The people sent had failed to get any useful information. So, Dugu Luanyue had to take matters into her own hands. She secretly sneaked out of the palace to meet Huo Wei, hoping to persuade him not to act rashly.
Another thing that bothered her was whether Huo Wei would really set off with just such a small number of men. She felt a bit uncertain and uneasy.
Before dawn, the spring rain was drizzling. The cold wind blew her black night - traveling robe as she waited at the southern city gate.
In the second half of the night, she heard the sound of horse hooves from behind.
With her bright jade - like eyes, she looked far away and saw Huo Wei in his golden armor and cloud - crowned hat emerging in the dim sky.
The tall horse under him tossed its head. Just like its master, it looked majestic, with a golden glow appearing in the dark night.
Dugu Luanyue tightened her black cloak and walked over. "Huo Wei, let's have a talk."
Huo Wei saw several black figures standing under the city gate from afar. He thought it was Shen Guilan who had sent people to stop him again. But unexpectedly, in the misty rain, he saw Dugu Luanyue. His dark eyebrows furrowed.
He dismounted and walked over with his hand on the long sword at his waist. "Why are you here? You're the queen. Sneaking out of the palace. Are you tired of living?"
Dugu Luanyue looked behind Huo Wei again. Sure enough, just as Nanny Mei Jiang had said, Huo Wei had brought only a few soldiers. There were indeed only four imperial physicians mixed in the team.
She quickly pulled Huo Wei aside. Her jade - like eyes were full of earnestness and solemnity. "Huo Wei, the one who is tired of living is you.
The emperor only let you take these few people. Why did you agree?
Do you know how dangerous the plague is? Taking such a small number of men into danger, don't you know it's easy to never return?"
Huo Wei curled his thin lips, sharp as a blade. "What? Afraid I won't handle the matter well and let the plague spread to your Southern Chu?"
Dugu Luanyue grabbed his black cloak and whispered,
"If there's no foolproof plan or full confidence, I mean, you'd better not go.
The situation of the plague is unknown. Let the officials in Danyang City report the situation back to the court first, and then we can make plans."
Huo Wei looked at the fabric of the cloak on his chest. Looking down, in the dim light of the torch, he saw the large and small blisters on Dugu Luanyue's hand. He frowned. "Your hand is burned?"
Dugu Luanyue let go of her hand and tried to hide it in her sleeve, but Huo Wei grabbed it. His browbone became sharper. "Did the emperor do this?"
She tried to pry open Huo Wei's fingers but failed. Finally, she gave up struggling.
"This is not important. It's just a minor injury.
Huo Wei, I came here to persuade you to think it over.
The lives of the people in Danyang City are important, but without sufficient support from the court, you're in great danger. Your life is also important.
The trip to Danyang City is definitely not as simple as you think it's just about the plague!"
Dugu Luanyue's bright jade - like eyes stared deeply into his, full of worry.
Huo Wei stared at the back of her hand, and then his dark eyes slowly moved to her eyes.
There was disbelief in Huo Wei's eyes. "You're worried about me?"
Dugu Luanyue said, "What else? Do you expect me to watch you go to your death? I'm really worried about Southern Chu, but I don't want you to die like this either."
After all, her cooperation with Huo Wei had just begun, and he couldn't afford to have any accidents.
Huo Wei looked to the side. "Military Advisor Shen, bring the medicine for skin injuries."
When Shen Guilan walked over, he glared at Dugu Luanyue. One of his eyes was swollen. He threw the medicine bottle into Huo Wei's hand and turned away.
Dugu Luanyue asked, "Did your military advisor get into a fight with someone? Why is his face swollen? His eye is almost closed."
After saying this, she noticed the bruise on Huo Wei's browbone. She seemed to understand something. "Did you fight with your military advisor?"
Shen Guilan walked a few steps and then came back angrily.
"Empress Dugu, you've been trying to seduce my junior brother to go south for you to control the plague. Now you're here at the city gate to stop him. Aren't you being hypocritical?
Now that the imperial edict has been issued, is there any chance of turning back?"
Huo Wei said coldly, "That's enough."
When Huo Wei mentioned to Shen Guilan that he wanted to take charge of the plague in Danyang City, Shen Guilan disagreed completely.
Shen Guilan quickly realized that this matter must be related to Dugu Luanyue. In a fit of anger, he secretly put some sleeping pills in Huo Wei's food.
When Huo Wei woke up, he got into a fight with Shen Guilan. But when they set off today, although Shen Guilan was scolding all the way, he still packed the medicine box and followed.
Dugu Luanyue was stunned for a moment. She looked at Shen Guilan.
"If there's no chance of success in this matter, I have a way to make Huo Wei turn back halfway.
Military Advisor Shen, Huo Wei's life is also a life. If I only cared about Southern Chu and ignored his life and death, I wouldn't have stood here in the rain all night."
It was well - known that if the queen was found sneaking out of the palace privately, it would be a serious crime.
There was a fire in Shen Guilan's eyes. He gritted his teeth and said,
"Two hundred soldiers, plus the secret guards trained by the prince's mansion, and four imperial physicians. Do you think he's not going to his death?"
Huo Wei applied the ointment on the back of Dugu Luanyue's hand. After finishing, he said, "Old maid, apply this medicine three times a day. Take it well."
The medicine bottle flew out, and Nanny Mei Jiang caught it. "Remember, Your Highness."
Dugu Luanyue said, "Huo Wei, you set off first. In at most two days, I can make the emperor order you to turn back."
Just as she turned to leave, Huo Wei grabbed her arm.
The young general's sideburns were a bit wet in the cold spring rain. His deep and tough handsome face showed determination and courage in the orange light of the torch. He curled his thin lips.
"I'm going for the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in Danyang City of Northern Yan. Protecting the city and the safety of the country is a soldier's in - born duty, not because of you.
If I'm lucky and handle the matter well, it won't affect Southern Chu, right?"
Shen Guilan said, "None of the civil and military officials in the court is willing to go. Why are you being such a fool!"
Huo Wei's cold face became even colder. He stared at Shen Guilan steadily.
"The news from Danyang City only talked about the danger of the plague, but didn't say a word about how to prevent its spread or how the Imperial Medical Academy should come up with a solution.
I must lead the team myself and take these imperial physicians to Danyang City to see for myself how to treat this disease and write a prescription to completely cure the plague.
Senior Brother, I'm a general. This is what I should do, and it has nothing to do with the queen."
Huo Wei was right. If the doctors didn't go to see the plague with their own eyes, they really wouldn't know how to treat it.
Dugu Luanyue frowned tightly.
"But four imperial physicians are too few. The people you're taking are also too few. What on earth does the emperor mean? Is he deliberately making things difficult for you?"
Huo Wei said in a deep voice, "These four imperial physicians volunteered to go with me. It's not about the number of soldiers but the stability of the military morale. If the morale is stable, I can use the troops like a god. These people also volunteered."
Shen Guilan flung his sleeve and left. He mounted his horse. "Hurry up and finish talking. Let's go quickly!"
Dugu Luanyue didn't waste any more words. She quickly ordered, "Nanny, take out the token of the Phoenix Feather Guards and give it to the Prince of Yuzhang.
Inform all my secret guards to follow the Prince of Yuzhang to Danyang City. They should follow all the orders of the Prince of Yuzhang."
Nanny Mei Jiang was stunned. She touched her ear. "What? This old servant is deaf. Can't hear."