Dad, don't be greedy! My brother climbed into the emperor's bed, and I became famous overn

Xue Ren slowed his pace.

He stood in the backyard, surveying the scene before him.

It was much more organized than he had expected.

Several rows of newly built wooden-framed beds were lined up against the north wall, covered with new straw and coarse cloth mattresses, and neatly folded in every corner.

Two warehouses were partitioned off on the west side, with brass locks on the doors, the lock surfaces polished to a shine.

In the center of the courtyard, Gu Mingyue was squatting on the ground.

A large sheet of paper was spread out in front of him, covered with densely drawn grids and arrows.

Two men squatted down beside him, their brows furrowed as they listened intently to their employer's words.

"Teams 7 through 10 are responsible for the eastern section, from here to here."

Gu Mingyue drew a line on the paper with her finger.

"Two people will be assigned to each section for daily patrols. If the hygiene standards are not met, the issues will be rectified on the same day. If they cannot be rectified, they will be reported."

"Boss, what if we don't have enough manpower?"

"If we don't have enough, we'll borrow from the eleventh team. Prioritize the eastern section, as it's closer to the wells there."

"Keep a close eye on the well."

She tapped her index finger twice on the paper.

"We check the water quality twice a day, morning and evening. If the water is found to be turbid or has an unusual odor, we immediately seal the well and draw water from the backup well. This rule is written into the duty roster."

"This is not negotiable, it's a hard and fast rule. Anyone who breaks it will be expelled immediately."

The two men exchanged a glance, their faces serious.

Xue Ren stood at the back gate without saying a word.

He sized up the young lady of the Gu family who was squatting on the ground.

The girl is not very old, about fifteen or sixteen years old.

She wore a cloth skirt and cloth shoes, with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, and her hair was casually tied into a bun without even a decent hairpin.

His fingers were covered in charcoal ash, and there was a black mark on his cheek.

Xue Ren spent thirty years in the Imperial Hospital and met many female relatives of powerful and wealthy families.

Royal family, Ministry of Rites, Marquis's family.

They were all dressed in elegant clothes, surrounded by attendants, and even when they went for a consultation, they had to stick a hand out through the curtain.

This was the first time he had ever seen someone squatting on the ground like this, leading a group of rough men in drawing and arranging shifts.

If he hadn't seen the cold-faced guard holding a long sword standing under the tree, he would have thought he had entered the wrong door.

Lu Qinghe respectfully cupped his hands, "Master, Lord Xue has arrived."

Gu Mingyue looked up.

She did not stand up hastily, nor did she rush to tidy her posture.

He simply put away his charcoal pencil, dusted off his knees, and stood up.

"Lord Xue."

She wiped her hands on her skirt and nodded at Xue Ren.

"Thank you for making this trip."

Her tone was ordinary, lacking the shyness and restraint of a young lady from a respectable family, and without any feigned sophistication.

Like a master meeting a newly hired chef, neither humble nor arrogant.

His gaze was very steady.

Having spent most of his life navigating the court, Xue Ren could tell at a glance whether someone was confident or not.

There was nothing false in the girl's eyes.

Xue Ren returned the greeting with a cupped hand, "Miss Gu is too kind. His Majesty has decreed, and I will naturally comply."

Gu Mingyue raised an eyebrow and glanced at Xue Ren.

He simply nodded, turned and walked toward the warehouse, talking as he went.

"As you can see, sir, I've opened a free clinic here. I plan to provide affordable medical care to the people in the future. I would appreciate it if you could take a look and tell me if there's anything I could improve on the setup."

She did not explain further.

He pushed open the warehouse door.

The dry smell of lime hit me.

The warehouse had no windows, but light shone in from the doorway, illuminating the fully stocked shelves.

Xue Ren followed and stepped across the threshold.

Then he stopped walking.

The bags of medicinal herbs were stacked neatly, as orderly as the files in a government office.

The labels are clear and the categories are well-organized.

Scutellaria baicalensis, Isatis indigotica, Atractylodes lancea, Angelica dahurica, Pogostemon cablin, Lonicera japonica, Forsythia suspensa, Bupleurum chinense.

His gaze slowly swept across the herb shelf.

Shelves covering all four walls, stacked from the floor to the ceiling.

Every floor is full.

Xue Ren walked over and reached out to press the sack.

The bag was bulging and tightly tied, and it felt quite heavy.

He subconsciously glanced back at the door again.

The brass lock on the other warehouse was still hanging; that warehouse was also full.

"Is this this year's new stock?"

"It was harvested last month."

Xue Ren put down the Scutellaria baicalensis and wiped his hands on his robe.

I couldn't help but become alert.

These medicinal herbs...

These are all basic prescriptions for treating epidemics.

He turned around and looked the little girl over again.

"Miss Gu, I have a question for you."

"Please speak."

"Is the young lady taking precautions against the epidemic?"

The backyard was quiet for a moment.

The wind blew in from the top of the wall, carrying the smell of lime and soil from the alley.

A rooster crowed in the distance.

Xue Ren stared at Gu Mingyue's expression for a couple of breaths.

There was no guilt or evasion on the girl's face.

There wasn't even the slightest surprise.

It was as if he knew all along that he would ask this question.

After a moment, Gu Mingyue smiled.

"Sir, I run a charitable institution, so naturally I need to keep some medicinal herbs that can clear heat and detoxify."

"In places like the south of the city, thousands of people are crammed together, eating, drinking, and relieving themselves all in one alley."

"After the start of summer, mosquitoes and flies breed, and water sources become unclean. If we don't prepare medicine in advance, we'll be caught off guard when the time comes. That's not treating the disease, it's collecting corpses."

Since that's what they said, Xue Ren wisely refrained from asking any further questions.

His gaze fell on a shelf next to him, where the stockpiled supplies piqued his curiosity even more.

"What is that used for?"

Gu Mingyue looked in the direction that Physician Xue was pointing.

Smiling, he stepped forward, took a piece, and handed it to Physician Xue.

"This is called a face mask. It's to prevent the spread of droplets."

Xue Ren took the mask and examined it carefully.

"What does 'droplet...contagion...' mean?"

The scholar's encounter with professional knowledge was like her father's encounter with a gold ingot.

A love and yearning from the bottom of one's heart.

Gu Mingyue explained earnestly, without the slightest arrogance.

"There are four main routes of transmission for the disease: contact, water, fecal-oral route, and the last one is droplets."

"So-called droplets are tiny water droplets that are expelled from the mouth and nose when a person talks, coughs, or sneezes. They are invisible, but they carry evil energy."

Xue Ren's eyes widened slightly.

What the little girl said was indeed beyond his knowledge.

"Such an unbelievable way to deal with illness?"

He looked down and examined the mask in his hand. "This mask is for preventing droplet transmission?"

Gu Mingyue nodded, "Yes, this mask is made with exquisite craftsmanship, specifically designed to prevent droplet transmission. When worn over the mouth and nose, it can effectively prevent the spread of cough-related diseases."

Xue Ren listened with admiration while trying to put on his mask.

"The younger generation is truly formidable! They are indeed formidable!"

When he looked up at Gu Mingyue again, his eyes were full of affection and admiration.

"You came up with all of this yourself?"

Gu Mingyue nodded with a smile.

"I'm just talking theory, so I'm asking Lord Xue for some guidance."

"Oh, okay, okay!"

Xue Ren's attitude changed completely.

He straightened his clothes slightly, his attitude becoming humble and serious.

"Miss, what would you like me to do for you?"