The Emperor ordered Zhao Tang

Chapter 264 Mihara
The night in Meiyuan is as quiet as the mausoleum.

Occasionally, there were the howls of wolves and tigers, sad and mournful. The fields were lit up red by torches. Carts of food, clothes, and medicine were transported to the open space in the middle, and then the horsemen and officials turned around and ran away as if they had seen a ghost. No one dared to talk to them, not even a hundred steps away.

On the ridge of the field, beside the campfire, Emperor Li sat cross-legged, listening to reports from Ye Ting Ling Gao Mingyue, Tai Shi Ling Ouyang De, Medical Doctor Mi Jie, Forbidden Spell Doctor Bai Chan, Acupuncture Doctor Chen Cong, Huang Yaoshi and others.

"I observed several corpses and some patients from a distance. The symptoms were fever, coughing, convulsions, madness, with swollen necks, purple and black skin..." Gao Mingyue's big eyes were filled with intense fear: "It is completely different from the symptoms in Xianyang and Lantian. It is confirmed to be a major epidemic. It is too late to save them! We must return to the palace immediately, seal off the county, and isolate them on the spot to prevent the Meiyuan people from roaming!"

The saint asked suspiciously, "Are you sure?"

Gao Mingyue nodded affirmatively.

The imperial physician Liu Qi echoed in horror: "This is rat poison. The specific cause is unknown to us, but when the rat demon passes through the country, there will be an epidemic, enough to destroy the city and the country! There have been many outbreaks in our dynasty. Gao Ye Ting is right, we have to surround Meiyuan."

The saint did not comment, but asked, "How many people in Meiyuan are infected now?"

"Almost all those concentrated near this mountain were killed, about 20,000 people," Liu Qi replied.

"What about other villages?"

"Under the disaster, people are hiding everywhere. I'm afraid the disease has spread. The neighboring Fuping, Huayuan, and Tongguan are probably also..."

“How long does it take from onset to death?”

"Usually two to three days. There are also cases where death occurs after seven or eight days. The longest is no more than ten days, and the fastest is less than a day. The disease is extremely severe and cannot be cured by medicine."

Emperor Li's face darkened instantly.

It can be basically determined that the plague has existed since ancient times and was once prevalent in Europe in the Middle Ages, in North China during the Chongzhen period, and in the three northeastern provinces, Zhili, and Shandong in the late Qing Dynasty. Before the advent of antibiotics and combined chemical drugs, there was no cure.

We can only try to paralyze society and wait for it to become dormant naturally.

A shadow loomed in Li's heart.

The inevitable famine after floods and plagues, the sharp decline in population, and the possible peasant uprisings. I was worried that the army would be infected with the disease on a large scale. I was also afraid that I would die, not because I was afraid of death, but because I was afraid of the consequences of death. Once I died, countless people would be buried with me.

But I am powerless and helpless and can only feel furious.

bother!
Zheng Yanchang was talking in a rambling way, but his thoughts were clear: "It's hard to control the people. The most urgent thing is to send an imperial edict back to order the troops not to move. Those in the camp should lock the gates and not go out, and those at home should not enter the camp... Stop all personnel exchanges. Confine all soldiers and civilians who have shown signs of infection and those who have come into contact with them, or those who have come into contact with sick or dead people and animals... Ensure the safety of the army, the palace, the capital, and the area south of the Wei River, so that they are not affected."

The saint just stared at the bonfire until Yu Wenrou pulled his sleeve: "Great Saint..."

"Hmm?" The saint woke up as if from a dream, collected himself, and said, "I'm thinking about something."

Never mind. Now that it has been confirmed to be the plague, what we should consider now is to stop the losses in time.

Plague is transmitted through pathogens, aerosols, and parasites.

Eating or touching infected people or animals, or being bitten by insects can cause infection. The pathogens are present in the respiratory tract and excreta. Plague can be spread through respiratory secretions in the form of saliva, nasal discharge, sneezes, dishes, and bedding, which can contaminate the environment.

Therefore, as long as we know the principle of plague, the countermeasures are not complicated. In addition to martial law and isolation, it is to drink boiled water, disinfect the environment, burn corpses, wear masks, kill rats and insects, avoid skin exposure, keep a distance from pathogens, etc. These are also the first orders issued by Li after the plague broke out. In theory, as long as these are done well, according to the current season, the plague is expected to subside quickly.

However, there is one thing that needs to be adjusted, which is the extermination of rats and insects. The plague this time is caused by rats, and the number is too large, so we can only keep a distance from them and wait for them to leave, and be punished by the coming winter.

The reason why the situation in Meiyuan County is so serious is that they are fighting against rats in order to protect government assets.

After sorting out his thoughts, the saint quickly drafted a detailed epidemic prevention order and gave it to Zheng Yanchang: "Distribute it to all places and let as many people as possible understand the prevention and control methods."

Zheng Yanchang read ten lines at a glance, puzzled, and said, "Gunpowder is a military material, how can it be used to treat epidemics?"

"You don't understand." The saint waved his hand: "Just do as you are told."

Gunpowder is used to burn corpses. Using it to burn corpses can kill viruses and produce a large amount of pungent odor and smoke in the local environment in a short period of time, making rats and insects run away. The same is true for sulfur, realgar, coal, etc. Burn it, drink it with water, and sprinkle it on the ground.

The cypress branch came from an accidental encounter. An old lady put newborn chickens, ducklings, puppies and piglets in a basket and repeatedly sifted them over a thick fog fire made of cypress branches. When asked about the purpose, she replied: "To kill plague, drive away evil spirits and remove dampness."

According to the description, if the animals are fumigated twice in this way, they will basically not die or get plague.

We haven’t tried it out to see whether it’s useful or not, so we’ll just try it out first to see if it’s useful or not.

In addition, the focus is on personal hygiene and protection. Drink boiled water, take frequent showers, wear a headscarf, put on a homemade mask, tie your sleeves and collars tightly, and use sulfur, grass, trees, and plant ash to fumigate your clothes and homes. It is now winter, and insects and bacteria can hardly survive for two hours outside the host. With basic protection, as long as you stay away from people and animals, it is difficult to be infected.

But all of this is based on the premise that there are homes. Now that the disaster victims are displaced and banding together for warmth, only God knows how effective this will be.

As for medicine.

Every disease is different. This is not a cold. There are no antibiotics or chemicals. Once you are infected, taking any medicine is just psychological comfort. In the end, you are still relying on your immunity to fight off the disease and you are just gambling on your luck.

The purpose of the saint giving the original medicinal materials to Mei was not to cure the patients, but to give everyone confidence and give the people a little hope of survival.

Although it sounds cruel and cold-blooded to say this, it is true - there is nothing we can do.

This is the limitation of productivity. Some problems cannot be solved. We can only rely on our vision and power to minimize casualties. For example, wearing masks and burning corpses with gunpowder. When the plague was raging in the late Qing Dynasty, Wu Lien-teh ordered the wearing of masks, but many doctors refused to wear them, let alone now. There is basically no awareness of this.

After explaining the epidemic prevention order, the saint grabbed Yu Wenrou's shoulders with both hands and tied her collar with a stern face: "I have told you many times to cover yourself tightly. What should I do if something happens to you?"

Yu Wenrou lowered her head shyly, feeling warm and touched, "You care about me so much." She watched the saint holding her hand and carefully tying her cuffs again, and then buried her head on his shoulder, rubbing against him like a kitten.

After tying them up, the Saint pulled Yuwen Rou and said loudly, "Check them again and make sure they are secure according to the style of mine and hers."

After that, he stared at everyone's movements and said calmly, "There are a few more things." The saint walked back and forth in the crowd and raised a finger: "Send the message back, the four envoys Zheng Pingyi, Wu Lu, Jin Jian, and Mo Li, and the six armies of Marichi Tian and Miao Yan Jing Hua are deployed along the south bank of the Wei River to cut off traffic. People from the south are not allowed to go north, and people from the north are not allowed to cross to the south. If there are disaster victims going south, persuade them to return home across the river."

"All relief grain will be replaced with vinegar cakes, two per person per day."

"Even if we strictly prevent and control it, I estimate that there will be patients crossing the Wei River. So the third thing is to completely block the area south of the Wei River and stop all movement of people and animals for a month."

"All the 20,000-plus men from the left and right wings of the evil army were transferred to Zuo Fengyi to dig ditches along the west bank of the Luo River to divert the accumulated water into Luo. Send an order to Qinfeng County, Youfufeng, Lantian, Huyi, Ankang and other places to send another 30,000 men and women to dig ditches on the south bank of the Wei River to divert the accumulated water into the Wei River."

"Sun Jun?"

"I'm here." Sun Weisheng crossed his arms.

The saint rubbed his forehead and said, "Now you dispatch people to the counties in Jingzhao and Weibei to organize the able-bodied men and women among the disaster victims to control the flood along the north bank. Each person who participates in the flood control will receive five cakes a day. After the flood is controlled, continue to lead the people to clean up the silt and dirt and repair the houses. When the plague demon retreats, I will send people to help."

Seeing that Sun Weisheng was about to speak but hesitated, the saint pressed down with his right hand: "The situation is dangerous, people are afraid of the plague, and may not be willing to go. You should find your subordinates to do ideological work. Those who are willing to take charge of the work, whether officials or clerks, if they die, their affairs will be handled by the Central Court and they will be buried in the Western Court Xingguo Minister Shrine. I will send my parents, wife and children back to the mountains and raise them to adulthood. If there is no problem, I will reward you generously when you return."

"Your Majesty is so lenient to them, what else is there to say?" Sun Weisheng bowed his hands: "I obey your order."

"Wait!" The saint stopped him and said, "Have your people find out what kind of plague is in the counties of Weibei. How is it contracted? What are the symptoms? How many days after the disease, will it kill you? Will you be unable to move? Can it be cured? If it can be cured, how should it be cured? Put the information into a book. Got it?"

Sun Weisheng nodded.

"Repeat it." The saint was worried.

Sun Weisheng repeated what he had been told, and the sage waved his hand and said, "Go."

Seeing that Emperor Li looked calm and his arrangements were in good order, as if everything was under control, everyone's panic gradually eased.

After explaining all this, the saint took a deep breath, looked at everyone with slightly red eyes, and said in a low voice: "Send a message to the Meiyuan people across the street, and ask them to classify and isolate themselves according to my method. Provide them with a month's supply of food and medicine, and then send troops to block the traffic in this area. No one and no dog are allowed to leave."

The crowd was in an uproar.

The heart is not that black, his lips trembled.

Those who understand this helplessness will shake their heads and sigh.

Yu Wenrou looked at him in surprise and gently pulled his hand, "Why don't you think about it again?"

Emperor Li was calm about this: "Now only Meiyuan in Weibei has large-scale rat poisoning."

After saying that, he walked out of the crowd and looked at the opposite side where the supplies had just been distributed. There were noisy voices, bright bonfires, and curling smoke.

"Great Sage! Great Sage!"

Seeing him reappear, the victims rushed over. Men and women, young and old, looked at him from a few hundred steps away, shouting with joy. The saint stood with his hands behind his back, but his face was expressionless.

When they received the news of being "abandoned", half of the jubilant people changed their faces on the spot.

Men and women were whispering to each other, holding their heads and crying, and their noise was mixed with resentment and curses of the ruthlessness of the imperial court. After half an hour of turmoil, the noise gradually died down. The people's excitement, dead silence, and despair made their meaning very clear. They couldn't accept their own fate. They were confused and got the plague, and after being rescued, they were trapped in the wilderness to fend for themselves.

"Saint, please save me!"

"I'm not sick, I'm not sick!"

"Woooo..."

Emperor Li couldn't accept it either. Most of the money in the past few years was spent on the army and civil affairs. No matter how hard it was for the emperor and the officials, they all tightened their belts to farm. Just thinking about the losses caused by the heavy rain made people breathe hard. He could only change his mind to comfort himself. After the heavy rain in Guanzhong merged into the Yellow River, the swollen water level of the Yellow River would harm Zhu Dalang again.

After a long time, a man holding two children walked out of the crowd.

He was hunchbacked and had the dark, wrinkled face that was unique to farmers.

The saint stepped out of the crowd and took a few steps forward. Under the shadowy onlookers, the old farmer lifted the two children high up and looked at the princes and generals here with a begging look. He was so dull that he couldn't say anything nice: "My two children are not sick."

There was a gust of wind, and those with children rushed forward, making their way through the crowd to the front, struggling to lift up their children and swaddling clothes: "My son is not sick either!"

The children who were being held up were shouting, crying, and struggling.

Crack, crack, crack! The army was facing a formidable enemy, with bows drawn, swords unsheathed, and lances pointed forward.

Zheng Yanchang sighed, pulled Emperor Li and tried to turn around and leave.

The saint broke free from Zheng Yanchang's big hand and took two steps forward.

"Isolate them and let people who are confirmed to be healthy take care of them." The saint looked at them, at the children who were held up under the fire: "...I will come again in fourteen days. If they are not dead by then, I promise you that I will take them into my palace and raise them."

"Okay, Your Majesty, I trust you the most."

"Kowtow to the Great Sage. My daughter is in my care." In the quiet night breeze, a large group of men and women suddenly knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly in the mud and water.

“Be obedient…” A young woman fell to the ground, her hands and feet curled up, coughing violently, blood spurting out, and she slowly closed her eyes.

"Mom!" The little baby sitting in the mud screamed.

The saint turned and staggered away.

(End of this chapter)