Chapter 51: Causes and Effects: The Deeds of the Japanese

Smallpox is a highly contagious disease that spreads rapidly through airborne droplets; touching anything used by a patient carries a risk of infection. Even coming into contact with someone who has died from the smallpox virus carries a high risk of transmission.

In ancient times, smallpox was even treated with superstition. In some places, people would hire shamans every year to perform rituals to send away the Smallpox Deity, and officials would even come forward to worship the deity to ensure the peace of the region.

Those infected with smallpox have an incubation period of about ten days. Initial symptoms include headaches, chills, shivering, or fever, followed by nausea and vomiting. After three to five days, rashes appear on the patient's face, arms, and torso; these start as red spots and slowly turn into pus-filled blisters. In the later, severe stages, many serious complications can arise.

Since the smallpox virus appeared in the Eastern Han dynasty, people have been terrified of it, changing color at the mere mention of its name. Whether you were from a noble family or a commoner, once you contracted this disease, it was essentially a death sentence.

Because of the terrifying contagiousness of smallpox, those infected were immediately quarantined, and some of low status were even burned to death.

At this moment, it is unknown how many people are in the incubation period. If a large-scale outbreak occurs, some elderly or weak patients will die within three to five days.

Although Su Liang spoke with a lighthearted tone, his heart could not help but grow solemn.

He immediately arranged for the response to the smallpox virus...

First, he ordered the clothing workshops in Taoyuan County to immediately stop production of underwear, underpants, socks, and other intimate apparel scheduled for release, and to produce protective masks day and night to cut off the smallpox virus at the source.

He then redeemed a large quantity of smallpox medication and vaccines from the system and had Er Hu deliver them to Sun Simiao.

Finally, he arranged for everyone in Changancheng suspected of having smallpox to be moved to the Sky Workshop in Taoyuan City, which housed a large-scale hospital with an area of five thousand mu.

After arranging all of this, Su Liang looked at Li Er and the ministers and said with a smile, "Hehe... with these arrangements, are your hearts finally at ease?"

"Sigh... we are at ease, but the people of Changancheng may not be," Li Er sighed.

"Alright, alright, I have my own ways to handle this. Don't stand here getting in the way; go do what you need to do. I still need to hang mugwort and calamus—today is a good day, after all!"

"Would you all like to stay and have some zongzi from the Hibiscus Garden?" Su Liang asked with a chuckle.

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone felt their stomachs rumbling.

The incident had been so sudden that they hadn't eaten breakfast yet, so they followed Su Liang's suggestion and ate breakfast in the Hibiscus Garden.

Not only were there all kinds of zongzi, but Su Liang had also prepared chicken and duck eggs, oil cakes, and other pastries; he had prepared everything related to the Dragon Boat Festival.

Furthermore, Su Liang had specially prepared the "Five Yellows," a specialty of the Jiangnan region: yellow eel, yellow croaker, cucumber, salted duck egg yolk, and realgar wine.

"Hehe... Your Majesty, drink some yellow eel soup to nourish your body," Su Liang said, serving Li Er a bowl of yellow eel soup with a meaningful look.

In ancient times, one could not call the yellow eel by its name directly, or one would risk decapitation; the name of the yellow eel sounds like "Emperor," so one had to use euphemisms.

"Tsk tsk... worthy son-in-law, this yellow eel soup is truly delicious," Li Er remarked after finishing it in one gulp.

"Hehe... this yellow eel soup is made with lean pork, astragalus, reed rhizome, mistletoe, white tofu, yam, bitter melon, and other ingredients. It not only nourishes the blood and Qi, relieves fatigue, and treats coughs, but it also nourishes the yin, tonifies the kidneys, and strengthens the constitution!"

Su Liang had Ru Yan and Yu Er simmer this yellow eel soup over a low fire. Now that the pigs Su Liang raised had grown up, he could make more delicacies, and with the existence of the system store, Su Liang would occasionally redeem ingredients that were not yet available.

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhangsun Wuji, Du Ruhui, and Cheng Yaojin scrambled to serve themselves the yellow eel soup.

They firmly believed everything Su Liang said; after all, he was the existence that even the divine physician Sun Simiao worshipped.

When one reaches middle age, who isn't soaking goji berries in a thermos?

Just as they were devouring their breakfast, Tiankui of the White-Robed Guard came to report.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, the White-Robed Guard has captured a group of Japanese people in Taoyuan City, suspected of being related to the smallpox virus in Changancheng." Seeing Li Er present, Tiankui immediately reported to him.

Upon hearing this, Su Liang couldn't help but sneer: "Hehe... these Japanese people truly cannot change their habit of eating filth."

Throughout the five thousand years of Chinese history, it has never invaded other countries, yet there are always some petty villains coveting it!

"Damn... the nerve of them!"

Suddenly, Su Liang's shout gave Li Er and the others quite a fright.

In an instant, Su Liang realized he had been slightly uncomposed in front of Li Er and the others, but he couldn't care about that now. He looked at them with a profound gaze and said, "Your Majesty, the White-Robed Guard never makes things up. Although there is no conclusive evidence yet, it is nine times out of ten the work of the Japanese!"

"Changancheng is thousands of miles away from Japan, and now that smallpox has appeared in Changancheng, I suspect..."

As he finished speaking, everyone was shocked and terrified, the implications chilling!

It was truly a case of fearing the worst; at this very moment, urgent reports arrived one after another—smallpox had appeared in Dengzhou, Laizhou, and Qizhou in Shandong, with dozens of deaths already reported.

"Wor... worthy son-in-law, doesn't your little car travel eight hundred li in an hour? If you transport the smallpox medicine to Shandong now, there is still time."

Li Er urged, burning with anxiety.

"That's right... worthy son-in-law, using your little car to transport the medicine, you could reach Shandong in less than three hours." Zhangsun Wuji also urged Su Liang to set off early.

"Imperial Son-in-Law, there is no time to lose," Du Ruhui and Cheng Yaojin also strongly advised.

"Alright, alright, you all keep watch over Changancheng; I will go to Shandong myself." Su Liang agreed decisively. In truth, he would have gone himself even without their urging; although he was a bit of a slacker, he knew how to prioritize.

Afterward, he gave a few brief instructions to Li Er and the others, left behind enough medicine and vaccines, and drove his little car toward Shandong...

Passing through Taoyuan County, he picked up Er Hu, who was busy working.

"Young Master, I fear it is not just dozens of commoners who have died in Shandong; by now, smallpox has likely appeared in Luoyang and other places as well," Er Hu said, looking at Su Liang with a heavy expression.

"Hehe... what goes around comes around!!" Su Liang sneered.

There was no hiding the mockery and contempt in his expression, his face full of disdain!