Chapter 123 Troubled Times
This winter is destined to be an eventful one.

The sage sent out an army to destroy the King of Dongyang, but because they were not used to fighting on water and the Jiangdong men rose up in resistance, the army was defeated and almost completely wiped out.

An army of 300,000 was defeated in Jiangdong, and the saint who was originally determined to win almost turned gray overnight.

To make matters worse, after several heavy snowfalls, an epidemic broke out in the capital city again. This epidemic was different from ordinary typhoid fever. It was fierce and incurable.

In the capital city, whether ordinary people or wealthy families, everyone locked their doors because countless people had died from the epidemic. The creaking sound of the wooden carts transporting corpses on the long street made people terrified.

There were also people in the mansion who were infected with the epidemic, most of them were weak, including the elderly and children. Two rows of houses were set up in the southwest corner of the mansion to isolate the infected patients.

Songzhi's mother was also infected with the epidemic. She suddenly developed a high fever and then fell into a coma. Seeing the old lady being carried out by the servants, Songzhi hugged Qin Xiaoning and cried bitterly.

Qin Xiaoning hugged her and comforted her: "I heard that the Imperial Hospital is already trying its best to research a prescription for the disease. Once the medicine comes out, grandma will be able to survive this disaster."

"Even if we develop the medicine, it won't be able to help my mother in a short time. I'm afraid she won't make it this time."

As he spoke, Songzhi wiped away his tears, raised his eyes and looked at Qin Xiaoning, startled: "A Ning, why is your face so red?"

The epidemic initially causes symptoms such as red face and eyes, followed by high fever, coma, and finally unconsciousness.

As he spoke, Songzhi raised his hand and wiped Qin Xiaoning's forehead: "It's a little hot."

She has always been weak, and in order to avoid the epidemic, Lu Ji has not allowed her to leave the house for nearly a month, but he did not expect that he still failed to avoid it.

Qin Xiaoning turned around and looked in the mirror. She saw that she had indeed developed symptoms. She was in great danger, but she did not panic. She said to Song Zhi anxiously, "I have to move out. I must not infect the prince."

She has always been timid, but when the crisis really came, the first thing she thought of was to keep Lu Ji safe.

Songzhi agreed and hurried to help Qin Xiaoning pack her things. Before Songzhi could finish packing, Lu Ji, who had heard the news, rushed back in a hurry.

He walked in with a serious expression and went straight to Qin Xiaoning. The epidemic was so fierce that Qin Xiaoning was already somewhat confused. When she saw Lu Ji, she quickly stepped aside and covered her mouth and said, "Don't come over. Don't infect you."

Lu Ji strode up to her, held her in his arms, raised his hand to touch her forehead, and saw that she had a fever. He hurriedly ordered people to find a doctor.

Qin Xiaoning struggled to push him away: "There is no cure for this epidemic, don't come near me."

After saying this, she felt a black screen in front of her eyes and passed out.

It was already midnight when she woke up again. She was lying on the big bed in the main room. The charcoal fire in the fireplace was crackling and burning brightly, but she felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave and was cold.

Lu Ji was standing by her side. When he saw her wake up, he asked her in a hoarse voice, "Do you feel better? Do you want some water?"

She had a splitting headache and every bone in her body ached.

When she saw Lu Ji, she felt so wronged that she just wanted to cry.

Her intuition told her that she would most likely not make it. The fact that she woke up slowly was just God knowing that she was still thinking about Lu Ji, and allowing her to say a few more words to him.

"Don't stay by my side, don't get infected with the disease."

As soon as she opened her mouth, she felt a burning pain in her throat, but she still endured it and told Lu Ji: "I have no regrets about meeting you in this life. Even if I can't make it, you have to take good care of yourself."

After saying this, she closed her eyes drowsily again, but she was still worried in her heart, fearing that Lu Ji would be infected with the disease if he stayed by her like this foolishly.

It wouldn't matter if she died, but if she implicated him and he died with her, then she would be a sinner of the mansion.

She was thinking clearly in her mind, but she couldn't open her eyes or speak. She was worried about Lu Ji and worried that he would do something stupid, so she passed out in a daze.

At first she could still feel the pain, but after a while she was drowsy and groggy, she no longer felt the pain, but was trapped in darkness, unable to see any light. She walked forward alone, knowing that she was going to die, but still worried about Lu Ji. She walked further and further into the darkness, and vaguely saw a familiar figure.

It turned out to be her mother who had passed away many years ago.

She quickened her pace and ran towards her mother, calling out, "Mom, Mom, are you here to pick me up? It's so dark here, please take me away."

Her mother smiled at her, but even though she was so close, she just couldn't catch up with her. She was so anxious that she called out loudly, "Mom, wait for me."

"I'm not your mother." The man said to her.

She was obviously her mother, so why didn't she recognize her? Qin Xiaoning was anxious and called out, "Mother, why don't you want me anymore?"

I only heard that person reply: "I am really not your biological mother. You are noble."

Before her mother could finish her words, Qin Xiaoning continued to fall in the darkness. She was just getting scared when a familiar pair of hands grabbed her. Then she felt a very bitter taste in her mouth, as if someone was feeding her bitter medicine.

It must be Lu Ji.

This man always forces himself to take bitter medicine.

Qin Xiaoning subconsciously wanted to vomit the medicine, but she couldn't move. Her mouth was very bitter, and her internal organs were also filled with bitterness. She gradually regained consciousness and really wanted to catch Lu Ji and beat him up to vent her anger.

There is no cure for this epidemic, so why make yourself suffer more?

She finally woke up, and when she opened her eyes, the first person she saw was Lu Ji. He must have been guarding her all the time. His usually resolute face now showed a trace of haggardness, and his eyes were red.

Qin Xiaoning felt distressed and wanted him to rest, but she couldn't speak.

"A Ning, you finally woke up."

Lu Ji called her happily, but she didn't say a word. She just opened her eyes and glanced at him for a moment before falling asleep again.

Lu Ji's anxious voice could be heard faintly in my ears: "Aning, Aning, Aning."

She felt very sleepy and just wanted to sleep, but Lu Ji kept calling her in her ear, one call after another, preventing her from falling asleep.

In a daze, Qin Xiaoning heard Song Zhi's voice again: "Did you wake up just now?"

Lu Ji then stopped calling out, his voice filled with excitement: "Awake, Ah Ning is awake."

Then he ordered Songzhi: "Go and boil another bowl of the medicine developed by the Imperial Hospital. It's effective."

Although Qin Xiaoning was unconscious, she could hear the sounds.

This person is going to drink his own bitter medicine again.

Sure enough, after a while, her mouth was filled with the bitter taste of medicine, and even her internal organs began to taste bitter.

She was so miserable that she really wanted to cry.

"My Lord, please go and rest for a while. I will be on guard here."

"No need. I will boil another bowl of medicine in one hour. From now on, I will boil one bowl every hour."

(End of this chapter)