Nobody would ever predict that disaster. Everyone was still working as usual. Zhu Su researched some new plants, the members of the Team of Wellbeing helped him in doing miscellaneous things, Hu Nayin and Zhu Youdun also gave help actively. It was warm at this moment, without black clouds that brought disaster like the last time appeared.
Zhu Su himself still felt nothing wrong with him. He was too enthusiastic and diligent when working and thus he often forgot to eat or rest. His relationship with other family members also loosened because of this. Even, when he was too "absorbed" in his project, he only slept two hours a day, and he slept on his desk. Slowly, he felt some tension in the back and upper shoulders, and he was often lethargic. And one day, he felt dizzy.
"Your Highness, are you all right? You look pale..." Hu Nayin became the first person to notice that Zhu Su was unwell.
"Ah, really? I am fine. Just a little tired, maybe catch a cold, because I often sleep on the desk in the library."
"No, Your Highness, you are really pale and haggard. It's okay, don't push yourself too hard for this research. Your health is much more important." Of course, Hu Nayin knew that Zhu Su often fell asleep on his cold desk, and it became worse because the desk was facing directly the window so Zhu Su must have got the cold. So many times, Hu Nayin brought a blanket and covered Zhu Su up with it to prevent him from catching a cold. "And you should pay attention to the chamber you sleep. A desk is not a good bed. You should sleep in the bedchamber, on a bed that has a blanket and is covered with a mosquito net."
"But there are always annoying additional notes to be recorded and it's so disturbing if I leave them to sleep... Nayin?!..."
Tired of keeping arguing for no use, Hu Nayin grabbed Zhu Su's hand, holding him for a long time.
"You want to check me with your power, right?" Zhu Su watched Hu Nayin who was closing her eyes and appeared very serious. He gave a slight smile. "Well, let me guess, your diagnosis will surely be, I am just worn out, simply suffer from Exterior Syndrome * ..."
"Your Highness... my Heaven, so terrible..."
Hu Nayin had opened her eyes and was staring closely at Zhu Su. "A lot of evil auras are eating away your organs. It feels like... like... many animals are eating their food greedily..."
"What do you mean?!" Zhu Su should admit that Hu Nayin's diagnosis sounded eerie. He felt that his hair stood on his neck because of disgust and nauseous. "Animals are eating my organs greedily?!..."
"It is what I feel," Hu Nayin bit her lip. She grabbed Zhu Su's hand, take him to follow her. "We'd better go to Physician Li to get a more precise diagnosis!"
Li Heng was researching the samples of plants contained in the bottles when Zhu Su and Hu Nayin came. He put down the bottle on his hand. "Your Highnesses are looking for me?" He could immediately suspect that something wrong had happened.
"Physician Li, please diagnose His Highness! It seems that he suffers from a quite serious illness."
Li Heng was soon alert. He examined Zhu Su very seriously. Hu Nayin's tense expression made him so meticulous it took a long time for his diagnosis to come out.
Li Heng blinked. "Your Highness... my goodness... it will be difficult..."
Zhu Su raised his eyebrow. "What's wrong, Physician Li? Am I really sick?"
"It's not just a common disease, it's so severe! And you don't feel it?"
"I just feel the heaviness on my back and shoulders, often tired, and get dizzy..."
"Don't you get shivers? Or a fever?"
"Hmm... I think, yeah... now I feel chills..."
"Then you get a fever! Your Highness, you are inflamed!"
Zhu Su widened his eyes. "Inflamed?! But, But, I don't feel like that! ... Anyway, what inflammation do I suffer from?!"
"I'm worried that it inflames your entire body..."
"My goodness, is it due to lack of rest?"
"No... no... lack of rest will never cause this symptom. Lack of rest may trigger the appearance of this disease, but won't be the main cause."
"So, what is the main cause?"
"Infected by plant."
Both Zhu Su and Hu Nayin asked in astonishment. "Infected by plant?!"
"Not only humans and animals who can transmit the disease to humans, but plants can also do the same. The contagious diseases are usually transmitted through food, by eating the infected plants. And don't think that only the contagious diseases transmitted from human to human or animal to human which may cause death, plants may also kill people."
"So scary!" Hu Nayin clasped her mouth.
"You said, the disease transmission commonly spreads through food, then whoever eats food in this palace must be infected?" Zhu Su pulled Hu Nayin to sit next to him. "Physician Li, please examine Wang Fei. It's very dangerous if she also gets poisoned."
Li Heng then examined Hu Nayin.
"Wang Fei is fine, there is not the slightest of disease inside her."
Hu Nayin heaved a sigh of relief.
"But I agree with your suggestion. Your Highness, we must gather the whole residents of the palace, even the lowest servants, and examine them all, in order to avoid somebody catches this disease but he doesn't know about it."
Zhu Su nodded. He coordinated the entire palace to have their healths checked right away. His dizziness became more intense as he did this, and there was one moment when he almost fell down while standing.
"Just leave it to us, Fu Wang. Please get some rest in your room," Zhu Youdun suggested.
Zhu Su could not stand it anymore. His dizziness had reached its peak of severeness that he even could no longer sit up straight. He thus nodded, agreed with his son's suggestion. With Hu Nayin supported him, he went to his bedchamber.
Li Heng, Guo Songmi, and all medical experts of Zhou Fan Wang Guo examined the entire palace residents very carefully. The medical examinations they did were so meticulous that the duration they needed was so long, it took one full day. But thanked Heaven, although it took a long time, the results were so auspicious.
"They are all well, thank Heaven!" Guo Songmi said cheerfully. "I was just afraid that the plant infection has infected the entire palace, but thankfully it isn't!..."
In contrast to the happy Guo Songmi, Li Heng rested on his chin, as if he was in deep thought.
"The result shouldn't be like this." Li Heng mumbled. "It's strange..."
Li Heng made Guo Songmi confused, since the senior physician seemed unhappy that the entire palace (except Zhu Su) was negative from the disease.
"This is a contagious disease. How does only Zhou Wang catch the disease, but it doesn't spread to other residents even though they all eat from the same source? That's strange. At least five people should have contracted it..." Li Heng gasped, as if he realized something. He stood up all of a sudden. Guo Songmi startled.
"What's wrong, Master?" Guo Songmi patted his chest in shock at Li Heng's sudden action.
"Yes... that's it! I see! We should not only check the palace residents, above all, we should examine the Team of Wellbeing!" And Li Heng quickly instructed the servants to call the members of Team of Wellbeing as well as those who were involved in Zhu Su's research to come before him.
"Master, what do you mean?! Why do you want to examine the members of the Team of Wellbeing?" Guo Songmi failed to understand.
...
* Exterior Syndrome = Exogenous Pathogens produce Exterior conditions that can affect the skin, muscles, and channels.