The Legend of Zhen Huan: Year after year, we share the spring breeze

After returning to the West Side Hall, An Lingrong was about to rest when she saw Caiyue coming to invite her to Yonghe Palace.

An Lingrong arrived at Yonghe Palace, where Shen Meizhuang and Zhen Huan were already waiting. Caiyue gently placed a bowl of nourishing ginseng soup and two plates of steaming snacks on the table before quietly leaving. The three of them were the only ones left in the palace.

Zhen Huan sighed softly, "Alas..." Her eyes revealed a hint of helplessness and melancholy, and her tone was also somewhat bitter. "Noble Lady Fucha has only been favored a few times, and now she is already pregnant. And what about me? There has been no movement at all. It seems that I am really unlucky!"

When Shen Meizhuang heard Zhen Huan's words, she gently reached out her hand, patted the back of Zhen Huan's hand, and comforted her, "Huan'er, don't worry too much. Pregnancy depends on chance. Maybe the time is not right yet."

Zhen Huan nodded slightly, but she still felt a little disappointed. "That being said, I always envy Noble Lady Fucha!"

An Lingrong stirred the soup with a wooden spoon, then picked up the bowl and drank it all in one gulp. She quickly picked up a piece of dessert and swallowed it before saying, "Ahem, Sister Zhen means..."

Zhen Huan didn't beat around the bush, "Your recipe..."

"I'm afraid it's not possible now," An Lingrong shook her head. "Not to mention the side effects of the prescription, just looking at the current situation, Sister isn't suitable for pregnancy."

Shen Meizhuang said with some concern, "This afternoon, the Emperor said that an epidemic has broken out outside the palace, and I'm afraid it will soon spread to the Imperial Palace."

An Lingrong nodded. "Sister Zhen, don't worry. Six months is the limit. If you're still not pregnant after six months, then try that prescription. By then, Sister Mei will have given birth, and we'll be able to take good care of you."

Zhen Huan has a physique that is easy to get pregnant. According to the development of the plot, she will be pregnant in less than half a year!

Zhen Huan thought for a while and nodded in agreement.

After a few days, it was discovered in Yiku Palace that a young eunuch was infected with the epidemic. For a time, everyone in the palace was in panic, as if facing a great enemy.

In Jingren Palace, Zhang Mi, the head of the Imperial Hospital, and Jiang Zhongmin, the chief steward of the Imperial Household Department, gathered together to discuss countermeasures.

"Has the mugwort been distributed to each palace?" The queen's expression was serious.

Jiang Zhongmin lowered his head and replied, "They have been distributed overnight."

The Empress gave her instructions methodically: "Concubine Hui and Noble Lady Fucha are now pregnant, so the epidemic prevention measures in their palaces must be even stricter. Furthermore, the epidemic first broke out in Concubine Hua's Yikun Palace, so stricter control is required. Every morning, noon, and evening, we must burn mugwort to drive away the disease. Furthermore, the Imperial Hospital must prepare sufficient epidemic prevention herbs, and have the maids in each palace work overnight to create a sufficient number of sachets to hang on the maids and in each room."

"Yes."

"Doctor Zhang, in your opinion, what exactly is this epidemic?"

Zhang Mi replied, "This disease is caused by unhealthy qi. It starts with fever and headache, and then it becomes an epidemic. If one person is sick, the whole room will be infected. If one room is sick, the whole palace will be infected. It is better to take precautions as soon as possible to avoid a major disaster!"

The queen was a little surprised, "Is it that powerful?"

Zhang Mi hadn't slept all night, his eyes red from all the hard work. "I dare not exaggerate, but one of the servants in the harem has already contracted the disease, which shows how severe it is. The Imperial Hospital will take early precautions. Please, Your Majesty, tell the six palaces not to move around easily!"

"I've heard there's an epidemic in the palace, and everyone is worried. Everyone must follow the Imperial Physician's advice. I'll leave everything to the Imperial Hospital."

"Yes!"

Each palace began burning mugwort and boiling vinegar three times a day to drive away the epidemic, which caused thick smoke to fill the sky above the Forbidden City, as if the entire palace was shrouded in a layer of hazy fog.

In the palace courtyards, mugwort burned even more vigorously, its flames blazing as thick smoke rose to blend with the white clouds in the sky. Palace maids fanned the mugwort leaves with their hands, ensuring the smoke was evenly distributed throughout the rooms. Meanwhile, the pots of boiling vinegar kept churning, releasing more sourness in an attempt to purify the air.

All the things sent to the Yanx Palace by the Ministry of Internal Affairs were taken back to the main hall by Noble Lady Fucha in a domineering manner.

An Lingrong did not argue with her and pulled Caixing, who wanted to go up and argue, back into the hall.

"How is sister doing?" An Lingrong asked.

Cai Xing felt a little aggrieved. "It's okay with the Empress, the Imperial Household Department dared not neglect it, but my lady, you're not in good health to begin with, that thing..."

An Lingrong pulled her to sit next to her, patted her head and said soothingly, "Cai Xing, don't be angry. She's pregnant now, and the Queen has also ordered that the good things should be given to her first. There's no point in making a fuss. Besides, even if I really am infected with the plague, will she be able to escape?"

The news soon reached Suiyuxuan and Yonghe Palace. In the evening, both of them sent a lot of mugwort and atractylodes.

An Lingrong looked at the several large backpacks on the ground. These things were useless!

Wu Youxing, in his book "On Plague," conducted a special study during the Qing Dynasty, arguing that plague was caused by the transmission of toxic pestilential air through the mouth and nose, making it highly contagious. Those infected with the plague exhibited numerous symptoms, including headaches, fever, neck swelling, and chin pain. Furthermore, the disease spread rapidly, with "one person's illness spreading to the entire household, and one household's illness spreading to the entire village or even the entire town."

Isn't this the novel coronavirus of later times? An Lingrong frowned. These mugwort leaves are not very useful; the most useful disinfectant is alcohol.

Alcohol alcohol...

An Lingrong knew how to purify alcohol, but she needed help.

"My lady, what's wrong?" Cai Xing asked worriedly when she saw An Lingrong frowning in thought.

"Caixing, go to the warehouse and find some soft cotton cloth." An Lingrong came back to her senses and said with a smile.

"Yes."

Let's make a few masks first! An Lingrong decided to start with something simple. She took a piece of white cotton cloth, cut it to the right size, and then used needle and thread to sew it into a simple mask shape. Next, she added two strings on either side of the mask so it could be hung over the ears. And just like that, a simple mask was ready.

An Lingrong put on the mask and tried it on. It felt pretty good. Although the mask was very simple, it was better than nothing.

As the sky gradually darkened, all the palaces were locked, and the eunuchs and palace maids stayed in their respective palaces and dared not go out. The entire Forbidden City fell into deathly silence.

An Lingrong brought Caixing to Suiyuxuan.

When Zhen Huan saw the appearance of the master and servant, she was shocked and asked, "Why are you dressed like this?" Then she walked towards An Lingrong.

An Lingrong quickly stopped her, not daring to take off her mask. She spoke to Zhen Huan from a distance of one meter: "Sister, please don't come any closer! I want to ask you to find Wen Shichu to come over."

Zhen Huan didn't ask any more questions and immediately ordered Xiao Yunzi to go to the Imperial Hospital.

After a while, Wen Shichu came with a medicine box!

An Lingrong didn't beat around the bush and asked directly, "Doctor Wen, do you have any way to prevent the spread of the epidemic?"

Wen Shichu smiled bitterly, "My colleagues at the Imperial Hospital haven't had a rest for several days, and the methods they've come up with have had little effect!"

An Lingrong handed a piece of paper to Wen Shichu, "Take a look at this."

Zhen Huan also looked at the contents on the paper from a distance.

"My lord, what is this?"