I slept without any dreams.
Wen Heming slept exceptionally soundly.
Perhaps because I rested early, I didn't get up too late the next day.
I feel great, but I'm not in a good mood.
Wen Hemian couldn't believe she was dreaming, so there was only one possibility: Xie Lang, that little brat, really did come to her room last night!
This is a classic case of "once you've done it, you'll do it again," and they'll push their luck and never learn their lesson!
Wen Hemian thought it over and over, and the only thing she could be sure was that there was something wrong was the incense that had been burning in the stove last night. She had noticed that the smell was different from before, but in the end, she had let her guard down and fell for it.
Although its effects are probably similar to those of sleep-aid incense, Xie Lang's blatant actions are truly unsettling.
This time, it wasn't just his obsession; Wen Hemian sensed a dangerous trait in him.
This is not a good sign.
Despite her trepidation, Wen Hemian still managed to regain some confidence when she thought of the system's confident assurances.
The task is very important, and if anything goes wrong, the system will definitely remind her in time.
With these thoughts in mind, Wen Hemian managed to calm herself down and regained her composure when she saw Xie Lang again.
"Is everything prepared? I need to leave the palace and return to my residence."
Wen Hemian quickly expressed his thoughts.
She could feel the boy's gaze sweep over her, as if he were probing something, before finally replying, "Ready? I ordered them to go to the city gate and wait. There's still about half an hour left."
Then there's still time.
She was leaving, and Xie Lang refused to part with her again, so they rode together in a carriage to the Prince's Mansion.
The matter had already been told to the people in the manor yesterday. Qingyun was anxiously looking around at the door. Wen Hemian went up to her and said a few words to her briefly.
"Tell Murong Yue that I have instructed him to act according to the circumstances, without waiting for my orders."
Wen Hemian trusts the system, but she won't place all her hopes on it; she also needs to make her own preparations.
"Alright," Qingyun replied, her voice filled with concern. "Young Master, you must take good care of yourself on your journey."
Qingyun knew about the epidemic in Jianghuai, but she didn't know what they had discussed. This matter had fallen on her own young master, and she was very worried.
Wen Hemian smiled and said, "Don't worry, I will. Alright, they're waiting outside the city, so I won't say any more. I'll be going now."
Qingyun nodded with tears in his eyes.
Before leaving, Wen Hemian turned back to look at the Prince's Mansion one last time before boarding the carriage and heading towards the city gate.
Sure enough, everyone was already there waiting.
Wen Hemian and Xie Lang remained silent the whole way, but just as they were about to leave, she heard Xie Lang call her from behind: "Grand Tutor."
She turned around and saw the boy's earnest gaze: "You must take good care of yourself."
That statement was emphasized a bit too much.
Wen Hemian glimpsed a hint of obsessive emotion in his dark eyes, and her eyelashes trembled involuntarily.
The emotions she had been suppressing since waking up surged up. Looking at the emperor in plain clothes, she suddenly smiled and said, "Of course, I'm still hoping to come back and promote girls' education."
Xie Lang opened his mouth, suddenly wanting to ask her if she didn't miss him at all.
Then she continued, "I hope that during my absence, Your Majesty will be diligent in governing, change your temperament, and become more composed. You are the emperor; do not let others easily discern your joys and sorrows, and be a good... wise ruler."
Xie Lang was taken aback, then said, "I'll wait for the Grand Tutor to come back and supervise me."
Wen Hemian simply smiled and said, "I understand. It's getting late, I'll be going now. Your Majesty should also return. Anyone who didn't know better would think we were saying our final farewells."
Xie Lang said with a stern face, "Don't say such unlucky things."
Wen Hemian smiled calmly and walked towards the carriage parked outside the city gate.
As she boarded the carriage, she caught a glimpse of the boy still standing there, staring intently. Her heart trembled, and after a long while, as the carriage began to sway, she finally let out a deep breath.
Xie Lang didn't look away from the city gate until the carriage had completely disappeared from sight.
A gentle breeze swept by, carrying a hint of coolness.
He raised his hand and pressed it against his chest to suppress the inexplicable emotions that had just been swirling within him.
He thought to himself that he must resolve everything before Wen Hemian returned.
-
Time was of the essence, so they worked day and night, rushing to the Jianghuai region.
Among the accompanying imperial physicians were those who had been specifically instructed by Xie Lang to keep a close eye on Wen Hemian's health. However, after traveling for so long, everyone was feeling unwell to some extent, while Wen Hemian, on the other hand, seemed to be in excellent spirits.
"Lord Wen, we are about to reach Yi'an Prefecture. Please put this cloth on."
The one who spoke was an official from the Ministry of Personnel who accompanied the group, named Li Xiang. He had worked under Wen Heming for a long time, and because he came from the Jianghuai region, he was sent along with him.
The concept of face masks has been around for a long time. Wen Hemian took the cloth and put it on her face.
Due to the epidemic, the area around Yian Prefecture, where the first cases appeared, was temporarily sealed off. Local officials acted swiftly and prevented a greater disaster from occurring.
From this perspective, their actions deserve praise.
The soldiers guarding the road came and quickly left the roadblock, taking them to see the local prefect.
To appease the people, the local prefect worked tirelessly for several days and looked rather unwell, but fortunately, he still spoke clearly: "Lord Wen, I have arranged for the people infected with the epidemic to be placed in greenhouses. Would you mind sending someone to check on them now?"
The prefect couldn't figure out what kind of personality this imperial tutor had, so he spoke very carefully, afraid of offending him.
"Right now, I'll go see it with you."
The longer it is delayed, the more people will be infected. Wen Hemian temporarily placed the system in the carriage, and she also planned to go and see why it was only she who could solve the problem.
The prefect, perhaps not expecting her to be so easy to talk to, quickly nodded with a smile: "Alright, Lord Wen, please come with me."
Accompanying Wen Hemian were the imperial physicians, all of whom were on high alert, their faces serious.
The Jianghuai region was prosperous, and the government had surplus funds, so the conditions for settling the infected people were acceptable. There were soldiers guarding the perimeter, and apart from the occasional coughing and the gurgling sound of medicine being boiled, it was eerily quiet.
A few days later, the situation on site was more serious than what had been reported in Beijing. The smell inside the greenhouse was not pleasant; it could even penetrate the nostrils through a cloth.
The prefect gestured to the apprentice to lift the blanket covering one of the people. The person's face was flushed, and there were also some unidentified spots on his body. He was trembling with his eyes closed and did not look well.
The prefect said, "These people initially only had a high fever and persistent cough. In recent days, spots suddenly started to appear on their bodies, and their cough was accompanied by bloody froth. The onset was extremely rapid. If they hadn't been kept alive with medication, they probably would have died long ago."
Upon seeing this, the imperial physicians gathered together, whispering amongst themselves and discussing the matter with grave expressions.
Only Wen Hemian remained silent, her brows furrowed.
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