Chapter 156

Over the past few days, Feng Liwu had been gathering his ministers in the study to discuss state affairs.

It was said that the military officials had not returned home for two consecutive nights.

Because of this, when Jiang Xiurun sealed the eastern side gate, Feng Liwu did not notice.

However, that evening, Dou Siwu came knocking on the door, eager to enter the residence.

Previously, he had quarreled with Bai Qian, and the two had parted on bad terms.

Dou Siwu, feeling slighted, had left for the capital ahead of her.

Later, Bai Qian had followed her mistress into the city, making it inevitable that she would run into Dou Siwu from time to time.

The young general had assumed that Bai Qian would eventually find an opportunity to apologize and express her longing for marriage.

He had been ready to go along with it, forgiving her without much fuss.

But unexpectedly, Bai Qian seemed even more stubborn than he was—she didn’t even glance his way, let alone offer an apology.

Now Dou Siwu was getting a taste of his own medicine.

Just when he thought he had the upper hand, the whole situation had slipped from his grasp, leaving him feeling empty.

That day, without any official duties, he accompanied his mother to the Yang family’s plum garden outside the city to admire the blossoms.

Seeing the beautifully blooming plum trees, he had an idea—he wanted to cut a branch and gift it to Bai Qian.

However, as soon as he reached out to pick a branch, the noble ladies admiring the flowers around him gasped in shock, and Dou Siwu was immediately scolded by his mother, Lady Dou.

Surprisingly, the Yang family’s young lady was generous.

After hearing his reason, she secretly cut a lush branch for him after the flower-viewing event ended, allowing him to give it as a gift.

Thus, Dou Siwu excitedly carried the flower branch all the way to the empress’s palace and knocked on the door, eager to deliver it to Bai Qian.

When the servants reported this to Jiang Xiurun, she paused while holding her teacup and asked sharply, “You didn’t open the front gate for him, did you?”

The servant quickly replied, “Without your orders, the gatekeepers wouldn’t dare. We’ve already informed General Dou that these days mark the traditional vegetarian fasting period of the state of Bo. No red meat can be consumed, and one must not converse with those who have eaten meat to avoid contamination. This requires several days of isolation. Even meat dishes are prohibited from entering the residence, so we asked General Dou to return home.”

General Dou had left the flower branch at the door, saying that once he had departed, the gatekeepers could deliver it to General Bai.

Jiang Xiurun remained silent for a while, then stood up and walked toward the entrance.

She ordered a ladder to be placed by the wall and, supported by Bai Qian, carefully lifted her skirt and climbed up.

Peering over the wall, she saw the flower branch lying quietly on the stone steps—delicate and vibrant.

The unique blossoms of the “Bielou Spring” were densely layered, their petals clustering like tightly packed buildings.

It was said that its fragrance was especially captivating, enticing people to linger beneath the branches in search of its scent.

However, since the wall was too high, the fragrance could not be smelled from where she stood.

Yet, as Jiang Xiurun gazed at the flowers, a shiver ran down her spine.

A bizarre and unsettling thought flashed through her mind.

She hurriedly climbed down the ladder, steadied herself, and ordered the guards outside the gate to remove the flowers and temporarily place them in a wooden box.

She also instructed them to wash the steps with clean water.

The next day, after finishing his military affairs, Feng Liwu strolled leisurely to the small eastern gate—only to find that no matter how much he knocked, it wouldn’t open.

Accompanying him, Dou Siwu, being well aware of the situation, explained the state of Bo’s “vegetarian fasting period,” stating that the entire residence was consuming only fruits and vegetables.

They could not meet or speak with those who had eaten meat, let alone kiss.

Feng Liwu shot him a fierce glare.

Even if this was a Bo state tradition, Jiang Xiurun was being far too heartless!

She could have told him in advance, and he would have joined the fast—anything would be better than being refused entry!

A reigning emperor being turned away at the door—how disgraceful! Feng Liwu left in anger, his sleeves flicking in frustration.

When the servants later reported this scene to Jiang Xiurun, she said nothing, but inwardly, she was irritated by Feng Liwu’s lack of caution.

In her previous life, the epidemic had never reached the palace, so she hadn’t been particularly worried about Feng Liwu.

But now, she suddenly realized that in her past life, the previous emperor, Duanqing, had never roamed about so frequently.

A sense of unease crept into her heart.

Still, she held onto a glimmer of hope—perhaps this lifetime wouldn’t see an outbreak of the plague.

Unfortunately, that wish was shattered three days later.

Several noble ladies and their household members in the capital suddenly developed fevers, with scarlet rashes spreading across their faces.

Soon, their servants also fell ill, suffering from the same symptoms.

The physicians determined that it was an infectious epidemic.

Panic spread throughout Luo’an City.

Feng Liwu stopped visiting and instead sent word to Jiang Xiurun, instructing her not to open the palace gates, even after the fasting period ended.

If the plague spread to her and their son, the consequences would be dire.

Jiang Xiurun, confined within the residence, ordered her people to closely monitor the spread of the disease outside.

As she compiled a detailed record of the first reported cases, a pattern quickly emerged—without exception, every afflicted individual had attended the flower-viewing event at the Yang family’s estate.

But soon, as the illness spread beyond the noblewomen, the connections became more tangled and difficult to trace.

The most inexplicable part was that two of the guards stationed outside Jiang Xiurun’s palace also appeared on the list of the first infected individuals.

These guards had never attended the flower-viewing event!

Yet as Jiang Xiurun pondered the matter, she quickly made the connection—to that flower branch.

Because it was rare and valuable, and since Dou Siwu had gifted it to Bai Qian, she had instructed the two guards to keep the branch safe.

However, sensing something amiss, she had refrained from bringing it into the residence.

Now, her seemingly absurd suspicions had been confirmed.

There was no doubt—the epidemic was linked to the flowers.

A sense of urgency overtook her.

If her theory was correct, then wouldn’t Dou Siwu, who had handled the flower, also be infected?

And if he had been tending to and protecting the Emperor of Great Qi—then wouldn’t Feng Liwu be at risk as well?

For the past few days, Feng Liwu had neither visited nor sent a letter.

The eerie silence sent a chill through her heart.

If the dignified ruler of a nation had indeed contracted the epidemic, given Feng Liwu’s cunning and shrewdness, he would surely keep it tightly under wraps, not letting even the slightest hint escape.

Perhaps, at this very moment, he was lying sick in bed…

At the thought of this, Jiang Xiurun was filled with regret.

Her own rebirth was far too inexplicable to confide in anyone, which was why, even though she had known in advance that the epidemic might spread in the capital, she had not warned Feng Liwu to prepare in advance.

She had been too rash—too certain that since the palace had been unaffected in her past life, it would be safe this time as well.

This overconfidence had led her to a grave mistake.

In her past life, once the plague took hold, it would erupt within four to five days, coming with a fierce and overwhelming force.

The wealthy could barely cling to life with all sorts of detoxifying and fever-reducing medicines.

But once it spread to the poor, they could only await death, abandoned to the mass graves outside the city.

If her guess was correct, Feng Liwu must have already fallen ill, merely keeping it from her.

At this realization, Jiang Xiurun clenched her teeth.

She held on until midnight before she could no longer bear it.

Summoning Bai Qian, she carefully instructed her on all important matters before preparing to change clothes and leave the palace.

Bai Qian was utterly shocked and immediately blocked her path. “My empress, what on earth are you thinking, running around at a time like this? Right now, even in broad daylight, the streets of Luo’an City are deserted. Everyone is too afraid of catching the plague to go near crowds, yet you insist on running off? Just stay inside the palace!”

But Jiang Xiurun was unmoved.

She wrapped her cloak tightly around herself and ordered for a handkerchief, infused with realgar to ward off evil, to be folded into a triangle and tied around her nose and mouth.

“I will be traveling at night when the streets are even emptier. There should be no danger. However, once I leave, I cannot return to the palace, lest I bring contamination back inside. Baoli and the matters here will have to rely on you.”

Bai Qian knew full well the reason behind her mistress’s urgency.

She herself had been wanting to check on Dou Siwu for days, fearing that the bastard had fallen ill, but her responsibilities had kept her from leaving.

Seeing that Jiang Xiurun had already made up her mind, Bai Qian’s eyes turned red.

She swallowed back her emotions and said in a low voice, “Your Majesty, please be careful. Also… if Dou Siwu has truly fallen ill, then I will have to leave the palace as well to look after him. When that time comes, please assign someone trustworthy to take over my duties.”

Jiang Xiurun understood that her female general was also someone who followed her heart.

But in the face of a plague, human lives were as fragile as boats drifting in a stormy whirlpool—who knew what the future held?

In the end, she simply patted Bai Qian’s shoulder before hurrying off with her guards and personal maidservants, leaving in a carriage.

Back when she first returned to Luo’an City in the Qi Dynasty, Feng Liwu had given her a specially made imperial pass.

Now, even though it was the dead of night and the palace was under strict lockdown, barring anyone from entering without an imperial decree, the pass allowed Jiang Xiurun to slip inside unnoticed.

The palace attendants quietly led her to the emperor’s chambers.

Feng Liwu had been fast asleep when a eunuch gently woke him, announcing that the Empress of Bo had come to see him.

He bolted upright, not even bothering to put on his shoes, and strode out barefoot.

The moment he stepped into the outer hall, he saw Jiang Xiurun just entering, her fingers unfastening the clasp of her cloak as she walked.

Both startled and delighted, Feng Liwu rushed forward, grabbing her cold hands.

“What madness possessed you to come here in the middle of the night? Do you have any idea what’s happening outside? Didn’t I tell you not to leave the palace?”

Seeing him brimming with energy, Jiang Xiurun carefully studied his complexion.

There were no signs of illness at all.

At that, her heart finally eased, and she let out a deep sigh of relief.

Though she said nothing, Feng Liwu could easily guess what was on her mind from the way she anxiously looked him up and down.

This foolish girl!

She must have assumed he had fallen sick and was hiding it from her, so she had rushed into the palace in the dead of night to check on him.

Feng Liwu couldn’t help but pinch her cheek and give it a little shake.

He scolded her in his heart for being reckless, yet at the same time, he couldn’t suppress the warmth surging within him.

Jiang Xiurun, still recovering from her relief, suddenly realized how improper her actions had been.

A bit uneasy, she murmured, “I was too impulsive. The palace is under lockdown, yet I barged in like this. What if I accidentally brought in the plague?”

Feng Liwu held her tightly, his expression serious.

“If you thought I was sick, you didn’t hesitate to come and care for me. If it were you who was sick, wouldn’t I do the same? There’s no point in worrying about that now.”

Just as Jiang Xiurun was calming down, she suddenly remembered Bai Qian’s concern.

She quickly asked, “Then… what about Dou Siwu? Bai Qian has been worried about him. Has he caught the plague?”

Feng Liwu scooped her up effortlessly and carried her toward his inner chambers.

As he walked, he answered carelessly, “Him? He’s been eating three big bowls of rice per meal. Since he hasn’t been able to leave the palace, he’s punched through three sandbags already. Doesn’t look like someone who’s sick—he’s perfectly fine.”

At that, Jiang Xiurun finally felt relieved for Bai Qian’s sake as well.

But now that everything seemed fine, didn’t that mean all her suspicions had been completely wrong?