Chapter 141
After a few more days, Zhou Li had completely adapted to the life in the Eastern Palace and could even tolerate some of Gong Yinai's quirks. Before, when she was Liu Yingzi, Gong Yinai was obviously not that difficult to deal with, giving Zhou Li the feeling that Gong Yinai was deliberately picking on her. But seeing Hong Gu's nonchalant expression, Zhou Li realized that this was the real Gong Yinai, and she was just so picky.
Zhou Li was helping Hong Gu clean the cups and plates in the East Palace. Different teas required different utensils. Hong Gu was explaining to Zhou Li which of them were the prince's beloved ones when a palace maid suddenly came over and reported in horror, "Aunt! A palace maid is sick. The imperial physician diagnosed it as an epidemic!"
"What?!" Hong Gu was so shocked that the silk handkerchief she was using to wipe the cup almost knocked over. Fortunately, Zhou Li was quick to hold it up.
Hong Gu was horrified and furious. "Then why are you here?! Anyone who has come into contact with others must be quarantined! Tell the Imperial Hospital to get some medicine! Investigate the whereabouts of that palace maid! And the Crown Prince! Send someone to inform him immediately! You too must be quarantined!"
After giving the instructions, Hong Gu looked uneasy, and Zhou Li supported her.
Hong Gu looked at Zhou Li with a weak expression and said, "Zhou Liang Di, please return to the palace today. Don't go out easily and don't interact with others casually."
If the epidemic really originated from the Crown Prince's Palace, I'm afraid the entire Eastern Palace will be sealed off...
Zhou Li knew that was not the case. The plague originated from a village on the outskirts of the city. The people in that village were infected by eating sick livestock. It happened that a palace maid from the East Palace left the palace, and the disease entered the palace. It was probably too late to isolate them at this time.
Sure enough, it didn't take long before the Imperial Hospital was in chaos. There were so many people entering and leaving the palace, not only palace servants, but some ministers also fell ill one after another. Gong Yinai rushed to the East Palace as soon as he received the news and strictly investigated those who had contact with the sick people. Fortunately, the palace maid fell ill as soon as she entered the palace, and she had only come into contact with people around her, and the people around her happened to be the palace maids serving the prince's concubines. The entire prince's harem was sealed, but Zhou Li was safe and sound and could only choose to continue living in the prince's side palace temporarily.
The control of the plague was delayed, and people in the court fell ill one after another. The emperor did not dare to meet with ministers easily, and required that ministers infected with the plague not enter the inner court for a hundred days. The meetings between the emperor and his ministers were also affected by the estrangement. The emperor specially asked the palace servants to put a curtain between himself and the ministers, so that both sides could only hear each other's voices but not see their figures.
One method after another for epidemic control was promulgated, but to no avail. More and more people in the capital were infected with the disease. Some people said that it was God's fault that Daqing had been infected with the cholera. The sage fell ill in shock and anger and blamed the crown prince for being regent.
The first thing Gong Yinai did as regent was to preside over a sacrificial ceremony. The death toll in the capital had exceeded one hundred in a short period of time, and no feasible means of treating the epidemic had yet been found. People could only pin their hopes on sacrifices, hoping that God could save the world and drive away the epidemic.
Zhou Li knew that this was nonsense. The sacrificial activities would bring people together, which would only make the plague spread faster.
The Grand Master of Ceremonies, who presided over the sacrifice, discussed with the Crown Prince, saying, "The plague demon has appeared in the world as divine punishment! The gods are displeased with Daqing, and we should reflect on ourselves and pray for their forgiveness!"
Zhou Li served tea to the prince and curled his lips when he heard what Taichang said.
The talk of ghosts and gods is nothing more than seeking psychological comfort.
After arranging the time for the sacrifice with Taichang, Gong Yinai sat down with her eyes closed to calm her mind. The incident happened suddenly and she was hit by the epidemic before she was prepared.
If God was truly displeased, could it be that He was displeased with her deception... Otherwise, why would He...
"Prince." Zhou Li called in Gong Yinai's ear.
Gong Yinai opened her eyes in shock, and the thought of something chilling made her eyes red. She suppressed her shock and anger, frowned and asked, "Why are you still here?"
Zhou Li knelt down and pursed her lips, saying, "I didn't mean to eavesdrop on your conversation with the Minister of Rites. Hong Gu fell ill, and I was serving tea to you and the Minister of Rites today, so I overheard your conversation. I have something to say, but I'm not sure if I should say it or not."
Gong Yinai frowned tightly. She was busy with government affairs and had no time to take care of her surroundings. She didn't even know that Hong Gu was also sick. In such a big palace, there was no telling when the plague would find her.
Gong Yinai felt a chill on her back, she clenched her fists and tried to remain calm.
"What are you talking about? Speak."
Zhou Li looked at Gong Yinai with clear eyes and said, "The Nei Jing says that if the seasons are not right, plagues will spread! The Zhubing Yuanhou Lun also talks about the relationship between seasons and plagues! It's clearly a disease, so as long as the right medicine is used, it will always be cured! What does it have to do with ghosts and gods?"
Gong Yinai was stunned for a moment, then she remembered that Zhou Li had said that she had taught herself medicine and read many medical books. She felt mixed emotions.
Zhou Li's words immediately dispelled her inner demons. She thought that it was God's punishment on her, but now it seemed that she was really confused by Taichang's words.
Gong Yinai asked, "Do you have any methods for epidemic prevention?"
Zhou Li lowered her head and said, "I am not very talented. I have a manual on epidemic prevention to offer to the Crown Prince. However, as for how to eliminate the plague, I can only provide methods to the Imperial Hospital. I sincerely hope that the doctors will study it diligently and relieve everyone's suffering as soon as possible."
"Where is the manual?" Gong Yinai stood up suddenly. Zhou Li took out from her sleeve the epidemic prevention regulations that she had compiled from numerous medical books while reading late into the night. She handed it to Gong Yinai. Gong Yinai opened the scroll and was shocked by the first item.
"1. All those who have died of the plague must be cremated. 2. Leave space at the residence and provide medicine for those who have contracted the plague. 3. Wash your hands frequently and open windows for ventilation..."
In the Kingdom of Qing, all deceased people are buried. Cremation is considered disrespectful.
This one is treasonous!
Gong Yinai narrowed his eyes and looked at Zhou Li: "Do you know that your first rule will cause unrest in the world?"
Zhou Li lowered her head, knelt on the ground and kowtowed, saying, "I know, but if those infected with the plague are not cremated, their bodies will cause secondary infection! The plague will worsen, and nine out of ten houses will be empty! If this continues, the family will no longer be a family, and the country will no longer be a country!"
Gong Yinai was silent for a moment and then said, "I will discuss this with the Imperial Hospital. Will you suggest a method to treat the disease?"
Zhou Litou stood up from the ground, still kneeling, and said, "I have studied medical books and came across a method that says that the blood of those who have recovered from the plague can be used to extract substances and create an antidote."
Gong Yinai frowned again. This didn't sound like a medical book but rather witchcraft. However, time waits for no one, so he had to try any method.
She took Zhou Li to the Imperial Hospital and spent a day discussing the issue with the doctors. They added several items to the epidemic prevention manual, especially the first one, cremation, which won the approval of many medical experts. However, everyone was hesitant about extracting the antidote from other people's blood. A young doctor said, "I've seen this method in the Medicine King's Pharmacopoeia, but I didn't dare to propose it because I thought it was too strange. However, the epidemic has progressed to this point, and countless medicines have been used, but there is still no way to stop the spread of the epidemic. Why don't we give it a try?"
The Imperial Hospital was half in agreement and half in disagreement. The younger doctors seemed to have found their direction and were very motivated, while the older ones said they were fooling around, but they did not stop them.
Crown Prince Gong Yinai issued an epidemic prevention manual and dispatched special epidemic prevention teams to search for people infected with the epidemic from house to house. They were gathered in public and private residences for collective treatment, and the dead were cremated together. Everyone was also strictly required to pay attention to hygiene and wash their hands frequently.
On the day the manual was first issued, there was a great outcry in the capital, as everyone thought the prince had gone mad. However, three days after its implementation, the number of people infected with the epidemic dropped significantly. Half a month after its implementation, the number of infections stabilized. A month later, no one was infected in the capital anymore. At the same time, the conditions of those who went to public and private residences for treatment also stabilized. The Imperial Hospital also worked hard to research and developed an antidote. In less than two months, the epidemic was lifted, and many people set up a longevity tablet for the prince in their homes to pray for Gong Yinai.
Gong Yinai received praise from both inside and outside the court, but she thought of Zhou Li when she was greeted by flowers and applause.
Gong Yinai couldn't believe that such an intelligent woman was brought up in an ordinary family.
Seeing Gong Yinai's reputation rising, Zhou Li also sighed with relief.
While the court was celebrating, Wen Taifu's men secretly contacted Zhou Li and asked her to find the mastermind behind the prince, because Wen Taifu did not believe that the epidemic prevention plan was the prince's own idea.
Zhou Li burned the note.
She just pretended she hadn't seen the note. She couldn't tell anyone about herself, right?
Zhou Li stretched and looked at the clear weather. She asked the palace maid to move a chair outside to embroider. She had not finished embroidering the peony on her handkerchief yet.
When Gong Yinai arrived, Zhou Li was embroidering seriously with her head down.
Zhou Li didn't like embroidery before because she couldn't sit still. But after becoming Liu Yingzi, she found joy in embroidery. After all, as a woman in the harem, she had only a small piece of land to work on every day, and the same narrow sky to look at. Unlike Gong Yifu who could ride a horse in the streets at will, the joy of life was naturally much less. It was at this time that Zhou Li came into contact with embroidery, and she discovered that even such a small peony had different embroidery methods, which was enough for her to study for a lifetime. It was a pity that she did not finish embroidering the last peony.
"Who taught you this!" Gong Yinai couldn't help but shout excitedly and grabbed Zhou Li's wrist. Zhou Li was frightened and his hand trembled, loosening the needle. The needle and thread slipped from the taut embroidery frame and dangled in the air.
Gong Yinai stared at the half-embroidered peony on Zhou Li's embroidery frame.
After Liu Yingzi left, her embroidery frame was placed in front of the window of the bamboo pavilion. Every time she went there, Gong Yinai would stare at it for a long time. She was already familiar with every stitch and thread. Now, the lifelike peony appeared in Zhou Li's hands. She stared at it in disbelief, and her eyes gradually turned red.
She would not mistake that peony; it was the one embroidered by Liu Yingzi. The needlework techniques were exactly the same. Gong Yinai did not believe that anyone in the world could embroider something exactly the same!
"Who are you?"
She stared at Zhou Li intently. Zhou Li was a little frightened by Gong Yinai's gaze. That gaze was like a bright moon reflected in the dark seabed, deep and bottomless, but it only reflected the moon.
Zhou Li whispered, "Prince, I am Consort Zhou Liangdi, you hurt me."
She lowered her eyes, and her thick, curled eyelashes drooped, covering the light in her eyes.
Gong Yinai grabbed her wrist and pulled Zhou Li up from the chair. The embroidery frame fell to the ground with a thud. Zhou Li was forced to get close to Gong Yinai and accidentally stepped on her own embroidery frame. She felt pained for a second, and then Gong Yinai lifted her chin up fiercely.
Gong Yinai said sternly, "Who are you? If you are Zhou Li, then who allowed you to imitate her?"
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