Chapter 125: Picturesque Eyes
Feng Kui led Hong Xiang into the study, and Yuan Lang stood up: "But what happened?"
Hong Xiang raised her head, revealing a tearful face under her hood: "Your Highness, I heard that you are leaving the capital, what should I do?"
Yuan Lang held her hand tightly, and said reluctantly: "The emperor's order was issued in a hurry. Has your department heard about it? I didn't expect it to happen so soon."
Hong Xiang leaned into his arms and said, "I can't bear to leave Your Highness. Please take me away."
"If you were an ordinary woman from outside, I would have taken you in long ago, but you are from the Imperial Cavalry Division, so I can't openly snatch you away. You also know that I don't have a good relationship with your leader, and she has a deep grudge against me." Yuan Lang is quite good at pacifying women, and he has ready-made reasons: "Either you find a way to overthrow Tang Ying, or you find a way to make Tang Ying agree to let you leave the Imperial Cavalry Division. Otherwise, no matter how reluctant I am to let you go, I can't take you away at will. If my father finds out, it will be hard to explain."
Easily throw the problem to Hongxiang and let her solve it herself.
Hong Xiang was so anxious that she almost cried: "Tang Ying is deeply trusted by His Majesty. Even Fu Chen's case was handed over to her for trial. How can she be easily brought down?"
Yuan Lang stroked her back gently: "If it doesn't work, you can stay and monitor Tang Ying's movements. Wait for two years... You also know that my father strictly forbids the princes to interfere in the affairs of the Forbidden Cavalry Department, otherwise I can personally ask you for it." He slowed down his tone and said affectionately: "In my heart, you are different from the women in the back house of the palace. They know nothing and only know how to dress up every day. Who can understand my ambition? After all, you are the only one who understands me the most and can help me!"
Hongxiang covered her mouth excitedly, fearing that she would accidentally shout it out - did His Royal Highness the Prince of Xiang mean that in his heart she was unique and her status was far higher than that of the Princess of Xiang in the harem?
She took the initiative to hold Yuan Lang's neck, offered him her soft red lips, and her voice blurred between their lips and teeth: "... With your words, I am willing to die for you!"
Hongxiang was panicked at first, but was persuaded by Yuan Lang. She thought that if she stayed in the Imperial Cavalry Division, she would still be of great use to Prince Xiang, and that she would win the prince's favor more than staying in the backyard and competing for favors with others. Her mood changed immediately.
So what about Princess Xiang?
Why should you fight with a woman who has lost the support of her father's family and is not only unable to help the King of Xiang, but may also be a hindrance?
Before entering the Prince of Xiang's mansion, Hongxiang realized her position in Yuan Lang's heart and seemed to see her bright future. Not only did she not make a fuss about going to the fiefdom with the Prince of Xiang, she also decided to stay in the Imperial Cavalry Division and serve as the Prince of Xiang's eyes and ears in the capital.
Feng Kui was waiting outside the study. When he heard the noise inside, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He thought that women were really stupid. A few sweet words could coax them into tying their life and property to a man. But it was precisely such stupid women who could be used by men.
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Two days later, several prisoners in the Imperial Prison of the Imperial Cavalry Division developed high fever, and macules, papules, herpes and pustules appeared on their cheeks, foreheads, limbs and torsos. They also suffered severe convulsions and coma, and two patients had already died.
After the news was reported, the Emperor of Southern Qi urgently ordered the imperial physician to go to the prison. After diagnosis, the conclusion was: smallpox.
For a while, people in the imperial prison were in panic. Not only the guards, but even the prisoners were terrified.
On the third day, more prisoners in the imperial prison were infected. Tang Ying came over with her mouth and nose covered, and discussed with the imperial physician who stayed behind: "This is not a solution. If it doesn't work, we should escort all the infected prisoners to the charity cemetery outside the city to be guarded. Those who survive will see their luck, and those who don't can be cremated in the mass grave nearby to prevent the spread of the disease everywhere."
The imperial physicians who treat patients in the imperial prison usually serve the emperor and the masters of the harem. It is a big deal that they condescend to come and treat the prisoners, but it is such a highly contagious disease. Besides, everyone knows that the imperial prison of the Imperial Cavalry Division is only one step away from the underworld, and not many people can get out alive. How could they not agree?
"Master Tang's words make sense."
Tang Ying apologized, "There are too many things to do in the office. I may not be able to leave for a while. I also have to organize people to transfer patients. It is not appropriate for me to appear in front of His Majesty. I would like to trouble you to convey this matter to His Majesty. I am an outsider, and the suggestions I make may not be considered feasible by His Majesty. Then you can say that it is your own idea. How about it?"
The imperial physician felt that Tang Ying was easy to get along with. Not only was she humble but she also refused to take credit for herself and was considerate in everything. It turned out that the rumors outside were not to be taken seriously. Those who were sent to the imperial prison would not have fallen into the hands of the Imperial Cavalry Division if they did not have evidence of something wrong with them.
"Sure, sure."
That night, Tang Ying organized the staff of the department to transfer sick or dead prisoners. She took Liu Zhong to cover their mouths and noses to check each cell. When she entered Fu Chen's cell, she touched his forehead with the back of her hand and exclaimed, "Oh, Master Liu, this prisoner also has a high fever." She also got close to his face and pointed at two small blisters on his nose and said, "Look, this man has also developed a rash. We can't keep him here. Send him to the charity cemetery immediately."
In the dim light, the dozing man suddenly opened his eyes, looked at her, and uttered three short words: "I won't leave!"
Tang Ying sneered, "You've got smallpox. Why don't you leave and infect us all? Hurry up and stop standing there. Tie him up, gag him, and send him out. Sir Liu, come here."
Liu Zhong understood what he meant, and ordered his men to come over and tie Fu Chen up tightly, then put a cloth bag on his head and prepared to carry him out - all the prisoners who were to be transferred to the charity cemetery had their heads covered and were not allowed to communicate with the outside world because they were afraid of infecting their brothers in the department.
The person living next door to Fu Chen was the informer Wang Ran. He was blindfolded and couldn't move, but his hearing was very sharp. He heard Tang Ying's footsteps going to the next door, and then she shouted even louder: "This one is also infected. Oh my, this is a witness, why is he so feverish?"
"I don't have a fever! I don't have smallpox!" He heard Wang Ran's voice defending himself fiercely.
"Really?" Then he heard Tang Ying's evil smile, and he could almost imagine her ruffian look, because she said: "It's okay, even if you are not infected, I will make you infected."
Wang Ran's extremely terrified voice rang in his ears: "What is this? What did you do?"
Tang Ying kept apologizing like a mischievous child: "Oh, I'm sorry, this is the clothes of a smallpox patient who died before, and there are pus spots on it after the smallpox patient got sick. I accidentally rubbed it on your wound because of my shaking hands, and now you must have been infected."
Wang Ran screamed in panic: "Help! Help! --" His voice stopped abruptly, and Tang Ying's cold voice rang in his ears: "Throw this man onto the cart of seriously ill patients, and it would be best if he could roll on the rashes of those patients."
He knew what Tang Ying had done without having to take off the hood.
She must have knocked Wang Ran unconscious with her hand knife.
At midnight, a long convoy formed in front of the Forbidden Cavalry Bureau. The escorts were all members of the bureau with their mouths and noses covered with red cloth. The dozen or so ox carts in front were covered with thick felt, making it impossible to tell which was a seriously ill smallpox patient and which was a dead body.
Fu Chen was unable to see this scene. He was stuffed into a carriage at the end of the team by Liu Zhong and his confidants until he heard a clear voice: "Let's go." Then he felt a gust of wind blowing in. It should be someone who got on the carriage and sat down quietly.
After a while, the carriage started slowly. He heard a familiar breathing sound and wanted to speak, but the people in the car said nothing, so he endured it.
When the convoy left the city smoothly, Liu Zhong rode over and said, "We have left the city. Please give us instructions, sir."
Tang Ying ordered: "Master Liu, you escort the convoy first, send the living to the charity cemetery, and send the dead to the mass grave, set up firewood and burn them. I feel a little uncomfortable in my stomach, I will come later."
Liu Zhong said to the carriage without thinking: "Take care, sir!" and rode away.
The shouting and the sound of the oxcart outside gradually became quieter and soon could no longer be heard. Fu Chen knew in his heart that Liu Zhong's words "Take care, sir" were not directed to Tang Ying, but to him in the car.
The hood was lifted, and the carriage was pitch black. She lifted the curtain. It was almost Mid-Autumn Festival, and moonlight leaked in, shining on her smiling eyes.
Her features are picturesque.
