"What?"
Caiyu's muddled mind instantly cleared up. She sat up straight all of a sudden and stared blankly at Qingqing.
What did Qingqing just say?
The Lan family's case?
Song Yinghuai?
She suddenly grabbed Qingqing's forearm, her knuckles pressing so hard that it seemed she was about to break Qingqing's hand. Her lips trembled slightly.
"What did you just say about the Lan family's case?"
Qingqing cast a glance at Caiyu with her head down. A look of hesitation flashed across her eyes, but finally she hardened her heart and said,
"I've been following Big Brother Sheng into the Ministry of Justice's prison these days. We were both released yesterday. I went back to Luoyanju, and Subude told me..."
Qingqing recounted what had happened outside the Chengde Hall that day between Song Yinghuai, Xiao Rencheng and others. In fact, she got this information from Lü Baiwei and then asked the little friends in the Vermilion Bird Camp for more detailed information, so she described it vividly.
The knuckles of Caiyu's hand on Qingqing's forearm gradually loosened. She was in a daze and suddenly remembered the heavy rain that had lasted for three days and three nights. She remembered that Han Fen had guarded outside her door for those three days, saying that the princess consort was seriously ill and the prince couldn't come back. She remembered Ji Ming's worried face...
So, it wasn't the princess consort who had an accident.
So, it was Song Yinghuai who had an accident!
Without her knowing, Song Yinghuai had almost been blamed by the emperor because of the Lan family's affairs!
"No, why... did the prince suddenly step forward for the old case of the Marquis of Yongchang?"
Caiyu suddenly realized. Song Yinghuai didn't know that she was Lan Jinshu, right?
Qingqing explained casually, "I heard that the Marquis of Yongchang back then was a founding hero of Daye. He was not only extremely brave but also loved his country and the people. He had extremely high prestige. The Lan family's case has touched the hearts of countless people."
"Maybe the prince and Lord Xiao have always been concerned about this case. I heard from Subude that after the prince proposed to reverse the verdict for the Lan family, more than half of the officials in the court stepped forward to support him. It's a pity that the emperor just disagreed and even blamed the prince."
Xiao Rencheng.
Right, Xiao Rencheng had a complicated relationship with her eldest sister. He had been concerned about the Lan family for the sake of his eldest sister.
What Qingqing said was right. Her father was a hero of Daye. It was normal for the prince to be concerned about her father.
As soon as Caiyu understood this, she felt extremely sad.
As a daughter of the Lan family, she had never been able to redress the grievances of her family. She could only live incognito, thinking that she could find an opportunity to turn the situation around after coming to the capital, but unexpectedly, she had fallen into an even worse and more passive situation.
The affairs of the Lan family and the freedom of her younger brother... She hadn't accomplished any of them.
At this moment, she deeply realized her own insignificance and helplessness.
The imperial power above was like a mountain pressing down on the Lan family and her, making it hard for her to breathe.
Qingqing lowered her eyelashes. Looking at Caiyu's extremely sad appearance, her fingertips curled slightly and turned white due to the entanglement and contradiction. She remembered what had happened in Pengcheng that day.
Although the act of selling herself to save her younger brother was deliberately designed by her, she had knelt in Pengcheng for a long time at that time, and indeed only the woman in front of her had shown kindness and given her silver.
Sister Caiyu... was a good person.
However, Lü Baiwei was her savior!
Moreover, that woman was also very pitiful. The crown prince didn't treat her like a human being at all.
If she didn't help Lü Baiwei, who else would?
Qingqing's lips moved a few times, and finally she sighed, "Big Brother Sheng has gone to Qixia Mountain to control the epidemic, and the prince has also gone there. Subude said that this was an opportunity for them to atone for their crimes given by the emperor."
Caiyu suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with panic.
So, Song Yinghuai had left in a hurry last night to go to Qixia Mountain to control the epidemic!
Wouldn't he run into Brother Aili?
Caiyu felt a throbbing pain in her eyebrows.
Qingqing's voice sounded again, as if she was talking to herself. "I heard that this epidemic is very serious. It spreads very fast, and many villagers have died... That Concubine Lü happened to be praying at Qixia Temple. Unfortunately, she was sealed in the epidemic area. I don't know if she's infected or not."
Caiyu felt a sudden dizziness in front of her eyes. She was dizzy and unable to think clearly because of the continuous stream of news from Qingqing.
Lü Baiwei!
Lü Baiwei was actually at Qixia Temple!
No wonder she hadn't bumped into Song Yinghuai and Lü Baiwei together on the street these days.
So she had gone to Qixia Temple!
Without Lü Baiwei around, was that why he had looked back at her last night?
Caiyu's face turned deathly pale. Brother Aili had only led the troops out today. Why had Song Yinghuai set off in a hurry last night?
Was it because he was anxious to save Lü Baiwei?
Caiyu clenched her fists tightly. Her long fingernails dug into her flesh, but she didn't feel the pain. The suffocating feeling of being toyed with and then abandoned came over her, making her eyes turn red involuntarily.
She thought... their relationship had recovered last night.
But it turned out that it was all just her own wishful thinking!
However, Qingqing seemed to mention Lü Baiwei casually and didn't emphasize it again. It was as if she believed in Song Yinghuai more than Caiyu. She then changed the topic.
"If Big Brother Sheng and the prince can successfully control the epidemic on Qixia Mountain this time, the emperor will surely reward them. I heard that this is a great merit. Sister Caiyu, have you heard of the female doctor who saved the plague victims in Xinzhou five years ago?"
"Ah?" Caiyu was still immersed in great grief. Suddenly being asked this question, she was dazed for a moment. Then, as if a light had dawned on her, she suddenly came up with an idea.
She jumped off the bed and said to Qingqing, "Qingqing, let's go find General Sheng. I'm going to Qixia Mountain!"
Qingqing's words had reminded her.
Controlling the epidemic was a great merit. If she could find a way to participate in controlling the epidemic, and then be recommended by Sheng Jiangli, she could directly meet the emperor and exchange her merits for the opportunity to reverse the verdict for the Lan family!
It was time for the Lan family members to step forward and handle the Lan family's affairs. She couldn't let Song Yinghuai take the risk.
Moreover, Song Yinghuai had already pleaded with the emperor once. The emperor had always been strict and vigilant towards Song Yinghuai. If Song Yinghuai made great contributions in controlling the epidemic this time and mentioned the Lan family's affairs again, the emperor might not just punish him to kneel.
Putting aside the matter of Lü Baiwei, Caiyu was extremely shocked and grateful when she learned that Song Yinghuai had been working hard for the Lan family's affairs.
So this time, let her, the Lan family member who had been avoiding facing the situation for a long time, work hard!
Qingqing's face darkened. There was no trace of joy of success on her face. "... Sister Caiyu, are you worried that the prince will run into Concubine Lü? I don't think the prince will like Concubine Lü."
"No..."
All she could think about now was participating in controlling the epidemic to save the Lan family. She had no time to think about feelings.
Caiyu paused for a moment. Suddenly, she thought it would be hard to explain, so she simply agreed. "Yes, I believe the prince won't like her, but I'm not at ease with her pestering the prince."
"But how are you going to get up the mountain? The epidemic area is very dangerous. Big Brother Sheng probably won't agree to let you go."
Caiyu quickly packed up and said, "Then I'll just secretly follow his troops!"
Qixia Mountain was sixty miles away from the capital and surrounded the city outside. The outbreak of the plague here, if not properly prevented and controlled, would soon spread to the city and endanger the capital.
Therefore, the whole capital was in a state of panic.
Emperor Guangwu attached great importance to this. He even issued an imperial edict to announce his deficiencies in governing the country to the world. Then, today, he issued another imperial decree. Those who made contributions in controlling the epidemic would be promoted three ranks if they had titles. Those without titles would be rewarded with ten thousand taels of silver, a hundred mu of fertile land, several houses... A series of rewards were very exciting.
This made Caiyu even more inspired.
If she could make outstanding contributions in controlling the epidemic this time, she would risk her life and use all her merits to plead for the reversal of the Lan family's verdict!
After the troops set out, she and Qingqing dressed up as men, knocked out two cooks, changed into military uniforms and sneaked into the troops.
The troops marched very fast. They left the city in just half a day.
Then they entered the outskirts of the epidemic area.
The inside and outside of the city were like ice and fire. There were people from the Five - City Garrison Command guarding the entrances of every village.
A lot of villagers had gathered at the village entrance and were shouting loudly, "Let us out! It's the village in front that has the plague. Why do you have to seal off our village too?"
"You corrupt officials! You're irresponsible. When something happens, you just lock up the common people and let us fend for ourselves. We'll fight you!"
"Everyone! Rush out of the village and flee to the city!"