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

Upon hearing this, Xiao Chengyan's eyes filled with gratitude. He quickly looked at the Duke of Ningguo and bowed, saying, "Thank you, Duke of Ningguo! With your help, I will surely be able to successfully complete my mission, curb the spread of the plague, and save the people of the Northern Border. I will not let down His Majesty's trust or the expectations of the people of the Northern Border! Duke of Ningguo is a man of great righteousness and cares deeply for the people. I have the utmost respect for your sense of responsibility!"

Duke Ningguo waved his hand and said with a smile, "Prince Jing, there's no need for such formalities. Protecting the people of the Northern Border and safeguarding the territory of the Great Qi is my duty. Back then, the Xiao family army and the Zhenbei army fought side by side, shedding blood in the Northern Border to protect the people and resist foreign enemies. Now, the people of the Northern Border are suffering from a plague, and we should once again fight side by side with them to overcome this difficult time and save them from their suffering. Moreover, Prince Jing's willingness to risk his life to go to Youzhou to fight the plague is something I greatly admire. It is my honor to be able to travel north with Prince Jing."

Looking into the resolute eyes of Xiao Chengyan and the Duke of Ningguo, the Emperor's hesitation gradually dissipated. He nodded heavily and said solemnly, "Very well! I grant it! Prince Jing, Duke of Ningguo, I order you two to immediately lead all the imperial physicians of the Imperial Hospital and renowned doctors from the capital, carrying a large quantity of herbs, medical equipment, masks, and other supplies, to Youzhou tonight to oversee the epidemic prevention work and treat plague patients. I grant you full authority; you may make your own decisions regarding all matters related to epidemic prevention without needing to report to the court. The court will fully support you. I will grant you all the necessary supplies, manpower, and horses, sparing no expense to contain the spread of the plague, save the people of the northern border, and protect the territory of the Great Qi!"

"Your Majesty, we obey!" Xiao Chengyan and the Duke of Ningguo bowed deeply, their voices resounding throughout the Golden Palace without the slightest hesitation. "Your Majesty, we will not fail in our mission. We will do our utmost to contain the spread of the plague, save the people of the Northern Border, and live up to the Emperor's trust, the people of Daqi, and the expectations of the people of the Northern Border!"

"Good! Good!" The Emperor nodded, his eyes full of satisfaction. "You two must take good care of yourselves and take proper precautions. If you encounter any difficulties, send word back to the capital immediately. I will send people to support you right away and will never let you fight alone. Also, Liu Ruyan, Marquis Yongyi, and others harbor ill intentions and are secretly colluding. After you go north, you must be extra vigilant and prevent them from secretly sending people to Youzhou to sabotage the epidemic prevention work, spread rumors, cause panic among the people, and take the opportunity to cause chaos. If you discover any trace of them, you can deal with them yourself without reporting to the Emperor."

"Your Majesty's instructions will be remembered!" Xiao Chengyan and the Duke of Ningguo bowed again and replied, keeping the Emperor's instructions firmly in mind.

Subsequently, the Emperor instructed his high-ranking officials to immediately arrange for the inventory of medicinal herbs, medical equipment, masks, food, and other supplies, and to prepare sufficient vehicles and horses to assist Xiao Chengyan and the Duke of Ningguo in their swift journey north, without the slightest delay. At the same time, he ordered the sealing off of all cities and villages closest to Youzhou, deploying a large number of soldiers to guard various checkpoints and strictly screening all travelers. Anyone exhibiting symptoms such as high fever or cough was to be isolated and observed to prevent the spread of the plague. Furthermore, he dispatched special envoys to the Northwest, sparing no effort to find the Tang family and imploring them to assist in treating plague patients. If the Tang family were found, they were to be treated with utmost courtesy, and all their reasonable requests to be fulfilled.

Inside the Golden Palace, everyone sprang into action, each fulfilling their duties and bustling about. High-ranking officials rose and went to their respective offices to arrange various matters; the imperial physicians returned to the Imperial Hospital to pack their medicine chests and herbs, preparing to depart for Youzhou; officials in charge of logistics went to the national treasury and pharmacy to inventory, pack, and prepare supplies for loading. Liu Ruyan and the Marquis of Yongyi's faction watched all this with secret displeasure, yet dared not openly oppose it—after all, the plague concerned the lives of the people of the Northern Border and the safety of the entire realm. If they openly opposed it, they would only invite trouble, incurring the emperor's wrath and even the people's contempt. They could only secretly plot, waiting for an opportunity to observe the situation.

Xiao Chengyan and the Duke of Ningguo stepped out of the Golden Palace. Dawn was breaking, the east tinged with the pale light of day. The autumn wind howled, its chill biting, swirling fallen leaves that drifted everywhere, yet it did nothing to diminish their resolve and sense of responsibility. In the plaza outside the palace, guards were already busy preparing carriages and horses, and inventorying supplies; everything was proceeding smoothly and efficiently.

"Prince Jing, this journey north is fraught with peril. The plague is highly contagious, and the journey is long and arduous. You must be extremely careful and avoid overexertion." Duke Ningguo looked at Xiao Chengyan, his tone gentle yet full of concern. "Your leg is disabled, making movement difficult. If you need anything along the way, please don't hesitate to ask. I will do my best to take care of you and arrange for my soldiers to assist you at any time. I will ensure that your leg ailment does not hinder your progress. Regarding the epidemic prevention, we will divide the work. I will be responsible for mobilizing the Zhenbei Army to seal off cities, isolate patients, appease the Zhenbei Army soldiers, and maintain local order. You will be responsible for organizing imperial physicians and renowned doctors to find the cause of the disease, develop an antidote, appease the people, and coordinate with local officials. I believe that with our concerted efforts, we can definitely curb the spread of the plague and save the people of the North."

"Thank you for your concern, Duke Ningguo." Xiao Chengyan nodded, a gentle smile on his face. "Duke Ningguo, I will need your help on this trip north. Liu Ruyan and Marquis Yongyi harbor ill intentions. Although this plague is unrelated to them and they haven't been secretly causing trouble, they are always treacherous and cunning. They will not easily let this opportunity pass. They will definitely send people to Youzhou to spread rumors, sabotage the epidemic prevention work, and may even secretly kidnap patients to create chaos. We must be vigilant and prevent their conspiracy from succeeding. We cannot let them affect our epidemic prevention plan, and we cannot let the people of the northern border suffer more."

"Rest assured, Your Highness, I understand." The Duke of Ningguo nodded, his expression grave. "I have already arranged for the soldiers of the Zhenbei Army to strengthen their defenses and selected the most elite soldiers to accompany us north. Along the way, they will strictly protect the safety of the imperial physicians, renowned doctors, and supplies. At the same time, they will secretly keep an eye on the movements of Liu Ruyan and the Yongyi Marquis's henchmen. If any abnormalities are discovered, they will be dealt with immediately, leaving them no opportunity to exploit. In addition, I will send someone to contact the former Zhenbei Army troops in the northern border as quickly as possible, so that they can prepare in advance, assist us, appease the people, cooperate with the epidemic prevention work, seal off cities, isolate patients, and ensure that the epidemic prevention work can proceed smoothly."

Just then, Qingzheng arrived in haste, followed by several heads of the Imperial Medical Academy and renowned doctors from the capital, as well as several carriages loaded with herbs, medical equipment, masks, and other supplies. Beside the carriages stood many elite guards, their expressions respectful and their posture impeccable, all fully equipped and ready to depart at any moment. Qingzheng's face still bore traces of fatigue, and the dust on his robes had not yet been wiped away, yet he remained spirited and resolute.

"Your Highness, Duke Ningguo, I have arranged everything according to Your Highness's instructions," Qingzheng said, bowing respectfully and urgently. "The imperial physicians and renowned doctors have all assembled, bringing with them all the herbs, medical equipment, and masks from the Imperial Hospital, enough to support the initial epidemic prevention and treatment work. The vehicles and horses are also ready, selected from the finest horses and the most reliable drivers to ensure a smooth journey without delays. In addition, I have sent someone to contact Mr. Wuwang at full speed. I believe Mr. Wuwang will be able to return to the capital soon. After being detoxified, he will immediately go to Youzhou to meet us. The people who went to the Northwest to find the Tang family have also set off. I instructed them to spare no effort to find the Tang family's whereabouts and earnestly request their assistance. We will not fail Your Highness's entrustment."

"Good, well done." Xiao Chengyan nodded, a hint of approval on his face. "Qingzheng, you've worked hard all night without rest. You'll be accompanying me on this trip north. Your responsibilities include delivering messages, coordinating manpower from all sides, protecting the imperial physicians, renowned doctors, and supplies, and preventing Liu Ruyan and Marquis Yongyi's people from sabotaging things behind the scenes. At the same time, you'll assist me and the Duke of Ningguo in handling various epidemic prevention matters. If you encounter any unusual situations, report to me and the Duke of Ningguo immediately. Do not make any decisions on your own."

"Your subordinate obeys!" Qingzheng replied solemnly, his eyes filled with determination. "Your subordinate will do his best to fulfill his duties, protect the safety of all the imperial physicians, renowned doctors, and supplies, coordinate the manpower of all parties, and never hold back Your Highness and the Duke of Ningguo, nor betray Your Highness's trust."

Xiao Chengyan looked at the imperial physicians and renowned doctors behind him, his tone gentle yet earnest: "Gentlemen, thank you for your hard work on this journey north to Youzhou. The plague in Youzhou is dangerous and highly contagious, concerning the lives of tens of thousands of people. I implore you to do your utmost, utilize your medical skills, find the cause of the disease, develop an antidote, and save the people of the northern border. Along the way, if you have any needs, whether it be food, lodging, or the necessary medicines and equipment, please just ask, and we will do our best to meet them. We will never let you suffer any injustice. In addition, please take good care of yourselves and protect your safety. Only when you are safe can you better treat the people and contain the spread of the plague more quickly."

The imperial physicians and renowned doctors bowed deeply, their expressions solemn, and said, "Your Highness, rest assured, we will do our utmost to live up to your trust, the Emperor's trust, and the people of the Northern Border's trust. Even if it takes all our strength, we will find the cause of the disease, develop an antidote, curb the spread of the plague, and save every sick person. We will never back down, and we will never shirk our responsibilities!"

"Alright, thank you all, gentlemen." Xiao Chengyan nodded, his heart filled with gratitude. He knew that these imperial physicians and renowned doctors were the most skilled doctors in the capital. Most of them lived a life of luxury, yet they were willing to go to Youzhou and risk their lives to treat plague patients. Their courage and sense of responsibility were admirable and strengthened his resolve to fight the plague and save the people.

Just then, a clear, childlike laugh rang out from afar. Then, little Jingjing, dressed in a pink padded jacket, was seen running quickly, led by Lu Wenshu, followed by the maid Wangchun. Little Jingjing's face showed a mixture of anxiety and determination. She ran to Xiao Chengyan, looked up at him, and said in her childish voice, "Father! Father! Jingjing wants to go to the Northern Border with you! Jingjing wants to help you defeat the plague, that big bad guy, and save the people of the Northern Border!"