Chapter 299: The Plague
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
“Plague?”
Madam Xu had been waiting outside the palace gates early in the morning. When Lu Chao Chao awoke, the entire manor was already in a state of unrest.
Yu Shu could not conceal the worry in her eyes. “At the border lies a city called Desolate City.”
“Within Desolate City, sandstorms rage, and not a blade of grass grows. This is why Eastern Ling frequently covets Northern Zhao’s lands.”
“The heavy criminals of Northern Zhao are all exiled to Desolate City.”
“For years, it has been solely defended by General Rong.”
“Now, with the plague breaking out, it is truly a disaster upon disaster. We can only pray that Second Young Master returns safely.” Yu Shu’s heart was heavy. Desolate City was impoverished, and its medical facilities were practically nonexistent. This plague was merciless—what could they possibly do?
“Miss, do you still remember the malevolent spirit that emerged during the Ghost Festival? The one that murmured about returning souls? He is also in that desert.”
Lu Chao Chao’s eyelids twitched slightly.
By noon, Lu Yan Shu finally returned home, his face dark and somber.
Madam Xu nearly collapsed, needing two maids to support her as she struggled to stand.
“Elder Brother, what did the court decide?” Lu Yuan Xiao had heard of the matter at the academy and had skipped class to rush home, now anxiously inquiring.
“His Majesty has dispatched an Imperial Medical Bureau team to aid Lu Zheng Yue in combating the plague.”
“What if they fail to contain the plague?” Lu Yuan Xiao pressed further.
Lu Yan Shu’s face darkened, his expression laced with suppressed rage.
“The plague is no trivial matter. If it spreads beyond Desolate City, it will be a catastrophe for the entire nation. If we cannot suppress the plague…” His voice was hoarse as he spoke each word with great difficulty.
A faint trace of blood marked his forehead—proof that he had knelt in the Golden Imperial Hall for a long time.
Madam Xu’s face turned ashen, her lips trembling as she whispered, “If the plague cannot be controlled, then the city will be slaughtered.”
Slaughtered…
Lu Chao Chao sharply lifted her gaze.
“I must see Emperor Daddy! There are a hundred thousand citizens in Desolate City, and my Second Brother is still there! How can they just slaughter the city?!” Lu Chao Chao turned, ready to storm out in fury.
Lu Yan Shu stopped her.
“This was a decision made by the entire court of officials. Even His Majesty cannot overturn it alone!”
Even the emperor could not stand against the collective will of the court in such dire matters.
Lu Yan Shu clenched his fists tightly, his eyes rimmed red.
“But… but…” Lu Chao Chao’s voice began to choke with sobs.
“But my Second Brother hasn’t returned yet! He and Wen Ning have already been betrothed, and she is still waiting for him. My Second Brother is still trapped inside!” Lu Chao Chao’s eyes brimmed with tears.
“General Rong has arrived,” a maid announced from outside the door.
From the moment he entered, Rong Che’s gaze was fixed solely on Shi Yun.
“Shi Yun, don’t worry. I will personally go to Desolate City. With me there, you don’t need to be afraid.”
“However… our wedding will have to be postponed.” Rong Che felt a tinge of regret. He had been yearning to marry Shi Yun, yet now, he had no choice but to leave the capital.
“I have spent over ten years in Desolate City. I know it better than anyone. Do not worry.” Seeing that she was about to protest, Rong Che preempted her words.
Tears streamed down Shi Yun’s face.
Lu Yan Shu took Lu Chao Chao outside, giving the couple some space.
Handing Lu Chao Chao over to a maid, he hurriedly left.
He needed to negotiate with those stubborn ministers—he had to buy more time.
Slaughtering the city was absolutely out of the question!
With the manor in chaos and her mother preoccupied, Lu Chao Chao behaved unusually well, not causing any trouble.
By the time Madam Xu realized it, Lu Chao Chao had already sneaked onto the carriage heading for Desolate City.
Inside the carriage, she and Wen Ning stared wide-eyed at each other.
“Why are you here?!” Rong Che had set out with his army at midnight. By the time he discovered them, they were already a hundred miles away from the capital.
“I have been betrothed to Lu Zheng Yue for years. I must go see him!” Wen Ning’s face flushed, but her eyes shone with unwavering determination.
She had grown up following the rules, known as a model of grace and propriety.
But this time, she fled the capital for Lu Zheng Yue.
Lu Chao Chao was not surprised in the slightest.
Though Wen Ning seemed delicate and gentle, in her previous life, she had been the only one to stand up for the Xu Family when they were unjustly accused.
“I don’t feel at ease. I must see my Second Brother.” Lu Chao Chao pursed her lips stubbornly.
“If you send me back, I’ll just run away again.” She puffed up her cheeks in defiance.
Rong Che was at a loss.
“Send urgent word back to Shi Yun and His Majesty. The capital will be in an uproar because of her disappearance.” He shot Lu Chao Chao a glare, but she merely clung to his neck and called him “Daddy.”
Instantly, Rong Che’s expression softened, his face turning red with delight.
He originally had no intention of bringing her along.
But… she called him “Daddy.”
How could he refuse?!
“However, the journey ahead will be rough. Can you endure it?” He had taken most of the Imperial Medical Bureau with him, with only six carriages in total, traveling day and night—it would take four days.
“I can!” Lu Chao Chao raised her tiny fists.
The elderly physicians were pale and on the verge of collapse from the rough journey, their bones practically rattling apart.
Yet Lu Chao Chao remained in high spirits.
“Sister Wen, what’s that bundle you keep hugging?” she asked curiously.
Wen Ning’s gaze softened. “A gift for Lu Zheng Yue.”
“We should be nearing Desolate City, right?” The surrounding greenery had diminished, and the air grew dry.
“Yes, we will arrive by tomorrow morning.” Rong Che sat atop his horse, his unshaven face giving him a rugged look.
His gaze darkened as he looked into the distance.
A dense, black fog lingered over Desolate City.
“There’s a terrible smell in the air…” Lu Chao Chao pinched her nose in disgust.
“They are burning corpses in the city.”
“The dead are too many. They burn day and night, yet the pyres never stop.” Rong Che’s heart grew heavier.
The group fell into a solemn silence.
The imperial physicians dismounted to examine the surroundings.
But the more they investigated, the graver their expressions became.
“The water supply is uncontaminated.” One of them concluded quickly.
“We’ll enter the city at dawn.”
That night, in a ruined temple, the cold was biting.
“Does Desolate City always get this cold so early? It’s only the eighth or ninth month, yet it chills to the bone.” The physicians shivered as they pulled out thick quilts.
Rong Che shook his head grimly. “No, Desolate City is usually arid and scorching this time of year.”
Yet now, an eerie cold seeped into their bones.
Lu Chao Chao gazed at the sky, watching as a sinister chill swept towards Desolate City from all directions, her brows furrowing.
If she did not go, there might be no survivors left in Desolate City.
“I will take care of myself. General Rong, focus on your task.” The little one’s words carried the weight of an ancient elder.
Rong Che found himself unable to refute her.
Dawn broke, and the party resumed their journey.
Half an hour later, they were met with a scene far more horrific than they had imagined.
Five miles from the city gates, countless corpses lay rotting, their faces twisted in agony.
Even through three layers of cloth, the stench was unbearable.
The solitary city stood amidst the wasteland, its gates tightly shut, archers standing atop the walls.
Once warriors who fought to protect their homeland, now they had to turn their blades against their own people.