Qin Chuqin was ultimately unable to leave the Zhou residence.
She was locked in her small courtyard by Zhou Zixuan, with servants guarding her and not allowing her to take a step out of the yard, including her maids and attendants who came with her from the Qin residence.
When Madam Zhou, Zhou Zixuan's mother, heard from the servants that the eldest young master had assaulted the eldest young lady, she was indifferent.
She had long been dissatisfied with this daughter-in-law. After marrying into the Zhou family for many years, she was unable to have children, yet still occupied the position of the primary wife and refused to relinquish it.
Every day her face was listless no matter who she saw, as if everyone in the Zhou residence owed her. If not for her status as the legitimate granddaughter of Prime Minister Qin, and her son's unwillingness to dismiss her, she would have been sent back long ago.
When Zhou Yao learned that Qin Chuqin had been beaten by her elder brother, and was even locked up without knowing the reason, she thought about it, took the best medicine for external injuries, and went to the small courtyard where Qin Chuqin lived with her maids.
Just as she was about to go in, she was stopped by the guard at the door.
"Young miss, the eldest young master has ordered that without his permission, no one can go in."
"Are you blind, you dog? This is the eldest young master's sister." Zhou Yao's personal maid scolded.
"Young miss, we are just following orders. Please don't make things difficult for us."
"You, at least pass this medicine to my sister-in-law." Zhou Yao said angrily and threw the medicine to the guard.
"Yes, I will definitely deliver it to the young mistress."
At this moment in the royal court of Ye City.
"Your Majesty, an urgent report from Lord Li of Nanlong Prefecture," Eunuch Huang whispered in King Ye's ear.
"Present it." King Ye said sorrowfully.
"Yes."
Soon, the urgent letter was delivered to King Ye's hands, and he began to read it carefully.
Suddenly, "Great, great! Heaven blesses my Great Ye!"
"Your Majesty?"
"My lords, the cure for the plague has been found, it has been found! Haha!" King Ye stood up and paced excitedly in the hall.
This news caused a sensation in the hall.
They had thought the urgent letter would say that Nanlong Prefecture had become a city of death. They didn't expect it to be such encouraging good news instead.
"Heaven blesses Great Ye!" The ministers shouted in unison.
"Father, I wonder who found the cure. We must richly reward such a talent."
"Everyone is familiar with this person, but she is no doctor. She is currently a Deputy General in the Ministry of Justice."
Hearing King Ye's words, Qin Chuyuan, who was standing in the minister lineup in the hall, nearly snapped the tablet in his hand.
"Father, what do you mean?"
King Ye did not directly respond to the prince. Instead, he looked at Qin Chuyuan at the end of the lineup with a grieved expression. "Minister Qin, you have married a great wife. It's fortunate you had such foresight, otherwise I would regret marrying her to you."
"Your subordinate is awed."
"This time, Deputy General Gong has made great contributions. When she returns to the capital, I will certainly bestow rich rewards on her."
"Where is the head of the Secretariat?"
"I'm here, Your Majesty."
"Issue a nationwide decree. The cure for the plague has been found. Pardon the world."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
After leaving court, the ministers came up one by one to congratulate Qin Chuyuan.
"Congratulations, Colonel Qin, lovers are finally united!"
"Thank you, my lords."
"Congratulations, Prime Minister, on acquiring such an outstanding granddaughter-in-law."
The Prime Minister smiled without mirth, feeling as uncomfortable as if he had swallowed a fly.
He did not expect that the Gong girl to be so capable, not only surviving and returning, but also finding the cure for the plague. He had really underestimated her.
After the court issued the notice that a treatment had been found for the plague, people all over the country quickly spread the word, and the whole nation celebrated.
The Gong family wept with joy upon hearing that Gong Xiaohua was safe in Nanlong Prefecture, and even a smile appeared on Gong Xiaonan's face.
Every day after work, Qin Chuyuan would go to the city gate and stand on the wall, gazing into the distance.
The hidden guards who saw their master feared he would turn into a lovelorn statue.
Thousands of miles away, after the successful trial of penicillin, Gong Xiaohua began supervising large-scale production.
The officials who had participated in her penicillin experiments were responsible for the production process.
The prefect also sent officials from other counties to Shuangyu County to learn drug manufacturing.
It took nearly half a month before the officials were able to produce the medicine independently and inject it into patients.
Large quantities of penicillin were produced and sent to quarantine areas, and the infected people gradually recovered.
Gong Xiaohua received a letter from Lord Li to assemble in the prefecture city to prepare to return to the capital.
Gong Xiaohua left Shuangyu County in the evening while the townspeople were still asleep.
After meeting up with Lord Li, they planned to leave at dawn the next day. They thought the streets would be empty, but when the carriage left the station, both sides of the streets were filled with silent crowds seeing them off.
As the carriage was about to leave the city, someone suddenly shouted, "Safe travels Lord Li, Leader Gong!"
This shout broke the crowd's silence. They scrambled towards the carriage, some wailing loudly, some choking with sobs.
"Safe travels Lord Li, Leader Gong!"
Lord Li got out of the carriage and Gong Xiaohua rode on horseback. They waved at the people until the city gate disappeared from view.
On this return trip, there were five instead of the original seven people. Although saddened, they could not conceal their eagerness to return home, galloping nonstop towards the capital.
They left in early summer and returned in autumn, compressing the half-month journey to less than half the time, arriving dusty and travel-worn.
When they approached the city gate, the garrison general came forward to salute.
"This subordinate pays respects to Lord Li and Deputy General Gong."
Lord Li got off the carriage, "General He, please stand."
"His Majesty ordered me to await Lord Li's return here and convey that Lord Li need not rush to court to report, but should rest for the night first before entering the palace with Deputy General Gong tomorrow."
"Deputy General Gong?" Lord Li asked.
"Yes. While Deputy General Gong was still in Nanlong Prefecture, His Majesty bestowed upon her the position of Deputy General."
"Haha, thank you for informing us, General He. We will take our leave first."
"Please."
"Xiaohua, congratulations!" Yu Wei sincerely congratulated her as he rode alongside Gong Xiaohua.
This mission had been extremely dangerous. Without Gong Xiaohua they might have died in that foreign land. They were convinced of Gong Xiaohua's promotion.
After entering the city, Lord Li ordered everyone to go home and rest first.
Under everyone's congratulations, Gong Xiaohua also bid them farewell one by one.
And the lovelorn Qin Chuyuan finally welcomed the return of his beloved.
