Chapter 1159: Stockpiling Grain (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
Qi Miao said with a troubled expression, "Logically, we should find ordinary people suffering from the disease of the worm to test the medicine. However, the medicinal properties of Artemisia aren't fully understood yet, and it might cause accidents if we rashly use ordinary patients to test the medicine. As a last resort, we can only seek help from soldiers in the army."
She prepared the deworming medicine according to the prescription she bought from the itinerant doctor, and the effect was indeed much better than the commonly used prescriptions on the market. However, how to improve it to maximize its efficacy and minimize side effects, and how to administer the medicine to different patients, all of these required countless cases to explore. It was truly inappropriate to frighten the Lord.
Shen Tang tried her best to erase the scene from her mind.
His expression returned to calm, and he waved his hand to indicate that nothing was wrong.
She asked the dozen or so soldiers questions in a low voice, mainly about whether they knew the purpose of the drug trial and the compensation for the trial.
The dozen or so soldiers were filled with fear and trepidation.
Despite being martial artists and not among the lowest ranks in the army—the lowest being a squad leader—they were not qualified to get so close to Shen Tang, let alone speak to him from several steps away. They were all trembling with fear, cold sweat pouring from their foreheads, more nervous than if they were going to kill someone on the battlefield for the first time. Their replies were broken and incoherent.
"I...I know..."
The military doctor explained things quite clearly when he came to recruit people.
Find a few people who dare to eat insects, and specify that they need to cultivate martial energy and have some experience in controlling it.
Those selected would receive double their military pay and enjoy better food during the trial period, and would be credited with a merit award upon success. At the time, there were about a hundred people who came to participate, but after learning that the worms they would be eating were roundworms, more than half of them withdrew.
Of the remaining group, some did not meet the other criteria, so after careful selection, only seventeen people remained. Roundworms are truly disgusting, and most people wouldn't have the courage to eat them. However, in the harsh environment of chaotic times, many people may have eaten things even more disgusting, such as maggots or even human flesh, so they could endure it.
Seventeen people stayed behind.
The drug was tested three times a day.
If the medicine you take doesn't kill the roundworms, then use your martial energy to dispel them.
In short, you may not suffer physically, but you will suffer mentally.
Shen Tang then asked them a few more questions about their meals recently. By this time, the soldiers were less nervous and praised the logistics team's cooking skills with a touch of shyness, saying that the meals were plentiful every day.
Shen Tang nodded, urged them to work hard, fed them two bowls of chicken soup, and made some grand promises—if the roundworm medicine prepared by Qi Miao could be successfully developed, it would save countless children in Kangguo.
Their generosity in testing the drugs was also invaluable.
Shen Tang not only knows how to make empty promises, but also how to offer real benefits.
"Double military pay is a bit too little, I'll allocate some more from here, making it five times the military pay!" Besides this, Shen Tang also rewarded each of them with twenty catties of rice, flour, and cooking oil, which they could apply for from the logistics department when they went home to visit their families, to nourish their loved ones. These words drew surprised glances from Qi Miao, even suspicion—was this really the master she knew?
Qi Miao has witnessed the Lord refusing to pay for his meals more than once.
He would occasionally borrow money from his father.
Today, however, they directly say they will replenish three times the military pay from their private coffers?
Although the total amount is not much, it is unprecedented for a master who has been so stingy for so many years!
Shen Tang noticed Qi Miao's gaze.
A secret, smug feeling arose in his heart.
Hehe, Jun Qiao probably didn't expect this, did she? Not only is she debt-free now, but she also has a considerable amount of savings in her private coffers. Anyway, this savings will be squandered by Xun Hanzhang sooner or later, so she wants to enjoy it before that happens.
The soldiers, unaware of the significance of Shen Tang's reward, only knew that this honor, bestowed by their lord personally, far surpassed anything else. They were instantly overwhelmed with emotion, their faces flushed, and they immediately expressed their gratitude. Shen Tang gestured for them to continue with their tasks, then winked at Qi Miao, signaling her to come with him.
Outside the camp, in a secluded spot.
How long does it take for this roundworm medication to be effective?
Qi Miao estimated the timeframe: "At least one month."
"A month? How long until mass production?"
"Mass production? How much does Your Majesty want?"
Shen Tang said, "I plan to make this roundworm medicine available throughout Kangguo, so that every child can take it, the sooner the better. I need as many as there are children in Kangguo. Can Jun Qiao do it?"
Qi Miao certainly wanted to say yes, but in reality, it wasn't possible.
She said with difficulty, "We don't have that many roundworms."
Shen Tang said, "Lingde will provide full support."
As Kangguo has developed to this point, Lin Feng is not the only one capable of accelerating crop growth. Shen Tang has specially gathered them and placed them in the Ministry of Agriculture. While their effects are not as strong as Lin Feng's, they should not be underestimated. Full support will be given to the cultivation of Artemisia capillaris, and a considerable amount can be obtained within six months. The main raw materials for the ascarid medicine will not be a problem.
Qi Miao silently calculated in her mind.
While the raw material of Artemisia annua can be accelerated in a short time, the pharmaceutical process still requires a large amount of manpower. To ensure efficacy, the batch of medicine needs to be distributed as quickly as possible. Improper storage can also ruin the entire process.
What seems like a simple matter actually has a high cost.
Even if a single pill is very cheap, how many ordinary people would be willing to buy it?
Shen Tang said, "Junqiao, tell me your worries."
Qi Miao then asked, "How much does this medicine cost?"
The medicine is good, but too many people are reluctant to take it. Even though life in Kangguo is much better than before, they still can't bear to part with it.
"Priceless, free, no money required."
Qi Miao's eyes widened suddenly, as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing. Shen Tang continued, "Going through the Ministry of Revenue's procedures is too time-consuming. This money will come directly from my private treasury. This batch of deworming medicine for children will be provided free of charge!"
She, the queen, is hosting the dinner!
Not only that, she also plans to get a batch of maltose.
Wrap the pills in maltose and let the child taste the sweetness.
Qi Miao's eyes reddened at some point, and she bowed deeply to Chen Tang: "On behalf of the children, I thank the Lord for his benevolence!"
Shen Tang stopped her from bowing.
He joked, "You should learn from your father. He's much thicker-skinned than you and doesn't stand on ceremony. These are the duties of a ruler. Children are the future of a country. Only when children are well can the country continue its lineage."
Is she doing that for the child's good?
This is clearly protecting the future "little leeks" (a metaphor for exploiting young people).
“My father has always respected the king and would never be disrespectful.”
Shen Tang smiled without saying a word, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
Shangnan Commandery, the seat of government.
Qi Shan kept sneezing, and her eyes welled up with tears.
He sniffed, resignedly pinching his nose as he drank a large bowl of dark, murky medicine. Ever since he choked on a fishbone and accidentally fell into the water, only to be rescued, he had caught a severe cold and had been bedridden for over half a month before recovering. Several doctors had examined him but couldn't find the problem. A cold could be fatal to an ordinary person, but for a scholar like Qi Shan, it was merely a minor ailment.
How could he have been bedridden for so long?
The physicians were completely baffled.
He Shu was blunt: "Is he really not faking illness?"
The physician paused in writing the prescription, while Qi Shan, who had just finished drinking the medicine, frowned deeply: "Me, faking illness? Why would I drink this bitter stuff for no reason? My tongue feels like it's not even mine anymore."
The physician said, "Sir Qi, this is not too bitter."
Qi Shan complained that the medicine was too bitter, and the prescription was changed several times.
The physician himself had tasted it; the medicine had a slightly bitter taste, but a cool, slightly sweet aftertaste. Even a young child wouldn't complain of the bitterness, let alone a man in his thirties like Qi Shan. Qi Shan, with the candied fruit in his mouth, felt the intense, lingering bitterness on the back of his tongue.
He didn't want to argue with the medical practitioners anymore.
The herbal decoction was indeed extremely bitter.
The more you argue, the more bitter the next dose of medicine will be.
The first time Qi Shan drank it, he felt like his soul was about to float away; he felt that his entire life had never been as bitter as this bowl of medicine.
After the physicians from the medical wards left, He Shu stepped forward and took out a secret letter sealed with sealing wax from his sleeve: "This is yours."
The letter was delivered the day before yesterday.
However, Qi Shan suddenly developed a high fever and couldn't wake up. He woke up yesterday, but was listless. He Shu heard from Fang Yan that the sealing wax mark on the letter was of low grade and probably didn't contain anything important, so he waited for Qi Shan to wake up and let him open it himself.
"A letter from the Lord?"
Qi Shan stuffed another handful of candied fruit into her mouth.
The sweet, sour, and bitter flavors clashed fiercely on his taste buds, while his attention was completely drawn to the contents of the letter. Seeing that Qi Shan hadn't responded for a while, He Shu assumed the letter contained some important secret. If so, wouldn't that have wasted two or three days?
He Shu asked, "What was written in the letter?"
Qi Shan was pulled back to reality by his voice. She tried to suppress her excitement and carefully rolled up the letter, but her trembling fingers betrayed her true feelings: "It's nothing. It's just that the emperor suggested writing biographies for meritorious officials. Knowing that I am good at painting, he wanted me to help paint a few portraits. The letter also said that your wife's painting skills are quite good, and he wanted her to help me with some of the work."
He Shu: "..."
He silently watched Qi Shan's barely suppressed smile.
"Among those who have made great contributions, you're one of them, aren't you?"
Qi Shan feigned nonchalance and said, "Thanks to the Lord's favor and the leniency of my colleagues, I, Qi, am only at the top of the list."
He Shu: "..."
Why does looking at Qi Shan make my fist itch?
He said irritably, "I know you're feeling smug. If you want to laugh, then laugh. If you keep holding it in, you'll break your cheeks."
Qi Shan then burst into laughter.
The drowsiness of his long illness vanished instantly, replaced by a vibrant energy. He Shu watched him, so excited he forgot to put on his shoes, his bare feet touching the cold floor, and asked, "Since when have you cared about these empty titles?"
Qi Shan said, "I don't understand."
"Mr. He really doesn't understand."
Qi Shan said smugly, "What I care about isn't this empty title, but that Chu Wu Hui isn't even on the list. Ever since we joined the Lord's ranks, we've had constant conflicts. He always acts like an old man in front of the Lord, relying on his gray hair. The Lord respects the elderly and cherishes the young, so he always goes along with him and puts me in his place. Now he's lost completely, and I've come out on top!"
Once you turn your life around, you can sing!
He Shu was speechless: "That's it?"
Is it really that he's so happy just because he outperformed Chu Wu Hui by one point?
The Qi Shan I know is not like this.
Under normal circumstances, shouldn't they have killed Chu Wuhui?
Qi Shan retorted, "Isn't that enough?"
He Shu: "..."
"The situation in Shangnan County is stable. I'll be meeting with the Lord in a while. You'd better not stay in Shangnan either. Pack your things and have Haogu take your wife and child with you." He Shu has killed too many powerful families in Shangnan County, and has been facing intense retaliation lately, though none of the assassination attempts have succeeded. If you don't leave with him, who knows what might happen if you stay?
He Shudao said, "Hmm."
Qi Shan wanted to give some more instructions, but after taking only one step, his body began to sway. He had to brace himself against the table to avoid falling, and the familiar feeling of weakness surged up again. He Shu pressed the back of his hand against Qi Shan's forehead; it was burning hot.
"Why has the fever returned? I'll go and call the medical staff."
Even if Qishan is going to die of illness, she cannot die here.
"No need, I know where the lesion is." Qi Shan stopped He Shu from getting up, her words tinged with a hint of gritted teeth. "Don't worry about it, it will be fine in ten days or half a month."
It's normal for doctors in the medical field to be unable to diagnose or cure the condition.
This wasn't an ordinary illness; it was because Kang Jishou, that plague god, was too ruthless, and his aftereffects had reached him. This was also the main reason why the medicine prescribed by the physician, though not actually bitter, tasted so intensely bitter it felt like his soul was ascending to heaven—he was suffering in place of his lord. The thought that his lord was even more unfortunate than himself fueled his anger!
When will Kang Jishou ever perfect his broken scholar's way! The lord was almost carried away by a fishbone, and he himself slipped down the riverbank and nearly drowned. Just thinking about it still makes him shudder.
He Shu: "..."
The main tent of the front-line camp.
Shen Tang is multitasking.
While handling government affairs, he also focused his mind on the perspective of Zixu.
Although it was summer, the temperature in the central continent was significantly higher than in the northwest. While the air wasn't as humid and muggy as in the southwest, it wasn't as dry and crisp as in the northwest either. The sky was cloudless, with only a gentle breeze bringing a touch of coolness.
In the deep mountains and along the riverbanks, corpses lay strewn everywhere.
"Who are you, you petty thief... daring to intercept and kill an official appointed by the royal court?"
A bearded man covered in blood knelt on the ground, which was covered with sharp stones. He had deep, bone-revealing wounds on his chest, back, and arms. Judging from the shape of the wounds, they were all knife wounds.
The bald woman he had berated sat atop two piled-up corpses, indifferently wiping the blade of her sword. She didn't even raise an eyebrow at his words: "Royal Court Official? Is that some kind of life-saving charm?"
After he finished speaking, the group of thieves dressed as wandering knights burst into laughter.
The piercing laughter deepened the man's fear.
Aren't you afraid—
"If you're not afraid, why should I be?"
The woman's question silenced the man.
It was this sentence that made the man's pupils tremble, revealing obvious fear. He tried his best to hide it, but the woman was too lazy to listen to his excuses. She used the tip of her sword to lift his chin: "Tell me, where is the token? If you cooperate obediently, at least you can leave with a whole corpse."
If no one were skilled in interrogation, this time wouldn't be wasted.
Upon hearing this, the man clung to it like a lifeline, refusing to utter a word. Silence offered a chance of survival; speaking meant certain death.
Shen Zixu Tang let out a sneer.
"They won't shed a tear until they see the coffin."
He wouldn't listen to reason, so she had to resort to force. He wouldn't accept a dignified death, so she had to use some methods. She grabbed the man's hair and dragged him to the water's edge. The man was initially confused, but the next second a tremendous force came from above his head, shoving his entire head underwater.
The feeling of liquid rushing into the nasal cavity is unpleasant.
Just when he felt his lungs were about to explode, his head was ripped out.
I had just taken a breath when it was violently pushed back down.
After more than twenty rounds, the man's strength was exhausted, and his eyes were filled with nothing but fear as he looked at the bald woman. Shen Zixu Tang sneered, "I can kill you, or I can make you wish you were dead. Play with me slowly!"
Why can't you be a little more sensible?
Does she seem like a very patient person?
|ω`)
I'm taking my driving test on June 11th, and my instructor told me to practice driving on the 10th to make final preparations... but that day is the Dragon Boat Festival, sigh.
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