Chapter 40 The Struggle for Lockdown
The "strange disease" in the south of the city broke out faster than expected.
Just one night later, the epidemic, which had initially spread only to a few alleys, began to show signs of spreading outwards. Memorials from the Prefect of the Capital poured into the palace like snowflakes, and the entire court was instantly thrown into turmoil.
The next morning, in the Golden Palace.
The atmosphere was so heavy it seemed like it could drip water. The civil and military officials were in an uproar, arguing over only one point: whether or not to seal off the south of the city, or even the entire capital.
"No! Absolutely not, Regent!"
The Minister of Revenue knelt on the ground, his face contorted with grief. "The capital is the lifeblood of the Great Khanate. If the city is sealed off, trade routes will be cut off, and the people will panic. Who will bear the losses? Moreover, tens of thousands of people live in the south of the city. If it is sealed off, what will they eat and drink? This is forcing the people to rebel!"
“Yes, Your Highness!” another old minister chimed in. “It’s just a minor cold, why make such a fuss? If word gets out that there’s a plague in the capital, wouldn’t that shake the foundations of the nation?”
"I second that opinion! Simply send an imperial physician to treat the patient; we must not seal off the city and disturb the people!"
A group of ministers knelt on the ground and kowtowed, each speaking with righteous indignation, as if sealing off the city were sinners for all time.
Shen Jin sat solemnly on the regent's throne beside the dragon throne, looking expressionlessly at the group of stubborn old men below who only knew how to talk.
Behind the screen behind him, Jiang Mianmian was sitting on a small stool, holding an apple in her hand, listening to the argument in front of her, her eyes practically rolling to the sky.
A bunch of idiots! Pure idiots!
【A cold or acute illness? That's a low-budget version of a zombie virus, buddy! Its transmission speed is exponential, you know? The R0 value (basic reproduction number) is at least 5!】
[If we don't lock down the city now, once the whole city is infected, you won't need to fight anymore; you can just line up for boxed lunches!]
[Trade routes? Economy? What's the point of money if you're dead? Are these people's brains filled with mush?]
As Shen Jin listened to the barrage of complaints in his mind, although he didn't understand what "R0 value" or "exponential" meant, he understood the core meaning: if it's not banned, everyone will die.
That's enough.
Shen Jin gave a cold shout, his voice not loud, but it instantly suppressed the noise in the hall.
His gaze, sharp as lightning, swept over the Minister of Revenue, who had just been the most vehement opponent:
"The Minister said that sealing off the city would shake the foundations of the nation?"
"Yes...yes..." The Minister of Revenue wiped his sweat.
"In your opinion, Minister," Shen Jin tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest, "is the damage to the trade routes more serious, or is the transformation of the entire capital into a ghost town?"
The Minister of Revenue choked, "Your Highness is exaggerating... It's not that terrible..."
[Seriously?! This old man won't learn his lesson until he's faced with the truth! Shen Jin, confront him! Tell him what an incubation period is! Tell him what aerosol transmission is!]
Although this disease isn't caused by real zombies, it's contagious through droplets and contact, with a short incubation period and rapid onset. If the source of the infection isn't cut off, it's like setting fire to a hut full of dry straw—it will burn to the ground in no time!
Shen Jin nodded slightly.
Although the term "aerosol" was unfamiliar to him, he understood the metaphor of "setting fire to hay."
"Too much?"
Shen Jin stood up and walked down the steps one by one. "I have just returned from the south of the city. I saw with my own eyes the afflicted patients tearing at living people like wild beasts, and I saw a family of seven die suddenly overnight. This disease is unheard of and unseen before."
He walked up to the Minister of Revenue and looked down at him:
"If you, Minister, find it not frightening, then I will send someone to take you to the south of the city and let you stay there for three days. If you can still come back alive after three days to oppose the lockdown, I will grant your request."
The Minister of Revenue was terrified, his face turning green as he frantically kowtowed, "Your Highness, spare me! Your Highness, spare me! I...I dare not!"
"If you don't dare, then shut up."
Shen Jin flicked his sleeve, turned and walked back to his high position, his voice cold and resolute:
"Issue my decree!"
"From this moment forward, all nine gates of the capital will be closed. Entry is permitted, but exit is not!"
"The southern part of the city has been designated as a disaster area, guarded by the Imperial Guards around the clock. Not even a fly is allowed to get out!"
"The Ministry of Revenue must immediately allocate grain and fodder, delivering it to the quarantine area at fixed times every day without fail! If even one person starves to death, I will cut off the head of your Ministry of Revenue!"
This series of orders, delivered with the force of a thunderbolt, silenced the entire court.
This is the charisma of a regent.
Even if he bears a bad reputation, even if he acts arbitrarily, he will never gamble with the lives of ordinary people.
Jiang Mianmian, listening from behind the screen, was filled with excitement.
[Awesome! So awesome! That's right! Can't you even copy homework? This is the precursor to "dynamic zeroing"!]
However... simply locking down the city isn't enough. We need to implement categorized isolation! Confirmed cases, suspected cases, and close contacts must all be separated! Otherwise, if everyone is locked up together, even healthy people will get infected!
[And disinfection! We need quicklime! We also need to burn mugwort! And...]
As Shen Jin listened to her professional advice, his eyes flickered slightly.
He sat down again, glanced at the assembled officials, and continued:
"In addition, three camps were set up in the south of the city. One camp was for those who had already fallen ill, one camp was for those who had been in contact with the patients but had not yet developed symptoms, and one camp was for the remaining civilians. The three camps were strictly prohibited from communicating with each other."
"The Ministry of Works shall immediately prepare quicklime and mugwort, and sprinkle them throughout the city for fumigation."
"All physicians of the Imperial Medical Academy shall immediately proceed to the south of the city and await... the orders of the Divine Physician Princess."
This last sentence left the ministers stunned.
Are you at the Princess's command?
That princess who only knows how to eat, drink, and have fun?
Although rumors circulated that she had saved the Northern Yan princess, everyone assumed it was luck or a ploy by the prince to promote her. Now, this matter of national importance is truly being entrusted to her?
"Your Highness!"
Prime Minister Jiang Zhan couldn't help but step forward, his face full of worry. "Mianmian... although she knows a little about medicine, this plague is dangerous. How can we let her take the risk? This old minister only has this one daughter!"
Jiang Zhan was truly panicked. That was a plague!
Behind the screen, Jiang Mianmian felt a warmth in her heart.
[Dad really is my dad. But... I can't skip this time.]
Of all the officials in the court, only I know how to prevent and treat this. If I don't go, the pressure on Shen Jin to seal the city will be immense. If he can't cure it, he'll be a sinner for all time.
[For my long-term meal ticket, for my dad's official position, for the hot pot restaurant we're building... I'll give it my all!]
"Prime Minister Jiang, rest assured."
Shen Jin looked at Jiang Zhan, his tone cold and hard, yet carrying a barely perceptible promise, "I will go with her."
"As long as I am here, she is here."
The entire audience erupted in uproar.
Is the Regent going to the epidemic area in person?
How insane!
But looking into Shen Jin's unwavering gaze, everyone knew that there was no turning back.
A battle to seal off the city, which would determine the fate of the entire nation, officially began under the guidance of the Regent's iron fist and the Queen's "heartfelt wishes."
After the court session ended.
Jiang Mianmian emerged from behind the screen and stretched.
"Chen Jin," she called to the man who was about to leave.
"Um?"
"You just said...you were here, and I was here?"
Jiang Mianmian looked at him, a bright smile playing on her lips. "I love hearing that. But..."
She pulled a homemade mask from her sleeve, stood on tiptoe, and clumsily put it on him.
"If you want me to stay, you have to be alive first."
"Wear this properly. You are not allowed to take it off in the epidemic area. This is an order."
Shen Jin looked down at the strange strip of cloth that covered half of his face, leaving only his eyes visible.
He didn't refuse; instead, he reached out and pinched her cheek through her mask.
"Yes, Your Excellency, Divine Physician."
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