This epidemic came on fiercely, and while prevention is still possible, ultimately we must find a solution as soon as possible.
Lu Jingze knew the weight of his responsibility and dared not slacken in the slightest.
And letters from Qingzhou to Liangzhou arrived every few days.
The epidemic prevention supplies mentioned in the letter were also transported into Liangzhou City, truckload after truckload.
Looking at the high pile of goods on the carriage, Lu Jingze couldn't help but chuckle softly.
This little girl is probably going to spend all the reward money I gave her before!
The capital city took this matter seriously and specially dispatched imperial physicians to assist in the development of medicines to contain the epidemic.
The old physician was quite curious to see everyone in the city dressed so solemnly.
"Xiao Lin, what are you wearing?" the old imperial physician asked Lin, the imperial physician who had arrived in Liangzhou before him.
"It was Lord Lu who ordered us to wear them. He called them masks, and they really are quite effective. Since we got these, the number of people in the city who get sick has decreased significantly."
"I see... But, Lord Lu, which Lord Lu are you referring to?"
"It's Lord Lu, the one in charge of Liangzhou affairs, Master, don't you know him?"
"You silly boy, that's no Lord Lu at all!" the old doctor said with a look of disgust.
"Huh? Is there something wrong with it?"
The old physician thought for a moment. This young man entered the Imperial Hospital late and hadn't even had a chance to meet any important people before he volunteered to come to Liangzhou. It's not unreasonable that he doesn't know anyone.
He took a mask and waited for Physician Lin to put it on him before impatiently shooing him away, "Don't worry about these things, get back to work, and just remember to be respectful to him from now on!"
Physician Lin wasn't stupid either. Seeing this, he refused to leave and stayed by the old physician's side, insisting on getting an answer.
"That's our Prince Jing of Da Xi!" the old imperial physician said in a low voice.
Physician Xiaolin gaped in shock. "Then... then does that mean the matter of Liangzhou is entirely under the Prince's responsibility?"
"Otherwise what? If he weren't here overseeing things, how could the imperial court have managed to procure so many supplies and send them to Liangzhou in such a short time? Besides the Prince, who else has such ability!"
---
Meanwhile, Wang Xiuxiu was not idle in Qingzhou either.
She accepted Lu Jingze's request for help and gathered doctors from all over Qingzhou to work together to find a way to treat the plague.
During this long and expectant period, she met all sorts of doctors.
There are seasoned practitioners who have been practicing medicine in the community for many years, as well as young doctors who are just starting out but full of enthusiasm.
Among them were those who pursued fame and fortune, but many more were sages who were willing to test medicines on themselves in the hope of finding a glimmer of hope for the disaster victims in Liangzhou.
The night was deep, and the candlelight flickered.
Wang Xiuxiu sat hunched over her desk, holding a yellowed medical book in her hands, her brows furrowed, her gaze shifting back and forth between the lines.
Her desk was piled high with all sorts of medical books and prescriptions, some of which were ancient fragments, and some were her own handwritten notes.
The plague in Liangzhou was like a sword hanging overhead, ready to fall at any moment and claim more innocent lives.
The exhaustion of the past few days had left her eyes bloodshot, but she dared not relax for a moment.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps came from outside the door, followed by a guard's hushed voice: "Miss Wang, an old doctor is in a hurry to see you. He says he has found a prescription!"
Upon hearing this, Wang Xiuxiu quickly got up, put on a coat, and hurried out.
A cool night breeze stirred her clothes. Looking up, she saw an elderly man with white hair standing not far away, clutching a piece of paper tightly in his hand, his expression excited.
"It's him?" Wang Xiuxiu's heart skipped a beat as she recognized the old man.
Wang Xiuxiu first met Chen Shanyi at a temporary post outside Qingzhou City.
That day, she was registering information for doctors entering the city when she suddenly heard a commotion outside the door.
Looking up, I saw an elderly man with white hair carrying a worn-out medicine box, striding over.
Although he was old, his eyes were sharp. He looked around and finally his gaze landed on Wang Xiuxiu. He frowned and said, "I came to treat the plague in Liangzhou. They said they would come to see you first?"
Wang Xiuxiu put down her pen, stood up and bowed, "Indeed, may I ask how you are addressed, senior?"
The old man snorted coldly, "My surname is Chen, and I am just a country doctor with no reputation."
Wang Xiuxiu smiled slightly, "Okay, then I'll register your information right away."
"They told us not to go to Liangzhou to save people, but instead sent us to Qingzhou. This is absurd! Nonsense!" Doctor Chen Shan exclaimed, his beard bristling and eyes wide.
"You misunderstand. The doctors are only staying in Qingzhou temporarily. Once the assembly is complete, they will set off for Liangzhou together."
Old Chen stroked his beard, looking somewhat awkward. "Why go to all this trouble?"
"The lives of doctors are of paramount importance, and we dare not act rashly."
"Alright, alright, I won't talk to you anymore. Just let me into the city. I've been traveling for days, I'm exhausted!"
"Yes, after you register your information, staff will arrange for you to rest."
From that day on, Dr. Chen Shan stayed in Qingzhou.
But he did not let Wang Xiuxiu off easily.
This pretentious old man was always holding back a grudge.
When he checked in, he complained that the bed was not comfortable enough, and he even found fault with the clean clothes prepared for him, complaining that the fabric was slippery and uncomfortable.
They even complained that the food didn't suit their taste while eating.
Once, a servant brought him a bowl of freshly cooked congee. He took only one sip and frowned, saying, "This congee is too bland. It doesn't even have a hint of salt. How can I drink it?"
Wang Xiuxiu had no choice but to order the kitchen to cook him another bowl of meat porridge with salt. Chen Shanyi reluctantly drank it, but still complained, "The cooking time is still wrong, the porridge is too thick."
One day, Wang Xiuxiu was decocting medicine when Old Chen suddenly came over, pointed at the medicine stove, and said, "The heat is wrong, the medicinal properties are all ruined! Where did you learn this method of decocting medicine from!"
Wang Xiuxiu was taken aback, and quickly explained, "I decocted it according to the method in the medical book, and the heat was also as written in the book, so the medicinal properties should not be damaged."
Old Chen sneered, "Medical books? How much can you trust in medical books? Let me tell you, the heat for decocting medicine must be just right. Too much heat makes the medicine too dry, too little heat makes it too weak. Your heat is clearly too high."
Upon hearing this, Wang Xiuxiu quickly adjusted her tone, saying, "Senior is right, I have learned a lot."
Old Chen was somewhat pleased with her humble attitude, but he still couldn't hold back his words, "Hmph, young people should learn and read more. Don't think you're something special just because you've read a few medical books."
Despite Chen Shanyi's various difficulties, Wang Xiuxiu remained patient and humble.
After that, he frequently created difficult problems for Wang Xiuxiu, and his harassment of her became increasingly severe.
It seemed as if he would continue to torment and cause trouble if he wasn't summoned to Liangzhou.
Wang Xiuxiu knew that although this old mountain doctor had an eccentric temper, his medical skills were superb. If she could get his help, the plague in Liangzhou might make great progress.
But the old man had an eccentric temperament and was quite wary of her.
Fortunately, Wang Xiuxiu had already mastered the art of ninjutsu within the Wang family.
These days, I've had to give in to everything to barely get a kind word from him.
The road ahead is truly long and arduous!
Chen Shanyi's change of attitude began with a late-night discussion.
He arrived late, and everyone had already left, leaving only Wang Xiuxiu in the room reading ancient medical books.
Old Chen walked over, glanced at the book in her hand, and asked, "What are your views on the 'Theory of Damp-Heat'?"
Wang Xiuxiu put down her book and answered seriously: "The Southern Medical Records of Typhoid Fever mentions that damp-heat evil easily damages the spleen and stomach, leading to stagnation of qi. I believe that to treat damp-heat syndrome, we should not only focus on clearing heat and removing dampness, but also regulate the spleen and stomach and restore qi."
Upon hearing this, Old Chen's eyes flashed with approval, but his tone remained indifferent. "You do have some knowledge, but you can't cure the plague by relying solely on what's in books."
Wang Xiuxiu nodded, "Senior is right. I was just about to ask you, have you ever encountered a similar plague in your many years of practicing medicine in the folk? Do you have any unique treatment methods?"
Old Chen was silent for a moment, then finally sighed, “When I was young, I encountered a plague in a mountain village. The symptoms were quite similar to the plague in Liangzhou this time. At that time, I used a herb called ‘Artemisia annua’ in combination with several other medicinal herbs and successfully controlled the epidemic.”
Upon hearing this, Wang Xiuxiu's eyes lit up immediately. "Artemisia annua? I've heard of this herb before, but I've never tried it. Could you tell me more about it, senior?"
Seeing her so humbly seeking advice, Old Chen's resentment dissipated somewhat.
He sat down and recounted in detail his experience in treating the plague years ago. Wang Xiuxiu listened attentively and occasionally offered her own insights.
The two chatted more and more enthusiastically until the sky began to lighten, at which point they reluctantly ended their discussion.
From that day on, Old Chen put aside his prejudices, stopped making things difficult for Wang Xiuxiu, and devoted himself wholeheartedly to finding a solution to the plague.
That very night, while studying ancient books, Old Chen suddenly discovered an ancient medical classic that contained a prescription for a medicine called "Qingwen San".
According to the book, this prescription was remarkably effective during a major epidemic hundreds of years ago.
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