Chapter 31 Registration

Fifteen minutes later, villagers began to arrive at the village square.

A wooden platform, just like a modern stage, was built in the center of the square.

Chen Li was standing on the platform, talking to someone.

Wan Qiqi followed the crowd to the square.

Chen Yongnian wanted to go inside, but Wan Qiqi stopped him.

Wang also shook her head, indicating that they should not get too close.

The plague spreads extremely quickly, and in such a crowded place, there is no guarantee that someone will be infected. Before anyone has even noticed, the probability of getting infected by joining in is much higher.

Wan Qiqi looked at Wang Shi for a long time and felt that this mother-in-law knew quite a lot.

Logically speaking, given the current situation, it would be best to avoid gatherings and stay home in isolation.

However, in ancient times, there were no modern communication devices, not even radio broadcasts. Communication could only be done by carrier pigeons and manpower, which greatly increased the risk of infection with plague.

However, there was no better way in ancient times to inform people about the plague and to take protective measures.

Wan Qiqi suddenly remembered the information she had seen: when a plague broke out in a village or county, it would take nearly a month to report to the imperial court and for the relevant departments to approve and arrange the response.

The delivery of supplies was extremely slow, which led to people being left to die after contracting the plague.

If transportation develops rapidly and supplies are readily available, the probability of the entire village falling ill and dying is very small.

Ultimately, it was the backwardness of Guddar in all aspects that led to his death.

Wan Qiqi was lost in thought when Chen Li, who was standing on the platform, began to speak.

"Dear villagers of Lianhua Village, you have probably heard that an epidemic has broken out in our village. Today, I am here to formally inform you that I have confirmed with Physician Sun that the patients in the past two days are indeed infected with the epidemic. Therefore, the entire village is under martial law, with no entry or exit permitted, and is now in a state of epidemic prevention."

As soon as he finished speaking, an uproar erupted below.

"Oh my god! It really is a plague, what should I do? I don't want to die!"

"Lotus Village has never experienced a plague before, so how come there is one now?"

"What should I do? My wife is about to give birth, what should I do?"

Hearing the whispers around her, Wan Qiqi sighed softly and looked up at Chen Lizheng to see what he planned to do.

"Everyone, it is my dereliction of duty as the village head that this has happened in Lianhua Village, but we have no time to investigate other matters now. We should unite to fight the plague."

Chen Lizheng paused for a moment, then said, "I have invited a doctor from the county town and applied for a medicinal herb. We will divide the area and treat patients in a concentrated manner. It is best for patients to stay at home and not move around."

Wan Qiqi couldn't help but praise Chen Lizheng in her heart. He was a wise man who knew how to divide the area and concentrate the patients for treatment, but that was far from enough.

To control the plague, simply dividing the area into zones is not enough.

It requires sufficient manpower and resources, as well as the cooperation of the villagers and the patients.

In such situations, people tend to panic more and find it harder to cooperate.

Sure enough, the villagers started talking again, and they started a question-and-answer session with Chen Lizheng.

"Will I not get infected with the plague if I stay home?"

"uncertain."

"If we don't go out, what will we eat?"

"The family can arrange outings to find wild vegetables and fetch water."

"Won't people who go out get infected?"

"Possibly."

"Going out means death, staying in means death, so why should we stay at home?"

"Reduce contact, reduce infection."

“Chen Lizheng, you only said it was reduced, not that it was completely free of infection.”

Before long, Chen Lizheng was overwhelmed by their questions and didn't know how to respond.

Wan Qiqi found these people's questions utterly ridiculous.

It's difficult for an epidemic to prevent deaths; the only thing we can do is prevent more people from getting infected and allow more people to survive.

At this moment, Wang took a small step, her expression showing some hesitation.

Upon seeing this, Wan Qiqi suddenly remembered that this was a person who had survived the plague and should have more right to speak than anyone else.

She gently grasped Wang's arm and whispered, "Mother, do you want to speak up for the village head?"

Wang hesitated for a moment, then nodded, "Chen Lizheng is right, we must keep him away and keep him home as much as possible."

"Mother, why don't you go up to the platform and say it?" Wan Qiqi thought that if Wang Shi went up, many people would be convinced.

Looking at the crowd of people ahead, Wang felt dizzy and unable to take a step.

Wan Qiqi could feel Wang Shi's hands trembling and her legs shaking, as if she was very scared. She encouraged her, "I'll go up with you."

Chen Ergou, watching from the side, couldn't help but say, "Sister-in-law, this is Chen Lizheng's business. Why are you forcing your aunt to go up there?"

Wan Qiqi frowned and looked at Chen Ergou, wondering what was going on in his head.

This is no small matter; if we're not careful, the lives of the entire village could be lost!

For a time, she felt that the village head was not authoritative enough and was being questioned by the villagers, making it impossible to continue with the matter.

After hesitating for a while, Wang still let Wan Qiqi accompany her to stand on the platform together.

"Aunt Wang, what are you doing here?" Chen Lizheng thought that Wang might have come to help him, but when he saw Wan Qiqi, he felt that it was unlikely.

Wang glanced at Wan Qiqi, mustered her courage, and said to Chen, the village head, "Village Head, I'd like to talk about the plague..."

With the cooperation of Chen Lizheng and Wang Shi, the villagers finally quieted down.

Many people in the village know that Wang came to Lianhua Village after a plague broke out in her hometown, and she was one of the few survivors of the plague.

Finally, the villagers quieted down and agreed with Chen Lizheng's earlier statement.

But Chen Lizheng's next words plunged the villagers into silence once again.

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