Chapter 61 Officials rush to the epidemic area "Your Majesty ordered me to pack up immediately...
At the morning court session, officials had another round of debate over who to send to the three provinces affected by the epidemic to provide disaster relief.
No one wanted to go, and everyone tried every means to push their political opponents into this dangerous situation.
After all, the first batch of officials sent to Qingzhou had already passed the seventh day, and the epidemic there became more rampant, so going there was almost equivalent to dying.
"Your Majesty!" A fifth-rank official bowed and stepped out of the line, holding a tablet in his hand, under the sharp gazes of the civil and military officials and the emperor. "The epidemic in Lingyi, Baiyue, and Chengping provinces cannot be delayed. I hope Your Majesty will make a quick decision and immediately send Doctor Xu to the epidemic area to save the people from danger!"
He actually brought up the matter that had been agreed upon yesterday, that Xu Yi should stay in the capital temporarily.
The Minister of Personnel immediately stepped forward to refute: "If Divine Doctor Xu leaves the capital, the thieves behind the scenes will take the opportunity to attack the people of the capital, endangering the safety of the imperial city and your majesty. Who will be responsible then? Your Majesty, please be careful!"
"We will discuss whether Divine Doctor Xu should go or stay later," the emperor said in a deep voice, with a hint of impatience, "You should first decide who should be sent to Lingyi to lead the disaster relief."
The words of the fifth-rank official did not cause any ripples, and everyone's attention was once again focused on which minister to send to the dangerous place.
The Minister of Personnel turned his eyes and glanced at the Minister of Revenue: "If I remember correctly, Minister Wang's hometown is Chengping? I believe you are quite familiar with the customs and habits of Chengping and the other two provinces?"
When the emperor heard this, he also looked over.
The Minister of Revenue, Lord Wang, immediately stepped out of the group, bowed and said hurriedly: "Your Majesty, I have been away from my hometown for more than 20 years. What Minister Fang said about 'knowing it well' is actually nonsense!" He flatly refused, and then changed the subject and pointed to the side: "As for being familiar with the customs and people of the three provinces, I heard that Minister Du's new son-in-law, Xie Yushu, the Shao Yin of Jingzhao Prefecture, was born in Lingyi Qingzhou! If we go to Lingyi, Xie Shaoyin should be the best choice."
Upon hearing this, Du Heng calmly stepped out of the class, holding up his tablet, and spoke in a loud voice with a sense of righteousness: "Your Majesty, please understand! My son-in-law Xie Yushu is indeed from Qingzhou. If I can take this opportunity to do my best for the elders of my hometown and solve the difficulties for the country, I will definitely do it!"
The emperor pondered for a moment, and suddenly his mind flashed back to three months ago when Xie Yushu knelt outside the Funing Palace to disobey the imperial order for a marriage, and when Xu Yi pleaded for him, he said, "My dear Xie, I am from the same hometown as you."
How much of a bond of fellow countrymen was there between them? The emperor was pondering this when he suddenly saw a young eunuch hurriedly run up to the old eunuch standing beside the throne and whisper a few words into his ear.
The old eunuch waved his hand to let the young eunuch leave, then he leaned closer to the emperor and whispered the news. Upon hearing the news, the emperor frowned slightly and then said, "Announce."
"Announcement - Xu Yi, the genius doctor from Liming Pharmacy, is here to see you!" The old eunuch's sharp voice pierced through the hall.
"Doctor Xu?"
"You are here to see me now? What are you doing here?"
The palace's civil and military officials were in a commotion, whispering to each other, and the noise was everywhere. It was not until the old eunuch gave a majestic "Silence" that the palace returned to silence.
Pei Yixue walked into the palace steadily and bowed to the emperor. The emperor asked directly, "What is the important matter for the miracle doctor to come here?"
"Your Majesty." Pei Yixue bowed, his voice clear and steady, "I am here because of the epidemic that is raging in the three central provinces of Lingyi, Baiyue, and Chengping."
As soon as these words were spoken, even though there had been some whispers just now, the entire court was now so quiet that you could hear a pin drop, as if even everyone was holding their breath.
The emperor was silent for a moment, then asked, "What does the miracle doctor think of the epidemic in the three provinces?"
"Your Majesty, please understand," Pei Yixue raised his head, his eyes burning, "Now the epidemic has swept across three provinces, and the people are suffering. If it is not contained, in time, it may drag Daqing into an irreparable situation, and I don't know how many innocent people will die! Therefore, I dare to ask for permission to follow the imperial envoy to Qingzhou, the source of the epidemic, and I hope Your Majesty will grant me permission!"
In an instant, all the civil and military officials exploded like boiling water in an oil pan! In an instant, they were divided into two distinct factions:
A group of people were worried and raised the banner of the safety of the imperial city, trying to keep him in the capital:
"Your Majesty's safety is the rock of the country! What if the thief behind the scenes takes advantage of the doctor's absence to poison and cause chaos in the capital, endangering your majesty's health?!"
The other group was deeply saddened and thought of the suffering people in the three provinces:
"Whether the thief behind the scenes will poison the capital is still unknown, it is purely speculation! However, the people of the three provinces are in dire straits, and more than 10,000 people have died of the disease! How can we force the miracle doctor to stay in the capital and abandon the lives of thousands of people in the three provinces just because of this illusory 'if'?!"
"When did I ever say that I would abandon the people? I just suggested that it would be safer to send the doctor away from the capital after Jingzhao Prefecture has captured the culprit and the capital has no more worries!"
"If Jingzhao Prefecture fails to catch the murderer, how can the people of the three provinces wait? Every day of delay means thousands of lives will be lost!"
"Enough!" The emperor shouted, like a thunderous explosion, instantly suppressing all quarrels, "It's disgraceful to make a noise in front of the palace!"
All officials were silent. The emperor turned his gaze to Pei Yixue, and his tone became solemn: "The miracle doctor cares about the people and takes risks. I am so lucky! Today, I will entrust the lives of the people of the three provinces to the miracle doctor's hands! I hope the miracle doctor will live up to everyone's expectations and put an end to this epidemic that is wreaking havoc on the country as soon as possible, and return triumphantly to the court!"
Even if Pei Yixue was approved, the court still needed to select officials to accompany him with relief money and supplies.
At this moment, in the eyes of all officials, Xu Yi's medical skills were almost divine. The eradication of six strange epidemics within a month had already verified the iron rule that "when Xu Yi is around, life is safe", and even three-year-old children in the capital knew it.
With the divine doctor accompanying them, the danger of this trip suddenly decreased. Many people even believed that the mastermind behind the scenes might attack the capital at any time. Following Xu Yi to Lingyi was actually safer than staying in the capital!
What's more, if we can accomplish this great feat of quelling the epidemic in the three provinces and saving the people from disaster, then there will be no need to worry about our future.
For a moment, everyone in the court, from the princes to the officials, became active.
The hard job that people just avoided at all costs has suddenly become a coveted job that everyone is drooling over.
"Your Majesty!" Prince Zhao Yanqing of Yan was the first to step out. "Dr. Xu is a righteous doctor. As a prince, how can I stand idly by? At this time when the people of Daqing are suffering, I have no choice but to help! Prince Zhao Yanqing of Yan, I ask to go to Lingyi to preside over the disaster relief!"
"How can we let the Prince of Yan go through this dangerous situation?" Prince of Wei Zhao Hongzhang took a step forward and said loudly, "The Prince of Yan has children around him, and my nephew is only three or five years old. This mission should be carried out by a lonely man like me who has no ties! Prince of Wei Zhao Hongzhang, I would like to go to Lingyi to provide disaster relief. I hope your majesty will grant your wish!"
Except for Prince Jin who was still under house arrest, the other princes present were all fighting for the honor and refusing to give in. They all had a thought in their minds: even if they couldn't get the credit, they couldn't let their opponents take it away easily!
The princes were arguing fiercely, but the candidates for the entourage had not yet been finalized - when the princes went to dangerous places, they always needed one or two capable officials to assist them. Civil and military officials jumped out one after another, each giving their reasons and vying to recommend themselves.
The emperor's face became more and more gloomy. Looking at these people who were arrogant at first and then flattering, and only caring about their own interests, he could not help but sneer, his tone full of sarcasm: "Great! All of you are loyal and brave, which makes me and these silent ministers look like heartless people! Why don't I lead you all to the Lingyi epidemic area in person? It doesn't matter if we don't have this imperial city!"
Upon hearing this, His Highness and all the officials fell to their knees in a sudden, sweat dripping down their cheeks.
The emperor took a deep breath to calm himself, then looked at Pei Yixue and threw the difficult question to him: "The doctor's journey will be extremely dangerous. Do you have any requirements for the selection of the ministers accompanying him?"
Pei Yixue knew that this was a scapegoat, but he did not refuse. The capital was already in a state of impending disaster, and he would never leave Xie Yushu alone in this place.
As for the selection of the prince...
Six days ago, the epidemic had spread to three provinces, and now I am afraid that the neighboring provinces have also been affected. If we can quell the epidemic in seven or eight provinces in one fell swoop and win the hearts of the people, this once-in-a-lifetime achievement... Pei Yixue's eyes swept across the throne.
Since the King of Qi has his eyes on that position, as an ally, we should lend him a helping hand.
He bowed and replied, "Your Majesty is wise. This trip is extremely dangerous. I dare to hope that the person I go to the disaster area with is someone I am familiar with and with whom I can cooperate more smoothly. However, I know very little about the officials in the court. The only ones I have met a few times are His Royal Highness the Prince of Qi and Xie Shaoyin."
As soon as these words came out, the princes were the first to quiet down. In their opinion, unless the achievement fell on them, it would be disadvantageous for any other prince to go, but the King of Qi was different.
Shuang'er, a married woman, was not even qualified to attend the court. Even if she had made great contributions, what good would it do? It would only add a few useless patterns to her embroidered dress.
King Wei was about to open his mouth to express his approval, but King Yan took the lead and said with a somewhat relaxed tone: "Seventh brother is familiar with the miracle doctor, and he went to Lingyi to observe the people's sentiments half a year ago. He is indeed the best choice!"
With him taking the lead, the other princes also stopped their movements and followed suit to nominate the King of Qi.
In addition to Xie Yushu, the emperor also appointed the fifth-rank doctor mentioned at the beginning as the accompanying official.
After the morning court session, Pei Yixue did not return to the pharmacy, but went straight to Xie's house to wait.
Xie Yushu almost ran back, and he was still breathing heavily when he opened the door.
"What's going on? Why are you so anxious?" Pei Yixue stepped forward and offered to help.
However, Xie Yushu grabbed his arms with such force that Pei Yixue was slightly startled.
"Your Majesty ordered me to pack my luggage immediately and set off with the miracle doctor to Lingyi!" Xie Yushu spoke quickly, "The epidemic area is dangerous, and the journey must be day and night. I am worried about you--" His eyes were filled with worry, "Your body may not be able to bear the fatigue of the journey..." After weighing the pros and cons, Xie Yushu stared into Pei Yixue's eyes and asked with difficulty: "Do you want to stay in the capital, or... go to Lingyi with me?"
Pei Yixue looked at his tangled look, smiled slightly, and asked, "Ashu, do you want me to stay, or go with you?"
"I..." Xie Yushu's Adam's apple rolled, and after struggling for a moment, he uttered three words in a very low and deep voice: "I don't know."
Alas... Pei Yixue sighed silently in his heart. Looking at Xie Yushu like this, he couldn't decide for a moment whether "Pei Yixue" should go to Lingyi.
However, his mind raced, and he remained firm on his original plan. The epidemic in the three central provinces was spreading rapidly, which was enough to make "Xu Yi" too busy to handle everything. He was afraid that he would no longer be able to focus on playing the role of "Pei Yixue".
Pei Yixue raised his hand to cover his lips and coughed softly. Xie Yushu immediately rubbed his back to help him breathe, his voice full of anxiety: "Are you feeling uncomfortable again?"
"No, it's an old problem, it's nothing serious." Pei Yixue looked up at him, her eyes gentle with just the right amount of fatigue, "With my body...if you take me with you, it will only delay the trip. Ling Yi's epidemic can't wait."
When their eyes met, Pei Yixue's lips curled up with a soothing smile. Xie Yushu looked at his pale face, took a deep breath, and finally made up his mind: "Then you...stay in the capital and take good care of yourself. Don't go out during this period of time, have less contact with outsiders, and send someone to take care of the necessary expenses." He paused, his voice lowered, "Wait for me to come back."
"Okay." Pei Yixue had just said the word "Okay" softly when she was suddenly pulled into Xie Yushu's arms!
The arms around his back were tightly clenched, as if they were trying to rub him into his bones and blood. Xie Yushu's entire body was trembling slightly, barely perceptible.
Pei Yixue's softest spot was hit hard. He closed his eyes, raised his hands to hug the strong back, and gently stroked to comfort: "Don't worry. The emperor's feet, where the imperial city is, must be much safer than other places. Ah Shu, don't worry about me."
"Hmm..." Xie Yushu responded in a muffled voice with a slightly nasal tone.
After hugging for a while, Pei Yixue gently stroked his back and reminded him, "Ah Shu, don't you still have to go to Lingyi? It's time to pack your luggage."
"Okay." Xie Yushu responded, and suddenly let go of him as if he was scalded, turned around and walked quickly towards the closet.
Just as he turned around, Pei Yixue caught a glimpse of a hint of red at the corners of his eyes that was difficult to conceal.
Pei Yixue followed him, "I'll help Ah Shu." He took the clothes that Xie Yushu took out and tried to break the heaviness with a relaxed tone, "While we're at it, Ah Shu, why don't you take a closer look at me?"
Xie Yushu paused, glanced quickly at his face, then quickly lowered his head and concentrated on folding clothes.
"Ashu?" Pei Yixue leaned close to the person's ear and whispered softly.
"You can't watch it." Xie Yushu said in a muffled voice, with a barely perceptible choke in his voice.
Pei Yixue's heart trembled when he heard the words "can't watch". If it were in the past, he would definitely ask the truth and ask why people couldn't watch it. He would force Xie Yushu into a corner and make him say the embarrassing love words.
For now, let it go.
Without waiting for him to speak, Xie Yushu quickly stood up and spread the bundle flat on the table.
Seeing Xie Yushu in low spirits, Pei Yixue picked up some clothes, walked to his side, and said softly, "With Doctor Xu here, the epidemic will subside in half a month at most. I'll be at home, waiting for Ah Shu to come back."
"Okay." Xie Yushu kept his head down, not even looking at him, and said in a hoarse voice, "Take care of yourself."
Pei Yixue smiled and replied: "Shu too."
After saying this, Xie Yushu said nothing more. He casually grabbed three sets of clothes and stuffed them into his bag, then strode out of the room.
Pei Yixue stood where he was, watching the tall but sad figure disappear outside the gate. He slowly stood up with a calm look in his eyes.
It's time for him to set off too.
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