Qiang Jin Jiu (Author : Tang Jiuqing 唐酒卿)

Chapter 66 : Rain Ceased

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Access in and out of the imperial palace was strictly forbidden, so the Empress Dowager arranged for Hai Liangyi and the other heavyweight ministers to rest in the Grand Secretariat’s council compound. Everyone inside and outside the palace was in a state of anxiety. 

The daily cleaning of Li Jianheng’s bedchamber was carried out with extra caution, with those serving eunuchs and palace maids all appointed by the Empress Dowager herself. Every time they entered and exited, they had to wash up and change their clothes. They were not even allowed to go out without permission during their breaks. Mu Ru kept watch by Li Jianheng’s side, not once relying on the servants. She personally taste-tested the decoction and fed it to Li Jianheng herself. Even when she ate or slept, she never left Li Jianheng’s bedchamber. 

Li Jianheng drifted in and out of consciousness, and subsequently, the Imperial Academy of Medicine was on tenterhooks too. Even when they prescribed and decocted medicine, they were careful. Everyone was already walking on eggshells, ready to lose their lives at any time. An air of dread and gloom hung over them all around. Each of them looked utterly wretched and grieved, as if bereft of their parents. 

The Imperial Academy of Medicine’s men outside the palace made all the arrangements for the medicinal ingredients in Qudu. Other than those already infected, all the disaster victims shifted out from the low-lying area had to take the medicine too. The Ministry of Revenue and Imperial Bodyguards assisted with the distribution of aid reliefs. They set up a porridge and medicine shack outside Zhao Zui Temple, where they gave out medicinal decoction and rice porridge every day according to schedule. 

Han Jin had already pulled out of Donglong Street on the night Xi Hongxuan fell ill. On the pretext of patrolling the various city gates, the Eight Great Training Divisions completely threw the matter of dredging up the public ditches to the Imperial Army. But half of the Imperial Army men had been on standby on Mount Feng awaiting orders, and now, they could not get in at all. Xiao Chiye did not have that many elite soldiers. Fortunately, there were still some people from the Ministry of Works who had yet to be withdrawn. Together with the dozens of Imperial Bodyguards, everyone pooled manpower and braved the rain to dig through the four main streets. 

By the fourth day, everyone was exhausted and weak. Chen Yang, Ge Qingqing, Qiao Tianya, and Gu Jin gathered together when they returned and leaned against the wall for a nap. Ding Tao and Xiaowu were young. The various gege took care of them and took turns to stretch and straighten out their legs for them to use as pillows when they slept. Ding Tao could not lick ink out from his brush, so the note-taking in his little notebook came to a halt. It had only been a few days, and every one of them had taken on the look of a disheveled and unkempt beggar.  

Xiao Chiye did not sleep much these days. He had to lead men to dig ditches before dawn, and there was no time for rest throughout the day. At night, when he returned to Zhao Zui Temple, he still had to watch over Shen Zechuan. 

Shen Zechuan was still able to remain awake and clear-headed a few days before, but later on, his fever would not recede, and he had a severe case of vomiting. But without food in his stomach, he could only regurgitate bile. When he was fed medicine, he would puke it all out in the middle of the night. So, when Xiao Chiye returned, he would hug Shen Zechuan. He would lean against the wall and let Shen Zechuan sprawl face-to-face on his chest or shoulder. Each time Shen Zechuan felt like vomiting, he would rub his back. 

In the dead of night, when all was quiet, Zhao Zui Temple was as lonely as a deserted island beyond the realm of the mundane world. The rain had ceased, and there was nary a sound from the birds as the thick, ink-like night shrouded everything in sight.