Chapter 128 Assistance

Seeing that she asked so urgently, Lanxin quickly answered while following her steps:

"Your Highness has taken the medicine and isn't coughing much anymore. The imperial physicians are still holding a consultation in the side hall, but Your Highness has been explicitly forbidden from going there—"

She anxiously spread her arms to block Xiao Yuxuan, her delicate eyebrows furrowing together.

Xiao Yuxuan stopped when she was stopped, her gaze firm, and said, word by word:

"Your Highness has shown me more than just the kindness of recognizing my talent. Your insistence on stopping me is simply to prevent me from feeling at ease."

“But Miss Yuxuan, His Highness has contracted the plague. If you were to also be infected… then even if I were to die ten thousand times, I would still be guilty.”

Lan Xin stubbornly raised her arm and looked earnestly at Xiao Yuxuan.

None of the servants in the Princess's residence had contracted the plague, but the Princess herself had. This matter was already full of suspicious points. The household was already extremely busy taking care of the Princess and investigating each case. She really couldn't let Miss Yuxuan put herself in danger as well.

Xiao Yuxuan was aware of their concerns, but she had never contracted the plague in her previous life. Later, the Empress Dowager even ordered the Imperial Hospital to issue an edict saying that some people are born with special constitutions and will not be infected, so there was no need for everyone to be in danger and increase panic.

She thought that perhaps she was one of those people with a special constitution.

In any case, she had to ensure the safety of the eldest princess, her uncle, and the crown prince.

Seeing Lan Xin's firm stance, Xiao Yuxuan could only soften her voice, her eyelashes trembling slightly:

"Sister Lanxin, I'll just take a quick look through the curtain, just one look. Once I see His Highness is alright, I'll leave immediately, okay?"

Lan Xin had never seen Xiao Yuxuan like this before, and her heart melted instantly. She bit her lower lip and finally nodded.

Very well, if His Highness blames her, she will take full responsibility.

“Then come with me, girl—”

When the eldest princess was diagnosed with the plague, Aunt Meng consulted the imperial physician and hurriedly dispatched servants to surround the princess's bedroom. All the utensils inside were washed and soaked in boiling water.

The servants were used to these tasks, and since it concerned their master's life, they were incredibly quick and efficient. Before Xiao Yuxuan returned, they had already changed everything neatly.

Therefore, when Xiao Yuxuan followed Lanxin over, she was stunned to see that everything in the Princess's bedroom had been changed and now looked rather plain.

This was instructed by the imperial physician to Aunt Meng. The epidemic is contagious, and this method must be used immediately to reduce the spread of the disease.

Xiao Yuxuan was shocked. Why hadn't such a method appeared in her previous life?

"Which imperial physician proposed this method? It's truly excellent," she asked.

"It was Physician Wei. He also heard that an epidemic had broken out among the people and was worried that it would endanger the nobles in the palace. That's why he came up with this idea. However, he said that the Seventh Prince inspired him to come up with this method."

Xiao Yuxuan still remembered Physician Wei. During the trip to Zhuangshan, it was Physician Wei who was brought in to treat Xiao Yuyao. At that time, she secretly thought he was a smart man.

Is it just the Seventh Prince? He's been feigning ignorance for so long, has he finally come to his senses?

Since their last parting at the paulownia grove, she hadn't had a chance to test the Seventh Prince again. If he truly possessed some kind of destiny that could save the common people, she would never let him continue down this path of self-destruction.

The eldest princess was suffering from an epidemic, and the servants waited outside the curtain. There were also few people available, so the bedchamber was quiet at this moment.

Xiao Yuxuan could see the eldest princess sitting on the bed through the gauze curtain.

She held a book and flipped through it carefully; it looked no different from what it had been over an hour ago.

"Yu Xuan? What are you doing here? Hurry up and get out, what if you also catch the plague... cough cough..."

When the princess saw the little girl standing quietly outside the gauze curtain, she was so startled that she dropped the book in her hand. She spoke too quickly and choked twice, so the little girl couldn't help but lift the gauze curtain.

"Your Highness, Your Highness, how are you—"

Xiao Yuxuan gently patted her back, both surprised and anxious.

Wasn't it said that the princess's symptoms were still mild and there was still time? Why is it that in just one hour, she's coughing so violently?!

"Lanxin, Lanxin! Quickly summon the imperial physician, His Highness is coughing again—"

Panic gripped her heart. The epidemic had arrived ahead of schedule. Could she really save the princess?

"I'm fine, I just choked a little, I'm much better after taking the medicine, you should get out of here!"

The princess distanced herself from her and covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief. This was what Physician Wei had said: covering the patient's mouth and nose could prevent the illness from spreading too quickly.

She didn't want Xiao Yuxuan to contract the disease from being around her.

The illness came on suddenly, and the eldest princess had some guesses in her mind, but she was not sure yet.

Lan Xin hurriedly entered and pulled Xiao Yuxuan outside the gauze curtain.

"Your Highness..."

"An epidemic has broken out among the people, and even Your Highness is... Yu Xuan is really worried. This is a prescription for similar symptoms from Doctor Pei of the Xiao family, but it is missing two key ingredients. Yu Xuan wants to help the imperial physicians find a good prescription as soon as possible to save more lives. Please grant me permission, Your Highness."

The princess immediately realized what the little girl meant by helping the imperial physicians find a good remedy—

"Don't tell me you're going to personally discuss and test those two missing medicinal herbs with the imperial physicians."

"Your Highness is wise; this is exactly what Yu Xuan intended."

For the first time, the princess was angry with the little girl. She looked away, unable to bear looking at the little girl's righteous and dignified face, and forced herself to speak sternly:

"You're incredibly audacious! How dare you even think of doing something like this?! You're the daughter of the Xiao family, yet you know nothing about medicine. Why would you risk your life like this?!"

To complete a prescription, one must personally go among the patients and repeatedly experiment, observe, and record.

As the daughter of a high-ranking official, Yu Xuan should be sitting on a high platform, untouched by worldly affairs. Why should she do such a thankless and arduous task?

If she were to accidentally contract the plague, or be accidentally injured by the family members of a patient... the princess dared not even imagine how difficult this process would be for a fourteen-year-old girl.

Xiao Yuxuan took a step back, knelt down, bowed her head and kowtowed, her words ringing out clearly outside the gauze curtain:

"The epidemic has already broken out. What have the people done wrong? What have you done wrong, Your Highness? I cannot bear to see thousands of doctors working themselves to the bone. I also wish to do my part. I humbly request Your Highness's permission."

The eldest princess suddenly looked up, her gaze landing on her with difficulty:

Even if it means you'll die, will you go?

"Yu Xuan longs for the idea of ​​one person saving millions of people."

"You silly child!"

She slapped the bed in exasperation.

"You're just going to your death, do you know that?!"

Throughout history, whenever there has been an epidemic, not one in ten survived, and the casualties were devastating.

Even she herself had come to accept the fact that she was about to die within that short hour.

Many people avoid the epidemic like the plague, so how could she be so ignorant and fearless as to rush there?

Outside the gauze curtain, the little girl didn't speak of any more grand principles concerning the world and its people. She straightened up, her bright eyes trembling with tears, her voice hoarse and soft, yet her tone utterly calm:

"Your Highness, Yu Xuan wants to save you."