Chapter 142: with translation of chapter title

Mu Yuanzhi had the messenger servant tell the emperor truthfully that she had eaten pastries made with utensils used by infected personnel that were not disinfected.

The emperor immediately replied, telling her to go back, and conveyed his hope that she would quickly find a prescription to solve the plague.

Mu Yuanzhi then returned to Weiyang Palace, she sent someone to tell Gu Rongjin not to enter the palace, although the palace gates now mostly prohibit casual entry/exit.

Cough—cough—cough—

Mu Yuanzhi, who was deeply studying the prescription, occasionally coughed a few times; Linglong was very worried: "Master, you wouldn't be..."

'Possibly, you'd better stay away from me.' Mu Yuanzhi didn't even lift her head.

She wasn't panicked; testing drugs on herself wasn't the first time, poison and plague aren't more terrible than each other.

Now the body's reaction can quickly reveal the symptoms of this plague.

'I'm not afraid.'

'Don't lie, who isn't afraid? Stay away, that's an order.' Mu Yuanzhi looked up and said to Linglong.

Linglong then stepped back a bit, but still stood in a place where she could hear orders at any time.

'The medicinal ingredients from the Imperial Medical Institute have been moved here, which is very convenient.' Mu Yuanzhi said while writing down two medicinal ingredients.

Linglong asked happily: 'Master, have you already found a method?'

'Not that fast.' Mu Yuanzhi propped her head up.

Linglong let out a breath and then regained her spirits, after all she knew her master's capability; she would surely find a solution soon, hoping those who should be infected get infected quickly and those who shouldn't stay uninfected.

'Master, the utensils that held the osmanthus cake must have been deliberately used by someone who had used them on infected people to serve us!' Linglong suddenly realized this and said angrily.

'Very possible, but I'm currently too busy to think about it.' Mu Yuanzhi, pondering the prescription, said.

Linglong thought: Master is busy, but Xiao Yunzi is free! Let Xiao Yunzi go check first!

After making up her mind, Linglong went to find Xiao Yunzi.

Xiao Yunzi heard and immediately went to do it.

The source of the plague is the white deer sent by Huangli State, but Huangli's people aren't infected, just as the master guessed, someone wants to frame the Prince of Purity, so the origin of the plague should be Shanglin Park where the white deer are now kept.

First go to Shanglin Park to investigate.

When Xiao Yunzi arrived at Shanglin Park, he saw Xiao Yichen there, who remained composed, but Xiao Yichen quickly noticed him.

'How is your master now?' Xiao Yichen asked.

Xiao Yunzi glanced at Xiao Yichen and said: 'Reporting to Prince Consort, our master has coughed a few times, but it's nothing serious.'

He deliberately addressed Xiao Yichen as Prince Consort to remind him of his status.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yichen's expression immediately turned grave: 'He must have contracted the plague!'

'The master said she's fine, no need for the Prince Consort to worry.'

Xiao Yichen said nothing, turned and hurried toward Weiyang Palace.

Xiao Yunzi furrowed his brow, thinking he should have known better than to tell Xiao Yichen.

Xiao Yichen usually comes and goes through the palace gates freely, and now everyone is on guard against the plague, so he had no trouble reaching Weiyang Palace.

'Dust brother!'

Pei Yunxi's eyes instantly filled with resentment as she demanded: 'You left without a word, didn't come to see me, your wife, and in this critical moment you go to Weiyang Palace?!'

'It's none of your business.' Xiao Yichen said coldly.

'It's not her business?'

In the past, Xiao Yichen would only say such things to Mu Yuanzhi.

Now he says them to his wife.

'I am your wife!' Pei Yunxi said, tears falling one by one: 'Xiao Yichen, do you know what you're doing?!'

'Of course I know, but do you know what you're doing?' Xiao Yichen coldly countered Pei Yunxi.

Pei Yunxi's tears instantly stopped, for she knew what he was implying.

'Are the osmanthus cakes sent to Weiyang Palace related to you?' Xiao Yichen's eyes flashed with sudden chill.

'How could it possibly be related to me?!' Pei Yunxi loudly denied.

'Of course it couldn't be related; she merely reminded Princess Lanting, after all, who let her be the first to know about the plague in the palace?'

'Take care of yourself!' Xiao Yichen flicked his sleeves and left.

Pei Yunxi stomped her feet in anger, with no evidence, how could he just bluntly accuse her?

'Xiao Yichen! Mu Yuanzhi has contracted the plague; if you go in you'll be infected!'

However, Xiao Yichen turned a deaf ear and walked even faster.

Pei Yunxi wanted to follow in and cause a ruckus in Weiyang Palace, but she dared not, fearing Mu Yuanzhi would infect her, so she could only watch helplessly as Xiao Yichen entered.

She also dared not speak out, lest others learn that her Prince Consort had actually run to find Mu Yuanzhi.

'Furious!'

'Mu Yuanzhi, you'd better die in there!'

Xiao Yichen didn't care how Pei Yunxi was outside; he only worried about Mu Yuanzhi.

'Chief Minister Xiao…?' Linglong saw Xiao Yichen rush in and for a moment didn't react to stop him.

Everyone at the palace gates knows Weiyang Palace might be infected, yet he dares to come?!

'Get out!'

Mu Yuanzhi, hearing the commotion inside, directly issued an order to expel him.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yichen curled his lips: 'Ah Zhi, are you worried I'll catch the infection from you?'

'Ah Zhi?'

'Worried?'

'What bullshit is he spouting?!'

Mu Yuanzhi wanted to speak up and scold again, but all that remained was a cough.

Xiao Yichen had already entered by then; seeing Mu Yuanzhi's whole face abnormally red and coughing violently, he knew she had indeed contracted the plague.

His heart clenched suddenly.

She really is plagued by misfortune.

"You should lie down and rest a bit." Xiao Yichen said, moving to help Mu Yuanzhi.

Mu Yuanzhi gave him a sideways glance, "Rest? You come up with a prescription?"

Xiao Yichen choked a little, immediately thinking of Qilin, and said, "Isn't your junior disciple also capable of that?"

"He's skilled with gu and poison, not medicine." Besides, at a time like this she couldn't possibly let Qilin come here.

Fortunately, Qilin had been summoned by the Son of Heaven.

"The Imperial Medical Institute has plenty of imperial physicians; you don't have to force yourself to study while sick." Xiao Yichen urged her to rest, his words earnest and heavy-hearted.

Mu Yuanzhi, however, snapped her brush with a slap, widened her eyes, and snapped angrily, "Xiao Yichen, stop pretending to be deep-hearted here, okay? Your petty thoughts have long been exposed—why do you still have the cheek to put on an act here?!"

"Are we just going to pretend that drugging her to force compliance never happened?!"

Xiao Yichen's deep eyes instantly filled with complexity; he doesn't regret what he did, only that he didn't succeed—otherwise, it wouldn't be Gu Rongjin's turn now!

"I'm just concerned about you."

"Feeling wronged too?" Mu Yuanzhi sneered, "No need! Get lost!"

I was already uncomfortable, head dizzy and swollen, and now being angered by this dead person makes me feel even worse!

Mu Yuanzhi wrote the final stroke, finally couldn't hold on, and fainted onto the desk.

"Ah Zhi!" Xiao Yichen exclaimed.