Chapter 652: Chapter 223 Journey_2
"Indeed," he said, "Although the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion claimed that Young Master Qi fell ill due to the shock from the great fire at Fengle Building, from what I’ve heard others describe, Young Master Qi seemed more like he had epilepsy. I remember Doctor Lu once asked me about using a mix of herbs: Poria, Polygala, Myrrh, Dragon’s Blood, Magnolia Bark... along with Qiongchong Insect. I told him that using such a prescription could, in the short term, soothe the emotions and calm the seizures. But if used for an extended period, residual toxins would accumulate in the body, paralyzing the mind. Although it may seem to improve the condition superficially, in reality, the illness would worsen, and future relapses would be difficult to treat."
Ji Xun glanced at Lu Tong and, seeing his calm expression with no rebuttal, continued, "Later on... Young Master Qi fell ill repeatedly..."
"What do you mean by that, Doctor Ji?" Lu Tong interrupted him.
"I was treating Young Master Qi, and he wasn’t suffering from epilepsy. This has been repeatedly clarified by Envoy Cui and the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion. It’s unreasonable to condemn someone based on a single question," she spoke up. "Moreover, the fact that Young Master Qi died at the hands of his father during the exorcism ritual is a matter witnessed by all. Are you, Doctor Ji, settling scores after autumn, insinuating that no matter what, just because I had once visited the Qi residence, and since Young Master Qi, a man of noble status, died, I, a Medical Officer of common origin, should not be allowed to live and ought to be buried with him?"
Her reply was sharp, and Ji Xun was stunned for a moment, "I didn’t mean that..."
"Then what is your intention in painstakingly searching for evidence against me, Doctor Ji?"
Ji Xun was at a loss for words.
Indeed, Qi Yutai had died at the hands of Qi Qing, and this had nothing to do with Lu Tong.
He also knew that if Lu Tong hadn’t gone to Su Nan with the other Medical Officers to fight the epidemic, she might have been implicated in this accident.
His doubts about the medical case had, instead, made Lu Tong jumpy, a mistake on his part for not considering the situation thoroughly.
"I’m sorry," said Ji Xun, "I wasn’t doubting you. There were just some parts of the medical case that I found puzzling. I won’t bother you with them in the future."
Lu Tong didn’t say anything. As the silence lingered between them, suddenly Shi Changpu came rushing over hurriedly, his expression somewhat panicked.
Among the Medical Officers, Shi Changpu was usually the most carefree, often sleeping when not discussing epidemic treatments, and eating the rest of the time, so it was rare to see him this alarmed.
Shi Changpu came running up and grabbed Chang Jin to the side, and a voice could be heard faintly, "Just now, someone from Mengtai Station came with news; something big has happened in the Capital!"
Lu Tong’s heart stirred, and she looked towards where the two were heading.
Something big?
The news from Mengtai Station quickly spread among the Medical Officers fighting the epidemic.
Indeed, a major event had occurred in Shengjing.
In the previous days, the convoy had been busy on the road, traveling day and night. After crossing the Guangyun River, they had spent seven days and nights on the water, with no letters able to get through.
Now that the news had reached Mengtai, and everyone who abruptly learned of it was shocked.
The Emperor had passed away.
The Third Prince, Yuan Yao, had set an ambush outside Qinzheng Hall and launched a palace uprising during a night visit to the Emperor, resulting in the Emperor being mortally injured. The Crown Prince took a sword for the Emperor and unfortunately fell at Yuan Yao’s hand.
Prince Ning, Yuan Lang, rushed into the palace, captured the Third Prince, and imprisoned him in Zhao Prison. Just before his death, the Emperor issued an edict of succession, passing the throne to Prince Ning, Yuan Lang.
In just a few days, the Crown Prince was dead, the Third Prince imprisoned, and suddenly it was Prince Ning who ascended the throne.
It was excessively bizarre.
Although in recent years Emperor Liang Ming’s health had been deteriorating, and there had been an open and secret struggle between the Crown Prince and the Third Prince, everyone expected a conflict would eventually arise. However, the swift reversal of fortunes overnight was unprecedented. The saying "the son succeeds the father, the younger brother succeeds the elder" was known to all, and Emperor Liang Ming still had two other sons, the Second Imperial Prince and the Fourth Imperial Prince, who could take up the throne. Why then was the succession passed over them to Prince Ning?
And how could that ever-smiling, pleasure-seeking Prince, known for strolling through markets and Official Lane buying flowers and vegetables, single-handedly capture the rebels?
The court affairs were thousands of miles away, and the lower-ranking Medical Officers at the Medical Officer Institute dared not ask further questions, as silent as if they had seen a ghost.
An aged Medical Officer, trembling, spoke up, "Chief Physician, shall we still go to Su Nan?"
The names on the roster for the epidemic relief in Su Nan had been approved by Emperor Liang Ming, but now there was a new Emperor on the throne, and the world was unpredictable.
A cold wind howled past, and Chang Jin shivered.
"Let’s go," he steadied himself, "What does this have to do with us?"
They were there to combat the epidemic, and regardless of who sat on the throne, the fact that the people of Su Nan suffered from the epidemic remained true. There was no way of turning back or dropping their responsibilities.
Furthermore, with the new Emperor’s accession and the political turmoil in Shengjing, returning now would be unwise. It would be better to stay put in Su Nan and wait for the epidemic to be resolved and for things to settle down before heading back.
They were mere ants, insignificant figures who couldn’t shake the bigger picture, and could only go with the flow while trying to hold on to their integrity.