Famine and Chaos: Weaving Cloth in Exile to Escape the War

Jing Zhichun pushed open Yang Dawang's door, then closed it behind her.

The room was dimly lit, with an oil lamp on the kang (a heated brick bed) casting flickering light on Yang Dawang's haggard face.

Seeing Jing Zhichun enter, Yang Dawang struggled to sit up and said with some self-reproach, "Madam Shen, thank you for your trouble. Alas, it's all my fault for dragging everyone into this."

Jing Zhichun placed the basket by the door and waved her hand, "Uncle Yang, don't say that. No one can escape this plague; it's just a matter of time. I bet you've got rats in your house too, haven't you?"

Yang Dawang nodded heavily: "Yes, before you came, rats were already running around the yard, and we couldn't get rid of them all. It's not just my house; many other houses in the village are also plagued by rats. Sigh, I reckon a lot of people's grain has been damaged."

"So you don't need to blame yourself. Rats swarm into people's homes, who can stop them? It's only a matter of time before we get the plague, no one can escape it. We were just unlucky and got the plague earlier than expected."

"Alas," Yang Dawang sighed, then asked anxiously, "Madam Shen, can this plague really be cured?"

"Yes," Kyoto Haru nodded. "We have medicine now, don't be afraid. I'll take a look at it for you right away."

As she spoke, she asked Yang Dawang to extend his hand so she could carefully take his pulse, and then examine his tongue and eyes.

Then, she lifted Yang Dawang's shirt from behind. Under the oil lamp, Yang Dawang's back was covered with blisters and nodules of all sizes, a shocking sight.

In addition, there was obvious swelling on the neck.

Jing Zhichun quickly went to the door, took out a temperature gun from her basket, and, taking advantage of Yang Dawang's inattention, turned around and quickly used the thermometer to check his ear.

The temperature gun shows 39.2 degrees Celsius.

It's burning very badly.

Yang Dawang's current symptoms include high fever, swollen lymph nodes, and a typical skin rash...

This is the basic diagnostic method for bubonic plague.

Therefore, it can be concluded that Yang Dawang has been infected with plague and is currently in the acute phase.

This stage is extremely dangerous; it could be fatal. Medication must be administered as soon as possible.

"Uncle Yang, you lie down and rest. I'll go get the medicine now."

"Okay, fine." Yang Dawang lay down as instructed, staring blankly at the roof beam.

Jing Zhichun walked to the door, put the temperature gun into the basket, and first redeemed a bottle of disinfectant spray from the system. She then carefully sprayed her hands and the surrounding area with disinfectant.

Then, she began preparing the medicine.

Yang Dawang's condition is dangerous and is in its acute phase, so the medication must be strong and precise.

Therefore, Jing Zhichun appropriately increased his dosage.

Especially the principal and assistant herbs that clear heat and detoxify, cool the blood and reduce swelling.

At the same time, it is also necessary to prevent Yang Dawang from suffering circulatory failure due to dehydration caused by high fever.

At this time, it is necessary to replenish with salt and sugar water.

However, the patient must eat a full meal before taking the medicine.

Traditional Chinese medicine should not be taken on an empty stomach, and people need more energy to fight off pathogens when they are sick.

After preparing the medicine, Jing Zhichun opened the door a crack and instructed the anxiously waiting Yang family members outside: "Brother Erniu, Sister-in-law, go and cook first, so that Uncle Yang can eat his fill before taking his medicine. He can't take medicine on an empty stomach. Also, boil a large pot of water, let it cool slightly, add a pinch of salt and a little sugar, stir well, and bring it over. Remember, just a tiny bit, just enough to taste slightly salty and sweet, don't add too much."

Yang Erniu nodded hurriedly, and Yang Ersao immediately replied, "Okay! We'll go prepare right away."

After preparing the prescription for the oral medicine, Jing Zhichun handed the medicine wrapped in oil paper to Gao Xiuqin outside the door after sterilizing it, and told her to also decoct the medicine, and explained the precautions for decoction.

Most of the villagers had experience in decocting medicine, and Gao Xiuqin listened carefully and took notes.

While cooking, boiling water, and decocting medicine, Jing Zhichun sprinkled some lime powder on Yang Dawang's room for disinfection.

In no time at all, the porridge and salt and sugar water were ready.

Jing Zhichun told Yang Dawang to slowly drink the salt and sugar water first, and then drink the porridge.

Half an hour after we finished eating, the medicine was ready.

After Yang Dawang finished drinking the medicine, he was delirious with fever and quickly fell asleep.

The other members of the Yang family standing in front of Yang Dawang's door were very anxious. Seeing that Jing Zhichun had not come out for a long time, they did not know what the current situation of Yang Dawang was.

Yang Erniu couldn't help but ask through the door, "Madam Shen, how is my father? Is he seriously ill?"

Upon hearing Yang Erniu's words, Jing Zhichun decided to tell the truth.

Yang Dawang's condition was indeed dangerous at the moment, but fortunately it was discovered in time. If it had been delayed for another day or two, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Moreover, when she took his pulse, she found that although Yang Dawang was over fifty years old, he was very healthy and strong, even more so than some young and middle-aged people.

Now, as long as the medication is timely, appropriate, and potent enough, given his constitution, he will definitely be able to pull through.

So, Jing Zhichun spoke through the door, "Brother Erniu, Uncle Yang's illness is indeed quite serious. He has a high fever and his condition is somewhat dangerous. However, fortunately, we discovered it in time, and Uncle Yang is more robust than the average person. As long as he gets the medicine, he will definitely pull through! You don't need to panic."

As Jing Zhichun finished speaking, the Yang family members in the courtyard, who had been feeling uneasy, breathed a slight sigh of relief.

They really didn't dare to think about how their whole family would survive if Yang Dawang were gone.

Especially since Yang Xiaoniu had just been conscripted and sent to the border where his fate was uncertain, if the pillar of the family were to fall, with neither of their pillars of support around, life would be unbearable.

Old Mrs. Yang's tears streamed down her face. She took two shaky steps forward, then knelt down with a thud and began kowtowing towards the door: "Mrs. Shen! This old woman, this old woman thanks you! Thank you so much for coming to save my old man. If it weren't for you, my old man probably really... really wouldn't have made it! If anything had happened to him, I... I wouldn't have been able to live either."

Gao Xiuqin's eyes were also red-rimmed. She knelt down and choked out, "Madam Shen, you are a great benefactor to our Yang family! Thank you, thank you so much!"

The other members of the Yang family in the courtyard knelt down one after another and wiped away their tears.

The sight of everyone kneeling in unison outside the door startled Kyoto Haru inside.

She quickly waved her hand through the door, "Get up! Get up quickly! I appreciate your kindness, but now is not the time to talk about this. There are many important things to do right now."

Yesterday, rats entered your yard and house. You should check immediately and disinfect every corner of your house with quicklime powder!

Check for dead rats. If you find any, remove them with a shovel or stick, then collect them and burn them all! Remember, never touch the dead rats with your bare hands!

Also, when working, be sure to cover your mouth and nose with a thick cloth, and wash your hands thoroughly with soap immediately after finishing work—don't be careless for a moment! Oh, and I've also prepared some heat-clearing and detoxifying herbs here; you should take them and brew them, and everyone in the family should drink two bowls a day. This can prevent illness; in case, in case anyone starts feeling unwell, drinking it beforehand can lessen the symptoms and buy more time for treatment!

As soon as he finished speaking, Jing Zhichun immediately bent down and took out the several large bags of medicinal herbs that had been carefully tied with thick oil paper beforehand from his basket, and stuffed them out under the door without hesitation.

Upon hearing Jing Zhichun's words, the Yang family members dared not delay and immediately began to busy themselves with their own tasks.

Jing Zhichun listened to the Yang family members go off to do their work from inside the house, and only then did she breathe a sigh of relief. Then she took Yang Dawang's temperature again.

It's gone down a little; it's 39 degrees Celsius now.

Someone must stay by Yang Dawang's side at this time to keep a close eye on him and make the next decision.

However, now that the medication has been taken, physical cooling methods should also be used.

Jing Zhichun had Yang Erniu prepare a rag, put some snow inside it, and then place it on Yang Dawang's forehead.

Once the snow melts into water, we can use fresh snow again.

About an hour later, Jing Zhichun used a thermometer to measure Yang Dawang's temperature again.

The temperature is currently 38.5 degrees Celsius.

Although the fever is still high, it has thankfully subsided somewhat.

This is a good sign.

Kyoto Haru opened the door and went outside, only to find that it was already broad daylight, but the snow had not stopped.

Yang Erniu was sweeping snow in the yard when he saw Jing Zhichun and immediately became anxious: "Madam Shen, my father, my father, is he alright?"

"Your father is doing well; his high fever has subsided."

"That's good, that's good. Does Madam Shen have any other instructions?"

Looking at the snow in the yard, where she could still see traces of mice in some places, Jing Zhichun thought of the problem of the Yang family's drinking water.

"Brother Erniu, where do you usually get your water from?"

"It's that old well at the east end of the village entrance; everyone in the village drinks water from there," Yang Erniu replied.

"Is the well covered?"

"No, it's just left open like that."

Upon hearing this, Jing Zhichun frowned. "If the well isn't covered, with so many rats crossing the street yesterday, who knows if any rats have fallen into the well? Once the water source is contaminated, that would be a second chain of transmission."

This is not a good thing.

Thinking of this, Jing Zhichun looked at Yang Erniu and said, "From now on, you can no longer drink water directly from the well. Last night, rats crossed the area in such large numbers that no one can guarantee that no rats fell in or contaminated the well. The well water may already be unclean. If people drink water that has been contaminated with rats, they can contract the plague. Moreover, even if someone has the plague, drinking this water will only worsen their condition."

"Huh?" Yang Erniu was dumbfounded. "Madam Shen doesn't drink well water, then... then what will we drink?"

"Look at this snow, it's not going to stop anytime soon." Kyoto Haru pointed to the swirling snowflakes. "Bring out all the buckets, basins, and jars in the house that can hold things to collect the clean snow. Boil the melted snow water and drink it. It's troublesome, but it's safe."