Chapter 6 Bamboo Incense Burner: I Can Do That Too!

Returning to the first month of the second year of Jian'an, Xudu was immersed in the subtle atmosphere of the lingering festive spirit, the establishment of the new capital, and the military expedition to the south. The Guo residence was shrouded in sorrow due to Guo Jia's illness.

Originally, things had improved slightly in the past two years, but before the new year, Guo Jia was exhausted from handling many affairs, and the cold winter caused his throat and lung disease, which he had contracted in Wancheng years ago, to suddenly relapse.

At first, he only had a low cough and felt cold, so Deng Jie prepared herbal decoction as usual.

Unexpectedly, just after the New Year, his condition took a sharp turn for the worse. He suddenly developed a high fever, coughed up blood, and had shortness of breath. He lay on the couch in a daze, unable to move, and the official business of the school administration had to be temporarily put on hold.

Cao Cao had planned to take Zhang Xiu with him on his southern expedition, but later had no choice but to leave him in Xuchang.

Before leaving, Guo Jia repeatedly held Cao Cao's hand and warned him, "That Jia Wenhe is not to be trusted." Even though he was coughing so hard that he felt dizzy, he sadly watched his lord leave.

Deng Jie comforted him, saying, "Don't worry about Cao Gong's wise decision; take care of yourself first," but she herself felt extremely distressed.

She was all too familiar with these symptoms.

On the Lantern Festival of the fourth year of the Chuping era, Yuan Shu ordered Chen Yu to join forces with the Yue tribes to launch a surprise attack on the Juchao granary. In an emergency, he was injured twice by poisonous smoke. It was with his ailing body that he and his brother and sister traveled day and night to Qiao County to seek medical treatment.

Back then, Hua Tuo had predicted that his illness had penetrated deep into his lungs and was difficult to cure, only requiring quiet rest. He had even advised them to use strong medicine to clear the stagnant toxins, making it difficult for him to have children until the toxins were eliminated. Deng Jie, who was not yet married, resolutely decided to stay and accompany him, finding her own way to become his apprentice, allowing Guo Jia to focus on his recovery.

Fortunately, six months later, Deng Jie learned the "method of fumigation with medicinal vapors" from his master. With repeated experiments and improvements, combined with moxibustion and herbal decoctions, he was able to stabilize his condition.

This method requires placing specific medicinal materials on a specially made incense burner, with a gentle fire burning below and cool water flowing above, allowing the medicinal vapors to rise without causing harm, and then inhaling them into the lungs.

The equipment used back then was the bronze incense burner prepared by Hua Tuo; it was nowhere to be found, let alone seen. Fortunately, Deng Jie had always been familiar with the principles, so it wasn't difficult for him to build a simple device using materials available to him.

Guo Jia was unwilling to be cooped up in the room alone, and insisted that Deng Jie help him watch her busy work in the front yard.

Deng Jie knew that he hated being left alone in a room, but he was afraid that he would catch a cold, so he covered him with a fur coat, lit a heater, and made sure he was well taken care of before going about his business.

She took out an unused earthenware pot from her home and went to the backyard to find bamboo sections of suitable size. She split the thick ones into bamboo strips, burned and polished them into lids, and drilled holes in them; she hollowed out the thin ones, washed them, and inserted them into the holes to make tubes; finally, to ensure the suction efficiency, she sewed a cloth mask to connect to the bamboo tubes.

Once the equipment was ready, she began to prepare the herbs, placed the assembled ceramic steamer on the stove, and filtered the bamboo tube at the suction end with cool water to prevent the medicinal vapors from burning Guo Jia.

To observe his condition, Guo Jia lay in the bedroom facing the eaves of the front yard, inhaling the medicinal aroma, while Deng Jie himself was busy with the herb garden and preparations in the front yard.

Deng Jie devoted himself to taking care of Guo Jia, and even neglected the free clinic this month, asking A Yu to hang a wooden sign at the market to ask for leave.

However, an elderly woman from the neighborhood who knew Deng Jie knew where he lived. She was already in trouble, and her child had suddenly fallen ill. In desperation, she brought the child to Guo's house.

"Madam, please have mercy! My grandson has a high fever and is vomiting and having diarrhea. I really have no money left for medicine..."

Upon hearing the commotion, Deng Jie came out and invited the two into the courtyard for a thorough examination.

As Deng Jie was examining and preparing medicine for the child, the old woman noticed Guo Jia leaning against a soft couch with an assembly machine beside him. Curious, she went over to take a closer look. Although Guo Jia's eyes were closed and his face was pale, he was clearly enjoying the medicinal aroma.

"Huh? What's this?" she couldn't help but ask, but was stopped by Huai Niang, who rushed over.

“This is a pottery vessel for fumigating medicine,” Huai Niang said unhappily, trying to shoo the old woman away. “The Imperial Academy Scholar has tuberculosis; you should stay away from him!”

"Oh... this is medicinal fumigation?" The old woman looked back reluctantly after being chased away. "I've heard that medicinal fumigation usually involves sprinkling medicine on charcoal and burning it dry. This is the first time I've seen it like this."

"Of course, this was made by the lady herself, modified according to the chief priest's condition, so naturally you can't find a second one." Huai Niang muttered, telling the old woman not to meddle anymore.

After the old woman left, Deng Jie scolded Huai Niang for being rude. Huai Niang kindly reminded her, "Madam, don't forget that everyone is watching your every move."

Deng Jie let out a "whoosh," thinking that he still needed to protect the beehives in the backyard, and that it was best to keep a low profile.

However, what I feared most came to pass.

Not long after the old woman left, another person came seeking medical help. It wasn't anything serious, but they insisted on coming in to ask questions in detail.

Before the consultation was even finished, someone else knocked on the door, more frequently than at the market.

The visitor's interest wasn't even in his illness, but rather in Guo Jia's fumigation equipment.

At first, they sneaked into the hospital under the guise of seeking medical treatment, peeking at Guo Jia in secret and whispering among themselves. Gradually, more and more people joined in, and they grew bolder, pointing and marveling at the equipment around Guo Jia.

The buzzing of voices was deafening. Guo Jia, already ailing, felt extremely uncomfortable, embarrassed, and irritated by the large crowd surrounding him, as if he were being watched by a caged beast.

His eyes were tightly closed, his brows were furrowed, and his breathing became somewhat rapid, whether from the worsening of his illness or from anger, it was unclear.

Deng Jie saw this and was anxious. She had to deal with those "patients" whose minds were clearly not on the medical treatment, while also keeping an eye on Guo Jia's condition.

She subtly asked everyone to leave several times, explaining that the chief priest needed to rest, but once people's curiosity was piqued, it was not so easy to quell it.

Moreover, the news that the wife of the chief priest had "skillfully crafted wondrous objects" had already spread, and many people came specifically to see the spectacle.

Finally, Guo Jia could no longer bear it. He suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze sweeping over everyone with the weakness of his illness and a hint of coldness. His voice was hoarse and low: "Help me... back to the room..." Finally, with A Yu's help, he staggered into the inner room, shutting out the probing gazes and noisy sounds outside the door.

Seeing that Guo Jia had left, the crowd stopped pretending and began to surround Deng Jie, asking about the fumigation equipment.

"Madam! Can this thing really cure the Grand Master's illness?"

"Madam, please teach us. It doesn't look difficult."

Deng Jie was surrounded by a cacophony of voices, his head spinning.

She had no choice but to keep it brief and teach everyone how to use locally sourced materials, while advising them to consult a doctor about medicinal herbs as needed.

Perhaps it was because everyone saw how easily she did it that they got the illusion that "I could do it too."

As a result, this folk-made fumigation device became popular among the lower classes in Xudu.

Unsurprisingly, a bamboo-cutting craze swept through Xuchang afterward, causing pottery and silk to become scarce as well.

However, the imitators created all sorts of bizarre designs, claiming they were improvements on the original model, not to mention the unauthorized preparation of medicine, which caused another minor disturbance.

Some people inserted bamboo tubes directly into scalding hot medicine pots without filtering them with cold water. The scalding medicinal fumes rushed straight to their mouths and noses, causing the users to scream in pain and their lips to blister.

Some bamboo tubes had loose joints or the caps weren't properly drilled, yet people still insisted on using the ancient method of fumigating medicine without water, directly burning charcoal and crushing the medicine in the pottery. There wasn't much medicinal aroma, but thick smoke filled the entire room, choking people and causing them to tear up and their faces to turn black. It even nearly caused patients who were inhaling the medicine to faint.

In a short time, various minor accidents caused by homemade fumigation devices occurred one after another in Xudu City: burns, choking, blackening of houses, and even a person who was rescued by a neighbor from suffocation due to a mask...

In addition to the original patients, the clinic now has many more "self-taught" victims.

As the incident occurred, these utensils were gradually abandoned. Some well-meaning people then organized a "Grand Competition of Curious Utensils" at the market to compete in creative designs, which turned into a popular form of entertainment in the city.

As time went by, people gradually forgot how it started, but the "Amazing Gadgets Showcase" has been preserved as a regular monthly program.

Less than half a month after the "Fengbo" incident ended, the Ying River entered its summer flood season. Coupled with continuous heavy rain, low-lying areas inside and outside Xudu City were flooded and stagnant for a long time.

The humid and sweltering air teems with countless mosquitoes and flies, their buzzing and whimpering annoying everyone.

Just as Deng Jie was about to be relieved of his special treatment for bee stings, he discovered that signs of an epidemic were emerging in Xudu: persistent high fever, body aches, vomiting and diarrhea... The symptoms were spreading rapidly and showed a tendency to break out in clusters.

These symptoms are consistent with known malaria and damp-heat epidemics, and perfectly match the current situation of stagnant water, filth, and rampant mosquitoes.

I encountered similar phenomena when I was studying in Qiao County, but back then, Hua Tuo managed the medical clinic very well, and the initial signs were suppressed in time. Although I have experience in epidemic prevention, I still need official cooperation.

After returning home, she told Guo Jia about what she had seen and judged that day.

Guo Jia had witnessed the actions of the medical clinic back then, and immediately agreed to his wife's request, saying, "What Shuo Yi said is absolutely right. This is no small matter. I will inform the lord and mobilize the whole city to clear away the silt and filth."

"That's good..." Deng Jie always thought it would be even better if everyone could act as effectively as the medical hut. He discussed with Guo Jia, "Fengxiao knows that the medical hut was able to quickly suppress the damp plague not only because of the efforts of the senior brothers, but also because of the contributions of all the volunteer patients. At that time, the number of people was far less than that of a city, and they were obedient to Master, so it was easy to mobilize them. Now, the people in Xudu City are scattered and different, and it may be difficult to eradicate it by relying solely on soldiers. Fengxiao, do you have any way to get the people to do their part and sweep the snow from their own doorstep?"

Upon hearing the phrase "each contributing their share," Guo Jia couldn't help but scrutinize his wife from head to toe.

"What do you mean by this?" Deng Jie felt uncomfortable under his gaze, and his ears burned.

He chuckled, "Don't misunderstand, if we're talking about who has the most influence in Xudu these days, Jia thinks Madam is undoubtedly the one. Why don't you use your strengths to do something that others will follow suit? Then they can 'sweep away the snow in front of their own door' themselves, right?"

As he spoke, he walked to the medicine shelf and picked up the fumigation device that Deng Jie had made in the first month of the lunar year. "Isn't this just right? Every household still has some strange and unusual items. With a little guidance from Madam, we can get them to do it on their own."

Deng Jie was overjoyed, "That's right! With just a little modification, ordinary people can also burn mugwort incense to repel insects at any time. You really have a way!"

In her excitement, she cupped Guo Jia's face, kissed him, and was about to leave when Guo Jia stopped her, saying, "That's not enough." She playfully pinched Guo Jia's face and tried to push him away, saying, "I... I have to go!"

"It's almost curfew, where are you going to be busy? Take care of my business first."

The next morning, Deng Jie placed the modified fumigation device on the table at the free clinic stall. He lit mugwort inside, and wisps of smoke drifted out with each bamboo tube. Sure enough, it attracted onlookers who asked questions.

She took the opportunity to explain the mosquito problem to everyone, and specially asked Ayu to help them fix it from the side, while Huai Niang was responsible for distributing mugwort to attract more people.

Many people who had assembled the tools themselves before, whether successfully or unsuccessfully, now found that the tools were mostly idle. Upon seeing that they still had a use, they praised the lady's ingenuity.

Thus, those strange artifacts that had been shelved or even become laughingstocks suddenly became hot commodities in the fight against the plague, and busybodies who organized the "Strange Artifacts Award" took the opportunity to make a quick buck.

Guo Jia's urgent report was delivered to Cao Cao's desk immediately.

Cao Cao was worried about the illnesses in the army and the rumors of instability in the city. He found Guo Jia's analysis of the root cause of the epidemic and Deng's folk solution to be very helpful. He ordered Xun Yu to mobilize the strength of the armored soldiers to assist them. Finally, Xuchang was able to get through the epidemic safely before it caused a major disaster, thanks to the combined efforts of the officials and the people.

Guo Jia was in good health and took advantage of his day off to leisurely watch his wife tending to the mugwort in the herb garden. His eyes were full of tenderness and pride, and he squatted down to join her in the process.

"I thought the grand display of unusual artifacts in the first month of the lunar calendar was a spectacle, but it turns out that this summer's recycling of discarded artifacts is the real highlight!" Guo Jia said, moving even closer to her.

"Oh dear, it's so hot! Get away from me!" Deng Jie pretended to push him. "You've just stabilized your condition, so stay put. Your illness is aggravated by both cold and heat, so don't make a fuss."

"No way, I'll be wherever you are." Guo Jia said, snuggling into her arms. Deng Jie half-heartedly resisted, and the tools in her hands slipped to the ground. She lost her balance and was also pressed into the dirt.

"Oh dear, it's dirty..."

Guo Jia looked up and saw Deng Jie lying in the ground, with himself completely protected in her arms.

Deng Jie sneered, "You won't escape either!" He deliberately grabbed a handful of mud from both sides and smeared it on Guo Jia's face. The two of them played around like children, smearing and dodging the mud, completely disregarding any semblance of propriety.

This sight was probably only seen by Ayu Huai Niang and her husband, who lived in this house.