"Cough, cough—"
Li Leqing lay on the sickbed, coughing with difficulty.
Her face was flushed red and her breathing was rapid. She clutched a Liliang Talisman meant for cold compresses, which was already soaked with cold sweat from her palm.
Li Ang stood silently at the door, watching her. Then, in a low voice, he asked Li Hui, "When did it start?"
"Just an hour ago,"
Li Hui replied. "She first said her chest felt a bit stuffy and asked the maid to open the window for air. Then, just a short while ago, she started to cough, which was soon accompanied by shivers and difficulty breathing. The coughing has been persistent."
Li Ang asked, "Is she coughing up blood?"
"Not yet,"
Li Hui replied in a low voice. "Dr. Qiu has already taken her blood sample for testing..."
Before he could finish, Qiu Feng rushed over and handed a test report to Li Ang, his voice grim, "We've tested sputum and blood. It's the plague."
...
