Dad, don't be greedy! My brother climbed into the emperor's bed, and I became famous overn

The Jiangzhou water management project is still ongoing. Gu Mingli has finished his report and will be heading back tomorrow.

Before leaving, he first invited Xue Ren to Powa Lane.

This will allow the key figure in the epidemic prevention efforts to connect with his sister.

Xue Ren was off duty today, and he was dressed in casual clothes, a dark blue fine cloth long gown, without his official hat.

An old medicine box was slung over his shoulder, containing several handwritten pharmacopoeias and a set of silver needles.

The leather of the medicine box was worn white, and the brass clasp was dull; it looked like it had been with him for many years.

He followed Gu Mingli off the carriage outside the alley and walked into Powa Alley, a poor neighborhood in Kyoto.

Xue Ren had prepared himself mentally before he arrived.

The opening of the Yitang Hall by the Gu family's daughter was undoubtedly arranged by the Right Chancellor.

They wanted to build a good reputation among the people so they could later project an image of serving the country and its people in the imperial court.

He had seen far too many of these kinds of things during his thirty years in the Imperial Hospital.

Whenever Kyoto suffers a disaster, a few powerful and influential families always step forward to provide porridge and medicine.

The soup kitchen was set up in the most conspicuous location at the city gate. People from the Imperial Medical Academy were pulled to the platform to cook a pot of medicinal soup that was not much better than plain water.

After three days of making a show of it, I packed up and left.

The disaster victims will still go hungry, and they will still get sick.

The fact that the Gu family's daughter chose such a location clearly shows her inexperience.

Powa Lane is located in a remote corner of southern Kyoto. The entrance is so narrow that even a carriage cannot pass through. Who could have witnessed their benevolent deeds?

Xue Ren shook his head inwardly and simply followed Gu Mingli into the alley.

He stopped after walking less than twenty steps.

The scene before me was not quite what I had expected.

The alleyway was paved with gravel; it was rough, but clean.

The walls on both sides were painted with white lime, making them stand out brightly, a stark contrast to the dark shacks outside the alley.

The drainage ditch was newly dug, extending along the edge of the alley. The bottom of the ditch was covered with broken tiles, and water was slowly flowing through it.

There was also a faint smell of lime in the air.

Xue Ren's nose twitched.

It's lime.

He recognized the taste.

Thirteen years ago, a major epidemic struck the south, killing more than 60,000 people.

The imperial court dispatched the Imperial Medical Academy south to provide disaster relief, and he led the team.

The most important thing in treating the epidemic is not medicine, but isolation and disinfection.

Using lime water to paint walls, floors, and ditches is the most effective method.

He was promoted to judge for his outstanding contribution to the epidemic prevention efforts.

Physician Xue was quite well-known in the capital city.

After that, he compiled a book called "Epidemic Prevention Guidelines", the first of which was "Apply lime everywhere to cut off the source of foul air".

But in officialdom, personal connections and social skills play a much larger role.

The epidemic prevention measures he painstakingly compiled could not be implemented.

That book is now gathering dust on the bookshelf of the Imperial Medical Academy.

Kyoto has been at peace for so long that no one remembers these things anymore.

"Editor Gu."

"Um?"

"Has this alley been renovated recently?"

Gu Mingli casually pointed ahead.

"My sister did it. She opened a pharmacy up ahead and tidied up the alley while she was at it."

Xue Ren remained silent.

He glanced down at the gravel pavement beneath his feet.

The paving wasn't very fine, but the pebbles were all the same size, and they hurt your feet when you stepped on them.

The road surface is slightly raised in the middle and lower on both sides, allowing rainwater to flow naturally into the drainage ditch.

This wasn't laid out randomly.

It was laid by someone who knows what they're doing.

The two continued walking inside.

After turning a corner, an elderly woman with gray hair was squatting against the wall washing clothes.

A wooden basin, the water in which was fairly clear.

The old woman looked up and saw Gu Mingli. Her eyes lit up, and she quickly stood up, her hands still wet, to bow.

"Young Master Gu!"

Gu Mingli waved his hand.

"Auntie, don't be so polite. Remember to hang the clothes up high after you've washed them, don't leave them in the shade against the wall."

The old woman nodded repeatedly.

"I know, I know, Miss Gu taught me that we can't cover it up, it has to see the sun."

Upon hearing this, Xue Ren paused for a moment.

He turned his head and glanced at the old woman again.

Next to the wooden basin used for washing clothes, there was a small earthenware jar with a gauze covering its mouth.

Those are disinfection tanks filled with lime water.

It's a folk remedy, but it works.

Soon we came to see a newly renovated mansion.

The two shops facing the street at the entrance are already open for business.

Above the door hangs a plaque that reads "Pujitang Juhong Pharmacy".

The plaque was newly painted, and the characters were written neatly. Although it wasn't the work of a famous calligrapher, every stroke was precise and orderly, without any frills.

Two workers were carrying sacks inside. When they saw a stranger, they looked up briefly, then looked down and continued working.

They had absolutely no idea how to greet guests.

Xue Ren found it amusing.

How can such a dull-witted employee attract business to the shop?

But then I thought about it again, and this place wasn't originally intended for business.

It's just for show.

Gu Mingli stopped at the entrance of the courtyard and called out to someone inside.

"Mingyue, Lord Xue has arrived."

There was no response from inside.

A short while later, a servant boy ran out.

He bowed to the two people at the door.

"My lords, our master is in the backyard. Let me lead you inside."

Gu Mingli waved his hand, "You can take Lord Xue inside, I won't go."

He turned around and explained to Xue Ren.

"The flood control project in Jiangzhou is still under construction and I need to go back and oversee it. The carriage is waiting outside the alley, so I won't accompany Lord Xue any longer."

He paused for a moment, then added another sentence.

"Lord Xue, my sister speaks frankly, please bear with her. But you'll see what she's going to do once you see it."

Xue Ren cupped his hands slightly in greeting. "Editor Gu, you've worked hard."

Gu Mingli also politely cupped his hands in greeting.

"Lord Xue, thank you for your trouble."

After saying that, he strode away.

Xue Ren withdrew his gaze and followed the servant across the threshold.

The front hall was much tidier than he had expected.

The medicine cabinets lined the wall, with handwritten labels of the medicine names pasted on the drawers, the handwriting neat and legible.

The scale platform was wiped clean, and the bronze scale rods gleamed with a dull light.

Near the entrance, there were three long wooden tables with several rough porcelain bowls and a kettle on them.

In the corner stood a small wooden board with a few lines of words written on it in charcoal.

Xue Ren walked closer and took a look.

"Drinking water must be boiled. Fruits and vegetables must be washed. Hands must be washed before meals."

The characters are written in large, thick strokes; it's clearly meant for illiterate people.

There was also a small illustration explaining the meaning next to it.

The pot for boiling water and the basin for washing hands are clearly visible.

Xue Ren's brow twitched slightly.

This pharmacy is quite interesting.

There aren't many customers.

"Are you Lord Xue?"

A middle-aged man in a gray-blue long gown emerged from behind the counter, holding an account book in his hands.

Xue Ren nodded.

"My name is Lu Qinghe, and I manage the accounts for the master. The master is in the backyard; I'll take you there."

As Lu Qinghe led the way, Xue Ren noticed the accountant's hands.

The index and middle fingers of my right hand have thick calluses, which are caused by holding a pen for many years.

There are also calluses on the tiger's mouth of my left hand, which are left from using the abacus.

This person is a master at accounting.

The backyard is twice the size of the front yard.

Two rows of wooden frame beds were built against the north wall, covered with new straw and coarse cloth mattresses, folded neatly.

The beds were spaced about three feet apart; they weren't spacious, but they weren't cramped either.

This layout is very professional.

In that instant, Physician Xue suddenly realized that this was the pharmacy run by his apprentice.