Long Yang washed up in the bathroom before returning to the bedroom.

Lu Liangwei was sleeping very soundly, but when the man’s cool body lay down beside her, she somehow sensed it and moved closer to him out of habit.

Only when her arms found their way around his familiar body did she drift off to sleep once again.

The next day, Lu Hetian set out for the frontier with Ling Lihua.

Because Ling Lihua was going to the frontier, Chief Physician Lin, who had initially been chosen to go, was instructed to stay behind in her place. Long Yang was also sending a few other physicians from the imperial hospital and several compassionate yet skillful physicians among the common folk to the frontier.

Before the group left, Lu Liangwei sent Chu Jiu to deliver a batch of masks and gloves made from catgut that she had produced in a hurry to Ling Lihua.

Since it was a highly contagious disease, it was only prudent to take protective measures.

Sadly, there was no advanced equipment in ancient times, and the masks she made could offer very little protection.

However, it was still better than nothing.

When Ling Lihua received the items from Chu Jiu, she praised Lu Liangwei extravagantly.

“How considerate of Weiwei to think of this.”

She had seen Weiwei use these items before and hence knew what they were for.

Lu Hetian said proudly, “Weiwei’s just like me.”

Ling Lihua snorted. “Stop putting feathers in your own cap. Weiwei’s not like you.”

“All right, all right. Weiwei’s like you, not me. Happy now?” Lu Hetian quickly corrected himself.

A smile tugged at Ling Lihua’s lips, but when she remembered that they would not be around to see Weiwei give birth, she could not help panicking a little.

Seeing her suddenly go silent, Lu Hetian knew what she was worried about.

Alas, they could not have it both ways.

It just could not be helped.

“Let’s go.” He sighed.

Xu Chen was also part of the group heading to the frontier; he was tasked to help transport medicinal materials.

After exiting the city gates, he suddenly remembered something and quickly spurred his horse to catch up to Ling Lihua.

“Madam.”

Ling Lihua’s expression softened when she recognized the man as one of Tingchen’s personal guards. “Is something the matter?”

Xu Chen nodded and explained quickly, “I just remembered an important thing. One time, when the Heir Presumptive was patrolling the quarantine camp, a soldier suddenly went mad and crashed into him, but he even carried the soldier back after that.

“The situation was urgent at the time, so the Heir Presumptive didn’t think too much about it, but we were all shocked because we knew how contagious the disease was. However, the Heir Presumptive was perfectly fine after that. Even the physician found it strange and specially examined him, but he was in good health, and nothing abnormal happened afterward either. The physician thought he must have some kind of special physique that helped him escape unscathed.

“But the Heir Presumptive later remembered that Second Miss had once given him a medicine that made him impervious to hundreds of poisons, and that he had consumed it before setting off for the frontier. He suspects that the reason he didn’t catch the disease is related to the medicine Second Miss gave him.”

After listening to him, Ling Lihua pondered for a moment. A thought came to her, and she said firmly, “Since the medicine that gave him poison immunity also helps him resist this disease, this means that the disease is probably not caused by a plague but a poison. The soldiers aren’t ill at all—they’re poisoned.”

Xu Chen was thunderstruck. “Poisoned?”

Hearing their conversation, Lu Hetian rode over. Staring at Ling Lihua, he asked again to confirm, “Is it really poison?”

Ling Lihua nodded. “According to what Xu Chen described, it probably is.”

Lu Hetian was surprised. “I can’t believe it!”

Ling Lihua steered her horse around abruptly. “Since it’s poison, I think I know what to do.”

Startled, Lu Hetian called out, “Where are you going?”