"I brought sweet potatoes..."
They all rushed up at once.
With a smile on her face, she slowly walked down. "Thank you, thank you..."
I told those who were helping to put down their work for now and eat first.
Suddenly, a series of urgent shouts were heard.
"Dr. Liu! Dr. Liu!"
"...Quickly...save my son..."
"Please..."
A woman in a green dress ran in, carrying a small child.
Soon, someone recognized them.
"Isn't she Lord Hu's twelfth concubine?"
"Yes, I remember she used to be the daughter of a tofu vendor on the street..."
"It's her, it really is her!"
The woman placed the child in front of me, her face covered in tears, and knelt down with a thud. "Please, Dr. Liu, please..."
I glanced at the child; his eyes were closed, his face was pale, and his lips were purple. He looked seriously injured.
"Dr. Chen..."
"Lord Hu doesn't care about us, and he's even robbing people from every household to build temples!" Suddenly, an angry voice erupted from the crowd.
“Yes.” Someone immediately agreed, “Why should we care about his son? If someone like Hu is so ruthless and disregards human life, we shouldn’t care about this child either.”
Some people have recounted the things that Hu and Wei did to the people back then: "He committed all sorts of evil deeds, extorted money from the people everywhere, and even allowed his servants to beat people to death on the roadside. He bullied the people everywhere... There was not a single good person in the Hu family!"
"Yes, not a single good person is from the Hu family!"
The crowd slowly began to shout in unison.
The woman in green panicked, turning her knees to face the crowd. "Please, I beg you, I was also taken away by that man surnamed Hu back then. My child... I... he's my only child... they don't care if he lives or dies... but I can't just watch him like this..." She broke down in tears.
Looking at the silent crowd.
I immediately ordered, "Dr. Chen, bring this child inside."
"Let me in too," the woman in green requested. "I want to help."
I nodded, explained my requirements to her, gave her a mask, and allowed her to enter.
"Miss Liu, come quickly and take a look. Why can't I get the acupuncture right every time?"
I rushed over, my eyes filled with solemnity, and checked his pulse. "Give me the needle."
To the woman in green, he said, "Take off his pants."
The woman in green was taken aback at first, then immediately did as I said and took off the child's pants.
I glanced at the veins in his thigh. "Give me the wine."
After disinfecting and patting the area a few times, I inserted the needle. "All done." I straightened up.
Is there anything else I need to do?
I turned around and noticed the woman in green, with her gentle and delicate features.
She smiled gratefully, "My name is Ye Wanwan," she said, bowing her head, "If it weren't for you, I really wouldn't know who to turn to."
"Wanwan..." I called out softly.
"What is it?" She looked up. "Dr. Liu, please tell me what's wrong. I'd like to stay and help."
"Before an incense stick has burned, keep an eye on their situation for me, and tell me immediately if anything happens."
“Mhm,” Ye Wanwan nodded.
Looking at the room full of patients, I wasn't entirely confident that I could save them, and I didn't know what would happen next.
"Miss Liu, Miss Liu..."
They watched as Dr. Chen rushed over.
"What's wrong? What happened?"
I followed him outside and found a man in a vermilion official robe standing in front of the door.
"Lord Hu is here, why aren't you paying your respects!" the mustachioed man next to him shouted impatiently.
"Greetings, Lord Hu."
"Miss Liu is truly a remarkable woman, no less capable than any man. I've heard she's been here taking care of plague patients."
I nodded silently.
Hu Wei waved his hand lightly, and a car was pushed over from behind.
"The food and utensils here are for you. We hope you can restore peace to Chucheng as soon as possible."
Those around him looked on in astonishment. When did this ruthless and oppressive Lord Hu become so merciful?
"Thank you, Lord Hu," I replied calmly. I had someone take the things away. A group of people went forward to move the items.
"Please take care, Lord Hu..."
I glanced at Ye Wanwan, who also looked bewildered.
As Hu Wei walked down the street, he grew increasingly upset. All that money had just gone down the drain.
"My lord, don't be so heartbroken, at least..."
Hu Wei shouted, "At least what? At least... Have I ever felt this aggrieved, sir?"
"But he's a prince after all, and that ledger..."
Upon hearing the word "ledger," Hu Wei's heart skipped a beat. Damn it, how did that ledger end up in his hands? Sweat poured down his forehead.
"Li Bo, go and give the Fourth Prince an invitation. Tell him I'm inviting him to Biyue Tower tonight."
"Yes, sir."
Dr. Chen looked at the high stack of supplies, his beard trembling with laughter. "That's great, we won't have to worry about food or the patients' supplies anymore."
I nodded; that was indeed a relief.
I looked at each of the patients one by one, and they seemed to be doing a little better.
"Are you still vomiting and having diarrhea?"
The person taking care of him shook his head. "He's alright for now, I guess he's already improved."
I will not respond; these measures may not necessarily make them completely better.
"Chen'er, what's wrong? Wake up! Chen'er..."
I rushed over, opened his eyes, and checked his pulse. "What happened?"
"She's been very weak since just now, and then she suddenly started having convulsions." Ye Wanwan was very anxious.
I glanced at the bag of saline solution. What's going on?
"Bring over the boiled water and give him some to drink."
Ye Wanwan quickly did as instructed, but the child remained unconscious. "Dr. Liu, what should we do?"
I increased the speed at which the saline solution was injected, and had Ye Wanwan wipe the child's body with warm water first.
"You should stay by his side and take care of him; it's best not to leave."
As soon as I turned around, I suddenly felt dizzy, and the world spun around me.
"Dr. Liu, what's wrong?"
I propped my head up and gave a weak smile. "I'm fine."
Doctor Chen came over and said, "Miss Liu, why don't you go back to the inn and rest? We can take care of things here."
“Yes,” another person added, “Miss Liu is the pillar of our group. What would we do if you fell ill?”
Ye Wanwan placed her hand under Chen'er's nose. "Dr. Liu, it seems a little better."
I nodded.
"Dr. Liu, please listen to us and go back to rest."
Unable to persuade them otherwise, I had no choice but to leave the quarantine area.
As I walked down the street, images of those patients filled my mind. How could I possibly cure them?
"You're not allowed to eat it!"
A sudden shout made me look up and glimpse a dirty little boy picking up scraps to eat.
A little girl, a bit older than him, ran over and slapped his hand. "I told you not to pick and choose what to eat, but you wouldn't listen!"
The little boy lifted his dirty face, sniffed, and said, "Sister, I'm hungry..."
The one called "older sister" touched his face helplessly: "Even if you're hungry, you can't just pick and choose what to eat, or you'll get sick."
The little boy quickly squatted down and hugged the things his sister had knocked away. "No, no, I'm hungry..." he began to cry loudly.
"Don't take it! I said no, and that means no!" His sister grabbed his arm, reaching one hand into his chest and slapping his bottom with the other.