Chapter 300 A Benefactor in My Life
The city gates of Ping'an County are closed.
Three or four hundred refugees gathered around the dilapidated temple. A soup kitchen was set up at the main gate of the city, providing two meals of soup a day. The refugees' mood was relatively stable.
However, the disease was spreading, and many of the refugees remained ill, coughing incessantly despite their weakened state.
Because of the influx of refugees, hundreds of people in the city had high fevers and coughs, and four or five medical clinics were overwhelmed.
Magistrate Shen was sitting in his study, reading documents.
He had dark circles under his eyes and a ring of stubble around his lips, clearly indicating that he hadn't slept all night.
The document in his hand was a letter sent by the prefect.
The letter stated that thousands of refugees brought a severe plague to Huzhou, causing countless people in the city to fall ill and die every day. Yesterday, the death toll in the city reached its peak, with eight people dying. It took about four or five days from high fever to death.
There are more sick people among the refugees, but the death toll is not that high; about one or two people die every day.
To protect Huzhou, the prefect ordered all refugees to be driven out, the city gates to be closed, and the city's residents to be separated and managed for treatment. As for the refugees, there was no longer any way to manage them... The letter emphasized that all counties and towns within the prefecture should follow this method to control the spread of the plague...
The prefect also wrote that almost all antipyretic herbs in Huzhou were sold out, and proposed that the government take control of the herbs and standardize the decoction for treatment...
Magistrate Shen put down the lengthy document and rubbed his temples.
After Zheng'er delivered the letter from Lady Sui yesterday, he immediately ordered his yamen runners to go to nearby counties, towns, and villages to implement mandatory control measures.
The source of infection within the city has been brought under control, but the situation remains very challenging.
First, the consumption of medicinal materials is severe. Ephedra, Bupleurum, Notopterygium, Cinnamon Twig, and other medicinal materials used to treat febrile diseases are almost sold out. Without medicine, those who are sick can only wait to die.
Secondly, the number of refugees outside the city, three or four hundred, is increasing daily. With so many people, providing only two meals of porridge a day is difficult for the county government to sustain. Due to a lack of medicinal herbs, the refugees outside the city are not even eligible for medical treatment.
These people are also precious human lives...
"grown ups!"
The city guards strode in quickly.
"This is a letter sent by Lady Sui, saying that it is a matter of life and death and cannot be delayed!"
Upon hearing the name "Lady Sui," Magistrate Shen felt as if he had taken a reassuring pill, and all his anxiety vanished instantly.
He quickly opened the bundle and took out a thick stack of papers.
The first sheet of paper clearly stated what these manuscripts contained: prescriptions for treating the plague.
Magistrate Shen's breathing became rapid, and his hands trembled.
He started reading quickly, skimming through the pages. Most of the text consisted of verification procedures and patient symptoms. He then flipped directly to the last page, which contained a complete prescription.
If the prescription includes herbs such as ephedra and bupleurum, he may continue to have headaches.
However! This prescription has nothing to do with commonly used antipyretics. Instead, it uses some common heat-clearing herbs, such as forsythia and honeysuckle.
He thought that Lady Sui only knew about fieldwork, which was why she was able to discover ratooning rice.
Now I realize how narrow-minded he was.
"Madam Sui... is truly my benefactor..."
The idea of separate management was proposed by Lady Sui.
The prescription for the treatment was also sent over by someone sent by Lady Sui.
It is a blessing for everyone in Ping'an County to have Lady Sui.
"Someone come here!"
Magistrate Shen shouted, and Yuan, the clerk, walked in with a hunched back.
"Summon all doctors from the city's clinics, control all medicinal herbs, and have them brew and distribute the medicine uniformly," he said methodically. "Set up two decoction points, one inside and one outside the city, and treat the people inside and outside the city equally..."
Clerk Yuan was taken aback: "But sir, we're running out of medicine. I asked the doctor at Rendetang, and he said that all the medicine in the city combined would only last for another three to five days. After distributing some to the refugees, it would be gone in two days..."
“The prescription has been changed.” Magistrate Shen pulled out the prescription paper. “Honeysuckle and forsythia can be found in Ping’an County. Use scutellaria for now, and I’ll figure out what to do with the rest.”
Honeysuckle and forsythia are very common and can be found in the mountains and villages, but scutellaria is a northern medicine that is purchased from the north. Clinics in the city cannot keep too much in stock, and at most, scutellaria will run out in five days.
Master Yuan hesitated for a moment, holding the prescription: "Which doctor wrote this prescription?"
“Of course it’s my aunt, Madam Sui.” Shen Zheng walked in from the doorway. “The fact that my aunt was able to hand over this prescription means that it has been tested and is indeed effective.”
Master Yuan hesitated even more: "Isn't Madam Ke Sui just a peasant woman? How could a peasant woman know anything about medicine?"
“Just because you don’t understand doesn’t mean my aunt doesn’t understand either.” Shen Zheng snorted and said, “Father, there are too many people like Master Yuan who question things recklessly. I suggest that we lie to the outside world and say that this prescription was written by a master. We can just have all the doctors cooperate in brewing the medicine. Otherwise, those doctors will take turns questioning it. There won’t be much time to explain. Saving lives is the priority.”
Master Yuan: "..."
Was he making random questions? He was clearly raising reasonable doubts!
Magistrate Shen agreed with Shen Zheng's suggestion.
He needs to try this prescription as soon as possible. If it works, he'll have someone make a copy and send it to Huzhou tonight.
The epidemic is more severe in Huzhou, and if it is not controlled there, Ping'an County will remain in danger.
“Master Yuan is in charge of the city, and I am in charge of the outside,” Shen Zheng said. “Father will be in charge of guarding the county government and issuing orders.”
Magistrate Shen frowned: "No, you're not allowed to act recklessly."
The area outside the city is full of refugees, and they could easily become a mob. How could he possibly let his only son be among a mob?
“Cheng Zhao is also helping Aunt Zhao control the plague in Dahe Village. I’m in Ping’an County, so naturally I can’t be idle.” Shen Zheng’s eyes were particularly firm. “Those guards at the city gate are also other people’s sons. Don’t their parents love their children? If they can go, why can’t I? I am the magistrate’s son. Only if I go can I prove to them that Ping’an County has not abandoned anyone, and only then will those refugees not riot.”
Magistrate Shen was completely stunned.
When did his good-for-nothing son come to understand so many profound truths?
He couldn't utter a single word of rebuttal.
"Dad, I'm going."
Shen Zheng pulled up his mask, put on his hat, and strode out of the county government office.
Watching his retreating figure, Magistrate Shen sighed deeply. His son had grown up and become sensible, so why did he feel melancholy?
Just as he was about to sit down to continue arranging government affairs, Yuan, the clerk who had just left, rushed back: "Sir, something terrible has happened! Another person has died in the city!"
Magistrate Shen suddenly stood up: "How many people died?"
"Four people died, all from taking Rendetang's antipyretics and suddenly passing away." Master Yuan said with lingering fear. "The previous victims died during treatment, but these four clearly had their fevers subside, yet somehow they didn't make it... The deceased's families are causing a scene at Rendetang..."
Magistrate Shen's expression was grave: "In other words, the original prescription did indeed have a problem... We won't wait until tonight. Now, Master Yuan, you should send someone to Huzhou to report the new prescription to the Prefect. Whether or not to use this prescription is entirely up to the Prefect. Also, have the Prefect urgently request some Scutellaria baicalensis from the north..."
Master Yuan cupped his hands and said, "Yes!"
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