Chapter 43 The Advent of Face Masks
Although the "Dream Remedy" and the "Goddess Descending to Earth" stabilized the hearts of the people in the south of the city, Jiang Mianmian knew very well that relying on just a few bottles of diluted spiritual spring water that was almost tasteless was far from enough to completely eradicate this plague.
The most crucial step is to cut off the transmission routes.
Early morning, inside the temporary command tent in the south of the city.
Jiang Mianmian sat in front of a table piled with fabric, holding a pair of scissors in her hand, her brows furrowed so deeply they could trap a fly.
In front of her were several pieces of gauze commonly used by the Imperial Medical Academy.
[This is supposed to be gauze?]
Jiang Mianmian picked up a piece and looked at it in the sunlight.
[This hole is big enough for a mosquito to squeeze through! Is it for bandaging wounds, or for fishing?]
[This density of gauze is so thin it can't even stop saliva, let alone block viruses! Wearing this into the quarantine area is practically the same as running around naked! It's an insult to the virus!]
[Sigh, I miss my N95 mask, I miss my surgical mask, even one of those disposable masks that cost two yuan a pack would be fine!]
Shen Jin sat to the side, reviewing official documents regarding the allocation of supplies. Hearing her inner rage, he put down his pen and his gaze fell on the piece of gauze she had so utterly despised.
"Does Your Highness think this gauze... is unsuitable?"
“It’s too loose.” Jiang Mianmian threw the gauze back on the table. “This thing can’t block… uh, it can’t block that ‘sickness’. Your Highness, we need to make something new called a ‘mask’.”
"Masks?" Shen Jin raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, a mask for the mouth and nose."
Jiang Mianmian picked up a pen and paper and quickly sketched a modern surgical mask, even marking its three-layer structure:
"The outer layer must be waterproof to block droplets; the middle layer must be fine to filter... pathogens; and the inner layer must be moisture-absorbing, breathable, and comfortable."
"Most importantly, it must fit the shape of your face and not let any air in!"
Shen Jin looked at the drawing. Although the drawing skills were mediocre, he quickly understood her intention.
This is an extremely ingenious and practical design.
“Very well.” Shen Jin nodded. “I will have the Ministry of Works and the Imperial Wardrobe do as instructed immediately.”
"Wait!"
Jiang Mianmian stopped him, "What do those rough men in the Ministry of Works know about needlework? The embroiderers in the Imperial Wardrobe are skillful, but they're used to embroidery and are too slow. This is about saving lives, not a fashion show!"
[By the time they finish embroidering a single flower, all the patients will have died! We need assembly line work! Do you understand what an assembly line is?]
[Moreover, the fabric is a major problem. Ordinary cotton is too thick and doesn't breathe well; silk is too expensive, we can't afford it.]
Jiang Mianmian was so worried that she was pulling her hair out.
If only we had non-woven fabric... Unfortunately, in this industrially backward ancient world, we could only use the most primitive method—stacking layers.
“Cotton cloth,” Shen Jin suddenly spoke.
"Um?"
"I remember there is a type of fine cotton cloth in the army used to wipe weapons. It is dense in texture and has excellent water absorption," Shen Jin said in a deep voice. "Ying Yi, go and get a batch of it."
Soon, bolts of fine white cotton cloth were delivered to the main tent.
Jiang Mianmian touched it, and her eyes lit up.
[Wow! Not bad! The feel isn't as good as non-woven fabric, but it's much better than that fishing net gauze! With a few layers, it should meet the minimum standard for a medical surgical mask.]
[Shen Jin's mind works pretty fast. No wonder he's in charge of the military; he knows everything about supplies.]
With the materials ready, the next step is to make it.
Jiang Mianmian did not assign this task to the Imperial Wardrobe, but instead had the Prefect of the Capital summon all the women in the south of the city who had not yet fallen ill and were bored in the quarantine area.
"Dear aunties and grandmas!"
Jiang Mianmian stood on the high platform, holding a freshly sewn sample in her hand, and shouted loudly:
"Now I have a job for you! As long as you learn to sew this 'mask,' you'll get two coins for every one you make! The more you make, the more you earn! Not only can you earn money, but you can also save your families!"
The crowd below erupted in cheers.
They had been locked up here for several days, and everyone was filled with fear and anxiety. When they heard that they could make money and save lives, their eyes lit up with greed.
"Goddess! We'll do it! We all know how to sew!"
Thus began a vigorous "national mask campaign".
Jiang Mianmian personally took to the stage to teach:
"Watch closely! First, cut the fabric, then stack three layers together! Then fold it to create three pleats! Sew straps on both sides! Here, on the bridge of the nose, sew a thin copper wire in to help with shaping!"
[Since there's no shape-memory metal, I'll have to make do with copper wire. Hopefully, it won't hurt my nose.]
Hundreds of women sat together, their needles flying as they sewed. Although there were no sewing machines, these hardworking women, who were used to doing housework year-round, were surprisingly fast-paced.
In less than half a day, the first batch of one thousand "intensive N95 masks" were freshly produced.
Although the stitches are of varying thicknesses and some straps are long while others are short, they are thick and effective.
Jiang Mianmian picked one up, looked at it, and nodded in satisfaction.
[It may be a bit ugly, but it's handmade, a limited edition, and a lifesaver!]
She turned around and looked at Shen Jin, who had been standing guard to the side.
“Your Highness,” Jiang Mianmian smiled with ill intent, “as the commander-in-chief of the three armies, shouldn’t you… set an example and try it on?”
Shen Jin looked at the white, duckbill-like thing, and his brow twitched slightly.
Should we make him wear this?
If this gets out, what will become of the Regent's authority?
But he heard the expectation in her heart:
[Wear it! Wear it! Once you wear it, everyone in the city will follow suit! That's the power of a celebrity! That's the power of a sales queen... oh no, a sales king!]
[And...hehe, I really want to see what the aloof prince looks like as a masked swordsman.]
Shen Jin sighed helplessly.
To sell goods... no, to fight the epidemic.
He took the mask, and following Jiang Mianmian's demonstration, hung the straps over his ears and then pinched the copper wire on the bridge of his nose.
His once incomparably handsome face, which made countless girls scream, was instantly covered up, revealing only a pair of deep, cold phoenix eyes and the outline of his high nose.
Strangely enough, because of his exceptionally good demeanor, he managed to make this simple mask look like... an aloof and mysterious aura.
"puff--"
Jiang Mianmian couldn't help but cover her mouth and giggle.
[Hahaha! Looks like a masked thug! But... he's still handsome. Is this the legendary "if you're good-looking, even a burlap sack looks stylish"?]
Shen Jin glanced at her coldly: "Have you laughed enough?"
"Enough, enough!" Jiang Mianmian immediately said seriously, "Your Highness is so handsome! Your Highness is the fashion trendsetter of the Great Gan!"
She turned and shouted to the stunned imperial physicians and guards:
"Did you all see that clearly? Even the Prince is wearing one! This is called a mask! It can block the spread of disease! From now on, everyone entering or leaving the quarantine area must wear one! Anyone who dares not wear one will be dealt with according to military law!"
"yes!"
Suddenly, the entire southern part of the city underwent a dramatic change in style.
The originally desolate epidemic area suddenly turned into a gathering of a group of "masked people".
The imperial physicians wore masks, and although they initially felt stuffy, they soon found that they could no longer smell the nauseating stench of the corpse, and their fear of being infected at any moment also lessened considerably.
The Imperial Guards wore masks and thought they were quite windproof and warm, even kind of cool.
The people wore masks, believing them to be protective charms bestowed by a goddess, and treasured them dearly.
With the widespread use of masks, coupled with strict isolation and disinfection measures, the previously rampant epidemic has actually reached a turning point.
The number of new infections has begun to decline.
The mortality rate also began to decline.
Standing on the high ground, Jiang Mianmian looked down at the busy but orderly crowd and let out a long sigh of relief.
Finally... things have stabilized.
This old mask may chafe my ears and the fabric is rough, but it's the first industrialized product I created in ancient times!
[If I ever run out of money, I'll open a mask factory and specialize in selling "the same masks worn by princes." I'm sure I'll make a fortune!]
Shen Jin stood behind her, watching her tired yet triumphant back.
He reached out and gently touched her cheek through his mask.
Is it rough?
Maybe.
But in his eyes, it was the most beautiful fabric in the world. Because what it wove was a line of defense against death, and the lifeblood of countless people.
"princess."
He said in a low voice, "This mask is very well made."
"That's right!"
Jiang Mianmian shook her head smugly, "Don't you even know who invented it! I'm just a salted fish standing on the shoulders of giants!"
Little did she know that this "mask revolution" not only saved lives but also propelled her to stardom. Meanwhile, those who coveted all of this began to stir in the shadows.
After all, the tallest tree in the forest will be felled by the wind.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com