ADWMCES Chapter81

Facing his serious gaze, Ji Yujin’s eyes became darker and darker, and his thin lips, which were originally curled, pursed slightly.

After Chu Fengqing finished speaking, his eyes shifted elsewhere, feeling a little awkward. He was not good at comforting people and usually did not give long speeches. However, this time the target was Ji Yujin, and he did not like seeing that expression on Ji Yujin, so he subconsciously searched for many words in his mind.

Only after he finished speaking did he realize that he had talked too much.

The candle flame popped with a loud “pop”, breaking the silence in the room.

Ji Yujin chuckled, and Chu Fengqing looked at him in confusion, but before his gaze could reach him, his body suddenly tilted and fell into someone else’s arms.

Ji Yujin rested his chin on his shoulder, tilted his head and placed a kiss on his neck.

The blood-red lips were imprinted on the snow-white neck, soft and moist, which made Chu Fengqing tremble.

Ji Yujin bit it lightly with his teeth, leaving a very shallow mark. He looked at the mark with desire surging in his lips and eyes, but he didn’t do anything excessive. He just hugged Chu Fengqing quietly.

After a long time, a hoarse voice finally rang in Chu Fengqing’s ears, “Chu Fengqing, what good thing did I do to deserve to meet you?”

“In my past life, no, in my previous eight lives, I must have been a very kind person. God was very kind to me, so he sent you to me in this life.”

Chu Fengqing was slightly stunned and then heard him say softly, “You are a gift from God to me.”

The two of them were affectionate with each other. As the sky was getting darker, Ji Yujin touched Chu Fengqing’s hand and found it was ice-cold. He quickly let go of him and took a blanket from the small couch next to him to wrap him up. “It gets too cold at night. Are you hungry? I’ll have someone serve you food.”

This time Chu Fengqing did not refuse and nodded.

The food on the table was relatively simple, but there was also a plate of lush green vegetables. It was a luxury to have a bowl of fresh vegetables after the flood. It was obvious that much thought had been put into preparing it.

Ji Yujin: “Sorry, there’s nothing delicious here, just make do with what we have.”

After they finished eating, they simply washed up and went to rest.

Chu Fengqing couldn’t eat or sleep well along the way, and he was always worried about something. After arriving here, he temporarily put all his worries aside and fell asleep very quickly.

Ji Yujin hugged him and held him in his arms.

In fact, Chu Fengqing had been dreaming all night, and it was very strange.

The next day, they both woke up at daybreak.

Ji Yujin was very busy, and all matters big and small in the city had to be decided by him. Chu Fengqing has even greater responsibilities. Since he arrived here, he has been involved in many lives.

Chu Fengqing had a dream all night and felt even more tired after sleeping. The dark circles under his eyes were very obvious.

Ji Yujin looked at him and frowned. “Why is your expression so ugly?”

Chu Fengqing sat up slowly. His vision was a little dark, his fingertips were white, and he looked completely bloodless.

“Maybe it’s a bit of acclimatization.”

Ji Yujin touched his forehead and said, “Sleep a little longer and take a rest.”

Chu Fengqing didn’t want to sleep anymore when he thought of the dream at night. He shook his head and said,“I can’t fall asleep right now, so it’d be better to just wake up early and go to bed earlier at night.”

Ji Yujin hesitated for a while and then nodded when he saw that he insisted.

After the two of them had dressed neatly, Chu Fengqing looked at Ji Yujin and was about to speak, but was blocked by Ji Yujin. He pressed a kiss to Chu Fengqing’s forehead. The gesture itself was gentle, yet the words that followed carried a different weight: “Don’t even think about leaving the mansion. I won’t agree.”

Ji Yujin went along with Chu Fengqing in everything else, but he was very tough on the matter of leaving the mansion. He was not allowed to come into contact with patients, no matter what. He was not selfless enough to watch his lover go to such a dangerous place.

He was not questioning Chu Fengqing’s medical skills. This was not about trust. He just had to ensure that he could leave here safely. Things like plague were hard to explain, especially since he was not in good health.

Thinking of this, his breathing became a little rapid. If something happened to Chu Fengqing, he really couldn’t be sure what he would do.

“Be good. I’ll have someone sort out all the internal and external manifestations of the plague for you. You can study them in the mansion.”

He didn’t use a questioning tone but rather stated a fact.

Chu Fengqing did not refute him but just sighed slightly as he watched his back as he left. The most important knowledge he had learned was “observation, auscultation, questioning, and palpation”. It was a huge test for him to treat such difficult and complicated diseases without even seeing the patients.

At breakfast, Chu Fengqing lost his appetite after eating a few bites. Ji Yujin begged and pressured him to eat a few more bites.

Ji Yujin was a little worried about Chu Fengqing, but he was also very busy. Just after he finished breakfast, someone else came to see him. Before Chu Fengqing came, he sometimes didn’t even have time to sleep.

Before leaving, he carefully instructed Chu Fengqing to get enough rest.

Chu Fengqing responded readily.

Ji Yujin was very efficient. He had given instructions on this matter since Chu Fengqing came over yesterday, so the manuscript they had sorted out was delivered soon after.

Chu Fengqing lit a candle. It was still rainy outside today, the sky was gloomy, there had been no sunshine for several days, and the house was damp.

He asked someone to call Imperial Physician Li, who had come with him over, and the two of them began to read the manuscript.

“At first, they felt chilly, then they had a fever, headache, body aches, chest tightness, nausea, and vomiting.”

Imperial Physician Li stroked his beard and shook his head, saying, “The initial symptoms are no different from those of a common cold. If it hadn’t occurred in the later stages, it would have been difficult to detect.”

“Later, they developed a high fever without aversion to cold, which continued day and night with a rapid pulse and a white tongue coating like accumulated powder…”

Imperial Physician Li knitted his brows. “These signs are hardly distinguishable from a grave case of typhoid. Why not try the typhoid prescription?”

Chu Fengqing: “If the prescription for typhoid fever can cure it, we don’t have to come all the way here.”

Imperial Physician Li smiled awkwardly and said, “You are absolutely right.”

These were merely the symptoms of a single patient. Because he was young, the illness advanced more slowly, whereas those who were infected afterward were all elderly or children.

Their initial symptoms were the same; within two days a rash appeared all over their body, followed by confusion, a swollen throat, and coughing, and on the third day they developed vomiting blood and chest pain.

In just seven or eight days, they will lose their lives.

The two people’s expressions turned uglier and uglier. If the elderly, women, and children are infected with this disease without intervention, it can take a life in just seven or eight days.

The two had not expected the epidemic to be so powerful.

Imperial Physician Li: “How strange! I have never heard of typhoid fever causing vomiting of blood. Where on earth did the blood come from? Why would they vomit blood if there is no external force or internal injury?”

Chu Fengqing also frowned. It was indeed difficult to judge in this situation without pulse indication.

Just when the two of them were having a headache, Ji Yujin thoughtfully sent over the physician who had been in contact with the patient, who fortunately was not infected. However, he could not meet Chu Fengqing in person, so he was outside the room and the two of them were inside.

“Lord Governor asked me to assist you two.”

“May I ask what the pulse was like at that time? Was there any anemia?”

……

After having a quick lunch, they started their research again in the afternoon.

Until the evening, after the other two left, Chu Fengqing was left alone to start reading ancient books and trying to write prescriptions based on the symptoms. Once he entered that state, he lost all sense of his surroundings, even neglecting the dinner the servants had delivered. He remained that way until deep into the night.

Ji Yujin was also involved in the incident. When he came back, he found that the lights in the room were still on. He stepped into the room to find Chu Fengqing draped in an outer cloak, immersed in a stack of books, while the floor was strewn with sheets of paper covered in the names of various medicines.

On the table next to it were cold foods, they were neatly arranged, and it looked like they had never been touched.

Chu Fengqing didn’t even realize Ji Yujin had entered. The hand holding the brush was so pale it seemed almost translucent, faint blue veins showing through, while his lips were drained of color, hardly resembling those of the living.

Ji Yujin’s fists tightened, though a faint trace of relief softened his expression. Without uttering a word to interrupt Chu Fengqing, he simply set down the untouched food he had brought with him. The servant waiting outside hurried forward to take it. “This humble one will heat it up right away.”

After the food was heated up again, Ji Yujin walked over and gently touched Chu Fengqing. Chu Fengqing then raised his eyes to look at him, then glanced outside, “What time is it now?”

“It is Choushi¹.”

Chu Fengqing’s eyes widened slightly, as if he didn’t expect it to be so late.

He pursed his lips, put down his brush without Ji Yujin’s reminder, and walked to the food. Ji Yujin accompanied him to eat a little and then pressed Chu Fengqing’s shoulders. He asked softly, “Are you tired?”

Chu Fengqing shook his head, with a somewhat complaining tone, “I just feel that time is running out.”

Ji Yujin chuckled: “Even if time is running out, you can’t joke with your body either.”

His hands moved gently, and Chu Fengqing squinted his eyes comfortably. “I thought it was still early.”

“You ah, you, it seems I will have to ask someone to remind you at the appointed time tomorrow.” Ji Yujin flicked his forehead, “This is your punishment for not being punctual today.”

Chu Fengqing felt pain, but there was a hint of smile in his eyes. He didn’t expect Ji Yujin to be so childish. “Then should I give you a blow too? You also come back so late.”

Ji Yujin smiled. “En, it’s not impossible either.”

Chu Fengqing didn’t take it seriously. Ji Yujin had lost a lot of weight recently, and his features looked even more stern. A trace of distress welled up in him, so he reached out to take his pulse, silently debating whether he ought to prescribe some tonic medicine for him.

As for Chu Fengqing, he cannot take tonic medicine because of his physical condition. He cannot tolerate any medicine that is even slightly stronger.

The next day, when Chu Fengqing opened his eyes, Ji Yujin had already gotten up.

Something unexpected happened outside that day, so Ji Yujin left the mansion and went to the east of the city. He was afraid that he would be infected with the disease and pass it on to Chu Fengqing, so he did not return to the mansion and wrote a letter to tell Chu Fengqing about the situation.

After finishing the letter, Chu Fengqing remained silent, unable to utter a word. This was Ji Yujin’s duty and mission.

Although they were only a few mansions apart, the two of them had never been able to see each other. They were both very busy and didn’t even have time to think about each other when they were busy. They only had a little time to themselves when it was late at night when everyone was asleep.

Though they cannot see each other, they both know the other is striving alongside them. They serve as steadfast pillars for one another, offering mutual support. Thinking this way, they feel that it is no big deal.

On the third day after Ji Yujin left the mansion, there was a heavy rainstorm. The thunder and rain seemed to be competing for which one was louder. Chu Fengqing didn’t have time to close the window, causing some of the books and manuscripts to be wet by the rain.

Fortunately, on the second day, the cloudy sky finally cleared up, the sun shone brightly, and it swept away the past haze.

Chu Fengqing felt it was a little strange to see the sunlight for the first time. He reached out to catch a beam of light. Dust was flying under the light, and there was silence.

He pursed his lips and smiled, then took the books that were wet by yesterday’s rain to the yard to dry.

The servant came over to help. Chu Fengqing noticed that his clothes were soaked, so he asked, “Why are your clothes so wet?”

The servant was not very old. Chu Fengqing was very good-looking, especially under the sunlight, his whole body seemed to glow. He usually did not dare to look directly at him. When he heard Chu Fengqing asking him a question, his face turned red. He scratched the back of his head and stammered:

“Yesterday’s heavy rain washed away the well in the courtyard and collapsed it. Now the well mouth is blocked, and we can’t get water. The well is clogged with mud and sand, making its water undrinkable. Now, we have no choice but to fetch drinking water from the river outside.”

“But the original big river became less clear after the flood, so we all went to a clear stream at the foot of the mountain to fetch water. The water there comes from the mountain and is very sweet. Most people don’t know it, only those who live here know.”

Chu Fengqing was puzzled, “The foot of the mountain? Aren’t we not allowed to leave the city?”

The servant said, “Originally it was not allowed, but people have to drink water. Except for those who dug wells, everyone in the city has to go outside to fetch water. Moreover, food in the city is scarce. Currently, a few wild vegetables are growing on the mountain, which can serve as a supplement. Since people had to reside on the mountain, Lord Ji made some changes, he first sealed off the city for a day, then extended the lockdown to the mountain. There are two checkpoints, covering every area people might pass through, so escape is impossible. The only issue is that the officials are feeling a bit exhausted.”

Because Chu Fengqing didn’t need to leave the city gate, he always thought that the city was closed.

The servant’s eyes brightened at his words, and he let out a heartfelt sigh: “Lord Ji is really amazing. The townspeople all say it’s thanks to him. In the past, during epidemics, most rulers would slaughter everyone in the city, showing no concern for our lives. If it weren’t for Lord Ji this time, I’m afraid we wouldn’t be able to escape death. Lord Ji is really a good official.”

Chu Fengqing’s eyes curved slightly. He didn’t expect that he, who was so famous in the capital, would be called a “good official” here.

The servant said, “I’ve witnessed all the lords working tirelessly these days. This humble one is foolish and cannot offer much help; all I can do is serve diligently. Only in this way can the people in our city survive. This humble one would like to thank you all on behalf of the people in the city.”

That servant’s eyes were red as he spoke, “This humble one grew up in this city and has never left this place…”

Seeing the place where he was born and raised become what it is now, he feels so sad that he can’t express it in words.

Chu Fengqing pursed his lips, “Everything will be fine.”

The servant wiped his tears and nodded heavily. He realized that he had said too much. He had been on edge these days. When he met someone he could talk to, he spoke everything out. Now he regretted it a little. “This humble one has said too much.”

Chu Fengqing shook his head, and that servant added, “Don’t worry, My Lord. This humble one always avoids people when I go to get water. This humble one knows a small path, and I can guarantee that I didn’t meet anyone at all. Otherwise, Lord Ji would never let this humble one into the mansion.”

There were quite a lot of people fetching water there some time ago, but as the epidemic became more serious, fewer and fewer people came to fetch water.

Chu Fengqing: “You should be careful.”

“But you have to change your clothes if they’re wet. At this critical moment, if you catch a cold, it will be hard to tell.”

The servant thought that this was the truth, and he should not harm the people in the mansion, so he stood up quickly and said, “Thank you, My Lord. This humble one will go and change my clothes right away.”

Having said that, he trotted away.

……

Ji Yujin and Chu Fengqing repeated this kind of life day after day. The prescription discussed by several physicians had been implemented, but the effect was not very good. They changed several prescriptions, and it was always a little off.

Chu Fengqing believed he should see the patient in person and take their pulse to identify what he might have missed, but persuading Ji Yujin posed a challenge.

That day, Chu Fengqing’s body felt a little sore, and his throat was a little uncomfortable in the early morning. He thought that it might be because the window was open wide yesterday and the wind blew.

During the days when the two were separated, Ji Yujin went to the east of the city without telling Chu Fengqing. After investigating the source of the epidemic for such a long time but finding nothing, he thought about it and decided to take over it himself.

Today, Ji Yujin finally got a clue in investigating the cause of the disease. Originally everyone thought that it was transmitted from person to person, but until more and more patients who had no contact with the patients appeared, they finally realized that their investigation was in the wrong direction.

The most astonishing discovery was that in the small town less than a kilometer away, no one had fallen ill. Further investigation showed that the disease affected the poor far more than the wealthy.

All the criticisms were immediately directed at the “water source”.

The water sources in small towns and cities vary, with wealthy families digging their own wells and accessing separate supplies.

“Water source? You asked me to check the water source at the beginning of the outbreak. I also investigated it thoroughly and found nothing abnormal.” The person who was originally in charge of this matter said puzzledly.

Ji Yujin was a little hesitant. He looked at the topographic map and lost his direction for a moment.

Suddenly, he saw the intricate canals above. This was the south. The canals were extremely complex, but most of them were small streams, and there was only one big river.

An idea flashed through his mind, so he asked, “Which water source are you checking?”

“It’s the main river outside. That river has always served as the city’s drinking water source.”

“When the disease first broke out, I had people check from upstream to downstream and take water samples, but nothing abnormal was found.”

When they came to the river, Ji Yujin frowned slightly. When the man saw the river, his eyes widened slightly. The originally clear river water has now become turbid. “How could this happen?”

A few of them walked back to the city gate and waited. After a while, they saw a man carrying water. Ji Yujin exchanged a glance with Zhao Li, who then stepped forward to intercept him. “Old man, my lord wants to ask you, where do the people in the city go to get water to drink?”

That old man glanced in Ji Yujin’s direction and recognized him immediately and said hurriedly, “This humble one greets My Lord.”

“No need to be polite, old man.”

Zhao Li repeated the question again.

That old man said, “We used to get water to drink from the big river outside the city, but half a month ago, the mountain upstream of the river collapsed due to rain and the whole river was full of mud and sand. Every time we carried water back, it took ages for it to settle. Finding this too troublesome, we went to the stream at the foot of the mountain to fetch drinking water instead.”

The small stream? Half a month ago?

The person who checked the water source was slightly stunned. The timing didn’t match up. The river water only became turbid half a month ago, but the epidemic had already started half a month before that.

Ji Yujin had obviously thought of this question as well and asked, “Old man, let me ask you, before the river water became turbid, did anyone go to that stream to fetch water to drink?”

The old man said, “Yes, the water in the stream flows down from the mountain. Some people say it is spring water and the water is very sweet, so people often go there to fetch water to drink, especially those in the east of the city. The east of the city is farther from the river and closer to the stream, so they prefer to go to the stream to fetch water to drink.”

The several people’s expressions changed instantly.

East of the city…

It was where the epidemic first broke out.

Ji Yujin regained his composure the fastest. He said to the old man, “Old man, don’t drink this water for now. Go fetch some water from the people who have wells in the city.”

Although the old man didn’t understand what was happening, but he still poured out all the water.

After the old man entered the city, Ji Yujin looked at Zhao Li and ordered, “Immediately send someone to check the source of the stream and temporarily block it. No one is allowed to approach it. Everyone in the city will drink from well water.”

Zhao Li cupped his hands: “Yes.”

The person who was checking the water source had a frighteningly ugly expression on his face, and he broke out in a cold sweat on his back because his negligence might harm the people of the city. His lips turned white, and he was trembling at the thought of this.

Ji Yujin glanced at him and said, “You go too.”

He had experience in surveying water sources and knew the process well. Upon hearing Ji Yujin’s instructions, he quickly followed in Zhao Li’s footsteps.

After Ji Yujin gave the order, he thought about Chu Fengqing in the mansion. Fortunately, the water used in the mansion was well water.

The investigation was quick, and soon news came from Zhao Li.

When Ji Yujin went up, he saw dozens of rotten corpses lying in the small stream of water. Everyone’s faces were covered with herb-soaked veils. Chu Fengqing had prepared them just in case, but he never expected they would be needed now.

The corpses were all dressed in very ordinary clothes, and they must be the people who died in the flood in the city.

Ji Yujin’s face turned dark blue, and his tone was extremely cold. “Who was responsible for disposing of the bodies?”

Everyone present fell silent instantly, and no one could explain what was going on.

Ji Yujin: “Zhao Li, I’ll leave this matter to you. Check it out for me.”

Zhao Li: “Yes.”

The several people came down from the mountain, and no one dared to speak along the way. Anyone with a discerning eye could see that Ji Yujin was extremely angry this time.

As early as the beginning, Ji Yujin had ordered that the corpses be properly handled and buried with quicklime. Most of them were carried out in this way, but something went wrong and such a big mess still occurred.

When they reached the city gate, Ji Yujin closed his sore eyes. Just as he was about to get on his horse, he saw the servant who served Chu Fengqing carrying two wooden barrels and walking towards the city gate.

His eyebrows shot up, and he strode straight toward the servant. “Where are you going?”

The servant recognized Ji Yujin and quickly bowed. “At your command, My Lord. This humble one is going to fetch some water.”

His order had just been passed down, and it had not yet reached the ears of everyone.

His guess was confirmed. His hands hanging by his side trembled slightly, and he asked in a hoarse voice, “Why do you need to fetch water? What about the well in the mansion?”

The servant saw that something was off with Ji Yujin and recoiled in fear. “A few days ago, heavy rain caused the mansion’s well to collapse. The water there is no longer drinkable…”

When Zhao Li heard this, he thought to himself, It’s not good.

Ji Yujin closed his eyes, concealing the fear within them, and asked with a flicker of hope, “Where will you go to fetch water?”

“The-the mountain, the stream at the foot of the mountain.”

At this point, all luck and fantasy were shattered.

Chu Fengqing, who was in the mansion, always felt that it was particularly cold today. He put on the fox fur cloak he brought from the capital. His lips were pale to the point of looking blue. His black hair was casually scattered on his shoulders, and he didn’t even bother to take care of it. He looked very fragile.

He looked at the prescription intently. If the main ingredients were bezoar and musk, supplemented with coptis root, scutellaria baicalensis, and cinnabar…

No, there should be one more ingredient here…

He was about to lift the brush to fill in the missing medicine, but the hand holding it trembled slightly, and he found he couldn’t apply any strength. He frowned, staring at his abnormally white skin, feeling that something was wrong.

He put down the brush and wanted to take his own pulse, but suddenly his throat felt itchy and his chest ached. Before he could react, he spat out a mouthful of blood.

There were spots of blood on the snow-white paper, which then spread out little by little, soaking the back of the paper, like red plum blossoms blooming in the snow, with a hint of death beneath their gorgeousness.