Chapter 85: Bear With It for a Moment

Her tone brook no argument. She gave the order without hesitation.

Hearing this, the others had no choice but to support her and hurry straight to the imperial palace.

A eunuch had delivered the imperial summons before, but the edict had not been sent to her. In the end, she could only enter by showing the prince’s residence token.

Fearing that someone within might already be infected, they all covered their faces with cloths soaked in alcohol.

“Esteemed ministers, have you found any good solution yet?”

The emperor had been in a foul and anxious mood these past few days. Several concubines in the harem had also fallen ill, and their condition was growing ever more grave. The imperial physicians were at their wits’ end.

Just then, an excited proclamation rang out from beyond the hall.

“The Crown Princess requests an audience!”

Those words seemed to ignite every ember of resolve in the room at once. All eyes turned toward the doorway, fixed without blinking on the figure slowly approaching.

Ten people had come in all, every one of them carefully chosen by her.

Perhaps because her body had not yet fully recovered, her complexion was terribly pale. At the emperor’s permission, she entered the great hall with her attendants.

Yuan Zaichun stood nearest to where she paused, but the woman did not even glance his way.

“Your daughter-in-law pays respects to Father Emperor. May Father Emperor enjoy boundless fortune and health.”

Seeing her attire, especially the cloth over her face, the emperor was momentarily taken aback. Those behind her were similarly covered, leaving everyone rather puzzled.

“Crown Princess, what is the meaning of this?”

“Father Emperor, cloths dampened with alcohol can help prevent contagion and reduce the chance of infection. Some days ago, my health was unwell and I did not receive the summons. I beg Father Emperor’s pardon.”

She bowed deeply again, touching her head to the floor.

At mention of this, the emperor grew concerned once more. “Yes, Crown Princess, your health has not fully returned. Can you bear such strain?”

Though his words sounded considerate, it was clear the emperor urgently needed someone to share his burden.

Many had already died during this period. They could not be allowed to keep enduring in this manner.

“Please rest assured, Father Emperor. My body is much improved. Thank you for your concern.”

“Good. Good indeed.”

He lifted a hand, motioning for her to rise.

Supported by Qingluo, the woman stood and pointed to the people beside her. “In reply to Father Emperor, these few are my capable assistants. They are well versed in administering injections and in observation.”

“After all, medicines change according to the human body, and the dosage must differ from person to person. With them present, I can better keep matters under control.”

“Very well, very well. Go on.”

She immediately took her leave with a respectful bow and led her people straight to the quarantine area.

A eunuch and maid guided them there, while Yuan Zaichun remained rooted in place, unable for a long while to gather his thoughts.

Watching her recede into the distance, he found an inexplicable bitterness rising in his chest.

“All right, the court is dismissed.”

“Long live Your Majesty. Long live Your Majesty. Long, long live Your Majesty.”

“Your Highness, are we truly going in? I hear the people inside are in very serious condition. I wonder whether they can cooperate with treatment.”

Hearing this, she gave a cold laugh. “Kill one to warn the rest. If anyone dares make trouble, cut one down and frighten the others.”

“Yes.”

Zhong Shi nodded. Since he was entering the hall, he naturally could not carry a blade, but even empty-handed, killing a man was no difficult matter.

The moment they entered, she finally understood: these people were practically sleeping beside the dead.

“What are you all doing? Move every corpse out at once. Now. Burn them.”

“Yes.”

When the maids saw that it was her, the eunuchs nearby immediately stepped forward and did as she instructed.

The group moved in, wiped their hands with alcohol, and used it to cleanse the patients’ bodies.

Only then could cross-infection be avoided.

Afterward, they put masks on them as well.

Perhaps because the patients were already too weak to move, no one caused a disturbance.

“Your Highness, these people may not have eaten for a very long time. Their veins can’t even be found!”

Xu Lu cried out in alarm. Qingyun frowned, stepped forward, and looked more closely. The patient was still conscious, so she asked, “You have not been eating?”

“Ever since we fell ill, no one has given us any food.”

“How can this be? Issue the order at once. Have them bring porridge. Otherwise, how is treatment supposed to proceed?”

“Yes.”

Hongying hurried off to arrange it, while many of the imperial physicians, curious after witnessing her skill, quickly crowded closer.

Not to mention Yuan Zaichun. He felt thoroughly wronged and off balance. This woman had been treating him as if he were invisible all along—what was she trying to do?

“Your Highness, the rice porridge has arrived!”

At the news, the physicians and Yuan Zaichun all donned masks and quickly went inside, watching the treatment with their own eyes.

There she was, almost kneeling on the floor, feeding them spoonful after spoonful.

“Eat a little more. Once the injection is given, it won’t hurt. Hurry and hammer a few more rows of nails into this board.”

“Yes.”

The eunuchs obediently began hammering nails into the board over and over, and everyone’s movements quickened.

After she finished feeding one bowl of porridge, she glanced at the others nearby; they were nearly done as well.

They continued feeding the patients, while Ning Su grasped the eunuch’s hand and rubbed it carefully.

“Don’t move. I’m looking for the vein.”

As she spoke, one finger pressed up and down over the back of his hand. After tying on a tourniquet, she kept rubbing and kneading the eunuch’s hand.

At long last, the eunuch’s hand finally showed some trace of a vein.

“Bear with it. I need to get the vein to stand out. I may have to use a little force.”

The little eunuch had no strength left to say otherwise. He only nodded and looked at her with eyes widened in utter weakness.

He carved her image deeply into his memory.

“Good, good! Xu Lu! Xu Lu, bring the medicine!”

These were the medicines she had prepared in the carriage on the way here.

At her call, Xu Lu hurried over with one of the long hollow needles. The imperial physicians froze.

“What is this? We have never heard of it, never seen it before!”

She had no time to explain. After fixing the medicine bottle against the wall, she flicked the air from inside it and said to the patient, “Don’t dodge. Don’t be afraid. If you’re truly frightened, turn your head away.”

“But one thing remains the same: do not pull your hand back.”

“Yes.”

The eunuch answered weakly. Qingyun’s entire body tensed. Looking at the slender vein, she inserted the needle vertically, then immediately angled it inward. At once, she began to apply the medication.

With nearly the fastest speed she could muster, Qingyun secured the needle and rested it against the eunuch’s side. “Do not move, do you understand? Absolutely do not move. If the needle slips, I’ll have to give it to you all over again.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”