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

"Immediately send men to the northwest, at all costs, to find traces of the Tang family in the northwest."

Xiao Chengyan's gaze grew increasingly firm, his tone carrying a hint of earnestness and an undeniable determination.

"The Tang family of the Northwest is a centuries-old family of physicians, renowned for their superb medical skills and generations of practice. They are particularly adept at treating various plagues and rare, difficult-to-treat diseases, and their household also possesses many lost ancient prescriptions. Sixty years ago, a large-scale plague broke out in the northern border, causing countless deaths and injuries. The imperial physicians sent by the court were helpless, but it was the Tang family that stepped in, developing an antidote that curbed the spread of the plague and saved the lives of tens of thousands of people in the northern border. Now, a plague has broken out again in Youzhou, with strange symptoms. Even the Imperial Hospital cannot determine the type of disease. Only the Tang family may be able to quickly find the cause, develop an antidote, and save the people of the northern border."

At this point, Xiao Chengyan paused, then emphasized, "Tell those who go to search for them that no matter the cost, even if it means exhausting all their resources and manpower, they must find the Tang family and beg them for help. If the Tang family is willing to go to Youzhou, the court will provide all the necessary supplies and manpower without hesitation. If they have any concerns, have them convey this to me, and I will personally go and ask them. I will agree to everything I can."

"Your subordinate obeys! Your subordinate will make the arrangements immediately and will certainly not fail in his mission!" Qing Zheng kowtowed heavily, his forehead hitting the ground with a crisp sound. After getting up, he did not linger for a moment. He turned around and used his lightness skill to leave quickly. His figure disappeared into the night of Prince Jing's mansion like an arrow released from a bow, leaving only a gust of wind.

After Qingzheng left, Xiao Chengyan turned to Fang Yuhua, his tone softening considerably. He said gently, "Mother, the situation is urgent. The people of the Northern Border are in imminent danger. I cannot stand idly by. I must immediately go to the palace to see the Emperor and discuss the matter of heading north to fight the epidemic. I entrust the affairs of the manor to you and my sister-in-law. Shulang's trip to Qingyang Academy tomorrow will be postponed for a few days. It will be better to let him set off after the epidemic situation has improved and the situation has stabilized somewhat."

Fang Yuhua looked at Xiao Chengyan, her eyes filled with worry, tears welling up in her eyes, but she held them back. She reached out and tightly grasped Xiao Chengyan's hand. His hand was a little cold from days of hard work and the haste just now. Fang Yuhua rubbed his hand vigorously, her voice trembling with a sob:

"Your Highness, please go with peace of mind. Wen Shu and I will manage everything in the manor perfectly. Shu Lang will also be fine and won't cause you any trouble. You must take good care of yourself. The plague in the Northern Border is dangerous and highly contagious. You must not be careless. If you are in any danger, you must send word back immediately. Your mother and the children are waiting for your safe return in the manor."

"Mother, rest assured, your son will." Xiao Chengyan gently patted Fang Yuhua's hand, his eyes filled with warmth and determination. "Although my legs are crippled, and I cannot ride a horse to fight the enemy, cannot gallop across the battlefield, and cannot fight like my father did in the North to protect the people, I will still take risks to organize people to fight the plague, comfort the people, inventory supplies, and coordinate forces from all sides. I will never back down, never fail the expectations of the people of the North, and never fail my mother's concern."

He then looked at Lu Wenshu and said solemnly, "Shu'er, please take good care of all the affairs of the manor, as well as the daily lives of Mother and Xiao Jingjing. Also, have someone carefully inventory the supplies from the herbal medicine bureau in the outskirts of the capital, and select some commonly used herbs for clearing heat and detoxifying, reducing inflammation and relieving cough, and replenishing qi and nourishing deficiency. Pack them in categories, the more the better, and be ready to send them to Youzhou at any time. This may temporarily alleviate the symptoms of patients with mild cases and buy us time to find an antidote. Also, Xiao Jingjing is young and innocent, so please keep a close eye on her and don't let her worry too much or go out unnecessarily to avoid any accidents."

"Your Highness, rest assured, I will manage the affairs of the manor well and will not distract you," Lu Wenshu replied solemnly, her eyes filled with determination. "I will quickly inventory and pack the herbs, arrange for someone to keep them safe, and await Your Highness's orders to transport them to Youzhou. I will also take good care of Xiao Jingjing, soothe her emotions, and prevent her from worrying or going out unnecessarily. Your Highness, please be extra careful on your journey and take precautions. If Mr. Wuwang returns, I will immediately send someone to inform him by fast horse so that he can rush to meet you and assist you in fighting the plague."

Xiao Shulang stepped forward, looking at Xiao Chengyan with a firm expression and earnest tone: "Brother, I also want to go north with you to help you fight the plague and find a cure. Although my medical skills are not good and I cannot personally treat patients like the imperial physicians and Mr. Wuwang, I can help appease the people, inventory supplies, and pass on messages. I can also help keep an eye on the movements of Liu Ruyan and Marquis Yongyi to prevent them from taking the opportunity to cause trouble and hinder you. The academy can be put aside for now. Compared to studying, the lives of the people in the northern border are more important. I am restless staying in the capital. It would be better to go north with you and do my part."

Xiao Chengyan shook his head and said gently, "Shulang, no. Although you will postpone your trip to Qingyang Academy tomorrow, you cannot delay your studies and self-improvement for too long. You are still young, and this is the perfect time for you to study diligently and improve yourself. Only by learning well and improving your abilities can you better assist me in punishing the wicked, protecting the people, and clearing the name of the Xiao family army in the future. Moreover, the manor needs someone to stay and assist Mother and Sister-in-law in managing affairs, contacting Uncle Lin, passing on messages, and guarding against Liu Ruyan and Marquis Yongyi's people causing trouble in secret. If you also come north with me, the manor will be missing a capable person, and I will not be able to rest easy."

Xiao Shulang wanted to say something more, but was interrupted by Xiao Chengyan, whose tone was firm and unyielding: "No need for further words, this is an order. You will remain in the capital, and you must act with caution, follow the arrangements of your mother and sister-in-law, do not go out easily, do not reveal your whereabouts easily, and be vigilant against any secret harm from Liu Ruyan and the Marquis of Yongyi. If there is anything unusual, whether it is a matter in the manor or a movement in the court, immediately send someone to deliver a message to me by fast horse, or notify Uncle Lin. Do not make any decisions on your own. Remember, your staying in the capital, managing the affairs of the manor well, and taking good care of your mother and sister-in-law is the greatest help you can give me, and it is also contributing to the fight against the plague and protecting the people."

Seeing Xiao Chengyan's resolute gaze, Xiao Shulang knew that his elder brother's mind was made up, and further argument would be useless. He could only nod and solemnly reply, "Brother, rest assured, I will definitely stay in the capital, manage the affairs of the manor well, take good care of Mother and Sister-in-law, follow their arrangements, act cautiously, never go out without permission, and never hold you back. After you go north, you must take good care of yourself and be careful. If you need me to do anything, send a message back immediately, and I will do my best without hesitation."

"Alright." Xiao Chengyan nodded, said no more, turned around, picked up his court robe, and strode out of the front hall. Lu Wenshu quickly had someone bring a cloak, caught up with him, and draped it over Xiao Chengyan's shoulders, softly instructing him, "Your Highness, the autumn nights are chilly, and the northern border is even colder. Take this cloak with you and be careful to keep warm on the journey. The trip is dangerous, so please take good care of yourself. We are all waiting for you to return at the manor."

Xiao Chengyan nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the crowd in the front hall. His eyes were filled with reluctance, yet also with determination. He then turned and boarded the carriage that had been prepared beforehand. The driver immediately cracked the whip, and the carriage wheels rattled, cutting through the night and speeding towards the palace. The carriage's lights flickered in the night, like a star in the darkness, carrying the lives of tens of thousands of people in the Northern Border, as well as Xiao Chengyan's responsibility and commitment, heading towards the Golden Palace without daring to stop for even a moment.

It was late at night, and all was quiet. The streets of the capital were deserted, broken only by the sound of Xiao Chengyan's carriage speeding by. Inside the Golden Palace, however, the lights were still on, as bright as day. The Emperor sat on his dragon throne, his expression solemn, his brows furrowed, emanating an aura of oppression. Below him stood several high-ranking officials and the head of the Imperial Medical Academy. The atmosphere was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe, and even breathing became cautious.

It turned out that at the same time that Qingya's secret letter was sent to the Prince Jing's residence, it was also sent to the palace by express post. When the emperor learned that a severe plague had broken out in Youzhou, causing countless deaths and injuries, and that the imperial physicians were helpless, he was extremely anxious. He summoned the important officials of the court and the chief physician of the Imperial Hospital overnight to discuss countermeasures. They discussed until late at night, but still could not come up with an effective solution.

"Your Majesty, we are incompetent and have been unable to determine the specific type of plague in Youzhou. We can only preliminarily conclude that it is a highly virulent plague that spreads extremely quickly and is highly contagious. If it cannot be contained in time, it may spread to the entire northern border and even affect the capital. The consequences would be unimaginable."

The head of the Imperial Medical Academy knelt on the ground, his head bowed low, and said with a face full of guilt, his voice trembling slightly, "We have summoned all the physicians of the Imperial Medical Academy and discussed the matter overnight. We have tried many prescriptions, but we have not been able to determine the right medicine. We can only take all the possible effective herbs and prescriptions to Youzhou to try. As for whether we can stop the disease or cure the patient, we dare not guarantee it. We can only do our best."

The Emperor frowned deeply, slamming his hand heavily on the dragon throne. The resounding thud caused everyone in the hall to lower their heads, afraid to even breathe. His voice carried a hint of anger, anxiety, and helplessness: "Incompetent! All of you are incompetent! Sixty years ago, you cured the plague in the north, saving tens of thousands of lives. Now, your Imperial Medical Academy, with its gathering of the most renowned doctors in the land, can't even determine the type of plague? The people of the north are on the verge of death, suffering terribly from the plague, and you can only stand by helplessly, unable to offer even the slightest effective solution? What use are you Imperial Physicians to me?"

The imperial physicians were so frightened that they all knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly, their foreheads hitting the ground with a crisp sound. They dared not offer any explanation and could only keep saying, "Your Majesty, please forgive us! Your Majesty, please forgive us! We are incompetent and beg Your Majesty to punish us! However, this plague is strange and different from any plague we have ever seen before. The symptoms are complex and changeable. At first, there is only high fever and body aches, followed by coughing up blood and falling into a coma. The disease progresses extremely rapidly. We really cannot accurately determine the type of plague. We can only try our best and dare not slack off in the slightest. We dare not fail Your Majesty's trust and the people's expectations."

The high-ranking officials in the court also began to discuss the matter, their voices low and their expressions varied. Some looked worried, concerned about the safety of the people in the north and the spread of the plague to the capital; some were helpless and could only sigh, not knowing what to do; others looked calm, as if it were none of their business, as if the plague in the north had nothing to do with them.

Only Liu Ruyan and the followers of Marquis Yongyi were standing in the crowd, secretly calculating in their hearts. Although they wanted to take advantage of the situation to cause trouble, they also knew that the plague was a matter of life and death for the people. If they openly caused trouble at this time, they would only bring trouble upon themselves, be reprimanded by the emperor, and even be despised by the people. They could only hold back for the time being, observe the situation, and wait for a better opportunity.

"Your Majesty, I have something to say." Just then, Xiao Chengyan's voice came from outside the hall, steady and powerful, penetrating the discussions and oppressive atmosphere inside the hall and reaching everyone's ears. He sat in his wheelchair, maneuvering it forward little by little, yet his posture remained upright, his expression calm, and he exuded an aura of undeniable authority, showing no sign of humility despite his leg disability.

"Prince Jing has arrived. Please rise." The Emperor saw Xiao Chengyan, a hint of relief and anticipation flashing in his eyes. He quickly said, "You've come at the right time. A sudden plague has broken out in Youzhou. The Imperial Hospital is helpless, and the senior officials in the court can't come up with an effective solution. You've always been calm and resourceful, and you care about the people. Do you have any solutions?"

Xiao Chengyan bowed respectfully, his movements precise and courteous, and slowly pushed his wheelchair forward. His gaze swept over the imperial physicians and high-ranking officials below, and he said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, I have just received a secret letter from Qingya informing me of the plague in Youzhou. I am extremely anxious and have come to the palace immediately without even having time to freshen up to report this matter to Your Majesty. I also wish to offer some of my humble opinions. I believe that this plague is of utmost urgency and cannot be delayed in the slightest. We must take three emergency measures, employing a multi-pronged approach, to curb the spread of the plague, save the people of the northern border, and prevent the plague from spreading to other regions."

"Oh? Tell me, which three measures?" the Emperor asked hastily, leaning forward slightly, his eyes full of expectation, as if he had grasped a lifeline. He knew that although Xiao Chengyan was crippled, he was extremely resourceful and cared deeply for the people. Back then, the Xiao family army fought valiantly in the northern border to protect the people, and Xiao Chengyan had inherited the Xiao family's loyalty and sense of responsibility. The countermeasures he proposed would surely be feasible.

"First, immediately order the sealing off of all cities and villages closest to Youzhou, strictly prohibiting anyone from entering or leaving. Arrange a large number of soldiers to guard all checkpoints and conduct strict screening of all people coming and going. Anyone with symptoms such as high fever, cough, and body aches should be isolated for observation without any omissions, to prevent the plague from spreading to other areas."

Xiao Chengyan said firmly, "At the same time, we must appease the emotions of the people in and around Youzhou City, strictly prohibit the spread of rumors, assign special personnel to explain epidemic prevention knowledge to the people, distribute masks and herbal medicine, and tell the people that the imperial court has sent personnel to Youzhou to fight the plague and will definitely contain its spread as soon as possible. We must tell them not to panic, not to flee at will, and to cooperate with the government's epidemic prevention work. In addition, we will send people to Youzhou to assist the local government in setting up temporary isolation points to separate mild and severe patients to avoid cross-infection. At the same time, we will arrange personnel to properly handle the remains of the deceased, and cremate and bury them to prevent the spread of the virus."

"Secondly, immediately dispatch all the imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical Academy and renowned doctors from the capital, carrying large quantities of herbs and medical equipment, to Youzhou overnight to assist the local government in treating plague patients, meticulously recording the symptoms of each patient, and making every effort to find the cause of the disease and develop an antidote," Xiao Chengyan continued, his tone still grave.

"Furthermore, I have dispatched someone to contact Mr. Wuwang at full speed, instructing him to immediately return to the capital from Yuzhou to first treat Gu Feng, who was poisoned by Liu Ruyan, and then immediately pack his bags and head to Youzhou to assist the imperial physicians in treating plague patients. Mr. Wuwang is highly skilled in medicine and adept at treating rare and difficult diseases; he may be able to help in the treatment of the plague, find the cause of the disease more quickly, and develop an antidote."

"Third, and most importantly—send people to the Northwest to search for traces of the Tang family there." Xiao Chengyan's gaze grew increasingly resolute, his tone tinged with earnestness.

"Your Majesty, you must also remember that sixty years ago, a large-scale plague broke out in the Northern Border, causing countless deaths and injuries. The imperial physicians sent by the court were helpless. It was the Tang family of the Northwest who stepped in, developed an antidote, curbed the spread of the plague, and saved the lives of tens of thousands of people in the Northern Border. The Tang family of the Northwest is a family of doctors with hundreds of years of tradition. They have superb medical skills and have practiced medicine for generations. Their mansion has many lost ancient prescriptions, and they are especially good at treating all kinds of plagues and rare and difficult diseases."

This plague in Youzhou is bizarre, with complex symptoms. Even the Imperial Medical Academy cannot determine its type. Only the Tang family might be able to quickly find the cause, develop an antidote, and save the people of the northern border. I humbly request Your Majesty to order the dispatch of men to the northwest, sparing no expense, to find the Tang family and request their assistance. If the Tang family is willing to go to Youzhou, the court will provide all necessary supplies and manpower without hesitation.

Upon hearing this, the Emperor's eyes lit up, and the solemnity on his face eased somewhat. He nodded repeatedly and said, "Excellent! Excellent idea! How could I forget the Tang family in the Northwest! Sixty years ago, the Tang family did indeed save the people of the Northern Border. If we can find the Tang family, this plague might be easily resolved. Prince Jing, your considerations are very thorough. These three measures are both safe and effective. I approve! I will immediately order the deployment of personnel to fully implement these three measures without delay!"

At this moment, Xiao Chengyan bowed again, his expression solemn, and said firmly, "Your Majesty, I have another request—I humbly request Your Majesty to allow me to personally lead the imperial physicians and renowned doctors north to Youzhou to assist the local government in fighting the plague, pacifying the people, and overseeing the epidemic prevention work."

"What?!" Upon hearing this, the Emperor's expression changed, and he hurriedly said, "Prince Jing, you mustn't! Your leg is crippled, making it difficult for you to move around, and you often experience pain. The plague in Youzhou is dangerous and highly contagious, and the journey is long and arduous. It would be too dangerous for you to go there personally. I cannot agree to this! You will stay in the capital to oversee the overall situation and coordinate all matters. As for the matter of going north to Youzhou, other ministers can go. There is no need for you to risk your life."