Rebirth: Phoenix Riding the Ninth Heaven

When Wang Yuyan heard that the eldest prince had smallpox, her heart sank, and her hands began to tremble uncontrollably. The case file in her hands trembled with it, shaking the teacup on top until it fell to the ground and shattered. The crisp sound of the shattering seemed to strike Wang Yuyan's heart, sending a chill through her. Her face turned pale, and her eyes were filled with worry and fear.

Wang Yuyan pointed her finger at the imperial physician kneeling before her, her fingers trembling. "Tell me what smallpox is?" The white-haired imperial physician trembled as he spoke. "Smallpox, a disease that once caused great disasters in history, is an acute infectious disease caused by the smallpox virus. In the early stages of infection, patients may experience symptoms similar to the common cold, including high fever, chills, body aches, and fatigue."

These non-specific signs can easily lead people to mistake them for minor everyday illnesses, thus overlooking the seriousness of the condition. However, as time goes by, the symptoms gradually worsen, and the real nightmare quietly approaches.

As the viral infection intensifies, the body temperature continues to rise, reaching or even exceeding 39°C, accompanied by severe headaches and a general malaise. Red spots appear on the patient's skin, initially confined to the face or trunk, then rapidly spreading throughout the body. These spots are an outward manifestation of the virus wreaking havoc in the body, marking the onset of a more severe stage of the disease.

Around the third to sixth day of illness, the rash begins to develop, initially as flat, red spots that gradually rise into firm papules. Over the next few days, these papules rapidly transform into blisters (vesicles) filled with clear fluid. By the eighth to tenth day, the fluid in the blisters becomes cloudy, and pustules, laden with virus, form. At this point, the patient's pain reaches its peak, and every touch can be excruciating.

About half a month later, if the patient is lucky enough to survive the most critical period, the lesions begin to scab. These black crusts cover the former pustules and are sometimes accompanied by severe itching. The scabs fall off slowly, leaving behind obvious sunken scars, which are one of the most lasting marks left by smallpox on humans. Full recovery may take weeks or even months, during which time the patient's physical functions and mental state will be affected.

Smallpox not only leaves survivors with permanent scars but can also lead to serious sequelae such as vision loss and neurological damage. Even more devastating, the disease has a historical mortality rate of 50%, meaning one in three infected people will not escape the scythe of death. Children and those with weakened immune systems are particularly susceptible and at increased risk of death.

After the imperial physician finished his rambling, he knocked his head heavily on the ground and said no more. Wang Yuyan heard all that the imperial physician had said, and there was only one terrible thought in her mind: the emperor's son might not be able to escape this time. At this point, Wang Yuyan felt dizzy, her eyes went black, and she fell down beside the chair.

After a long while, Wang Yuyan finally managed to sit up straight. Her face was as pale as paper, and her eyes were filled with fear and helplessness. Wang Yuyan was extremely anxious, her face flushed red, and she anxiously asked the doctor: "Are you sure? Is there a misdiagnosis? Is there another disease?"

The kneeling white-haired imperial physician looked extremely serious. He raised his head, his eyes revealing determination and confidence, and slowly said: "Your Majesty, I am 80% sure that this is indeed smallpox." His voice was low and powerful, as if he was announcing an unchangeable fact to everyone.

Upon hearing this, Wang Yuyan's eyes completely glazed over. She sat there blankly, as if she had lost her soul. Seeing her like this, Nanny Li felt very sorry for her and stepped forward to comfort her softly, "Empress Kun, please be strong! The eldest prince is ill, and only you can save him. If you lose your composure, who will take care of him? Your Majesty, please cheer up!"

Wang Yuyan's heart suddenly woke up when she heard these words. Yes, if even she was confused, who would truly care about her child? This harem is a place where people are eaten without leaving any bones. If she didn't care, then the emperor would have this strange disease and there would be many people and things that needed to be done. She must be there to protect him. Thinking of this, Wang Yuyan's eyes gradually became firm. She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down.

"No matter what, I must cure the prince." Wang Yuyan clenched her fists tightly and made up her mind secretly.

She immediately ordered, "Madame Li, quickly send someone to the Imperial Hospital to summon all the doctors who can treat smallpox or have seen smallpox. Bring me all the medicines they can find or use, no matter what they are. No matter what the cost, we must find a cure for smallpox."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Nanny Li quickly responded and retreated.

Wang Yuyan's mood calmed down a little, but she knew that this was just the beginning. In the days to come, she would face more challenges and difficulties.

NetEase Cloud felt that this was not enough, so he ordered the palace maid beside him to deliver an urgent letter home, telling his father that he urgently needed some quack doctors to go and inquire, and if there was a doctor who was better at treating smallpox, he could send it to me secretly. The palace maid responded quickly and hurried out of the hall.

Looking at the kneeling Taiyi King, Yuyan said seriously, "Imperial Physician, you also know that Tai'an dialect is contagious. Before the prince is cured, you will stay here with me and look after the eldest prince."

He knelt on the ground, and although he was unwilling, he still agreed: It was Queen Kun. They also knew in their hearts that such a big thing had happened, and they could not get away no matter what. The only thing they could do now was to try their best to treat the eldest prince and save him. Otherwise, the several doctors present would not be able to do it, and they walked back in a continuous shadow.

At the same time, Wang Yuyan also decided to take care of the emperor herself. She walked into the bedroom, sat beside the emperor's bed, and gently stroked his forehead.

"My son, your mother will definitely find a way to save you. You must hold on." Wang Yuyan said softly, her eyes full of love and determination.

By the third day, the eldest prince's condition remained grim. His temperature continued to fluctuate, never returning to normal. Wang Yuyan and the other maids were distraught. They constantly wiped the eldest prince's body with wet towels, hoping to lower his temperature and prevent the fever from damaging his brain. By this time, the eldest prince's rash had spread throughout his body, and his condition was becoming increasingly severe.

With one hour left before the palace gates were locked, Wang Yuyan's mother hurried into the palace with a doctor to give advice. When Wang Yuyan heard her mother's words, her heart was filled with anxiety and she felt like she had found support. She quickly asked the palace servants to invite her mother to the main hall.

The moment Wang Yuyan saw her mother, she shed tears of pain. When Wang's mother saw Wang Yuyan's haggard appearance, she felt infinite heartache. It's only been a few days, and she has become so thin. It seems that the situation of her eldest grandson is not optimistic.

The Queen Mother came to Wang Yuyan in a few steps and was about to bow when Wang Yuyan reached out and pulled her up. "Mother, it's already this late. There's no need for these empty formalities. Have you found a doctor? My son has not been in good health these days. I can't hold on any longer."

The Queen Mother gently patted Wang Yuyan's hand and said, "My daughter, don't worry. You are your father. I have inquired from many sources and used witchcraft. The one I invited is the Lake Doctor, who is known as the Ghost-Seeing Doctor. He only needs to be obedient. Although it is not 100% successful, there is still a high chance of success."

Wang Yuyan looked at the man standing in the hall. He carried a medicine box on his back. His hair was already graying, and he looked to be in his fifties. He was thin and withered, but he gave off an air of calmness and reliability. Hope welled up in her heart, and she softly said to the old man, "May I know your name, sir?"

When the old man heard Wang Yuyan's words, he quickly replied respectfully, "I am humble, my name is Sheng Yanli."

When Wang Yuyan saw that he had finished speaking, she hurriedly continued, "Thank you, doctor, for your help in treating the prince. If you can cure the child, I will definitely not treat you unfairly!"

After hearing Wang Yuyan's words, Sheng Li hurriedly bowed and said, "Healing and saving lives is our job as doctors. There's no need for Your Majesty to be so polite. Besides, I owed the Wang family a favor before. Even if I repay it this time, I'll feel more at ease."

After talking with Queen Kun at the banquet, she asked the palace maid to take her to the room where the eldest prince was to see a doctor. When she came to the bedside, she saw a boy in gorgeous clothes, with his hands exposed. Looking at the red wound, the tightly closed eyes, and the body twitching from time to time, she hurried forward to take his pulse.

At the banquet, the maid who was serving the eldest prince said, "Go get some paper and pen. I'll prescribe some medicine for you to have the eldest prince take it." The maid was unwilling to delay and hurriedly got paper and pen, put them on the table, picked up the pen and wrote down the prescription, and asked the maid to get the medicine.

After a while, the medicine was boiled. Empress Kun served the eldest prince and drank it little by little. I asked the eldest prince to twist her mouth tightly, but Empress Kun still patiently fed her with a spoon little by little. Watching Da Hongshu drink the medicine little by little, Empress Kun's heart ignited hope, hoping that this medicine would be useful to the prince.

After the wedding, the queen slept beside the bed and continued to wipe the eldest prince's body. After an hour, I saw that the eldest prince was sweating and his fever had subsided.

"My son, how do you feel? Can you hear me?" Heshen asked softly.

The eldest prince's eyes opened slightly, revealing a confused look. He seemed to want to say something, but no sound came out.

Heshen's heart tightened, and he quickly comforted her, "Don't be afraid, the Queen Mother is here. Everything will be fine."

Just then, footsteps were heard outside the door, followed by a royal doctor hurried into the room.

"Imperial Physician, come and see the eldest prince!" Heshen said hurriedly.

The imperial physician quickly walked to the bedside, carefully examined the eldest prince's injuries, and took his pulse. After a moment, he breathed a sigh of relief.

He turned around and knelt down, saying to Empress Kunkun, "Your Majesty, the eldest prince's fever has subsided and his condition has improved."