Epidemic area?
It took Yuan Yao a while to realize that the plague-stricken area the Ninth Prince was referring to was the area where the plague was spreading.
On her way to the Huai River, she noticed that the closer she got to the river, the quieter the journey became.
The same thing happened once they entered the city.
Huai River City is so quiet it doesn't feel like a city at all.
There are very few people walking around in the city...
Yuan Yao got out of bed and looked at the Ninth Prince: "Father, Yao'er brought medicine. Let Yao'er go and take a look."
"Medicine?" The Ninth Prince frowned. "You mean the several cartloads of medicine you brought?"
Yuan Yao shook her head.
She searched her clothes and then remembered that she had changed them.
Looking towards the bedside, she saw a familiar small porcelain bottle on a cabinet not far from the bed.
Yuan Yao reached out, trying to take the bottle.
A large hand, before she could reach it, picked up the small porcelain bottle.
Yuan Yao then sat back on the bed.
The Ninth Prince sat down by the bed and asked, "Is this the medicine you were talking about?"
“Yes!” Yuan Yao nodded: “This medicine was given to me by Yun Chan.”
Yun Chan?
The Ninth Prince was somewhat surprised: "Does the State of Chu actually have medicine to prevent plague?"
“I don’t think so,” Yuan Yao said. “Yun Chan has been ill for many years, so she must have seen many famous doctors.”
This medicine must have been given to him by someone else.
The Ninth Prince nodded: "In that case, you should try it first."
However, the medication to be taken must be tested.
The Ninth Prince called out towards the door, "Someone come here."
With a creak, Danqing pushed the door open and entered: "Your Excellency?"
The Ninth Prince poured out a pill and handed it over.
Danqing took the medicine with both hands and put it in his mouth.
After a moment, she said, "No poison."
The Ninth Prince then poured out a pill and handed it to Yuan Yao.
Yuan Yao took the pill and put it in her mouth.
Slightly bitter, with a sweet aftertaste.
The pill felt a little cool as it slid down my throat.
It wasn't bad.
Without a second thought, Yuan Yao took the porcelain bottle from the Ninth Prince's hand, poured out a pill, and without saying a word, stuffed it into the Ninth Prince's mouth: "Father, you should take one too."
“You…” The Ninth Prince frowned.
With a slight movement of the throat, the pill slid down.
Yuan Yao asked smugly, "Daddy, is it sweet?"
The Ninth Prince said, "Nonsense."
“Yao’er isn’t being silly!” Yuan Yao said, “I’ve counted. This medicine, if we father and daughter each take one a day, can last for a long time!”
The Ninth Prince was somewhat helpless.
He said to Danqing, "Change your clothes."
The Li family had already prepared lunch.
The lunch was very ordinary, consisting of six dishes and a soup.
Two cold dishes: stir-fried shredded pork with bamboo shoots and boiled pork; the soup was cabbage and meatball soup.
Having indulged in luxury for too long, Yuan Yao stared blankly at these few extremely ordinary dishes.
Although there was a lot of food, she still felt sorry for the Ninth Prince...
Li Tingfeng said with guilt, "There is a shortage of food and meat in the city. Most of these vegetables were grown by my wife herself. Until the epidemic is over, we can only ask Your Highness and the Princess to make do with them."
So it's not easy to buy groceries in the city?
The Ninth Prince said indifferently, "It's alright. Finish your meal quickly, we still need to leave the city later."
After he finished speaking, he served Yuan Yao a bowl of soup.
Yuan Yao took the spoon with her small hands and drank a sip of soup.
The soup tasted surprisingly good.
Madam Li was considerate and cooked minced meat porridge separately for her.
Yuan Yao ate quite a full meal.
After eating and drinking to her heart's content and taking a good nap, Yuan Yao felt refreshed and full of energy.
After the meal, the Ninth Prince rode his horse and carried Yuan Yao out of the city.
The plague along the Huai River was mainly concentrated in a few areas.
These areas have already been cordoned off and isolated by the local military...
After leaving the city, before even entering a single town, the Ninth Prince stopped his horse.
As soon as he stopped, everyone behind him also stopped.
He took out a face mask from his pocket, tied it around Yuan Yao's neck, and covered her mouth and nose: "Little Yao, once we get to town, no matter what, you must not take off this face mask, understand?"
Yuan Yao blinked: "Mmm!"
"Good boy." The Ninth Prince smiled faintly.
Soon, everyone behind them put on face masks and continued on their way.
This epidemic area is a large town.
Even before they reached the town, Yuan Yao noticed that the entire town was filled with thick smoke.
The smoke looks like it's from burning some kind of herbal medicine...
Fumigation with herbs?
Will this method work?
Just then, a group of people slowly moved toward them through the smoke.
From afar, the sound of crying could be heard.
The cries were mournful and chilling.
Li Tingfeng, afraid of startling Yuan Yao, quickly asked, "What happened up ahead? Don't you know we're not allowed to leave here?"
The person ahead stopped.
From the smoke emerged a group of people dressed in mourning clothes.
Upon seeing Li Tingfeng, the leader knelt down and cried, "So you are the Prefect! Prefect, my father is the village head here."
The day before yesterday, my father went to deliver water and food to people who had contracted the plague, but unexpectedly, he contracted the plague himself on his way back...
My father passed away early this morning...
Before he died, my father chose a mountain outside the town as his burial site. We came out here to fulfill his last wish…
Those who have contracted the plague?
Upon hearing this, Yuan Yao frowned.
At this moment, Li Tingfeng spoke up: "We are also heartbroken that the village chief is gone, but his body must not be taken out of the town!"
There's a place in town where bodies are buried; you need to take this person back immediately!
What if these plague-infected corpses are taken out and infect people in other places?
Unexpectedly, a woman cried out in a mournful voice, "Is the pit dug in the town a place to bury people?"
My old man did so much for the people of our town when he was alive! And now that he's dead, doesn't he even deserve a separate grave?
“Yes!” another woman cried out, “My brother died for the people, and he can’t even be buried in the burial plot he chose before he died?”
"You incompetent officials, you keep claiming to be working for the people, but when the people die, you just bury them all in one grave. How immoral!"
Hearing the crying and cursing from the other end, Yuan Yao was somewhat surprised.
She looked at the Ninth Prince: "Father, were the people who died in the flood also buried directly in pits?"
Upon hearing this, the Ninth Prince replied in a deep voice, "Hmm."
Upon hearing this, Yuan Yao's brows gradually furrowed.
She couldn't help but ask again, "What about the livestock that died in the flood?"
Before the Ninth Prince could answer, Li Tingfeng said, "Your Highness, you may not know this, but at that time, the flood came fiercely, and burying the body with earth was the fastest way to deal with it."
Yuan Yao pursed her lips and asked her question: "But wouldn't a buried body be easily washed out by a flood?"
After she finished speaking, there was complete silence around her.
The Ninth Prince said calmly, "If the officials of the Huai River were as intelligent as you, such a tragic event would not have occurred today."
The surroundings became even quieter.
At this moment, Li Tingfeng asked, "Princess...do you perhaps have some brilliant insight?"
What insightful opinions could she possibly have?
Even the Ninth Prince couldn't stop this plague, so what else could she do?
but……
Yuan Yao spoke earnestly: "Father, Lord Li, I think... these bodies that died from the plague should not be buried directly in the ground!"
"Burned?" The Ninth Prince stared at her intently.
"Did Father also think of this method?" Yuan Yao asked in surprise.
The Ninth Prince coldly said, "I have already thought of a method, but unfortunately, these ignorant people will not allow it to be used."
They won't let me use it?
Why not allow the bodies to be burned, but instead let the plague spread unchecked?
Yuan Yao was astonished: "Then... what does Father mean?"
The Ninth Prince pursed his lips and said coldly, "I am waiting."
wait?
What are we waiting for?
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