Rise of a Lonely City: From Exiled Prince to Ruler of the Nine Provinces

Shortly after the school opened, Hanyuan City welcomed its first winter snow.

Snowflakes fluttered down, turning the city white overnight.

The children built snowmen and had snowball fights in the schoolyard, their laughter ringing out.

But beneath this pristine whiteness and jubilation, a crisis was quietly brewing—the weather turned bitterly cold, and the number of sick people inside and outside the city suddenly increased.

Long queues formed outside the newly opened clinic in the south of the city before dawn.

The sounds of coughing, groaning, and children crying mingled together.

Inside the clinic, Murong Xue and her only three doctors were so busy they barely had time to breathe, beads of sweat beading on their foreheads, as the medicinal herbs were being consumed at an alarming rate.

"Your Highness, this cannot continue."

Murong Xue found Xiao Chen, who was inspecting the city walls. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her voice trembled slightly. "The medicinal herbs in the storeroom, such as Fangfeng, Chaihu, and Mahuang, which are used to treat colds, can only last for five days at most. If the heavy snow blocks the roads and caravans can't get in, I'm afraid..."

Xiao Chen looked at the refugees huddled under the eaves of houses in the city, then at the long queue outside the clinic, his brows furrowed.

The population of Hanyuan is nearly 30,000, but there is only one medical clinic and fewer than five doctors, which is far from sufficient. If the disease spreads, it will be more terrifying than war.

"Let's go to the clinic." Xiao Chen turned his horse around.

Inside the clinic, the air was thick with the smell of medicine and the stench of illness.

The small main room was packed with patients, and even the corridor was filled with people lying down.

An old woman held her feverish grandson, sobbing helplessly; a man with blood-soaked bandages wrapped around his leg was pale with pain; many more people were just wrapped in thin clothes, huddled in a corner, shivering.

"Your Highness..." Several doctors were about to bow when they saw Xiao Chen enter, but Xiao Chen stopped them by raising his hand.

"Keep going with your work," he said in a deep voice, his gaze sweeping over the pained faces.

Murong Xue brought over the records from the past few days: "Your Highness, as you can see, there are over a hundred new patients every day, mostly suffering from colds, frostbite, and relapses of old injuries from previous labor. We simply don't have enough manpower, and for many patients we can only prescribe some medicine and send them home to tough it out."

Xiao Chen took the record and looked it over, having already made up his mind.

The next day, the city lord's mansion issued three notices, which were posted all over the streets and alleys of Hanyuan City.

The first measure: "Establish more clinics and recruit more skilled doctors."

Three more medical clinics will be set up in the east, west, and outer city new districts of the city.

Anyone who is skilled in medicine, regardless of their background or place of origin, can enter the clinic to practice medicine after passing the examination.

They will receive excellent benefits, be provided with land to settle down, and their children will have priority in school enrollment.

The second measure: "Use medicine as a tax to encourage the collection of medicinal herbs."

Starting today, people can go up the mountain to collect designated medicinal herbs and deliver them to the "herb collection points" in each neighborhood.

The tax is calculated based on the quality and quantity of medicinal materials, with the higher the yield, the greater the tax payable, with no upper limit.

At the same time, the government organized medicinal herb-gathering teams, led by experienced herb farmers, to collect herbs deep into the nearby mountains.

The third measure: "Establish 'Benefit-the-People Pharmacies'".

"Benefit-the-People Pharmacies" were set up next to each medical clinic, with prices set by the government, and common medicinal materials were sold.

The price is only half of the market price, ensuring that people can afford medical treatment and medicine.

For widowed, orphaned, and elderly people living alone, as well as military dependents, some basic medicinal materials can be received free of charge upon presentation of a certificate.

The announcement caused an uproar throughout the city.

"Tax deduction with medicine? Is there really such a good thing?" An old hunter looked at the notice and couldn't believe his eyes.

He recognized several herbs and used to just pick some for his own use, never expecting that he could exchange them for money to offset taxes.

"Looking for a doctor! My husband used to be an apprentice at a pharmacy back in our hometown, I'll have him give it a try!" a woman exclaimed happily.

"Huimin Pharmacy...half price...Father, your illness can be cured!" A young man supported his coughing father, his eyes reddening.

A long queue quickly formed in front of the city lord's mansion.

Some came to apply for positions as doctors, some to sign up for the herb-gathering team, and many more came to inquire about the specific details of "tax deduction with medicine".

Han Lie and his staff from the Civil Affairs Department were extremely busy, registering patients, explaining things, and distributing booklets with pictures of medicinal herbs.

"Everyone, don't rush, line up! Make sure you see the picture, don't pick the wrong one! Don't take the poisonous ones!"

Uncle Chen also raised his voice to maintain order, but he had a smile on his face. The prince's method was very effective in killing multiple birds with one stone.

The effect is immediate.

In just ten days, the three newly established medical clinics were initially completed and put into use.

After being examined by Murong Xue and several experienced doctors, eight doctors who came to apply for the position were hired.

Although not exceptionally skilled, he was more than capable of handling common ailments. This greatly reduced the staffing pressure on the clinic.

Even more exciting is the "tax deduction for medicine".

Three days after the notice was posted, the first batch of collected medicinal herbs was delivered to the western part of the city.

Saposhnikovia divaricata, Bupleurum chinense, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Scutellaria baicalensis... Although the quality varies, the quantity is considerable.

The experienced herbalist in charge of the inspection carefully sorted, weighed, and registered the herbs, and issued a "tax deduction certificate" stamped with the official seal on the spot.

The people who received the certificates were overjoyed, and as the news spread, even more people joined the ranks of those collecting herbs.

Even children as young as six can identify and pick some common herbs on the hillsides outside the city.

The establishment of the Huimin Pharmacy caused the price of medicinal herbs to drop immediately.

The previously inflated drug prices have quickly returned to a reasonable level, making them affordable for ordinary families.

Murong Xue also organized doctors to compile a simple "Prescriptions for Common Diseases in Hanyuan," which was printed and sold at a low price to teach people some methods for preventing and treating common diseases and simple treatments for external injuries.

This series of combined measures not only relieved the pressure on the clinic, but also quietly sparked a trend of "knowing and using medicine" in Hanyuan.

The wisdom of the people was mobilized, and some traditional remedies and prescriptions were collected and organized, enriching Hanyuan's medical reserves.

That day, Xiao Chen came to the South City Medical Clinic again.

The situation has improved significantly. Although there are still many patients, the order is good, with separate areas for dispensing medicine, waiting for appointments, and treatment. The air is also much fresher.

Several newly arrived doctors were identifying medicinal herbs under Murong Xue's guidance, their attitudes very serious.

"Your Highness."

Murong Xue saw him and came to greet him, a rare look of relaxation on her face. "The new doctors are very diligent, and the supply of medicinal materials at Huimin Pharmacy has also caught up. At this rate, we should be able to get through this winter smoothly."

Xiao Chen nodded, walked to the medicine cabinet, and looked at the neatly categorized and increasingly full shelves of medicinal herbs, feeling somewhat relieved.

He picked up a newly delivered piece of Saposhnikovia divaricata and examined its quality: "How's the herb gathering going?"

"Exceeded expectations."

Murong Xue's eyes shone with excitement. "The people are very enthusiastic. They've almost completely collected all the common herbs found on the nearby mountains. The herb-gathering team reported yesterday that they discovered large areas of Polygonatum and Polygonum multiflorum in Laoyaling, about 30 miles to the northwest. These are all good stuff. We've already arranged for people to collect them."

"it is good."

Xiao Chen put down the medicinal herbs. "However, we must be careful not to over-harvest. We must preserve the seeds and harvest in rotation from different areas. The herbs in the mountains are our long-term reliance in Hanyuan."

"Your Highness, rest assured, the instructions have already been given."

Murong Xue responded, but then a hint of worry appeared on her face. "However... Your Highness, in my recent treatments, I've noticed that some patients have unusual coughs, persistent high fevers, and are highly contagious. I'm worried... could this be a precursor to an epidemic?"

Xiao Chen felt a chill run down his spine.

Disease has always been a sword of Damocles hanging over densely populated towns and cities.

"Observe closely, and isolate immediately if any abnormalities occur, treating it according to the previous methods for smallpox prevention. If you need anything, just ask Old Man Han for assistance."

"Yes."

Leaving the clinic, the snow had stopped, and sunlight shone through the clouds, illuminating the clean streets and the hopeful faces of the people.

The city of Hanyuan stands tall amidst the wind and snow, relying not only on its high walls and sharp blades, but also on the resilience of its people that has gradually seeped into its very fabric.

However, Xiao Chen knew that while the external wind and snow might have temporarily subsided, the wind and snow in people's hearts might be brewing.

The secret report that Night Owl delivered this morning was still in his pocket—Prince Yong was intensifying his purge of dissidents in the capital, and his actions were becoming increasingly drastic; Yu Qian was struggling to hold on in Huai'an, and signs of defeat were already emerging; and the envoy of Murong Han from Northern Yan was already on his way to Hanyuan.

A clinic can cure physical ailments, but what medicine can cure all the diseases in the world?

Xiao Chen gripped the hilt of the sword at his waist and turned his gaze southward.

Dark clouds are gathering there.