Originally, Ke'an had planned to give the bed to Qi Xiao.
Unexpectedly, Qi Xiao started mocking him after packing his things, saying that he was a servant and did not deserve to sleep in a bed, and was only fit to keep watch for him at night.
Ke'an had always been pampered by Yun Qing, and had never suffered such grievances before. She immediately started arguing with him.
Little did anyone know, Qi Xiao had long held a grudge about what happened in the carriage. She thought of a whole bunch of things to say to insult him, leaving Ke An feeling utterly ashamed and indignant. Without even putting on his outer clothes, he ran out of the room and headed straight for Yun Qing's courtyard.
"So that's how it is," Yun Qing sighed, then said nothing more.
What could she say? Punish Qi Xiao for Ke'an's sake? It wasn't a big deal to begin with; it was just a quarrel between men. As a grown woman, she shouldn't get involved.
Moreover, Qi Xiao has a bad temper and is sharp-tongued. Even she is only fit to sleep on the floor. So what's wrong with sleeping on a small couch?
However, she certainly couldn't say that out loud.
"Ke'an, I know you've been wronged. Don't worry, I'll remember this and make him apologize to you sooner or later. It's getting late, let's get some rest."
Yun Qing extinguished the candle on the table, turned around, and crawled into bed.
"Master?" Ke'an opened her mouth, but swallowed the words she was about to say.
He originally thought that Yun Qing would at least call Qi Xiao over and give him a warning.
However, there was nothing there.
It seems he underestimated the allure of that face and overestimated his place in her heart.
In fact, as Yun Qing's personal attendant, Ke An always knew that she harbored feelings for someone who was someone she could only long for but could never reach.
He used to fantasize that he would stay by Yun Qing's side for a long time and become the most important man in her life.
But why, why does Qi Xiao exist, with such a face, naturally giving him an advantage? How can he possibly win?
In the darkness, Ke An's face gradually turned ferocious. He would not let go; even if he died, he would die by Yun Qing's side.
The next day, Yun Qing got up early, washed up, and personally escorted Ke An back to his room, once again reminding them to get along well.
After breakfast, the magistrate of Lin'an County came to see her.
"Lord Mu, I have already arranged the matters you instructed me to handle yesterday. Would you like to go and inspect them?"
"Alright, lead the way."
Upon arriving at the county government office yesterday, Yunqing immediately arranged some matters, ordering the magistrate to find the largest clothing shop in the county to order a batch of simple face masks, with two layers of cloth soaked in bamboo charcoal, separated in the middle by waterproof oil paper.
Following the county magistrate to a garment factory, Yun Qing took the mask handed to her by the person in charge.
"They seem a bit stuffy, but let's make do with them for now. Magistrate Chen, now distribute the prepared masks to plague patients and those who have been in close contact with them."
"yes."
"Also, regarding the water source issue I mentioned, have the test results come out yet?"
"Your Excellency, I immediately gathered people to collect water samples from each well and transport them to the county government office, but the results are not yet available."
"Alright, then go and urge them on. These guys from the Imperial Medical Academy are so slow and inefficient, they're really useless."
"Yes, then, what other instructions do you have, sir?"
Yun Qing put on a mask and said, "It's still early, let's go straight to the place where the patients are isolated."
When they arrived, Yunqing discovered that the patient's environment was very poor. There was only a row of tents set up, and the patient was lying on a pile of straw, covered with only a thin blanket.
"How do you do things? Don't you even have bedding?"
"Please calm down, sir. The weather is still warm, so we didn't take that into consideration."
Yun Qing sneered: "Isn't it cold yet? Then why don't you sleep on the haystack and instead go back to the magistrate's mansion to sleep on the bed?"
"Your humble servant..."
“Magistrate Chen, I know what you’re thinking. You just think these people are beyond saving. But let me tell you, as long as one person is alive, the disaster relief funds allocated by the imperial court must be used on them. You have no right to make that decision.”
"Yes, yes, I know I was wrong."
Magistrate Chen bent over with difficulty, his belly muscles bulging together, and he grimaced in pain.
Afraid of upsetting Yun Qing, she lowered her head to hide her pained expression, inwardly lamenting: This is how it's always been arranged when there's a plague, why is this Lord Mu so difficult to deal with?
However, she dared not reveal such thoughts at all. Even those arrogant imperial physicians and special envoys had to be mindful of the person in front of them. How could she, a mere magistrate of a small border county, dare to act recklessly? If money was needed, then so be it.
Seeing that Magistrate Chen's head was almost touching the ground, Yun Qing coughed lightly to let her get up.
"It's good that you know you're wrong. There's no need to find someone to prepare new bedding. Go door to door to collect any extras and exchange them with silver. Also, increase the burning of mugwort from once a day to three times a day. Also, make more of the medicine prescribed by the imperial physician. Don't forget any patient, and those who take care of them should also drink it."
After seeing the symptoms of those patients, Yun Qing became even more convinced that the plague in Lin'an County was probably not a natural disaster, but a man-made one.
Back at the county office, she personally supervised the imperial physician in testing the water quality.
“Your Highness, there is indeed a problem with the well water. It contains a poison that weakens people’s constitution, making them susceptible to various diseases.”
Upon hearing what Physician Zhao said, Yun Qing's eyes flashed, revealing an expression that said, "I knew it."
In the quarantine area, she carefully observed that each patient's symptoms were different; some had skin ulcers, some had lung infections, and others just had a common cold.
As is well known, no other disease can have so many completely different symptoms, so she concluded that this was not an ordinary plague, but a man-made one.
We just don't know who did it or what their purpose was. But now that we've come this far, the truth is not far from being revealed.
"Secretly investigate, first and second."
"yes."
The two figures, like ghosts, leaped over the high walls of the county government office and disappeared from Yun Qing's sight.
In Shengjing, thousands of miles away, Li Huaiyin received a secret letter containing only four words: "Plan failed."
"Damn it!" Li Huaiyin said with a grim face, crumpling the letter in his hand into a ball and throwing it into the fire.
He couldn't understand why Li Yunqing was always so lucky, despite being talentless and immoral, she was loved by everyone.
That's fine, but the most important thing is that she doesn't know how to cherish things, she's untrustworthy, and her words are like farts.
Why should someone like that be allowed to inherit the throne? Just because she's a woman? He was not convinced.
He's clearly very capable, so why does the Empress always overlook him? Is her own son really less capable than a niece?
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