Chapter 59: An Benhou's Heart
Seeing the man's deep gaze, she curled her fingertips unconsciously, "Did I say something wrong?"
Xie Jinglan pinched her chin gently, the astonishment in his eyes turning into a smile, "Ning'er is right."
He Fu then asked: "Ning'er, tell me, how should we prepare these herbs? If we really need them, how should we use them?"
His eyes never left her face, as if he was testing her.
Wen Ning pondered for a moment, then slowly looked up at him, "Well... you can ask the government office to open the treasury and first inventory the heat-clearing and detoxifying herbs like indigo root, honeysuckle, and forsythia.
You should also keep atractylodes and mugwort on hand. The smoke can dispel foul air, which prevents the growth of disease. Prevention is better than cure. You can also have the common people follow suit, simply saying that colds are common these days, so be prepared.
If the general feels it is necessary, in addition to the official treasury at the government office, he can also have the household department go to the pharmacy and collect some of their excess stock in advance, so that they can be prepared for use and prevent the people from scrambling to buy the medicine if the news really gets out."
Xie Jinglan nodded, looked into her clear eyes, and said lovingly, "Anything else?"
Wen Ning's eyelashes trembled, as if she suddenly realized that she had said too much. She spoke again in a voice that was half a degree lower than before, but she spoke every word clearly.
“If, if it is really needed, the Marquis can separate a few warehouses, one for the newly harvested herbs, the other for tools like pottery jars and medicine grinders, and the other for pre-cooked medicinal soups, which can be taken away at any time when needed.
The medicinal soup was first kept in the affected villages, with the village chiefs sending people to collect it daily. Thirty percent of the medicine was retained in the military camps, divided according to the number of soldiers in each camp, and the medical officers were assigned to monitor the soldiers' condition.
The other ten percent can be given to the government office to distribute to the sentries at the city gates. They come into contact with the most people, so it would be best if they drink the medicinal soup first."
After saying that, she looked at Xie Jinglan cautiously, as if she was afraid that something she said might be inappropriate.
Then he whispered, "I wonder if this... is okay?"
After hearing this, the man's eyes darkened.
This girl looks gentle on weekdays, but she is so meticulous in handling affairs. I didn't expect that my Ning'er has such a delicate mind.
He chuckled softly in his throat, suddenly grabbed Wen Ning's neck, lowered his head and kissed her lips hard.
"My daughter Ning'er is thoughtful and considerate, and she cares about the people. If she becomes a female official, she will definitely do an excellent job."
Wen stared at his eyebrows so close to her, her lips numb from being sucked, and she stuttered a bit when she spoke.
"Madam, Madam, please don't make fun of me, my Lord. I'm just an ordinary woman. I don't even know the rules of the government. How can I be a madam?"
Xie Jinglan's fingertips brushed past her ears, and he gently tucked the loose hair behind her ears. A soft color unconsciously spread in his eyes.
"The Dajing Law states that female officials must be familiar with three things: one, understanding the sufferings of the people; two, knowing how to allocate funds and food; and three, being able to plan for rainy days. I see Ning'er possesses all three."
Hearing him praise her, Wen Ning's ears suddenly turned slightly red. "I used to be a lady-in-waiting, well-read and dressed in official uniforms. I never knew I could do these things."
Curiosity slowly filled her clear peach blossom eyes, and she asked seriously, "Then...are there any female medical officers as well?"
The man bent his knuckles and gently scraped the tip of her nose with his white jade ring. "Of course, the female official in charge of medical matters needs to be able to identify medicinal herbs and formulate prescriptions.
On weekdays, you help count medicinal materials and record prescriptions. When an epidemic occurs, you work with the medical officer to examine symptoms and prepare decoctions. Haven't you done all of this at the farm these past few days? "
Seeing the curiosity in her eyes, Xie Jinglan raised the corners of his lips slightly, "Ning'er, if you have any questions in the future, feel free to ask me."
Wen Ning nodded, a warm light suddenly appearing in her eyes, "I do have something I want to ask you, Lord Marquis."
"What is it?"
"I want to look up medical books to see if there is any record of 'red-throat pox'. I wonder where the books are in the border town. Could you recommend one for me, Lord Marquis?" She looked up at him, her peach blossom eyes filled with anticipation.
Xie Jinglan said, "The most comprehensive collection of books in the prefecture is in the border town. It's the Mo Shu Pavilion, built with donations from a senior scholar from the previous dynasty. If you'd like to visit, I can send someone to inform the pavilion's manager today. Tomorrow, you can enter and browse."
When Wen Ning heard this, her eyes lit up, like two stars of light falling from the sky, and she said gratefully, "Thank you, Lord Marquis."
The man saw that the gloom between her brows had dissipated, and she looked much more relaxed than when they first arrived. He said softly, "I will arrange the storage of medicinal herbs tomorrow. Ning'er, are you relieved now?"
Wen Ning nodded slightly. "I hope I'm wrong. They just have a common cold, not an epidemic. I'll go back and urge the village head to report to the county government office according to the rules. We have to wait for the medical officer to examine them before we can make a final conclusion."
She paused, her eyelashes drooping. "I was just so anxious just now that I couldn't think of anything else. I just wanted to tell you first. I hope I won't cause you any trouble by telling you this unconfirmed story."
After hearing this, Xie Jinglan was very happy. The first person she thought of was herself, which meant that she cared about herself very much.
"Ning'er, are you going back tonight?" The man leaned forward, his narrow and long phoenix eyes slightly narrowed, and there seemed to be sparks burning in his eyes.
Wen Ning was startled by his burning gaze and suddenly had an ominous premonition.
She tilted her face to the side, her fingertips unconsciously stroking his collar, "My Lord, you know that Xibao can't leave me. Besides, the manor is in a critical situation right now, I can't leave."
Xie Jinglan thought for a moment and said gently, "Mammy and the others are at the manor. You're worried about them, but you also have to take care of the patients. It's difficult to take care of both ends. Why not bring them to Xianfeng Court first? It's safer than staying at the manor..."
Before he finished speaking, he saw her lips slightly parted as if to refuse, so he added:
"I'll prepare a carriage for you, and pick two smart ones to accompany you. If you want to come back to see the kid, you can come back in the evening. It's only half an hour's journey, so you'll have time.
But you must promise me that you will be careful and guard against any evil spirits invading your body."
The man tapped her forehead lightly with his finger and asked, "Now you can finally feel at ease, right?"
Seeing that he had thought it through, Wen Ning had no other words to say. Besides, his arrangements were indeed very appropriate.
She lowered her head and responded softly, "Yeah."
Xie Jinglan's eyes were filled with burning desire. "Now that Ning'er is relieved, can you also reassure me?"
Before he finished speaking, his slender fingers had quietly reached her waist, and with a light hook, the thin tie fell loosely into his palm.
Wen Ning's breathing hitched, and before she could react, he grabbed her waist and pulled her into his arms, his warm breath brushing against her ears. "I really miss you. Can we go back later?"
She glanced out the window and saw that the lanterns under the eaves had been lit by the servants. The light fell obliquely on the stone steps, and the light of day was no longer visible.
Thinking about the last time he tortured me, my legs started to ache. What if I can't walk tomorrow...what should I do?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
