Chapter 97.
The large cauldron prepared by the county magistrate arrived, and after the ephedra decoction ingredients were ready, Head Ji began instructing the yamen runners on how to brew the ephedra soup.
For severe cases, the medicine was potent, while for milder cases, the dosage was halved.
As more people were forcibly brought to the epidemic quarantine center, Yu Ying, wearing an apron provided by Head Ji's eldest disciple and her homemade mask, checked the pulse of each patient infected with the epidemic, assessing their conditions.
She barely had time to even drink water.
There were children around Fu Ning's age, and even younger ones.
Some were accompanied by family members, being coaxed, but others, without an adult to comfort them, cried breathlessly, almost to the point of suffocation.
Seeing such a situation, how could Yu Ying not be distressed?
She patiently and gently comforted them, stroking their heads, telling them to obediently take their medicine, reassuring that after getting better, they would see their parents again.
Without their families and surrounded by strangers and an unfamiliar environment, the sick children felt utterly helpless, crying out their fear and terror.
With the reassurance of a reliable adult, the children’s emotions gradually stabilized, cooperating with her.
After a busy half-day until nightfall, Yu Ying informed Head Ji that she had a niece to take care of and needed to return to her room for half an hour.
Head Ji, being older, showed signs of fatigue in his eyes and face after a day's work.
“We are not made of iron. Let’s take turns to rest. I and my eldest disciple will watch over during the first half of the night, and you can take over with your elder brother for the latter half.”
After expressing her gratitude, Yu Ying returned to her room.
Yu Ying heated half a basin of water. Outside the room, she removed her apron and thick coat, took off her mask, and washed her hands with soap nuts before entering the room.
Fu Ning, with teary eyes from the fever, lay on the bed and weakly called out “Auntie” as Yu Ying entered.
Yu Ying walked over with a heart full of tenderness, set down the basin, and touched Fu Ning's forehead.
It was not as hot as before.
She gently asked, “Do you feel a bit better than this morning?”
Fu Ning nodded, replying softly, “Yes, much better.”
Fu Ning had only started speaking again a little over two months ago. Her sentences were still somewhat broken, but they would gradually improve.
Yu Ying slid her hand under the blanket, feeling Fu Ning's back, which was indeed sweaty.
Fu Ning had broken into a sweat, which meant after one more dose of medicine and plenty of hot water, her fever should break by the second half of the night.
Yu Ying wrung out a towel and wiped Fu Ning's body, then changed her into a set of dry, comfortable clothes.
Looking at the cooperative Fu Ning, and thinking of those crying children, she asked, “Are you scared?”
Fu Ning shook her head, “No, I’m not scared. I have Auntie.”
After a pause, she added thoughtfully, “Auntie, I’m not scared alone. You can go and treat others.”
A smile of relief appeared on Yu Ying’s face as she touched Fu Ning's head again, “When Auntie is not here, if you feel scared and want to find me, don’t wander around, just call out a few times from inside the room. If a yamen runner outside hears you, he will tell me, and I will come to see you.”
After cleaning up, a yamen runner brought her food – white rice with one meat and one vegetable dish.
Perhaps knowing there was a sick little girl, they also brought a bowl of minced meat porridge.
Taking the food, Yu Ying asked the yamen runner, “What are the others eating?”
The yamen runner replied, “Our yamen isn’t wealthy, so we can only provide a bowl of rice porridge. For the elderly and children, we add some bones to boil the porridge, giving them a bit of meat flavor.”
Continuing, the yamen runner added, “Lady Yu and the doctors absolutely cannot fall ill, so they mustn’t eat poorly. As for us yamen runners, we also get a bowl of hot rice with some minced meat.”
Elderly and children getting porridge boiled with bones, that's quite nutritious.
Yu Ying thanked the yamen runner and then turned back to the room.
Yu Ying initially planned to feed Fu Ning, but the girl, having regained some strength, didn’t want to tire her aunt and sat up to eat by herself.
After dinner, knowing she had to keep watch in the second half of the night, Yu Ying needed to rest while she could.
Continuous crying and coughing from outside made her sleep uneasy, and she woke up suddenly at the sound of a desperate scream.
Fu Ning, who had just recovered from her fever, was startled by the loud roar, convulsing in her drowsy state and clinging to Yu Ying, crying in fear.
Yu Ying quickly embraced her, gently patting her back and whispering comfortingly, “Auntie is here, don’t be afraid.”
After a while, Fu Ning calmed down, but the commotion outside continued.
Concerned, Yu Ying said to Fu Ning, “Auntie is going to check outside, you stay in the room and don’t wander off.”
After instructing her, Yu Ying got out of bed, put on her shoes, stepped outside, donned her coat hanging outside, and went to check the situation in the front courtyard.
For patients suffering from colds, the night is the most uncomfortable time, with the worst coughing and weakest will.
The intense coughing in the courtyards was alarming, making it impossible for anyone to sleep.
The relentless coughing led to an increasing negativity in the patients' emotions.
Under these circumstances, someone, driven to despair, began crying and shouting to go home.
The people were well aware of how terrifying the epidemic was.
In recent years, an epidemic in another county had claimed nearly half its population. Even the magistrate had fled, leaving the people to fend for themselves.
Now, panic-stricken, some were so desperate they caused a commotion, insisting on leaving.
Many rushed into the courtyard, where the yamen runners hurried to stop them.
The noise spread to neighboring courtyards. Those confined in the adjacent buildings couldn’t come out but were all listening intently at their windows to the commotion next door.
They were all afraid – afraid of dying and being wrapped in a straw mat to be burned, never seeing their families again; afraid of not having a gravestone; most of all, afraid of death itself.
“The yamen is just confining us here, and as soon as the epidemic worsens, they’ll abandon us to our fate. I can’t just wait here to die. I need to get out!”
“I want to leave!”
The clamor grew louder and louder.
Even those patients still with energy joined in the chaos, overwhelming the yamen runners.
Watching the sudden uproar, Head Ji of the medical hall smashed several bowls to the ground to quiet them, bellowing, “Anyone who doesn’t want to cooperate with the treatment, just say so, and I will no longer treat them!”
The agitators fell silent, though women and children continued to sob.
The epidemic wasn't the most terrifying thing; the worst was the lack of cooperation from the people.
Just one uncooperative person escaping could lead to a catastrophe.
Yu Ying, witnessing this scene, stepped forward, her voice clear and firm, “If the yamen didn't care, why would they clear out a place for quarantine? Wouldn’t it be easier to just abandon you in the mountains? Why bother sending me and other doctors, and so many yamen runners to help?”
She scanned the yamen runners and then addressed the agitated crowd, asking pointedly, “Why are Head Ji, myself, and all these yamen runners and attendants, who haven’t contracted the epidemic, risking our lives to be here? Do you think we are not afraid of death?”
Her voice grew louder, “We are scared! Who here isn’t afraid of contracting the epidemic? But we fear that if we don’t come to treat you, the epidemic will wreak havoc, leading to even more tragic consequences. We fear it might soon be our turn, and that if this epidemic isn’t properly managed, it could infect all our families. That’s why we are risking our lives to be here!”
Yu Ying's words brought silence to the courtyard.
She spoke indignantly, “If even one of you goes out, two, four, or even more people outside could contract the epidemic. When other counties, even the county seat, hear of the epidemic in Jade County, do you think they will help us or abandon us like trash?”
“Currently, our county magistrate is tirelessly working to contain the spread of the epidemic. The yamen runners and doctors are risking their lives to help, yet instead of being grateful, you’re causing them trouble. What are you trying to achieve?”
Yu Ying’s voice rose sharply, questioning, “Do you want to discourage us, make us give up on you?!”
Her voice penetrated through the courtyards, reaching the ears of almost everyone.
The agitated crowd hung their heads in shame, no one spoke again, leaving only the sounds of coughing and pained moans from inside the houses.
Yu Ying's words resonated deeply with all the doctors and yamen runners.
Even the doctors who hadn’t held her in high regard began to change their opinions of her.
They didn’t seek gratitude from these people, only their cooperation, to ease their burden and safely get through the epidemic.
The yamen runner stepped forward, declaring loudly, “If anyone refuses treatment, I’ll isolate them to fend for themselves. Those who want treatment should return to their rooms immediately.”
His statement left the crowd looking at each other before weakly returning to their rooms.
To prevent further attempts to escape, the yamen runners had to remain extremely vigilant.
Perhaps influenced by Yu Ying’s words, some women, not severely ill, volunteered to care for children left without adults, easing the burden on the yamen runners.
During the first night, some people sweated out their fever after taking the medicine, gradually cooling down.
By the second night, most of the less severe cases had their fever subside, but they still had runny noses and coughs, requiring several more days of observation.
The most concerning were those with high fevers, their breathing labored, almost delirious from the fever.
Tasks like feeding, administering medicine, and wiping down these patients had to be done by others.
Due to a shortage of hands, it was necessary for the patients to help each other.
Perhaps due to effective control, the number of patients sent to the quarantine facility on the third day had significantly decreased.
The epidemic in the city was gradually being contained, but the situation in the villages remained uncontrolled.
Jade County, not being a large county, had only two or three doctors in each medical hall. Thus, the county magistrate was forced to mobilize all available doctors.
With the epidemic at the quarantine center under temporary control, three doctors were assigned to accompany the yamen runners to visit and assess the situation in each village.
Concerned about Lingshui Village, Yu Ying arranged for the yamen runner, Huo, to look after Fu Ning, who was half recovered, and proposed to visit Lingshui Village herself, planning to return to the quarantine center in the evening.
With someone volunteering to visit the villages, especially the respected Lady Yu, they were sure to agree.
After ensuring Fu Ning was settled, Yu Ying traveled to Lingshui Village with the yamen runner in an ox cart.
Due to the epidemic, the villagers had shut themselves in, making Lingshui Village seem deserted.
The yamen runner took Yu Ying directly to the Fu residence.
Unexpectedly, upon arriving at the Fu house, Yu Ying saw Fu Wei and her elder brother.
While Fu Wei and the yamen runner were discussing matters, someone knocked on the door.
The yamen runner opened it and, upon seeing who it was, exclaimed in surprise, “Lady Yu, how did you get here?”
Fu Wei's expression froze for a moment before he slowly lifted his head and turned to look.
In that instant of eye contact, everything around them seemed to stand still.
Over the past few days, Fu Wei had been eager to hear news about Yu Ying and his niece, always having to go to the yamen early to inquire about messages from the returning yamen runners.
He had heard about everything she was doing at the quarantine center and knew that she was unharmed and that his niece's condition was gradually improving.
Despite this, his worry remained like an unfilled black hole until he could see her in person.
He had been restless, unable to eat or sleep properly.
Only upon seeing her safe and sound in person today did Fu Wei's tightly wound nerves finally relax.
Chapter 97.
The large cauldron prepared by the county magistrate arrived, and after the ephedra decoction ingredients were ready, Head Ji began instructing the yamen runners on how to brew the ephedra soup.
For severe cases, the medicine was potent, while for milder cases, the dosage was halved.
As more people were forcibly brought to the epidemic quarantine center, Yu Ying, wearing an apron provided by Head Ji's eldest disciple and her homemade mask, checked the pulse of each patient infected with the epidemic, assessing their conditions.
She barely had time to even drink water.
There were children around Fu Ning's age, and even younger ones.
Some were accompanied by family members, being coaxed, but others, without an adult to comfort them, cried breathlessly, almost to the point of suffocation.
Seeing such a situation, how could Yu Ying not be distressed?
She patiently and gently comforted them, stroking their heads, telling them to obediently take their medicine, reassuring that after getting better, they would see their parents again.
Without their families and surrounded by strangers and an unfamiliar environment, the sick children felt utterly helpless, crying out their fear and terror.
With the reassurance of a reliable adult, the children’s emotions gradually stabilized, cooperating with her.
After a busy half-day until nightfall, Yu Ying informed Head Ji that she had a niece to take care of and needed to return to her room for half an hour.
Head Ji, being older, showed signs of fatigue in his eyes and face after a day's work.
“We are not made of iron. Let’s take turns to rest. I and my eldest disciple will watch over during the first half of the night, and you can take over with your elder brother for the latter half.”
After expressing her gratitude, Yu Ying returned to her room.
Yu Ying heated half a basin of water. Outside the room, she removed her apron and thick coat, took off her mask, and washed her hands with soap nuts before entering the room.
Fu Ning, with teary eyes from the fever, lay on the bed and weakly called out “Auntie” as Yu Ying entered.
Yu Ying walked over with a heart full of tenderness, set down the basin, and touched Fu Ning's forehead.
It was not as hot as before.
She gently asked, “Do you feel a bit better than this morning?”
Fu Ning nodded, replying softly, “Yes, much better.”
Fu Ning had only started speaking again a little over two months ago. Her sentences were still somewhat broken, but they would gradually improve.
Yu Ying slid her hand under the blanket, feeling Fu Ning's back, which was indeed sweaty.
Fu Ning had broken into a sweat, which meant after one more dose of medicine and plenty of hot water, her fever should break by the second half of the night.
Yu Ying wrung out a towel and wiped Fu Ning's body, then changed her into a set of dry, comfortable clothes.
Looking at the cooperative Fu Ning, and thinking of those crying children, she asked, “Are you scared?”
Fu Ning shook her head, “No, I’m not scared. I have Auntie.”
After a pause, she added thoughtfully, “Auntie, I’m not scared alone. You can go and treat others.”
A smile of relief appeared on Yu Ying’s face as she touched Fu Ning's head again, “When Auntie is not here, if you feel scared and want to find me, don’t wander around, just call out a few times from inside the room. If a yamen runner outside hears you, he will tell me, and I will come to see you.”
After cleaning up, a yamen runner brought her food – white rice with one meat and one vegetable dish.
Perhaps knowing there was a sick little girl, they also brought a bowl of minced meat porridge.
Taking the food, Yu Ying asked the yamen runner, “What are the others eating?”
The yamen runner replied, “Our yamen isn’t wealthy, so we can only provide a bowl of rice porridge. For the elderly and children, we add some bones to boil the porridge, giving them a bit of meat flavor.”
Continuing, the yamen runner added, “Lady Yu and the doctors absolutely cannot fall ill, so they mustn’t eat poorly. As for us yamen runners, we also get a bowl of hot rice with some minced meat.”
Elderly and children getting porridge boiled with bones, that's quite nutritious.
Yu Ying thanked the yamen runner and then turned back to the room.
Yu Ying initially planned to feed Fu Ning, but the girl, having regained some strength, didn’t want to tire her aunt and sat up to eat by herself.
After dinner, knowing she had to keep watch in the second half of the night, Yu Ying needed to rest while she could.
Continuous crying and coughing from outside made her sleep uneasy, and she woke up suddenly at the sound of a desperate scream.
Fu Ning, who had just recovered from her fever, was startled by the loud roar, convulsing in her drowsy state and clinging to Yu Ying, crying in fear.
Yu Ying quickly embraced her, gently patting her back and whispering comfortingly, “Auntie is here, don’t be afraid.”
After a while, Fu Ning calmed down, but the commotion outside continued.
Concerned, Yu Ying said to Fu Ning, “Auntie is going to check outside, you stay in the room and don’t wander off.”
After instructing her, Yu Ying got out of bed, put on her shoes, stepped outside, donned her coat hanging outside, and went to check the situation in the front courtyard.
For patients suffering from colds, the night is the most uncomfortable time, with the worst coughing and weakest will.
The intense coughing in the courtyards was alarming, making it impossible for anyone to sleep.
The relentless coughing led to an increasing negativity in the patients' emotions.
Under these circumstances, someone, driven to despair, began crying and shouting to go home.
The people were well aware of how terrifying the epidemic was.
In recent years, an epidemic in another county had claimed nearly half its population. Even the magistrate had fled, leaving the people to fend for themselves.
Now, panic-stricken, some were so desperate they caused a commotion, insisting on leaving.
Many rushed into the courtyard, where the yamen runners hurried to stop them.
The noise spread to neighboring courtyards. Those confined in the adjacent buildings couldn’t come out but were all listening intently at their windows to the commotion next door.
They were all afraid – afraid of dying and being wrapped in a straw mat to be burned, never seeing their families again; afraid of not having a gravestone; most of all, afraid of death itself.
“The yamen is just confining us here, and as soon as the epidemic worsens, they’ll abandon us to our fate. I can’t just wait here to die. I need to get out!”
“I want to leave!”
The clamor grew louder and louder.
Even those patients still with energy joined in the chaos, overwhelming the yamen runners.
Watching the sudden uproar, Head Ji of the medical hall smashed several bowls to the ground to quiet them, bellowing, “Anyone who doesn’t want to cooperate with the treatment, just say so, and I will no longer treat them!”
The agitators fell silent, though women and children continued to sob.
The epidemic wasn't the most terrifying thing; the worst was the lack of cooperation from the people.
Just one uncooperative person escaping could lead to a catastrophe.
Yu Ying, witnessing this scene, stepped forward, her voice clear and firm, “If the yamen didn't care, why would they clear out a place for quarantine? Wouldn’t it be easier to just abandon you in the mountains? Why bother sending me and other doctors, and so many yamen runners to help?”
She scanned the yamen runners and then addressed the agitated crowd, asking pointedly, “Why are Head Ji, myself, and all these yamen runners and attendants, who haven’t contracted the epidemic, risking our lives to be here? Do you think we are not afraid of death?”
Her voice grew louder, “We are scared! Who here isn’t afraid of contracting the epidemic? But we fear that if we don’t come to treat you, the epidemic will wreak havoc, leading to even more tragic consequences. We fear it might soon be our turn, and that if this epidemic isn’t properly managed, it could infect all our families. That’s why we are risking our lives to be here!”
Yu Ying's words brought silence to the courtyard.
She spoke indignantly, “If even one of you goes out, two, four, or even more people outside could contract the epidemic. When other counties, even the county seat, hear of the epidemic in Jade County, do you think they will help us or abandon us like trash?”
“Currently, our county magistrate is tirelessly working to contain the spread of the epidemic. The yamen runners and doctors are risking their lives to help, yet instead of being grateful, you’re causing them trouble. What are you trying to achieve?”
Yu Ying’s voice rose sharply, questioning, “Do you want to discourage us, make us give up on you?!”
Her voice penetrated through the courtyards, reaching the ears of almost everyone.
The agitated crowd hung their heads in shame, no one spoke again, leaving only the sounds of coughing and pained moans from inside the houses.
Yu Ying's words resonated deeply with all the doctors and yamen runners.
Even the doctors who hadn’t held her in high regard began to change their opinions of her.
They didn’t seek gratitude from these people, only their cooperation, to ease their burden and safely get through the epidemic.
The yamen runner stepped forward, declaring loudly, “If anyone refuses treatment, I’ll isolate them to fend for themselves. Those who want treatment should return to their rooms immediately.”
His statement left the crowd looking at each other before weakly returning to their rooms.
To prevent further attempts to escape, the yamen runners had to remain extremely vigilant.
Perhaps influenced by Yu Ying’s words, some women, not severely ill, volunteered to care for children left without adults, easing the burden on the yamen runners.
During the first night, some people sweated out their fever after taking the medicine, gradually cooling down.
By the second night, most of the less severe cases had their fever subside, but they still had runny noses and coughs, requiring several more days of observation.
The most concerning were those with high fevers, their breathing labored, almost delirious from the fever.
Tasks like feeding, administering medicine, and wiping down these patients had to be done by others.
Due to a shortage of hands, it was necessary for the patients to help each other.
Perhaps due to effective control, the number of patients sent to the quarantine facility on the third day had significantly decreased.
The epidemic in the city was gradually being contained, but the situation in the villages remained uncontrolled.
Jade County, not being a large county, had only two or three doctors in each medical hall. Thus, the county magistrate was forced to mobilize all available doctors.
With the epidemic at the quarantine center under temporary control, three doctors were assigned to accompany the yamen runners to visit and assess the situation in each village.
Concerned about Lingshui Village, Yu Ying arranged for the yamen runner, Huo, to look after Fu Ning, who was half recovered, and proposed to visit Lingshui Village herself, planning to return to the quarantine center in the evening.
With someone volunteering to visit the villages, especially the respected Lady Yu, they were sure to agree.
After ensuring Fu Ning was settled, Yu Ying traveled to Lingshui Village with the yamen runner in an ox cart.
Due to the epidemic, the villagers had shut themselves in, making Lingshui Village seem deserted.
The yamen runner took Yu Ying directly to the Fu residence.
Unexpectedly, upon arriving at the Fu house, Yu Ying saw Fu Wei and her elder brother.
While Fu Wei and the yamen runner were discussing matters, someone knocked on the door.
The yamen runner opened it and, upon seeing who it was, exclaimed in surprise, “Lady Yu, how did you get here?”
Fu Wei's expression froze for a moment before he slowly lifted his head and turned to look.
In that instant of eye contact, everything around them seemed to stand still.
Over the past few days, Fu Wei had been eager to hear news about Yu Ying and his niece, always having to go to the yamen early to inquire about messages from the returning yamen runners.
He had heard about everything she was doing at the quarantine center and knew that she was unharmed and that his niece's condition was gradually improving.
Despite this, his worry remained like an unfilled black hole until he could see her in person.
He had been restless, unable to eat or sleep properly.
Only upon seeing her safe and sound in person today did Fu Wei's tightly wound nerves finally relax.
