Chapter 49.

The patients transferred from the plague house number twenty in total, all with relatively mild symptoms.

After undergoing the bloodletting treatment, coupled with an improved version of the epidemic remedy, within just four to five days, the symptoms of eight or nine had already started to show signs of improvement. The remaining eleven or twelve had not worsened, though they hadn't fully recovered either.

"But the time is still short, and we’ll need to wait a bit longer to assess the full effects," Yin Ciguang remarked. "The head of the medical institute is preparing to select a new batch of more severely affected patients from the plague house for bloodletting treatment. If the recovery rate remains at the current four or five out of ten, we could invite more doctors to learn this technique and spread it further. Over time, this plague will no longer pose a threat."

The plague’s danger stemmed not only from its swift contagion but from the lack of a cure. Once infected, survival was a mere waiting game.

The initial outbreak had spread quickly because the people had no clue about the plague's source.

Fortunately, during the investigation in Shanxi, Xue Shu discovered that rats carried the pestilence. Prolonged exposure to them could lead to infection. This discovery identified the root cause. Following this, Yin Chengyu ordered mass rat extermination and street cleanups to prevent rats from transmitting the disease to humans. The remaining challenge was stopping person-to-person transmission.

Thanks to the lessons learned in Shanxi, when the plague reared its head in the Zhili region, Yin Chengyu overruled all opposition and dispatched troops to seal off affected towns while continuously screening the local population. Infected individuals were gathered and sent to the plague house.

Now, looking at the results, his measures had proven effective. At least, reports of new infections were decreasing. While the plague hadn't been eradicated, it was under control for the time being and hadn't spread further.

Now, with a possible cure for the plague in sight, the only remaining factors were time and resources.

"You've all worked hard these days," Yin Chengyu said, glancing at Yin Ciguang’s slightly pale face. "I’ll ensure we gather more doctors from the public. With more hands to help, it’ll be easier for everyone."

Yin Ciguang thanked him on behalf of the physicians.

"Take care of yourself, older sister. You need to stay healthy if you want to protect Concubine Rong," Yin Chengyu said, recalling how in the past life, Yin Ciguang had died too soon. His tone softened with sincerity. "The doctors from the south will arrive in the capital by the end of the month. While they may not have the expertise of imperial physicians, they’ve seen various diseases in their travels. Your condition has lingered long enough; perhaps you should consult them. If you need any special herbs, just ask Zheng Duobao to take from my personal stash."

Initially, Yin Chengyu had sheltered him out of sympathy, as their situations in the past life had been similar. But to his surprise, Yin Ciguang had reciprocated his kindness, doing much for him in return. This touched Yin Chengyu more than he had expected.

Aside from the newborn Yin Chengyue, Emperor Longfeng had four sons and one daughter. The second and third sons vied for the throne, locked in a bitter battle with him; the fourth was still too young, eight years his junior. By the time the fourth was born, Yin Chengyu had already been involved in state affairs and barely saw him.

It could be said that throughout his journey, he had no brothers to rely on.

Even his full-blooded younger brother, Yin Chengyue, was too young for Yin Chengyu to see him as anything but a child in need of protection rather than a trusted brother.

The royal family was rife with intrigue, but Yin Chengyu had no interest in stirring up more conflict.

If Yin Ciguang remained true, he wouldn’t mind having one more brother by his side.

Yin Ciguang, perceptive as always, looked up at Yin Chengyu but did not bow this time. Instead, he spoke softly, "Thank you, Your Highness. I will manage."

With that, Yin Chengyu offered no further words and left with his entourage, the sweeping robes billowing behind him, as they made their way to the gate.

Yin Ciguang stood watching them leave, his eyes following the prince as he was surrounded by attendants and guards. His wide sleeves fluttered in the wind like rolling clouds.

Ancient poets praised the likes of Xie Gong and Xia Gong, saying, "He stood like an orchid or a jade tree, smiled like the full moon in one’s embrace, and had sailed through a thousand storms without faltering from the sky."

But to Yin Ciguang, the crown prince was even more remarkable.

*

At the end of July, the medicinal herbs brought back by Wei Xihe, along with the looted silver from the salt patrol, arrived in the capital.

Now with money in hand, more herbs, and a fresh batch of doctors from the southern lands experienced in epidemic control, the fight against the bubonic plague gained unstoppable momentum.

By this time, the Imperial Medical Bureau had started testing bloodletting techniques with great success. The method had already been implemented at several plague centers around Wangjing.

Meanwhile, Wei Xihe had specifically mentioned Doctor Wu in his letter, who, upon learning of the Imperial Medical Bureau’s use of bloodletting, became extremely curious. When they met, they each demonstrated their own needle techniques. Combining the best of both, they refined the bloodletting method, improving its effectiveness even more.

By early August, the plague centers were no longer receiving a steady stream of bodies; some of the less severely ill had recovered. Before the bloodletting method was introduced, hundreds of bodies had been carried out daily to be cremated. Afterward, the number of deaths dropped to about a hundred a day, with the count steadily decreasing.

After reviewing the reports, Yin Chengyu ordered the bloodletting method to be implemented in Shanxi and Zhili.

Now that the doctors in Wangjing had mastered the technique, they were dispatched to the provinces stricken with the plague to guide local doctors in their treatment.

He handed the official report to Zheng Duobao, offering a sly smile. "Send it to the cabinet for discussion before we proceed."

Once the cabinet finished its deliberations and the decree was issued, the plague would be eradicated. Given the way things were going, it seemed unlikely that the plague would spread like it had in the previous era.

Zheng Duobao took the report and headed toward the Zhongji Hall.

As he stepped outside, he ran into Zhao Lin, looking thoroughly worn-out. Zhao Lin had been sent on a mission by the Crown Prince and had been absent from the Eastern Palace for quite some time. Seeing him, Zheng Duobao was about to greet him, but noticed how quickly he was rushing toward the Hongren Hall.

Zhao Lin was usually calm, so it was rare to see him looking so emotional.

Worry flickered in Zheng Duobao's mind, but he pushed it aside and continued with his task.

When Zhao Lin asked to meet with Yin Chengyu, he was momentarily surprised.

Seeing Zhao Lin covered in dust, Yin Chengyu dismissed his attendants. "So, you have news already?"

News about Xue Hongying had been scarce, and Yin Chengyu had thought it would take months to gather any intel.

But Zhao Lin shook his head and pulled out a secret report, his voice heavy as he spoke. "Your Majesty, I’ve returned urgently regarding the situation in Shandong. There’s a peasant uprising. The local garrisons have attempted to suppress it twice but failed both times. In just over a month, nearly ten thousand civilians have joined the rebellion."

Yin Chengyu's smile faded as he flipped through the report quickly. "Give me the details. Be clear."

Zhao Lin then detailed his findings from his trip to Shandong.

In mid-July, he had been dispatched to investigate Xue Hongying's whereabouts in Jining, Shandong, but when he arrived, he found that the situation was far worse than expected. Vast fields lay cracked and abandoned, with homeless refugees scattered along the roads.

As Zhao Lin traveled further, he learned that the region had suffered a severe drought due to the lack of rain this spring, followed by locust plagues. The crops had failed, and many farmers were left destitute, turning into wandering refugees. This, in itself, wasn’t unusual. Shandong had suffered similar disasters in recent years, alternating between droughts and floods. The government had long been prepared, with grain reserves set aside in case of a disaster, ready to be released to feed the starving people.

What was unusual was that when Zhao Lin arrived, the local authorities had yet to open the granaries. Starving citizens had no food and were forced to eat bark and roots to survive.

Zhao Lin reported these findings in a secret letter, intending to send it back to Wangjing. But before he could finish writing, he received word that a rebellion had broken out in Putai.

Initially, the cause seemed trivial—a blockage in the Yellow River silt had disrupted river traffic, prompting local officials to force the citizens to work on clearing the canals. But after the drought, locust plague, and ongoing famine, the peasants, having already suffered enough, decided to revolt.

The rebels, starting with just two thousand people, stormed the government offices and granaries, looting everything. The local garrison was dispatched to quash the rebellion, but they were defeated.

Emboldened by their victory, the rebels pushed eastward toward Qingzhou Yidu, eventually seizing the strategically important Xieshi Fort, where they raised a red-and-white flag and declared themselves the "Red Ying Army." They vowed to destroy official buildings and burn down the granaries.

The governor of Shandong was ineffective in suppressing the revolt and, fearing imperial wrath, kept the situation under wraps. Instead, he sent more troops to "negotiate," but in reality, it was another attempt to suppress the rebellion.

But the rebel leaders were shrewd, and they saw through the government's tactics. They turned the tables, ambushing and annihilating three thousand soldiers from Qingzhou.

With two major victories under their belt, the Red Ying Army gained fame, and more commoners from eastern Shandong joined their cause.

The chaos in Shandong had spiraled completely out of control, a boiling pot on the verge of explosion. The provincial governor could no longer suppress the unrest and was finally forced to send an urgent report.

When Zhao Lin hurried back to the capital, he crossed paths on the official road with a courier carrying news from Shandong. They entered the city together, but while the courier headed straight to the Tongzheng Department to deliver the memorandum, Zhao Lin rushed to the Eastern Palace to report.

Yin Chengyu gripped the confidential report, his face dark with fury. “Worthless fools, all of them! Can't accomplish anything, but they sure know how to screw things up!”

The plague that had ravaged the region had only just subsided, and now Shandong was erupting in rebellion. One crisis after another, with no end in sight.

But anger alone wouldn’t fix this mess. Yin Chengyu immediately ordered his men to summon the cabinet ministers for a meeting at the palace. By then, the governor’s urgent plea had already passed through the Tongzheng Department( Ministry of Public Administration) and landed on the cabinet’s desk.

In the Hongren Hall, the cabinet scholars gathered once again, their tempers flaring as they argued over the Shandong situation. The governor’s report sat open on the table, its words fueling a heated debate.

Second Assistant Minister Shao Tian slammed his fist down. “Traitors and rebels must be executed without mercy! There’s no room for leniency here!”

“Easy for you to say!” retorted Yu Huai’an, the elderly but sharp Minister of Revenue. “Shanxi and Zhili just weathered a massive plague, and all our resources have gone toward disaster relief. Where do you think we’ll get the money to fund a military campaign? If we send troops now, what about the starving refugees in Shandong? The uprising hasn’t gained traction yet—why not offer amnesty and bring them to heel peacefully? But if you insist on deploying soldiers, don’t come knocking on the Ministry of Revenue’s door for silver!”

Shao Tian sneered. “Didn’t we just confiscate a batch of illicit funds recently? Use that!”

Naturally, Shao Tian wasn’t having any of it. He ran the damn Ministry of War, and every year, he had to go head-to-head with the Ministry of Revenue over military pay. The silver they handed over directly lined his pockets. If those penny-pinchers at Revenue decided not to allocate the funds, it’d be like ripping the money straight out of his hands. No way was he letting that slide.

Yu Huai’an wasn’t having it. “Oh, so now the money is magically available? Convenient, isn’t it? That’s your military budget you’re talking about, not mine!”

The two men, one overseeing the Ministry of War and the other the Ministry of Revenue, were notorious for butting heads over funding. Neither was willing to budge, their argument growing louder by the second.

The three other cabinet scholars joined the fray, each backing their chosen side. The Hongren Hall devolved into a cacophony, more chaotic than a bustling marketplace.

Yin Chengyu let them bicker for a while before speaking in a low, commanding tone. “Shandong has already suffered disaster after disaster. If conflict erupts again, the common folk will have no way to survive. We’ll try amnesty first—show leniency where we can. If that fails, then we’ll crush them with military force.”

His compromise silenced the room momentarily. It was a logical approach, but easier said than done. Now the question was: Who would lead the negotiations?

Days passed in fruitless debate, with no resolution in sight. Then came the Second Prince, Yin Chengzhang, striding into the capital with the emperor’s decree in hand.

The Shandong rebellion had reached Emperor Longfeng’s ears. He ordered Yin Chengzhang to serve as Commander-in-Chief, with Marquis Anyuan Xu Hui as his deputy. Together, they would lead 5,000 imperial guards to Shandong and annihilate the rebels.

After delivering the decree, Yin Chengzhang cast a smug, taunting look at Yin Chengyu.

Yin Chengyu’s expression turned icy. Without a word, he left for Ciqing Palace.

The devastation in Shandong weighed heavily on his mind. If war broke out, the local people—already on the brink of despair—would be pushed over the edge. Even those who had no desire to rebel would be forced to take up arms. But Emperor Longfeng was an autocrat, and Yin Chengzhang a self-important brute. Neither cared about the lives of tens of thousands of peasants. To them, power trumped all.

A glint of cold rage flickered in Yin Chengyu’s eyes. If not for the stain of patricide, he might have...

Yin Chengyu was brooding by the window, his hands clasped behind his back, anger and weariness etched into his features, when Xue Shu entered the study, led by Zheng Duobao.

Xue Shu bowed slightly, then stepped forward, his voice low. “Ziyuan Zhenren has sent back word.”

“What did he say?” Yin Chengyu’s anger eased slightly as he turned to listen.

Xue Shu hesitated, lowering his gaze to conceal a hint of unease. “When I had Ziyuan Zhenren investigated, I learned he possesses a formula for a pill called Huanchun Dan. It’s said to restore youth but is, in truth, no different from the Suhexiang favored by Concubine Xiao. Its effects are even stronger—prolonged use makes it indistinguishable from slow-acting poison…”

He paused, then looked Yin Chengyu straight in the eye. “The last time I corresponded with Ziyuan Zhenren, I instructed him to give the emperor a dose. The emperor now takes Huanchun Dan by day and Suhexiang by night. Rumor has it he’s more vigorous than ever, indulging in nightly orgies. But if this continues... his life will not last long.”

Yin Chengyu remained silent, his face unreadable. After all, Emperor Longfeng was his father. Poisoning him had been Xue Shu’s decision alone. If this angered Yin Chengyu, Xue Shu was prepared to face the consequences.

Xue Shu knelt slightly, awaiting a response.

Yin Chengyu’s lips curved into the barest of smiles, dark and knowing. "Well done."