Chapter 173: A threat he’ll understand (1/2)
Chapter 173: A threat he’ll understand
Emperor Tianhui was filled with anger, but he couldn’t lash out at the empress dowager so he directed it towards Gu Beiyue instead.
“Gu Beiyue, it’s already been days. The Imperial Physician Courtyard still don’t know what this disease is? Can’t Zhen even rely on you all? Do you want to quit your position as Head Imperial Physician?”
“Zhen will give you three more days, max. If you still can’t contain the plague within that time, don’t blame Zhen for being merciless!”
There weren’t many ways to cure a pestilence, but at least they could contain its spread. However, no one was even clear on what kind of plague had struck, so they had no way to determine the proper precautions to control it. In this situation, only inhumane methods such as burning the patients to death could be used to contain the pestilence. The imperial court could adopt such measures for its citizens, but that was a different case in the capital, where many noble families lived. For example, the third young master of the Imperial Uncle’s family was on his last breath, but a few imperial physicians were still striving to save his life.
The nobility, ministers of state, and generals all held lives on equal standing.
Cruel as it was, this was reality. The gentle, placid Gu Beiyue had spent this time with his eyebrows constantly furrowed. A doctor practiced benevolence and mercy, but he had to make a countless number of ruthless choices. He’d admonished long ago that quarantining the disease was the only option if there was no way to treat it. That level of quarantine didn’t just apply to the common citizens, but the imperial family as well! Without exception, all of the sick should be burned!
But Emperor Tianhui had rejected the idea without a second thought. Which member of the imperial family would be willing to follow such arrangements? How many would rise in rebellion if he issued such orders? This time, Gu Beiyue didn’t admonish him. He glanced at the empress dowager before speaking earnestly.
“Your Majesty, perhaps this official and the Imperial Physician Courtyard really have no way to control the matter. This official makes bold to recommend you someone instead.”
“Is it possible that someone else could cure the plague? Who is it?” Emperor Tianhui was startled.
Gu Beiyue didn’t dawdle but spoke directly. “Esteemed wangfei from the Duke of Qin’s estate.”
At first, Emperor Tianhui gave a start before he laughed coldly. “Han Yunxi? What does she know? She’s just a doctor of poisons. Since when did she turn into a miracle doctor as well?”
But Gu Beiyue’s face was all earnesty. “Your Majesty, this official just discovered something strange from checking the body. Those who died from the disease revealed poison in their bodies during hypostasis[1]. If I haven’t guessed wrongly, this pestilence isn’t some ordinary plague, but a poisonous one!”
After the court lady in the empress dowager’s palace died, nobody dared to take care of the body. Because the Imperial Physician Courtyard was lacking in manpower, Gu Beiyue was delayed by two hours before arriving on the scene. It was then that he discovered the poisonous state of the corpse. Otherwise, he would’ve burned it immediately like all the others without ever seeing the peculiarity.
This was the matter Gu Beiyue had just finished telling the empress dowager. His words sent Emperor Tianhui into silence as well. Of course Gu Beiyue knew that Emperor Tianhui dreaded Han Yunxi’s existence. But he feigned ignorance as he spoke.
“Judging from this official’s experience, there’s a 80 to 90 percent possibility that this is a poison pestilence. Esteemed wangfei has superb poison skills, so she’d definitely find a way to analyze and explain it! That court lady’s corpse is still waiting in the Imperial Physician Courtyard, perhaps we should invite esteemed wangfei over for a look?”
Emperor Tianhui still remained silent.
This time, the empress dowager spoke up. “Emperor, so many people are waiting to be saved. It’s a crucial matter that we shouldn’t delay. We should hurry up and call over Qin Wangfei!”
After Princess Changping died and the empress went crazy, the empress dowager thoroughly detested Han Yunxi. But Gu Beiyue had just told her that the third young master of the Imperial Uncle’s house could last one more day at most. For the sake of the Imperial Uncle’s only son, the empress dowager could temporarily set aside her disagreements with Han Yunxi. As long as even the slightest chance existed, she had to seize it!
Emperor Tianhui’s pride naturally couldn’t accept this course of events. He’d just given a show of impressive strength against the Duke of Qin’s estate, but now he had to beg for their help? His heart was unhappy, but the empress dowager’s words were right. This wasn’t some minor matter!
Of course, Emperor Tianhui was intelligent enough to coldly reply, “Gu Beiyue, these are your Imperial Physician Courtyard matters. Zhen doesn’t care who you ask for help, Zhen just wants information on controlling the epidemic immediately!” If he had Gu Beiyue step out under the imperial physicians’ name to invite Han Yunxi, she couldn’t be too smug about it!
Gu Beiyue was thrilled. “This official understands and will do so right away!”
—
Han Yunxi had been in low spirits for days because of Long Feiye’s situation. Moreover, due to the pestilence running amok, she didn’t leave the house, but spent her days sitting in front of Long Feiye’s rooms, deep in thought. She knew that the plague still hadn’t been contained up to this day, but she never thought it’d be a poisonous pestilence!
Strictly speaking, a plague was spread by highly infectious viruses, while poisonous pestilence was spread by poisons.
A virus and a poison were fundamentally different things. Viruses caused disease, while poisons poisoned people. To put it more accurately, the people who’d been infected hadn’t died from illness, but from poison! Naturally infectious poisons were a rare thing. Neither were manmade versions easy to manufacture. In other words, the probability of a poisonous pestilence breaking out was very low! Han Yunxi thought the entire thing fishy, but Gu Beiyue had already sent people to her door to ask for help. She didn’t think much before packing her things and leaving the house. Still, she managed to bump into Steward Xia by the door.
“Esteemed wangfei, where are you going?”
“I’m just going for a bit, I’ll be back afterwards,” Han Yunxi said simply. She didn’t tell anyone that she was heading for the Imperial Physician Courtyard.
“Esteemed wangfei, you mustn’t go. It’s chaos out there, what if…”
Steward Xia didn’t manage to finish before Grand Cocubine Yi strolled over with a cold voice. “Steward Xia, if she wants to die, just let her. It’ll be best if she doesn’t come back.”