Chapter 20: Each with Their Own Unease

Lu Yunqi's gaze fell upon Miss Jun once again, seeing her smile, he still remained expressionless.

"Guanghua Temple is under military lockdown," he said.

Although he didn't turn around, his words were naturally addressed to Zhu Zan.

Zhu Zan didn't look at him either, standing under the gate and raising an eyebrow.

"You might as well give up, do you think I'm foolish enough to give you an excuse to arrest me?" he said, "I too am here on orders."

Lu Yunqi turned to look at him, but someone else spoke before him.

"What orders are you following?" Miss Jun asked.

"To atone for my crimes through meritorious service," said Zhu Zan.

Miss Jun let out a laugh.

She had almost forgotten that he was bearing the identity of someone with crimes, yet it seemed so useful now—anything he wanted to do could be done under the banner of atoning for his crimes, and anything he didn't want to do could be dismissed likewise.

"What's so funny?" Zhu Zan said, looking at Miss Jun with a solemn expression, "You can still laugh?"

Miss Jun watched as he drained the medicinal soup in one gulp.

"What about it?" she said.

Zhu Zan gestured behind him with his hand.

"How many have died now? Are you here to cure the disease?" he said with a grim face.

His facial expression turned serious when he frowned, looking quite frightening, and his words were indeed terrifying.

The atmosphere in the courtyard stalled for a moment, and Liu'er, who was usually fearless, clenched her hands tightly, feeling somewhat puzzled at the same time.

Although the Duke of Chengguo's heir wasn't exactly honorable either, he was somewhat better compared to Lu Yunqi, after all, it was he who protected Miss Jun when Lu Yunqi tried to bully her.

But why was he the one saying these words today?

This line seemed like something that Lu Yunqi should have said, after all, Lu Yunqi was determined to deal with Miss Jun, and failure to cure the illness would be a serious charge.

Why was it the Duke of Chengguo's heir who was doing the questioning?

Bearing the identity of a criminal? Could it be that he wanted to earn merits and atone by holding onto any mistakes of Miss Jun?

Liu'er's expression turned indignant immediately, glowering at Zhu Zan.

Miss Jun responded neither with anger nor fear but nodded and sighed.

"Yes, quite a few people have died," she said, sitting down again, casually placing the soup bowl down.

The courtyard was quiet for a moment.

Was this her response?

Liu'er was stunned on the side.

Zhu Zan took a few steps closer, frowning at her.

"What exactly are you doing?" he questioned again.

Miss Jun looked at him with a smile.

"I'm trying to come up with a solution, don't worry," she said.

Zhu Zan glared, taking another step forward.

"Who's worried?" he said, "Where do you see that I'm worried about you?"

Miss Jun looked up at him with a laugh.

"Not at all," she said, then quickly turned serious, "I didn't say you were worried about me, I mean you don't need to worry about these sick children, I am trying my hardest to think of a solution."

Tsk tsk, look at how improper this fellow is.

Zhu Zan squinted at her, letting out a snort of laughter.

"You better hurry up because when everyone here is dead, those who come after will not obediently enter this temple," he said, "Those people won't believe you, and there will be chaos. By then, the situation will not be something you can control."

Miss Jun made an acknowledging sound.

"I understand," she said.

Zhu Zan glared at her once more, then turned on his heels and strode away.

He stopped at the entrance, as if only then noticing Lu Yunqi standing to one side.

"Lord Lu, let's go," he said, "No need to keep an eye on her now, she can't escape."

Lu Yunqi glanced at him and left without saying a word, walking out first.

Zhu Zan followed closely behind.

The courtyard returned to its quiet state.

"This Lord Lu really does seem to fear the Duke of Chengguo's heir," Liu'er said with a relieved sigh, but then remembering the questioning by the Duke of Chengguo's heir, she grew upset again, "He's no good person either."

Miss Jun smiled.

"Don't worry," she said, standing up, "I'll go wash up first."

The night at Guanghua Temple was lit with lanterns, busier than the temple used to be, yet filled with many crying voices that spread ominously through the dark night.

"Another death?"

In one of the rooms, two soldiers covered their noses and mouths as they carried out a corpse, followed by the wails of family members bent over in grief.

"What's going on? Wasn't it said that the illness could be cured?" the weeping woman asked.

"That's the thing, this disease was too severe, you came too late," a doctor said.

The woman seemed about to say something, but ultimately she swallowed her words, weeping as she followed the corpse away.

The body could not be taken back; it was to be cremated and buried on the spot behind the Guanghua Temple.

Sobs were scattered along the way, disappearing into the night.

The doctor stood still in his original spot.

"Doctor Wang, it's getting late, you should go rest and have something to eat," Seventh Chen said.

Doctor Wang came back to reality, seemingly lacking the energy to speak, and nodded to Seventh Chen before walking away.

Oil lamps and torches were also lit inside the Buddhist Temple, lighting it up as bright as day.

Many doctors were gathered in the room, conversing in low voices. When they saw Doctor Wang come in, someone gestured for him to sit down quickly.

Doctor Wang waved his hand and walked directly to Miss Jun, who was looking down and reviewing the medical records from these days.

"Miss Jun, it seems there is no relief in the patient's condition," he said.

His words quieted the temple, and the low murmuring doctors turned to look at him, their expressions complicated.

Doctor Feng gave a light cough.

"The time has been too short," he said.

But he was interrupted this time.

"Doctor Feng, the pox is fierce; it can take a life in seven days," a doctor said with a slightly reddened face. "For treating such a disease, there is no 'short time' to speak of."

His words made Doctor Feng fall silent.

"Yes, more people are dying these days."

"People are beginning to doubt why Prince Huai could cure it."

A few other doctors followed, looking somewhat anxious as they gazed at Miss Jun.

"How come after using Miss Jun's spirit-soaked hoptree, many are still worsening in condition?" one doctor asked.

Could it be that Miss Jun's new medicine is ineffective too?

"Today, more people are asking why Prince Huai can cure it when they cannot," another doctor said.

Miss Jun didn't raise her head but flipped to the next page of the medical record.

"Pox is a disease that, in truth, has no solution," she said. "Medicine is only an aid; whether one can be cured is truly a matter of one's fate."

A matter of one's fate?

The doctors exchanged glances.

"Miss Jun, are you saying your medicine is useless?" one couldn't help but ask.

Miss Jun stopped and raised her head.

"You can't say it's useless. If it's of use, then it's useful—like sending charcoal in snowy weather. If it's not, then it's useless—like adding flowers on brocade," she replied.

What a jumbled mess, the doctors thought to themselves, glancing around at the Buddhist statues and murals.

Had they been here too long that they had started to sound as bewildering as the Buddhists?

"There are people who have improved," Miss Jun said, pointing to a medical record. "I think this child should be able to pull through."

This was uplifting news, and the doctors eagerly crowded around to see which case she was referring to, temporarily forgetting their troubles.

"His fever has already decreased, and some of the pustules have begun to crust over," Miss Jun indicated.

Indeed, the terror of pox lay in the wounds not healing and the continuous oozing of pus and high fevers; if the fever dropped and the wounds healed, it truly indicated improvement.

Everyone looked on happily.

"We must move him to another room."

"We'll shift him tonight."

Miss Jun coughed lightly.

"Actually, there's no need; let him stay there," she said.

But there were several critically ill and dying there; what if he got reinfected and got worse...

Miss Jun shook her head.

"It's fine," she said, then added, "It won't happen."

They would have to take her word for it; what else could they do? The doctors stopped arguing and quietly discussed this patient's medical record. As the night deepened and the people quieted, the doctors gradually scattered, leaving only Miss Jun alone in the brightly lit temple.

Seventh Chen walked in from outside, looking somewhat uneasy.

"Does your medicine really not work either?" he asked in a lowered voice.

Whether the medicine worked was quite obvious; such a thing couldn't be hidden.

Miss Jun stood up and nodded slightly.

"I dare not guarantee the medicine will cure the disease," she said.

Just as he thought, Seventh Chen's expression fell a bit, and he rubbed his hands together.

"What are we to do?" he muttered softly. "So you can't cure it either."

Miss Jun looked back at the Buddha statues inside the temple.

She couldn't cure the pox that had already broken out, and besides, she hadn't come to cure pox in the first place.

***************************************

Thanks to Little Rabbit's Mother, Miss Jun, ?Last Shot?, Ice of the South, _momo_lina, md12 for their gifts of He's Bi.

Many thanks to everyone.