Jade of Another World

Lin Ning nodded repeatedly and instructed Liu Si in a very fast voice: "It is urgent to gather the patients with the epidemic together for unified treatment. Not only is it not conducive to rescue, but it is also easier for the epidemic to spread unchecked. The longer it is delayed, the greater the danger. When you see Yingchun, you must pass on this message and ask her to help gather more trustworthy people to persuade the people."

Liu Si nodded, his eyes showing a serious look: "Don't worry, Miss Lin, I understand. I will definitely tell Yingchun. By the way, there's some good news. When I came here, I saw Master Ouyang busy on that street ahead. Master Ouyang is highly respected, and the people all trust him. If we can get him to come forward and gather more people to follow our arrangements, the matter of gathering the patients will definitely be handled more smoothly."

Lin Ning's eyes lit up, and a new hope ignited in her heart: "Really? That's great! I'll go find him right now. You hurry up too, let's split up and try to stabilize this chaotic situation as soon as possible." After saying that, Lin Ning lifted her foot and ran in the direction Liu Si pointed, anxious and full of expectation, hoping that she could use Ouyang Tianshi's prestige to bring a turning point to this fight against the epidemic.

Lin Ning rushed to the makeshift aid station on the street and found Master Ouyang. Master Ouyang, dressed in a plain Taoist robe, looked exceptionally handsome in the sunlight. He was busy distributing herbs to the patients and calming them down. Lin Ning hurried forward, bowed deeply, and said urgently, "Master, it's been so long! I didn't expect the epidemic to be so rampant in the capital. The situation is urgent, and I have come to beg for your help!"

Master Ouyang looked up and saw Lin Ning's earnest expression, so he stopped what he was doing and said gently, "Please speak freely, young lady."

Lin Ning hurriedly continued, "Master, the current epidemic patients are scattered throughout the streets and alleys, which not only increases the difficulty of treatment but also makes it easier for the epidemic to spread. I was thinking that if we could concentrate the patients in a few open treatment points for unified care and treatment, we could not only make efficient use of resources but also stop the spread of the epidemic. However, I am afraid that the people may not be willing to listen. Master, you are highly respected and deeply revered by the people. If you could make a call, it would surely be twice as effective. I hope you will lend a hand!"

Master Ouyang's expression turned solemn as he surveyed the chaotic scene around him. He slowly nodded, "What you say is absolutely right, young lady. I will do my utmost. Without further ado, I will go and gather my disciples to go from street to street, informing everyone and persuading the people to cooperate. You can focus on preparing the centralized treatment site." Lin Ning was overjoyed and thanked him repeatedly before turning to arrange the subsequent matters.

With the combined efforts of Nangong Jin and Xuan Yuanche, the treatment center was finally ready. Several large tents were lined up in the open space, complete with simple beds, essential medicines, and clean drinking water. Lin Ning stood at the entrance of the treatment center, looking tired but with a determined gaze. Peng Yingchun and Liu Si stood guard on either side, ready to receive patients at any time.

A moment later, Ouyang Tianshi's loud and steady voice came from afar. He led a group of young Taoist priests, beating a gong and shouting, "Fellow villagers, do not panic! There is now a safe place for treatment. Everyone, gather there. There will be food, drink, and doctors to see you. Do not linger in the streets and alleys, lest you worsen your illness!" The people were already filled with anxiety, but upon hearing Ouyang Tianshi's words, they all raised their heads, a glimmer of hope igniting in their eyes.

Master Ouyang led the way, comforting everyone along the way, personally assisting the elderly, frail, and those with mobility issues. Guided by instructions, the patients gradually moved towards the centralized treatment point. Seeing this, Lin Ning immediately went forward, gently reassuring the frightened patients, helping those with more serious conditions onto beds, and carefully instructing the helpers on how to provide initial care. Peng Yingchun and Liu Si were also busy, counting heads, distributing simple protective masks, and occasionally offering candy to crying children, striving to add warmth and order to the chaotic transfer process.

During this difficult time of rampant epidemic, Lin Ning and Master Ouyang worked together seamlessly, like a mortise and tenon joint. Lin Ning shuttled between the sickbeds daily, carefully examining patients' symptoms and deliberating on prescriptions. Her eyes were bloodshot from exhaustion, yet she never rested. When faced with difficult illnesses, she would repeatedly study and search for the right treatment.

Master Ouyang, always clad in a flowing Taoist robe and carrying a whisk, moved among the patients. With a gentle, calm, and magnetic voice, he spoke to the fearful, explaining the ways of health and calming their anxieties. He would also offer words of encouragement, igniting their will to live. If a child was crying incessantly, Master Ouyang would simply tap their forehead and tell an interesting little story about immortals, and the child would stop crying and start laughing. When the elderly were filled with worry, the Master would sit by their bedsides, holding their withered hands, chatting and dispelling their gloom.

Xuan Yuanche observed all this with a cold eye, a growing unease rising within him. In the past, he had been Nangong Jin's most capable assistant, but now Lin Ning and Master Ouyang, a master of medicine and medicine, were working together to achieve remarkable feats. The people were deeply grateful to them, and praise echoed throughout the court. He worried that if this continued, his importance in Lin Ning's heart would gradually diminish, and he feared he would never have another chance to get close to her. A sense of crisis, like a tidal wave, slowly overwhelmed him.

Nangong Jin was very worried about the epidemic in the capital. As soon as he returned to the palace, he immediately began to thoroughly investigate the cause of the epidemic entering the capital. He first summoned officials at all levels in charge of the capital's security and sanitation. The atmosphere in the imperial study was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe. All the officials knelt on the ground in fear, not daring to raise their heads.

Sitting on the dragon throne, Nangong Jin's eyes were cold and sharp as knives. He asked in a chilling voice, "Speak! How did an epidemic suddenly break out in the capital? Were there any unusual signs before? And how did you control it?" The general in charge of the city gates replied with a stiff upper lip, "Your Majesty, in the past few days, all merchants and civilians entering and leaving the city gates have been checked as usual, and nothing unusual has been found. However..." He hesitated, large beads of sweat rolling down his forehead.

"But what? Speak plainly, don't beat around the bush!" Nangong Jin slammed his hand on the table, startling everyone. The general quickly replied, "However, about half a month ago, some noble ladies returned from abroad. They were examined upon entering the city and found no illness. Many of them are from prestigious families, so perhaps the examination wasn't thorough enough. Also..."

"What else? Speak!"

"In addition, several merchants brought some birds, saying they were to present them to some lord... Later, after the epidemic broke out, I sent people to investigate, and found that many people in that inn had contracted the disease. I don't know if it was caused by them."

Nangong Jin was furious and immediately ordered two teams to investigate the situation of the noble ladies, and the other team to find out who was in charge of receiving the gifts.

Those noble ladies who had followed the emperor to the prefectures and counties were severely disciplined by their elders upon their return to the capital. Hearing of the various incidents their daughters had caused in front of the emperor, incurring his wrath, the powerful families dared not be careless. In their residences, the sounds of fathers' reprimands and mothers' lamentations rose and fell. The noble ladies could only obediently stay in their chambers, reflecting on their actions, never venturing out of their homes. It was highly unlikely that the epidemic they had spread was actually from the noble ladies themselves.

During this period, an epidemic raged in the capital. Ironically, thanks to the strict regulations, most noble ladies escaped unscathed, showing virtually no signs of illness. Only one or two, unable to contain their impatience, secretly slipped out when the servants weren't looking, wanting to see what was happening outside. Who knew that in such a short time, they would contract the epidemic? Fortunately, it was discovered in time, and the symptoms were relatively mild. Their families, upon discovering this, were both shocked and angry. They hurriedly summoned a doctor and kept an even closer watch on them, fearing any further complications. Those noble ladies who hadn't been infected, upon hearing this, were also frightened and abandoned their desires, obediently following their families' arrangements, hoping only that this terrible epidemic would subside soon.

Meanwhile, the elite guards dispatched by Nangong Jin thoroughly investigated the whereabouts of those merchants in the capital. They started by going through the register of merchants when they entered the city, visiting each inn and shop where the merchants stayed, but at every crucial point, the clues inexplicably went cold. The innkeeper recalled with trepidation that the people who came to stay looked ordinary; the leader wore a bamboo hat and didn't talk much. The travel permits used for registration were also flawless. However, a few days after the outbreak of the epidemic, those travel permits mysteriously disappeared, and the guest rooms were cleaned spotlessly beforehand, leaving no useful trace.

The shop owners responsible for the transaction were also bewildered. They said the goods looked ordinary, mostly local specialties and novelties from the south. They agreed on a price and exchanged money for goods immediately. They didn't know who the buyer was, only vaguely remembering a few servant-like men coming to collect the goods without revealing any identification. The guards also found the guards who had been responsible for the inspection at the city gate. These guards, feeling wronged, patted their chests and assured them that they had indeed found no signs of disease among the merchants during the inspection, and that both the people and the goods had been checked according to procedure without any oversight.

Clues are like sand in your hand; the harder you try to hold them, the faster they slip away. Upon learning of the investigation's progress, Nangong Jin frowned deeply, convinced that someone was deliberately behind this. He ordered his trusted confidants to conduct a thorough, clandestine investigation and uncover the mastermind.

Having gained valuable experience from her previous arduous battles against the epidemic in prefectures and counties, Lin Ning responded to the outbreak in Beijing with composure and confidence. She quickly compiled previously effective treatment plans, made slight adjustments based on the actual situation of patients in Beijing, and a systematic anti-epidemic strategy began to take shape.

Master Ouyang continued to help. With him there, the panicked people gradually calmed down, obediently followed instructions, and voluntarily went to the centralized treatment center instead of running around, thus building a strong psychological defense against the epidemic. Peng Yingchun and Liu Si, along with the recruited volunteers, worked day and night to brew medicines, prepare protective equipment, and help care for patients with mild symptoms, allowing medical staff to focus more on treating severe cases.

Lin Ning personally conducted daily rounds of consultations, carefully observing changes in patients' symptoms. When encountering difficult or complex cases, she consulted with imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical Academy. Her keen and focused gaze allowed her to accurately detect subtle shifts in patients' conditions and adjust prescriptions accordingly. With everyone's concerted efforts, the number of new cases began to steadily decline, and more and more patients recovered. The shadow of the epidemic in the capital finally began to dissipate little by little.

Nangong Jin was overwhelmed by the sudden outbreak of the epidemic. He spent most of his time reviewing reports on the epidemic from various places and allocating supplies, leaving him no time to investigate the affairs of Consort Zhao and Lord Liu. Although their previous actions in the prefectures and counties had angered him, the capital was currently devastated, the lives of the people were at stake, and the status of General Zhao and Lord Liu in the capital meant that the matters in the prefectures and counties had to be handled leniently. Nangong Jin then summoned a eunuch beside him, his expression weary but his tone leaving no room for doubt: "Draft an imperial decree: During this trip to the prefectures and counties, Consort Zhao and Liu Yushu acted erratically, disrupting the treatment of the epidemic. Considering this is their first offense, and given the current multitude of affairs in the capital, I hereby order the Zhao and Liu families to immediately bring their daughters back to their residences for strict discipline and so they may reflect on their mistakes in seclusion. If they commit the offense again, they will not be spared!" Upon receiving the order, the eunuch quickly prepared pen, ink, paper, and inkstone, wrote the decree in one stroke, affixed the imperial seal, and immediately dispatched it to the Zhao and Liu families.

Upon receiving the imperial edict, both the Zhao and Liu families were filled with shock and fear. The elders dared not delay, hastily preparing carriages to take their daughters back to the palace. Along the way, Consort Zhao and Liu Yushu kept their heads down, filled with trepidation and resentment. They never imagined that their meticulously planned scramble for the emperor's favor would be abruptly halted by this sudden epidemic before it even began, ending in such a humiliating defeat.

The moment Liu Yushu entered the house, the pitiful look on her face vanished, replaced by an expression of resentment and scheming. Instead of obediently reflecting on her actions as ordered by the imperial decree, she went straight to the study, knowing that her father, Lord Liu, would be waiting for her there.

When Lord Liu saw his daughter enter, he waved for the servants to leave. Although there was a hint of helplessness on his face, there was even more trust in his daughter. He knew Liu Yushu too well. This daughter was intelligent, cunning, and exceptionally courageous. If it weren't for her constant guidance, he wouldn't have been able to keep up with Nangong Jin's pace in the court and rise through the ranks.

"Father, although we've suffered a setback this time, I'm not willing to give up so easily." Liu Yushu plopped down in her chair, her eyes burning with determination. "We've planned for so long; we can't let all our efforts go to waste. As long as I can win His Majesty's favor, won't our family's future wealth and prosperity be secure?"

Lord Liu stroked his beard and nodded slightly: "I know you have ideas, but this time you have angered the Emperor. His Majesty is not someone who can be easily appeased."

Liu Yushu smiled confidently, "Father, don't worry. When I was in the prefecture, I observed His Majesty's preferences. He values ​​talent and scholarship, and he looks favorably upon women who can share the burdens of state. I'll also try to find ways to appear before His Majesty while I'm at home. I'm sure he'll be tempted." Seeing his daughter's determined look, Lord Liu also felt a glimmer of hope and secretly plotted how to help her achieve her goal.