Madam, she always wants to run away

Chapter 41 Life and Death
The people of Nanhe City finally looked forward to the day when the dam was repaired. Although there was yellow mud and filth everywhere, the houses were washed away, and the chickens, ducks, cattle and sheep raised at home were even missing, but at least the sky no longer seemed to be leaking. It rained like a continual rain, and the floods no longer ravaged their fields like beasts.

For the rest of the day, they can use their own hands to restore this mess to its original appearance little by little.

However, a piece of news spread like wildfire among the people: the government is arresting people everywhere, as long as they have fever, cough and other symptoms, they will all be sent to "Anlefang" for isolation.

All of a sudden, people panic.What the common people are afraid of is not going to Anlefang, but the meaning behind this action - another plague broke out.

As the people of Nanhe City, to be honest, they have long been used to the flood that happens once every few years, but the plague is the nightmare of all the people.

Since Duan Yanlin and more than a dozen doctors in the city confirmed that the plague had indeed broken out in Nanhe City, patients have been sent in continuously. The mansion was quickly overcrowded.

"Xian'er, move out quickly." Li Ying frowned as she looked at the chaotic scene in front of her, her heart was full of worry.

"I'm not leaving, Cousin Ying, I'll stay here to help you."

"If something happens to you, how can I explain to my aunt?"

"Cousin Ying, you, your brother-in-law, and Imperial Physician Duan all take the lead, so how can I be alone? Since I came to Nanhe City after a narrow escape, I also want to do my part."

"Is the medicine ready?" A doctor shouted not far away.

"Here we come!" Cao Wenxian responded, then picked up the pot of freshly brewed medicine and said to Li Ying, "Look, cousin, I can still help."

Looking at Cao Wenxian's busy back, Li Ying clearly felt that she had grown up.The innocence between her brows and eyes is still there, but there is gradually a firmness and tenacity in this innocence, which makes her feel very relieved.

Everyone has been very busy these days.More than a dozen doctors from the city gathered in the county magistrate's mansion, responsible for diagnosing and treating all patients.Duan Yanlin has been testing medicines non-stop, and has changed no less than ten prescriptions, but he has not yet developed a prescription that can effectively cure the disease.As a patient and a drug tester, Xiao Lian stayed in the room without seeing the sun.

This was what Xiao Lian asked for after learning that he was indeed suffering from the plague.

It's strange to say that Li Ying thought that with such a weak body and the close contact with Xiao Lian that day, there was a high probability that she would suffer from the plague. She had already prepared for it, but who knew It's been several days, and she's still fine, not even a sneeze.

Maybe it was fate that she came to save Xiao Lian and the people of Nanhe City, Li Ying thought so.

But fighting the plague is easier said than done?Li Ying soon faced the first problem - not enough space.Many houses in the city were washed away by the floods. It was even more difficult to find Anlefang, which occupies a large area, can accommodate people and can shelter from wind and rain.

Fortunately, Xiao Lian left many "surprises" for Li Ying in Nanhe City.

Some time ago, when Nanhe City was in the worst chaos, many bandits broke into local rich merchants to plunder in broad daylight. sleep well?
Let's run, there are more bandits on the road, and if you don't do it, you will go bankrupt.Report to the officials, the county magistrate is exhausted, how can he have time to make decisions for them?
Finally, these rich merchants found Xiao Lian, and Xiao Lian made a deal with the rich merchants. As long as they were willing to donate silver and food to the common people in the city, Xiao Lian could promise to protect them from the bandits.When the wealthy businessmen heard this, how could they disagree?They donated the food stored at home one after another, and set up a shed to give out porridge.

As a result, the balance in the hearts of the people naturally turned to the side of the rich businessman. At first some people sneered at the bandit's behavior, and then it evolved into the common people shouting and beating when they saw the bandit as if they had seen a street mouse.

Xiao Lian struck while the iron was hot, and personally led the team to catch several gangsters who were committing crimes, and threw them into the prison on the spot. With the combination of internal and external tactics, the gangsters stopped and did not dare to run rampant again.

With Xiao Lian's charitable deeds in front, it is much easier for Li Ying to do things. I heard that there is not enough Anlefang. The problem was solved immediately.

When Li Ying talked about this with Xiao Lian through the door, Xiao Lian laughed in the room and said, "It's really...cough cough cough...unintentionally planting willows and willows to make shade."

Outside the door, Li Ying's originally happy expression quickly darkened after hearing Xiao Lian's voice.

Although Xiao Lian pretended well, Li Ying could still hear his weakness.

"You open the door, I'll go in and see you."

"No."

"I just took a look, don't you see that I am not infected?"

"That's why you have to be extra cautious. I'm very sick now, so don't take any risks."

Li Ying couldn't compete with Xiao Lian after all, so he had to leave in frustration.

The second problem Li Ying faced was how to prevent the people in the city from leaving the city.From the first day, Xiao Lian ordered to set up defenses at each city gate, and the people were not allowed to leave the city.But for those who want to go to the mountains to pick wild fruits, or to do small business in different counties, this order is tantamount to directly cutting off their livelihood.

Naturally, these common people refused, and there was a fierce conflict at the gate of the city. On one side were the common people who had to leave the city for their livelihood, and on the other side were soldiers who had been ordered to defend the city.

When the county magistrate heard the news, he was very anxious. If there was a big trouble, the black gauze hat on his head would be lost.Li Ying, who was also very distressed after learning about this incident, suddenly had an idea when he saw the back of Cao Wenxian who was so busy that his feet were not touching the ground.

Yes!Now that there are more patients than doctors, it is a time when there is a shortage of manpower. If the common people who are risking their livelihood can help make medicine and take care of them in Anlefang, and give them some silver taels every month, it will not only allow them to eat and wear warm , and let them stay in the city with peace of mind, wouldn't it kill two birds with one stone?
Li Ying immediately wanted to tell Xiao Lian what she thought, but when she walked to the closed door, she hesitated again.She hesitated in front of the door for a long time, and when she was about to turn around and leave, Xiao Lian's voice came from inside the door: "Why didn't you speak when you came?"

Li Ying stomped her feet and said angrily, "So you knew I was coming!"

Xiao Lian's chuckle came from inside the door: "I just want to see, how long will you be pacing around the door?"

"Hmph, I'm just mad at you for not letting me in."

"Yingying, don't make trouble, this matter should not be taken lightly."

"Okay, okay, I'll listen to you, is it done? I actually came to discuss something with you." Li Ying confessed his thoughts, but Xiao Lian was full of praise after hearing it.

"My Yingying is getting more and more capable. Just let go and do it. I can't help you now. The only thing I can do is to trust you."

Li Ying gently leaned her head against the door, and said, "I know you are suffering, but please persevere, you will definitely get better, trust me."

"I believe."

Li Ying's method really worked. In the next few days, a lot of healthy people came to the Anlefang one after another. There is wages to get, and the daily work is also very simple, no matter what, it is better than starving to death without income outside.

In this way, the second problem is also readily solved.

The third problem, which also caused Li Ying the most headache, was the lethality of this plague.Li Ying had reason to believe that they discovered the plague when it just broke out, but even so, without an effective prescription, what they could do in the face of the plague was still very limited.

Every day in Anlefang, people who died were dragged out and burned. Most of them were old or not healthy. The longer the delay, the more people died.

Among them was an old lady who was nearly seventy years old. She was in good spirits when she was sent in, but she had a slight cough.But after staying in this Anlefang for half a month, Li Ying watched her sink down quickly.Li Ying often goes to talk with her mother-in-law, knowing that she has a son and two daughters, and they are very filial to her.

"Can I see them?" One day, the mother-in-law asked suddenly while lying on the hospital bed.

Li Ying's heart softened, she really wanted to agree to her mother-in-law's request, she thought for a while, and said, "Mother-in-law, according to the regulations of Anlefang, relatives are not allowed to visit. If you want them to think hard, I can let them separate the door Take a look at you from afar."

After a long time, the mother-in-law sighed and said, "Forget it, I'm an old man, and I won't cause you any trouble. If I'm lucky, I might be able to go out and hug my grandchildren one day."

Tears fell from Li Ying's eyes, thousands of emotions came to his lips, and they could only be comforted one after another: "Grandma, you will get better, keep going..."

But the day after Li Ying finished speaking, that mother-in-law passed away.

On the day when the mother-in-law was carried out in a white cloth, a large family was standing at the door. Amidst the crying, the mother-in-law was carried away, and her children and grandchildren didn't even have the chance to say the last word to her. No.

After this incident, Li Ying became even more anxious. She wished that Duan Yanlin could develop the prescription today.It's a pity that things didn't go as planned, Duan Yanlin changed nearly thirty kinds of prescriptions without sleep, and Xiao Lian's illness still didn't improve.

She really wanted to urge her, but looking at Duan Yanlin's appearance, how could she bear it?Originally a fair and clean young man, he was smoky in the pharmacy all day long, his face was blackened, not to mention his hair and beard that had not been taken care of for a long time, he was completely different from Duan Yanlin who came to Nanhe City people.

Therefore, every time Li Ying came to his lips, he swallowed it back. In fact, he didn't know whether to urge him or not?
However, Cao Wenxian's sudden illness became the last straw that overwhelmed Duan Yanlin.

On this day, in the well-organized Anle Square, Cao Wenxian suddenly exclaimed: "Oh!"

Li Ying hurriedly wanted to go over when she heard the sound, but Cao Wenxian backed away again and again: "Sister Ying, don't come close!"

Seeing the doctor next to Cao Wenxian shaking his head regretfully, Li Ying faltered: "Xian'er, you..."

Cao Wenxian nodded and smiled helplessly: "It seems that good luck is not always on my side."

"Xian'er, don't be afraid, Imperial Physician Duan will definitely develop a prescription."

"Well, I believe him too."

Cao Wenxian was quickly taken away by the doctor. When Duan Yanlin, who was testing the medicine in the pharmacy, heard the news, the herbal medicine in his hand fell to the ground with a "slap".

Duan Yanlin's back froze in place for a long time, his thin hands clenched tightly into fists, his whole body trembling.

"Doctor Duan?" Li Ying wanted to step up to have a look.

"Don't come here!" Duan Yanlin suddenly let out a suppressed roar, which startled Li Ying.

"Why, why me..."

"Doctor Duan, what's wrong with you?"

"There are so many imperial physicians in the palace, why is it me!"

……

Li Ying stood where he was, not knowing how to comfort him.

"You all say that I will be able to develop a prescription, and I think I can. But how many people have died so far, and what about me? I am still standing still, I am a waste!"

"Doctor Duan, don't say that..."

"Then what should I say! I want to say, give me a little more time, I can definitely do it? I want to say, I, Duan Yanlin, can guarantee the life of the prince, her life, and the lives of so many people?!"

"no……"

"Perhaps you've misjudged me. I'm simply a useless person. I'm the one who should get sick, and I'm the one who should die."

While talking, Duan Yanlin walked out of the pharmacy in a daze.

Li Ying wanted to go after him to persuade him, but she knew that he was just under too much pressure.It's hard to imagine how a young man with a weak crown spent his days and nights when thousands of lives in the city were in his hands.

Letting it out like this might make him feel better.

Li Ying's guess was correct. It was less than two hours after Duan Yanlin slammed the door and came back by himself. He stayed in the pharmacy silently and continued dispensing medicine.

Li Ying didn't bother him. At this time, what he needed was not comfort or encouragement, but silence.

Before going to bed, Li Ying went to the door of Xiao Lian's room as usual, wanting to talk to him.

"Husband, are you asleep?" Li Ying gently knocked on the door.

Inside the door, where there would be an echo soon, there is no sound tonight.

Li Ying's heart skipped a beat, and she patted the door heavily: "Husband, husband! It's me, are you inside?"

Still no response.

Li Ying immediately rang the alarm, something must have happened to Xiao Lian!
"Come on, come on!"

Several of Xiao Lian's subordinates rushed over upon hearing the sound.

"Slam this door open!" Li Ying ordered without hesitation.

"Princess, the prince has an order, no one is allowed to approach..."

"If he dies inside, you will be responsible?!" Li Ying asked sharply.

The man shut his mouth immediately, a few people looked at me and looked at me, they couldn't stand the concubine's aggressive aura, so they obediently obeyed the order.

"Wait..." Just as the man drew out his sword and was about to chop off the lock cylinder, Xiao Lian's voice suddenly came from the room.

The voice seemed to be floating in mid-air, without any strength.

"Leave me alone, I'm fine..."

Li Ying grabbed the sword and slashed at the lock cylinder without any hesitation.

With a "bang", the lock fell, and Li Ying kicked the door open.

Looking at Xiao Lian, who was thin and out of shape lying on the bed, Li Ying raised his sword, cried and cursed:
"Xiao Lian, what about living and dying together? You big liar!"

(End of this chapter)