Chapter 10 - Broken link

 After putting some containers into a kind of wooden backpack, Zhang Yi meets with Yu Lexuan outside of the guesthouse:

-I'm ready to start a field inspection. We need some directions from that soldier.
-Agreed, I'll call him.

Yu Lexuan turns around, makes visual contact with Wang, and gesticulates, calling him. The soldier understands the message and walks towards him.
In the meantime, Zhang Yi gives Yu Lexuan a mask, made of silk, with a cotton filling:

-Please, use it. We are not aware of how this disease spreads around but given a large number of infected people as you were told, it is likely to be spread in the air. 

Yu Lexuan takes the mask, and wears it:

-It is the first time I use it. How could it protect us?
-I discovered many years ago that some diseases are spread when you sneeze. I'm not sure why, but I think it works because the mask prevents you from spitting out small water drops, it traps them. 

Yu Lexuan raises an eyebrow:

-Interesting. Fortunately, the last time I was so sick was many years ago.
-Yes, I think it happened after you drank one of my medicines that prevented you from getting sick. I don't know exactly why it worked but seems to me to be effective.

 Wang gets close to them, and bows:

-What do you want?
-Well, I have some questions for you about the rivers in your empire. I think the Xin'an river is the largest, I am right?
-Yes, but there is another large river that ends on it, the Hengjiang.
-Is it far away from the city?
-It is 8 li away.
-Pretty close. We need to get there.

Yu Lexuan is a bit confused:

-Why looking in the river? Shouldn't we look at someone who's ill?
-I have worked out how to detect a widespread disease before. People bathe in the rivers, they sometimes threw sewage into them, and diseases are also found in the water. If a large enough amount is found, it means almost the entire region has been contaminated. 

Yu Lexuan is impressed at how much Zhang Yi knows about his field:

-That's amazing, you can literally see it coming by just looking at the water?
-Well, kinda. I have to take a sample and mix it with some compounds I developed. A particular pathogen will give different colors to the water, some of which I have already traced and recorded. How strong the color is tells me the concentration, and, therefore, the severity of the disease.

Zhang Yi packs all the compounds he may need and walks towards the riverside:

-Please, Mr. Zhang, there is a shorter path to get to this river, and you can't get there by the riverside, it is too muddy. - Wang warns Zhang Yi.
-Right, we will follow you.

Wang walks in the opposite direction, and they follow him. Yu Lexuan looks at the load Zhang Yi is carrying on his back:

-Please, minister, allow me to carry some of that material with me, I think it should be very heavy.
-Fine, Prince, please don't bother, this is not as heavy as you think. I feel blessed by your consideration. 
-Tell me if you feel tired, Zhang Yi. 

Zhang Yi nods and keeps walking:

-Wang, excuse me. Do you know anyone who might have felt sick recently? I know your hospital is full, and I find it a bit strange that all people are there just due to flooding. 
-Right, Mr. Zhang... I don't know anyone sick, but I heard about some gatekeepers getting sick about a week ago... Since they have low value for the emperor, no one told him about them. 

During the remaining time until they get to the river mouth, Zhang Yi was thinking about what Wang confessed:

-The emperor is not getting this crucial feedback, how?! The gatekeepers are likely the first ones to get infected as they are the first ones to talk with outsiders, since the information is not being shared with the emperor, he can't make a decision about it... There might be dozens of people infected already!

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