Chapter 22 Cannon Fodder White Moonlight 21 Epidemic
The epidemic was severe and initially only affected some towns, but local officials did not take it seriously until the sick people were forced to spread outwards in search of medical treatment and everyone rushed to the capital. Only then did memorials from the local areas gradually be sent to the capital.
At that time, a large number of refugees had already poured into the capital. By the time the court found out, hundreds of people in the city had fallen ill, and even many palace servants were infected.
However, the imperial court was in the midst of a transition between the old and the new era, and due to years of internal strife, its foundation had been damaged. Officials were just sitting in their positions doing nothing and were simply unable to cope with the situation.
For a time, all shops in the capital were closed to customers, and even people kept their doors and windows closed at home. Everyone was in danger, and the streets were more depressed than ever before.
But within a few days, dozens of people had died from the epidemic in the city. The government had no choice but to transport the bodies to the mass grave outside the city every day and burn and bury them on the spot.
On a quiet morning, Ali, who had been thinking for many days, knocked on He Zhiyan's door.
The door opened quickly. Just as she was about to speak, He Zhiyan seemed to have known her intentions from the beginning: "Do you want to treat those patients?"
Ali nodded seriously, "I can't ignore the current situation in the capital. Since I can't leave the city, I'll save as many people as I can."
There were originally several medical clinics in the capital, but there were too many people infected with the epidemic, and patients flocked in like a tide. The clinics were simply unable to accept so many patients.
Moreover, no clinic in the capital city had yet developed a prescription that could effectively treat the epidemic. Patients who had been treated would come back after taking a few doses of medicine without seeing any effect, and would mingle with patients who had not been treated. The clinic could not maintain such a situation at all, and even scoundrels would sneak in and steal or rob medicine.
Dozens of medical clinics in the capital could not hold out for more than five days and had to close down to ensure their own safety.
Unable to leave and unable to get treatment, these patients only have one way to go: death.
"But epidemic is not an ordinary disease. You can get it if you are not careful." He Zhiyan frowned.
Ah Li shook his head, his eyes firm: "Covering your face with a cloth can prevent the spread of the epidemic. I'll be more careful and I'll be fine."
"No!" He Zhiyan pursed his lips tightly, his eyes showing undisguised worry, but he still slowed down his tone when he spoke, "Ancient books say that covering the face with a cloth cannot completely prevent the spread of epidemics. If-"
A Li put his index finger on He Zhiyan's lips, stopping him from saying anything else: "I promise you, I will be very careful, I promise."
"Ali..."
He Zhiyan looked at her extremely serious expression. This was the first time she wanted to do something so strongly, and he shouldn't stop her.
Seeing that He Zhiyan's expression had eased, A Li continued to persuade him: "Do you remember the young man we met at Puji Temple? He was also infected with the epidemic. I came into contact with him, but nothing happened."
She held He Zhiyan's hand and pleaded, "And since that day, I've been thinking about a prescription to treat the epidemic. I know what I'm doing, brother."
He Zhiyan stared at her for a long time, sighed softly, and held her hand back: "Since you have made up your mind, then do it. I will accompany you."
Because the He family's pharmacy had been closed and could not be reopened, Ali moved his clinic into the He family's yard.
He Zhiyan attached a green cloth strip with the word "Medicine" written on it to the end of a long pole and hung it outside the courtyard gate. Ah Li, holding his outer robe, watched from below, tilting his head and smiling, saying, "Hanging it up like this, it doesn't look like a clinic, but more like a tavern."
He Zhiyan clapped his hands, flew down lightly, and took the outer robe from A Li's hand: "There are still several jars of wine left at home, so it's not impossible to open a wine shop."
"We will open a pharmacy and then a wine shop in the future." Ali smiled with his eyes curved.
He Zhiyan stared at her intently, then smiled and said, "Come in."
The news that a clinic was still open in Yuyang Lane spread within a day.
At first, it was only the people in the nearby streets and alleys who came. Later, patients from half of the capital city heard the news and came, blocking Yuyang Lane.
There was only a young girl covered with a cloth sitting in the clinic. Seeing how young she was and how softly she spoke, some people tried to cause trouble in order to get more herbs. However, as soon as they moved, they were kicked to the ground by the boy standing behind her. They rolled on the ground for several times and were covered in mud.
When the man realized what was happening, he rolled on the ground, clutching his stomach and yelling, "The doctor hit me!"
"If you say anything more, it will be more than that." Seeing the young man take a step forward with an expressionless face, the man couldn't help but shrink his neck.
The young man was also covered with a cloth, but his deep eyes made people feel terrified. He only stopped when the girl called him "Brother".
The girl handed the bags of medicinal herbs to the boy, who threw the bags in front of the troublemaker with a look in his eyes. The man felt his scalp tingle and quickly crawled away.
Following this person's example, other people who were ready to make trouble gave up the idea, and no such disturbances occurred again after that.
The day passed quickly. Even though there were many people waiting outside, He Zhiyan still closed the gate. This was the only request he wanted Ali to agree to.
Everyone had seen what the young man did during the day, so no one dared to step forward at this moment. They could only wait until tomorrow to come early.
Under the candlelight in the study, Ali wrote furiously on paper according to the prescription he had prepared earlier and the symptoms of the patients he had seen throughout the day.
He Zhiyan brought in a bowl of medicine: "Drink it, it will refresh you and replenish your energy."
"I'll finish it right away," Ali replied without even looking up. "I've thought carefully about the part you just discussed with me, and it's definitely more appropriate to change it according to your idea."
He Zhiyan's eyebrows were drooping, and his face was clearly unhappy. He easily took the pen from her hand and said, "Drink first, then write."
Only then did Ah Li take it obediently and drink it all in one gulp, his face wrinkled up: "It's so bitter."
Before he could finish his words, a sweet candied fruit was fed into his mouth.
He Zhiyan wiped off a little medicine stain from the corner of her mouth and said in a light tone: "For someone like you who doesn't care about his life, I will have to increase the dosage tomorrow."
Ali laughed dryly and tapped the paper in front of him: "But before you worry about me, you have to think about where to find medicine. The boxes of medicine at home are all empty."
There are too many people infected with the disease, and they are not isolated and treated in time. The longer the time goes, the more people in the city will get sick.
Seeing that she looked tired, He Zhiyan pulled her out of the study without saying anything.
"Brother?"
The moon was bright, the stars were sparse, and the cicadas were chirping. He Zhiyan pulled A Li into the courtyard and pointed at something on the ground: "Look, what is this?"
Ali squatted down, carefully read the words written on it, and turned back in disbelief: "Where did you get so many boxes of medicine, brother?"
"It's not me," He Zhiyan took out a letter from his bosom and handed it to her, "It was sent by Miss Xu, the Prince of the State, and this letter."
The letter was written by Xu Lingjia himself, and it looked like it was written in a hurry.
She said that now that the shops in the capital were closed, the food stored in ordinary people's homes had long been eaten up, so she opened the door of the Duke's Mansion, took out her private treasury, set up a porridge stall in front of the door, and sent servants to guard it. Each person who came could get three bowls of porridge and three steamed buns every day.
Xu Lingjia had been busy all day, and only after dinner did she hear that a clinic had opened in Yuyang Lane, and that a young girl was treating patients. She immediately guessed that it was Ali, and immediately sent all the medicinal materials in the Duke's Mansion's warehouse over.
Fortunately, Xu Lingcheng was busy assisting the emperor in handling government affairs and stayed in the palace for several days. She was the only master in the palace now, and she only needed to give orders.
Originally, all the medicinal herbs were to be delivered, but in the end, after much persuasion from Nanny Li, one box was left for her own home.
Ali couldn't help laughing. He Zhiyan gave her a puzzled look. She smiled and snuggled into He Zhiyan's arms, reading the letter carefully.
"Brother."
"Um?"
Her expression was moved, and she looked up at He Zhiyan: "We are not the only ones doing this in the capital."
*
Fifteen days have passed since the city was sealed off, and the court has gradually brought the situation under control.
Although the young emperor was young, he was good at accepting advice and listened to the opinions of court officials. He sent doctors from the Medical Academy to set up a clinic at the city gate, and the court funded the expenses of the Chinese medicine clinic in the capital. He also opened the national treasury and set up porridge factories and temporary accommodation for patients in many places in the city. In this way, all patients in the city were properly accommodated.
Then, the city gates that had been closed for many days were opened, and the patients gathered outside the city were admitted into the city in batches, and doctors were sent to diagnose their pulses and prescribe medicine every day.
The pressure on Ali's patients was much less, and the prescription for curing the epidemic in her hand was finally completed. She copied a copy and asked He Zhiyan to help send it to Tan Songjie's house.
On that day, He's father pretended to be dead under the arrangement of He Zhiyan, and it was Dean Tan who went to examine the body. He Zhiyan told her that their little tricks could not be hidden from a master of medicine like Dean Tan, but he did not say a word.
Ali accepted his kindness and hoped that this prescription could help more people.
Putting down the pen in her hand, she sat at the table, pinched her sore shoulders, and suddenly smiled.
Her father always told her that any great doctor who treats patients must calm his mind, have no desires or requests, and first develop a heart of great compassion and sympathy.
Now that she had experienced all this, she finally understood what these words meant.
As night fell, she leaned back in her chair, exhausted. She suddenly missed her father and wanted to leave.
Now the city gates are open and people can enter and exit freely. My brother has already arranged to leave the city. When he comes back, they can leave here together tomorrow and never come back.
These days, thanks to her brother being by her side, the two of them faced these complicated things together, and it seemed that everything could be solved.
Although sometimes the two of them were so busy that they didn't even say a word to each other throughout the day, Ali felt that she and her brother were closer.
Thinking of this, Ali felt her head growing heavier and heavier. She patted her face, thinking that she was probably too tired these days. She should go to bed early and talk to her brother about this tomorrow.
But as soon as he stood up, Ali felt dizzy and then fell to the ground.
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