Just then, Xie Shiyan appeared outside the main hall as if he had sensed Gu Jiangli's call.

He walked in on his own without waiting for the emperor's summons.

In an instant, all the ministers' eyes fell on him.

Xie Shiyan approached with a sullen face, his gaze filled with indifference and coldness.

Only when he stood next to Gu Jiangli did a hint of tenderness appear in his eyes.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of everything."

He lowered his head and said in a low voice.

Gu Jiangli was naturally relieved.

When she saw the palace maids behind Xie Shiyan, she no longer needed to worry.

When Physician Zhang saw Xie Shiyan, the trembling at the corner of his mouth became even more pronounced.

When she saw the palace maids behind Xie Shiyan, she couldn't hide her guilty conscience at all.

Xie Shiyan glanced at him and said, "Judging from Physician Zhang's expression, he must know these palace maids."

Upon hearing this, the emperor looked at Physician Zhang with a questioning gaze.

Physician Zhang coughed twice, feigning composure, and said, "Of course... they recovered after taking the prescription we gave them. They were palace maids who tested the medicine, so of course this old minister knows them."

Xie Shiyan sneered: "Really? Their skin also ulcerated due to the plague?"

"Indeed...that's true."

"I'll ask one more time, is it ulceration?"

Doctor Zhang panicked, looked up, and couldn't understand why Xie Shiyan was so insistent on whether or not the ulcer was ulcerated.

But he knew that the plague would cause skin ulcers, so he gritted his teeth and said, "Yes, several palace maids have indeed been affected by the plague and their skin has ulcerated."

Gu Jiangli, standing behind Xie Shiyan, gave him a look as if he were looking at an idiot.

This made Physician Zhang feel increasingly uneasy.

Xie Shiyan coldly asked, "Fine, then I'll ask again: exactly how many days ago did the Imperial Medical Academy find the prescription to treat the plague?"

Physician Zhang swallowed hard, glanced nervously at his colleagues behind him, and after a moment's thought, finally spoke:

"Five days... no, six days ago."

Xie Shiyan revealed a mocking smile, which made Physician Zhang feel as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.

The question Xie Shiyan uttered made him feel even more uneasy.

"Doctor Zhang, do you think these palace maids still have any scars on their bodies?"