The people from the Imperial Hospital were shocked. Several elderly imperial physicians led a group of people, took some detoxifying medicine, and wrapped themselves from head to toe before daring to enter her courtyard.
At this time, Lin Ziyou's mind was groggy. She vaguely felt people coming and going around her, but she couldn't open her eyes or hear what they were saying.
The people from the Imperial Hospital stood far from her bed. Seeing the blisters on her face, some of which had broken and were oozing toxic fluid, and her entire face flushed red with fever, they immediately retreated after asking Wu Caiwei a few simple questions. The Emperor, who was about to hold the selection ceremony, received this news and immediately halted his steps. He had heard that these selected ladies would play together, and if any of them were infected, what if it spread to him?
"Please, Your Majesty, how should this little mistress be dealt with?" the head of the Imperial Hospital asked cautiously.
"I haven't come into contact with her, will I be infected?" This was the Emperor's biggest concern.
"As far as we know, only through contact will one be infected," the head of the Imperial Hospital replied truthfully.
"Has she had many contacts recently?" In the Emperor's heart, he felt that his own safety was paramount. For a daughter of a fourth-rank official, giving some benefits to the family and having her killed, nipping it in the bud, would be the best course of action. But he was afraid that even if she died, the chickenpox would still spread in the palace.
"We have inquired. She had been feeling unwell a few days ago, but those were not symptoms of chickenpox. The day before she fell ill, the young lady from Duke Anguo's mansion visited her courtyard with a large group of people. And that morning, she had been in the same room with all the selected ladies, palace maids, and several consorts."
At this point, the imperial physicians became troubled. Logically, everyone should be confined to one place, and ideally, they should not leave their residences for the next few days. If nothing happened after a few days, they would likely be fine. However, involving the consorts of the inner palace, he dared not act on his own.
What he could think of, the Emperor could also think of. Although he was fond of those few consorts, for the sake of his own safety, he confined them, stipulating that for the next seven days, all the little mistresses and those consorts in the inner palace were not allowed to step out of their courtyards.
Wei Ling soon received the news. This time, she didn't make a fuss. After all, nothing was more important than life. The thought that she might contract chickenpox because she wanted to find trouble with Lin Ziyou made her tremble all over with fear and regret.
This incident had a wide impact, and the Emperor temporarily spared Lin Ziyou's life. However, the mere thought of her was repulsive, so his name for her had been removed from his mind.
Before long, only the mistress and her servant were left in the courtyard. The Emperor had not ordered their punishment, and the Imperial Hospital would not let them perish on their own. They still sent medicinal herbs.
The medicinal herbs were placed at the entrance of the courtyard, and the palace maid who delivered them left in a hurry, as if pursued by a formidable beast.
Wu Caiwei paid it no mind. After all, everyone sought to avoid harm. She opened the courtyard gate, extracted the useful medicinal herbs, slightly modified the prescription herself, and brewed the medicine, feeding it to Lin Ziyou bit by bit.
By noon, Lin Ziyou's fever had subsided, but her face was still covered in blisters, looking rather unsightly and extremely itchy.
Women were all vain. Wu Caiwei told her that if the chickenpox blisters were scratched open, they would leave scars on her face. The thought of so many blisters leaving so many scars on her face made Lin Ziyou endure it with all her might.
Seven days passed in the blink of an eye. Fortunately, apart from Lin Ziyou, no one else in the palace was affected. The people in the palace had been on edge for so long and had cursed Lin Ziyou countless times. But no matter how harshly they cursed, they did not dare to go to her courtyard to cause trouble, not knowing if she was well. To be on the safe side, it was better not to provoke her.
The mistress and her servant lived in their small courtyard, relying on each other. What they didn't know was that on the eighth day of her diagnosis, the Emperor held the selection ceremony. Wei Ling, Lin Ziqin, and Lady Lü were all selected and happily remained in the palace.
In fact, when the Emperor heard Lin Ziqin's name, he involuntarily thought of Lin Ziyou and felt some resistance. However, upon seeing Lin Ziqin, he found her exceptionally beautiful and could not bear to send her home to marry on her own. He reluctantly kept her, but a seed of resentment had already been sown in his heart, foreshadowing an unpromising start to Lin Ziqin's life in the inner palace.
Everyone seemed to have forgotten them, the mistress and her servant. Ten days later, Lin Ziyou's face had almost healed. Wu Caiwei felt that this could not go on, so she opened the courtyard gate and looked at the two vigilant wet nurses guarding the entrance. She pleaded, "Our young lady has recovered. Please convey this to the imperial physicians."
When the two wet nurses saw her coming out, they hid far away. Although they did not want to run errands for the mistress and her servant, they had been standing guard for many days and were tired of standing. They also wanted to leave quickly.
This time, the imperial physicians arrived quickly and, like last time, were fully equipped. They examined Lin Ziyou's condition and nodded in secret, concluding that she should be fine. However, for the sake of absolute certainty, they suggested that the two remain there for a few more days.
The head of the Imperial Hospital knew that although the Emperor had not asked directly, he had been concerned about the matter. He reported Lin Ziyou's condition to him.
When the Emperor heard that she was almost healed, he said without a second thought, "Your idea is correct. Once she has fully recovered, send her home immediately. The thought of this incident gives me the creeps; it caused such widespread panic."
With the Emperor's definitive reply, the Imperial Hospital knew what to do. Five days later, seeing that she was indeed completely healed, the managing wet nurse told the mistress and her servant to quickly pack their belongings and leave.
Although the two left the palace with a somewhat dejected air, looking at the palace gate closing tightly behind them, Lin Ziyou was so moved that tears welled up in her eyes. She never expected that she and Dong'er would truly walk out of the palace gates.
Wu Caiwei rented a sedan chair not far away and helped Lin Ziyou dismount at the entrance of the Lin family mansion.
News of their ordeal in the palace had long reached the ears of the Lin family. In recent days, Master Lin and Madam Lin had not slept well, constantly worried that the epidemic in the palace would spread and implicate them.
Upon hearing that everything was fine in the palace, they breathed a sigh of relief, but then worried that Lin Ziqin might be implicated. Even with her remaining in the palace, the couple did not feel relieved, blaming Lin Ziyou for everything.
Hearing that they were standing at the main gate, they did not even want to see them. After all, they were still traumatized and feared that if the two had not fully recovered, they might infect them.
Earlier, when Master Lin wanted to bring her back, Madam Lin had objected. He insisted, and now, after all his efforts, he was almost ruined by her. He was furious and wished he had never had such a daughter.