Chapter 474: Wasn’t She Dead?
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
“Why not?”
“Based on Your Imperial Highness’s suggestion, we have to start excavating from the mountain. How much manpower and material resources would it take? This… this is not worth it.”
“It is worth it. If we can really dig it, not only can we solve the drought in Luo City every year, but we can also settle the disaster victims who have flooded into Luo City down very well.” Xiao Jin immediately understood Su Ying’s plan after listening to her.
Now that he was sure that it would work, the present time was a good time to dig-
This year, many of Luo City’s fields had no harvest. During this period of time, the people who had no food reserves could only wait to starve to death. If proper arrangements were not provided for them, it would have an adverse impact on the local area. If the farmers had something to do at this time and could earn food for their families, they would definitely be willing to participate.
Digging canals and mountains was a long and arduous task that required a lot of manpower. The present time was the most suitable time to do this.
However, the detailed specifics of this project required the people from the Ministry of Works and the officials in charge of Luo City to carry out precise calculations before they could know if it was feasible.
Wei Zhongming didn’t say anything after hearing Xiao Jin speak. For some reason, he felt that this capital city’s official was definitely someone he couldn’t afford to offend.
Zhou Xiangrong stood at the side as her gaze swept across Su Ying’s face. However, her gaze was not deliberate, so it did not attract the attention of others.
Her almond-shaped eyes turned and landed on Xiao Jin. He clearly had an extremely ordinary face, yet he exuded an extraordinary air. She felt that this man was definitely not as simple as he appeared.
She tried her best to minimize her presence until Wei Zhongming raised his head and found that she was still beside him.
“Your Imperial Highness, after you left the city, a plague broke out in the disaster relief areas inside and outside the city. But don’t worry. The plague victims have been cured by this lady Miss Zhou.”
When Zhou Xiangrong heard Wei Zhongming mention her, she slowly walked over to Su Ying and bowed politely. “Greetings, Your Imperial Highness.”
Su Ying had noticed Zhou Xiangrong when they walked into the study. She didn’t chase her away because she knew it wouldn’t hurt to let others hear what they were saying.
Now that Zhou Xiangrong had walked out from the shadows, Su Ying could clearly see her face. Her brows immediately furrowed so deeply that her foreword formed a Roman numeral III.
Su Ying felt that she seemed to have seen this woman somewhere before. However, her memory was too vague, so she couldn’t remember from where.
Nonetheless, Wei Zhongming’s words surprised her. A plague broke out and the infected victims were cured so quickly?
Since ancient times, the shortest period of time a plague lasted was at least a few months to half a year. Including the time Su Ying was away, it had not even been half a month. Wasn’t this too fast?
“What plague? The infected are all cured?”
Wei Zhongming replied, “Yes, Your Imperial Highness. I’ve already found many doctors to check on them. I’ve confirmed that those sick commoners have really recovered.”
Su Ying believed that there were capable people in every era, but to cure the victims of such a highly infectious disease in such a short time as well as eradicate the source of the disease, she was still somewhat skeptical.
“Where’s the patients register and the prescription for treatment? Bring them here and show me.”
Zhou Xiangrong quickly raised her head and glanced at Su Ying. “Your Imperial Highness, I don’t have the patients register with me but I can write the prescription out for you.”
Su Ying told her to write the prescription while Wei Zhongming instructed his subordinate to get the patients register.
After Zhou Xiangrong finished writing the prescription, she handed it to Su Ying. Upon reading the prescription, Su Ying knew that it was meant to treat the heart.
“What’s your name?”
“I am Zhou Xiangrong.”
“Family background?”
“My father is Marquis Bo An, and I am the eldest daughter of Marquis Bo An’s Residence.”
With every question Su Ying asked, Zhou Xiangrong answered dutifully without saying anything superfluous. She appeared gentle and polite, but not tactful enough to make people think she was a scheming person.
Xiao Jin’s eyebrows twitched slightly. “Marquis Bo An’s manor has been in the capital city for generations. Why are you in Luo City?”
Which wealthy family would allow their unmarried daughter to go out so far alone?
Zhou Xiangrong pursed her lips upon hearing that. “My Lord, last month was the anniversary of my mother’s death. My mother was from Lin City. After she passed away, her remains were sent back to Lin City. I miss my mother and visit Lin City every year. Occasionally, I would stay for a few days. Not long after I arrived, I heard that there was a plague in Luo City, so I thought of coming here to take a look.”
Her words were ambiguous, but they revealed a lot of information. When a woman got married, she would follow her husband. When the wife died, she would naturally be buried in the graveyard of her husband’s family. There was no reason for her remains to be returned to her maiden family unless there was some unknown reason.
During the interrogation, the subordinate rushed back with the patients register.
“Your Imperial Highness, the patients register is here.”
Su Ying took the register and began to read it carefully.
There patients register contained various doctors’ records. In this way, Su Ying was able to understand the patients’ true illness better.
For a while, the only sound in the study was the sound of Su Ying flipping through the pages. No one made a sound.
After reading it once through, Su Ying had a rough idea of what was going on. She closed the register and said, “All the patients have been cured?”
“Your Imperial Highness, more or less yes.”
Su Ying frowned slightly. “I want a precise answer. Yes or no?”
Wei Zhongming quickly glanced at the caretaker at the side. The caretaker understood and quickly said, “Your Imperial Highness, they are all cured. Just this afternoon, it was reported that they have all recovered.”
To be on the safe side, Su Ying planned to visit the cured patients and told Wei Zhongming to prepare a carriage.
Wei Zhongming didn’t dare to disobey and immediately instructed the caretaker to do as he was told.
Su Ying stood up and glanced at Zhou Xiangrong. “Come with me.”
“Yes, Your Imperial Highness.”
There was only one horse carriage parked outside the office. During this period, the entire government office was very busy. Everything that could be used was put into use. This carriage was Wei Zhongming’s personal carriage and he was reluctant to use it for work.
Xiao Jin helped Su Ying into the carriage and then followed her into the carriage. Wei Zhongming also wanted to get into the carriage, but when he met Xiao Jin’s dark ominous eyes, he immediately shrank back.
Zhou Xiangrong lowered her eyes and sat next to the coachman. She had no intention of getting into the carriage.
After Xiao Jin closed the door, the carriage slowly started moving.
Xiao Jin held Su Ying’s hand and pulled her into his embrace. He really detested his disguised identity now because he couldn’t get too close to Su Ying in front of the other people.
Su Ying leaned into Xiao Jin’s embrace. It was more comfortable to sit leaning against him.
“The current wife of Marquis Bo An is the second wife?”
“Probably,” Xiao Jin said after pondering for a moment.
In the capital which was brimming with aristocratic and noble families, Marquis Bo An’s Residence was not really ranked that high. Even if they did their best to raise their status, they would only be a third-rate aristocratic family at best. This generation’s Marquis Bo An was only an average sixth-grade official in the capital. If Zhou Xiangrong’s generation did not produce a capable person, the Marquis’s title would be taken back. Back then, the Marquis Bo An’s title could only be passed down for three generations. If there were no major achievements after three generations, the title could be taken back at any time.
From the information Zhou Xiangrong revealed, it could be seen that she was probably not favored at home.
However, Su Ying didn’t care about these things. She was more interested in knowing how that girl managed to cure the plague-infected victims in such a short time.
Su Ying slowly closed her eyes. A distinct memory suddenly flashed through her mind, and she sat up straight instantly.
“What’s wrong?” Xiao Jin asked curiously.
Su Ying’s eyes darkened as she said faintly, “Wasn’t… she already dead?”