My brothers are all warriors capable of taking on ten thousand men; I'll roam freely in the Thr

In the third year of Zhongping, in winter.

In Zhuojun, the winter wind seemed a bit more biting than in previous years, but the city and its surroundings were ablaze with an unprecedented heat.

The subscription funds of "Youzhou Transportation Group" were transferred to the Zhuojun Treasury in full within the time limit.

The injection of nearly ten thousand gold coins was like injecting surging power into a huge machine.

Without delay, Ji Xuanyuan immediately set about a large-scale expansion of the cement and red brick workshops in the west of the city.

Truckloads of cement clinker, fired using the new method and with more stable quality, and regular, hard red bricks were continuously produced and quickly loaded onto the wooden ox and flowing horse caravan, which had been improved by the Institute of Geography and had greatly increased load-bearing capacity and stability.

Transportation will be prioritized within Zhuojun County.

The prefectural government mobilized specialized engineering officials and recruited laborers to work outwards from Zhuoxian County, radiating outwards to its subordinate counties such as Fangcheng, Gu'an, Beixincheng, and Liangxiang, based on the surveyed blueprints.

The people initially just watched out of curiosity, observing the gray powder mixed with mortar being laid on the leveled roadbed and then smoothed out with special tools.

Within a few days, sections of hard, smooth, gray-black roads appeared before our eyes.

Some daring children ran up barefoot and were immediately startled by the cold, hard texture, screaming in surprise.

Ox carts and donkey carts tentatively drove onto the road, and the experienced drivers immediately sensed the difference.

So stable! Absolutely so!

The potholes and gravel that used to require careful avoidance are now completely gone, making it much easier for livestock to pull carts.

"Good heavens, this road... it's even smoother than my rammed earthen bed!"

"General Ji is truly a genius! First he gave us a good plow, and now he's given us such a good road!"

"I heard this is called a cement road, it won't break down even when it rains or snows!"

The praise spread as the road extended.

The roads not only connected the city and towns, but also linked many remote villages and towns with the main roads.

Farmers transporting grains, fruits, and vegetables into the city, merchants trading goods, and even visiting relatives and friends have all experienced unprecedented convenience.

Gray "vessels" spread across the land of Zhuojun, silently but profoundly changing the efficiency of people and goods flow in this area.

However, just as construction was in full swing and people's livelihoods seemed to be improving, news from Jizhou, Yanzhou, and even Jingzhou cast a shadow over Ji Xuanyuan's heart.

"Epidemic".

This word, which was terrifying in ancient times when medical conditions were extremely poor, appeared like a ghost in various places along with the migration of refugees and frequent wars.

The weather was unfavorable, and coupled with the improper handling of corpses after the war, water pollution, and poor sanitation in the areas where people lived, people in a village or township would often fall ill one after another, and the dead would lie piled up on the roadside.

Thanks to Ji Xuanyuan's governance, Zhuojun was relatively stable and absorbed many refugees, but this also brought the potential risk of disease transmission.

Ji Xuanyuan knew that in the era before the advent of antibiotics and a sound public health system, the destructive power of large-scale plagues far surpassed that of weapons.

He absolutely could not allow the Zhuojun he had painstakingly built to be destroyed by the plague.

"Prevention is better than cure!"

Inside the council hall of the prefect's mansion, Ji Xuanyuan, with a stern expression, addressed Tian Feng, Ju Shou, Guo Jia, and several newly appointed officials in charge of civil affairs: "The outbreak of plague is often related to foul air and miasma. The accumulation of human and animal excrement and filth, and the vomiting and urination everywhere, are the breeding grounds for the spread of foul air."

"In the past, the government either posted notices to warn and advised, or let it go unchecked, with little effect. This time, I will establish strict rules and supplement them with concrete actions."

He then issued several decrees that were considered quite "strange" or even "harsh" by his contemporaries:

Firstly, it is explicitly prohibited to urinate, spit, or litter in the city's streets, alleys, and public areas. Violators will be punished by cleaning the streets for the first offense and by a small fine or forced labor for the second offense.

Secondly, the prefectural government funded and planned the construction of "public toilets" in Zhuoxian County and the county seat, as well as in densely populated townships and villages. Special personnel were assigned to clean them regularly and disinfect them with lime, requiring the people to use the toilets as much as possible.

Thirdly, the entire prefecture was informed, explaining the principle that "accumulated filth easily breeds epidemics," and each village head and pavilion chief was instructed to urge the people under their jurisdiction to keep their front and back yards clean, clean them regularly, and dispose of garbage in a centralized manner.

The government order was immediately met with uproar among the people.

Many people feel that the government is meddling too much, even interfering with their bodily functions like defecating and urinating.

Some elders also shook their heads privately, feeling that Prefect Ji was good in every way, but sometimes his ideas were too "strange" and unreasonable.

But the county government followed suit with its own publicity campaign.

Officials, armed with simple diagrams, repeatedly explained in markets and village pavilions how filthy places breed pathogenic factors invisible to the naked eye, and how these "features" spread through mosquitoes, flies, rats, and even wind and water, causing families and villages to fall ill one after another.

He then described in detail the terrible state of the plague in other prefectures and counties, which terrified the people.

"It seems...that makes sense. The year before last, my family had a plague outbreak. It started after the dead livestock at the village entrance weren't buried and started stinking for several days..."

"General Ji wouldn't harm us. Building roads, distributing plows, reducing taxes—aren't all of these things for our own good? This rule sounds awkward, but if it really can prevent the plague, it's a matter of life and death!"

"Anyway, the public toilet is quite clean, even neater than my own outhouse, so I might as well go."

Driven by Ji Xuanyuan's extremely high personal prestige and genuine "fear of the plague," the implementation of the new regulations, though encountering minor setbacks, was gradually accepted in general.

The streets of Zhuojun's towns and cities have become visibly cleaner.

The newly built public toilets were initially ignored, but gradually became popular and even became a new place for neighbors to meet and chat.

After all, it's much more comfortable than your own drafty outhouse.

Meanwhile, in Zhuoxian County, an unprecedentedly massive building complex is under construction.

The site is located in a relatively open and easily accessible area in the eastern part of the city, covering an area of ​​nearly 100 acres.

The main building is constructed of red bricks and reinforced with cement grouting. It is four stories high. Although the flying eaves and brackets retain the style of the Han Dynasty, the overall layout is square and the zoning is clear. The windows are spacious, and the building pursues lighting and ventilation, which is quite different from traditional palaces and pavilions.

This is the "Zhuojun First People's Hospital" planned by Ji Xuanyuan.

During the construction of the hospital, Ji Xuanyuan often discussed the details with Zhang Zhongjing and Hua Tuo.

"Prefect, what is the meaning behind the name of this hospital?" Hua Tuo asked, puzzled, looking at the clearly divided departments, wards, and other areas on the blueprint.

Ji Xuanyuan patiently explained: "A hospital is a place or institution that brings together doctors, medicines, and equipment to be used for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and the care of the wounded."

"Unlike ordinary clinics or itinerant doctors, this place will have several doctors with their own expertise, treating patients according to their specialties. There are beds available for those with serious illnesses or those who have come from afar to stay and receive treatment, which is called hospitalization. There is a centrally allocated medicine warehouse and a decoction room, as well as clean rooms specifically for treating wounds, carbuncles, and even performing surgeries like the one Mr. Yuanhua performed for me. In short, this place is not set up solely for a famous doctor, but is a major medical center that integrates diagnosis, treatment, teaching, and research."

Zhang Zhongjing stroked his beard and pondered, his eyes gradually brightening: "Gathering the best talents, dividing departments and collaborating, patients can find their place, and doctors can specialize in their professions... This idea is truly groundbreaking! If it can be realized, it will be of immeasurable merit in improving medical skills and saving patients."

Hua Tuo was even more excited: "Excellent! What a wonderful hospital! With such a fixed, spacious, and clean place, I now have a place for many patients with external injuries and ulcers who need quiet observation and rest! The surgical instruments can also be properly stored and uniformly sterilized!"

Upon completion, the building was magnificent and immediately became a new landmark in Zhuojun.

Ji Xuanyuan personally inscribed the plaque and temporarily appointed Zhang Zhongjing and Hua Tuo as vice presidents. Zhang Zhongjing was in charge of internal medicine, typhoid fever and other miscellaneous diseases, while Hua Tuo was in charge of surgery, trauma, acupuncture and massage.

At the same time, students with excellent performance and practical experience were selected from the Department of Medicine of the Gewu Academy to serve as "langzhong" or "daifu" in various departments.

What's even more eye-catching is that the hospital also openly recruits thoughtful and virtuous women to serve as "nurses" after rigorous training.

They are responsible for caring for hospitalized patients, assisting with dressing changes, managing ward cleaning, etc., and are paid monthly.

This initiative not only opened up a new livelihood for many poor women, but also initially established a professional nursing team.

Before the hospital opened, Ji Xuanyuan specially summoned all medical staff for a speech: "Today, the hospital stands here, and its primary task is to treat the sick and save lives. Fees must be reasonable, so that ordinary people can afford medical treatment and medicine. If there are those who are extremely poor and unable to afford treatment, they can be recorded and treated first. The cost of medicine can be paid on credit or reduced at the hospital's discretion. Remember, the hospital is not a tool for making money, but a place where the health of the people of Zhuojun is at stake, and where benevolence and medical skills are practiced! Every word and action of you here is related to the life and death of patients and the reputation of the hospital. You must strive for excellence and have a compassionate heart."

"We will heed the Prefect's instructions!" Zhang Zhongjing and Hua Tuo led the crowd in a solemn reply.

The opening day of Zhuojun First People's Hospital was a grand occasion.

Not only do patients with difficult and serious illnesses come from those who admire the names of Zhang Zhongjing and Hua Tuo, but many more are ordinary people who come to try the treatment after hearing about it.

They found that the medical process here was clear, different doctors treated different symptoms, it was convenient to get medicine, the pharmacy had clearly marked prices, and it was even cheaper than outside pharmacies. If acupuncture, massage or wound treatment was needed, there were also dedicated places and personnel.

What reassured them even more was that the "nurses," dressed in uniform, simple clothes, were gentle and attentive.

"My old leg pain has improved after a few acupuncture treatments and herbal medicine prescriptions from Mr. Zhang, and now I can actually sleep soundly at night!"

"The child bumped his head and was bleeding profusely. The young doctor at Mr. Hua's place cleaned and applied medicine; his technique was quick and gentle, and he didn't even charge much for his consultation!"

"My mother was so sick she couldn't walk, yet she was able to stay in that ward, with a bed and blankets, and a young woman bringing her water and medicine regularly. It was truly... truly a blessed place!"

Word of mouth spread quickly.

A long queue gradually formed in front of the hospital. Inside and outside the various clinics, people moved about, creating a noisy yet orderly scene.

A queue formed at the medication dispensing window, and many patients were admitted to the inpatient wards. Nurses moved nimbly among them, changing dressings and comforting patients...

The scenes gave Ji Xuanyuan the illusion that he had returned to the outpatient hall of a hospital in his previous life, except that the people's clothes and language were completely different.

The news quickly spread beyond Zhuoxian County.

"Have you heard? A hospital opened in Zhuoxian County!"

"A hospital? What's that?"

"Oh my, it's a really big clinic! There are several renowned doctors there, specializing in internal medicine and surgery. The treatment is cheap, and they can even keep patients hospitalized! Many illnesses that can't be cured elsewhere can be treated there!"

"Is this for real? Come on, let me take my wife to see him, she's been coughing for six months..."

"Let's go! Someone from my neighboring village went, and they came back saying it was incredibly miraculous!"