“Madam, that boy is easy to talk to. He agreed. You can go back now. If the rouge seller comes, I'll let him in and then call you over.” Granny Cai was much more attentive than before after receiving the reward.

"Alright, thank you very much, Granny Cai." Seeing that her goal had been achieved, Uya took Cuiyun's hand and walked back. Their courtyard was located to the west, not too far from here. Uya helped Cuiyun back, sweating profusely in the heat, and her mouth felt like it was on fire.

“We should have picked some pears to quench our thirst earlier, but the water we’re getting is getting less and less. This drought seems to be getting really bad,” Cuiyun said.

“The more severe the drought, the better. Such a severe drought must mean that a monstrous star is about to descend upon the world,” said Uya, frowning.

Meanwhile, Lanqin waited for several days without receiving any message from Consort De, and began to ponder Consort De's attitude. It seemed that Consort De did not want to investigate further, after all, the target was the Fourth Prince's Consort, chosen by the Emperor himself.

Although Lanqin was somewhat disappointed, her remarkably good mental resilience as a time traveler prevented her from dwelling on the matter. With her due date approaching, she didn't want to confront the Fujin (principal wife) at this time, so she settled down to rest and recuperate in the South Courtyard. However, since the dispelling of the bewitching incense, security at the South Courtyard had become even stricter. Anything entering the South Courtyard from the outside had to undergo a rigorous three-stage inspection. First, Granny Wang, guarding the entrance, conducted the first check; then Doctor Liang conducted a second, professional inspection; and finally, Cui Niang and Nianxue conducted a final check before Lanqin could use it.

In short, Lanqin is now being protected as closely as a national treasure, the panda.

"Master, Doctor Liang is here!" Cui Niang said to Lan Qin, who was sitting on the main couch reading a book.

"Let him in quickly, it's hot outside!" Lanqin said. Now there's only one ice basin in her room, whereas there used to be four. Now even getting water is a bit difficult, so the Imperial Household Department has reduced the number of ice basins provided to each household.

Cui Niang lifted the bamboo curtain from inside, and Doctor Liang entered. Lan Qin noticed that Doctor Liang was covered in sweat when he came in. With the severe drought outside and the unbearable heat, this was truly adding fuel to the fire.

"Pour Doctor Liang a cup of cool tea to quench his thirst!" Lanqin immediately instructed Xichadao.

"Thank you for your consideration, Consort!" Doctor Liang bowed to Lanqin.

"Sit down and let's talk!" Lanqin gestured for Doctor Liang to sit down.

"Consort, there is a severe drought outside. The water level of our Bixin Lake has already dropped by more than half. The idea you gave me last time to purify the water of Bixin Lake was indeed a good one. However, I have thought of many methods, but I still cannot think of a suitable one!" Doctor Liang said respectfully to Lanqin.

Seeing the impending drought, Lanqin wanted to use her knowledge from the future to help the people and spare them from its devastation. However, the limitations of this era prevented her from using water purifiers, water purification nets, or even the simplest powder for purifying mud and sand. These were chemical materials, and the Qing Dynasty had no chemical industry whatsoever! Lanqin thought of Doctor Liang, who had studied Western learning and traveled to the past, and thus had broadened his horizons. She hoped he could come up with a solution.

"It's not your fault, it's really a difficult situation. If people drink water with a lot of mud and sand, they might get sick. It's really a tough problem!" Lanqin said. The water sources in the Qing Dynasty were relatively clear, at least without the pollution of later generations, except for the mud, sand, and parasites. So Lanqin was thinking about what methods she could use to remove the mud and sand, and kill the parasites.

"Yes, what Consort Liang is worried about is the biggest problem facing those unknown water sources outside. But some people have already gone to fetch water," Doctor Liang said.

"That won't do! What if a parasitic disease breaks out, Dr. Liang? That would be a serious matter! Think of a way to see if there are any drugs to suppress the outbreak of various parasitic diseases!" Lan Qin said. In fact, she had started discussing various methods of obtaining water with Dr. Liang from the very beginning of the drought.

"Yes, I am using the medicinal herbs I have to prepare a medicine to prevent parasites. Consort, where did you learn about the term 'parasites'? I didn't see this word in their medical books when I was in France," Doctor Liang said.

Lanqin knew she had used vocabulary from later generations again, which had astonished Doctor Liang, so she had to explain, "It was my own idea. When I was still a young girl, I saw a book in a Western medical school that introduced atoms and molecules! It said that there are even smaller things under a microscope. So I wondered, are there also very small organisms in the water?"

"The ancestor who invented the word 'parasite' borrowed your invention, so don't scold me!" Lanqin thought to herself.

"This invention of the concubine is truly ingenious! It really exists!" Doctor Liang exclaimed admiringly.