The cruel little princess

After An Er and his brothers went out, they conducted some investigations, either openly or secretly, and found that what the people said was basically consistent with what County Magistrate Liu said.

This proves that Magistrate Liu was indeed a good official. As he said, he actively rescued people after the flood and took a series of measures after the plague broke out.

But things didn't go as planned, and the epidemic got out of control. To prevent the plague from spreading further, County Magistrate Liu and County Magistrate Zheng Yuan of Tong'an County had no choice but to ruthlessly block the roads, leaving the people of Tongniu County to fend for themselves.

Some time ago, the emperor sent the chief medical officer of the Imperial Hospital with a dozen imperial doctors and a thousand elite soldiers to Tongniu County. They also settled in Wutong County and rested for a while before entering Tongniu County.

But there has been no news from them for more than ten days, and now His Royal Highness Prince Jin has arrived!

An Er said this, but Shen Youyou still felt something was wrong. She had a feeling that something was not right. She felt that County Magistrate Liu was not as An Er had understood him to be, but she couldn't put her finger on what was wrong.

Shen Youyou wondered if Prince Jin felt the same way as she did, but she didn't want to make a false accusation by saying it without any basis, so she could only hold her ground.

After dinner, they all went to rest.

The moon was dark and the wind was strong, and everything was silent. When everyone was immersed in sleep, the slight sound of a door opening broke the silence.

A pair of fair and delicate hands gently pushed open the door. After the door opened, a petite figure tiptoed out.

The person standing guard at the door was An Er. When he saw Shen Youyou coming out, he immediately bowed respectfully: "Princess!" He thought that the princess just got up in the middle of the night to relieve herself, but did not ask any more questions.

However, Shen Youyou did not leave. Instead, she looked at An Er with a troubled expression and said softly, "An Er, I need your help with something very important..."

Hearing this, An Er knelt on his knees without hesitation and replied firmly, "Princess, please speak freely! I will go through fire and water for you, no matter what!"

An Er lowered his head and recounted the past events to Shen Youyou in a calm but firm tone: "Long before the prince and the princess became engaged, the prince had privately instructed his subordinates and other brothers to respect the princess as much as we respect him. In other words, the young lady's orders are equivalent to the prince's orders. Later, when you and the prince got married, the prince again instructed his subordinates that the princess's orders and life safety are our primary responsibility. If the princess and the prince are in danger at the same time, don't worry about the prince, you must first ensure the princess's safety!"

After hearing An Er's words, Shen Youyou felt an indescribable emotion. Chu Huaijin had been silently protecting her, even considering her more important than himself. This deep affection further solidified her resolve.

"An Er, go find An Yi immediately and ask him to lead the brothers to take turns on duty to ensure the safety of this room. Then, you pick five... oh, no, three brothers to go to Tongniu County with me." Shen Youyou's tone was firm and decisive, and her beautiful little face was full of tenderness yet incomparable determination.

"Princess, this is absolutely not allowed! Princess, you must not act rashly!" An Er became anxious when he heard this.

"There is a plague rampant in Tongniu County now. The people have suffered heavy casualties, and only one in ten survives! Many imperial doctors have gone to the front to rescue. If the princess has any orders, your subordinates will convey them. You must not take the risk and go there in person!" An Er persuaded earnestly.

However, Shen Youyou's eyes remained firm. "This princess has made up her mind. No need to say more!" She knew that this trip to Tongniu County was of great significance. She had to do it herself to better understand the epidemic and help the people. She believed that as long as everyone worked together, they would be able to overcome this disaster.

"But Princess, the situation in Tongniu County is extremely dangerous. It's too risky for you to go!" An Er said anxiously. He was well aware of the dangers of this mission, but the Princess insisted on going in person, which made him extremely worried.

"It is precisely because I know the dangers involved that I cannot sit idly by." Shen Youyou took a deep breath, a determined light flashing in her eyes.

She understood the difficulties this mission might present, but she was even more aware of the responsibility she shouldered. "I'm going to help those suffering people and do everything in my power to save them. Not even your prince can stop me! Besides, even if I don't go, your prince will go himself! But he's not a doctor, so his presence won't be of much use!"

Shen Youyou patiently continued to explain: "If I can't see it with my own eyes, I can't be sure what symptoms the people are experiencing. As the saying goes, in medical practice, a mistake of an inch can lead to a huge mistake! So I must go to Tongniu County!" She knew that only by going to the scene in person could she better understand the condition and develop an effective treatment plan.

"Princess, your safety is paramount. If anything happens to you, the prince will blame us!" An Er said worriedly. His face was filled with anxiety, and he secretly prayed that the princess would change her mind.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine," Shen Youyou consoled him. She smiled at An Er, trying to allay his concerns.

"I have thought of different response plans and prescriptions for various plagues. I just need to study them and provide treatment as soon as possible!" She believed that as long as they were well prepared, they could defeat this terrible plague.

"Does the prince know about this?" An Er was a little confused, thinking to himself: With the prince's character, he regards the princess as the apple of his eye, holding her in his hands for fear of breaking her, and holding her in his mouth for fear of melting her. How could he possibly agree to let the princess go to Tongniu County alone?

"Well, the prince already knows about it and has tacitly agreed to it!" Shen Youyou answered with a smile, but a hint of cunning flashed in her eyes.

In fact, she had just knocked His Royal Highness Prince Jin unconscious and fabricated this white lie. His Royal Highness Prince Jin was now in a coma and unable to give any response, so this could be considered a form of tacit consent... But she did leave a letter to make it clear!

"Okay, since the princess insists, I can only obey your order. But please be sure to pay attention to your own safety, and don't be reckless when encountering any danger." An Er sighed helplessly, his eyes revealing worry and uneasiness.

"Well, I'll be careful." Shen Youyou nodded firmly, determination and courage flashing in her eyes. "You go and arrange for manpower immediately, and we'll set off as soon as possible."

"Yes, Princess!" An Er replied respectfully, then turned and left, ready to carry out the Princess's orders. He was well aware of the importance and danger of this mission, but he remained loyal and obedient to the Princess's decisions.

"Don't forget to find An Yi and ask him to bring his brothers to guard this room! Make sure to protect the prince's safety!" Shen Youyou instructed with a serious face.

Although An Er was somewhat puzzled, as a loyal secret guard, he didn't ask any further questions and simply carried out the order immediately. After all, the prince's kung fu was so superb that he could be said to be unrivaled. Why did he need such strict protection?

However, An Er was well aware of his responsibilities, and without much thought, he followed the princess's instructions and first went to find An Yi to protect the prince, and then found three brothers to protect the princess together.

As An Er and his three brothers followed Shen You You on horseback towards Tongniu County, the clatter of horse hooves echoed loudly on the silent road. At that moment, An Er seemed to suddenly understand the mystery.

"Princess! Was the prince sober when you were discussing with him?" An Er couldn't help but ask, his face full of confusion.

Shen Youyou's expression changed slightly when she heard this, and then she pretended to be calm and replied: "Well... anyway, he was lying there and didn't object..." Her guilty conscience was evident in her words.

When An Er heard this, he suddenly understood and secretly sighed: "Great! Case solved! It turns out that the prince was drugged by the princess and fainted..."

"Princess..." An Er wanted to persuade her again, but was interrupted by Shen Youyou.

"No need to persuade me anymore. I'm halfway there now, and I can walk the rest of the way by myself. Do you want to go back awake or unconscious? It's your choice!" Shen Youyou was determined to leave.

An Er was shocked and said quickly, "Princess, we can't let you take the risk alone!" He knew that once the princess made a decision, it would be difficult to change it, but he still tried to persuade her.

Shen Youyou looked at An Er, a hint of determination flashed in her eyes: "I have made up my mind, you don't have to say anything more." After that, she spurred her horse and continued to gallop forward.

In fact, she really wanted to come alone. The lives of the secret guards were also lives! Moreover, they were brothers who risked their lives to protect His Royal Highness Prince Jin! She didn't want to drag them down and bring them into danger.

But it was a dark and windy night, and she was afraid that she didn't know the way, so she really wanted them to give her a ride, and then send An Er and the others back when they were almost in Tongniu County!