Regent, please maintain your aloof image.

After staying in the palace for more than a month, Su Qianrou couldn't stand it anymore, so she asked Chunzhu and Qiulan to pack their things and prepare to return to the Prince's Mansion.

Su Qianrou watched the two of them putting things into the box and couldn't help but say, "Didn't you only have one bundle when you came? Why do you need to use a box now, and one isn't enough, you need two."

“We originally thought the Princess Consort would only stay in the palace for a few days, so we only brought a few changes of clothes. We didn’t expect that the Princess Consort would stay in the palace for so long, so we brought some clothes and jewelry from the mansion. In addition, there are some gifts from His Majesty,” Chunzhu replied.

"Don't take everything. Keep a few items. You never know when you might come back."

"Yes".

Su Qianrou picked up a hairpin at random. To be honest, she had no recollection of it. She couldn't remember when she had worn it, or even if she had ever worn it at all. After all, she had too much jewelry, and Chunzhu usually put it on her, so she hadn't paid much attention.

"Your Highness," a voice pulled her back to reality, and then she saw Little Li rushing in in a panic.

"Your Highness, something terrible has happened!"

"Don't rush, tell me slowly, what happened?"

"An epidemic broke out in Qingtong County. Almost all the people in one village were infected with the disease, reportedly numbering over a hundred."

"Have the Duke of Su and his men come up with a solution?"

"The officials are still discussing it, but..."

"But what? Tell me quickly."

"The Empress Dowager said that the village and all the people in it should be burned down."

"Where is the Empress Dowager now?"

"Imperial Study".

Su Qianrou quickly walked out.

Seeing this, Chunzhu and Xiao Lizi hurriedly followed.

imperial study room

Upon learning this news, Mu Zexuan immediately summoned all the officials and the imperial physicians to a meeting to discuss countermeasures.

Unexpectedly, the Empress Dowager suddenly arrived and immediately declared that the village infected with the plague, along with its inhabitants, should be burned down.

The ministers all disagreed and raised their objections.

Physician Xu was the first to object, saying, "Your Majesty, I disagree. That village has over a hundred people; how can we just burn it down like that?"

"The plague twenty years ago was so severe that Emperor Chongming did not order the execution of the patients. Now that this epidemic has just begun and the specific situation is still unknown, it is really inappropriate to order the burning of villages."

“Indeed, if we abandon the people now, how will they view Your Majesty? Wouldn’t that chill their hearts?”

"We are far from reaching the point of burning down the village. The most urgent task now is to send imperial physicians to treat the patients and come up with a cure to eliminate the plague as soon as possible."

"Lord Su, you make it sound so easy. That's a plague! Do you think it's so easy to develop a cure? I'm afraid people will die before the cure is even developed. And even if they die, don't you know how fast the plague can spread? Right now it's just a village, but in a few days it might become a county, or even a city. Who will be responsible then?" the Empress Dowager questioned.

"What the Empress Dowager said makes sense, but it is inappropriate to order the burning of the village before we have done anything."

"Compared to the lives of a hundred people, a thousand people, or ten thousand people, which is more important, Lord Su? Can't you tell the difference? Or is it that Lord Su's obstruction is for some other purpose?"

"I am wholeheartedly devoted to the people, and Heaven and Earth can bear witness to this."

"It sounds nice, but who knows if it's true or not."

Su Jing'an didn't know why she was so hostile towards him, but now was not the time to argue about these things, so he said, "I will definitely prove it to the Empress Dowager in the future. Right now, the most urgent task is to deal with the plague in Qingtong County, so please ask the Empress Dowager to go back first."

"Does Lord Su really want to get rid of me like this?"

Song Mingxian couldn't help but say, "Empress Dowager, this is a place for discussing state affairs. Please leave."

"I had no idea that Lord Song's official power had grown so great that he was now even interfering with my affairs."

"Your subject dares not."

"What is Your Majesty doing?" Su Qianrou walked in, then went to the Empress Dowager, glanced at her, then stepped past her and bowed to Mu Zexuan, saying, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Seeing that she had arrived, Mu Zexuan felt relieved. "No need for such formalities, Imperial Aunt."

Su Qianrou gave him a reassuring look, then looked at the Empress Dowager and said, "Mother."

The Empress Dowager said irritably, "What are you doing here?"

“My daughter-in-law heard that there was an epidemic in Qingtong County and was worried, so she came to check on things.”

"Hmph, what good are you? As if you have a solution."

“Your daughter-in-law really can’t solve it, but the imperial physician can. I heard that twenty years ago, the plague in Huai Prefecture was cured by a prescription developed by the previous head of the Imperial Medical Academy, the old imperial physician Wang Xianzhi, which ultimately saved the people of the entire prefecture. I believe that the imperial physician can do it this time as well.”

"Do you know how many people died in that plague? More than three hundred. Do you want more than three hundred people to die, or even more?" the Empress Dowager said angrily.

“Last time it was because it was discovered too late. When we learned of it, more than two hundred people had already been infected with the disease. In addition, the patients were not isolated in time, which led to an irreversible situation. This time is different.” As she spoke, she looked at Physician Xu and said, “Physician Xu, you are the head of the Imperial Medical Academy. Are you confident?”

"Doctor Xu, if I remember correctly, didn't you also go to Huaizhou twenty years ago?"

"Minister Song has a good memory. I did go, and I was fortunate enough to learn from Physician Wang. Therefore, I request to go in person. I ask Your Majesty to grant my request."

"Approved."

"Your Majesty," the Empress Dowager called out in displeasure.

“Grandmother, the plague is a serious matter, concerning the lives of hundreds, even tens of thousands of people. We must not act rashly.”

"That's why I'm urging you to resolve this as soon as possible. You should know that the longer this matter drags on, the more people will die."

"He who wins the hearts of the people wins the world. If the court doesn't even send an imperial physician and instead orders the entire village and all its inhabitants to be burned down, has Your Majesty considered what the people will think?"

"That's for the sake of more people, and the public will understand."

"If you try and find that you are powerless, it is understandable. But to give up without even trying is cruel. Such an approach will not be understood or recognized. It will only be despised."

"Su Qianrou, watch your tone of voice. Don't be disrespectful," the Empress Dowager scolded angrily.

"His Majesty and the other officials will handle the plague in Qingtong County. There's no need for you to worry about it, Mother. You should go back now."

"I'm going back, and you want to interfere? Don't even think about it. As long as I'm here, you can forget about interfering in politics."

"Mother, the people of Qingtong County are waiting for their lives. Can you please stop making trouble?"

"You're being unreasonable! I think you're the one with ulterior motives!" the Empress Dowager persisted.