The Dramatic Crown Princess Wants to Poison Me!

Chapter 322: Chapter 322: Are You Trying to Fool Me?

Huangfu Jinxuan did not expect there to be so many people in what seemed to be an empty quarantine zone, and couldn’t help but be startled, asking, ”Where did they all come from?”

With the sudden appearance of so many people, his two guards quickly positioned themselves by his side, warily watching those villagers.

Huangfu Jingchen said calmly, ”You should ask Lord Yu about this!”

Huangfu Jinxuan turned around, seemingly wanting to ask Yu Shikui, but then he suddenly sneered and called over to Zhou Mu, who had just settled the post: ”You, come here!”

At the imperial envoy’s command, Zhou Mu jogged over and knelt on one knee: ”Are there really so many people in this quarantine zone? What’s the situation? Explain it to me!”

Yu Shikui was pondering how to smooth over this matter.

There is an art to speaking, if he were to reply, he would couch his intentions in grand justifications, portraying himself favorably, masking his original motives, and claiming it was all for centralized management.

However, Huangfu Jinxuan was not pleased with him; he preferred to ask a lowly general to respond rather than asking him.

In his heart, he felt both panic and a bit of luck.

This young imperial envoy is difficult to read in his actions.

He did not directly ask Shang Jingwang or Xia Wenjin, nor did he ask Huangfu Jingchen by his side, much less the villagers, but asked Zhou Mu instead.

Is this giving him a chance?

Yu Shikui gave Zhou Mu a look, meaning that as long as Zhou Mu answered well, he would be rewarded. Of course, the glance was not too blatant, but with it, as long as Zhou Mu wasn’t foolish, he should understand what benefits there could be in having a Fourth Rank County Magistrate owe him a favor.

Zhou Mu kept a straight face, looking straight ahead, and said loudly, ”Reporting to my lord, five days ago, I received a united military order from General Wen, leading troops to Wangshan Town. General Wen relayed the words of Yu County Magistrate, saying that anyone infected with the epidemic was the root of chaos and the source of the plague, and that not a single person from Wangshan Town should be spared. Therefore, General Wen was ordered to lead the Northern County troops, preparing flammable materials like kerosene, saltpeter, and firewood, to drive all the people into the quarantine zone to be burned to death, eradicating the source of the disease!”

This statement was brief yet comprehensive, clearly explaining the entire situation.

Moreover, it was very objective, without bias or embellishment.

Huangfu Jinxuan squinted at Yu Shikui, his tone indiscernible between praise and sarcasm: ”Eradicating the source of the disease by burning everyone to death? County Magistrate Yu has quite the nerve and audacity!”

The young man before him gently waved a folding fan, speaking in a calm voice. Yu Shikui couldn’t discern his intentions and merely laughed awkwardly, vaguely saying, ”The epidemic is too dangerous, I had no choice, no choice!”

Huangfu Jinxuan snorted lightly and said, ”Alright, alright, you don’t have to follow me. This is the quarantine zone, aren’t you afraid?”

Yu Shikui wiped his sweat and said, ”Second Young Master’s words are too serious. Where the Second Young Master can go, I, as the local magistrate, naturally should not be afraid!”

Huangfu Jinxuan ignored him and instead said proactively to Huangfu Jingchen, ”This is my first time here as an imperial envoy. What’s the situation? Can you introduce it to me?”

Huangfu Jingchen originally wanted to push Shang Jingwang forward, but thinking that Shang Jingwang wasn’t familiar with the quarantine zone either, Xia Wenjin said, ”Second Young Master, I am the doctor here, assigned by Lord Shang to manage the quarantine zone’s medical affairs. Why don’t I introduce it to Second Young Master?”

When someone suddenly interjected, Huangfu Jinxuan’s expression darkened, and he was about to get angry, but when he turned his head, he saw Huangfu Jingchen smiling at Xia Wenjin, and he held back his words, saying slowly, ”Then I’ll trouble you!”

Xia Wenjin indeed dutifully led Huangfu Jinxuan to the light and severe epidemic areas. When they reached the severe epidemic area, Huangfu Jinxuan hesitated a bit, but seeing Huangfu Jingchen’s nonchalant demeanor and absolute trust in Xia Wenjin, he grit his teeth, closed his eyes, and stepped forward.

That night, Yu Shikui wanted to stay by his side as the County Magistrate, but was sent away by Huangfu Jinxuan.

The imperial envoy’s early arrival thwarted Yu Shikui’s plan to eliminate all traces with fire, and both Huangfu Jingchen and Xia Wenjin felt relieved. Huangfu Jinxuan had no interest in the matters here, saying he was tricked by Crown Prince Kang, his brother, into coming. He was here to enjoy the scenery.

Originally planning to muddle through the days here, leaving everything to the Imperial Physician.

But he never expected to encounter Huangfu Jingchen here, so he had no choice but to feign interest and ask about the specifics.

Huangfu Jingchen had Shang Jingwang deal with him directly.

Huangfu Jinxuan wanted to liaise with Huangfu Jingchen, but when Huangfu Jingchen brought Shang Jingwang forward, he couldn’t say anything and just wanted to quickly get his questions answered and send a letter to his father, King Kang.

Shang Jingwang didn’t embellish things, but the matter itself was already moving enough without embellishment. The early stage planning of the epidemic, the struggles in between, the doctors brought in by rewards, the various shortages of materials and medicines...

When the topic shifted to Xia Wenjin, who was in charge, being infected with a severe case of the epidemic, Huangfu Jinxuan interrupted, saying, ”What? Doctor Xiao Xia was severely infected, and she even approached me earlier. Was she trying to harm this Young Master?”

This is terrible, terrible. Not only was she trying to harm him, the imperial envoy, but also Huangfu Jingchen, the Imperial Grandson, as she had been very close to him.

Shang Jingwang quickly said, ”My lord, you misunderstand. Doctor Xiao Xia’s epidemic has already been cured.”

”Really?” Huangfu Jinxuan was still apprehensive, for epidemics are the most dangerous, wiping out people regardless of status once they break out.

Shang Jingwang said, ”I dare not deceive my lord, Young Master Jing is the clearest about this. Initially, upon knowing that Doctor Xiao Xia was severely infected and critical, Young Master Jing was anxious and invited the Undying Poison Doctor. It was through the brilliant medical skills of both the Undying Poison Doctor and Doctor Xiao Xia that they developed a treatment plan for the epidemic!”

”Are you saying there’s truly a treatment plan for the epidemic? Don’t think I’m completely ignorant; on the way here, the Imperial Physicians mentioned to me that all epidemics have an incubation period, initial outbreak, development stage, and outbreak phase. Based on what you described in your report, this epidemic has only been in the incubation phase for just over a month before a treatment plan was found? Are you trying to fool me?”

Huangfu Jinxuan didn’t know the Undying Poison Doctor, but since he was the imperial envoy, of course, he cared about the treatment plan, as resolving the epidemic quickly here would mean he could return to the capital sooner.

But he felt it was unlikely.

”That’s all thanks to Doctor Xiao Xia!” Shang Jingwang’s demeanor was respectful, his tone full of admiration, though it wasn’t directed at Huangfu Jinxuan. He said, ”Doctor Xiao Xia and Young Master Jin passed through this place and, with her excellent medical skills, discovered the unique symptoms of patients, diagnosing it as the early stage of the epidemic. Wangshan Town initially only had one doctor, a fraud, and lacked many medicines; the two stayed without hesitation, tirelessly working to bring the epidemic under control here.”