Chapter 247 - 247: Looking for Afflicted Cows
Mr. Wen lost his composure and grabbed Li Yu’s shoulder. He asked excitedly, “Xiaoyu, where did you find out about this method to treat smallpox? We were really blind. We only focused on using the pus from humans, but we forgot that cows also have the disease.”
Li Yu smiled and said, “Sir, please don’t ask me how I know. However, this method is definitely real and effective. The specific implementation still depends on you. Also, please don’t mention that I was the one who told you about this method. After all, I don’t know anything about medicine.”
Zhou Jia looked at Mr. Wen. “Sir, Yu’er has had some fortuitous encounters. We can’t let anyone know. I believe what Yu’er said is true. Let’s go find a cow with smallpox first!”
Mr. Wen pretended to be angry. “Brat, are you the only one who trusts Xiaoyu? I also believe in serendipity. What you need may suddenly appear in front of you with a bang. That feeling of surprise and joy.”
Mr. Wen stood up and bowed to Li Yu. “Xiaoyu! Thank you.”
Li Yu suddenly felt guilty that she couldn’t tell Mr. Wen the truth. She blushed and said, “Sir, you don’t have to thank me. I wasn’t the one who found this prescription. I just told you what I Imow.”
Zhou Jia hugged Mr. Wen and said with a smile, “That’s right! Sir, you don’t have to thank Yu’er. We’re family. Why are you being so polite? Time waits for no one. Let’s find the sick cow first!”
Mr. Wen smiled energetically. “Yes, time waits for no man. We’ll set off to find the sick cow now.”
“I made a few masks. You and Xiao Xi can take them with you to protect yourself.” Li Yu quickly returned to the room and took out a few masks for the two of them to take away.
Zhou Jia and Mr. Wen hurriedly went to the government office and sent all the magistrate officers to look for sick cows in the various villages. They even informed the villagers to bring the sick cows to the village outside East City for Mr. Wen to check.
In the Yu family, Lieutenant Yu went back and said to the siblings, “Yan’er,
Cheng Yi, there’s a smallpox disease circulating. Don’t go out.”
Yu Yan glanced at Lieutenant Yu and said with concern, “Father, we understand. You have to be careful outside.”
Lieutenant Yu looked at his obedient and sensible daughter and nodded in relief. “I know. Be good and stay at home. I’ll go to the government office.”
Yu Chengyi also looked at Lieutenant Yu, who was striding away, and pouted at Yu Yan. “Sister, Father lies to us every time. Before the New Year, he said that
Mother would come back after the New Year. I haven’t seen Mother until now. Sister, where did Mother go?”
Yu Yan looked at her younger brother, whose eyes were red and about to cry, and thought to herself that her mother would never come back. After all, she was a cheap concubine who was slapped in public and sentenced to exile. Even if she came back alive, the Yu family wouldn’t want her.
Her father was just a useless man who couldn’t even protect his woman. Yu Yan clenched her fists angrily, unaware that her nails had pierced her palms.
The cows were sent from the countryside to the farmstead outside the city. Mr.
Wen looked at them one by one and shook his head in disappointment. Ding
Man said to Mr. Wen, “Sir, you still haven’t found the sick cow you’re looking
Mr. Wen sighed. “No. Bring the rest of the cows!”
Ding Man brought the remaining cows over with his men. After looking at them, Mr. Wen still could not find any sick cows with hemorrhoids. He suppressed his disappointment. “Ding Man, go back to the government office and report the situation to your lord. Tell him to hurry up and find cows in the more remote countryside.” Ding bowed and rode away.
At this moment, Tu Hui rode his horse and rushed to the farm. He said to Mr. Wen anxiously, “Sir, two more people in that child’s house have a fever. Their bodies are sore. There are already hemorrhoids on their necks and faces. The eldest son of the Liu family next door has also started to have an attack.”
Mr. Wen thought to himself that the virus had spread as expected. They could only speed up the search for the sick cow.
“Get the scribe to take my prescription to the Rejuvenation Hall and get them to prepare the medicine according to it and boil it for those people to take. The clothes of the people who deliver food to those families have to be placed properly. They can’t interact with people who haven’t suffered from smallpox.”
Tu Hui bowed. ‘Yes, sir.”
The families at the end of East Street were already in despair. Everyone was complaining and cursing the Zou family, which was the first to be infected with smallpox. When they realized that someone from the Liu family had also been infected this morning, they were all like frightened birds, worried that someone in their family would also be infected with smallpox.
In the Yang family’s house next door to the Zou family, Old Yang called his two sons and daughter-in-law to the central room. The entire family sat there with heavy hearts and ashen faces. Old Yang pointed next door and said, “The eldest son of the Liu family started having a fever this morning. There’s only a wall between us and the Zou family. I feel that it will reach our house sooner or later. I want to wait for Lord Tu to come and beg him to let Little Huzi out. That way, we can at least leave a descendant for our family.”
Everyone looked at the little boy sitting beside Old Madam Yang and lowered their heads in silence. Their eldest daughter-in-law was overjoyed. “Thank you, Father and Mother. Hu Zi can be sent to my mother’s house so my mother can take care of him for a few days.”
Old Yang’s second daughter-in-law kicked her husband and pointed at their son in her arms. The man looked up at Old Yang and mustered his courage.
“Father, do you think Lord Tu will agree?”
Old Yang shook his head and sighed. “I know what you’re thinking. The possibility of Lord Tu agreeing is minimal. I just want to give it a try. Don’t ruin the harmony between the two of you.”
His two sons and daughters-in-law thought about it and felt that it made sense. They shouldn’t hurt their relationship because of something that hadn’t even happened.
As he spoke, Scribe Tu walked in with the medicine. Old Yang pulled Scribe Tu and begged, “Master Tu, please let my grandson out. Please. It’s fine if we die because we’re old, but the child is still young! No one in our family is infected with smallpox poison. We won’t harm anyone if we go out.”
Looking at the pleading eyes, Scribe Tu hardened his heart and said, “Brother, it’s not that I’m ruthless and unwilling to let you out. You know very well that smallpox can be passed on to others. Wait patiently for a few more days. Lord Zhou’s teacher has already found the formula and is looking for the medicinal primer. At that time, everyone won’t have to worry about being afraid.”
Seeing that his begging had failed, Old Yang’s eldest son turned around and took out a machete from the house. He pointed at the scribe and threatened, “Lord Tu, it’s not like my child has that kind of illness. What right do you have to lock us up? Are you going to let us out?”
Scribe Tu looked at him fearlessly and shouted, “There are bailiffs and constables outside.. Do you think you can escape if you kill me?”