Chapter 2379 Inquiry
Liu Huan asked, "Hasn't the Imperial Manor always been managed by Lord Luo and his eunuchs? Will there be any problems for Brother Zhou Wu to do business with them at this time?"
Liu Huan was unaware of the previous situation, but Bai Erlang was aware. He raised his head and nodded in Bai Shan's direction, saying, "There have been problems for a long time. The current dilemma for Minister Liu is due to their efforts to solve the problem."
Liu Huan turned his head and looked at Bai Shan.
Bai Shan folded the letter and said, "This has nothing to do with us. You know I've been outside the palace these past two days, and the only people I've seen are you. Not to mention Manbao, who's been locked up in the imperial farm. Even news from outside has to be delivered by us."
"Then this is..."
Bai Shan pretended to be calm and said with a smile: "Brother Zhou Wu's business has not yet taken off. It is not even considered a stakeholder. As for who did it, you just need to think about whose interests this has offended."
Liu Huan thought for a moment and then hesitated, "The Imperial Hospital?"
Bai Shan smiled. He glanced outside and saw that it was getting late, so he stood up and said, "We should go back too. You should study hard."
Liu Huan was reluctant to leave. "Why don't you stay for dinner? Maybe we can get some information from my grandfather when he comes back."
Bai Shan said, "From what you said, His Majesty is very angry. He is so angry that Lord Liu may not be able to come back for dinner today."
So he should go home and eat. Besides, Manbao has a lot of books and manuscript papers, and it will take time to sort them out.
Bai Shan insisted on leaving.
When he got home, he first went to report his safety to Old Zhou and Qian.
When Old Zhou heard that Manbao had only written back to ask for books and manuscript paper, he relaxed and sat down on the chair, muttering, "That's too scary! Why didn't you mention that when you delivered the things this morning..."
Old Madam Liu was also relieved.
Bai Shan went to Manbao's study to pack up his things. He packed up most of the small box with books and manuscripts. After thinking about it, he simply went to the big study and got a stack of blank papers to fill the box. Then he closed it and put it on the bedside, and took it to Manbao early tomorrow morning.
I wonder if she can find out what happened from Xiao Yuanzheng.
Of course, Xiao Yuanzheng would not tell her, but Doctor Liu would tell her.
After noon the next day, Dean Xiao brought a large number of imperial physicians and medical assistants to help and learn.
Manbao and Doctor Lu had already picked out all the cowpox and were sealing them in five jars.
The smallpox vaccination experiment was a big deal, and Xiao Yuanzheng did not intend to have all the imperial physicians in the Imperial Medical Bureau participate in the entire process, but they also needed to learn.
Therefore, all the imperial physicians and medical assistants except the imperial physician on duty at the Imperial Medical Bureau were brought along for several key steps.
The first key step is to prepare the vaccine.
Everyone changed their clothes and put on masks before entering the pharmacy. Doctor Lu and Manbao took out five jars and arranged them, with notes on them indicating which cow's pox scabs they were.
Dean Xiao pointed at Zhou Man and said, "When it comes to smallpox vaccination, no one in the hospital is more familiar with it than Imperial Physician Zhou, so let her explain it to everyone."
Manbao stepped forward and pointed at five jars, saying, "The scabs used for the vaccine must be mature. Only mature scabs are less toxic."
Manbao opened a jar and took out a spoonful of smallpox scabs. He said, "These scabs are left behind after the cow recovered. My understanding is that because it had already defeated smallpox, traces of the antidote remain in the scabs. Therefore, the mature scabs are not very toxic."
"Now we begin preparing the vaccine."
Because everyone was wearing a mask, Zhou Man's mask only exposed her eyes, so no one could see her expression. The less experienced medical assistants shifted their bodies uneasily, not wanting to see the disgusting acne scabs.
Assistant Doctor Liu was also among them. Of Zhou Man’s four apprentices, except for her, the others had either gone to local medical offices or were studying in the Imperial Medical Office. Only she could study in the Imperial Hospital now.
Because he already had experience, Manbao skillfully adjusted the scabs and rolled them into a small ball. He then said, "But this time, we won't be inoculating the scabs in the sinuses. That would be less toxic, so we'll just make a small incision on the inside of the arm to allow it to come into contact with the flesh. Of course, some people are in better health, so this alone might not be enough to inoculate them. So, we need to place the scabs in the sinuses for a second contamination, intensifying the smallpox's attack before we can get the smallpox."
Xiao Yuanzheng asked: "Have you encountered this?"
"Not yet." Man Bao said, "My previous test subjects were all veterans and disabled soldiers. Do they look particularly healthy to you?"
Therefore, it is not easy to vaccinate people who are particularly healthy.
Today's step is to prepare the smallpox vaccine. Carefully pick up the prepared vaccine with tongs and place it on a plate. Xiao Yuanzheng only asked a few people to help, and the others stood far away to watch their actions and record them.
By the evening, only two-thirds of the work had been completed, and one-third was still not done. Vaccination would begin early tomorrow morning, so Doctor Liu would stay here and work overtime with Manbao.
Others changed their clothes and prepared to leave.
Manbao called out to Dr. Liu and said, "Wait in my yard. I have something for you to take home."
Doctor Liu responded, saluted and retreated.
After she left, Manbao immediately pulled Doctor Liu aside and whispered, "Doctor Liu, I heard that His Majesty wants to check the accounts of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Palace Affairs?"
Doctor Liu watched his granddaughter walk away, then turned back to look at Zhou Man, "Doctor Zhou is well-informed even in the imperial farm."
Manbao waited for him to continue, but Doctor Liu said, "Why are you asking me instead of asking Dean Xiao?"
Manbao said bluntly: "I dare not."
Doctor Liu: "...then you dare to do it to me?"
Man Bao said, "It was Xiao Yuanzheng who did it, right? Who would tell others about the bad things they did?"
Doctor Liu: "How is it a bad thing to eliminate the parasites?"
Man Bao thought for a moment and said, "My guess is that Xiao Yuanzheng has come here smiling all the time these past two days and has never been late. Obviously, he didn't submit a petition through the normal channels, nor did he report it to the Censorate or the Supreme Court. Your Majesty is so angry, I think he definitely didn't follow the rules. But extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. Doctor Liu, did Xiao Yuanzheng secretly complain to Your Majesty?"
Manbao was very excited when the topic was brought up, but amidst his excitement he felt a little wary. "Will my fifth brother's anger be taken out on me?"
Doctor Liu smiled and said, "Don't worry, this matter has nothing to do with Xiao Yuanzheng."
Manbao glared, "It has nothing to do with Xiao Yuanzheng?"
"At least that's what's happening on the surface," Imperial Physician Liu said. "Director Xiao has approached Eunuch Gu, who happens to have an apprentice in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Unfortunately, he's being outshined by Eunuch Tong's godson. Now that something's happened in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, it's unclear who will be in charge in the future. This is a power struggle among the eunuchs themselves, and has nothing to do with our Imperial Hospital."
He added, "Even Lord Luo was implicated because of Xin Chun. If he, an outsider, hadn't interfered in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Lord Luo wouldn't have suffered as a result."
See you at 6pm
(End of this chapter)
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