Great Qing Dynasty talker

Chapter 370 Assassins and infectious diseases!

Ningbo Mansion.

910 officers and sailors of the Royal Navy took a short rest here, and more than 200 of them who were sick received basic treatment.

Their symptoms are mainly vitamin deficiency and nutritional imbalance, combined with some common summer diseases such as heat stroke and diarrhea. Skin diseases and wound inflammation are also quite common.

During the convalescence period,

The two sides get along well.

The Saxons who hurried south from Dagukou were very satisfied with their treatment.

On the issue of insulting the Qing court, the two sides reached a friendly consensus and relations soared.

In the official words:

The two countries had a friendly exchange of views on the future development of the Far East, expressed their willingness to strengthen trade ties, and reached a consensus on jointly fighting against the evil Qing Dynasty.

……

According to international practice, appropriate treatment needs to be arranged according to the seafarer's grade.

So, it's a natural progression.

Wu Guo has a deeper understanding of the level of personnel on board the Royal Navy~
Level 1 of the Battleship Pyramid is:

Captain, Lieutenant, Navigator, Marine Lieutenant, Surgeon, Chaplain, Accountant

Layer 2 is:

Boatswain, various technical craftsmen, artillery chief
Layer 3 is:

Various assistants, non-commissioned officers, officer cadets

Layer 4 is:

Sailor, coolie

……

A civilian staff officer in charge of reception was surprised to find that there were many children among the Royal Navy who came ashore.

After some inquiries, I found out that
These children with childish faces, who are actually between 10 and 15 years old, are actually officer cadets.

They need to spend 6 years of internship on board the ship and master various navigation knowledge.

After that, you will be eligible to take the examination for promotion to warrant officer.

The exam was very demanding and most people could not pass it. Those who failed either returned to the ship as midshipmen or switched to the merchant navy to earn a higher salary.

If translated,

The staff officer was deeply shocked and terrified.

Compared to this, the Wu army's navy seemed as casual as playing house.

This man put a lot of thought into carefully recording the various rules of his Saxon counterparts.

……

Deputy Minister of Commerce Fu Cheng happened to be on business in northern Zhejiang.

So I tried it out:
"Captain Andrew, I invite you to Suzhou Prefecture to meet His Majesty the King of Wu."

"It would be an honor."

Andrew was very happy. This mission to the Qing Dynasty failed and the entire delegation was wiped out. It would be great to take the opportunity to go on a diplomatic mission to Da Wu on the return trip.

This is in line with the Saxon strategy of equilibrium.

Since we have fallen out with the Tatars, we should make friends with the Tatars' enemies.

maybe,
With this achievement, he was able to come into the sight of the Navy Department and have the opportunity to rise rapidly.

Two captains and a dozen officers above the rank of lieutenant took inland vessels and headed north along the Grand Canal.

Andrew expressed shock at the existence of the Grand Canal;

He couldn't imagine how huge a project it would be to build a canal thousands of miles long.

When I heard,
The canal led north to the Forbidden City of the Tatar Emperor.

His eyes were filled with excitement, probably because he had some bold associations from a military perspective.

……

Knowing that His Majesty attached great importance to the navy, Minister of Commerce Hu Xueyu made a series of decisions without asking for instructions.

Outside the city walls of Suzhou Prefecture, the Royal Naval Officers Corps was given a high-level welcome.

Two columns of honor guards were also arranged on the scene to demonstrate military power.

The Saxons were quite shocked by the red and black military uniforms and wide-brimmed hats.

Howard said privately:

"Oh my God, I seem to see a Prussian army or a Frankish army in the far east."

Andrew also lamented:

"They are not quite like the Eastern army I imagined. It seems that there is no obvious difference between the East and the West, except that the nomadic Tatars are an outlier."

The welcoming ceremony outside the city was high-profile and sensational.

The result is that
The news of the official contact between Saxon and Wu would be passed to the Qing court through hidden spies, leaving Qianlong with no way back. In a rage, he added another iron lock to the forbidden sea gate.

This completely confirms the conjecture that "European barbarians have not given up their desire to destroy the Qing Dynasty."

Economic Minister Fan Jing and Industry Minister Du Ren both attended the welcoming ceremony.

And in the following period, multiple rounds of talks will be held to promote comprehensive trade.

……

The two members of the delegation who were under house arrest on Xishan Island were unaware of all this.

The Wu court was embarrassed to find that they had brought back two hot potatoes.

If they were released,
It is difficult to explain how the Wu intelligence agency could have lurked in the capital in advance, how they happened to appear at the killing scene, and then headed south with the hostages.

Any idiot would realize there is a conspiracy here!
Although Deputy Envoy Staunton did not understand the situation outside, he had a general assessment of the current situation - the Tatars were brutal and barbaric, and the southern Han people were insidious and cunning.

They escaped from the tiger's mouth and fell into the wolf's den.

He privately and seriously warned Hong Renhui:

"Don't reveal that you know Chinese, otherwise we will die here. Be obedient, calm, and wait for the opportunity to return home."

then,

The two were active in the designated area of ​​Xishan Island.

Every day I fish, swim, watch the sunrise, eat and drink, and write letters to praise His Majesty the King of Wu from time to time~
……

Hu Xueyu has a distinguished status, so he acts boldly.

Without having time to consult Li Yu, who was supervising the war in Jiangxi, he directly ordered a trial investigation of more than 800 Royal Navy members resting in Ningbo Prefecture.

Spending a lot of money to poach talents is an old-fashioned but effective tactic.

Wesson, a Dutch officer serving in the Chongming Navy, and Zhang Xiaoyu, a female translator who wanted to get married, received an order to urgently head south.

Assist in hunting for talent!

In Hu Xueyu's words, there must be some dissatisfied and ambitious people among so many Saxon sailors.

Find it out and spend money!
Wait for His Majesty's commander to return and personally make the decision before execution.

Among the six ministers of Wu,

Hu Xueyu was the most daring one, relying on his status as the emperor's father-in-law.

Fan Jing is the most low-key person in his work, and the reasons are quite complicated.

……

Although Suzhou Prefecture seems peaceful, there are undercurrents underneath.

Various spies from the Qing court sneaked in to gather information.

Especially the spies in the sticky pole area, their activities are the most rampant and covert.

Mei Yunsong, a Cantonese who had just been promoted to a high position half a year ago, was lurking in the provincial capital as the owner of a small restaurant, gritting his teeth as he watched the fleet that blocked out the sky in the Grand Canal.

"All Jiangnan merchants should be killed."

"My husband, be quiet."

The plain woman sitting on the donkey cart tried to dissuade them and looked around nervously.

The arrangements made by the Sticking Rod Office were quite detailed, allowing the two men to flee all the way from northern Guangdong, passing through Fujian and Zhejiang, and finally arriving in Suzhou Prefecture.

The reason is flood!

My place of origin is also true, Shunde, Guangdong.

Shunde has a tradition of producing good chefs.

Moreover, it is quite difficult to fake Cantonese, perhaps even more difficult than pretending to be a foreigner.

……

The Qing court's hidden spies knew that Wu's army was making another big move.

But where to attack is unknown.

Zhejiang businessmen opened many factories along the Grand Canal to produce various materials.

From small bamboo hats to large baggage vehicles, there are hundreds of categories.
If you were to ask, which group in the Wu Kingdom is most looking forward to fighting? It's these military supply merchants.

When the cannon is fired, there is a thousand taels of gold.

The rate at which supplies are consumed is alarming.

These fleets will anchor in Zhenjiang Prefecture and wait for further orders. Where they are heading to will not be known before they set sail.

……

When the donkey cart was about to enter the city,
Mei Yunsong saw a group of people on the roadside suddenly fall to the ground, and the people around them immediately hid far away and talked about it.

"It must be a severe case of cold and fever." "I think it looks like diphtheria. This person is hopeless."

After a while, the patrol police arrived and lifted the man onto a cart and took him away, and the street returned to calm.

Mei Yunsong muttered:

"It would be nice if there was a plague."

"Aren't we done then?"

"Humph, I'd be willing to die with a whole city of thieves."

Back to the shop kitchen,

Mei Yunsong took out a clove of garlic and handed it to his wife.

"eat!"

The two of them silently nibbled some garlic, then rinsed their mouths and began to prepare ingredients for the day.

eat garlic,
It can prevent germs.

The people at the stick-sticking department don't understand the principle behind this, but they know that it might work.

The traces of the spies of the Sticking Rod Department even reached the grasslands of Central Asia and the southern foothills of the Himalayas. Due to long-term business trips and sleeping outdoors, they are more experienced than ordinary people in dealing with injuries and treating common diseases.

……

"Boss, poached chicken, roast goose, rice noodle rolls, and vegetables."

"Okay, General, please sit down for a moment."

Mei Yunsong is nimble and has excellent and hygienic cooking skills.

Three officers from the Guards Corps found a table and sat down with a smile. They were regular customers.

A battalion commander looked at the woman's beautiful back and said:
"Although this restaurant is small, it is very clean. Look at the table and the dishes~"

The other two nodded in agreement.

There were few Cantonese restaurants in Suzhou, and the couple who ran the restaurant had good cooking skills, so they quickly carved out a niche in the market.

The amount of ingredients prepared each day is limited, and we only make one meal, and the meal is closed once they are sold out.

Mei Yunsong needs to save enough time to observe and gather intelligence.

Every time he went to the countryside, he used the excuse of personally selecting and purchasing ingredients. Cantonese cuisine emphasizes the freshness of ingredients, and as a chef, purchasing ingredients personally is a symbol of professionalism.

……

The fact that he was able to open a shop on Daoqian Street, where many government offices were located, was very telling. The Patrol Police had already investigated him and found nothing wrong.

even,

He also had checkpoint certificates showing he had passed through many cities in Zhejiang, as well as special items purchased locally, which showed how scheming he was.

that's it,
The couple established themselves firmly in the capital, and their "Shunde Restaurant" became quite famous.

Be patient and wait.

The top brass at the Nian Gang Office judged that since Li Yu was from Suzhou, he might be interested in Cantonese cuisine, and the good reviews from government officials and diners from the Guards Corps would sooner or later reach his ears.

Even if the assassination is not possible,

Opening a restaurant at this location also makes it convenient to gather intelligence. Just listen to the diners' conversations.

……

Recently, various infectious diseases have increased significantly in Suzhou Prefecture.

The pharmacy is very busy and the doctor is very busy.

Economic Minister Fan Jing formally proposed the establishment of a health department.

During summer and autumn, various diseases caused by negative energy (according to traditional Chinese medicine) begin to rear their ugly head.

when serious,
The invisible "violence" is even more terrifying than a rebellion!
In many famous wars in history, the number of soldiers who died from disease far exceeded those who died by the sword.

The Eastern Han Dynasty was divided into three kingdoms, and the population was reduced by half.

The Black Death in Europe wiped out one third of the population.

The local government offices of Wu State had urgently mobilized a large amount of quicklime and sprinkled it on the corners of the streets. At the same time, they purchased a large amount of medicinal materials through merchants and prohibited any medicine shop from raising prices.

Reassure people’s hearts!

Everyone felt that it was good enough for the government to do this.

……

Experimental production of allicin on Xishan Island is also being carried out in secret.

The taste is too strong.

So much so that mosquitoes and flies dare not come near.

No matter how disgusting the finished product smells.

They were all sent to an official shelter on the shore and given to patients with serious infectious diseases.

Each group has 1 people.

At least 5 groups were given different batches of finished products.

People kept dying along the way, and new ones were immediately added.

The Wu State had no bacterial culture dishes, so these patients were walking human culture dishes.

No one complains about which doctor prescribed these "garlic-flavored Shaodaozi" Chinese herbal soups, which are pungent and unpalatable.

When a person is dying,
Any medicine that is difficult to swallow will be taken eagerly as if it were a life-saving drug.

This is a complex "self-abuse" mentality that normal people should not try to understand.

People on the verge of death are willing to believe anything, even grass roots soaked in hydrochloric acid.

……

Queen Hu Ling'er personally inquired about the progress of the experiment.

She heard from her subordinates that Yang Yunjiao was in charge of the Xishan Island cement testing project.

So as soon as His Majesty opened his mouth in the letter, he immediately volunteered to take on this task.

However, she only went to the scene once and her face turned pale due to the smoke.

Therefore, she was no longer willing to go to the scene to inquire about it. Instead, she assigned her personal maid, Hu Zheng, to take charge.

Matters proposed by His Majesty and handled by the Queen naturally have the highest priority.

The Military Industry Department helped to produce the efficient garlic crushing equipment, the glass factory at the Wuwang Palace construction site helped to burn some glass distillation equipment, the Taihu Winery sent brewing technicians, the Construction Department helped to build the factory, and the Agriculture Department helped to provide the garlic.

First chop the garlic, then heat it, then soak it in high-concentration alcohol.

Then distill and concentrate.

Get the finished product.

……

at the same time,

The order for military alcohol was taken down, which was a great assist for the allicin project.

A winemaker from Huzhou Prefecture took out his ancestral secret and partnered with a businessman from Hangzhou Prefecture to win the order. Their secret to making high-purity alcohol is temperature-controlled distillation and quicklime.

The combination of financial advantages and technological advantages is the best template for business.

And Li Yu provided the market.

There were more than a dozen candidates at the time, and the selection process was very simple.
I found a group of old drunkards to taste it.

The stimulating feeling close to that of anhydrous ethanol made the drunkards shout with pleasure and feel ecstatic. Some even died from drunkenness.

The advancement of science often requires the sacrifice of many lives, including those who volunteered to participate and those who were innocently involved.

For tens of thousands of years, every step forward for mankind has been inseparable from corpses and blood.

The dozen or so old women who were hired to peel garlic for 70 cents a day were in tears.

A boatload of garlic!
There is no way to finish it!
Just sit by the Taihu Lake and dig.

They couldn't figure out how many baskets of cucumbers they would need to go with so much mashed garlic.

……

In theory,

The content of useful substances in garlic is very low.

If you want to cure the disease, you need to take 40 kilograms of garlic orally within a day to achieve the effect of threshold antibiotics.

of course.

If you really do this, it would be more satisfying to just stab the person.

So it must be purified!
Also, minimize the decomposition of allicin during the concentration and distillation process.

With the current rough process,

You can only rely on luck, try different temperatures and durations, and then test it in a human-shaped petri dish.

Exhaustive method!
It looks clumsy, but it's actually very reliable.

It is most suitable for time travelers who know the direction of technological development, know the basics but not the technological process, but have already established a foothold in ancient times and have control over massive resources.

Anyway,

The more Hu Zheng looked, the more shocked she became, and her admiration for His Majesty was as endless as the water of Taihu Lake.

She realized that

The choking "Garlic-flavored Shaodaozi" may really be a miracle drug.

In a blind test, two patients with severe dysentery no longer suffered from diarrhea after taking the medicine for three days.

……

(End of this chapter)