Minister of Revenue Zhōu spoke, his voice trembling slightly. "The imperial physician said that the plague spreads easily—just breathing near an infected area is enough to contract it. And the worst part, is that it does not show symptoms early. It lies dormant… only beginning to manifest after 28 to 45 days."
As soon as the words left his lips, the grand hall fell into a heavy silence, as quiet as a graveyard. Some officials immediately glanced at one another with unease, as if calculating who among them might have already been infected. Others subtly shifted away from the person closest to them and even raised their sleeves to cover their noses.
