After the emperor's words faded away, the court hall remained in dead silence. Yuan Yuchuan lowered his head and secretly scanned the surroundings with his eyes. The princes stole glances at each other, but none of them stepped forward.
Yuan Yuchuan felt a surge of excitement. It was his time to shine. If he could handle this matter well, he was bound to leave a good impression on his father, the emperor.
"Father, your son is willing to lead people to console the commoners and maintain peace."
"Father, your son is willing to lead people to console the commoners and maintain peace."
Two voices rang out simultaneously. Yuan Yuchuan and Yuan Yuhan locked eyes. Yuan Yuchuan was utterly shocked. Usually, the fifth prince never vied for anything. Why did he volunteer at this moment?
The emperor broke into a smile upon seeing this. "Good! The crown prince and the fifth prince truly understand my heart! I'll entrust this matter to you two brothers. Remember to always put the commoners first!"
Yuan Yuchuan was filled with reluctance. One person, namely himself, was enough for this chance to shine. Why did the fifth prince have to butt in at this time?
He would never share the merits with others, nor would he allow anyone to undermine his position as the crown prince.
He stepped forward, bowed to the emperor, and said slowly, "Father, your son alone can handle this matter. The fifth brother is still young and might not handle it well."
Hearing this, Yuan Yuhan let out a cold snort in his heart. He was already twenty - two years old. He was no longer the young boy the crown prince described. Moreover, he would never miss this hard - won opportunity.
If he could win the hearts of the people this time, he could gradually grow stronger. One day, he would surely replace that fatuous emperor!
Yuan Yuhan was not one to back down. "Reporting to Father, your son just wants to relieve your burden. Your son will surely do his best to assist the crown prince, always deferring to the crown prince. I will never let Father down."
Hearing this, the emperor's furrowed brows relaxed, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face as he looked at Yuan Yuhan. "Very good. This matter is thus decided. I'm tired. Let's adjourn the court."
"Long live our emperor! Long live! Long live!"
The princes and ministers walked out of the court hall. Yuan Yuchuan cast a meaningful look at Yuan Yuhan. As if sensing the intense gaze on him, Yuan Yuhan turned his head and met the inquisitive look of the crown prince.
When their eyes met, it was as if a fierce spark had been struck. After a moment, their expressions returned to normal.
"I didn't expect, fifth brother, that although you usually keep quiet, you're quite concerned about the commoners." The crown prince said in a sarcastic tone.
Yuan Yuhan's lips curled up slightly, showing a fake smile. "What are you saying, elder brother? Both you and I are the emperor's sons. Naturally, we should care more about the people of the world."
Although Yuan Yuchuan was not as obsessed with women as the emperor, he was ruthless in his actions. If such a person ascended the throne in the future, he might kill all the other princes.
"Oh? It seems that the fifth brother has always had the commoners at heart. You really have the bearing of a ruler."
Yuan Yuchuan's tone was full of mockery. He had never noticed anything unusual about Yuan Yuhan before. Now that he had started to act up, Yuan Yuchuan couldn't help but pay attention.
Hearing this, Yuan Yuhan's face darkened. The crown prince deliberately said such a rebellious thing in front of so many people, trying to put him to death. But he was not so easily defeated.
"Elder brother really loves to joke. I just want to share Father's burden. Besides, doesn't elder brother also care about the commoners? If every prince who cares about the commoners has the bearing of a ruler, then wouldn't everyone be targeted?"
Hearing this, Yuan Yuchuan's face also turned unpleasant. He lowered his head, frowned, and pondered for a while. Then he suddenly raised his head. "It's just a joke. The days ahead are long. Fifth brother, you have to work hard."
After saying that, Yuan Yuchuan walked ahead. Yuan Yuhan still looked calm and composed, showing no sign of emotional change. Yes, the days ahead were long. It was still uncertain who would end up with the position of the crown prince!
The eighth prince, Yuan Yuchen, glared at the back of the crown prince angrily. "Fifth brother, why do you always give in to him? Later, we can find someone to spread the news about his impotence. Then the position of the crown prince will surely have nothing to do with him."
Yuan Yuhan thought for a moment and shook his head. "His illness has been cured by a highly - skilled doctor. Find out who cured him. Send a few people to follow him. We must find that highly - skilled doctor at all costs."
So many doctors had been helpless against his illness, yet he had been cured in such a short time. One could imagine how superb the medical skills of that highly - skilled doctor were. If that doctor could develop a prescription for the current plague, then all the credit would go to him alone.
Mu Fengqie watched as patient after patient came for treatment. She increasingly felt that there were not enough hands. Currently, only she and Xiaoqing were busy. They could only treat the patients in more serious conditions first.
After a whole day's work, she was so exhausted that her back ached. She also learned from some patients that the imperial doctors in the imperial city were also at a loss. This made her tense up.
Although it was already nightfall, she still burned the midnight oil, constantly flipping through medical books. Memories of her past life flashed through her mind, but she could only recall a few fragments.
"Poria cocos, Angelica dahurica... what else?"
Mu Fengqie kept hitting her head with her hand, trying to force herself to remember the prescription. She was a genius in traditional Chinese medicine, but this was the first time she had dealt with the plague. The plague was different from ordinary infectious diseases and influenza. Using ordinary methods to treat infectious diseases could not cure the plague completely. It could only relieve the symptoms but not the root cause.
Jing Xunce had been wearing a veil all day to assist her. He knew how difficult her situation was. Late at night, seeing her still worrying about the plague, his heart ached.
"It's getting late. Go back and rest. There are so many imperial doctors in the palace. I'm sure they will come up with a solution." Jing Xunce patted Mu Fengqie on the back and comforted her softly.
Mu Fengqie let out a sigh. People were already dying one after another. If they pinned all their hopes on the imperial doctors, maybe even more people would lose their lives.
"As a doctor, seeing so many patients every day, I can't sleep peacefully."
Jing Xunce let out a sigh. He knew Mu Fengqie was kind - hearted, but she also had to think about herself. If she fell ill, what would happen to those patients?
"Go and rest in a while. This epidemic cannot be solved overnight. If you fall ill, who will treat those patients tomorrow?"
Hearing this, Mu Fengqie's face was full of exhaustion and helplessness. She had no choice but to give up. She put down the pen in her hand and walked out of the room.
Jing Xunce followed Mu Fengqie into the yard. Looking at the high - hanging moon in the sky, he couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.
"The osmanthus flowers have fallen. It seems that winter is coming soon." Jing Xunce said slowly.
Mu Fengqie looked up. Sure enough, the osmanthus flowers on the osmanthus tree had fallen.