Song Yanchao dawdled as he changed into lighter clothing, picking up a face towel only to toss it aside with a look of disdain. How could this flimsy thing possibly ward off disease?
"Cough, cough, cough—"
A fit of coughing sounded, and Liuxi entered to find Song Yanchao clutching his stomach, his face twisted in pain.
"Second Imperial Grandson, what's wrong?"
"Perhaps it's the exhaustion from the long journey. I'm feeling unwell," Song Yanchao said between coughs. "Find me a place to rest first, and apologize on my behalf to Uncle and Ah Huan. Tell them... I won’t be able to assist with the refugees for now."
Liuxi smiled outwardly but inwardly scorned Song Yanchao’s feigned illness.
His own young mistress was only eleven, yet she had worked tirelessly until she’d grown thin from exhaustion. Meanwhile, this Second Imperial Grandson clearly only came to Laijin Prefecture to steal credit, unwilling to lift a finger!
"This servant will arrange it at once. Should I call for a physician?"
Song Yanchao hastily waved him off. "No need. The common folk need physicians far more than I do."
That night.
Song Yu and Song Shihuan returned to their quarters, utterly exhausted. After hearing Liuxi’s report, Gu Zheng couldn’t hold back his anger.
"Your Highness, Young Mistress, this Second Imperial Grandson’s scheme is too brazen—doing nothing yet reaping all the glory in the end."
"Think he can slack off? Did I agree to that?"
Song Yu glanced at the weary Song Shihuan, his eyes flashing with fury.
Song Yanchao, was it?
Daring to strut around when he was most protective of Ah Huan? Then don’t blame this uncle for being heavy-handed.
......
The next day.
While Song Yanchao was still blissfully snoring away, Song Yu and Song Shihuan had already gathered a crowd of refugees outside his courtyard.
"Yanchao specially sought His Majesty’s permission to travel all the way to Laijin Prefecture to aid everyone."
Song Yu’s booming voice jolted Song Yanchao awake. "Yesterday, Yanchao was unwell from the journey and couldn’t meet with you all. So today, I’ve brought everyone here to express their gratitude."
"The Second Imperial Grandson is so kind-hearted, thinking of us common folk."
"We’ve long heard the Second Imperial Grandson travels widely for study—he must be as wise and learned as the Young Mistress."
Hearing the commotion outside, Song Yanchao bolted upright in bed, horrified.
That reckless uncle of his!
How dare he bring those refugees here without warning? What if they were carrying the plague?
"Yanchao never sleeps this late. He must be exhausted. Everyone, please wait a moment."
Song Yu’s voice rang out again, and Song Yanchao’s face darkened.
With no choice, he dressed hastily, wrapped two layers of face towels around his mouth, and only then dared to open the door.
"Uncle, Ah Huan, my apologies for keeping you waiting."
Song Yu and Song Shihuan wore no face coverings, making Song Yanchao’s excessive precautions stand out awkwardly. The refugees’ grateful smiles faltered into confusion.
"I... um..." Song Yanchao stammered, at a loss for words.
"Yanchao, I was overjoyed when I heard you were coming to Laijin Prefecture. They say you vowed before the Emperor that you feared no plague—that you’d stand with the people of Laijin through thick and thin."
"Y-yes..."
Trapped like a duck roasted over flames, Song Yanchao could only nod along to Song Yu’s fabricated tale.
"In that case, I’ll entrust Tongyang County to you for now." Song Yu’s smile widened. "Ah Huan, explain the tasks to Yanchao."
Song Shihuan cleared her throat. "There are three main duties."
"First, ensure every citizen drinks the plague-prevention tonic daily. Second, spread lime powder throughout the city at scheduled times. Third, enforce the boiling of drinking water. There’s more, but it’s too much to list. Still, Second Brother is clever—a few days of hands-on work, and you’ll grasp it all."
Song Yanchao’s eyes bulged.
"You expect me to do these things personally?"
What about the subordinates?
"Of course." Song Yu smirked coldly. "Half of Laijin’s manpower is diverted to reinforcing the dams. Even officials are pitching in—Ah Huan and I are no exception."
"Or did you come here to sit idle in comfort?"
Song Yu was cornering him into a public declaration.
"Of course not! I only wanted clarity. I came to contribute to Laijin’s efforts. Everyone, rest assured—I, Song Yanchao, will stand with you through this trial."
"Thank you, Second Imperial Grandson!"
The refugees’ gratitude swelled Song Yanchao’s pride.
See? He was the most distinguished imperial grandson of the Ping Prince’s Mansion.
"Good. Then get to work."
Song Yu and Song Shihuan exchanged a faint, knowing smile.
......
As the work began, the people soon noticed something amiss.
"Why haven’t we seen the Second Imperial Grandson today?"
"Yesterday, someone checked if our water was boiled properly."
Whispers spread through Tongyang County, though none dared voice their doubts aloud—not to an imperial grandson.
But when the plague-prevention tonic wasn’t distributed the next day, unease turned to alarm.
"Second Imperial Grandson, this servant is swamped and can’t deliver the tonic. Could you handle it first? Once I’m free, I’ll take over."
Liuxi, run ragged, managed to squeeze out the request between tasks.
"Then wait until you’re free."
Reclining lazily on a daybed, Song Yanchao dismissed the idea. An imperial grandson, serving tonic to common refugees? Preposterous.
That afternoon, Song Yu and Song Shihuan arrived in Tongyang County, uneasy.
The moment they appeared, the people swarmed them.
"Your Highness, Young Mistress—today’s tonic wasn’t given out, and no lime was delivered. We... we fear even a single day without the tonic could let the plague take hold."
Panic lined their faces. The prince and young mistress had warned them—plague control was everyone’s duty. One infection could spread like wildfire.
"Where is Song Yanchao?"
"We haven’t seen the Second Imperial Grandson at all."
"Fetch Liuxi." Song Yu and Song Shihuan knew Song Yanchao’s laziness, but even they hadn’t expected such blatant negligence.
Soon, Liuxi knelt before them, sweating nervously.
"Your Highness, Young Mistress, the tonic was brewed long ago, but I was transporting lime and couldn’t spare the time. I begged the Second Imperial Grandson to distribute it, but he refused, insisting I do it myself once I was free."
A heavy silence fell.
Then Song Yu’s voice erupted in fury:
"Bring Song Yanchao here. I’ll ask him myself—what exactly has he done in Laijin these past two days?"
"If he can’t do the work, he can pack up and crawl back to the capital!"
