Nanny Tong clapped her hands in delight and said loudly: “Haven’t they all recovered! According to Yin Shuang… those plague victims who took the medicine earlier are all helping to care for the sick patients!”

Bai Qingyan nodded: “That is indeed wonderful news!”

“I just heard little Yin Shuang say that those refugees are now calling our Physician Hong a living Bodhisattva, saying they want to set up longevity tablets for our Physician Hong!” Nanny Tong smiled so widely that the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes deepened.

Just as Nanny Tong finished speaking, Chun Tao hurried in carrying a letter. Without bothering to bow, she handed the letter to Bai Qingyan, saying: “Eldest Miss, a letter from Second Miss! The guard said… the person who came to deliver the letter fell from horseback, only said to give it to Eldest Miss before fainting.”

Bai Qingyan’s heart skipped a beat. Steadying her mind, she opened the letter.

The national treasury is strained due to building the Nine-Tiered Platform. The Crown Prince has secretly ordered: Kill the plague victims in Huayang City and Qin Huai, massacre the cities leaving no chickens or dogs alive, and burn the corpses.]

Bai Qingyan clenched her teeth, rage suddenly flaring in her chest, her fingers nearly piercing through the paper.

Because building the Nine-Tiered Platform had strained the national treasury, they would slaughter the plague-stricken people of Huayang City and Qin Huai?!

What a fine Crown Prince! What a good son of the Emperor!

The people of both cities had suffered disaster and would require vast amounts of silver from the national treasury. The Crown Prince, prioritizing the Nine-Tiered Platform, actually wanted to massacre the cities, leaving no chickens or dogs alive.

The Nine-Tiered Platform that the Emperor desired was more important in the Crown Prince’s heart than the lives of the common people.

Bai Qingyan closed her eyes to calm her emotions, her mind rapidly calculating…

From when Bai Jinxiu received the news and sent someone to Shouyang, the Crown Prince’s orders should already be on their way to Huayang City and Qin Huai City.

“Chun Tao, immediately go to Physician Hong’s courtyard and have him write down the prescription for treating the plague! I need three copies! Take one and wait for me outside the Bai mansion gates, quickly!”

“Yes!” Chun Tao received the order and dared not delay, running out of the main room to Physician Hong’s courtyard.

Bai Qingyan also said to Nanny Tong: “Nanny Tong, send someone to summon Steward Hao and have him bring ten loyal and reliable men! It must be fast!”

“Yes!” Nanny Tong turned and went out.

The vast main room was left with only Bai Qingyan. Her eyes steady, she lit Bai Jinxiu’s letter on fire, then called in the maid guarding the door to help her change clothes.

Seeing that the letter paper had burned almost completely, Bai Qingyan threw the letter into the brush washer and raised her hand to untie the iron sandbags wound around her wrists.

When Nanny Tong returned, she saw a little maid kneeling beside the soft couch, putting deerskin boots on Bai Qingyan. Bai Qingyan had already changed into a set of thick clothing, with her fox fur cloak placed beside her.

“Nanny…” Bai Qingyan adjusted her sleeves as she spoke to Nanny Tong, “Nanny, please help me with one more thing. Spread the news about the Crown Prince massacring the plague victims of Huayang City and Qin Huai! The more people who know, the better!”

Only thus could Bai Qingyan drag her “dying body” to the capital city to admonish the Crown Prince with proper justification.

Nanny Tong had no time to ask where Bai Qingyan was going with her change of clothes before being sent out again.

Steward Hao moved quickly. When Bai Qingyan had slightly whitened her complexion and lips and stepped out of Boyun Courtyard’s main room door wearing her cloak, Steward Hao had already brought ten sturdy Bai family guards to the entrance of Boyun Courtyard.

Seeing Bai Qingyan’s slight disguise making her appear even more frail, combined with her dressed-to-go-out attire, Steward Hao hurried forward to bow: “Eldest Miss, where are you going?”

Bai Qingyan handed the map in her hands to Steward Hao: “Steward Hao, send someone to deliver this to Xiao Si!”

“Yes!” Steward Hao received the map, frowning as he looked at Bai Qingyan, “But Eldest Miss, you are…”

“Because building the Nine-Tiered Platform has strained the national treasury, the plague in Huayang City and Qin Huai City grows worse and worse. The national treasury cannot support it, so the Crown Prince has ordered the massacre of plague victims in Huayang City and Qin Huai City. But there are so many plague victims that this action is tantamount to massacring the cities! Physician Hong has already developed a prescription to treat the plague and has cured the patients in the treatment center! You ten will divide into two teams… ride fast without rest, one team rushing to Huayang City, one team rushing to Qin Huai City. You must deliver the prescription at the fastest speed possible and stop the Crown Prince’s order to kill the plague victims!”

Bai Qingyan looked intently at the ten men, speaking word by word: “If the Crown Prince’s messengers refuse to comply, tell them that I, Bai Qingyan, sent you to deliver the prescription. I have already rushed to the capital city and will personally deliver news to His Highness the Crown Prince that Physician Hong has cured the plague victims. If they don’t believe it, they can send someone back to the capital to inquire with His Highness the Crown Prince! They can also say that Princess Zhenguo Bai Qingyan obstructed them from massacring the plague victims. I, Bai Qingyan, will bear all responsibility alone!”

Steward Hao’s eyes widened. Their Eldest Miss… was going to the capital city!

“Yes!”

The ten guards responded affirmatively.

“You ten must quickly go to Physician Hong to get the prescriptions, you cannot delay! The lives of the people in Huayang City and Qin Huai City depend entirely on your speed!”

The ten Bai family guards dared not delay and immediately took action after bowing.

“Eldest Miss! Let this old servant go to the capital city in place of Eldest Miss! Eldest Miss’s ‘weak constitution’ is not suitable for long-distance travel!” Steward Hao worried that if the Crown Prince saw that their Eldest Miss had nearly recovered, the painstaking effort she had put into returning to Shouyang injured would be wasted.

“Steward Hao, rest assured, I know what I’m doing!” Bai Qingyan patted her abdomen, “I’m carrying the medicine Physician Hong gave me…”

Physician Hong, to prevent others from taking Bai Qingyan’s pulse, had made some pills to disrupt Bai Qingyan’s pulse patterns for her to carry with her.

With that, Bai Qingyan walked down the steps.

Steward Hao couldn’t bear it and followed beside Bai Qingyan, walking outward while persuading: “But that medicine… taking it harms the body!”

“The national treasury is strained. The Crown Prince prioritizes the Emperor’s wishes to build the Nine-Tiered Platform, and the Great Liang war also requires money and grain. If I don’t go… I fear others cannot persuade the Crown Prince, and I also worry the Crown Prince will shortchange the soldiers currently fighting Great Liang.”

Bai Qingyan knew the Crown Prince’s temperament. Since he was building the Nine-Tiered Platform to please the Emperor, then… he definitely wouldn’t pause construction to save silver.

Bai Qingyan’s brows were deeply furrowed, her steps not stopping: “Moreover, this massacre of the people of two cities is the Crown Prince’s secret order. If they can catch up and save the people of Huayang City and Qin Huai City, I still need to think of good words to say to the Crown Prince, and also give the Crown Prince’s people another chance to take my pulse. Only then will the Crown Prince truly be at ease!”

Bai Qingyan turned her head to look at Steward Hao: “So this trip… I must make myself.”

Steward Hao understood. Bai Qingyan had always been cautious in her actions.

“This old servant understands. This old servant will arrange everything properly for the Eldest Miss. Calculating the time… our people rushing to the two cities, then the Crown Prince’s people returning to inquire with the Crown Prince, Eldest Miss taking a carriage back to the capital city will be in time.”

“Prepare horses! A carriage is too slow… I fear variables may arise.” Bai Qingyan said with a grave expression, “As for home, I entrust it to Steward Hao. I have no time to bid farewell to Mother, and I also fear Mother won’t allow it. Please, Steward Hao, convey this on my behalf and speak well for me before Mother!”