Chapter 98

Chapter 98

He'd gotten back late today, so he had Zhou Qingzhu round everyone up again. He would be away for at least a month, and might not be able to spare the time in between, so he had to make sure everything was squared away before he left.

"What's wrong, Chen Ge? Is something the matter?" Zhou Shun asked first, since he didn't see Huo Jilin around.

Chen Jue looked at them and didn't hold anything back, telling them about the plague in town. These people had been with his medicine workshop for nearly a year now, had gained a basic understanding of medicine, and weren't as scared of disease anymore.

Even so, they were floored.

Uncle Liu sucked in a sharp breath: "Plague... plague... what are we gonna do?"

"What... plague, chaos... disaster..."

Chen Jue took his time explaining what cholera was and its symptoms.

"Right now, there are only seventy-three cases in town. Our village is still clean so far, but this disease is highly contagious—it gets in through the mouth, and within three days you can be dehydrated to the point of collapse. So if anyone shows these symptoms, don't mess around—take medicine right away. I'll write out the full list of meds for everyone in a bit."

Chen Jue started going over the cases, and everyone listened quietly. Huo Yu also listened attentively, and every now and then, when everyone went quiet, he'd let out an "ah." Uncle Liu wanted to crack a smile at him, but his heart was too heavy; he was old enough to know exactly what a plague meant.

He looked at Chen Jue hesitantly: "Jue Geer, it's way too dangerous out there. You... don't go, okay?"

He also knew there was no stopping Chen Jue. The second he'd called everyone together, Uncle Liu had a feeling he knew what was coming. Chen Jue was a doctor. Over these past months, Uncle Liu had gotten a real read on Chen Jue's character—he'd basically poured his whole heart into those patients.

Zhou Qingzhu and Zhang Shuier jumped in too: "Yeah, don't go out there, man."

Chen Jue smiled at them: "I just went over the symptoms of cholera, plus daily hygiene and meds. Take it to heart. I'll be in town for a month. If we get the outbreak under control, I might be able to slip back in the middle. If not, I won't be able to come back much."

He'd already disinfected himself several times before stepping foot in the house. He wasn't sure if the virus might get worse down the line. Since Pingshan Village had no cases yet, he'd better not come back too often—even with Huo Yu still here.

Chen Jue looked down at Huo Yu, who was perched on his lap like a tiny grown-up, listening with those big eyes like he actually understood every word. Chen Jue took a deep breath and continued to the others: "Cholera spreads like wildfire. If Dongling County can't contain it, it's only a matter of time before it reaches us. None of us are safe, so we need to get ready now."

Everyone stared at him, hearts heavy, searching his face for some kind of answer. But Chen Jue's expression remained calm, his voice even more steady and clear: "For this month, put all other meds on hold. Focus on making Huoxiang Zhengqi liquid, Wufu Ling powder, and montmorillonite powder. And ramp up the alcohol production. Brother Qingshan and Qingzhu, you two take point on production. Zhou Shun, you handle the herb and liquor supply."

The ones he'd called out all nodded quickly.

Zhou Shun then asked: "So the meds... they still going to Jishi Hall?"

He picked up on what Chen Jue was really saying—this wasn't just for Jishi Hall anymore.

Chen Jue glanced at him, then looked at everyone: "This time, the meds aren't just for Jishi Hall. They're going to cover all of Dongling County and beyond."

He paused, then added: "Zhou Shun, we're selling this batch at cost. I'll let Jilin know."

Chen Jue had already thought this through on the way over.

After all the flood relief work, the government probably couldn't foot the bill for the meds this time. If this outbreak came from overseas, it wouldn't just hit Dongling County—other counties would have it too. The imperial court wouldn't be able to keep up. Even if help did come, it'd be way too late—who knows how many people would be dead by then.

The more people died, the harder it'd be to get the outbreak under control.

Chen Jue wasn't acting out of some grand sense of righteousness—he just knew how bad things could get. A century ago, Europe lost half its population. That was just a fact.

Zhou Qingzhu was the first to let out an "ah." Cost price meant selling at production cost—the workshop wouldn't make a single cent. They'd only started turning a profit in the last few months.

He could even see why Chen Jue was doing it—if they didn't at least break even, the workshop couldn't stay afloat.

He looked at Chen Jue, eyes getting red, but didn't say a word.

Zhou Shun took a quiet breath. He knew he didn't even have to ask Brother Dalin—he'd be on board too. These two were unlike anyone he'd ever met. Cold on the surface, but with hearts so big he couldn't even wrap his head around it. Standing next to them, he always felt so small.

Many of his own thoughts were narrow. He had sometimes felt resentful when Huo Jilin gave concessions to the shop, and Huo Jilin hadn't explained much then—only said to think long-term.

Long-term. He wasn't just thinking of the shop's long-term future—he was thinking of everyone's long-term future.

Zhou Shun's chest surged with emotion, heat rushing to his eyes. He held it back forcefully and nodded firmly at Chen Jue: "Alright, Chen Ge, rest assured. I'll make sure to do my part and provide full support with the medicinal herbs."

If Zhou Shun was so moved, then Zhou Qingshan—an honest and simple man—was even more so. He rubbed his eyes vigorously and said: "Doctor Chen, rest assured. We'll definitely produce the medicine well."

The other workers also nodded one after another. They had been afraid and anxious, but at this moment they were moved by Chen Jue. Not only was he going alone to treat the plague victims, he was even contributing the workshop's medicine without compensation. What could they, staying in the rear, possibly complain about or fear?

Chen Jue smiled at them: "Jilin probably won't be able to come back during this time either—he'll be setting up medical tents and taking in patients. So the workshop is entirely in your hands.

For this month, I ask everyone to work together and get through this difficult time."

After everyone had voiced their commitment, Chen Jue smiled and said to them resolutely: "Finally, as always—prevention is better than cure. Don't fear medicine, don't fear doctors. As long as we protect ourselves well, we won't get infected. Follow my instructions strictly, and this outbreak will pass."

The workers left, but Uncle Liu's family stayed a little longer, as there were household matters to discuss.

Uncle Liu watched Huo Yu gnawing earnestly on a carrot stick and patted his head: "Such a lovable little one. Don't worry, Jue Geer, I'll take good care of him. Tomorrow, just leave early while he's still asleep. I'll come first thing in the morning."

Chen Jue glanced at Huo Yu, who was grinding his teeth on the carrot strip, and thought for a moment: "Uncle Liu, I'll be gone for a long time this time. I need to tell him. He should know tomorrow morning."

Uncle Liu sighed and thought it over: "Alright. He may look small, but he actually understands things."

After Uncle Liu and the others left, Chen Jue placed Huo Yu on the kang and folded clothes beside him.

Summer clothes needed to be changed frequently, especially at a time like this—cleanliness was essential. So Chen Jue packed extra sets, and Huo Jilin's as well.

As he folded clothes and packed them into the bundle, he said to Huo Yu: "Baba is going out for a month this time. Will you wait for me at home?"

Huo Yu gnawed on his carrot stick and looked at him. He only had four teeth, so despite all his earnest effort, the carrot stick hadn't made any progress. But he was enjoying himself immensely, since it was the only flavorful thing besides his supplementary food.

He drooled as he chewed, and Chen Jue wiped his mouth with a soft cloth. Huo Yu clutched his carrot stick, crawled along Chen Jue's arm into his embrace, and kicked the folded clothes aside.

Chen Jue pulled him onto his lap, holding him as he said: "Dada is also going out for a month. We'll both be back in a month. Will you wait for us at home like a good boy?"

Huo Yu let out an "ah" at the word "Dada"—still thinking about Huo Jilin not having come back.

Chen Jue took that as his agreement.

"Good, you're such a good boy. I promise you, we'll be back in a month. When we return, we'll play with you every day."

The next morning, Chen Jue said goodbye to Huo Yu. Zhang Xiuer held Huo Yu, who had swapped his carrot stick for a sweet potato strip—half-dried, chewy and tender. Another teething stick, and this one tasted a bit better than the carrot.

Huo Yu gnawed on it happily, even though after all that effort, he hadn't managed to bite off a single piece.

So when he saw Chen Jue carrying his bundle, he wasn't too reluctant. He even waved at Chen Jue.

Chen Jue smiled at him. His heart felt both sour and soft—Huo Yu not crying his heart out made it easier for him.

This child rarely cried except for that one time when he hadn't seen him for days. He smiled a lot, which endeared him to everyone—let alone Chen Jue.

Chen Jue gave him one last look, then turned and mounted his horse. It was the same chestnut horse he rode, the one that now mostly followed him, while Zhou Shun and the others used a different horse for transporting herbs.

The chestnut horse was perceptive. Sensing that lingering too long would only make the parting harder, it carried Chen Jue away in a cloud of dust.

When Chen Jue arrived at Wanchun Hall, Huo Jilin was already there.

Huo Jilin had barely rested all night.

After parting with Chen Jue, he first went to see Magistrate Liu.

Magistrate Liu was in a bad mood to see him at this hour, as these days he dreaded Huo Jilin's visits. The disaster relief after the flood was a drain on the county office's coffers.

Whether it was opening the granaries or asking the higher-ups for money to repair the embankments, it was all a headache—a thankless job that made him look bad to his superiors.

But he had also witnessed firsthand how dangerous this flood-fighting effort had been, and he had already heard about Huo Jilin executing soldiers under military law during the flood. This Regional Commander Huo was a ruthless man.

So he dared not refuse Huo Jilin's request for funds to repair the embankments.

He had been somewhat impatient, but when he heard Huo Jilin tell him that a plague was coming, he nearly choked on his own breath.

"What did you say?!"

Huo Jilin said it again: "Cholera—it's a kind of plague."

Magistrate Liu didn't have time to be annoyed by Huo Jilin's cold face. He staggered and dropped into a chair, because he knew Huo Jilin would not joke with him here.

Huo Jilin saw that his face was white as a sheet and gave him a few minutes to let it sink in, but even after several minutes, Magistrate Liu had not recovered.

Huo Jilin then asked him: "Magistrate Liu, you got any ideas on how to handle this?"

Since he was new to the post, he asked out of courtesy, and also to see if Magistrate Liu had a better approach.

This time, Magistrate Liu would have no choice but to throw everything he had at it.

Because in the face of a plague, every life was cheap as dirt. Even as an official, Magistrate Liu could not escape it. Unlike the flood, where he could just steer clear of the danger zones, this time it was a plague—if he messed this up, everyone's life was on the line.

Actually, Magistrate Liu's own neck was on the line even more.

As the local official in charge, if more than half of the people in his jurisdiction died, he'd lose his head, and it could even implicate his entire clan.