"There's been an epidemic in the capital, and the Imperial Guards are arresting people everywhere. I've been treating patients these past few days and have a rough idea of the disease. The medication I've been testing has shown some improvement in the patients, but I haven't developed a cure yet. I'll have to wait a few more days."

Wan Ruo's eyes were filled with anxiety. "But the Imperial Guards won't wait for anyone. They're trying to catch the sick civilians and burn them. I'm at my wit's end, so I came to you."

She didn't know whether he could enter the palace, so she wanted to try her luck and came to the palace gate to ask if she could help bring a letter to him. But she didn't expect that she would see him coming out as soon as she arrived.

He looked at her with dark eyes: "I heard that the Crown Prince of Beiliang left the capital today."

"They left early in the morning."

"Then why didn't you go out?" He pursed his lips tightly, clenched his hands in his sleeves again, and felt a little breathless.

She looked at him blankly: "Why should I?"

His eyes paused slightly, and his tense expression relaxed instantly.

She frowned: "I said plague..."

He suddenly took a step forward, bent down and hugged her, wrapping his arms around her tightly, wishing he could rub her into his bones.

She was caught off guard and hugged by him. She couldn't move and could only pull at his robe with her fingers: "Xie Xianyu..."

Before he could finish his words, he could feel his body trembling slightly.

She was stunned for a moment, and her hands that were pulling his robe paused.

He gritted his teeth and said, "I don't think you have the courage."

“…”

Suddenly, a young eunuch hurried out and said, "Master Xie, please come on, the Empress has intruded into Your Majesty's bedroom!"

Wanruo was almost out of breath from being held by him, and quickly pulled his robe: "It seems like he's out, go and do your thing first."

He finally let her go, but held her wrist tightly, showing no intention of letting her go.

"You come with me."

"But I..."

He took a step forward, and Wanruo was immediately dragged by him and trotted into the palace.

The young eunuch was still speaking anxiously, "Master Su failed to stop them, and the Empress barged in directly. From what she said, she was going to report you, sir, to say that you were..."

Rebellious ministers and traitors.

The young eunuch didn't dare to say this out loud.

Xie Xianyu, with a sullen face, pulled Wanruo and strode into the Yunguang Palace. Su Yanyu was already waiting anxiously outside the palace.

When he saw Xie Xianyu coming back, his eyes widened and he hurried over: "You're back so soon?"

He thought Xie Xianyu was going to quit and was afraid that he would chase him all the way to Beiliang!

Then he turned around and saw Xu Wanruo following behind Xie Xianyu, and he understood. He said, when did this madman ever change his temper?

"I heard from Qing'an that your son disappeared early in the morning. Why did he come here?" Su Yan couldn't help but ask Wanruo.

Wanruo was stunned for a moment: "I went to the mountain to collect herbs."

Su Yan was stunned: "Huh?"

Xie Xianyu's heart skipped a beat. "You're going to collect herbs without Qing'an?"

"I saw that he was very busy taking care of the patients last night, so I thought of letting him sleep a little longer."

“…”

Su Yan smiled awkwardly: "I see, I thought you..."

Xie Xianyu gave him a cold glance: "It's just a small thing, why make such a fuss?"

Su Yan: ???

Who is making more fuss?

The young eunuch was extremely anxious: "Sir, the Queen has entered to see the emperor! The King of Qi asked this servant to invite you in as soon as possible."

Only then did Xie Xianyu pull Wan Ruoqian into the bedroom.

The emperor has been in and out of consciousness these days, and the situation has never been serious. It is rare for him to have a moment of clarity at this moment.

The queen knelt on the ground, holding the document and accusing Xie Xianyu of crimes in righteous words.

"Qingzhou and the capital are thousands of miles apart. How could a plague suddenly spread throughout the capital? I absolutely cannot believe this was not caused by human intervention, so I am sending people to investigate thoroughly."

"These past few days, while Your Majesty has been in a coma, that treacherous minister has been completely corrupt, allowing the plague to spread throughout the capital while simultaneously instructing the imperial guards to slaughter the infected civilians. This is all done to make King Xuan's crime even more severe, thus irritating Your Majesty, leading to his dethronement and the enthronement of King Qi as Crown Prince. His evil ambitions are truly blatant!"

The emperor leaned back on his pillow, his cloudy eyes looking at Xie Xianyu: "Did you do this?"

Xie Xianyu bowed and said, "You can always find excuses for your crimes. I have never done anything like that."

The King of Qi also immediately said: "Yes, Your Majesty, Master Xie has been guarding outside the Your Majesty's bedroom these days, always on guard to prevent outsiders from entering. He has never left the palace!"

The Queen sneered: "Why does he need to leave the palace in person? As long as the order is passed down, someone will do it for him."

As the Empress spoke, she presented the document to the Emperor. "Your Majesty, please examine this. This is evidence of the crimes of the treacherous minister Xie Xianyu, who incited civil unrest, spread the plague, and disregarded human life!"