Chapter 219: 天花瘟疫

[The Smallpox Plague]

Fifteen days later.

Lu Yunluo’s group of people finally arrived in Gucheng County, a neighboring county near Shang Yuan Prefecture.

Originally, the accompanying Imperial Envoy Liu would have thought that the delicately pretty Niang Niang would not be able to bear the bumpy ride and would have to find various reasons to delay the process.

He didn’t expect that no matter how hard the journey was, and even a few times in order to catch up with the journey, they must directly camp in the wild, yet this Niang Niang never said a word.

Even the food, it was the same as theirs, never offering preferential treatment.

This was somewhat surprising to him.

For this legend Niang Niang, some preconceived (first impressions are strongest; prejudices die hard) notions were put away.

Before the group even entered the city, they saw the Gucheng county in Xiangfan Xiāngfán [襄樊], Hubei’s County magistrate with a group of people greeting them outside the city.

The news that the Empress was personally traveling to the disaster area in Shang Yuan Prefecture had already spread to the nearby autonomous prefectures many days ago.

Lu Yunluo’s intention was to prepare for a night’s rest here first, to get a rough idea of what the situation in Shang Yuan Prefecture was like today, and then set off earlier tomorrow morning. 

After all, the people accompanying her were already in a state of utter exhaustion from the journey, and as the sky was getting dark, it would be the best arrangement to rest in the neighboring counties at this time.

After settling down at the post station, Lu Yunluo called Imperial Envoy Liu and the magistrate of Gucheng County over.

The magistrate of Gucheng County was called He De Xuan.

As soon as Magistrate He entered, he saw the woman sitting on top.

She had a beautiful face, down to earth temperament, and a pair of starry eyes as clear as a spring.

There was a magnificent light in her every gesture. 

He De Xuan didn’t dare to look at her for more than a moment, and quickly knelt down to salute.

Lu Yunluo did not pay attention to these false rituals, mere formalities or conventional courtesies. 

She hurriedly let the person get up.

“Magistrate He, I’m sure you also know that I have come for the plague in Shang Yuan State. So far, what are the symptoms of this plague? How many people are infected? How many people have died? And when was it discovered?” Lu Yunluo directly open the door and see the mountain or get right to the point. 

Magistrate He was slightly stunned.

He was caught off guard by Lu Yunluo’s question.

He thought that golden branches and jade leaves —people of imperial lineage or royalty like the Empress would come to Shang Yuan Prefecture, just do it as a mere formality but he didn’t expect her to ask about the plague as soon as he came up. He was immediately embarrassed.

Although he was close to Shang Yuan State, he only knew that the plague occurred in Tai Ling County in Shang Yuan State, and besides that, he did not know any other details about the plague.

After the outbreak of the plague in Tai Ling County, people from Tai Ling County were not allowed to enter, so how could he know what was going on over there? 

Lu Yunluo’s face sank slightly.

Imperial Envoy Liu’s face also darkened.

Now what time is it already, yet this county magistrate even asked a question and absolutely didn’t know what was going on.

Right away, he said in a deep voice, “Why don’t you hurry up and ask?”

 “Yes!” He De Xuan hurriedly wiped the sweat from his forehead and hurriedly went down to inquire.

Fortunately, this He De Xuan was also considered to be an efficient one.

In the evening, he told Lu Yunluo all the news he had enquired about.

Shang Yuan State, this time’s outbreak of plague is in Tai Ling County.

It was said that the plague was very contagious smallpox.

It was discovered twenty days ago.

The symptoms were mainly high fever, fever, pustules all over the body, and in severe cases, after they healed, they would leave behind uneven scars.

About two thousand people have died so far.

The number of infected people is increasing.

Throughout the city, people are on edge or in an anxious state. 

However, it was fortunate that Prince Chen had already rushed to Tai Ling County the first time the plague broke out.

Not only was Prince Chen’s medical skills superb, but he had also experienced the plague ten years ago and had some experience in this area.

On the second day he came to Tai Ling County, he let the county magistrate of Tai Ling County seal the city.

Because Prince Chen had tried his own medicine for the people during the plague ten years ago, he had long been respected and admired in the hearts of the people.

Therefore, the order to lock down the city did not cause the people to reject it.

Most of the people unconditionally supported and believed in Prince Chen.

Even those who opposed it did not make much of a wave (episodes in one’s life). 

Nowadays, the entire Tai Ling County can only enter but not leave. 

What exactly was going on inside now was unknown.

Lu Yunluo contemplated for a while and asked Yin Shuang to hand over the masks and cotton gloves she had sewn to County Magistrate He. 

This smallpox was transmitted through droplet inhalation (flying particles of liquid; splattered drops) or direct contact.

Since she was taking so many people into the city, basic protection was still necessary.

Although the masks made of cotton definitely didn’t work as well as the modern medical masks, they could more or less withstand some of it.

“You first gather all the people in the city and work quickly on these two things overnight, the more the better.”

‘County Magistrate He’ looked at the things Yin Shuang handed over and was somewhat baffled.

This glove was still understandable, then what thing is the other one?

However, since the Empress Mother asked him to do it, he didn’t dare to ask more.

He hurriedly took the things and went out. 

Tai Ling County Prefecture Government Residence, 

A man in his forties wearing an official uniform walked around the room with a restless face.

“My lord, I’ve received news that the Empress and Imperial Envoy Liu and his party have already arrived at the next door Gucheng county. They will surely arrive early in Tai Ling County tomorrow morning.”

A black-clothed henchman came in to report.

“Have they already arrived in Gucheng county?” The middle-aged man’s body shook upon hearing this, and the blood color (redness) on his face faded.

This middle-aged man was Cao Zhi Da, the county magistrate of Tai Ling County.

As early as two months ago, smallpox had appeared in Tai Ling County.

At that time, the first time he learnt about the news he was prepared to give the order that the street be blocked off and then report the situation to the court.

But out of nowhere, a mysterious man in black clothes appeared and told him that if he suppressed the matter, he would offer him tens of thousands of taels of gold.

He’s just a small county magistrate, has he ever seen so much gold? 

At that time, not knowing how he got possessed. 

He agreed to that person’s request.

And even arrested all the people and doctors who knew about it.

Moreover, posted a notice that those people were bribed by the neighboring country, maliciously spreading rumors and attempting to cause trouble.

Ten days later, those arrested people were all beheaded by him.

A month later, more and more people were infected with smallpox, and this matter could not be suppressed any longer and finally reached the court.

Before the first batch of people sent by the court arrived, he had already controlled the public opinion in the county.

To ensure that no one will be able to bring his previous incident to the court officials.

But who knew that in the past two days, he didn’t know which part of the process had gone wrong.

Someone has revealed this matter and even revealed the fact that he received ten thousand taels of gold.

It spread all over the city overnight like wind and rain sweeping through the town. 

It couldn’t be blocked anymore. 

The common people were furious, clamoring for the imperial court to execute him.

Luckily, the first time the court sent a small number of officials, who are focused on saving patients, not waiting until their hands free to investigate this matter.

Now, the second batch of people sent by the court will arrive soon.

This batch of people not only has the Empress, there is also the current highest grade civil official, Imperial Censor Liu.

That Royal Secretary Liu has always had an iron face.

If he finds out, I’m afraid he won’t be able to keep his head.

These days he hid in the county government every day, feeling as if he had a sword hanging above his head, which could fall at any time and kill him.

Can’t wait any longer.

He must quickly escape from here!