst into tears and ran to the yard, crying and pounding on the door.
There were people guarding outside the courtyard all the time. When they heard that Lu Niang was in trouble, they hurried to find Uncle Fu.
Uncle Fu rushed over immediately.
Chun Tiao cried through the door, "Uncle Fu, my mother has done a lot of hard work, serving His Highness diligently. Even if he doesn't want her anymore, she is still a life... Please, old man, save my mother. I kowtow to you and wish you a long life."
As he said this, he knelt on the ground and kowtowed through the door.
Uncle Fu felt very sad after hearing this. He had watched His Highness grow up, and he never expected that he could be so cruel.
"Don't worry, Miss Chun Tiao. I have sent for a doctor. I will go to the palace right away."
By this time the evening drum had already sounded, and Uncle Fu did not care whether he would meet the Jinwu Guards or not, so he led his horse and galloped towards the north of the city.
When they got to the vicinity of Pingkangfang, a carriage with brocade curtains and red wheels drove out of the gate. Uncle Fu thought the carriage looked familiar. Just as he was thinking about it, a man lifted the curtain and stuck his head out: "Isn't this Uncle Fu? Where are you going in such a hurry?"
The person in the car was Yuzhang Prince Huan Minggui.
Fu Bo used to work in the palace, and Prince Yuzhang often came to see Prince Qi, and he was also familiar with him.
The people in the palace shouldn't tell outsiders, but he also knew that if he went to the palace to look for His Royal Highness Prince Qi, he would most likely be stopped outside by the guards. As human life was at stake, he didn't care about the rules, so he gritted his teeth and told Prince Yuzhang that Lu Suisui was seriously ill and was about to die.
Huan Minggui was startled, and his usual cynicism disappeared completely: "Where is your Highness?"
Uncle Fu hesitated to speak: "Your Highness is very busy and has not been able to take care of Chang'anfang in the past two months."
Huan Minggui calculated the days and found that it would be the Lantern Festival in two months. He thought that his words had worked.
But he didn't expect Huan Xuan to be so ruthless. He just sat there and watched until the woman was about to die.
He sighed and said, "I have my share of problems here, don't worry."
As he spoke, he took off the jade token from his waist and handed it to his attendant: "Take my token and go to the Imperial Medical Bureau to ask for a doctor. Go to Chang'anfang immediately. There is no time to waste."
He said to Uncle Fu, "I will go with you to the Prince Qi's Palace."
Uncle Fu felt a little relieved. He decided to rescue the person first and accept the punishment later.
As soon as they arrived at Prince Qi's mansion, the guards told them that Prince Qi had been summoned to Penglai Palace by Emperor Tian in the afternoon, and would probably not be back until after dinner.
Huan Minggui said to Uncle Fu, "You go back to Chang'anfang first. A doctor will come to treat you. Don't worry too much. I will go to the palace to find your Highness."
He also knew that Huan Xuan had some concerns about the daughter of the Lu family. No matter whether he regarded her as a substitute or for some other reason, the first woman was always a little different. Although she had contracted the plague and the King of Qi could not go to see her, if he knew about this after she died, he would probably have regrets for the rest of his life.
Uncle Fu thanked him and returned to the south of the city.
Huan Minggui rode at full speed to Penglai Palace.
After the emperor gave him the privilege of entering and leaving the palace at any time, he asked the guards and learned that the King of Qi was having a meeting in the Yanying Palace, so he immediately went straight in.
When he arrived at Yanying Palace, he could not go in and could only wait patiently outside the palace.
In addition to the emperor and the prince of Qi, there were also the crown prince and a number of his loyal ministers in the palace. No matter how unruly Huan Minggui was, he could not barge in when the emperor and his ministers were discussing state affairs.
In the Yanying Palace, the emperor and his ministers were discussing the plague in the suburbs of Beijing.
The cause of the epidemic was a flood in Guanzhong. After the disaster, the epidemic was rampant. Some refugees brought the disease to the capital area. Several refugees admitted to Qinglong Temple were those who were forced to leave their homes due to the flood.
Right now, Qinglong Temple has been sealed off, and the entire temple serves as a temporary epidemic hospital, but there is no guarantee that the disease will not spread into the city.
A detachment of Huan Xuan's Divine Wing Army was stationed in the capital region. The army had always been the place where the plague was most likely to spread, so the emperor summoned him as well.
Huan Minggui waited outside the palace for a full hour. It was already completely dark when Huan Xuan finally walked out of Yanying Palace.
He immediately went to meet him.
When Huan Xuan saw him, his face turned a little unhappy. He didn't even want to say hello and just walked past him.
Huan Minggui grabbed his sleeve and said, "Heng..."
Huan Xuan raised his eyebrows: "What do you mean by this, Sixth Cousin?"
Huan Minggui said: "Listen to me first, Lu..."
Huan Xuan's face darkened even more, and he interrupted him with a sneer: "What is the relationship between you and the sixth cousin of the Lu family?"
Huan Minggui was helpless: "You can get angry with me later, but listen to me first. Lu is seriously ill and will not survive."
Huan Xuan's mind went blank for a moment, and he even forgot to think about how Huan Minggui knew this.
"What happened to Lu?"
Huan Minggui knew what he was thinking, and fearing that he might misunderstand, he explained: "I ran into a servant from your Shanchiyuan on the street, and learned that Lu had been infected with the epidemic at Qinglong Temple a few days ago, and is now dying..."
He choked up as he spoke. Even though they had only met a few times and hadn't even exchanged a few words, hearing that such a beautiful woman was going to die was like a knife cutting his heart.
Before he could finish his words, Huan Xuan pushed him away and walked out of the palace gate in two steps.
The eunuch shouted behind him: "Your Highness, Prince Qi, Your Majesty, please move to the Taiyang Palace for dinner..."
Huan Minggui took out a silver ingot from his sleeve and handed it to the eunuch: "Your Highness the Prince of Qi has to rush back to the palace in a hurry, and there is no time to report to His Majesty. I would like to trouble this eunuch to report on your behalf."
The eunuch took the silver and smiled: "Prince Yuzhang is too polite. This slave is very polite."
…
Huan Xuan galloped on his horse, listening to the wind whistling in his ears. His mind was in a turmoil and he did not dare to think about the worst outcome.
Over the past two months, he had asked people to keep an eye on the Shanchi Courtyard. Lu Suisui was clearly eating and sleeping, riding and shooting arrows all day, tinkering with new dishes, and going out to the market. She was just as comfortable with him or not. He felt upset, so he withdrew his spies and transferred Nanny Gao back to the palace, only because he was anxious to see her.
It's only been a few days, how could it turn out like this
Xu Huan Minggui was teasing him on purpose. That scoundrel couldn't stand seeing people in public and was bored all day long, so he didn't know what he could do.
Lu Suisui was so weak, how could she be so ill that she couldn't get up? Maybe she was finally getting anxious and asked him to come over on the pretext of being sick.
But he knew in his heart that she would not do such a thing. She was just a country girl who couldn't even ask for favor.
Huan Xuan's heart sank little by little. He didn't know how he got to Shanchiyuan. He didn't dismount when he arrived at the gate. When the Wutou Gate was opened, the gatekeeper didn't even see his figure clearly, but he had already rushed into the inner courtyard on horseback.
He dismounted from his horse at the path in the maple forest and walked quickly towards the courtyard deep in the woods.
There were lights on in the courtyard, but the light looked dim and weak from a distance, as if it would go out at any time.
Finally, they reached the door. Uncle Fu was standing outside. He was startled when he saw Huan Xuan and asked politely, "Why are you here, Your Highness?"
Huan Xuan nodded slightly and said concisely: "Unlock it."
Uncle Fu said in horror: "Your Highness, Lu Niang has contracted an epidemic. The doctors from the Imperial Medical Bureau are treating Lu Niang. Your Highness, please take care of yourself..."
Huan Xuan said, "It's okay, unlock it."
When Uncle Fu was about to say something else, Huan Xuan said, "No need to say more, it's just an epidemic."
Uncle Fu couldn't disobey him, so he took out the key and tremblingly opened the copper lock.
Huan Xuan pushed open the courtyard door and walked straight to the bedroom.
Chun Tiao was watching the doctor from the Imperial Medical Bureau writing a prescription. When he heard the sound of the door curtain, he looked up and saw Huan Xuan. He was so shocked that he almost dropped his jaw and even forgot to say hello.
Huan Xuan did not take it as an offense. As soon as he entered the room, his eyes were fixed on the beautiful woman behind the gauze curtain, and his mind went blank.
The doctor also recognized the King of Qi. Seeing that he, a prince, actually walked into the hospital where patients were sick, he was shocked and put down his pen and bowed: "I greet your Highness the King of Qi."
Huan Xuan came back to his senses and realized that there were still people around. He nodded slightly: "What's the situation? Is it really an epidemic?"
The medical officer frowned and said, "The symptoms are somewhat similar, but perhaps it is just the evil wind that has entered the body. I have just given this woman acupuncture and will prescribe a decoction for her to drink. If she can sweat after drinking the decoction, the fever should go down. If it doesn't go down tonight, I'm afraid it will be dangerous..."
Doctors always speak like this, they never say anything final.
Huan Xuan said, "Please ask the Secretary to stay at my house for two days and make sure the patient is cured."
After saying this, he bowed and said, "I'll rely on the Secretary."
The medical officer hurriedly avoided the request and said, "Your Highness, you are too polite. This is my duty. I will go and boil the medicine right away."
Just now, he saw the King of Qi stepping into this courtyard in person despite the danger of the plague, so he knew that this woman was of extraordinary status. Now, seeing him actually paying him such a great gift, he felt even more horrified.
Huan Xuan nodded: "Thank you."
He turned to Chunjo and said, "Go out and help."
Chun Tiao was so shocked that he couldn't speak. Only then did he come to his senses and realize that the King of Qi wanted to support him. He glanced at Sui Sui and retreated to the door.
There were only two people left in the room.
Huan Xuan walked to the bedside, raised his hand to lift the gauze curtain, and found that his hand was shaking slightly.
Lu Suisui lay quietly on the bed, his eyes closed and his brows slightly furrowed, as if he was trapped in a nightmare and couldn't wake up.
No matter how beautiful a person is, it would not look good if she is seriously ill for several days in a row.
Her eye sockets were sunken, and her cheeks, which had been becoming increasingly plump, had become sunken. She was even thinner than when he first found her in the mountains. There were dark shadows under her eyes, and her cheeks were abnormally flushed. Her lips, which had been as bright and plump as dewy roses, now seemed withered, faded, and peeling.
In just two months, he seemed like a completely different person.
He couldn't tell what he felt, except that his heart was choked with worry.
He held her hand that was resting on the quilt, and his palm was frighteningly hot.
He unknowingly gripped it tighter and tighter, as if he were holding a handful of quicksand.
The woman seemed to sense something, frowned, and moved her lips.
Huan Xuan whispered, "Sui Sui, can you hear me?"
This was the first time he called her name. In fact, he already knew her name but had never called her that before.
Sui Sui's eyelashes trembled slightly, and then she slowly opened her eyes, her scattered gaze slowly focused on his face, and her eyes suddenly became bright: "Your Highness..."
Huan Xuan's breath was choked.
Sui Sui held his hand back, even tighter than his own, like a drowning man trying his best to grab a piece of driftwood.
"Your Highness," her face wrinkled in grievance, tears welling up in her eyes, "Why did you come back just now?"
Huan Xuan felt that his heart was also being gripped by her.
"Do you know that I have been waiting for you to come back? Waiting and waiting..." She burst into tears, her face wrinkled and tears rolled down her cheeks, not looking good at all.
Huan Xuan didn't find her ugly at all, and hugged her in his arms: "I'm back, I won't leave, and I won't bully you anymore."
She murmured "Your Highness" without any resentment, only endless grievances.
She hugged him with her backhand, as if she wanted to embed him into her flesh.
Huan Xuan patted her back gently and said softly, "Lu Suisui, why are you so stupid?"
She kept her grievances to herself but pretended to be indifferent. Was it because she was afraid that he would look down on her? In fact, she was probably very scared.
Sui Sui's body suddenly stiffened, and the arms that were around him fell down weakly.
Huan Xuan didn't notice it, he just hugged her tightly. He also didn't notice that she just spoke in the beautiful Luoxia dialect, without the usual Longyou accent.