Jun Jiu Ling Episode 21 Recap
> Jun Jiu Ling Recap
Smallpox was rampant outside the capital, with countless deaths reported by clinics. The Imperial Academy of Medicine was skeptical of Jun Jiuling's novel vaccination method, which involved testing on cattle at Qingshan Court. With half a month already passed and no definitive results, ministers grew anxious, fearing that any delay or failure would endanger the entire capital.
His Majesty Chu Rang, unable to wait a full month, issued a secret decree to Lu Yunqi, giving Jun Jiuling a final seven days to find a cure, with a grim instruction if she failed. Despite initial progress with severe patients showing improvement, new cases continued to arrive, overwhelming Qingshan Court. Witnessing the children's suffering, particularly a young patient named Guo'er who offered a protective charm and expressed her brave willingness to be tested, deeply moved Jun Jiuling.
Guo'er's plea to cure her mother, who constantly cried from pain, and her simple trust, cemented Jun Jiuling's resolve. Recalling her own brother of the same age, Jun Jiuling realized that everyone, including herself and Guo'er, needed to be cured to reunite with their families. Unable to bear waiting any longer, and knowing the severity of the situation, Jun Jiuling declared her decision to test the smallpox viruses on herself.
Her attending doctors vehemently protested, stressing the immense danger and her crucial role in leading the efforts. However, Jun Jiuling remained firm, comparing her decision to ancient physicians like Shennong and Hua Tuo, and asserted that it was her duty. That same evening, Zhu Zan, who had unwavering faith in Jun Jiuling's method, appeared and volunteered himself as a test subject, stating he hadn't been exposed to any patients.
Jun Jiuling immediately refused, warning him of the grave risks, even death, as she herself was not entirely confident in the outcome. Zhu Zan, however, insisted that as Lord Cheng's son, it was his duty to lead by example and alleviate the public's fears regarding vaccination. He proposed that she save lives while he reassured the people. Despite his compelling argument, Jun Jiuling remained firm in her refusal, emphasizing that he had other important things to do.
Their argument was interrupted by Lu Yunqi, who arrived claiming to be there under imperial orders to monitor Qingshan Court. Zhu Zan openly mocked Lu Yunqi, accusing him of eavesdropping outside a young woman's room. Ignoring Zhu Zan's taunts, Lu Yunqi presented a bound man as a test subject.
The prisoner, Li Ze, confessed to stealing items from deceased smallpox patients buried in the backyard, intending to sell them, a crime that could potentially spread the disease further into the capital. Despite the severity of his actions, and Li Ze’s desperate pleas for mercy, Jun Jiuling refused to force him into the trial, asserting that vaccination must be voluntary. In response, Lu Yunqi, dismissing Li Ze as a useless criminal, immediately ordered his men to kill him.
Before leaving, Lu Yunqi reiterated the emperor's strict seven-day deadline to Jun Jiuling, reminding her she had no other choice. After Lu Yunqi's departure, Zhu Zan once again urged Jun Jiuling to vaccinate him. He passionately articulated that his father, Lord Cheng, had dedicated his entire life to the nation, and that his inherited integrity extended beyond mere bloodline to a deep commitment to the welfare of all people.
He questioned how he could face the country knowing that while those within the capital were safe from smallpox, people outside faced uncertain death without a preventive measure. He asked Jun Jiuling if she could find peace with such a disparity. Moved by his words and the desperate circumstances, Jun Jiuling finally agreed. She tearfully proceeded to vaccinate Zhu Zan, warning him that once the smallpox viruses were introduced, she would lose control over their progression.
She meticulously cared for him, constantly checking on his condition, peeling oranges when he felt thirsty, and ensuring he rested, while she remained vigilantly by his side. Over the next few days, Zhu Zan developed a fever, but also reassuringly began to show pox marks, which Jun Jiuling's assistant considered a positive sign. Despite her exhaustion from tirelessly attending to both Zhu Zan and the other patients, Jun Jiuling continued her relentless work.
However, the situation remained critical as some patients, contrary to improving, developed alarming new symptoms like foaming at the mouth and convulsions, distinct from typical smallpox. Jun Jiuling swiftly diagnosed these cases as cold diarrhea, adjusting their treatment to use Radix Aucklandiae Powder, demonstrating her adaptive medical expertise in the face of the complex epidemic.
Meanwhile, Lu Yunqi's forces arrived at Qingshan Court, ostensibly as reinforcements, but their true purpose was to prepare for setting the court ablaze should Jun Jiuling fail to meet the deadline. All hope now rested on Zhu Zan, but as his condition rapidly deteriorated, and the pox toxins failed to fully erupt from his body, Jun Jiuling fell into a deep panic. Despite the risk of contagion, she desperately clutched his hand, pouring out her deepest fears and desires.
She pleaded with him to fight for his life, reminding him of his promise to save the people and urging him to wake up, so they could fulfill their shared future, like visiting places and trying different foods. She confessed her profound fear of losing him, despite her own previous encounters with death.
In her anguish, she promised to reveal everything to him if he recovered, recounting the numerous times he had saved her life – from a runaway horse in Zezhou, an assassin in Jinyun Tower, a cliff in Runan, an incident with Yuan Bao, and even when Lu Yunqi caused trouble at her Jiuling Drugstore. Unknown to Jun Jiuling, this intimate and revealing moment was observed by Lu Yunqi.
Fortunately, Zhu Zan survived the critical period, his body now covered in pox marks as the toxins had fully erupted. He awoke to daylight, finding Jun Jiuling by his bedside, looking exhausted. With a playful grin, he teased her about examining his body while he was unconscious. He then shared a vivid nightmare he'd just had: seeing Princess Jiuling engulfed in flames, and wondered aloud about the immense pain she must have endured in that moment.
Though Jun Jiuling pretended not to have heard his earlier emotional outpouring, Zhu Zan's knowing glance implied he had been conscious enough to catch parts of it. Deeply unsettled by Zhu Zan’s words and his implicit awareness, Jun Jiuling excused herself to go prepare medicine. As she stepped out, Lu Yunqi approached and directly confronted her, addressing her as "Chu Jiuling." He declared his belief in reincarnation, asserting that she was undeniably the late princess.
He presented compelling evidence: her refusal to rename the Jiuling Drugstore despite his threats, her handwriting on prescriptions being identical to the princess’s, and her profound worry at Prince Huai’s residence. Although Jun Jiuling initially feigned ignorance, she eventually dropped her pretense. She openly admitted to answering Zhu Zan when he called out "Jiuling" during his delirium, justifying it as a moment of desperation for someone who risked his life for the people.
Tired of the charade, she then challenged Lu Yunqi, asking what it would take for him to let her go. Lu Yunqi, visibly torn between joy and anger, declared that he would never let her go, confirming his deep, almost obsessive, attachment. Jun Jiuling tried to appeal to his reason, stating that the princess was gone and would not wish for him to behave this way, urging him to accept reality and asking if he had ever truly loved anyone.
Meanwhile, news of Zhu Zan's successful vaccination reached Chu Rang, who acknowledged it as a momentous achievement that would undoubtedly save countless lives. Yet, he viewed the Cheng family's growing popularity and integrity with apprehension, noting that Zhu Zan, much like his father Lord Cheng, would likely refuse any substantial rewards, considering his actions merely a duty.
Chu Rang's advisor cunningly pointed out that such deeply principled and popular figures were, in fact, the most formidable, stirring the Emperor's underlying unease about the Cheng family's influence. At Qingshan Court, under Jun Jiuling's precise guidance, doctors began carefully collecting pox scabs from Zhu Zan's body, which were deemed safer for trials. Zhu Zan, now fully recovered, playfully teased Jun Jiuling while she worked, acknowledging her tireless efforts.
She informed him that while the method proved successful for adults, it still required further testing on children due to their differing physiology. Zhu Zan immediately volunteered again to provide samples, understanding the importance of their work for all. Jun Jiuling instructed the doctors to specifically select "waxy, big, and thick" pox marks for the subsequent trials on children. Following his successful vaccination, Zhu Zan promptly sought an audience with Chu Rang.
Initially hesitant due to the perceived risk of contagion, Chu Rang allowed Zhu Zan to enter after he assured the Emperor he was no longer infectious. Zhu Zan did not ask for rewards but instead made a plea: to take Zhou Bentang's descendants, who were on death row for treason, to Qingshan Court to serve as subjects for the child vaccination trials.
Chu Rang was troubled by the idea of sparing the descendants of a traitor and suggested buying children from the market instead. However, Zhu Zan meticulously explained that only Zhou Bentang's descendants met Jun Jiuling's requirement for subjects under ten years old among the condemned, and that using healthy children from the market was unethical and could damage the Emperor's reputation if the trials failed.
He further argued that having condemned children contribute to saving others would give their otherwise doomed lives greater meaning. Chu Rang, seeing an opportunity to earn Zhu Zan's gratitude and project an image of imperial benevolence, ultimately granted the request. Meanwhile, back at Qingshan Court, as Jun Jiuling prepared more restorative medicine, Lu Yunqi confronted her again. He accused Zhu Zan of defying imperial orders by leaving Qingshan Court without authorization, an offense punishable by death.
When Jun Jiuling claimed ignorance of Zhu Zan’s whereabouts, Lu Yunqi, having overheard parts of her earlier conversation, shrewdly deduced that Zhu Zan had indeed gone to find child volunteers for the vaccination trials. Enraged, he threatened Jun Jiuling and all the doctors present, accusing them of insubordination and warning that they would all face death for assisting Zhu Zan in defying the imperial will.
