Chapter 533: Medical Academy

Latest website: "This is cowpox?"

At the Prince's Manor, Shi Zhengui, Hu Yan, Liu Fu, and other Medical Officers and officials surrounded a cow.

Their eyes were fixed on the bulging ulcerous pustules on the cow's abdomen, not blinking even once.

To them, if Yan Wang had not lied to them, these cows infected with cowpox were their only way to crack the Northern Di's sinister poison plan.

"Correct, this is cowpox." Zhao Xu nodded.

At the same time, he also breathed a sigh of relief.

Cowpox was originally an infectious disease among cattle.

As long as there was one, he could use this cow to infect other cows, thereby obtaining more cowpox pus.

However, transmitting cowpox to other cows also required time.

This virus needed about nine days to cause the cattle to fall ill and grow cowpox.

But the Northern Di would not give him ample time to prepare.

Therefore, the more cows infected with cowpox that could be found right now, the better.

Of course, even so, preparations still had to be made for this.

After all, in the current situation, he needed a continuous supply of cowpox available.

Infecting other cows to provide cowpox production also had to be prepared for.

Thus, he said to Liu Fu: "Have the cows at the Official Manor all been gathered?"

"Replying to Your Highness, eight hundred cows have already been driven outside Yancheng, and other Official Manors are still sending them over continuously," Liu Fu said.

These cows were originally snatched from the Northern Di.

They were originally raised just for plowing fields and for meat.

Unexpectedly, they could now play such a significant role.

He thought that if the Northern Di people knew about this, they would likely be angered half to death.

Zhao Xu nodded and looked toward the cow in front of him.

Immediately, he had Liu Fu and the other officials go out, leaving only Shi Zhengui, Hu Yan, and the others behind.

Before teaching them the Inoculation Method, he decided to announce one thing to them first.

"This cowpox inoculation requires every one of you to keep it a secret; you must not disclose this matter to others, otherwise this Prince will certainly not show leniency," Zhao Xu said sternly.

When he had Liu Fu look for sick cows, he only had him make up another excuse.

They bought the sick cows and exchanged them for healthy cows for the commoners.

As for the relationship between smallpox and cowpox, he did not let a single word slip.

He did this to prevent this news from reaching the Northern Di.

In this way, he could gradually complete the inoculation of the Prince's Personal Army soldiers without the Northern Di knowing.

Otherwise, the Northern Di would certainly adopt more intense methods to spread smallpox, not giving him time to inoculate.

And this was something he did not wish to see.

At the same time, the Northern Di would believe their spreading was successful and would wait with peace of mind.

This could also win time for the modification of the Rifled Musket.

"Yes, Your Highness."

Hu Yan, Shi Zhengui, and the others said in unison.

"Furthermore, this Prince will establish a fourth great academy in addition to the Three Great Academies, the Yanzhou Medical Academy. If you perform well this time, you will be able to become the first batch of students of the Yanzhou Medical Academy, and the head of the academy will also be born from among you," Zhao Xu continued.

Just now was a warning, and now it was giving them a sweet treat.

This crisis made him feel it was necessary to establish Yanzhou's medical system.

In this way, Yanzhou would not panic when facing such situations in the future.

At the same time, infant mortality in ancient times was particularly high, and even the imperial family could not avoid it.

Besides this, there were various injuries and illnesses, which were all factors limiting population growth.

If Yanzhou's medical care could be improved, these problems would be easily solved.

Furthermore, he intended to add another branch of service to the Prince's Personal Army: medical soldiers.

This way, soldiers on the battlefield would not die from just a minor injury.

Of course, most importantly, after the Medical Academy was established, he would be able to teach them the medical techniques in his mind.

Let them likewise establish a Laboratory to conduct research and development on various types of medicine.

"Yanzhou Medical Academy?" Hu Yan was immediately excited.

The Three Great Academies were famous in Yanzhou; who wouldn't want to become a student of Yan Wang?

He did not expect that one day, they, the Medical Officers, would also have such treatment.

Shi Zhengui was stunned for a moment; this time Zhao Heng had assigned him to Yan Wang, so he was already Yan Wang's person.

Originally, when he was at the medical clinic, he only wanted to muddle through his days in Yanzhou and finish his life there.

But the cowpox matter made him look at Yan Wang with new eyes.

Now, Yan Wang proposed establishing the Yanzhou Medical Academy.

He would certainly teach them rare things like cowpox.

For someone like him who loved to study medicine, the temptation was not small.

He hurriedly said: "Your Highness, may this subordinate also join the Medical Academy?"

"Unless you move your whole family to Yanzhou," Zhao Xu said indifferently.

He naturally understood that Shi Zhengui was his person since he came to Yanzhou, but this was not enough.

Once the powerful clans used his family to threaten him, no one could guarantee whether he would betray him.

At that time, wouldn't the things he taught just be making wedding clothes for the powerful clans?

"That is simple; this subordinate will send a letter to Jingshi right now, having my wife, children, and elderly mother move the whole family to Yanzhou," Shi Zhengui said hurriedly, fearing that Zhao Xu would not agree.

To him, living in Jingshi was not comfortable either; on the contrary, Yanzhou did not have so much deceit and treachery.

Even when Hu Yan fought with him, it was only a dispute between healers, and he had never made things difficult for him.

"Since that is the case, this King will reserve a spot for you," Zhao Xu said.

Immediately, he faced everyone, "Moreover, anyone who enters the Medical Academy will be able to receive a salary from the Government Office from now on. In the future, this King will also establish a Medical Guard Department, and the outstanding ones can serve as officials," Zhao Xu once again threw out a bombshell.

In ancient times, people were divided into the upper nine ranks, middle nine ranks, and lower nine ranks.

Physicians only belonged to the middle nine ranks, not even as high as the status of merchants.

Their status was only slightly higher than that of prostitutes.

And once this measure of his was introduced, it undoubtedly indicated an acknowledgment of them in terms of status.

Sure enough, as soon as his voice fell.

Not only Hu Yan, but even Shi Zhengui was stunned.

The other apprentices and students were even more flushed with excitement.

What Yan Wang said made them feel proud and elated.

"Your Highness!" Hu Yan suddenly cried out, bowed down, and kowtowed, "Your Highness's kindness is something we will never forget as long as we live."

It was already a tremendous favor for Yan Wang to specifically establish a Medical Academy for them.

Now, he was actually setting up official positions for them.

Throughout history, when had they ever had such an honor?

After all, they were currently called Medical Officers, but in reality, this was just a title, similar to a Member of the Gentry.

But the official that Yan Wang spoke of was a true official of the Government Office.

Zhao Xu helped Hu Yan up, "Do not be happy too early. Just as this King said at the beginning, whether you can enjoy such an honor ultimately depends on yourselves."

"Your Highness, rest assured, we will not say a single word about this Cowpox matter," Hu Yan promised while patting his chest.

Zhao Xu nodded with satisfaction, "That is for the best. Since that is the case, this King will now demonstrate to you how to inoculate Cowpox, but before that, we must choose someone willing to be inoculated with Cowpox."

After thinking for a moment, he said, "To give the soldiers and the common people peace of mind, let this Cowpox inoculation begin with this King."