From cute to empress

Chapter 148: Dark Clouds

The guard's words resonated like thunder in my ears. A strange disease? A rash? A high fever? Sudden death?! These words, combined, instantly conjured a single, terrifying word: plague!

I stood up suddenly and asked sharply, "How many people are infected? What's the situation?!"

The guard's face turned even paler, and he stammered, "Your Majesty, preliminary estimates show that over a hundred people have been infected, and... and the number is still increasing..."

"What?!" I gasped, my heart suddenly filled with shock. Plague, this is a disaster more terrible than a flood or a beast! If it's not handled properly, the consequences will be unimaginable!

"Immediately convey my order, summon all ministers, and rush to the imperial study to discuss matters!" I made a prompt decision, with a sharp light flashing in my eyes.

"As you wish!" The guard took the order and left.

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. Now was not the time to panic. I was the Empress, the pillar of this country. I had to remain calm to lead everyone through this difficult time!

I quickly walked to the table, picked up the brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote the two big words "anti-epidemic" on a blank piece of rice paper.

Soon, the ministers hurried to the imperial study.

"My dear ministers, a plague has broken out in the south of the city. The situation is critical and requires no delay! I have decided to establish an anti-epidemic team, with Divine Doctor Sun in charge of medical treatment. All relevant departments must fully cooperate and ensure that the epidemic is brought under control as quickly as possible and that the patients are treated!"

"We obey your order!" the ministers responded in unison.

"Doctor Sun, you must take your men to the south of the city immediately, find out the cause of the disease, and develop a treatment plan. If you need any medicinal materials, just tell me and I will do my best to get them for you!" I turned to look at Doctor Sun beside me and said in a firm tone.

"I obey your order! I will do my best to save the people!" Doctor Sun bowed and accepted the order, turned around and left quickly.

I watched Dr. Sun's departing figure, my heart filled with worry and anxiety. The plague, like a dark cloud, hung over the capital, lingering...

"Your Majesty, I have a petition to submit!" Lord Li, the Minister of Revenue, stepped forward and bowed. "The plague is raging, and the people of the city are in a state of panic. Many have fled the capital to escape the plague, causing severe congestion at the city gates. Your Majesty, please make a decision as soon as possible!"

I frowned and asked in a deep voice, "What suggestions does Lord Li have?"

"I think the most urgent task is to block the city gates and prohibit anyone from entering or leaving to prevent the spread of the plague!" Lord Li said with a bow.

"No!" Lord Wang, the Minister of War, objected. "Closing the city would easily cause panic among the people. If a riot breaks out, the consequences would be disastrous!"

"Then what do you think, Lord Wang, should we do?" Lord Li asked in return.

In the imperial study, the ministers held different opinions and argued endlessly, but no one could come up with an effective plan.

I glanced at the crowd, feeling extremely anxious. At this moment, a figure suddenly appeared in my mind - Zhen Youcai!

"Someone come!" I stood up suddenly and shouted loudly.

"What are your orders, Your Majesty?" A guard walked in quickly.

"Pass on my order..." I took a deep breath, a look of determination in my eyes. "Send a message immediately to General Zhen guarding the border, and have him..." "Send a message immediately to General Zhen guarding the border, and have him return to the capital without delay!" I took a deep breath, a look of determination in my eyes. In the face of the plague, only Zhen Youcai's calmness and courage can reassure me.

"As you command!" The guards took their orders and left, but a few hushed voices echoed from within the imperial study. I know some people are puzzled by my decision, wondering how a border commander could possibly meddle in an epidemic. But I know in my heart that Zhen Youcai's talents extend far beyond this.

Battle reports from the border arrived three times a day, but I had no time to review them. My heart pounded with anxiety, I paced back and forth in the imperial study. The specter of plague loomed over the capital, and the people were in a state of panic. New patients appeared daily, and the death toll continued to climb. Doctor Sun toiled tirelessly to treat the sick, but human resources were limited, and the epidemic spread faster than we could have anticipated.

"Report——"

Three days later, an urgent message finally broke the silence of the imperial study. I looked up suddenly and saw a dusty messenger hurried in. He knelt on one knee and presented a letter with both hands. "Your Majesty, this is General Zhen's reply!"

I couldn't wait to take the letter and quickly unfolded it. There were only a few short lines of words on it, but it was like a shot of adrenaline, which made my originally anxious heart feel a little calmer.

"I have received the news and will be returning to the capital immediately. Your Majesty, please rest assured that I will do my utmost to help you overcome this difficult time!"

On the letterhead, Zhen Youcai's handwriting was still vigorous and powerful, revealing an unwavering determination. I knew he would definitely do what he said.

Sure enough, within five days, Zhen Youcai returned to the capital, exhausted. Without even having time to wash off his fatigue, he rushed straight to the imperial study to see me.

"I am here to see you, Your Majesty!"

"My dear, please stand up. You must have had a hard journey!" I quickly stood up and personally went forward to help him up, my eyes full of relief and anticipation. "I am relieved to have you back."

Zhen Youcai's return undoubtedly gave the fight against the epidemic a shot in the arm. He acted decisively, quickly taking over city defense and epidemic prevention and control efforts. He personally visited the affected areas south of the city and reassured the people. Under his command, the once chaotic situation gradually stabilized, and the people began to see hope.

However, at this moment, I received an infuriating piece of news - Wu Youde, the largest medicinal material merchant in the city, actually took the opportunity to hoard goods, drive up the prices of medicinal materials, and make a fortune from the national crisis!

"How ridiculous!" I slammed the table, seething with anger. "This Wu Youde is completely devoid of conscience!"

"Your Majesty, please calm down," Zhen Youcai stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "I will immediately seal up the Wu family's herbal medicine shop and confiscate all the stored herbs to stabilize prices!"

"Okay!" I nodded in agreement. "I'll leave this matter to you! And..." I paused, a hint of worry flashing in my eyes. "The epidemic in the south of the city doesn't seem to be under effective control. Go check and see if anyone..."

Before I could finish my words, I was interrupted by a loud noise coming from outside the door.

"Your Majesty, County Magistrate Li requests an audience!"

"Xuan!" I suppressed the anger in my heart and said in a deep voice.

County Magistrate Li hurried into the imperial study and fell to his knees with a thud, "Your Majesty!"

"Sir Li, why are you coming here instead of leading the anti-epidemic work in the epidemic area in the south of the city?" I asked coldly.

"Reporting to Your Majesty," County Magistrate Li raised his head tremblingly, beads of sweat clearly visible on his forehead, "The epidemic situation in the southern part of the city has been effectively controlled, and the people's mood has stabilized..."

"What did you say?!" I stood up suddenly, furious. "Li County Magistrate, how dare you deceive the emperor!"

"Your Majesty, please calm down. Everything I say is true!" County Magistrate Li kowtowed repeatedly in fear. "The number of patients in the epidemic area south of the city has decreased significantly, and the death toll has also dropped. This is all thanks to General Zhen's careful command!"

I turned to look at Zhen Youcai, but saw that he was frowning, and it was obvious that he was also full of doubts about what Li Junshou said.

"Lord Li," Zhen Youcai stepped forward and asked in a deep voice, "Are you telling the truth? Do you know that deceiving the emperor is a crime punishable by death?"

"General Zhen, I'm telling you everything I say is true!" County Magistrate Li hurriedly pulled a ledger from his sleeve and presented it to him with both hands. "This is the daily record of the epidemic situation in the southern part of the city. Please review it, General!"

Zhen Youcai took the account book and began to look through it carefully. I stood by, feeling extremely anxious, but I didn't dare to disturb him.

"Your Majesty, the records in this account book do show that the epidemic situation in the epidemic area in the south of the city has improved." Zhen Youcai closed the account book, but there was a hint of doubt in his tone.

"If that's the case, then why are the people in the city still spreading rumors that the epidemic in the southern epidemic area has gotten out of control and a large number of patients are dying every day?" I asked.

"This..." County Magistrate Li was speechless for a moment, with cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.

At this moment, a guard hurried into the imperial study and knelt on the ground, "Report--"

"Why are you so panicked?" I asked in a deep voice.

"Your Majesty," the guard's voice trembled, "a mad Taoist priest has appeared in the city, spreading rumors everywhere, claiming that this plague is heaven's punishment on the Great Zhou, and that only killing the current emperor can appease the heavens' wrath..."

"How dare you!" I slammed the table and stood up, furious. "Come here, quickly arrest this Taoist priest who is spreading lies and misleading the people, and interrogate him strictly!"

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. The plague, the rumors, the deception of the emperor... each and every one of these things seemed like an invisible net, tightly enveloping me, making it difficult to breathe.

At this moment, a young eunuch hurried into the imperial study and knelt on the ground, "Your Majesty, the coroner Zhao requests an audience. He says he has something important to report!"

"Zhao the Coroner?" I was slightly taken aback. "Isn't he responsible for examining the bodies of those who died in the epidemic area south of the city? What is he doing here?"

"I don't know," the young eunuch said tremblingly, head lowered. "Zhao the coroner said he found clues to the spread of the plague and must see Your Majesty immediately..."

I was moved. Could it be that there is some unknown secret hidden behind this plague?

"Summon Zhao the coroner to the court." I tried hard to calm my fluctuating emotions.

After a while, Zhao the coroner was brought in. He was thin, his face was sallow, and his steps were unsteady, obviously he was extremely tired.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you." Zhao the coroner knelt on the ground, his voice hoarse and weak.

"Please stand up quickly, Coroner Zhao. Tell us what important discoveries you have!" I asked anxiously.

With trembling hands, Coroner Zhao pulled a cloth bag from his bosom. Inside, he opened it, revealing the shrunken corpse of a rat. Pointing at the carcass, he spoke with difficulty, "Your Majesty, when I examined the bodies of the deceased, I found that all of them bore bite marks from this type of rat. I suspect this plague was spread by this type of rat!"

"Rats?" I was shocked. Could it be that the source of this plague was these insignificant rats? If that were true, then this plague wasn't a natural disaster, but a man-made one!

"Mr. Zhao, can you find out the origin of this kind of rat?" Zhen Youcai asked in a deep voice.

Coroner Zhao shook his head and said weakly: "I am incompetent and have not yet found out..." He suddenly started coughing violently and coughed up a mouthful of blood!

"Coroner Zhao!" I was horrified and immediately ordered someone to call the imperial physician.

"Your Majesty... that's not necessary..." Coroner Zhao grabbed the corner of my clothes and said with his last bit of strength, "I... I have also been infected with the plague... It's... beyond help..."

"How could this happen..." I looked at the dying coroner Zhao, feeling a mixture of emotions. He could have stayed out of this, but to uncover the truth about the plague, he risked his life, ultimately sacrificing his own...

I took a deep breath, stood up, and looked out the window at the overcast sky. An unprecedented sense of responsibility surged in my heart. I must defeat this plague, for the people suffering, for the loyal officials and generals who dedicated themselves to the Great Zhou, and for myself!

"Come here!" I said in a deep voice, "Get ready, I want to go to the epidemic area in the south of the city myself!"