The two followed the girl to her residence, a dilapidated courtyard house overgrown with weeds and in ruins. It was hard to imagine anyone still living there.
The girl seemed flustered. "My apologies, benefactors, but there is really no room to entertain you."
Ye Qingcheng smiled. "It's alright."
Bi Xi patted the little girl's head. "It's fine! Little sister, you know what? I've lived in houses like this too, so I don't have any problems!"
Ye Qingcheng asked Bi Xi to watch the outside while she followed the young girl inside, only to find the conditions inside were even more dire.
Several children were gathered around, with two adults in the center.
Seeing the girl, they rushed over, calling out, "Sister, sister, sister."
The girl smiled and stroked their heads, then spoke to the people lying down, "Father, Mother, benefactors have arrived."
Ye Qingcheng first surveyed the surroundings. It was almost a sealed environment, not allowing any air circulation, making the air difficult to breathe.
"Cough!" A cough interrupted Ye Qingcheng's observation. She felt that the cough was very unusual.
She walked forward to take a look.
Bi Xi was about to enter when Ye Qingcheng called her back.
"Bi Xi, you stay outside! It's too stuffy in here."
Bi Xi disagreed. "Princess Consort, have you forgotten? We used to..." She started to enter, but Ye Qingcheng rebuked her.
"I told you not to come in, didn't you hear me?"
Bi Xi was stunned and stopped in her tracks.
It wasn't that Bi Xi found Ye Qingcheng harsh. It was mainly because Ye Qingcheng had discovered that the two adults were very different.
One of them was already dead, with visible corpse spots. Ye Qingcheng briefly touched the corpse. The other was still alive but semi-conscious, coughing and speaking, "Benefactor?"
Ye Qingcheng responded and then lifted his clothes, looking at the festering skin on his neck.
"I am a doctor. May I take your pulse?"
The girl's father naturally agreed.
However, as Ye Qingcheng took his pulse, her brow furrowed tighter and tighter.
She had a general conclusion.
Ye Qingcheng strode forward, covering her nose and mouth with a handkerchief. She reached the doorway but did not go out.
"Bi Xi, do you have a handkerchief?"
Although Bi Xi didn't quite understand why the Princess Consort was asking, she nodded and replied, "Yes, Princess Consort. What's wrong?"
Ye Qingcheng quickly instructed, "Cover your nose and mouth with the handkerchief. First, go back to the princely estate to see if Xiao Wangye has returned. If not, take the token and go to the imperial palace. Remember, do not remove your mask at all, and tell him that there is an epidemic here."
Epidemic! Bi Xi recoiled in fear but then thought, "Princess Consort, but you went in!"
In her panic, Bi Xi's tears began to flow.
What to do, what to do? The Princess Consort had just gone in, and this was an epidemic! It was contagious!
Ye Qingcheng no longer had time to waste with her.
She snapped, "Hurry up and go!"
Bi Xi finally came to her senses.
She quickly ran back, keeping her nose and mouth covered with the handkerchief the entire way.
Upon returning to the princely estate, she saw the Prince escorting several ministers out.
Bi Xi, disregarding all etiquette, ran over and knelt on the ground. "Your Highness, Your Highness, the Princess Consort sent me back to inform you that an epidemic has been discovered in the large house in the western suburbs of the city."
What? An epidemic.
The words struck like a heavy hammer.
Xiao Wangye could not believe it. "What did you say?"
Bi Xi had calmed down by then and explained the situation. "This morning, we met a beggar girl on the street. We intended to help her out of kindness and took her home. The Princess Consort asked me not to go in, and then she went in. Shortly after, she sent me back to deliver the message, saying that they had an epidemic."
Xiao Wangye also calmed down. However, whether it was an epidemic or not, Ye Qingcheng's word alone was not enough; more confirmation was needed.
"Lin Xiao, go to the palace and summon the imperial physicians to confirm. Hurry."
Lin Xiao acknowledged the order. "Yes."
After Lin Xiao left, the other ministers began to panic.
Xiao Wangye calmed the scene. "Ministers, take protective measures, and we will proceed to the affected area."
Ye Qingcheng had already calmed the children. Most importantly, the adults were likely beyond saving.
However, several of them were still in very critical condition.
At this moment, the sound of a wheelchair was heard from outside. Ye Qingcheng knew it was Xiao Wangye.
She hurried to the doorway.
She stood at the doorway and could not go out. She was still covering her nose and mouth with a handkerchief, standing inside the house and looking at Xiao Wangye outside.
Xiao Wangye looked at her and asked, "Are you alright?"
Ye Qingcheng shook her head. "I don't know. Xiao Wangye, listen to me. This epidemic is quite severe. It's an epidemic caused by a dirty and chaotic environment. It's very likely to spread from person to person."
She looked at Bi Xi behind Xiao Wangye. "Bi Xi, have you removed your handkerchief?"
Bi Xi shook her head. "Princess Consort, I haven't."
Ye Qingcheng sighed with relief. Sending Bi Xi back was reckless, but with both of them there, someone had to go back to deliver the message.
"There is already a corpse inside, and it must be cremated. Also, seal the city gates tightly, preventing anyone from leaving or entering. When we arrived, a group of beggars had contact with this little girl. They must be found and quarantined. No one should come into contact with them, and if contact is necessary, it should only be by doctors."
Xiao Wangye nodded. "Alright."
After Ye Qingcheng finished speaking, people were already dispatched to carry out her orders.
"Also, the markets will not be opened. Since this girl had contact outside, it's likely that many people have been infected. We are the source, so we cannot let the source out. We must isolate everyone who could have been in contact."
Xiao Wangye nodded. "Alright."
At this moment, carriages arrived. Those who alighted were wearing protective gear and carrying toolboxes. They also had their noses and mouths covered.
Ye Qingcheng recognized them as people from the Imperial Academy.
A line of people passed by Ye Qingcheng, and someone handed her protective gear.
Shortly after, a corpse was carried out by them.
Xiao Wangye stood guard outside. He deeply hoped that Ye Qingcheng had misdiagnosed it, but a Taiyi (imperial physician) said, "Your Highness, it has been confirmed, it is an epidemic."
Xiao Wangye looked at the small courtyard, which was not ventilated on any side, and sighed. "Lin Xiao, pass down the order. With this as the boundary, expand outwards and completely seal the city gates. Not a single person shall get out."
Lin Xiao received the order. "Yes."