Ye Qingcheng stepped forward and glanced at the silver needles on her leg. The needle points were slightly red and swollen, but there was no bruising, which was a good sign.
"It seems the recent treatments are effective. Next, we need to be diligent with the herbal foot soaks after the acupuncture."
"Your Highness is indeed a divine doctor. The Prince's recovery is just around the corner," Lin Xiao said happily.
"Of course, my medical skills are so great that even Yama, the King of Hell, would have to think twice before taking someone away," Ye Qingcheng, flattered, let her vanity get the better of her.
"This Prince needs to rest," a jarringly cold voice interrupted.
Ye Qingcheng made a face at Xiao Wangye and ran out, her skirt trailing behind her.
"Oh, right, you'll need to sterilize the silver needles yourself tonight. We'll be using them again tomorrow night. I'm going to sleep. Goodnight, everyone."
"Your Highness, there's still one more matter, the mess left behind by Physician Wang."
"The infected villagers are to be isolated as per the Princess Consort's instructions. As for the others, the elderly, weak, women, and children are to be housed four to a room for isolation. The able-bodied young men are to be organized into a single unit. Remember to let me review the list. After obtaining the list, ask the village elders if any unfamiliar names appear. Finally, bring a few elders to identify the people. Bring in those who are not from the village, and I will interrogate them myself."
Upon hearing this, Lin Xiao couldn't help but admire the Prince's astuteness. He responded with an "as you wish" and then went to relay the orders.
Night had fallen, and the lamp in Xiao Wangye's tent was extinguished.
Originally, the diligent Regent would have stayed up late handling state affairs like a domineering CEO from the 21st century. However, seeing the candlelight reminded him of the drop of sweat on Ye Qingcheng's upturned nose, which then made him think of her cherry-red lips, lips that looked so kissable and soft.
The more he thought about it, the more restless he became. How could he be thinking of her in the middle of the night? She was merely a substitute.
In a fit of anger, he extinguished the candlelight with his internal energy and lay on the bed, sulking, unable to sleep.
Who was she, really? Why did her words sometimes make no sense to him? Xiao Wangye couldn't rack his brain enough to imagine that Ye Qingcheng was someone from thousands of years in the future, or even another world entirely. For Xiao Wangye to accept this, it would be too difficult. Therefore, Ye Qingcheng was also considering how to explain her changes in a way that everyone could accept.
No one could answer Xiao Wangye's question; even the distant wolf howls had ceased. Now, the world of the night had truly begun.
"Quick, go, go to the Princess Consort's tent to protect her. Keep those elderly, weak, women, and children from coming out, and tell them not to panic. I'll go report to His Highness now." Lin Xiao, a product of the Regent's training, conveyed the orders calmly and methodically.
As he opened the Prince's tent, Xiao Wangye had already gotten up and moved to his wheelchair upon hearing the screams.
"What has happened?"
"Reporting to His Highness, those young men the Princess Consort ordered to be isolated have all mutated and are biting anyone they see."
"What about Ye Qingcheng's side? Have people been sent to protect her?"
Even in such an urgent situation, his first reaction was the Princess Consort. Hmph, a dog man. All show and no substance.
"People have already been sent."
"Tie up all those people who have gone mad. There is no medicine to treat them currently, only one method to grant them release."
Lin Xiao naturally knew what method Xiao Wangye was referring to, the simplest way to release those who had gone mad.
Lin Xiao pushed the Prince's wheelchair to the isolation area. The men brought by Xiao Wangye had already gained control of the frenzied individuals. They were bound tightly with ropes and dragged near the bonfire.
"They've all mutated? Has anyone else been injured? You must report truthfully, without any concealment," Ye Qingcheng's anxious voice rang out from behind.
"Your Highness, please rest assured, His Highness has already isolated the injured soldiers," Lin Xiao replied to the Princess Consort.
"I originally thought the virus wouldn't mutate so quickly. I didn't expect Wang Dao to be such a scoundrel to do this. Your Highness, this is no longer something we can control with mere words. We must find a way to prevent the virus from spreading."
Before Xiao Wangye could respond, he was interrupted by the urgent sound of horse hooves.
The messenger was an informant from the Regent's intelligence network.
"Urgent report, Your Highness. The barbarians are gathering troops at the border and have already begun to march north. The nomadic tribes in the surrounding areas have all pledged allegiance to them."
Trouble never comes singly.
"Tell Zhou Hu, who is guarding the north, to take his men and hold them, and see what those barbarians are planning. Lin Xiao, how is the task I assigned you last night progressing?"
"Replying to Your Highness, the list is out, and indeed, there are five who are not from this village. They await Your Highness's judgment."
Xiao Wangye mused, if these monsters were sent to the battlefield, our army would not have to expend a single soldier. No, even Ye Qingcheng has not devised an antidote for this virus. One wrong move could endanger our side. No, that would be a last resort.
"Come, burn all those who mutated tonight. All injured soldiers are to be quarantined and isolation measures strengthened."
Ye Qingcheng had expected Xiao Wangye to burn the injured soldiers as well, but to her surprise, he had left a sliver of hope for them.
"Ye Qingcheng, the task of developing an antidote is entirely yours. You must also pay close attention to my legs. If there is any slackening, you will know the consequences."
After speaking, he pushed his wheelchair away without waiting for Ye Qingcheng's reply.
Hmph, he can cure it if he says he can, what's with the attitude? Acting all cool.
"As for the injured soldiers, amputate the limbs of those with limb injuries. This way, they can still survive. Otherwise, they will become neither human nor ghost."
"Yes, I'll listen to you, Lin Xiao. Issue the order."
The next morning, after arranging everything, Xiao Wangye took Ye Qingcheng and set off for the border. This time, he would personally confront the barbarians.
"Your Highness, since last night, when the barbarians began to mass their troops, they have not advanced further and have encamped about twenty miles from us." Zhou Hu, the general at the border post, was someone Xiao Wangye had personally selected. "Logically, given the barbarians' usual conduct, they would attack as soon as their forces were sufficient."
"Are they sending envoys to negotiate terms again?"
"No, and that's the second strange point."
"Send a few men to scout. I want news tonight."
With the official matters concluded, Zhou Hu began to gossip about the Prince. "Your Highness, if I'm not mistaken, the Doctor Ye who came with you is the Princess Consort, right?" He looked at Xiao Wangye with an expression of eager anticipation, his eyes gleaming for the answer he hoped for.
"Mm," was the usual curt reply.
"Why haven't I heard of Miss Ye possessing medical skills? I heard from Lin Xiao that you are confident in curing His Highness's legs."
Xiao Wangye raised his eyes and looked at Zhou Hu, asking, "So you and Lin Xiao still exchange letters often?" It was common knowledge that the Regent was suspicious and most disliked close contact among his subordinates.
At this moment, Zhou Hu broke out in a cold sweat.