I started as a concubine, and I made the crown prince cry with my delicious food.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Xiao Jingshi summoned all the main officials of the Jiangzhou government office, as well as the imperial physicians and several local renowned doctors who had accompanied him, for an emergency meeting in the main hall of the government office.

Everyone looked solemn; they knew that His Highness the Crown Prince's urgent summons must mean something important.

The prefect of Jiangzhou stood below, his heart pounding with anxiety. He had a premonition that His Highness the Crown Prince was going to make an example of him today.

However, after Xiao Jingshi took the seat of honor, he did not first discuss the issues of money and grain and the dereliction of duty by officials.

He placed the letter written by Ye An'an on the table, his gaze sharp as he swept over the crowd below, and said bluntly, "Last night, I received a secret report that several cases of acute vomiting and diarrhea have occurred in the city, and several people have already died as a result. Are you all aware of this?"

The people below the hall looked at each other in bewilderment.

The prefect of Jiangzhou stepped forward with a stiff upper lip and replied, "Your Highness, it is indeed true. However... it is just that the people are weak after the disaster, and it is common for them to catch a cold or eat unclean food, which can cause minor gastrointestinal problems. It should... it should not be a serious matter."

"Not a big deal?" Xiao Jingshi's voice instantly turned cold. He picked up a file and slammed it to the ground. "This is the death list for last night! A total of thirteen people! You tell me, this is what you call not a big deal?"

The prefect was so frightened that he knelt down with a thud, his whole body trembling like a leaf.

"Your Highness, please calm your anger! Your subject... Your subject knows his crime!"

"I now suspect that this is not a common 'minor gastrointestinal ailment,' but rather... a harbinger of an impending plague!"

The moment the word "plague" was uttered, the entire lobby erupted in chaos.

Everyone's face showed an expression of extreme fear.

"Your Highness, you mustn't speak rashly!" An elderly, white-bearded physician stepped forward. He was the most respected doctor in Jiangzhou City. "Plagues are divine punishment, extremely dangerous. Right now, it's just a few cases of diarrhea. If we casually label it 'plague,' it will cause panic throughout the city, and then… the consequences will be unimaginable!"

"Yes, Your Highness, this matter requires careful consideration!"

"We must not lose our composure!"

The crowd below echoed their sentiments; they were all terrified by the word "plague."

Xiao Jingshi looked at them coldly. He knew that these people weren't bad, but rather afraid. A deep-seated fear of the unknown natural disaster.

"Therefore, the reason I have summoned you all here today is to discuss a preventative measure!" He slammed his hand on the table, and the hall fell silent instantly.

He picked up Ye An'an's letter and said in a deep voice, "I have a set of epidemic prevention measures here. From today onwards, they must be implemented throughout Jiangzhou, and no one may disobey!"

He read the contents of the letter aloud to the public, line by line.

"First, martial law is declared throughout the city. No one is allowed to enter or leave without a valid reason. All drinking water must be distributed by the government and must be boiled water! Drinking untreated water is strictly prohibited!"

"Second, immediately organize manpower to clean up the silt and garbage throughout the city, and burn all the carcasses of dead people and animals! Disinfect all areas of the city with lime daily!"

"Third, and most importantly! Immediately screen all patients in the city. Anyone with symptoms of fever, vomiting, or diarrhea, regardless of severity, must be forcibly transferred to an isolation camp outside the city! They will be under the care of designated personnel and strictly prohibited from contact with outsiders!"

……

With each statement he made, the faces of the people below the hall grew paler.

After he finished speaking, the entire hall was deathly silent.

Everyone looked at Xiao Jingshi as if he were crazy.

Drink boiled water? Burn corpses? And arrest the sick and send them to be quarantined outside the city?

This...this is an utterly absurd and unprecedented act!

"Your Highness! You mustn't!" The old, white-bearded physician was the first to stand up and object. He said with great distress, "Since ancient times, healing the sick and saving lives has always been done with herbal medicine. What you're saying... I've never heard of such a thing! Especially that method of isolation, forcibly taking sick relatives away and separating them from their families—is this trying to incite the people to revolt? This is an act of utter chaos, Your Highness!"

"Yes, Your Highness! Burning corpses is against human ethics and is extremely disrespectful!" The prefect of Jiangzhou also scrambled to his feet to remonstrate.

"Your Highness, please reconsider!"

Immediately, dissenting voices arose from the audience.

Even the imperial physician who accompanied the emperor looked troubled. He whispered to Xiao Jingshi, "Your Highness, this method... is indeed too radical and has no medical basis whatsoever. I'm afraid... it will be difficult to convince the public."

Looking at this group of stubborn "blockheads" below, Xiao Jingshi was furious.

But he knew that it was pointless to try to reason with them about science.

His gaze fell on the letter. He remembered Ye An'an's eyes, which were filled with trust and worry.

A surge of power welled up from the depths of his heart.

He stood up abruptly, his voice booming like a bell, echoing throughout the entire hall.

"That's enough!"

"I know you don't believe me. But I tell you, this method is a life-saving treasure I obtained from a reclusive master! The letter had already foretold that a great plague would follow this flood! And this method is the only way to break the cycle!"

He directly packaged Ye An'an as a mysterious and unpredictable "reclusive master".

"From this day forward, my words are law! All military and political power within Jiangzhou City rests solely with me!"

He drew his sword from his waist and, with a clang, planted it on the table in front of him.

"Anyone who dares to outwardly comply but inwardly defy, or obstruct epidemic prevention, will be treated as a traitor and executed without mercy!"

A chilling killing intent instantly filled the entire hall.

Everyone was stunned by the Crown Prince's resolute and unquestionable aura.

They looked at the long sword that was still trembling slightly, and at the prince's cold, frosty eyes, and dared not utter another word.

"Lu Chengyuan, Xie Zhao!"

"Your subject is here!"

"You two, immediately take your men, take control of the city's defenses, and enforce the curfew! At the same time, requisition lime, soapberries, and other supplies from all the pharmacies in the city and distribute them uniformly!"

"Your subject obeys!"

"Doctor Zhang!"

"Your humble servant is here."

"Take your men immediately and make 'masks' according to this design overnight! All officers, soldiers, and medical personnel must wear them first thing tomorrow morning!" He threw the drawings Ye An'an had made over to him.

"This..." Physician Zhang looked at the strange diagram with a troubled expression.

"Execute the order!" Xiao Jingshi gave him no chance to object.

"Yes……"

He meticulously transformed every measure in the letter into an unquestionable order and implemented it swiftly and decisively.

Under his iron fist, the entire Jiangzhou officialdom began to operate with unprecedented efficiency.

That evening, Xiao Jingshi stood on the city tower of the government office, looking down at the city below that was beginning to become orderly, but he felt no relief whatsoever.

He knew he was taking a gamble.

The gamble paid off; Jiangzhou was safe, and the people were saved.

If he loses the bet, this crown prince will be doomed forever.

He clutched the letter, which was already somewhat warm, tightly in his arms.

An'an, I hope you're right.