The Lucky Farmgirl

The matters within the State Duke Zhao Manor did not spark any desire in Manbao to speak externally. To her, it was a trivial matter that she reported immediately and thus needed not be overly concerned.

Within the State Duke Zhao Manor, everyone from the heir’s wife to the sixth wife was reprimanded directly or indirectly because of the incident, so the manor wouldn’t discuss it externally either.

Hence, initially, the outside world really didn’t know.

Manbao went out twice more and treated the State Duchess Zhao’s illness to about seventy to eighty percent recovery. What remained was to relax, rely on dietary health, occasionally use acupuncture for maintenance, and no longer consume medicinal decoctions.

Thus, Manbao started focusing on matters at the imperial estate, occasionally taking half-days off to treat Wang Ruile.

But just then, news reached the palace.

It was precisely when the results of the third and fourth batches of experimenters at the imperial estate came out. Using cowpox to inoculate cows and then using cowpox to inoculate humans, the percentage of high fever suddenly dropped to eleven percent and nine percent. The summary for the two batches was ten percent.

Moreover, during these two experiments, there were no fatalities. However, cases of high fever still experienced other negative sequelae.

Indeed, the world’s healers are never easily content; when there are fatalities, they strive for non-fatalities, and when there aren’t any, they aim to reduce the high fever percentage. As the percentage lowers, they further demand a lesser percentage and even the absence of sequelae despite high fever.

However, the current experimental results represent a tremendous achievement for the Imperial Hospital. Director Xiao stayed up late writing a memorial, and eagerly presented it to the emperor the next day, only to find several censorate officials impeaching the State Duke Zhao during the small court assembly.

Initially, this had nothing to do with him, but upon eavesdropping, Zhou Man’s name kept appearing, which did concern him.

After all, she belonged to the Imperial Hospital.

Just as the thought flashed, the fire shifted from State Duke Zhao to Zhou Man. Initially, it was about impeaching State Duke Zhao for neglecting his household affairs, and amid the arguments, it morphed into criticizing Zhou Man for knowingly entering the imperial estate despite the presence of smallpox patients...

Director Xiao: ...

This couldn’t be tolerated. Director Xiao, standing patiently in the corner, immediately stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, Zhou Doctor went to the State Duke Zhao Manor to treat the duchess under the orders of the empress."

"But I heard that besides treating the duchess, she goes out substantially every seven days to the Tang Residence for outpatient visits. How audacious to privately consult patients at this time."

Lord Tang slightly frowned.

Director Xiao elaborated, "I am aware of this matter; Zhou Doctor reported to me, clearly stating it was in pursuit of treating and saving lives. She hasn’t delayed her tasks at the imperial estate, leaving during meal times and returning before afternoon entries to the patients’ area."

"Moreover, if the officials are concerned about her bringing the virus from the imperial estate upon entry and exit, they should worry more about myself and Imperial Doctors Liu and Zheng." Director Xiao stated, "We enter and exit the imperial estate almost daily, with me even attending grand court assemblies. Haven’t these daily occurrences gone without incident?"

Director Xiao explained, "The imperial estate has three checkpoints, separating the patients’ area from the doctors’ living quarters completely. Each exit from the patients’ area requires bathing and changing clothes, prohibiting even the tiniest carry-out."

"Indeed, I mandated that without clear orders, Zhou Doctor and Imperial Doctor Lu could not venture out. It wasn’t because the patients they encountered were more dangerous than those we met, but rather the patients’ area continually required attentive observation by us physicians. Alternating entry and exit and daily replacements would waste too much time on constant clothing changes." Director Xiao explained, "Your Majesty, we are the ones combating smallpox; our diligent preparedness steers us confidently in and out."

The emperor nodded repeatedly, mediating immediately, "Director Xiao is correct. Naturally, the concerns of beloved ministers are valid as well. Let’s restrict Zhou Man’s outings occasionally. Is the imperial estate’s experiment nearing results?"

"Yes," Director Xiao promptly pulled out the memorial from his sleeve, bowed, and handed it over, "Data for the third and fourth batches of experiments are complete; the fourth batch awaits re-infection test results, but our conjecture predicts no issue. Here is the data."

Gu Zhong promptly took the memorial to the emperor.

Upon viewing it, the emperor delighted, "Thus, is it a major success?"

Director Xiao remarked, "There could actually be more tests conducted across diverse age groups, utilizing cows from different regions, determining the most conducive season for inoculation... At the memorial’s end, I’ve listed further viable experiments. If completed and ensuring data correctness, implementation of inoculation might achieve higher success rates."

At noticing the long list of proposed experiments towards the end, the emperor’s initial excitement dissipated slightly, querying, "How long would all this take?"

Director Xiao replied, "Completion would take a year or two." Truthfully longer, yet the emperor’s impatience pressed him to provide a shorter timeframe initially, with plans to elaborate post-approval.

The one-to-two-year forecast seemed prolonged to the emperor, prompting him to deliberate and ultimately select two inquiries, "Let’s first test inoculation differences in youths above and below twelve years; other matters can be discussed later."

Though disappointed, Director Xiao remained spirited and complied, yet hesitated to ask, "What about the personnel..."

"I’ll have the Ministry of Revenue and palace buyers deploy and employ them; anticipate the arrival."

Director Xiao finally felt relieved, then inquired about the whereabouts of various case studies from the imperial estate, "I wish to track their conditions and observe after one year, three years, five years, or even longer periods, whether they experience adverse reactions from inoculation, or retain resistance upon eventual exposure to smallpox."

The emperor instructed, "All returned to their original locations for dispatch; make note of each individual’s origins and destinations for investigative purposes later."

Director Xiao complied, proposing another inquiry, "Your Majesty, constructions within the imperial estate including the medicine hall were created with difficulty; can these be retained post-experiment for conducting future trials?"

After pondering, the emperor consented.

With the memorial in hand, the emperor was pleased, instructing Director Xiao, "Conclude the fourth experiment swiftly and report accurate data promptly."

To the other ministers, he asserted, "This is a historic achievement benefiting centuries; should the risk of inoculation be minimal while effectively preventing smallpox, members of the Li Clan ought to be inoculated. I should lead as the first."

Ministers, startled, quickly urged the emperor against such risk-taking.

Director Xiao broke out in a cold sweat, with the emperor at his age, genuinely fearing to advise him to personally risk it, whereas younger harem princes and princesses, including imperial grandchildren, might possibly attempt it.

Yet the emperor felt content, believing in his robust health. If slaves with weakened constitutions and injured soldiers could be inoculated, why couldn’t he?

The few officials initially concerned over disputes within State Duke Zhao Manor promptly shifted focus to seriously advising the emperor.

The emperor, smiling, carried the memorial out, having State Duke Zhao summoned to Taiji Hall under the pretext of repairing relations with the empress.

Upon arrival, before entering the hall, the emperor paused and curiously asked State Duke Zhao, "What’s going on? Didn’t Zhou Man go to treat my sister-in-law? Why does it seem like your household is involved in disputes?"

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