With a wave of his hand, the Prince's Mansion's fortune exploded throughout the entire cap

Before the words were finished, Qingzheng disregarded the rules and flew in using his light-footed skill. His robes were still covered in dust, his hair was disheveled, and he looked panicked. He staggered into the front hall, his voice almost cracking with urgency: "Your Highness! Your Highness! Something terrible has happened! I received a top-secret letter from Qingya. In Youzhou in the north, several people have recently developed high fevers, body aches, and coughing up blood. The local government has summoned several imperial physicians to treat them, but they are helpless. They can only conclude that it is a plague, but they cannot distinguish which type of plague it is. Now, the people of Youzhou are in a state of panic!"

"What?!" Xiao Chengyan's gentle expression vanished instantly, his face changing drastically. He abruptly stood up, the jade pendant at his waist making a crisp clinking sound from the sudden movement. "Explain yourself! What other details are in Qingya's secret letter? How many people are falling ill? What measures has the local government taken?"

Qing Zheng immediately knelt on one knee, holding a tightly sealed letter bearing the Qing family's secret seal high in the air. His voice was filled with barely concealed urgency and gravity: "Your Highness, the letter states that the disease first appeared in several villages on the outskirts of Youzhou City. Initially, there were only three to five people, but within just three days, it spread to two or three villages on the outskirts of the city. Now, there are over a hundred people infected, and the disease is progressing extremely rapidly. Mild cases involve persistent high fever and general weakness, while severe cases involve coughing up blood and falling into a coma. More than ten people have already died. The local government has sealed off the affected villages, but the people are in a state of panic, and many have tried to flee. The government is short-handed and cannot stop them. Several imperial physicians have tried various prescriptions, but none of them can curb the spread of the disease. They can only temporarily stabilize a few mild cases with herbal medicine. Helpless, they sent Qingya with an urgent message back to the capital, requesting the court's assistance."

The atmosphere in the front hall instantly plummeted to freezing point. The lingering reluctance and warmth in the air were completely washed away by the sudden devastating news. Fang Yuhua's face turned pale, her hands gripping the hem of her clothes tightly, her knuckles white, her voice trembling uncontrollably: "Plague? How could a plague suddenly break out? The Northern Border is already threatened by war, the people are displaced, starving and naked, and now they're hit by such a virulent plague, how can we possibly cope... How much suffering will those sick people endure?"

Lu Wenshu's face was also grave. She quickly supported Fang Yuhua's arm and said, trying to remain calm, "Mother, don't panic. The Prince will definitely have a way. The most urgent task is to contain the spread of the plague as soon as possible and treat the sick people. We can't let the plague spread to more places, otherwise the consequences will be unimaginable." As she spoke, she looked at Xiao Chengyan with eyes full of trust—she knew that Xiao Chengyan was calm and resourceful, and that he could stay calm and come up with a solution, especially in times of crisis.

Xiao Shulang also abandoned his usual gentle demeanor, looking at Xiao Chengyan with a solemn expression. His tone was urgent yet composed: "Brother, the situation in the Northern Border is already complex. The Pingxi Marquis's army has just arrived in the Northern Border and has not yet gained a foothold. They are still busy pacifying the local people and guarding against the invasion of the Hanyu tribe. Now, a plague has suddenly broken out in Youzhou. If it is not handled properly, it will not only kill more innocent people, but may also cause greater chaos and even affect the morale of the Pingxi Marquis's army. Moreover, this matter cannot be delayed. Every moment of delay may result in more people contracting the plague and losing their lives here."

Xiao Chengyan closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, there was no trace of panic in his eyes, only composure and determination, radiating an undeniable air of authority. He pushed his wheelchair to the center of the hall, his gaze sweeping over everyone, and said in a deep voice, "Shulang is right. The plague is a matter of utmost urgency, allowing no delay whatsoever. Qingzheng, you must get up immediately and do three things as I instruct you, as quickly as possible, without any mistakes. Each of these matters concerns the lives of tens of thousands of people in the Northern Territory. If there is even the slightest error, don't blame me for punishing you according to military law."

"Your subordinate obeys!" Qing Zheng responded hurriedly, looked up sharply, and listened attentively to the instructions. He dared not slack off in the slightest. Beads of sweat slid down his cheeks, mixed with the dust on his face, making him look particularly disheveled, but he dared not wipe them away at all—he knew that every minute and every second was crucial at this moment and could not be delayed in the slightest.

"First, immediately send someone to contact Mr. Wuwang at top speed, conveying my verbal order that he immediately abandon the medicinal herb matter in Yuzhou, have no further hesitation, and return to the capital day and night without a moment's delay." Xiao Chengyan's voice was firm and powerful, every word resounding. "Tell him that after returning to the capital, he doesn't need to come to Prince Jing's residence to see me first. He should go directly to the herb bureau in the outskirts of the capital to detoxify Gu Feng—Gu Feng was poisoned by Liu Ruyan and has been bedridden for many days. Only Mr. Wuwang's medical skills can cure him. After the detoxification, have him immediately pack his belongings, take his usual medicine box and herbs, and come north with me to Youzhou to treat plague patients. Tell him that this matter concerns the lives of tens of thousands of people in the northern border, and is a hundred times more important than the medicinal herb matter in Yuzhou. If there is even a moment's delay, don't blame me for dealing with him according to military law."

"Understood!" Qingzheng nodded hurriedly, his hands clenched into fists, keeping Xiao Chengyan's instructions firmly in mind, not daring to miss a single word—he knew that Mr. Wuwang was a famous doctor of the time, with superb medical skills, especially good at treating rare and difficult diseases. With his help, the chances of fighting the plague would be greatly increased.

"Secondly, have someone prepare a carriage immediately, selecting the finest horses and the most reliable coachman from the manor. I need to go to the palace immediately to meet the Emperor and report the plague in Youzhou in person, and discuss subsequent countermeasures," Xiao Chengyan continued, his tone still grave. "During this time, arrange for all guards in the manor to strengthen security, especially the herbal medicine bureau in the suburbs of the capital and the study where evidence is stored. Double the manpower and keep watch day and night to prevent Liu Ruyan and the Marquis of Yongyi from taking the opportunity to cause trouble, seize evidence, or secretly sabotage the herbs. Also, send someone on horseback to inform Uncle Lin of the sudden plague in Youzhou, and have him secretly monitor the court's movements. If Liu Ruyan and the Marquis of Yongyi take the opportunity to cause trouble or spread rumors in court, have him contact the ministers of the Crown Prince's faction in time to restrain them. We must not allow them to disrupt the court and affect our grand plan to go north to fight the epidemic."

"Yes! I'll make the arrangements right away!" Qingzheng responded again, having already sorted out his thoughts. He was just waiting for Xiao Chengyan to finish giving his instructions before setting off.

"Third, and most importantly—"