The Lucky Farmgirl-Chapter 2072 - 2047: Duty

Manbao’s eyes lit up, she was even more eager to return home, "Imperial Doctor Zheng, I will go home first. Oh, you can tell Jishi Hall later, wait until the Ministry of Revenue has bought the medicinal herbs before informing them..."

Imperial Doctor Zheng: "...Imperial Doctor Zhou, you are overthinking this. Our Jishi Hall hangs its pot to heal the world, we would never take advantage of others’ misfortune."

Manbao nodded, "Of course, I believe in you and Shopkeeper Zheng, but I’m afraid others in the Zheng Family might not think the same."

Imperial Doctor Zheng paused, then clutched his stomach and said, "Oh no, my stomach is a bit unwell, I must return to the Imperial Hospital, you should leave the palace first, Imperial Doctor Zhou."

If such matters aren’t easy to discuss, then leave the palace a bit later. Meanwhile, check the Imperial Hospital’s records on smallpox treatments, see if there’s any useful prescriptions. An evening passes quickly.

Manbao watched him clutch his stomach and slowly return to the Imperial Hospital, shook her head, and left the palace.

Apparently, no one at home expected her to leave the palace today, so there was no one waiting outside. Manbao thought for a moment, and then walked out along the Imperial City. She spotted Minister Liu’s carriage from afar, waved her hand, and took a ride out of the Imperial City with Minister Liu’s carriage.

Manbao and Minister Liu sat opposite each other, one old and one young exchanged a glance and sighed simultaneously.

Minister Liu asked Zhou Man, "Are there any prescriptions to prevent smallpox?"

Manbao replied, "Taking medicine doesn’t prevent it; it’s an evil thing that spreads. Droplets and contact can transmit it, so reduce outings, keep things clean, including the water used by servants and masters, and ensure cleanliness inside and outside the house. This can cut off most pathways of infection."

"The remaining small part depends on human intentions."

Smallpox is not some tall beast or monster visible to the eye, so there will always be mistakes.

Manbao thought for a while and said, "However, the nose and mouth should be the main focus, followed by exposed hands and feet. Well, perhaps your family could find a piece of cloth, preferably cotton, to cover the nose and mouth, with several layers."

Minister Liu: ...Wearing it like that might make people think he’s hiding something.

In the end, Manbao gave him a prescription, "This isn’t a preventive prescription for smallpox, just a treatment for smallpox, but no one knows its effectiveness, if Minister Liu wants, I’ll write one for you."

Actually, she felt he didn’t need it. If his family really contracted smallpox, even if they couldn’t invite an imperial doctor from the Imperial Hospital, it wouldn’t be hard to directly ask for prescriptions from the Imperial Hospital.

But Minister Liu was still very happy to accept it, then first sent her to the Zhou Family door, before returning to the Liu Family. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

By now, it was almost dark.

Manbao used the last bit of light to knock on the door, the gatekeeper opened it and was surprised to see Zhou Man back, seeing only her outside, without guards or horses, he immediately felt sorry. He let her in and shouted inside, "Miss Man is back, Miss Man is back."

Zhou Liulang lived in the first courtyard as one enters the side gate. Hearing the shout first, Old Zhou and his parents, having just finished their meal and sitting in the hall, quickly came out.

Zhou Liru ran the fastest, swiftly reaching her, nervously and deliberately lowering his voice to ask, "Little Aunt, did Uncle say there’s an outbreak outside? Are you alright?"

Old Zhou and Ms.Qian were also anxious.

In their lifetime, they had never seen an epidemic, but they had heard of it.

No need to mention distant tales, during the flood of Jianweiyan, some places did have an epidemic. The number of people who died was comparable to those washed away by the flood, hearing from those fleeing to their county, people died en masse, before dying they felt miserable, hungry yet vomiting and diarrhea, and when blood came out, the person was gone.

An epidemic is as terrifying as a flood, even more than a flood.

Facing a flood, at least if you hide in high places, you can survive, but what do you do in an epidemic?

Before Manbao returned, Old Zhou asked Ms.Qian, "Should we go to the mountain to pray to the Heaven Master?"

Manbao immediately vetoed it upon returning, she said, "No one should leave the house recently. Eldest brother, winter wheat in Pu Village is already planted, don’t go out either, occasionally help in the restaurant, but avoid crowded places..."

While Manbao was advising here, Bai Shan and the others got the news and hurriedly came over.

Seeing the three brothers and even Old Madam Liu and Mr. Zhuang being helped over, she straightforwardly repeated the precautions and then looked at Bai Dalang and said, "Senior Brother Bai, don’t return to Changqing Alley recently, bring sister-in-law and nephew here to live together, and the servants should also avoid going out."

"Are you going to Xiazhou?" Bai Shan interrupted her, asking.

Manbao sighed and nodded at him.

Old Zhou and others had no time to be surprised, Bai Shan calmly said, "I will go with you."

Bai Erlang opened his mouth wide, looked at Manbao, then Bai Shan, finally clenched his teeth and stomped his foot, "I, I will go too."

Bai Dalang pulled him, Bai Erlang "hissed" and immediately hid behind Mr. Zhuang.

Mr. Zhuang frowned, "None of you three have had smallpox."

Manbao’s heart was also uneasy, she said to Bai Shan, "Let me think about it."

She must ask Teacher Mo and Keke.

Bai Shan quietly watched Manbao, thinking she intended to consult Uncle Zhou, nodded after a while.

Naturally, the Zhou Family was unwilling to let Manbao go, but Manbao said, "Father, Mother, this is the Imperial Hospital’s directive."

Old Zhou was at a loss for words, though he didn’t have high ideals, he understood one principle: When you eat the emperor’s food, you must fulfill your duties for the emperor.

Moreover, saving lives is a great merit.

Old Zhou deflated, said to Ms.Qian, "Prepare the child’s luggage."

Old Madam Liu also sighed, although Manbao hasn’t definitely agreed to let Bai Shan follow, she knew Shanbao would certainly go according to her understanding of the children and Manbao likely couldn’t stop him.

So when returning home, she also said to Ms.Zheng, "Pack things for Shanbao too."

Ms.Zheng couldn’t help but wipe her tears, but didn’t voice opposition.

Old Madam Liu patted her hand and sighed, "This is how children are when they grow up, they have their own ideas, and ultimately it’s their life, we shouldn’t interfere too much."

"Daughter-in-law understands, just worried."

"I know, I’m worried too, but I think Manbao is an imperial doctor, Shanbao has always been healthy, they should be fine."

Ms.Zheng followed this line of thought, "Erlang is healthy too, but Manbao was physically weak as a child, only recently became plump and healthy, probably more susceptible to illness than Shanbao and Erlang."

"That’s true," Old Madam Liu sighed, "But, she’s an imperial doctor, it’s her duty, she can’t escape."