Chapter 512 A Dream of Youth 44

"Father, will the imperial court send a physician?"

Those who stayed inside the city were relatively safe, but the refugees outside the city were already starving and cold, and if they were to suffer from an epidemic, it was uncertain how many would survive.

Xie Qi's brows furrowed involuntarily, making him look like an old man.

"Yes, it will." Not to mention, Prince Duan is still here.

However, since it was confirmed that there was an epidemic outside the city, it was hard to guarantee that the people inside the city would also be infected. Therefore, everyone unanimously decided to buy more rice, flour, vegetables and meat to stock up and go out less.

They also sent someone to inform the Huo family.

They could manage to stay home as little as possible, only going to the academy every day. He, on the other hand, was a day student and had to go home every day. Therefore, every time he returned, he would be fumigated with mugwort or atractylodes. Even when he was at the academy, he tried to stay as far away from others as possible.

He was quite popular at the academy!

Xie initially didn't expect that he could actually get into the academy at this age, and even be at the bottom of the class. Because of his young age and genius, many students liked to associate with him.

Most importantly, he would bring a box of snacks with him every day when he went to the academy. Originally, Chen made them for him because she was worried that he would get hungry easily while he was growing. The other students thought they looked delicious.

After exchanging a few joking words, Xie Qi shared some with them, and then successfully won over the students with his delicious pastries.

Of course, after eating Xie Qi's food, the other students felt embarrassed and would often bring some things from their own homes to share, which made the atmosphere in the class better and better.

Xie Ning continued to study at home as usual, and she could also learn about the situation outside from the conversation between Xie Wangzhi and Chen Shi.

The government cleared out a section of houses in the outer city to accommodate the refugees. The people who provided the houses and the officials and wealthy people who provided food to the refugees were recorded and will be reported to the emperor for reward in the future.

Every seven days, the government would also send a batch of meat and vegetables to them as an extra meal.

However, the area was still divided into two sections: one for those who were not infected, and the other for those who were infected.

The physicians dispatched by the imperial court have arrived, but there are not many of them, and they still need to cooperate with the doctors in the city's pharmacies to carry out treatment.

From a distance, they could see white smoke rising from the outer city walls, indicating disinfection. Someone suggested burning the bodies of the infected, but this was met with fierce opposition, not only from officials but also from the families of the deceased.

Fearing that it would incite public anger, the government had no choice but to dig a large pit and bury all the dead together.

Amidst the drizzling rain and the cluster of graves, a mournful voice echoes from someone dressed in burial clothes.

Xie Ning stood in front of the bookstore, watching the drizzle fall, and could faintly hear the hopeless sobs. Medical conditions in ancient times were very poor, and very few refugees could survive the epidemic.

She didn't know the specifics of the treatment, but she guessed it wasn't good. Every day, many people were being carried out of the city, and there was widespread panic. Even the street vendors' cries had decreased considerably.

Xie Ning walked into the bookstore, sent Qing Li away to get the books for her, and then she turned around and squatted in the corner, taking out a yellowed book from her spatial storage.

This is a medical book that records many methods for treating plagues, but it appears to be a collection of miscellaneous notes.

She had copied this book herself in small seal script and even had it aged. She originally just did it as a precaution, but she never expected to use it now.

Xie Ning picked up one of the books from the corner, pasted the number on it onto the book, and then put it in the book basket.

The bookstore clerk glanced at the books in Xie Ning's basket, his mind blank for a moment. He seemed to have never seen this book before, but after glancing at the number on it, he felt relieved.

"Young master, it will be one tael of silver in total."

Xie Wangzhi nodded, and Mo Qi behind him immediately went up to pay the bill.

"Since we've finally managed to get out of town, what snacks would you like to buy, Bao'er?"

Xie Ning did not answer. In front of them, a woman cried out, holding her child in her arms, "Sir, sir, my Dong'er is not sick, she is not sick, sir!"

The child trembled and sobbed softly, but the soldiers in front of the woman remained unmoved. "If you obstruct us again, we will arrest you as well."

"I'll go, I'll go!" The woman knew she couldn't stop them, so she preferred to go in with the child. Otherwise, how could such a small child possibly come out alive?

The officers and soldiers exchanged glances and said, "Then hurry up and pack your things."

They are not incapable of showing leniency in such matters; letting one person with an infectious disease go unpunished is unacceptable, but arresting one more person is acceptable.