Bai Qingyan, though slender, stood tall at the doorway, surveying the coughing and feverish patients scattered throughout the area, her brow furrowed.
"Please, rise! Everyone, please rise!" Seeing Doctor Hong about to bow, Bai Qingyan quickly supported him, "Doctor Hong, you are a senior of the Bai family. Your effort this ti, and that of these benevolent and righteous doctors who ca to this epidemic-stricken city... I already feel indebted. It should be bowing and thanking everyone profusely!"
With that, Bai Qingyan took a step back and bowed deeply to the doctors. This gesture was heartfelt. They truly lived up to the phrase ’dics are the parents in heart and mind.’
The doctors quickly stepped aside to avoid Bai Qingyan’s bow, standing respectfully with their heads lowered.
"I know you’ve just arrived and are extrely busy; saving lives is paramount. There’s no need to stay with here. I will look around myself under General Qian’s guidance!" Bai Qingyan said, turning to look at the doctors following her, "Please, continue with your work. If you need anything, let know. Though I can’t assist in the dical treatnt, I will strive to ensure you have what you need. I will not let the righteous who risk themselves for the people lack anything!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The doctors following Bai Qingyan hurriedly bowed, feeling a sense of sha in their hearts.
Doctor Hong glanced at the other doctors, understanding Bai Qingyan’s intention—to pretend not to notice their fear and desire to leave, hoping they would stay and treat the infected citizens.
Indeed, there’s currently a shortage of personnel. If these doctors stay, it would greatly benefit Doctor Hong and those who ca.
Doctor Hong didn’t mind their previous intent to leave, and said, "Now, we need to divide these patients into three categories based on the three prescriptions we previously discussed. We’ll use different prescriptions to see which works best. Doctor Niu, could you kindly explain this in detail to these doctors while I accompany His Majesty on an inspection?"
"Sure, I’ll handle this!" Doctor Niu, who had a gentle temperant, held a roster and discussed with the doctors, "Before administering any dicine, we must check the color of the cloth tied around the patient’s arm against the nas on this roster, ensuring accuracy before giving the dication..."
Doctor Hong accompanied Bai Qingyan inside the shelter. Upon seeing Bai Qingyan standing outside, the people hurriedly knelt, even the severely ill struggled to get off their makeshift beds to kneel by their beds.
Bai Qingyan looked at the shelter capable of providing shelter from wind and rain, constructed from bamboo, covered with oilcloth on top, and layered with straw underneath. The sides remained open for ventilation...
Although such a shelter was more than adequate against wind and rain, it would struggle to withstand heavy snow. Seeing that snow was imminent, the shelter likely needed repairs.
Bai Qingyan shook the columns supporting the shelter and turned to Qian Yongzhong, "This shelter needs reinforcent; otherwise, it will collapse under heavy snow!"
"Yes, I’ve noted it down! I’ll send soone to reinforce it once we return!" Qian Yongzhong replied with cupped fists.
"The charcoal inside the shelter should not run out..." Bai Qingyan considered this and asked Doctor Hong, "Can we block the wind on both sides with felt blankets? It’s too cold to have all sides open to the wind. Is it possible to leave just one side open?"
"Leaving one side open is feasible, allowing those with mild symptoms to stay outside, while severe cases remain inside. Daily, we can fumigate with moxa and other treatnts." Doctor Hong responded.
"I’ve noted that!" Qian Yongzhong said.
Seeing the Emperor actually step inside the shelter, the patients inside beca unsettled. They were citizens of Yan Kingdom, and now, infected with the plague... the Emperor of Zhou had co.
They had never heard of an Emperor visiting a plague-stricken city before!
Earlier this morning, when the troops from Zhou escorted doctors and dicine, they thought it was the Yan Kingdom’s court sending aid out of concern for Yan citizens. Later, they learned it was the Emperor of Zhou personally leading troops to escort the doctors and herbs to the plague area in Yan, to fight the plague alongside the people.
They hadn’t expected Zhou to bring so many doctors; they thought... rely a few doctors would co for semblance, as before. Usually, those sent to the treatnt center faced a dead end. Little did they know, as soon as these many doctors arrived, they began their work... and the soldiers beca busy.
Originally, so mothers unwilling to leave their children brought them to the treatnt center. After confirming they hadn’t caught the plague, the doctors called them aside, informing them they couldn’t return to the city even if healthy, having already arrived at the center. They were taught preventive asures against infection.
Doctor Hong, with his kind deanor, instructed them to keep their hands clean and to get a new face cloth every hour from the newly built shelter. The used ones needed to be boiled in herbal concoction and then dried before reuse.
In their hearts, they already felt endlessly grateful to Zhou, yet who would have thought... the Emperor would personally co to this treatnt center!
This was a treatnt center where survival was as risky as death!
Seeing more plague-affected individuals or families accompanying their children knelt with tears in their eyes, Bai Qingyan quickly said, "Please, get up, no need for this! Everyone, rise..."
"Your Majesty! Thank you for sending people to save us humble folks!" A literate person bravely looked at Bai Qingyan, tears welling up in their eyes, "We know, that currently, there is a battle between Zhou and Yan Kingdom. The court doesn’t allow the transportation of herbs into Zhou’s cities within Yan! Your Majesty personally led troops to escort herbs and doctors here, we’re endlessly grateful."
"Now, everyone here is a citizen of Zhou, my people! All citizens of Zhou... are under Zhou’s protection, we will rescue even when far! Zhou will not abandon any citizen!" Bai Qingyan’s solemn and steady voice resonated through the shelter with great penetration, "Doctor Hong, being aged, has reached the pinnacle of Zhou’s dical expertise. All other doctors are outstanding practitioners from Zhou! Everyone must stay calm and heed the doctors’ instructions, cooperating with their treatnts! Herbs will be supplied continuously from Zhou starting today, so there’s no need to worry! As long as we unite in heart and mind, we can defeat the plague! I... am with you all!"
The patients in the treatnt center were emotionally stirred by Bai Qingyan’s words, so broke into sobs, their emotions contagious—spreading to the elderly, won, and children who couldn’t help but cry out loud, chanting "Long live His Majesty," and patients kneeling repeatedly, inexplicably feeling a sense of belonging and pride in becoming citizens of Zhou.
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for saving our lives!"
"His Majesty sees us as his people; we shall forever remain citizens of Zhou!"
"We shall forever remain citizens of Zhou!"
Qian Yongzhong, observing the citizens who saw hope and wept out of gratitude, couldn’t help but cast a look of admiration at his Emperor.
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