Can't a princess ascend the throne?

Chapter 295 Preventive Measures
You know what, Sachi really dared to do it. Don't those people from the Central Plains always call them grassland people unruly and unreasonable, and openly and secretly call them barbarians? So what wouldn't he dare to do? If he didn't take this opportunity to attack, was he supposed to wait until they had dealt with this epidemic before attacking? He's not stupid; he understands the principle of striking while the iron is hot.

Although there are invasions from the grasslands and a smallpox epidemic at home, General Yuchi, with his extensive experience, has managed to keep things relatively stable for now. His only concern is that if the smallpox epidemic persists for a long time, it could cause great chaos within the country. Aside from anything else, the loss of human life alone is heartbreaking. Since His Majesty ascended the throne, he has worked diligently for thirteen years, and only now has there been a sign of recovery from the massive population loss at the end of the previous dynasty. But a single bout of smallpox could wipe out all those thirteen years of effort.

More importantly, that disease is highly contagious, and the capital city is not as vast and sparsely populated as their northern frontier. Those living there are likely in even greater danger than those on their side. Also, that child, Jiu Que, is currently in the capital; I wonder how he is…

Despite a thousand thoughts swirling in his mind, General Yuchi remained remarkably calm and wise. He and Sachi had been rivals for many years, and now, separated by the city wall, he gazed at the magnificent canopy and tent, a bloodthirsty smile on his face.

Fine, since you want to fight, I'll play along to the end. Do you really think you're invincible?

The battles in the northern frontier continued one after another, and the news was still on its way to the capital. Meanwhile, Jiu Que, who had been staying at Yunxiu Manor, finally made a decisive breakthrough in the smallpox case. After confirming that the disease was smallpox, she told Xie Mingchen all the treatment methods she knew about smallpox. Xie Mingchen never asked where Jiu Que had learned these methods. After personally testing them and finding that they were indeed effective, he immediately reported to His Majesty and began to use them among the patients at Yunxiu Manor.

However, a complete cure for those patients will require a long period of effort. Those who survive smallpox are those with strong immune systems; there's no way around it. Jiuque can only ensure that all patients have enough to eat and drink during their illness. The most important thing now is prevention. If we can prevent the smallpox virus from spreading further in Dajing, we'll have controlled the epidemic.

Her memories of smallpox were so distant that Jiu Que could hardly recall them, but she did remember one important piece of information: vaccination with cowpox.

"Vaccination with cowpox? I have indeed heard that in some remote areas, people have cured patients using the method of variolation, but that method can only cure less than one in ten people. Humans and cows are different, so can cow scabs be used on humans?"

"Of course. And this method is extremely effective. Of course, we need to test it beforehand."

Xie Mingchen was skeptical, but he knew what kind of person Jiu Que was; he wouldn't have proposed it without certainty. So he agreed to Jiu Que's method and, risking his life, planted the trees himself first.

While waiting for the cow scab powder at Jiuque, Xie Mingchen took advantage of his position as a doctor to plant it himself first.

By the time Jiu Que found out, he already had a fever and had voluntarily isolated himself.

"Didn't we agree that I would get vaccinated first? You are the most skilled doctor among all the doctors. If you fall ill, who will be able to cure smallpox?!"

"Cough, cough cough cough... Jiu Que, that's why I have to experiment on myself. I'm a doctor, and no one understands the feeling of being sick better than me. People will trust the methods I personally test. You should leave now. I'm currently infected, and prolonged contact could cause you to catch smallpox too. The three thousand or so people in this manor depend on you, so please take care!"

"...You're such a stubborn mule. You seem quiet, but you're actually more stubborn than anyone else." Xie Mingchen just smiled slightly, not denying it.

"Throughout history, countless doctors have perished from smallpox. I am also a doctor, and I have my own selfish desires as a doctor. If I can cure smallpox, I can leave my name in the medical field."

"Isn't that simple? Once you get better, I'll plant a whole estate of apricot trees for you. So you absolutely mustn't die. Think about your ideals and ambitions, think about your family who have never supported you. If you die here, they'll only think that they were right to keep stopping you, and that if you had listened, you wouldn't have gotten sick and died here."

"okay, I get it."

In fact, this method was already being implemented on the third day after entering the villa. Now, almost half a month later, Xie Mingchen emerged from the room unharmed. Thanks to his composure as a doctor, he didn't even scratch when the rash appeared on his body, so he didn't have a single red spot on his body when he came out.

Xie Mingchen's risky experiment to develop a smallpox prevention formula had already been informed by Jiu Que to everyone at Yunxiu Manor. Someone was working silently for unrelated people, even at the cost of their own life. Shouldn't everyone know?

Among the three thousand people at Yunxiu Manor, the severity of their illnesses varied. Those in serious condition remained bedridden, some even on the verge of death, while those with milder symptoms had been waiting outside Xie Mingchen's room for days, pacing back and forth. It was true they were ill, but there were also relatives and friends outside who hadn't yet contracted the disease. If Physician Xie succeeded, wouldn't those relatives and friends be safe?

Moreover, if Physician Xie's method truly works, wouldn't they no longer have to fear smallpox? After all, Lord Ying said that if this method works, those who have been vaccinated against smallpox will no longer be infected with smallpox. Even if they don't recover, their families will be able to see them one last time.

Although their rational mind told them it was impossible—after all, no one had been able to find a way to prevent smallpox throughout history, and Physician Xie and Lord Ying had only discussed it for three short days, how could this method possibly work? Moreover, Lord Ying was not a doctor, she was just an official.

Emotionally, however, everyone has been praying day and night for the past few days, hoping that God will have mercy and give Da Jing a way out.

Even Emperor Jingtai, confined to the palace, upon hearing the news, couldn't help but pray to Heaven amidst his busy affairs of state. Since everyone said the emperor was the son of Heaven, let his words come true this time; the Great Jingtai simply couldn't withstand the torment of an epidemic. If Heaven truly wished to punish, then let it punish him.

Just as everyone was eagerly anticipating the moment, the door that had been closed for so long finally creaked open, and a pale-faced, handsome young man stepped out. He had become even thinner in the past two weeks. However, the joy in his eyes made him seem to be shining. This was not Jiu Que's illusion, because in retrospect, everyone present agreed that Xie Mingchen truly was radiant at that moment.

(End of this chapter)