Chapter 485: Epidemic

Gu Jiu Ling's words were hurriedly passed on by Ling Feng, and for a moment, everyone inside and outside the inn dared not eat casually.

Actually, they now feel so awful they can't eat, each one swaying, unable to form ranks.

Some feel so awful they can't even get up, having to lie on the inn's beds.

Even those with guard duties dare not relax, gritting their teeth to persist, but their sword‑holding hands tremble uncontrollably.

These people dare not eat, not even dare to drink water.

Following Gu Jiu Ling's instructions, they took a little of the tea water from last night's brew and the leftover food, and sent it to the Princess Consort's room.

For a moment, Gu Jiu Ling's table was piled with various leftovers, the smell really…

Yun Duo finally couldn't hold back, retching loudly outside the doorframe, but couldn't bring anything up; her vision blurred and she collapsed at the doorframe.

Two sturdy women hurriedly helped her up and carried her to the room to rest.

Now few have the energy to stand, and Gu Jiu Ling feels awful to the point of desperation.

She also had to persevere, taking some fever‑reducing medicine from her space and ordering Ling Feng to give each person two pills, four for severe cases, once in the morning and once at night.

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Fortunately, the medicine in the space's pharmaceutical lab was still enough to divide among Xiao Yin and her people.

Gu Jiu Ling also took two fever‑reducing pills; shortly after, a fine sweat covered her body, and she instantly felt relieved.

But her body kept shaking, and merely taking fever‑reducing medicine only treats the symptoms, not the root cause.

They must have been poisoned by something strange; she first needs to trace the source of this poison.

After Yun Duo, Ling Feng, and the others took the fever‑reducing medicine, they could barely hold themselves up, but their bodies were limp like noodles; nevertheless they still stood guard outside Gu Jiu Ling's door.

Gu Jiu Ling has always studied medicine, fearing disturbance.

Gu Jiu Ling quickly diluted those leftovers with droppers and liquid in the lab, extracted a portion, and sent it to her laboratory for study.

After about an hour and a half, Gu Jiu Ling saw the research results, her brows knitting tightly, and she couldn't help cursing under her breath: "Damn bastards!"

Gu Jiu Ling's scolding was heard by Yun Duo and Ling Feng guarding outside; the two were about to speak when Xiao Yin, whose fever had not yet subsided, slowly made his way to Gu Jiu Ling's door.

"Jiu Ling, what on earth is happening?"

Gu Jiu Ling heard Xiao Yin's voice, gathered those things into her space, and had Yun Duo open the door.

Xiao Yin walked in, weak and without strength, and sat together with Gu Jiu Ling on the bed.

Xiao Yin stared at Gu Jiu Ling, his brows furrowed tightly; this time's symptoms were exactly the same as what they experienced seven years ago in Qi Sha Gu.

Last time in Qi Sha Gu, they also ate something they shouldn't have, and the whole army's soldiers fell ill.

Even now, thinking back sends chills through Xiao Yin's heart; last time they also suffered a sudden attack, their bodies shaking, feeling as cold as if plunged into an ice cellar.

This feeling has returned once more, making Xiao Yin's complexion utterly awful.

The symptoms spread so quickly that tens of thousands in the army almost all showed them within a day and night.

Even though Xiao Yin doesn't understand medicine, he realizes this is no ordinary poison.

"Plague!"

Gu Jiu Ling gritted her teeth and uttered those two words.

Just saying those two words almost exhausted all her strength.

She recalled her instructor saying that this virus has basically been eradicated by humanity, and if it still exists, it is only in a few laboratories.

But in ancient times, with scarce medicine and no antibiotics, this disease claimed countless lives; this epidemic is no joke.

Generally, plague outbreaks occur in relatively hot and humid areas, with poor sanitation as a precondition, and the presence of many sources of transmission.

The small town where they live is kept clean by every household, with no disease sources, and generations have lived here without ever hearing of such a virulent contagion.

So there is only one possibility: someone deliberately brought this virulent contagion to the town.

This thing is also called the Black Death; when it spread to Europe in the past, it nearly wiped out the populations of entire cities.

She never imagined that her research topic would one day appear in a picturesque small town in another time and space.

"Plague?" Xiao Yin also stared blankly.

Mentioning this disease makes people turn pale with fear; moreover, over twenty years ago, his imperial father had fifteen princes, half of whom died an unnatural death due to the plague that year.

But after that epidemic, such a thing never appeared again; now who has brought this in?

Could it be that the soldiers of Qi Sha Gu seven years ago also died from this?

Back then they all had high fever and convulsions, their bodies went limp, they couldn't even hold their swords steady, and they thought it was poisoning, never considering anything else.

Xiao Yin's face turned deathly pale; he suddenly rose, swayed, then collapsed back onto the bed, yet he grabbed Gu Jiu Ling and said: "Go, hurry, don't worry about me."

"Ling Feng, take the Princess Consort and leave; this place is not suitable for lingering."

"Also don't go to Jiangnan; go straight to Spring Prefecture, then to the island."

Gu Jiu Ling found Xiao Yin's arrangements both infuriating and laughable; this person worries to the point of confusion, she seized his arm and said: "You make it sound easy, staying behind alone to die while letting me escape by myself."

"Leaving morality aside, it's unjustifiable, and scientifically you make no sense—you illiterate."

"My symptoms are already infected; if I bring Ling Feng to Spring Prefecture, will I infect its people?"

"And go to the island? Our two children are there, their bodies so frail—how could they endure this?"

"Now I'd rather die with you than let you abandon me!"

She looked at Ling Feng: "Go find a few who can move, post notices, and see if other commoners have these symptoms."

"Inspect all the well water thoroughly, go house to house asking if any outsiders have been loitering near the wellheads lately; if so, tie them all up."

"Each household must maintain hygiene, especially burning any dead rats instead of discarding them carelessly."

"Yun Duo, take note: from now on, no one may wander about the town at will; households must isolate themselves."

"Find a spacious spot to erect a simple shelter, move all the critically ill there—I have a plan."

"Violators—be executed!"