Chapter 68 "Where is the princess? Has she come out yet?"...

In the dead of night, the thick darkness enveloped Heishigou, but inside and outside Yujia Village, lights shone brightly, as if stars had fallen to earth.

The flickering candlelight cast the silhouettes of Liu Jixue and several doctors onto the tent. They sat around a table with paper and pens spread out in front of them, all with solemn expressions, working late into the night to carefully consider the additions and subtractions to the prescription.

Liu Jixue pondered for a moment before speaking: "Aunt He's illness at the village entrance came on suddenly. She developed a rash today after taking the medicine, which seems to be rubella. I think I should add one mace of Belamcanda chinensis and one mace of Citrus aurantium to her medicine tomorrow. This will not only preserve the original medicinal properties but also clear heat, remove rashes, regulate qi, and relieve allergies."

Doctor Xu, with his long, snow-white beard, nodded repeatedly, "This method is very appropriate; I believe it is feasible."

“Yu Xiaolian’s symptoms are more complicated.” Another doctor, Dr. Chen, wearing a hood and with a neat short beard, asked Liu Jixue, “Dr. Liu, do you think it’s better to add some ephedra or cinnamon twig? She has a persistent high fever and needs to be induced to sweat and relieve the exterior.”

Upon seeing this, Doctor Liu from Huichuntang straightened his back with a hint of pride and teased, "Didn't Doctor Chen say during the day that women are gentle and weak, with limited understanding, and that medicine is definitely not the right path for them, and that they are too young and inexperienced to lead us? Why are you being so humble now?"

Dr. Chen blushed, his fair face turning red. He clasped his hands in embarrassment and said, "I was narrow-minded. Dr. Liu's medical skills are superb, and I am completely convinced. Dr. Liu, I apologize for my previous ignorant words and hope that you will forgive me."

"It's alright. Doctors are of one mind, all working to save patients." Liu Jixue smiled gently, glancing gratefully at Dr. Liu who was willing to stand up for her. Her words were as gentle as a spring breeze, and her two sentences dispelled any unpleasantness between them. "I am young and inexperienced, so it is understandable that Dr. Chen has doubts."

She then focused her attention and said, “I remember that Yu Xiaolian’s pulse is rather weak and her vital energy is already damaged. I’m afraid she can’t withstand strong diaphoretics like ephedra and cinnamon twig. I wonder if we could use schizonepeta, saposhnikovia and codonopsis instead? This combination of herbs is mild and can both dispel wind and evil and support the body’s vital energy.”

"Schizonepeta, Saposhnikovia, and Codonopsis..." Doctor Chen murmured as he pondered, when suddenly his eyes lit up. "Schizonepeta and Saposhnikovia are warm but not drying, and induce sweating without being drastic. Codonopsis pilosula invigorates qi and generates fluids, and is mildly nourishing. It is just right for Xiaolian's symptoms of external pathogenic factors in a weak person. Let's use this prescription!"

Don't touch him!

Suddenly, a heart-wrenching wail came from outside. Everyone's expression changed, and they hurriedly lifted the curtain and ran out.

The outer perimeter of Yujia Village had long been fortified with heavy wooden barriers, restricting entry and exit. Inside the village, fences also divided the area into three zones from left to right: the leftmost zone was for confirmed cases of severe infection, the middle zone was for mild cases, and the rightmost zone was for observation. If a patient did not develop a fever during the observation period, they could leave Yujia Village and be taken to the vicinity of the post station where Fengmian was located.

The torchlight cast a bright glow over several figures in front of the intensive care unit fence. Three fully armed guards stood helplessly in front of a woman kneeling on the ground.

The woman held a two- or three-year-old child tightly in her arms, crying out in a hoarse voice, "You mustn't touch him! He's still alive! He was complaining of feeling unwell just half an hour ago, and I gave him his medicine. How could he be dead? Don't try to fool me!"

She screamed and waved her hands frantically, driving the three guards back half a step. Then she gently lowered her head to comfort the child in her arms, "Good boy, Ying'er, don't be afraid, Mommy will protect you. Mommy won't let them take you away. When it gets light, the doctor will come to see you, and everything will be alright, okay?"

As she moved, the child in her arms revealed half of its pale face, its eyes tightly closed, already lifeless.

The three guards, whose faces were not covered by masks, all showed reluctance in their eyes. They looked at each other, but none of them had the heart to step forward again.

The sound of hurried footsteps rose from the observation area on the far right. Another fully armed guard led a group of people carrying torches to squeeze to the fence and look out over the middle area for mild cases.

The guard looked at Village Chief Yu and his son Yu Dashu beside him and said, "You two should try to persuade them. It's not good to leave the child's body in the ward for too long."

"Wan Niang, don't be so stubborn!" Village Chief Yu leaned against the railing, took a deep breath, and shouted sternly, "Ying'er is gone, let him go in peace!"

Yu Dashu choked back tears, his hand holding the torch trembling, "Yes, Wan Niang, please don't, please don't hurt yourself! Give Ying'er... give Ying'er to them!"

The hunched woman paused upon hearing the voice, then suddenly looked up, her eyes flashing with hatred, the flickering flames visible even from a distance of over ten meters.

"It was you! You wouldn't let Ying'er take his medicine, which caused his high fever to persist and he contracted the plague. It's all your fault!" Her voice, filled with gritted teeth and hatred, was as if she wanted to devour his flesh and drink his blood. "And now you're even cursing my son to die! What are you up to!"

The fierce hatred startled the village chief, causing him to stagger back two steps.

"Let me in."

The guards at the entrance of Yujia Village were craning their necks to look inside when they suddenly heard a soft female voice behind them. Turning around, they saw Liu Jixue already wearing the protective apron and face mask required for entering the critically ill epidemic area. They quickly pushed aside and pulled open the wooden barrier, saying, "Dr. Liu."

Liu Jixue walked unimpeded to the woman named Wan Niang, squatted down, and asked, "Let me see the child."

Wan Niang, who was softly humming a song to soothe the child, stopped and looked up at Liu Jixue. Her eyes lit up with hope, and she held the child's arm and handed it over. "Doctor Liu, you've finally come! Please take a look at Ying'er. They insist that Ying'er is dead. Please examine him!"

Her thin arms were icy cold to the touch; even without taking a pulse, it was clear this was not the temperature a living person should have. But Liu Jixue still carefully took her pulse, saying each word slowly and deliberately, "No obvious pulse, no vital signs. Judging from the body temperature and stiffness, she died about half an hour ago. She's dead; she stopped breathing half an hour ago."

Wan Niang lowered her head, holding the child without speaking. After a long while, a tear fell onto the child's tightly closed eyes. Wan Niang hurriedly wiped away the tear, her trembling fingertips stroking his hair, but the tears kept falling, as if the string had been broken.

She frantically raised her face, the torchlight illuminating her tear-streaked, desperate countenance.

The child stopped breathing in Wan Niang's arms. She gradually felt his body temperature getting colder and colder. How could she not know that the child was dead?

She just couldn't believe it, couldn't believe that the child who had just obediently taken his medicine could close his eyes and never open them again.

But now that the doctor has taken her pulse and told her the truth in person, there is no longer any reason for her to deceive herself. She finally broke down in tears.

Liu Jixue took out a handkerchief from her sleeve and wiped Wan Niang's wet cheeks, gently advising, "Let go, Ying'er needs to sleep somewhere else."

Wan Niang asked in a hoarse voice, "Where will he be taken?"

"A new mortuary has been built at the foot of the mountain to the west. The princess paid for a coffin and will properly bury Ying'er."

Wan Niang was slightly lost in thought, murmuring, "The mountains to the west, I know them, Ying'er used to love going there to play."

Her lips trembled slightly, forming a smile that was both relieved and sad. "Ying'er will like it there."

She released her hands, and two guards rushed forward to pick up Ying'er's body, place it on the palanquin used to transport the wounded, and carry it out.

Wan Niang's gaze followed the carriage into the distance. After washing and disinfecting her hands, Liu Jixue took her pulse. "Your pulse is stable, and your health is quite good. You can isolate yourself for three days. If everything is alright, you can go to the observation area for further observation..."

"I'm not leaving," Wan Niang said calmly.

Initially, she followed Ying'er in, worried that he would be left unattended and separated from her, even though she wasn't sick. Perhaps it was a blessing from heaven, but she never fell ill and had enough strength to take care of the child.

Unfortunately, the child still didn't survive.

But many people in the intensive care unit were still suffering. When she stayed up all night with her child and dared not close her eyes, she heard the painful groans of other patients and saw the medical apprentices who had risked staying to keep watch at night so tired that they fell asleep leaning against the wall outside.

"I want to stay and take care of them."

When she was worried about her child, many people here comforted her. Several aunties were especially concerned that her health might not be able to take it and promised to take good care of the child for her, telling her not to risk her own safety.

Since she had been here for quite some time without any problems, she didn't want to leave just like that. She also didn't want to go back to her heartless husband and father-in-law.

"Dr. Liu, please go out quickly. Don't stay here too long. Everyone is waiting for you to see the patients. You can't afford to have anything happen to you."

As Wan Niang spoke, she rose and gave a graceful bow, not even glancing at her husband and father-in-law in the distance. She turned around and walked towards the ward for critically ill patients without looking back.

His figure disappeared into the gradually brightening sky.

Under the rising sun, several hooves pounded the dewdrops hanging from the grass. In the distance, a shepherd boy heard the noise, looked up, and happily cracked his whip as he ran back, shouting, "The saint is back! The saint is back!"

The horse's hooves came to an abrupt halt in front of the flock of sheep, kicking up dust and grass.

Mi Tu turned around, and the sunlight shone brightly and warmly around her.

"This is the Canglang tribe." She looked at Chu Jingqi, who was riding up to her, and announced loudly.

Chu Jingqi looked exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes. He couldn't understand how Mi Tu could still be so energetic after traveling for several days and taking a long detour to escort the other tribes back to their own territories.

He forced himself to stay awake and said, "It's good that we've arrived. I should head back now."

"Aren't you planning to stay as a guest?" Mi Tu invited. "Isn't it dangerous over at Black Stone Gully right now? You can stay in the Azure Wolf Tribe for a few more days."

Upon hearing that Mi Tu invited him to stay as a guest, Chu Jingqi's eyes lit up, but he still shook his head.

“It’s precisely because it’s dangerous that we have to go back. As the older brother, I can’t just leave my little cousin inside and enjoy myself.”

Mi Tu was somewhat surprised, yet felt that this was more like what he would do. She waved her hand, and two guards appeared carrying several large bundles, handing them to the guards of Dayong.

“These are herbs unique to the Northern Barbarians, some from the Canglang tribe and others sent by other tribes. Take them back to the princess and tell her that we are grateful for her kindness and hope that the epidemic will end soon.”

When the epidemic first broke out, Feng Mian immediately sent people to escort them away. He even suggested that Chu Jingqi escort them all the way to their doorstep to show that the major tribes had a good relationship with Dayong and to deter the Alna tribe from taking action against them in private. Naturally, they had to reciprocate.

"Thank you all." He grinned, looking at Mi Tu with reluctance. "Then I'll be going now. I hope you'll welcome me again when I come back, just as you did today."

Chu Jingqi waved his hand, reined in his horse, turned it around, and led his guards away.

Herling: "I thought he was a coward who would try to stay."

"There's a saying in the Great Yong Dynasty: 'Don't judge a book by its cover.'" Mi Tu watched Chu Jingqi's figure disappear into the distance. "Let's go home."

After several days without a proper rest, Chu Jingqi continued his journey to Heishigou without stopping, only to be stopped by newly added roadblocks just outside Baishui County.

"What's going on? Why are the roadblocks all set up here?"

The guard, looking exhausted and tense, cupped his hands and said, "The epidemic has spread, and half of Baishui County has fallen. Please, young marquis, take a detour."

"What about my little cousin? What about the princess? Has she come out yet?!"

The guard shook his head, Chu Jingqi's face turned ugly, and his heart sank to the bottom.

Inside the post station, a slender hand picked up a silver hairpin and gently stirred the incense ash in the beast-shaped incense burner. Wisps of green smoke immediately rose from the burner, drifting into the air like silk threads.

On the bed, Feng Mian slowly opened her eyes, her eyelashes trembling slightly. Having not slept well for a long time, she still felt dizzy after waking from her midday nap.

"Princess, you're awake." Liu Ying's deliberately cheerful voice rang out. She had seen Feng Mian preoccupied with the epidemic these past few days and couldn't bear it, so she wanted to cheer her up. "Take a sniff, is there hardly any medicine smell in the room today?"

Feng Mian obediently tilted her head back and sniffed the air. "Yes, it has a nice, sweet smell."

“His Highness knows you don’t like the smell of medicine, so he specially found incense that can calm the mind and dispel turbidity.” Liu Ying smiled and said, “He sent someone to deliver it early this morning, but the princess went to Yu Family Village at the time, so I only had time to light the incense now.”

"No matter where His Highness goes, he always thinks of the Princess!"

Feng Mian's gaze fell on the mist, and the corners of his lips curled up. But after a moment, he relaxed and hurriedly got up to change his clothes. "Has the batch of new patients that Lord Gu mentioned been delivered yet?"

"Just arrived, and we're on our way to Yujia Village."

"Let's go take a look."

As the epidemic spread, Yujia Village and the neighboring small mountain village were designated as intensive care units for easier management and treatment. New patients, unaware of the situation, would likely be very panicked.