The Cold King Demands Love and Pleasure

Then she turned to look behind Min You'an, "Alright, Cang Jue, take the prince away, and the military carriage too! I can go in by myself. Don't get too close, lest you get infected!"

She turned around, gestured to the guard at the gate, and went inside. Min Youan watched her until she disappeared from his sight before turning back sadly.

This was the first time Xia Tongsheng had ever witnessed a plague. The scene was so shocking that she could hardly believe that the front lines of the plague were so appalling.

Because of the flood, the village houses have been washed away, with only a few houses still standing. Homeless villagers are scattered in makeshift thatched sheds.

Many people infected with the plague lay in the thatched pavilions, either unconscious or coughing incessantly as if they were coughing up their lungs. The tattered and dirty blankets and clothes covering them highlighted the desolation and ruin of the place.

The winnowing baskets and brooms used for storing wheat were carelessly thrown on the ground, along with some dead animals. Some of the animal carcasses were infested with maggots, and flies were swarming around them.

Every now and then, elderly people and women with hunched backs would come out to fetch water.

It would be a lie to say she wasn't afraid; everyone is afraid of death, and Xia Tongsheng was no exception!

Remembering the purpose of her trip, she gathered her thoughts and searched earnestly for the little girl. Finally, she found her next to a haystack at the very back. At that moment, she didn't know whether the little girl was unconscious or asleep; she was curled up and lying there motionless.

She quickly went over, lifted her head, and gently shook it. "Wake up!"

The little girl slowly opened her eyes and weakly called out, "Brother! Were you captured too?"

"No, your brother came to see you! Are you feeling unwell anywhere?" Xia Tongsheng asked with concern.

The little girl pointed to her stomach, "My stomach is hungry!"

Xia Tongsheng touched her forehead and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that she hadn't contracted the plague. "Thank goodness you're alright!"

She picked up the girl and said, "Come on, brother will take you to get something to eat!"

The little girl stubbornly refused to leave, asking, "Where's my sister?"

"Huh? Your sister?"

The little girl nodded. "Yes, my sister told me to wait for her here!"

Xia Tongsheng then realized that the child was referring to the sick woman she had met outside the pharmacy last time.

Wasn't it said that the princess was kidnapped? Could it be that woman who kidnapped the princess and brought her here?

Thinking of this, Xia Tongsheng couldn't help but worry, "Who is this sister you're talking about?"

"It's the mansion..." The little girl started to say, but then remembered her sister's instructions not to tell anyone her true identity and immediately changed her words, "Sister is sister!"

Xia Tongsheng shook her head helplessly. She had actually expected to get anything out of a child. She must have been out of her mind. "Alright, I'll wait with you!"

Not long after, the woman returned, holding something in her hand. "Li'er, Wen Jin has found something to eat!"

Seeing Xia Tongsheng by the little girl's side, the woman, though weak, mustered her strength and became alert. "Who are you? What do you want?"

"Miss, you've misunderstood. I just wanted to get her something to eat! But she said she wanted to wait for you, so I'm staying here with her!"

Wen Jincai couldn't believe that Xia Tongsheng, whom he had never met before, was the one who had almost killed the princess last time. This time, he was determined to protect the princess no matter what.

"No need, please leave!"

"Leave? I'm afraid I'll be even less safe if I leave the princess!"

Xia Tongsheng revealed the little girl's identity, which made Wen Jin even more nervous. "Who are you? How did you know...?"

"And who are you?" Xia Tongsheng asked in return.

"You speak first!"

"I am a member of the imperial court. I was sent by Prince An to escort the princess out!" Xia Tongsheng fabricated a lie in order to gain her trust.

Seeing Wen Jin's still suspicious look, Xia Tongsheng smiled and took out the token from her bosom. "Do you believe me now?"

"Prince An's transfer order!" Wen Jin was somewhat surprised and immediately curtsied. "Wen Jin believes it."

Xia Tongsheng quickly helped her up, a slight smile on her lips. Luckily, she had secretly "borrowed" Min Youan's name tag when she left home, otherwise she really wouldn't know what to do now!

Wen Jin stood up. "I am from the Jing Prince's Mansion, and also the Little Princess's personal maid!" Fearing that Xia Tongsheng wouldn't believe her, Wen Jin even found a little girl to testify!

Seeing that Wen Jin was weak, Xia Tongsheng picked up the girl and said, "Come with me!"

She settled the little girl and Wen Jin in a Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva temple on the edge of the plague village. Because the locals had great reverence for Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, they dared not disturb him even though they had no place to live, so the temple was basically deserted.

In addition, this place is far from water sources, and after the outbreak of the plague, it became deserted.

"Wen Jin, you take good care of the princess. I'm going to check on the situation in the village!"

Although Xia Tongsheng still dared not readily believe Wen Jin's identity, she thought that since the plague village had been brought under control, even if Wen Jin wanted to take the little girl away, he would not be able to leave!

If Wen Jin wanted to harm the little girl, he wouldn't have gone to such lengths to come all the way from the capital to Baiyue. With that thought in mind, Xia Tongsheng felt relieved and left the dilapidated temple to wander around the village and find out what was going on.

On the way, we met a local farmer carrying a bundle of firewood. He looked like he had just come down from the mountain to chop wood. He was strong and healthy and did not seem to have contracted the plague.

She stepped forward and asked, "Excuse me, sir, but I'd like to ask if everyone here has been infected with the plague?"

The man looked at him, somewhat taken aback. "You don't look like someone who was brought in with the plague!"

Xia Tongsheng bowed to him, "I am a person sent by the imperial court to investigate the situation. Please tell me what is going on!"

Upon hearing that he was from the imperial court, the man immediately put down the firewood on his shoulder and described the local situation to Xia Tongsheng in detail. Through his narration, Xia Tongsheng learned that not everyone in the village had contracted the plague; some people had not, which meant that it was not the bubonic plague.

"Brother, do you know what the symptoms are in people who have contracted the plague?"

The man scratched his head and said honestly, "Fever, cough, vomiting, dizziness, headache, and I heard he also has some difficulty breathing!"

When a person is infected with the plague, they will experience chills, fever, dizziness, headache, rapid breathing and pulse; they will quickly enter a state of extreme weakness or coma, with a pale or flushed face, unsteady gait, and pregnant women will often miscarry.

In addition to persistent high fever, some patients also experience painful lumps in areas such as the groin, neck, and armpits.

Comparing the symptoms the man described, they were very different from those of the plague. Once it was confirmed that it was not the plague, Xia Tongsheng was relieved.

As soon as Min You'an returned to the prefecture, he immediately sent people to deliver some mats, quilts, liquor, clean clothes, and food.