Chapter 75: Incurable Disease

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin came out of Jingzhu Courtyard and went straight back to Aoxue Courtyard.

Her heart remained fixed on the smallpox vaccine she was diligently researching, which was nearing completion. In this era, such agents as vaccines did not yet exist. If a disease like smallpox struck, people would be terrified, losing all courage at the mere rumor. Such an epidemic spread with extreme speed and possessed devastating lethality; once someone was unfortunately infected, the consequences were unimaginable. Often a single case could trigger a massive disaster, even turning an entire city into a dead city. The smallpox vaccine was a crucial means of preventing smallpox.

Although no outbreak of smallpox had been heard of yet, it was always good to prepare for a rainy day. Whether for herself or for Quan Quan Aoyu, she had to go all out. Since she had recognized that person, she should do her utmost alongside him to protect the common people.

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin's laboratory was located in the bamboo grove of Meisong Garden. Before she even arrived at Meisong Garden, she saw a figure in black sitting on a bench from a distance. Upon seeing Seeing Jun Jun Zijin, Quan Quan Aoyu stood up and waited for her to approach. He had heard about the incident at Bibo Pavilion today and, worried she had suffered harm, had come to check on her.

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin's eyes held a smile, her lips curving upward as she quickened her pace.

When she drew near to Quan Quan Aoyu, she saw his complexion was slightly pale, and a faint scent of blood seemed to linger in the air. Seeing Jun Jun Zijin hurriedly asked, "Are you injured?"

Quan Quan Aoyu shook his head slightly. "A superficial wound, nothing serious."

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin would not believe him. She led Quan Quan Aoyu into the room, grabbed his sleeve, and pulled him aside to sit. Reaching out, she began to undo Quan Quan Aoyu's robes to examine the wound.

Such a wound was truly nothing to Quan Quan Aoyu. Seeing Jun Jun Zijin wanted to check, and he did not stop her, though he said:

"You girl, are you not afraid others will see and ruin your good reputation?"

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin raised an eyebrow and said:

"I am a Physician. Right now, I am merely treating you as my patient."

As the robes were undone just a bit, a long bloodstain came into view, and Seeing Jun Jun Zijin's heart ached. She immediately took out medicine to treat his wound.

At that moment, a phoenix ring hanging around his neck was revealed. He took off the ring, placed it seriously into Seeing Jun Jun Zijin's hand, looked at Seeing Jun Jun Zijin with sincere eyes, and said:

"This is the treasure of our Quan family that guards the nation, yet no one has ever discovered its mystery; it awaits only the destined one. A few years ago, my father handed it to my mother, but her finger did not fit, so he passed it to me. You are the one I have recognized in this life. I give it to you as a token of my feelings for you."

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin fell in love with this ring at first glance. She did not know why, but she felt as though this phoenix ring originally belonged to her. She took the ring, gently slid it onto her finger, and it was as if it had taken root, impossible to remove.

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin widened her eyes in surprise, attempting to turn the ring, yet it did not budge.

Quan Quan Aoyu also showed a look of surprise, but soon he smiled and said:

"It seems you are indeed the destined one for this ring."

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin nodded helplessly and could only let it be for now. She continued to treat his wound, finally tying a beautiful bow, then raised her head. She thought of the smallpox vaccine again, pondered for a moment, and said:

"Quan Quan Aoyu, I have good news to tell you. Recently, I have been developing a smallpox vaccine, the kind of agent that can prevent smallpox epidemics, and I have made great progress. If it truly succeeds, our common people will never have to fear this evil disease, smallpox, again."

Quan Quan Aoyu had heard the term vaccine for the first time, but he was a good student and quickly understood. Surprise and joy appeared in his eyes:

"Truly? You are so remarkable. This is an act that benefits the ten thousand people."

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin lifted her chin and smiled with a touch of pride: "There are still some details that need deliberation."

She led Quan Quan Aoyu to the laboratory to show him her research results. In a light-proof hidden compartment sat an iced glass bottle containing a pale yellow liquid; that was the smallpox vaccine nearing Great achievement.

Quan Quan Aoyu was both surprised and delighted:

"The time before, when I asked you to find a cow suffering from cowpox, was for the purpose of developing this kind of... vaccine?"

Some time ago, Seeing Jun Jun Zijin had approached Quan Quan Aoyu and solemnly requested his help in finding a quiet manor to raise a cow suffering from a pox disease. This request had indeed left Quan Quan Aoyu very surprised and confused. However, facing Quan Quan Aoyu's doubts and lack of understanding, Seeing Jun Jun Zijin had merely acted mysteriously, saying these cows suffering from the pox disease had a most critical use, but as to what that use was, she had only said he would naturally know when the time came. Who would have thought she was so capable, using this cow to develop a method to suppress the smallpox that made people lose all courage at the mere rumor.

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin nodded. "That is correct, but this smallpox vaccine still needs final testing to confirm whether it is fully effective."

Quan Quan Aoyu looked at the bottle of pale yellow liquid, his eyes full of expectation. "Then how shall we test it?"

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin frowned, thought for a moment, and said:

"We need to find some volunteers. First, inject the vaccine. After a while, have them inhale the smallpox virus. If the test subject does not become infected, the vaccination is successful, antibodies have been successfully produced, and they will never be infected with smallpox again."

Quan Quan Aoyu pondered for a moment and said, "I will figure out a way for this."

With the matter of testing the smallpox vaccine settled, Quan Quan Aoyu also brought Seeing Jun Jun Zijin some news:

"The Wu family is gone. The Emperor has sentenced the Wu family to immediate execution for assassinating the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess, with the punishment extending to the entire clan. The Wu family's wealth has been confiscated. I estimate the news will spread soon." Quan Quan Aoyu said.

In the Emperor Tianqi Imperial Palace, inside Shuihua Palace, maids and eunuchs carried basins of water in and out, their faces filled with panic. The Seventh Imperial Prince lay in bed, his face flushed red, with a high fever that would not break, unconscious. A group of Imperial Physicians knelt on the ground, trembling.

Consort Shu flew into a rage, her eyes bloodshot. She grabbed a teacup and smashed it before Guo Guo Yuanzheng, who knelt at the very front:

"Guo Guo Yuanzheng, if my son comes to any harm, I will have you all, this group of incompetent Physicians, buried with him!"

Guo Guo Yuanzheng was so frightened that cold sweat poured from his forehead. He kowtowed repeatedly, begging for mercy:

"Your Highness, please calm your anger. We will do our utmost to treat the Seventh Imperial Prince."

The other Imperial Physicians were even more terrified, their upper and lower teeth chattering. They buried their heads deep in the ground, fearing that one slight mistake would cause Consort Shu to drag one of them out and behead them.

Consort Shu looked at the Seventh Imperial Prince with a heart full of pain and suddenly noticed red rashes appearing on the Seventh Imperial Prince's face.

"Guo Guo Yuanzheng, come and look at the Seventh Imperial Prince's face." Consort Shu said anxiously.

Guo Guo Yuanzheng dared not rise from his knees on the ground. He crawled forward a few steps on his knees, trembling as he reached out his hand, gently parted the hair on the Seventh Imperial Prince's face, and carefully examined the red rashes. He then parted the Seventh Imperial Prince's chest robes; the body was also covered in red spots. Next, he discovered several water-filled blisters. Guo Guo Yuanzheng was instantly struck with terror, his face losing all color.

"Your Highness, this... this looks like the symptoms of smallpox."

At these words, a deathly silence fell over the room, followed by a scream from Consort Shu.

"Smallpox? How could it be smallpox? Cure him quickly! You must cure him for me!"

Guo Guo Yuanzheng said with a bitter face, "Your Highness, there is no special medicine for smallpox. We can only do our best to use methods to clear heat and detoxify to alleviate the symptoms."

Guo Guo Yuanzheng cried out bitterly in his heart. Since ancient times, smallpox has been an incurable disease. The Seventh Imperial Prince has contracted smallpox; this time, his position as Guo Guo Yuanzheng is likely at an end.