Chapter 93: All Beings Suffer

Chapter 93: All Living Beings Suffer

The people of Xin Feng County would finish their breakfast as a family each day, find a basin specifically for fumigating with mugwort, and those with courtyards would feed their chickens and ducks in the yard. The men and women stayed at home embroidering handkerchiefs and pouches, chatting idly together as a family. After lunch, they would take a nap first, and when it was time to cut grass, someone would call out, and one person from each household would go out to cut grass and gather firewood. They had been living peacefully like this.

After a few days, someone went door to door delivering sachets and masks, teaching them how to wear the masks themselves, and then moved on to the next household.

The villagers hadn't gathered together for a long time, and they were anxious at home.

Archivist Zhu organized the Yamen Runners to either fumigate with mugwort or handle the corpses of livestock. Everyone had their own tasks, and no one had it easy.

On the streets, apart from those in official uniforms, only a few scattered individuals went to the market to buy groceries. The people walked one after another, each wearing a mask and keeping a distance of three zhang from each other.

When it came to matters of life and death, the people were still sensible and did not cause trouble.

The Yamen Runners cleaned up the corpses and then returned to the county office. The dining hall also allowed them to eat in batches, and they were not allowed to speak while eating.

Zheng Shanci ate in his office, and after finishing, he went for a nap.

After the nap, Zheng Shanci continued to handle official duties. Seeing the words "everything is normal" written on the official documents, his brows relaxed.

Returning home, Zheng Qingyin and Yu Lanyi were together. Zheng Qingyin greeted Zheng Shanci, calling him "Second Brother."

"I owe you a lot these days," Zheng Shanci patted Zheng Qingyin's shoulder.

"Second Brother is too polite, this is what I should do," Zheng Qingyin smiled, "Since Second Brother is back, I'll go back to my room first."

Yu Lanyi had been staying at home recently, and the pomegranate tree in the yard had borne fruit. He picked all the pomegranates and squeezed them into pomegranate juice to drink.

The situation outside could only be heard from Zheng Qingyin and Zheng Shanci. Zheng Qingyin told him that nothing had happened so far.

In such days, it was boring, and one had to find something to pass the time. Yu Lanyi had read the storybooks several times. When Zheng Shanci returned, his brows were still relaxed, and seeing Zheng Shanci, Yu Lanyi's mood was not so bad.

"How is the county office?" Yu Lanyi openly asked Zheng Shanci about the situation.

Zheng Shanci went to change his official robe and told Yu Lanyi about the county office, omitting some critical matters, but Yu Lanyi understood the general situation.

"It's okay, I've been at home for so many days, and no one has gotten the plague," Yu Lanyi's eyes were bright, "Zheng Shanci, you've worked hard."

As he spoke, he made Zheng Shanci sit down, shaped his fingers like a hammer, and gently massaged Zheng Shanci's back.

"Don't bother, sit down," Zheng Shanci smiled and took his hand.

"This is not my merit alone, everyone has contributed," Zheng Shanci did not take credit.

Yu Lanyi liked Zheng Shanci like this, and he went to kiss Zheng Shanci's lips.

In the evening, they each had their meals separately and did not eat together. When Zheng Shanci returned home, he was more relaxed, and at night, lying in bed, he played with Yu Lanyi's hand.

Yu Lanyi let Zheng Shanci play with his hand. Zheng Shanci's hand had thin calluses, and it tickled when he pinched his hand.

After a while, Yu Lanyi was still energetic, and when no one was pinching his fingers, Zheng Shanci breathed steadily and fell asleep. In the dark, Yu Lanyi reached out and traced the outline of Zheng Shanci's brows, his warm fingers gently landing on Zheng Shanci's face. Yu Lanyi lay on his chest.

"Too tired," Yu Lanyi felt sorry for his husband.

Seeing him come back smiling every time, but in reality, his brows were always tired.

Xin Feng County was well controlled, and the county office staff had gotten used to it. Zheng Shanci could even steal some time to exercise in his office.

Until one day, Ding Xuan rushed in, panting, "Lord Zheng, someone in Xi Yuan Village has the plague, and their whole family has been quarantined."

Zheng Shanci felt that the moment had finally arrived.

"Where did this person go?" Zheng Shanci asked calmly.

"He said he went to the mountains to gather firewood and entered a cave that had a strange smell. He saw that it was filled with animal carcasses. He didn't stay long and left. That night, he returned home and started having a high fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. His family immediately locked him in a room and went to the town to call a doctor, who diagnosed it as the plague."

"Seal off that cave and ensure no one enters." Animals can also carry the plague.

"Send someone to Xiyuan Village to ask the village chief if he has come into contact with anyone. If he has, quarantine those people together."

Ding Xuan acknowledged with a nod.

Tan He assumed responsibility for the matter and went to the village chief's house to ask.

"He hasn't come into contact with anyone. In the afternoon, they were sent to cut grass, and everyone was kept three zhang (about 10 meters) apart. That boy was the last to emerge, so it should be fine."

Tan He simply said, "For the next few days, ensure no one from your village travels to the town."

The village chief of Xiyuan Village nodded, "Alright, sir, we will definitely not cause any trouble. Rest assured, I will ensure they comply."

Tan He simply said, "In the future, prevent unnecessary trips to the mountain."

The village chief hurriedly agreed.

If the plague were easily curable, the court would not treat it as a dire threat. Tan He took the carriage back to report to Zheng Shanci.

"Good, when you go out, summon the city physicians." Zheng Shanci thought for a moment and decided to invite the city physicians to see if there were any good methods.

Tan He accepted the order and left.

Dr. Song and his entourage arrived and prepared to pay their respects to Zheng Shanci.

"Dispense with the formalities; please, take a seat." Zheng Shanci invited them to sit.

Zheng Shanci got straight to the point, "What treatments do you propose for the plague? I am eager to hear your insights."

An old man with a white beard clasped his hands and said, "Lord Zheng, 'insights' may not be the appropriate term. There is no cure for the plague. Previously, during the Great Yan Dynasty, there were also outbreaks of the plague, and it was entirely up to the patients to recover. Plague symptoms vary among individuals, typically including high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, severe headaches, and respiratory distress. The plague has existed since the Zhou Dynasty. According to the 'Rites of Zhou,' they employed the 'clam ash method,' which is similar to what Lord Zheng mentioned about fumigating with mugwort and sprinkling yellow wine. It can only eliminate some pests within the room to achieve a sanitizing effect."

Another physician clasped his hands and said, "There are also techniques such as the 'well-cleaning method' to prevent contamination of water sources, but these are merely palliative measures. There is no definitive cure. We can only isolate people and treat them slowly."

Dr. Song said, "Lord Zheng has performed admirably by isolating those afflicted with the plague. As physicians, we can only treat the symptoms. If the patient has a fever, we use Yinqiao San; if they have vomiting and diarrhea, we use Yupingfeng San; if they cough, we use Xuanfei Baidu Tang... These are all experiences from our predecessors. We can only administer treatment upon symptom onset, with outcomes contingent on the patient's constitution."

Zheng Shanci nodded in comprehension. He maintained a courteous demeanor and listened with great attention.

The physicians couldn't help but share more with him.

Zheng Shanci also learned a lot. He said, "There is already one person in Xin Feng County showing symptoms of the plague. I would like to invite a physician to go and treat them."

The old man with the white beard said, "I will go. I am interested in this plague, and since I am old, let me try first."

Zheng Shanci clasped his hands solemnly, "Thank you, venerable sir."

"Lord Zheng, having a magistrate like you in Xin Feng County is a blessing for our county." The old man stroked his beard and sighed.

Zheng Shanci truly felt unworthy, "I dare not accept such praise. I am only doing what I should."

"Don't worry about the medicinal materials; the county office will provide them. If you have any needs, just mention them." Zheng Shanci said.

He sent the old man in, also taking responsibility for their lives.

The doctors in the city went their separate ways, and Dr. Song returned to his clinic with a sigh. He had already planned to go, but someone beat him to it. Oh well, he would just do his job well outside. If it were another magistrate, it would be hard to know what to do. Lord Zheng had taken preventive measures, significantly reducing the risk of a plague outbreak in Xin Feng County. Moreover, he had imposed strict controls on everyone before the plague even emerged. In Lan County, the plague had been raging for a month, and only now had the first case appeared here.

...

News of the locust plague in Qingzhou reached the capital, and the court officials discussed the matter in the grand hall.

"Historically, droughts and floods are often followed by plagues. I suggest Your Majesty send someone to provide disaster relief, and to be on the safe side, also send medicinal supplies to treat the plague," said Vice Minister Wei.

At only forty years old, he had become a vice minister, a testament to his exceptional talent and favor.

"Vice Minister Wei makes a good point. The journey from Qingzhou to the capital is lengthy. By the time we receive news from Qingzhou, one or two months may have passed. Minister of Revenue, prepare the funds, food, and medicinal supplies for disaster relief. Now, choose someone to act as the imperial envoy to escort these supplies."

Each faction pushed their own candidates, and names were called out. Emperor Wuming grew impatient and silenced them with a sharp command, directly appointing someone. "Previously, Minister Ye did an excellent job with disaster relief. This time, you will go to Qingzhou for the relief efforts."

Ye Yunchu bowed, "Yes, thank you for Your Majesty's trust."

Ye Yunchu returned home and informed his parents. The princess was horrified, "Why would His Majesty assign such a dangerous task to you? If a plague really breaks out, what will you do, my son?"

Ye Yunchu replied, "Mother, the emperor's orders cannot be defied. Moreover, His Majesty entrusting me with such an important task demonstrates his trust in me."

Prince Zhennan nodded approvingly, "Yunchu is right. However, when you go to Qingzhou, take care of yourself. Remember, if something happens to you, all is lost. His Majesty has tasked you with disaster relief, so focus on that. There are many people under your command, so value your own safety."

Ye Yunchu said, "I understand, Father."

After Ye Yunchu left, Prince Zhennan said to the princess, "Stop meddling in Yunchu and Yu Shiyan's affairs. This time, our son is heading into danger. If something happens, we must ensure there is an heir."

The princess nodded.

When Yu Shiyan learned that Ye Yunchu was going to Qingzhou, his gaze grew distant. He remembered that Yu Lanyi and Zheng Shanci were in a county under Qingzhou's jurisdiction.

He had recently purchased a few more shops, not under Ye Yunchu's name but under his own.

"Be careful when you go to Qingzhou," Yu Shiyan said.

Ye Yunchu nodded, "I will definitely return alive."

Yes, you must return alive. Otherwise, life in the palace would be even harder for him.

After his shift, Marquis of Changyang hurried home. Mr. Yu was surprised to see him in such a rush.

"My lord, what has happened?"

"An urgent report from Qingzhou details a locust plague, and there is a possibility of a plague outbreak," Marquis of Changyang said without hiding the news, as it could not be concealed.

"It hasn't been confirmed yet, it's just a possibility," Mr. Yu said, though his heart was uneasy.

A month later, another report from Qingzhou arrived in the capital, this time confirming that a plague had broken out.

Since learning of the locust plague in Qingzhou, Mr. Yu had been fasting and praying in the small Buddhist hall. He never expected the plague to actually occur. He was nearly overcome with despair, and An Geer quickly supported him, "Father, Lan Yi and Second Brother-in-law are blessed by heaven. They will surely be fine."

Mr. Yu's lips trembled, and he clung to An Geer's words like a lifeline, "Yes, yes, they will be fine. They won't be harmed."

Without news of Yu Lanyi and Zheng Shanci, Mr. Yu's heart remained unsettled, and he secretly cried at night.

He blamed himself, regretting that he had cared too much about appearances and sent Lanyi to such a remote place, that he had been too concerned with the opinions of others. If something happened to Lanyi, he would never forgive himself.

Until he received news, Mr. Yu continued to fast and pray. An Geer, unable to dissuade him, could only accompany him.

Xinfeng County

The first person to contract the plague infected his two brothers, and all three brothers perished. After notifying the family, the Yamen Runners (local government officers) burned the bodies, as they couldn't be left or buried properly.

This dealt an even heavier blow to the family. The Yamen Runners had already burned the cave and prohibited anyone from going up the mountain around it.

Scribe Jiang reported this matter to Zheng Shanci: "Lord Zheng, the person who contracted the plague did not survive; all three brothers in their family are gone."

Zheng Shanci: "...I understand."

In the face of natural disasters and disease, human life remains fragile. The ancients valued proper burial, but those who succumbed to the plague couldn't even keep their bodies and were left without a proper resting place.

Zheng Shanci returned home and held Yu Lanyi for a long time without speaking. He was still unaccustomed to it; even when death didn't strike him directly, he felt uneasy.

Yu Lanyi gently patted his shoulder, whispering, "It's alright, it's alright."

Unaware of what had troubled Zheng Shanci, he simply offered comfort.

After a long pause, Zheng Shanci composed himself and kissed Yu Lanyi's forehead.