Chapter 78 The Prince Who Failed to Revolt
Zhang Xiaojia stood in a thatched hut at the edge of the square. Before her stood over thirty doctors, some in the scarlet robes of government physicians, others in the gray gowns of common doctors. They all stared at her with bated breath.
"Everyone." She raised her hand, a porcelain bottle the size of a copper coin resting in her palm. "This is cowpox vaccine, which can prevent smallpox." Before she finished speaking, there was an uproar in the audience.
"Ridiculous!" An old medical officer with white hair and beard stepped forward tremblingly. "I have been practicing medicine for forty years and have never heard of..."
Zhang Xiaojia suddenly lifted up her sleeve, revealing the scabby pockmarks on her arm: "I've had vaccinations."
She glanced at the crowd. "If you don't believe me, you can see if I'm infected. Also, I'm not asking for your opinion; I'm ordering you. Half of the doctors must vaccinate against cowpox. Once the doctors who vaccinated against cowpox recover, the remaining half will do the same. Anyone who disobeys will be killed without mercy."
The courtyard was utterly silent. She turned and pulled out a stack of cotton masks, the strings entwined between her fingers. "These are masks. They can block the pathogen." She then unfolded a white cloth gown. "This is protective clothing. It needs to be boiled daily."
The doctors looked at each other in bewilderment, and finally someone stepped forward to take the mask. Zhang Xiaojia watched them clumsily tying the string, then suddenly remembered something and pulled a prescription from his sleeve: "This is a treatment prescription. It's based on honeysuckle and forsythia, supplemented with..."
"Princess!" A young doctor suddenly interrupted her. "This prescription..." He stared at the prescription, his voice trembling. "Isn't the dosage too strong?"
Zhang Xiaojia smiled: "In extraordinary times, strong medicines should be used." Looking at the patients in the square, they were separated by mats and had wooden signs saying "mild," "moderate," and "severe."
"For mild cases, take the medicine three times a day, supplemented by mugwort fumigation."
"For moderate symptoms, acupuncture and moxibustion are necessary."
"As for severe cases..."
"Bloodletting."
"This is the last hope."
The doctors gasped. Zhang Xiaojia, however, had already turned and headed for the pharmacy, which was piled high with freshly harvested herbs. She grabbed a handful of honeysuckle and sniffed it. "Everyone, let's begin."
The square quickly became bustling with activity. Medicinal soup simmered in copper cauldrons, the smoke of wormwood curled in the air, and doctors, wearing masks, moved about. Zhang Xiaojia watched all this unfold when he suddenly heard footsteps behind him.
"Princess." It was the Martial Virtue Envoy. "The prince asked if additional personnel were needed."
"We have enough doctors, enough." She looked at the busy figures in the courtyard. "But send some people to disinfect. I've written down the disinfection recipe, and you send someone to make it. Remember to use lime, herbs, and moxa at the patient's home. I'll also mix well water with disinfectant. Be sure to tell the people to boil the water before drinking."
In the square, patients infected with smallpox sat around the fire, holding hot porridge and rice in their hands. Although their faces looked weak, there was a sense of peace in their eyes.
Medical officers were busy treating the infected, while soldiers maintained order and ensured that everything was in order.
He Fei stood on the city wall, overlooking the city that was fighting the epidemic.
Zhang Xiaojia quietly walked up to him and whispered, "He Fei, everything will be fine. I have some cowpox vaccine. I can just have everyone in the city who is not infected with it vaccinate them."
He Fei: "But, this is how Xiangyang City was destroyed in the previous life. The reason has finally been found."
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The morning court bells echoed across the Forbidden City. Inside the Golden Throne Hall, civil and military officials flanked each other in a solemn atmosphere. The Emperor sat upright on the Dragon Throne, his gaze calmly scanning the courtiers below him. He toyed with a jade ring in his hand, his expression impassive.
The Imperial Censor, holding a tablet, stepped forward and said in a loud and sharp voice, "Your Majesty, I have a memorial to report!"
The emperor raised his eyes slightly and said calmly: "Speak."
The Imperial Censor took a deep breath and spoke loudly, "Prince Jing He Fei and Princess Zhang Xiaojia, without the court's permission, privately mobilized troops to blockade Xiangyang City and forcibly relocated surrounding villagers into the city. This action not only disrupts local order but also threatens to trigger a civil unrest! I implore Your Majesty to investigate this matter thoroughly and uphold the law!"
As soon as the words fell, the hall erupted in an uproar. The ministers whispered to each other, discussing the matter. Some looked indignant, while others lowered their heads in silence, seemingly weighing the pros and cons.
The emperor remained calm, his fingers tapping gently on the armrests of the dragon throne, as if listening to an insignificant matter. When the hall quieted down a bit, he slowly spoke, "I already know about this matter."
The Imperial Censor was stunned, clearly not expecting such a response from the Emperor. He hesitated for a moment before asking, "Your Majesty, this matter is of great importance. I wonder if Prince Jing and Princess Wangfei have any hidden agenda behind their actions?"
The emperor smiled faintly, his tone calm, "The closure of the city is my order. He Fei and Zhang Xiaojia are just following orders. My dear ministers, there is no need to worry."
As soon as these words were spoken, the hall fell into a profound silence. The ministers looked at each other, clearly surprised by the emperor's response. The Imperial Censor opened his mouth as if to say something more, but seeing the emperor's expression remained calm, he retreated in frustration.
The Emperor looked around at his ministers, his tone gentle but unquestionable: "I have my own arrangements regarding the affairs of Xiangyang City. If you, my dear ministers, have no other important matters, let this morning's court session end here."
"Dismiss the court--" the eunuch's shrill voice rang out in the hall.
The ministers bowed and left the throne room one after another. The emperor sat on the dragon throne and watched them leave, the calmness on his face gradually giving way to a hint of helplessness.
He rubbed his brows and whispered to himself: "These two little bastards are so bold..."
"Is it so difficult to send someone to tell me? Even if the sky breaks, I can still deal with it."
The emperor stood up and walked to the window. He looked at the palace wall in the distance and murmured softly, "What happened in Xiangyang City...? When they come back, I will definitely give them a good beating to vent my anger."
At this time, in Xiangyang City, He Fei was standing on the city wall, looking at the mountains in the distance.
Zhang Xiaojia walked up to him and said, "He Fei, can you tell me what happened in Xiangyang City?"
He Fei pointed at Jiang Hao and said, "He, the Wudeshishi, is here. He will report everything to the emperor truthfully."
Jiang Hao's face was filled with black lines. He forgot to tell the emperor, and he secretly groaned inwardly. He just remembered that he had actually forgotten to report this matter to the emperor in time. At this moment, he could only bite the bullet and shirk responsibility, saying: "Prince Jing, didn't you order that no one was allowed to leave the city gate? All of us in the Wude Division have been firmly stationed in the city, without slacking off for a moment."
The three of them looked at each other in bewilderment. They were doomed. The emperor was still confused. They would be beaten when they returned to the capital!!!
Zhang Xiaojia didn't want to be beaten by her brother, so she said shamelessly: "Your Highness, the backyard cannot interfere in politics, this is government affairs..."
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