Chapter 137 Heaven Wants to Kill Me

However, at the Queen Mother's Thousand Years Banquet, Prince Jin, together with the Three Thousand Battalions and the Five Military Battalions, suddenly forced the Emperor Qingyuan to abdicate and ordered him to pass the throne to him.

The rebels surrounded the Bixiao Palace, and the princes and officials had no way to escape to heaven or to the earth, and were all in despair.

Although Your Majesty's methods have become increasingly tough in the past two years, to be fair, Your Majesty is receptive to advice, loves the people like his own children, and knows how to appoint people to the right positions. He is a rare wise ruler.

On the other hand, Prince Jin was the youngest son of the previous emperor. When he was young, he had bad behavior and mediocre talent, and was not very noticeable among the other princes.

Later, when Your Majesty ascended the throne, in the first year of the Qingyuan reign, the Prince of Jin had not yet left for his fiefdom when he was repeatedly impeached by the censors for crimes such as bullying men and women, seizing fertile land, and forcing women into prostitution.

However, the Queen Mother loved her young son very much, and filial piety was more important than anything else. So, His Majesty only reprimanded the Prince of Jin a few times, sent him to reflect on his mistakes behind closed doors, and sent people to clean up the mess for the Prince of Jin and comfort the victims. Then the matter was over.

The King of Jin was fearless and after reflecting on his mistakes in seclusion, he continued to stir up trouble in Xiajing.

Later, the censors could no longer tolerate it and collectively submitted a memorial, which resulted in the King of Jin, who was hated by everyone, being expelled from his fiefdom.

It is said that the Queen Mother had a big quarrel with His Majesty because of the Prince of Jin, and said bluntly, "I only have Heng'er as my son."

However, this is mostly just hearsay and false information.

Your Majesty was born after the Queen Mother carried him for ten months. As your biological mother, no matter how partial she is to Prince Jin, the Queen Mother would never say such hurtful words.

During these twenty years, the Prince of Jin returned to the capital several times for the Queen Mother's birthday. Every time he did evil things in the capital, causing great trouble to the princes and officials.

When he returned to the capital this time, Prince Jin seemed to have changed his ways and stayed in the Prince Jin's Mansion honestly, but he frequently entertained guests and invited almost all the princes and dignitaries.

However, considering that Prince Jin had not caused any trouble so far, the censor turned a blind eye and let him go.

Instead, the Crown Prince of Jin's Mansion and a group of illegitimate sons took over the "mantle" of the Prince of Jin, bullying others and doing whatever they wanted in the capital.

Yesterday, the censor was still lamenting that bad bamboo cannot produce good bamboo shoots, and he just hoped that Prince Jin would not cause trouble again. Father and son worked together to turn Xia Jing upside down, but today Prince Jin raised an army to force the palace, intending to kill the king and usurp the throne.

Censor: “…”

I really want to beat this rotten mouth!

Let’s get back to the topic.

I thought everyone would die here today and Daxia would have to change its ways, but unexpectedly, things took a sudden turn.

The commanders of the Three Thousand Battalions and the Five Army Battalions suddenly turned against us, stabbed the Prince of Jin to pieces, and knelt before His Majesty!!!

Everyone: “???”

Everyone: “!!!”

If the occasion wasn't inappropriate, they would really like to raise their arms and shout long live.

That’s great, the wise ruler, Your Majesty, is still sitting on the dragon throne!

That’s great! The Prince of Jin, the incompetent emperor in preparation, failed in his attempt to abdicate, and he’s almost dying!

Great, they don't have to die!

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and their hearts fell back into their stomachs, including those officials who were lured by the countless benefits promised by King Jin and secretly stood on King Jin's side just to gain the credit of following the emperor.

Great! Your Majesty doesn’t know that they have switched sides before!

But, Your Majesty, does he really not know?

These officials looked at the dying Prince of Jin lying in a pool of blood, and then looked at the majestic and imposing Emperor Qingyuan.

Your Majesty knew very well that Prince Jin was plotting to usurp the throne. He set up the Hongmen Banquet in advance, lured Prince Jin into the game, and killed him on the spot. How could he not know about their betrayal?

"Bang!"

In their panic, the officials accidentally knocked over their wine glasses.

The clinking sound of the wine glasses falling to the ground drowned out the Queen Mother's hysterical screams and made Cao Yuan's actions seem less abrupt.

Cao Yuan stared at Kang Yuanyi and Wang Zhao with a gaze so sharp that it almost seemed to make bloody holes in their bodies.

How is that possible?

How could Kang Yuanyi and Wang Zhao possibly turn against Xia Ming?!

A huge wave of emotion surged in Cao Yuan's heart, his face flushed with shock and anger, and his hands trembled uncontrollably.

How dare they?

How dare they betray him?!

After decades of ups and downs in the officialdom, Cao Yuan controlled the Three Thousand Camps and the Five Army Camps for more than twenty years. The commanders Kang Yuanyi and Wang Zhao were both his confidants who were promoted by him. Even the emperor had to rely on him for his livelihood. His power was unmatched in the court and the country.

He once firmly believed that even if Xia Ming planted spies in the Three Thousand Camp and the Five Army Camp, as long as his two trusted confidants Kang Yuanyi and Wang Zhao were there, the two major camps would be in his pocket. They were his confidence and no one could take them away.

Who would have thought that the situation would change, Emperor Qingyuan rose to power, and he was restricted in every way.

But even so, Cao Yuan had never been like this before. He thought he had victory in his hands, but he fell flat on his face, looking extremely embarrassed.

His close associates betrayed him, and his plans came to nothing.

It hurts so much.

Cao Yuan closed his eyes, his heart bleeding.

He told himself not to panic, to calm down and think about what to do next.

That useless Xia Heng failed in his attempt to force the emperor to abdicate, Kang Yuanyi and Wang Zhao defected, and Xia Ming's only threat was gone. He also gathered two capable generals, and I'm afraid the next one he's going to deal with will be me.

He can't die.

He can't die!

Cao Yuan's brain was working rapidly, his fingers clenched on the edge of the table, and his finger bones turned white from the force.

......

"Heng'er! Heng'er!"

"Call the imperial physician! Call the imperial physician to me!"

"If anything happens to my Heng'er, I will never let you two off!"

The Queen Mother glared at Kang Yuanyi and Wang Zhao. She wanted to check on Prince Jin's injuries, but Emperor Qingyuan held her wrist and prevented her from taking a single step forward.

"Xia Ming! Let me go!"

"Xia Ming, you are worse than a beast! He is your brother!"

All the princes and officials bowed their heads, wishing they could stuff their heads into their stomachs so that they would not be able to hear the empress dowager's scolding.

Your Majesty is the Supreme Being, the true Dragon Emperor. Even if the Queen Mother is your biological mother, you cannot address her by her name.

Not to mention, the Prince of Jin forced the emperor to abdicate and usurped the throne, which was a serious crime that would punish nine generations of his clan. He would be cut into pieces or torn apart by five horses. Who would dare to hire a royal physician for him?

It would be better to just die and suffer less.

"My Queen Mother, you are probably confused. The Prince of Jin intends to kill the king and seize the throne. How can I tolerate him?"

Emperor Qingyuan smiled slightly, his tone gentle, but it made the empress dowager tremble all over, her tongue stiffened, and she could not utter a word.

"Empress, my mother is tired. Please send her back to the Cining Palace."

Empress Cao seemed to have just woken up from a dream. She slowly tightened her hands hidden in her sleeves. Her eyes passed inconspicuously over Cao Yuan, who was sitting on the left seat, and she raised a gentle smile: "Your Majesty obeys your command."

Then she stepped forward, took the Empress Dowager's right arm, and said softly, "Mother, let me take you back to the Cining Palace."

The Queen Mother was about to scold him when she heard a voice: "Your Majesty, the Prince of Jin is gone."

Gone?

The King of Jin is gone?

What does gone mean?

The Queen Mother looked at Prince Jin, who was lying in a pool of blood, his eyes wide open, empty without a trace of light.

He is dead.

Die with eyes open.

"Heng'er!"

Realizing this, the empress dowager's eyes were bloodshot and she was in excruciating pain. Her blood was boiling and she felt a black screen before her eyes. She lost consciousness.

"Mother!"

"Her Majesty the Queen Mother!"

Empress Cao and Chunyang worked together to support the Queen Mother. Emperor Qingyuan glanced at her and said calmly, "Send the Queen Mother back, and then let Lan Shizhong go over to see her."

"yes."

Empress Cao and the Queen Mother left, leaving only Emperor Qingyuan on the high ground.

Emperor Qingyuan gazed down at the corpse of Prince Jin from his high position and issued a solemn order: "Prince Jin usurped the throne and attempted to regicide. He is stripped of his princely title, demoted to a commoner, and may not be buried in the imperial mausoleum."

"All men in the Prince of Jin's mansion will be beheaded and publicly displayed, and all women will be exiled three thousand miles away. Their descendants will never be allowed to enter the capital."

In this way, not only did the lineage of Prince Jin come to an end, but it also completely cut off the possibility for the descendants of the daughter who married out to return to Xiajing through the imperial examination.

Everyone sighed and lamented that His Majesty's move was truly ruthless.

But it was Prince Jin who rebelled first. If he had been honest and behaved like a leisurely prince, how could he have ended up like this?

Ultimately, it's desire that's at work.

There is only one throne, and who wouldn’t want to sit on that supreme position?

But His Majesty is not without offspring, so is it your turn, Prince Jin, to seize the throne?

What an idiot, he brought his own death upon himself.

The princes and officials were filled with thoughts as they all prostrated themselves and knelt in worship, shouting in unison: "Your Majesty is wise!"

Emperor Qingyuan slowly twirled his beard and said in a clear voice, "Such an accident occurred at the Queen Mother's Thousand Autumn Banquet. Everyone, please return. Take a day off tomorrow and resume the morning court the day after tomorrow."

"Yes, I will obey your majesty's wishes."

The princes, officials and their families stood up and left the Bixiao Palace in an orderly manner.

Outside the Bixiao Palace, the Imperial Guards and the soldiers of the Three Thousand Battalions and the Five Army Battalions were holding sharp weapons and ready for battle. The murderous aura around them made everyone hold their breath and dodge.

"Zhang actually didn't know when His Majesty took possession of the Three Thousand Battalions and the Five Army Battalions?"

"If you knew, how could there be such a wonderful scene tonight?"

"If I remember correctly, the tiger talisman is still in the hands of the Prime Minister."

"So what? Kang Yuanyi and Wang Zhao have defected, and countless people in the two major military camps have followed them to Your Majesty. It's not that easy to support two more commanders."

"Alas, Daxia is about to change."

"Look at what you said. The world has changed a long time ago."

Princess Zhaoyang passed by and heard all the discussions, but there was no trace of emotion on her delicately made-up face.

When everyone saw her, they stopped talking and bowed.

Although this man has a concubine and behaves in a presumptuous manner, he is deeply loved by the emperor and has a very noble status.

Etiquette cannot be abolished, and must not be neglected.

Princess Zhaoyang walked away with her skirt winding, her eyes fixed straight ahead.

A young official raised his head slightly and was surprised to find a spot of bright red on the hem of the princess's skirt.

It seems to be... blood.

The young official's eyelids twitched, and he heard his colleagues sigh indignantly: "I'm afraid this person will be even more..."

"Shut up!"

The colleague snorted coldly, suppressed his dissatisfaction and walked away.

......

The Queen Mother slowly woke up from her coma and saw the intricate and gorgeous bed curtains.

Her eyes gradually focused, and she recalled the scene she saw before she lost consciousness. She sat up suddenly, muttering, "Heng'er! Heng'er!"

Chunyang stepped forward quickly and said, "Your Majesty, be careful. Dean Lan said you shouldn't get too excited anymore, or you might have a stroke."

However, the Queen Mother could not hear anything at this time. She only knew that her youngest son was killed by her eldest son, and her youngest son died with his eyes open.

"Chun Yang, go get Xia Ming!"

"How dare you do that in front of me... I want him to pay for my son's life!"

Chunyang's eyelids twitched wildly when he heard this, and he wished he could cover the empress dowager's mouth to stop her from saying anything bad.

Today, the Queen Mother only has Your Majesty as her son. She should try her best to repair the relationship to maintain the Queen Mother's honor. How can she question Your Majesty for the sake of a traitor?

Chun Yang tried to persuade him, and said in a gentle voice, "Your Majesty, please don't be so hard on His Majesty. Now you..."

The Queen Mother didn't want to hear a word, and no one knew where she got the strength from, but she pushed Chunyang away and rushed towards the palace door.

She is going to find Xia Ming.

She wanted to ask Xia Ming if his heart had been eaten by a dog to make him do such a wicked thing!

However, she was stopped before she even left the main hall of the Cining Palace.

"Your Majesty has issued an oral order that the Queen Mother is seriously ill and bedridden. No one is allowed to visit her."

The Queen Mother looked at the guards blocking her way with eyes full of disbelief and shrieked, "I am the Queen Mother! When did I become seriously ill? I want to see His Majesty!"

The imperial guards remained unmoved and just repeated what they had just said.

The Queen Mother was almost mad with rage: "How dare he put me under house arrest! Unfilial son! Unfilial son!"

Unable to leave the Cining Palace and see Emperor Qingyuan, the Empress Dowager could only vent her anger on the imperial guards, kicking and beating them.

She doesn't look like the dignified queen mother, but more like a shrew from a village.

The imperial guards stood firm like pine trees and refused to let the empress dowager go no matter how much she raged.

The Queen Mother made a fuss for a long time until Fu Rui showed up.

When the Queen Mother saw him, she said in a condescending tone, "Hurry up and tell them to let me out, or let that unfilial son Xia Ming come to see me!"

Fu Rui's plump face was smiling, and his voice was sharp but not harsh: "Your Majesty is very busy with government affairs. I'm afraid he has no time to come and see you."

"You don't know, the commoner Xia Heng forced the emperor to abdicate last night, leaving behind a huge mess. Your Majesty has not slept all night and hasn't even had a sip of water yet."

The four words "Commoner Xia Heng" undoubtedly touched the empress dowager's lungs. Her eyes were bloodshot and she raised her hand, pretending to teach Fu Rui a lesson.

Fu Rui stepped back with a smile, and the Queen Mother was stopped at the threshold by the imperial guards.

"How dare you, a eunuch?!"

Fu Rui narrowed his eyes, his face showing no sign of annoyance. He raised his hand to stroke his hair and said, "Your Majesty, the Queen Mother, you may not know that His Majesty has stripped the Prince of Jin of his title and demoted him to a commoner."

"In addition to this, he also ordered that the commoner Xia Heng be forbidden from entering the imperial mausoleum, that all men in the Prince of Jin's mansion be beheaded, and that all women be exiled three thousand miles away."

Fu Rui flicked his whisk and spoke in a drawn-out tone, "I'm afraid you won't be able to see the commoner Xia Heng and his descendants again in your lifetime."

The Queen Mother stared at Fu Rui with her eyes wide open, her eyeballs almost popping out of her sockets, and her fingers trembling: "How dare he... How dare he..." Such a ruthless killer!

Before she could finish her words, the empress dowager felt a palpitation in her heart and fell straight back.

"Empress!"

......

The Queen Mother had a stroke.

At this time, her eyes were crooked and her mouth was tilted, saliva was flowing from the corners of her mouth, soaking the pillowcase, most of her body could not move, and her fingers were cramping like chicken claws.

Fu Rui stood in the main hall, wiping the corners of his eyes with a handkerchief, his face showing worry: "May I ask, Head of the Lan Court, is it possible that the Empress Dowager will recover?"

Lan Yuanshou never expected that within a few hours, his prophecy would come true and he would see the empress dowager who had died in bed.

Lan Yuanshou was in a complicated mood: "The Queen Mother is old and emotionally agitated, so it may not be easy for her."

Fu Rui sighed deeply, "If His Majesty knew, he would be so worried that he wouldn't be able to eat or sleep."

Lan Yuanshou thought of the rumors in the palace and sighed silently, "Your Majesty is a filial son, but it's a pity that the Queen Mother only has the Prince of Jin in her heart who failed to usurp the throne and was killed on the spot."

Fu Rui returned to the imperial study, sank to his knees, and cried, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I just informed the Empress Dowager of your handling of the Prince of Jin's mansion. The Empress Dowager couldn't bear it and died on the spot."

Fu Rui choked up and pounded his head on the ground: "This slave deserves death, please punish me, Your Majesty!"

Emperor Qingyuan: "...Since you risked your life to protect me last night, I will fine you one month's salary to offset your merits and demerits."

Fu Rui almost laughed out loud, but he bit his lip hard to hold back his laughter. He kowtowed again and said in a heartfelt voice, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for not killing me!"

Emperor Qingyuan was silent for a moment, raised his hand and gently rubbed the magpie on the imperial desk, getting a sticky rub: "Get up, come and grind ink for me."

"yes!"

Fu Rui got up from the ground with a nimbleness that was inconsistent with a fifty-year-old man, picked up the ink stick and began to grind the ink diligently.

Soon, the eunuch came in and reported: "Your Majesty, the Prime Minister requests an audience."

Emperor Qingyuan paused with his red brush and said, "Announce."

The eunuch left, and a moment later Cao Yuan came in, knelt down and greeted.

"Your humble servant pays respect to Your Majesty."

"Lord Cao, please excuse me." Emperor Qingyuan put down his red brush and said gently, "Lord Cao, what is it that you wish to see me about?"

Cao Yuan bowed his head and raised his hands above his head. "Your Majesty, please allow me to report this. Last night, the Prince of Jin plotted rebellion. I have just remembered that the late Emperor gave me two tiger talismans. Please forgive my old age and forgetfulness for not returning them for so many years."

"I now return these two tiger talismans to Your Majesty, and I am willing to leave them to Your Majesty's disposal."

Emperor Qingyuan raised his eyes and saw two bronze tiger talismans lying quietly in Cao Yuan's raised palm.

It is a sign of weakness and also a sign of dormancy.

Emperor Qingyuan thought casually, his face a benevolent expression: "Lord Cao, you have devoted yourself to the Great Xia and have made great contributions. How could I punish you for just two tiger talismans?"

Fu Rui walked down and took the tiger talisman.

Cao Yuan only felt his palm lighten, as if the heavy military power was leaving him.

Cao Yuan took a silent breath and kowtowed again: "Your Majesty, I thank you for not punishing me."

The purpose of this trip was achieved, and Cao Yuan left the imperial study.

He stood on the high steps, the autumn wind blew on his face, the coolness filled his body, and he was surprised to find that his back was already soaked with sweat.

Cao Yuan exhaled and walked down the stairs.

Did he lose?

No, he didn't.

Xia Ming is very old and will eventually die, while the Fourth Prince and the Fifth Prince are in their prime and have decades to live.

Even if he has to hold on to his last breath, he will wait until that day.

There is still a long way to go, and it is not certain who will win or lose.

But the most urgent task right now is to deal with the traitor.

Kang Yuanyi and Wang Zhao betrayed him and should pay the price.

......

On the other side, Princess Zhaoyang walked out of the palace under the bright moonlight and returned to the princess's mansion in a carriage.

After entering the bedroom, Princess Zhaoyang took off her hairpins and makeup and went behind the screen to take a bath.

Yuan Shuang served by the side, combing and washing Princess Zhaoyang's long raven hair.

Princess Zhaoyang leaned against the edge of the bathtub, her expression lazy and her cheeks slightly flushed. "Go to Furong Courtyard and let them know, so they won't worry."

Yuan Shuang responded softly, helped Princess Zhaoyang finish her bath, wiped her wet hair until it was half dry, and then went to Furong Courtyard to deliver the message.

When Yuan Shuang came back with the message, Princess Zhaoyang had already fallen asleep on the chaise longue.

Yuan Shuang subconsciously held her breath and walked lightly, but Princess Zhaoyang woke up immediately.

Yuan Shuang's face showed an expression of regret: "I am guilty of disturbing Your Highness."

Princess Zhaoyang gathered her hair, stood up, and walked towards the bed in her embroidered shoes: "It has nothing to do with you, I'm just used to it."

Yuan Shuang lowered her head, extinguished the candle, and retreated quietly.

Princess Zhaoyang lay flat on the bed, her hands clasped in front of her stomach, staring quietly at the tent ceiling embroidered with gold thread. After a long time, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

It took no more than an hour to close my eyes and open them again.

Princess Zhaoyang rubbed her swollen forehead, sat up on the bed, leaned on the soft pillow, and looked out through the glass window.

It was already bright outside, and the warm sunlight came in through the window, making people feel warm just by looking at it.

Yuan Shuang walked in and reported respectfully, "Your Highness, Furongyuan came early this morning to express her gratitude to you and has been waiting in the side room for a long time."

Princess Zhaoyang groaned slightly but did not move. Instead, she leaned against the head of the bed to relax. After she got used to the headache, she got up and changed her clothes.

As soon as they sat down, a palace maid came in with two beautiful women.

The woman entered, lowered her eyes and dared not look around, her every move revealed restraint and respect.

The two of them bowed to Princess Zhaoyang and said in unison, "Your Highness, your Highness."

Princess Zhaoyang took a sip of tea, the bitter taste sinking into her throat, dispelling the drowsiness. "No need for formalities."

"Thank you, Your Highness, for saving me."

"If it weren't for Your Majesty and Your Highness, Commander Kang and my husband would have been tied to that broken ship forever."

Princess Zhaoyang put down her teacup, her lips rosy, her eyes and brows, resembling her mother's, even more graceful. "Your thanks are not necessary. Your safety is guaranteed, and Commanders Kang and Wang can now serve their father with peace of mind."

That’s right, the two women who came to express their gratitude were Kang Yuanyi and Wang Zhao’s wives.

"Having said that, if it weren't for Your Highness protecting me and giving me a place to stay, I'm afraid I would be dead soon."

"Sister Liu is absolutely right. Your Highness's great kindness and generosity will never be forgotten. Please accept my humble respect."

Princess Zhaoyang smiled without saying a word, allowing the two men to kneel down and worship her.

Mrs. Kang and Mrs. Wang did not stay long. They said a few more words and then left.

Back at Hibiscus Courtyard, Madam Kang looked around, then pulled Madam Wang into the bedroom and whispered, "Sister Liu, why did His Highness interfere in the dispute between His Majesty, the Prime Minister, and the Prince of Jin?"

Five days ago, Kang Yuanyi sent his parents, wives, concubines and children to Princess Zhaoyang's residence overnight and has not appeared since then.

Mrs. Kang had some vague guesses, but it was not until last night that she finally let go of the worry that had been weighing on her mind for so long.

But she couldn't understand why Princess Zhaoyang, a woman, would get involved in court disputes.

Mrs. Kang and Mrs. Wang were close friends before they got married, and they never lost contact even after they got married. They had a very good relationship and could talk about anything.

Mrs. Wang pulled the handkerchief, wrapped it around her fingertips, and then untied it in circles, repeating this over and over again, never getting tired of it.

When Mrs. Kang saw Mrs. Wang like this, she knew that she was thinking, so she kept silent.

After a moment, Madam Wang's pupils contracted and she grasped Madam Kang's hand: "Sister Xue, do you think it's possible..."

She said, pointing to the sky.

Mrs. Kang opened her mouth, but before a scream could escape her throat, she covered it tightly with her hands, her eyes signaling: Are you serious?

Madam Wang clutched her handkerchief tightly and paced back and forth: "The harem is not allowed to interfere in government affairs, even the royal family is not immune to this custom. Yet, Your Majesty allows Your Highness to meddle in court affairs and take us in..."

Mrs. Kang felt inexplicably horrified and thought this was unbelievable.

It's thrilling, but also a bit exciting.

"Sister Liu, this is simply too... unbelievable!"

"Who says it's not true? I don't even dare to think about it." Madam Wang stopped and held Madam Kang's hand. "Sister, we must keep this matter to ourselves and not tell anyone."

Mrs. Kang's eyes widened for a moment: "My husband can't do that either?"

Mrs. Wang shook her head firmly: "No!"

Mrs. Kang always listened to Mrs. Wang, and nodded decisively: "Okay, then I won't tell anyone."

Madam Wang took two steps back and sat on a round stool. She looked at the crystal-clear, priceless glass window and murmured, "If this could... it would be a hundred benefits to women, with no harm at all."

Mrs. Kang thought of her gentle yet affectionate husband, the various underworlds in the backyard, the three obediences and four virtues, and the rules for women, and couldn't help but smile bitterly: "Who says it's not true?"

The social ethics and moral codes bound them tightly and strangled their lifeblood, making them like drowning people, unable to struggle but trapped deeper and deeper.

Madam Wang sighed softly, "How many Du Qingtangs and Fu Cis can there be in this world? They risked their lives to get to where they are today, but as for us... I'm still afraid after all."

I dare not do it, and I dare not even think about it.

......

Now that she had woken up, Princess Zhaoyang had no intention of taking another nap.

Princess Zhaoyang sat in front of the dressing table, and a skillful palace maid put on makeup for her.

The palace maid was originally the best makeup girl in Ningxiang Tower. When Emperor Qingyuan saw that Princess Zhaoyang often went to Ningxiang Tower to put on makeup, he waved his hand and sent her to the princess's mansion.

"Your Highness, yesterday I came up with a new hairstyle. Would you like to try it?"

Princess Zhaoyang responded lazily, and the palace maid carefully removed her original bun.

Three thousand white hairs are scattered, and frost is mixed in with the raven color.

At this time, Yuan Shuang entered and whispered to Princess Zhaoyang, "Your Highness, just as you expected, Cao Yuan sent people to attack Prince Kang and his family last night."

Princess Zhaoyang played with her gold and jade earrings and murmured softly, "The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. Who is the cicada and who is the oriole?"

-

Time goes back to the hour of Hai last night.

Du Qingtang was about to turn off the lights and go to sleep when the patrol brought news that there were suspected plague patients in the city.

The horror of the plague is obvious to all. Usually, if one person is infected with the plague, the whole family will suffer.

Du Qingtang did not dare to hesitate for a moment. A series of orders were passed down, and the entire government office started to operate at high speed.

The four kings, King Zhou, King Wu, and King Zheng, led their troops to the four counties under their jurisdiction respectively to search for suspected plague patients and isolate them for observation.

At the same time, the city was blocked, and yamen runners were sent to search house by house. Suspected plague patients were sent to refugee camps for forced isolation.

In addition, Du Qingtang also sent people to investigate the source of the plague and asked garment factories to expedite the production of masks and protective clothing to prevent doctors in the city from being infected with the plague while treating patients and dying in vain.

As for Du Qingtang, he naturally had to sit in the government office and issue orders.

......

That night, the city was brightly lit and as bustling as day.

The yamen runners, with their faces covered with cloth, knocked on the doors of the people's homes, checking everyone from babies in swaddling clothes to old women in their eighties.

Anyone with unusual circumstances will be sent to a refugee camp for isolation.

The person involved and his family resisted. The former was knocked unconscious on the spot and forcibly taken away, while the latter drew a knife to warn them.

"There are plague patients in the city. This is the order of the prefect. Please cooperate with the government."

"Also, if you are feeling unwell, please go to the refugee camp immediately for isolation and treatment to avoid infecting others and causing further casualties."

Upon hearing that it was the prefect's order, most people immediately quieted down, allowed their families to be taken away, and disappeared into the dark night with the yamen runners.

When I turned around, I found my neighbor hiding behind the door and peeking.

"Has anyone from your family been taken away as well?"

"Yes."

"Don't look at it. Close the door. Don't go anywhere unless it's necessary these days, or you might get infected with the plague and die."

"Alas, life was just getting better, but now there's another plague. God really doesn't want us to live."

The woman sobbed softly and closed the door with a sob.

The yamen runners and patrolmen went out together and spent six hours walking through the streets and alleys of the city, not even sparing the beggars on the street.

By dawn, news of the plague had spread throughout the city.

The city was in a state of panic, everyone was in danger and stayed indoors. There was no one to be seen on the streets except for the hurried yamen runners and government soldiers.

At 9:00 PM, Captain Zhang returned from the refugee camp and reported with a serious expression, "Sir, as of now, 8,929 people are suspected of being infected with the plague. However, there are limited isolation rooms in the refugee camp and they can't accommodate so many people..."

Even though he had been mentally prepared, Du Qingtang still felt it was a difficult situation when he learned the number of people. He made a quick decision and said, "All the houses that have been returned to the government can be temporarily requisitioned. After the plague is over, we can just disinfect them collectively."

Captain Zhang replied, "Yes," and then said, "Sir, the patient who vomited blood last night has died."

Du Qingtang paused, then closed his eyes. "Send a message to the refugee camp: anyone who died from the plague must be cremated and not buried."

Burying the dead is very likely to cause the plague to continue to spread. Only cremation can cut off the spread of the plague at its source.

Captain Zhang knew that when two countries were at war, soldiers who died on the battlefield were cremated to prevent the spread of epidemics. He had no objection to the prefect's order and immediately went to the refugee camp to pass on the message. He also cremated the deceased and sent the ashes to his family.

An hour after Captain Zhang left, Du Yi came back from outside.

"Master, I have found the source of the plague."

Du Qingtang was reading a book about the plague. He immediately looked up when he heard this and asked, "What is it?"

Du Yi bowed and said, "I learned from Captain Zhang that the highest number of infections were in the eastern part of the city. So, I, along with Du Er, Du San, and Du Si, conducted a thorough investigation of the eastern part of the city. Finally, we discovered a male corpse upstream of the Changxing River. I examined the body and found symptoms consistent with the plague."

There are two rivers in the city, namely Changxing River in the east of the city and Changfu River in the west of the city.

The Changxing River runs across almost the entire eastern part of the city, and people living along the river carry water from the river to drink.

The people drank river water soaked with plague corpses, and given the high infectiousness of the plague, it was difficult not to be infected.

When people were infected with the plague, although symptoms appeared very quickly, few people thought it was a plague.

These people went out as usual, interacted with others, and the disease spread from one person to ten, and from ten to a hundred, more and more people were infected with the plague...

Du Qingtang laughed in anger: "This is clearly aimed at destroying the entire city!"

Du Yi lowered his head and asked respectfully, "Master, do you want to continue investigating?"

"Investigate! Of course we have to investigate!" Du Qingtang looked towards the east, his gaze seeming to penetrate through layers of buildings and reach the Changxing River. "I want to see who is behind this!"

Du Qingtang's eyes flashed coldly, "Send more people to secretly guard the area near Changxing River and Changfu River."

Du paused for a moment and asked tentatively, "You mean, there's a high possibility that they'll strike again?"

Du Qingtang stood with his hands behind his back. "The other party's target is the entire population of Shaoqing Prefecture. Now that we've discovered it in time, we can definitely control and eliminate the plague in time. In this way, won't their calculations be completely thwarted?"

"I understand."

Du Yi took the order and left, and silence returned to the hall.

Du Qingtang paced back and forth, and thought of a lot in an instant.

It is not clear how many people drank the water. It is very likely that some of them have developed symptoms while others have not.

The former has been forcibly isolated, and the latter is a movable source of danger that will kill everyone if it explodes.

Du Qingtang pondered for a moment and issued another order: "Continue searching the city. Once, twice, three times. All suspicious patients will be taken into isolation."

So, the yamen runners and patrolmen who had been running around all night once again covered their faces with cloth and set out on patrol.

Du Qingtang then called over sixteen more minor officials: "Teams of four will each go to the four districts in the east, west, south, and north, and beat gongs and drums to remind the people not to drink the water from the Changxing River."

The clerk's expression became serious. "Sir, have you found the source of the plague?"

Du Qingtang nodded: "My guards found the body of a man who died of plague in the Changxing River."

As soon as these words were spoken, the whole audience was in an uproar.

"So this plague is not a natural disaster, but man-made!"

"Why would the mastermind do this? He's causing innocent people to be infected with the plague and die. Isn't he afraid of retribution?"

"His heart is worthy of death! His heart is worthy of death!"

Du Qingtang interrupted them loudly: "Four people will take turns, three hours each, and you can stop after twelve hours."

"Your humble servant will obey your orders, sir!"

"Don't worry, sir. I've been speaking loudly ever since I was little, and I'll make sure everyone knows that the Changxing River is not clean and the water there is not drinkable!"

Du Qingtang's expression eased slightly, and he waved his hand: "There's no time to lose, stop talking nonsense, and go quickly."

"yes!"

The sixteen clerks left in a hurry, and Du Qingtang continued to read books about the plague.

At noon, the garment factory delivered 10,000 sets of isolation suits and 20,000 masks that the female workers had made overnight.

Du Qingzhu got the news and came over from the Third Hall, volunteering, "Xianyu, the plague is raging in the city, infecting countless people. The government office is short-staffed, so why don't I lead the members of the Qiongying Society and work with the yamen runners and patrolmen to conduct an inspection?"

Seeing Du Qingtang frown, Du Qingzhu quickly said, "We will wear protective clothing and masks. We'll be fine if we're careful. Besides, when smallpox was rampant in Runing Prefecture, didn't we also help the yamen runners patrol?"

Du Qingzhu took the youngest's arm and shook it gently: "The first time is strange, the second time is familiar. Besides, you and Xiao Ba are both busy, leaving me alone. If I do nothing, I will look down on myself."

Now that things have come to this, how could Du Qingtang refuse?

Du Qingtang sighed softly: "Go, protect yourself."

Du Qingzhu instantly smiled, put on enough protective clothing and masks, and went to find Wang Nianci and other women first, and then met up with others during the inspection.

In the afternoon, news came back from the four counties under its jurisdiction one after another.

Compared with the nearly 10,000 people in the provincial capital, on average only a few hundred people in each county were suspected of being infected with the plague.

The four lords, Zhou, Wu, Zheng and Wang, have set up isolation houses in the local area to forcibly isolate suspected patients and summoned doctors to treat them.

But everyone knows that there is no cure for the plague in Daxia so far. Once infected with the plague, death is inevitable, the only difference is dying early or late.

After learning about the situation in the four counties under his jurisdiction, Du Qingtang put on protective clothing and a mask and rode to the refugee camp.

As we walked along, we found that every household had its doors tightly shut, and not even a trace of laughter could be heard.

Yamen runners and patrolmen wearing protective clothing and masks can be seen everywhere in the streets and alleys, patiently knocking on people's doors and patrolling house by house.

There are also some women who are short and slender even through the thick protective clothing. They are scattered in the city with yamen runners and patrol soldiers, patrolling and reminding the people to pay attention to protection.

"Auntie, has anyone in your family shown any abnormal symptoms, such as high fever, headache, vomiting, subcutaneous bleeding, or vomiting blood? No, sorry to bother you. If anyone in your family shows any of these symptoms in the future, they must be immediately sent to a refugee camp for isolation."

"Try not to go out recently. Your safety comes first. It's not too late to go out after the government has resolved the plague. Thank you for your cooperation!"

The clear and lively voice injected fresh vitality into this lifeless city and also made the people's heavy hearts feel a little lighter.

In addition to the patrol officers, there were also clerks beating drums and gongs.

"Everyone, please pay attention! The body of a man who died of the plague has appeared in the Changxing River east of the city. Many people have contracted the plague because they drank the water from the Changxing River!"

"If you have drunk water from the Changxing River before, please don't panic. If you feel unwell, please go to the refugee camp immediately for isolation..."

The lively sound of gongs and drums faded away, Du Qingtang tightened the reins and headed straight for the south of the city.

The refugee camp has been heavily guarded, and all the government soldiers have put on protective clothing and masks, standing at the door with knives or guns.

Du Qingtang was wearing a protective suit and a mask, so her face couldn't be seen clearly. Fortunately, General Huang Qian recognized her mount and hurried over to greet her: "Your Highness, I am here to see you."

The rest of the palace soldiers clasped their fists and saluted: "Greetings, Your Excellency."

Du Qingtang nodded, his clear voice sounding a little muffled through the three layers of masks: "Everyone, please take precautions. Safety should be the top priority."

"yes!"

When Du Qingtang walked into the refugee camp, he heard a commotion.

"You're just a young girl, and you've probably never come into contact with a plague patient in your life. Don't kill the patient with your medicine!"

"This is a critical moment of life and death, concerning the lives of tens of millions of people in the city. I don't have time to argue with you. I advise you to go home quickly."

"A woman should do what a woman should do. If all else fails, go study at that Qiong English Society. It's better than messing around here."

"Doctor Liang, it's already this late. Why are you still letting Chu Xia hang out with her? Plague is no joke. It could kill people."

"Chu Xia, you shouldn't have come here. If anything happened to you, how would I explain it to your parents?"

The old man's voice was followed by a crisp female voice, revealing a stubborn determination to not give in: "I came here with my master. It has nothing to do with you."

As soon as he finished speaking, there was a crisp "pop" sound.

The noise stopped abruptly, and all those who had been shouting and denouncing the female doctor fell silent.

"Doctor Liang, if you have any dissatisfaction, just come to me. Why make things difficult for Chu Xia?"

There was anger in Du Qingju's voice. Du Qingtang frowned and couldn't help but quicken his pace.

"The reason why I allowed Chu Xia to become your disciple was because I saw how capable you were. Who would have thought that you would bring Chu Xia here to take risks? It seems that you are not suitable to be Chu Xia's..."

"Grandpa, please stop talking!" Liang Chuxia's voice was filled with tears.

Doctor Liang fell silent, and instead the other doctors began to accuse Liang Chuxia.

"Chu Xia, you are too ignorant. Your grandfather is just concerned about you."

"Go back quickly. Your so-called master doesn't care about your life or death at all."

Du Qingtang walked into the pharmacy and first looked for Du Qingju.

Du Qingju, wearing protective clothing and a mask, stood out among a group of white-haired old doctors.

Liang Chuxia stood next to Du Qingju. The little girl had red eyes and looked very aggrieved.

Everyone was blaming everyone, accusing Du Qingju of not coming here and accusing Liang Chuxia of being ungrateful and unfilial to her elders.

Du Qingtang stayed awake all night. The real culprit behind the scenes had not been found yet. She was already annoyed and hated people taking advantage of their seniority the most, let alone one of the people being accused was her own sister.

"I summoned you here to treat plague patients and research plague remedies, not to engage in verbal taunting or bullying."

As soon as these words were spoken, all the doctors looked over.

Du Qingtang's eyes were cold, and his voice was chilling: "I have made it very clear. Summon all the doctors in the city. All of them! Don't you understand?"

The doctors did not expect the prefect to come over suddenly and criticize them in public. Their faces turned pale and blue, which was more exciting than a dyeing factory.

Unfortunately, they were wearing masks and no one noticed their embarrassment.

"Just do what you need to do. If I find out you're not doing your job again, get out!"

The prefect cursed for the first time in his life, and the doctors were all silent, not daring to make a sound. They went to the medicine cabinet on the other side to get medicine in fear, for fear that they would stay there and continue to be scolded.

After his ears were clear, Du Qingtang looked at Master Du Qingju and his disciple.

Liang Chuxia knew the relationship between the prefect and her master, and lowered her head in embarrassment, saying in a muffled voice, "I'm sorry to have made a fool of myself."

"It's okay." Du Qingtang paused, "Do you want to go back?"

Liang Chuxia shook her head, her eyes determined: "I want to work with Master to cure diseases and save lives."

Du Qingtang smiled and said, "Then do what you want to do, and don't worry too much about other people's voices and opinions."

Du Qingju echoed: "I don't think I've ever told you that before I developed the Tianju Drink, everyone looked down on me. Later..."

Liang Chuxia sniffed: "What happened next?"

"Later, they apologized to me and admitted that they were not as good as me." Du Qingju patted the little apprentice on the head. "Since you have embarked on this path, don't regret it, and don't be afraid or retreat. Just keep moving forward."

Liang Chuxia nodded: "I understand, thank you for your teachings, Master."

Du Qingju coaxed her little apprentice, nodded to Du Qingtang, took the medicine dustpan to get the medicine, and tried to prepare the plague prescription for the third time.

There are many people here and many eyes, so it is not appropriate to say too much. The priority should be to study the prescription.

Du Qingtang went to check on the condition of the confirmed plague patients.

Some people have fever and cough, and their whole body turns red, like cooked shrimp.

Some people have slightly more severe symptoms, including vomiting, diarrhea, and a sallow complexion.

A small number of people vomited blood and had bloody stools, their faces were as pale as paper, and they were obviously terminally ill.

Du Qingtang couldn't bear to look any further after just one glance, so he rode his horse back to the government office.

After that, I couldn't sleep all night again.

......

The second day of the plague outbreak.

A clerk came to report: "From yesterday at 9:00 PM to today at 9:00 PM, another 2,482 people were forcibly quarantined."

"Besides that, forty-nine people died."

Du Qingtang felt as if he had swallowed a huge rock whole. His stomach ached and he felt a little nauseous. He took a deep breath to suppress the discomfort. "Follow the rules. Give them to their families after cremation."

The clerk took the order and left.

In the afternoon, Du Yi rushed back to the government office, exhausted and said, "Master, we have found out the identity of the deceased."

"The deceased's name is Feng Yuan. He lived in the east of the city. He had no parents, no wife, and no children. He was completely alone. Therefore, no one reported his disappearance for many days."

"My subordinates and Du Er performed an autopsy and discovered that the true cause of death was not the plague, but rather a broken neck and suffocation."

"I also visited the people living along the riverbank. One man spotted someone sneaking around the Changxing River five nights ago. He didn't dare to look closely, so he didn't know what the person looked like. He only knew they were eight feet tall and as strong as a brown bear."

Du Qingtang pondered for a moment: "The one who killed Feng Yuan must be a martial artist. Considering his physical characteristics, it should be easy to find out who he is."

Du Yi agreed deeply: "Then shall I continue to investigate?"

Du Qingtang clasped his fingers together, shook his head, and called over the clerk: "Send a message to the yamen runners and patrolmen, tell them to keep an eye out for a suspicious individual eight feet tall. He's most likely a martial artist."

The clerk took the order and left.

Du Yi was puzzled: "Why are you making such a big fuss? Won't it alert the enemy?"

Du Qingtang's expression was unpredictable: "What we want is to alert the enemy."

The patrolmen patrolled everywhere every day, but Feng Yuan's body was left in the river for three days without anyone finding it. Either the patrolmen neglected their duties, or they avoided that place.

There are two types of bypassing: active and passive, depending on how the patrol responds to the command just issued.

As expected, two hours later, the yamen runners brought news.

"Sir, I just remembered that I encountered a suspicious person while on patrol the day before yesterday. I went to look for him, but found him dead at home."

Du Yi's pupils contracted, and he was completely impressed by his master.

Du Qingtang seemed to be thinking: "I understand."

After the bailiff left, Du Qingtang instructed Du Yi, "Now you just need to keep an eye on the patrolmen who have been to the east of the city in the past three days. If you see anything unusual, report it immediately."

"Besides that, we must not let our guard down on Zhang Caiwei's side either."

Du Yi respectfully replied, "I'll take my leave."

......

The third day of the plague.

Around Chou time at night, there was a strong wind with thunder and lightning.

Du Qingtang was awakened by the thunder. He got up, put on his clothes, and walked to the window, where heavy rain began to pour down.

Du Qingtang opened the window and let the raindrops as big as beans hit her face.

It is known that heavy rains not only cause floods, but also accelerate the spread of plague viruses.

"Is God going to kill me?" Du Qingtang murmured.

A flash of lightning danced like a whip, cutting through the sky, illuminating the night, and also making Du Qingtang's face pale, without a trace of blood.

Du Qingtang clasped the window frame tightly, his eyes dark.

No.

She never believed in fate.

She also believes that man can conquer nature.