Chen Yunniang explained, "This is a remote area, so even if the plague were to spread here, it would take time."

"But that doesn't matter. Even if they don't have the plague, but just a common illness, we still have this."

"Just force-feed them this, and they'll be sure to catch it!"

Xiaohe's eyes lit up: "That's right, they weren't vaccinated against smallpox, so they'll definitely get infected."

"Then what, how do we get them to wreak havoc on those Jurchens?"

Chen Yunniang pointed to the river not far away, with a hint of magnanimity: "I've already found out everything."

"This Jinshui River runs through the two countries. We are located upstream, and the Jin Kingdom is downstream."

“We can spread the plague through this river.”

Xiaohe pressed further, "How exactly do I do it?"

"Have Liu Wu capture those beggars, force-feed them plague pus, and once they contract smallpox, kill them and tie them to the upper reaches of the river. Their blood will pollute the river and float downstream."

"In this way, as long as the Jurchens downstream drink the water, they will all be infected with the plague in just one night."

Xiaohe felt nauseous; she didn't want to drink water that had been soaking a corpse.

"Miss, we need some water too."

"Let's go drink the spring water over there."

"Let the soldiers drink the water from this river. They've all been vaccinated against smallpox, so they're not afraid of it."

"It's just that the river water had soaked the corpses, which sounds disgusting, but they didn't know that."

“Miss is so thoughtful. I’ll go find Liu Wu right away.”

Chen Yunniang said confidently, "Go tell him that he will be instrumental in reclaiming the lost territory. I will definitely have Ziqian promote him to deputy general, or at the very least, to a commander of a thousand households."

"Yes, yes, this servant will go right away."

Liu Wu is a man of action, and things are progressing smoothly.

Just as the three were waiting to make a great contribution, things began to get increasingly out of control.

Before they received news of the plague outbreak among the Jin soldiers, their own soldiers fell ill one by one, accompanied by headaches, coughs, loss of appetite, vomiting, chills, high fever, sweating, fatigue, and diarrhea.

Moreover, this situation did not involve just one or two people, but rather spread uncontrollably throughout the entire military camp, with almost everyone falling ill overnight.

Chen Yunniang was a little scared. Could it be because they lived upstream and the soldiers drank water from rotting corpses that was more toxic, which caused them to get sick as a group?

The Jin people did not contract the disease because they were far from the source of the corpses and the toxicity was diluted by the river water, thus weakening the poison.

"Miss, something terrible has happened! The army doctor says there's been a malaria outbreak in the camp. Malaria is a plague, and it's highly contagious."

Chen Yunniang turned pale with fright: "How could it be malaria?"

"Isn't it smallpox?"

Xiaohe asked anxiously, "Miss, could those beggars have contracted malaria?"

"Can you even tell the difference between malaria and smallpox?"

Chen Yunniang was furious: "How should I know? I'm not Su Yujiao."

"So what should we do now?"

"It seems we've... made a huge mistake."

"Miss, let's run away. Spreading the plague is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of your family."

Chen Yunniang panicked at this moment. Should she run away?

Where can they escape to?

Do I have to live in hiding forever?

This is not the life she wanted!

"Go and find out more information, let me think about it carefully."

"yes."

When night fell, Xiaohe returned: "Miss, I heard from Liu Wu that the general has found the bodies upstream. The military doctor found smallpox and malaria on the bodies."

"I'm afraid they'll be investigating us soon."

"Miss, let's run away!"

Chen Yunniang thought for a moment and said, "Pack your things and let's leave now."

"Okay, I'll go inform Liu Wu. With him protecting us, we'll be safer."

"Come back!"

"Don't tell him he won't come with us; he'll just try to distance himself from us."

"After all, no one knows his relationship with us. He wouldn't be foolish enough to give up his official position and run away with us."

"Keep him here and let him take the blame."

Xiaohe felt a little reluctant, but she did as she was told.

"Miss, where are we going? Will the imperial court issue a warrant for our arrest?"

Chen Yunniang stared thoughtfully in the direction of the Jin Kingdom.

"Let's go to the Jin Kingdom."

"I refuse to believe that those Jurchens couldn't have contracted the plague."

“If they get smallpox, I will be of great use.”

"It would be better to go to the Jin Kingdom, make great contributions, and become a princess of the Jin Kingdom than to be a headless ghost here."

Xiaohe's face paled in shock: "Miss, you...you're going to betray your country and collude with the enemy?"

Snap!

Chen Yunniang slapped her hard across the face: "Don't say such nasty things. Everyone looks out for themselves!"

"If you want to stay and wait to die, I won't stop you."

After Chen Yunniang finished speaking, she left. Xiaohe covered her face and stood there for a while, feeling wronged, before finally resignedly following her.

"Miss, don't leave me behind."

"Wherever Miss goes, this servant will go."

"I just feel that once I go, there will be no turning back."

Chen Yunniang took out a box of anti-swelling ointment and applied it to her: "We don't need a way out."

"Having committed such a terrible crime, staying in the Ming Kingdom means certain death, while going to the Jin Kingdom is the only way to survive."

"Yes, this servant will obey Miss."

Shortly after Chen Yunniang left, Liu Wu was arrested and confessed that Chen Yunniang was the mastermind.

Lu Ziqian was so angry that his face turned ashen. Now even he couldn't protect her.

Since she's so eager to die, then he shouldn't blame her for not showing any mercy.

We'll dig three feet into the ground to bring him back.

"Go in the direction of the Jin Kingdom and capture them."

"She will definitely go to the Jin Kingdom."

Lu Ziqian knew that she dreamed of making a great contribution with the smallpox vaccine.

From the moment she proposed using the plague to destroy the Jin dynasty, he knew that Chen Yunniang was a person without any bottom line.

Moreover, she was somewhat clever and knew that she had caused a great disaster and would have no way to survive if she stayed in the Great Ming Kingdom.

Therefore, she would definitely go to the Jin Kingdom to try her luck.

Ha, using Jiaojiao's hard work to glorify themselves.

And since she helped the Jurchens attack him, he certainly wouldn't let her go this time.

The capital city, the Fengxi Palace!

When the Empress learned that the Emperor was going to send the Crown Prince to the epidemic area again, she was so angry that she smashed several teacups.

"Old man, there's a limit to how much favoritism you can show!"

"Just because Consort Jing's son is a treasure, does that mean my son can be sent to his death at will?"

The palace maids and eunuchs in the hall knelt on the ground. Granny Liu, filled with fear, urged them, "Your Majesty, be careful what you say!"

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger."

"If the Emperor were to hear these words, I fear..."

"What's there to be afraid of? I've endured long enough."

“If it weren’t for my Lu family fighting for him, he would still be a bandit in the mountains.”

"Now that he has become emperor, he is turning his back on me. First, he took away my brother's military power, and then he promoted Consort Jing, granting her the power to assist in managing the six palaces. Step by step, he is undermining my authority."

"Fine, since he doesn't give me any face, don't blame me for fighting him to the death."

Granny Liu continued to persuade, "Your Majesty, please calm down."

"Even if you are angry, you must not act rashly. If you openly go against the Emperor, wouldn't that be giving Consort Jing an advantage?"