This town is called Wushui Town.
All the townspeople infected with the plague were gathered and treated in a large courtyard.
From afar, the air was filled with a strong smell of medicine.
Before even entering the gate, I could hear various sounds coming from the courtyard.
There were piercing cries, painful wails, and desperate pleas for help...
Listening to these sounds, Yuan Yao had only one thought—
miserable!
That's terrible!
Natural disasters and man-made calamities all came at once.
And those who suffer the most are ordinary people...
When the Ninth Prince arrived at the door, he said to Yuan Yao, "You stay here and behave yourself, and wait for me to come out."
Yuan Yao knew that the courtyard was very dangerous.
But……
She looked up at the Ninth Prince and said, "Father, if you go in and come out, it's no different from me going in and coming out on my own."
If things get really bad and the Ninth Prince really contracts the plague, wouldn't he still infect her when he comes out again?
Moreover, she had taken medication.
Yun Chan takes medication regularly, so the medicine he got must be effective.
Looking at his precious little dumpling's determined eyes, the Ninth Prince sighed helplessly, "You little dumpling, you're really good at causing trouble."
As he spoke, he picked up Yuan Yao and carried her into the courtyard.
In the courtyard, the imperial guards, doctors, and volunteers, all covering their mouths and noses, were busy brewing and serving medicine...
Upon seeing the arrival of the people, everyone put down what they were doing and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty."
"Get up."
The Ninth Prince raised his wide sleeves, obscuring Yuan Yao's head from view.
There were many stoves built in the courtyard.
Inside the enormous cauldron, which required two people to encircle, the medicinal liquid was bubbling, wisps of smoke rising, and the aroma of medicine filling the air...
Inside the stove, the firewood burned brightly.
The Ninth Prince glanced at the medicine and said, "Once the medicine is ready, distribute it."
This shelter alone has hundreds of patients infected with the plague...
The doctor wiped his sweat and replied, "Yes."
The Ninth Prince glanced at the room, which had its windows open for ventilation, and asked, "Where is the body?"
The doctors exchanged glances, somewhat helplessly: "Your Majesty, the body... has already been taken away by the family."
They took it with them?
The old man's face suddenly turned gloomy.
He said coldly, "You're courting death!"
Seeing this, the doctor sighed and said, "Your Highness, please do not be angry. This is just how the people here are; they cannot accept cremating corpses until the very end..."
If these people were reasonable, would the plague have spread like this?
The Ninth Prince, holding Yuan Yao, said coldly, "I really hate ignorant fools!"
After this plague subsides, I will return to the capital and issue an order.
All citizens of the Great Qi Dynasty who are six years of age or older, and who are neither deaf nor mute and have never attended school, shall be taken away by me to study!
"If one person dares to disobey orders, the whole family will be punished! Those who refuse to study will be shackled and handcuffed, and sent to the frontier to reclaim wasteland!"
puff……
What was supposed to be a serious statement, Yuan Yao found particularly funny.
Is Your Majesty trying to eradicate illiteracy?
How many people are there in the entire Great Qi Kingdom?
Should we send everyone to school?
Imagine—
An elderly man, unable to write his own name, was beaten on the hand by his teacher until tears welled up in his eyes...
That scene was absolutely spectacular!
In the courtyard, those who could read were alright, but those who couldn't read were trembling with fear.
study?
They're already this old, and they still have to go to school??
Is this appropriate?
They're quite good at wielding hoes.
Holding a pen? That would be the death of them!
Just then, a mournful cry came from inside the house.
Li Tingfeng said, "Someone else has gone."
Going there means dying.
This plague is truly terrifying.
If things continue like this, what will become of us?
The Ninth Prince said coldly, "Bring the person out."
Two imperial guards, their mouths and noses covered tightly, hurriedly ran into the room.
Soon, the two men carried out a body covered with a white cloth.
A doctor stepped forward, lifted the white cloth a crack, and shook his head, saying, "Poor thing..."
"Who isn't pitiful?" someone nearby said.
Yes, who isn't pitiful for those who died in this natural and man-made disaster?
All eyes were on the Ninth Prince.
On that day, as soon as the Ninth Prince arrived, he ordered the bodies of those who had died from the plague to be burned.
But what was the result?
Several shrewish women, along with a few elderly and frail men, fought to the death and perished under the swords of the Imperial Guards.
Even if you're dead, you must stop the cremation of your body...
A small riot chilled the heart of the Nine Thousand Years Old.
He watched coldly, wondering how long these people would remain so foolish.
To this day...
The doctors exchanged glances, then knelt down and cried out in anguish, "Your Majesty, we beg you, give the order to burn these plague-infected corpses!"
If the plague is allowed to rage unchecked, not only the Huai River region, but also Tongcheng, the capital, and other parts of the Great Qi will be affected!
"Yes, it's getting hotter and hotter."
"Downstream, there are still people living there..."
Amidst the smoke and flames, many people wiped away tears, heartbroken.
Hearing the sounds coming from the yard, I couldn't help but get up and look out.
These people are all those who are seriously ill with the disease.
Hearing the sobbing outside the door, I couldn't help but wipe away my tears.
They survived the floods, but now they're going to die from the plague?
They... shouldn't have died!
Someone, clinging to life, knelt at the doorway: "Please, save us! My family is all dead, but I still want to live..."
As he knelt down, several more people crawled to the door, crying, "I was wrong. I shouldn't have stopped you from burning my family's bodies..."
Please save me, I don't want to die, I'll go back and dig up the body right now..."
"If I die, please cremate my body immediately. I don't want to harm the living..."
"..."
In an instant, the courtyard was filled with deafening cries.
Upon seeing this, Li Tingfeng's eyes reddened.
Everyone was watching the Ninth Prince.
The Ninth Prince watched coldly, as if the words spoken by these people had nothing to do with him.
How tough he was that day, when so many people threatened him with their lives?
Now, are they finally reaping the consequences of their actions?
Seeing that the Ninth Prince remained unmoved, Yuan Yao softly called out to him, "Father..."
Hearing the little dumpling's voice, the Ninth Prince lowered his eyelashes and asked, "Hmm?"
Yuan Yao asked worriedly, "Father, are you alright?"
"It's nothing." The Ninth Prince smiled slightly.
Unfortunately, the smile didn't reach his eyes.
Yuan Yao felt a pang of sympathy.
How much has the Ninth Prince sacrificed for the Great Qi and its people?
Unfortunately, people only say he was cruel and ruthless...
No one ever tries to see things from his perspective.
If the Ninth Prince is truly a villain, why would he come to such a dangerous place as the Huai River?
Lying in the Thousand Flower Palace, as the Ninth Thousand Years Old, second only to the Emperor, isn't that good?
well……
The little boy sighed and wrapped his arms around the Ninth Prince's neck: "Father, let's go back to the capital as soon as we've dealt with the troubles in Huai River."
I crave the desserts of spring all year round, and I also miss the soft, luxurious bed at Qianhua Palace...
"good."
The Ninth Prince nuzzled Yuan Yao's head with his forehead, then looked up, his eyes cold and his voice icy: "Someone, summon all the townspeople."
Within ten days, all family members who have passed away, regardless of whether their bodies have been buried or not, will be brought to the designated collection point.
"I... want the corpse burned!"
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