At dawn, Seventh Chen yawned as he stepped out of the house, rubbing his face as the sound of hitting wooden stakes came from the yard.
"She's quite spirited," Seventh Chen yawned again, "seems like she enjoyed the apricots."
Last night, Miss Jun suddenly wanted apricots—not dried ones or preserves, but whole fresh ones.
In the midst of winter, it was tough to find fresh apricots.
Fang Jinxiu and Liu'er didn't argue, though, and ventured out in the middle of the night to knock on a shop and buy a jar of pickled apricots instead.
"What on earth is she thinking? Why ask for food instead of doing something?" Seventh Chen said, "She's as whimsical as a pregnant newlywed."
Emerging from the kitchen, Liu'er scoffed at his words.
"Miss is thinking things through, what's wrong with eating something while thinking?" she said.
"So, what has she thought up?" Seventh Chen asked.
As the two bickered, Miss Jun came out from the back courtyard.
"Chen Lin," she said, lowering her sleeves, "after breakfast, go to the Five Cities Military Department. I've written down what they need to do; you're responsible for arranging their actions."
Seventh Chen acknowledged, watching Miss Jun walk past him into the hall.
"She called me Chen Lin," he said again, his expression somewhat odd.
Liu'er rolled her eyes.
"Your name is Chen Lin, isn't it?" she asked.
Seventh Chen scratched his head.
"I am Chen Lin, but this is the first time she's called me that," he said, shrugging, "It sounds strange. I hardly recognize myself."
Moreover, hardly anyone had ever used the name Chen Lin; it was almost forgotten, written only in the family records.
So formal—it was rather unnerving.
He hoped the events to come wouldn't be more frightening.
.........…..
"This is what they are responsible for, mainly maintaining order," Miss Jun said, "Is there anything else you don't understand?"
Seventh Chen was still looking down at the papers in his hands and nodded at her words.
"No, I understand it all; it's quite straightforward," he said.
"What's simple to say may not be so simple to do," Fang Jinxiu interjected from the side, "Be serious."
"Of course I'm serious. My life is on the line; how could I not be?" Seventh Chen replied.
Fang Jinxiu stared at him appalled.
"What nonsense are you saying?" she asked.
Miss Jun laughed.
"He's right; we are indeed risking our lives. If we do well, it benefits everyone. If not, we're all done for," she said.
Fang Jinxiu frowned at her.
"Did you eat too many apricots? You're being so sarcastic," she said.
Miss Jun laughed heartily, and Seventh Chen joined in, gathering the papers.
"I'll head to the Army Department then," he said, and left.
Miss Jun also picked up a medicine box.
"Are you going to the Imperial Hospital? I'll come with you," Fang Jinxiu offered.
Miss Jun thought for a moment.
"Have Liu'er come with me. You stay home," she said, "There'll likely be a lot of places to use money and manpower soon."
"Isn't the feudal authority covering it?" Liu'er interjected.
Fang Jinxiu nodded.
"Things are urgent, and the feudal authority's people and money involve various approvals. It's faster if we act on our own," she said, "Go ahead, I'll stay at home and handle things with Manager Liu if needed."
Miss Jun nodded and walked out with Liu'er, who was carrying the medicine box.
It was breakfast time at the Lu Mansion where Princess Jiuli and Lu Yunqi were just getting ready to eat.
The servant girls quietly moved in and out, laying out a lavish breakfast on the table.
Princess Jiuli and Lu Yunqi sat opposite each other, quietly eating their meals.
"Mr. Gu added riding and archery lessons for Prince Huai," Lu Yunqi suddenly said.
Adding riding and archery lessons meant Prince Huai was fully recovered.
Princess Jiuli nodded.
"It's time he learned that," she said, smiling, "Mr. Gu really is learned and talented."
Lu Yunqi hummed in response.
The topic of Prince Huai was something even they, as a couple, rarely discussed.
Lu Yunqi did not continue the conversation, nor did Princess Jiuli ask further, and the two resumed their silent meal.
"Have many children with smallpox come from outside the city?"
After a pause, Princess Jiuli lifted her head to speak again.
Lu Yunqi was slightly surprised.
Princess Jiuli never initiated questions about matters beyond their immediate surroundings.
But he wasn't surprised for long.
Smallpox was connected to that woman.
The woman named Jiuling who had successfully caught Princess Jiuli's attention.
But it wasn't just Princess Jiuli who had been drawn in—it was he himself as well.
"The emperor has already made arrangements," he said. "Your Highness need not worry."
Princess Jiuli hummed in response, but did not remain silent as she used to.
"Has Miss Jun been given full responsibility by the imperial decree?" she asked again.
Lu Yunqi's hand tightened around his chopsticks.
"Yes," he said.
Not waiting for Princess Jiuli to speak again, he put down his chopsticks and stood up.
"I need to go to the garrison now."
Princess Jiuli put down her chopsticks and nodded with a smile, watching as Lu Yunqi turned and walked out.
The servant girls on both sides stepped forward with a hint of unease to clear up, but Princess Jiuli picked up her chopsticks and continued eating, prompting the servants to back off as they watched her with a hint of regret.
These past few days, Lord Lu hadn't visited the outer residence; he was either at the garrison or at home. Yet, his relationship with Princess Jiuli showed no sign of improvement, still marked by a polite distance, and today it seemed that the Princess had somewhat displeased Lord Lu.
It was well-known in the household that Lord Lu disliked Jiuling Hall. Yet, the Princess kept mentioning it, even though Jiuling Hall had cured Prince Huai. Shouldn't she have considered her husband's preferences to some extent?
Princess Jiuli finished another bowl of rice before putting down her chopsticks and standing up. She walked out and stopped under the eaves, looking outward.
"This Miss Jun is really interesting," she murmured to herself.
She wasn't the only one who found Miss Jun interesting—the staff at the Imperial Hospital shared the sentiment.
Jiuling Hall's actions were the focus of the entire city, and as Miss Jun had promised, progress and arrangements were being clearly communicated.
Soldiers had just proclaimed along the streets that the dynasty had requisitioned Guanghua Temple outside the capital to accommodate the smallpox patients. Moreover, checkpoints were set up at various routes to guide and intercept the children rushing to the city upon hearing the news, to prevent them from entering the city.
Medicines for Evil Exorcism were prepared for distribution and spraying.
Naturally, the staff at the Imperial Hospital were also aware of these preparations.
"The required herbs and concoctions have been transferred to the Medicine Bureau, as Miss Jun instructed," an imperial physician said, looking at Miss Jun who was seated in the room, "It should be ready for distribution and spraying by this afternoon at the latest."
Miss Jun nodded.
"Then, any more herbs Miss Jun needs, just order us, and we will deliver them directly to Guanghua Temple," the imperial physician continued.
Miss Jun handed over a list.
"I have listed everything needed," she said.
The imperial physician took the list without looking at it and handed it to a nearby clerk.
"We will prepare it immediately," he declared, standing up.
Miss Jun remained seated.
"Is there anything else Miss Jun requires?" the imperial physician asked, somewhat puzzled.
"Besides the medicine, I need people," Miss Jun stated. "I need no fewer than ten doctors to help me treat the patients."
The imperial physician looked surprised as if what she requested was incredibly odd.
"That's not possible," he said. "How can we go with Miss Jun to treat patients? We can't cure smallpox. If we go, even those Miss Jun might have cured could end up not being cured. We would become criminals then."
Miss Jun was not unfamiliar with these words. Just before the new year, when she had cured Prince Huai and was driven away, she had expressed a similar sentiment to those imperial physicians seeking her advice.
"I have nothing to tell you. I did cure his highness, and whatever happens next is your affair. Just don't put the blame on me."
She hadn't expected the imperial physicians to use these words so quickly to refute her now.