Chapter 58 High Temperature Disinfection
The symptoms didn't appear immediately after drinking it. After drinking it, Hongzhao called Xiaodezi over and gave him a few instructions. Then he lied and said he was sleepy. He closed the door and didn't call anyone in. He lay on the bed and waited silently.
Before I could even experience any physical changes, I received some news.
Liu Ben has been found.
It was Xiao Dezi who got the news from Xiao Xiazi: that night, Consort Wan hurriedly went to the Imperial Study with a disheveled-looking man. Soon after, news spread that the Emperor was furious.
Hongzhao didn't know if the news could reach Consort Hua ahead of time this time. But he knew that even if Consort Hua knew in advance, she wouldn't be able to take Jiang Cheng and Jiang Shen to steal anyone's recipe this time.
After all, Imperial Physician Wen is gone. The fastest person to develop a prescription for the epidemic is Zhou Qi, the physician they least favored. All of his handwritten manuscripts are still kept by them.
With this thought in mind, Hongzhao closed his eyes with peace of mind and slept soundly through the night.
The next morning, Hongzhao groggily opened his eyes and was about to tell Xiaodezi to cover his mouth and nose and come in, but as soon as he spoke, he found that his voice was as clear as ever, without any of the hoarseness he had suffered from illness.
His eyes widened suddenly, and he sat up abruptly, looking down at himself.
He has strong hands and legs, and his mind is quite clear.
?
He was a little confused—"System, you said... does the epidemic have an incubation period?"
The system was also unusually speechless—"Perhaps... Qi Fei cooked that ginseng soup along with the cup."
Hongzhao—"...Was it sterilized by high temperature?"
She truly lived up to everyone's praise, Hongzhao sighed.
The deed is done, and now he has to do it no matter what—"System, let me use the pulse cheat device, and is there anything else that can regulate body temperature?"
"Beep—" The system screen flashed a few times and the operation was very quick—"Already used. Body temperature can be adjusted automatically on the control panel. No points will be charged."
This was a rare bargain. Hongzhao wrapped himself in the blanket and raised his body temperature to thirty-nine degrees Celsius. He coughed lightly twice to get a feel for it, and then called out weakly, "Xiao Dezi."
From the moment there was any movement inside, Xiao Dezi had been waiting outside with his ears perked up. When he heard the Fifth Prince call him, he responded quickly and, as usual, pushed open the door and stepped inside.
"Stand there!" Hongzhao quickly stopped him. "Go find a towel to cover your face before you come in."
"Master!" Xiao Dezi was anxious upon hearing this. The plague in the palace was raging, and he was worried that the prince might also be infected. He took two quick steps forward to get a closer look, but Hongzhao stopped him again.
Hongzhao, wrapped in a blanket and feigning shortness of breath, said, "If you get sick too, who will take care of me? Go quickly!"
He looked at Xiao Dezi, who was standing straight at the door, almost in tears, and his eyes darted around as he pitifully said, "Please don't tell Father Emperor, and don't let Mother worry."
——
The Emperor was furious about Liu Ben's matter last night and immediately ordered that Consort Hua be demoted to Consort Nian. However, due to the late hour, Su Peisheng was unable to deliver the decree.
Consort Hua listened anxiously to Consort Cao's idea and tossed and turned all night. The next day, she was still quite unwilling and dressed in plain clothes to apologize to the Emperor.
Consort Cao said last night that the only way to break the curse was to atone for one's sins with meritorious deeds, but this prescription is something that cannot be figured out, and it is not something that two imperial physicians specializing in obstetrics and gynecology can get an immediate result by worrying for one night.
She had planned to feign illness during the epidemic, hoping the Emperor would feel sorry for her and then tell her brother outside the palace so he could speak to the Emperor. However, Consort Cao said that this method was increasingly unworkable, only treating the symptoms and not the root cause.
She gritted her teeth and walked to the entrance of the Hall of Mental Cultivation. She was already uncertain, and although she looked aggrieved, she pretended to be strong. Su Peisheng then told her that Consort Wan was in the hall at that moment.
"Your Excellency can go and inform them; whether or not the Emperor sees them is his business." She gripped Songzhi's hand tightly as she spoke, each word almost squeezed out from between her teeth.
Seeing this, Su Peisheng stopped trying to stop them and turned back to report, but the door opened first.
Yinzhen was already dressed in his court robes and strode out, exuding a strong sense of oppression. Behind him followed the meek and obedient Consort Wan.
Upon seeing Nian Shilan standing in the cold wind dressed in simple clothes, he frowned and his expression became serious—"If you want to see me, speak."
Consort Hua cast her loving gaze at the Emperor, but when her eyes swept over Zhen Huan behind her, they immediately turned to resentment.
She gritted her teeth and slowly knelt down, about to speak, when she was interrupted by a series of hurried footsteps.
Everyone turned around and saw Xiao Dezi heading straight for the main gate of Yangxin Hall. He didn't even notice that his hat was askew as he ran. When he got close, he suddenly knelt down with a "thump" as if he were lying down.
Yinzhen frowned, his eyes showing obvious displeasure. Su Peisheng stepped forward to reprimand him for his lack of manners, but before he could catch his breath, Yinzhen, still kneeling on the ground, hurriedly said, "Your Majesty! The Fifth Prince has been infected with the plague!"
"What did you say!"
...
Wearing his court robes, Yinzhen hurried along, not even waiting for a sedan chair, and rushed to the princes' residence. Consort Hua and Zhen Huan fell behind halfway.
At the door, the Third Prince Hongshi was anxiously peering inside, while a young eunuch busily packed his things beside him.
Yinzhen caught his breath and stopped in front of the Princes' Residence. He spoke in a deep voice, "What happened? How did the plague spread to the Princes' Residence? What were you all doing?!"
When the emperor is angry, no one can help but fear him. All the palace servants around, including Hongshi, knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, please calm down."
Yinzhen looked down at the Third Prince Hongshi kneeling before him, who looked as trembling as a mouse before a cat. He sighed and frowned as he looked away.
An older eunuch crawled forward on his knees and said carefully, “Your Majesty, the prince’s residence is the place where the epidemic should not have occurred. Since the outbreak of the epidemic in the palace, almost no one has come in except for the imperial physicians. Every day, mugwort is constantly being used for fumigation. The Fifth Prince was fine yesterday and did not go out on his own.”
As Yinzhen listened to him speak, his gaze never left the small courtyard with its tightly closed door. His eyes were deep and unfathomable, as if he had fallen into the deep sea. "You mean, the plague spread to my Fifth Prince on its own?"
"This servant dares not, this servant dares not!" The old eunuch hurriedly kowtowed and begged for forgiveness. "What this servant means is that all of the prince's belongings are in accordance with regulations. The Fifth Prince should not have suffered such a calamity. Please, Your Majesty, investigate thoroughly."
Yinzhen stared at the old eunuch for a few seconds, his cold gaze sweeping over him—"Investigate! Investigate! I want to see who is trying to harm my son."
After talking for so long, Consort Hua and Zhen Huan finally arrived in a hurry, accompanied by Lü Yingfeng, whom they had met on the way, who was extremely anxious.
As soon as she reached the door, she didn't even bother to bow to the Emperor; tears streaming down her face, she tried to rush into the prince's quarters.
Yinzhen quickly stopped her, but his mother, who had lost her mind in her anxiety, was very strong. He had no choice but to hold Lü Yingfeng in his arms and comfort her in a low voice, "Ying'er, it's alright! I know you're sad, but you still have to take care of our Shu'er and Hongzhou."
Hong Xihai ran over and, seeing this, spun around and knelt in front of Lü Yingfeng, blocking her way—"Your Majesty, please reconsider. Once the princes go in, they can't come out. Our eldest princess and young prince are still in the palace. Your Majesty must take care of your health."
Lu Yingfeng was now crying so hard that she could barely speak. She clung to the Emperor's arm and pleaded, "Your Majesty, please let me go. I don't trust anyone else to take care of our You'er. I must see for myself."
As she spoke, tears streamed down her face uncontrollably, each drop landing on Yinzhen's dragon robe, as if striking his heart.
Lu Yingfeng's eyes, unusually filled with tears, held a pleading look—"Our You'er is still so young. Just two days ago, he was nestled in your arms, acting all cute. You even said you'd have his calligraphy framed in the Hall of Mental Cultivation. He's still so young..."
Her words were so moving that even Yinzhen was touched. He had indeed been involved in many of Hongzhao's growth. Therefore, he pursed his lips, trying his best to suppress the emotions rising in his heart, his eyes already reddening beneath his lowered eyelids.
Xiao Dezi, who had been following behind, ran forward and knelt down beside Hong Xihai. He gritted his teeth, his eyes were red, and his voice was choked with sobs. “Your Majesty, when I went in this morning, I saw that the prince’s face was flushed and he had no strength to speak. He also told me not to disturb Father Emperor, saying that Your Majesty is worried right now and I should not cause you any trouble.”
He looked up in sorrow, tears streaming down his fair and handsome face, and with trembling lips slowly uttered the words—"Your Majesty, the Fifth Prince has truly suffered!"
Yinzhen clenched his fists tightly, suppressing the indescribable turmoil and discomfort in his heart. His throat moved, and his usually calm and dignified voice became somewhat hoarse.
"My son was born with auspicious signs, he will surely... surely turn misfortune into good fortune and disaster into auspiciousness." He rarely brought up the unusual phenomena at Hongzhao's birth, as if to comfort Lü Yingfeng, or perhaps to make himself believe it as well.
"Su Peisheng, summon all the imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital to have a consultation with the Fifth Prince. We must ensure that the Fifth Prince is safe and sound."
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