Song Yi

Chapter 119
These people outside the city have always been very curious about Du Wenhao and Lei Butou wearing isolation suits and gas masks, and looked at them as if they were monsters.Finally, someone who was familiar with Lei Butou couldn't help pulling him and asked:
"Lei Butou, what are you wearing?"

Lei Butou said triumphantly: "Isolation suit and gas mask! They are specially used to prevent plague!"

"Really?" Everyone who heard his words gathered around, "Can this thing prevent plague?"

"Of course, it was designed by Mr. Du of Wuweitang himself,—does Mr. Du know?"

"I know, I know! It's Mr. Du who is good at Hua Tuo's magical technique of laparotomy and healing. He won't enter the city if he can, but stays here to treat us. He is a truly benevolent doctor. His design is absolutely right! "

"Of course! Didn't you see that Mr. Du himself is wearing a suit?" Lei Butou patted the man's shoulder, "No one dares to touch sick people and dead bodies, we dare, thanks to this stuff! Our brother wears this thing to carry patients and corpses, and nothing happens. Up to now, I haven’t heard of anyone who wears this thing and got sick.”

"Oh, this is really a treasure!" Hearing the news, more and more people gathered around, chattering.

Someone asked cautiously: "Is this stuff expensive?"

"The clothes our brothers wear are all given away by Wuweitang for free. All the arresting brothers in the county, the doctors who treat diseases, the Minzhuang who are responsible for patrolling the streets to transport patients and carry corpses, and the believers of the White Clothes Society, all participate in epidemic prevention and disaster relief. Wuweitang will give it away for free to everyone, and everyone will have a set!”

The man couldn't help swallowing, and said with a smile: "Can you make a consultation with Wuweitang and send us a set?"

A person next to him stabbed him: "What are you thinking? Didn't I hear Lei Butou say that only those who participated in the epidemic prevention and disaster relief can give it away for free? Besides, there are thousands of people outside the city. Ah. You want to ruin the family?"

"That's true, so let's buy it?"

Lei Butou said: "Of course! Why can't you buy it with money? After a while, shopkeeper Lin from Wuweitang will come again, you can ask her to buy it."

"Who is shopkeeper Lin?"

Earlier, Butou Lei was also on the tower, saw Lin Qingdai rescuing Du Wenhao, and said loudly: "What a fool! It was the one who flew down from the tower, subdued those two men with iron towers, and rescued Dr. Du. "

"Oh..., it seems to be a woman."

"Nonsense! Shopkeeper Lin is of course a woman." Lei Butou thought for a while and said loudly: "Well, I'll send someone to inform her and ask her to bring out the equipment and sell it to everyone."

"Great!"

The news spread immediately, and they heard that there was equipment that could ward off this terrible plague, and everyone was eagerly waiting for Shopkeeper Lin to come back so they could order equipment from her.As long as this thing can really resist the plague, no matter how much money you spend, you have to buy it.

Du Wenhao was busy treating the fainted person by the campfire with lily needles, which was the only thing he could do now.

However, most of these patients were too seriously ill, and he could only revive some of them. Many patients died of ineffective treatment, and many patients died before Du Wenhao came to treat them.For those who are determined to be dead, the cremated body shall be carried away immediately.

While busy, the city gate opened again, with archers guarding both sides, and dozens of ox carts came out of the city. The leading ox cart was covered with a canopy, and the four corners were tightly tied. It was unknown what was inside.Some of the other oxcarts carried firewood, some carried tents, and some of the oxcarts were tied with hemp ropes to several vats of steaming soup and medicine, and the fragrance of the medicine wafted out.

"Here comes the medicine!" Someone yelled, causing a commotion.

The people around were suddenly excited and cheered.

Following the carriage came out a dozen or so doctors, including Hantou, all wearing isolation suits and simple gas masks.There are also medical officials such as Assistant Professor Tang, with some Minzhuang.

The decoction brought by Hantou is made according to Du Wenhao's formula, mainly for the trial of patients who are too late for clinical diagnosis and prevention for those who are not sick.Therefore, the doctors were ordered to deliver the decoction to the people who had not been diagnosed and those who were not yet sick, and each of them took a bowl.

Assistant Professor Tang instructed Hantou and the dozen or so doctors to lift off the dozens of well-shielded bullock carts and carry people down.Only then did Du Wenhao realize that all the people transported in these ox carts were patients!
Du Wenhao ran over and asked Assistant Teacher Tang, "What's going on?"

"The county magistrate has ordered that all sick people be transferred outside the city for treatment."

Du Wenhao was stunned for a moment. Although this decision was somewhat unreasonable, it was also for the safety of the people in the city, and he could understand the decision of Zhuangzhi County. He asked, "Have the patients from our Wuweitang been transported out?"

"It was shipped out, and the county magistrate ordered the arresters to shout around, notifying those suffering from the plague to gather in Wuweitang as soon as possible, and organized a search team to search for people with fever and cough. Send the car out of the city."

"How many patients are there?"

"Including the patients of Wuweitang, there are more than 300 patients in total. This is only the first batch, and it has not been shipped yet. After it is unloaded, it will go back immediately and continue to be shipped."

"There is so much snow outside, and there are no tents, so many people are outside the city, they will die of illness or freeze to death!"

Assistant Professor Tang sighed: "Yes, there is no other way, there are not enough tents, so we can only bring some firewood to make a bonfire to keep warm, and then we can survive tonight. These firewood were ordered by the county magistrate to requisition from various inns and restaurants, waiting for epidemic prevention and disaster relief. After the funds are allocated, they will be compensated."

After Assistant Professor Tang finished speaking, he went on to make arrangements for unloading patients, setting up tents and lighting bonfires.

At this time, Hantou and the dozen or so doctors came to greet Du Wenhao. After a brief introduction, Du Wenhao said: "Master! These are the doctors in the city who voluntarily came to treat the patients. They have all treated the plague before. There are some secret recipes, should they prescribe their own medicine based on clinical diagnosis and syndrome differentiation?"

Du Wenhao said happily: "Okay! This is the best! Please show your unique skills and save people together."

The doctors did not have time to exchange greetings, and immediately went into the treatment.

Previously, Butou Lei sent people into the city to tell Lin Qingdai that many people outside the city wanted to buy isolation suits and gas masks.After Lin Qingdai learned of the news, she loaded the remaining dozens of sets of equipment together with the anti-epidemic materials donated by Wuweitang on a bullock cart and transported them out of the city.

When the ox carts go out of the city, the ox carts that transport patients, firewood, and medicinal materials are the first, and then the ox carts that shopkeeper Lin and the others transport equipment.

"Shopkeeper Lin has come out!" Someone saw it, recognized it immediately, and yelled.The whole crowd suddenly boiled, the sick couldn't get out of the isolation area, and the healthy ones gathered around, scrambling and shouting:
"Shopkeeper Lin, I want to order isolation suits and gas masks! This is what Lei Butou and the others are wearing!"

"Sell it to me first, and I'll pay you five taels of silver!"

"I'm out of twelve!"

"I give 20 taels!"

"I give 50 taels!"

"I give eighty!"

……

Seeing this scene, Lin Qingdai fortunately had already discussed what to do, so the silly fat jumped on the bullock cart according to the plan, and shouted loudly:

"Everyone, don't worry! But now the number of equipment is limited, there are only dozens of sets, and there is no way to distribute it to everyone, so only the highest price will get it! I'm very sorry, but everyone, don't worry, we are speeding up the production, everyone They'll all be there!—Call now! Cash deal!"

Immediately, bids came one after another, all wanting to get the equipment as soon as possible to fight against the plague.The most basic security needs of human beings are fully manifested at this time.

Among those who fled, there were also some rural landlords, rich farmers, and wealthy businessmen in cities and towns. In the end, the first set of isolation suits and gas masks were sold at a high price of 120 taels.Silly Pang is in charge of selling, Yingzi is in charge of collecting money, and Wu Cong is in charge of teaching those who buy the equipment how to use the equipment and precautions.

Dozens of sets of isolation suits and gas masks were sold out quickly, and they sold for more than 2000 taels of silver!Lin Qingdai was very happy and told Du Wenhao the news.

Du Wenhao was also very happy when he heard that the first batch of isolation suits and gas masks were sold at such a high price.As a last resort, the money can be used for epidemic prevention and disaster relief.

Hantou pulled Du Wenhao aside and said in a low voice:
"Master, this plague is coming fiercely, with a large number of patients. According to the preliminary estimates of disciples and grandchildren, there are no less than a thousand people who have been infected in the city and outside the city, and there are more people coming here one after another. This medicinal material is in great demand. Master's Wuweitang and We don’t have much medicine in Jishitang, and it’s not enough to spend all of it. This matter must be resolved as soon as possible. Otherwise, it’s hard for a clever woman to cook without rice.”

"Is there a medicinal material wholesaler in the city?"

"No, the wholesale of medicinal materials is only available in Fucheng. All the medicinal materials in all the pharmacies in the city are used, and it is far from enough. Because the disease is concentrated on more than 20 of them. It must be urgently purchased from Fucheng or other places. This That's a lot of money. We're broke and we can't afford it."

Du Wenhao nodded: "I understand, I'll take care of this matter, you go to the doctor first."

Du Wenhao found Assistant Professor Tang, who was taking two medical officers and Yamen Minzhuang to set up dozens of tents brought by bullock carts for the most seriously ill patients. Or lie or sit.

Assistant Professor Tang was a little embarrassed after hearing what Du Wenhao said about the medicinal materials, and said in a low voice:
"Medical Officer Du, you just came here, and you don't know much about the yamen. There is very little silver allocated to the yamen from above, and most of it is used to pay the salaries of the third class of yamen servants and clerks. How can I have money to buy medicinal materials? That's all." The tent was ordered with the money donated by the magistrate of Zhuang County, the county captain of Pang County, and the officials and clerks of the Yamen.”

"Is there no other money in the Yamen? For example, taxes?"

Assistant Professor Tang was taken aback, and leaned into his ear and whispered, "This idea is absolutely not acceptable. The collected taxes and silver must not be moved. No matter what the reason is, embezzling it will be a death penalty!"

Du Wenhao nodded: "Then, how long will it take for the imperial court to allocate funds and materials for epidemic prevention?"

Assistant Professor Tang smiled wryly and said, "Don't count on the money!"

(End of this chapter)