The Lucky Farmgirl-Chapter 2106 - 2081: The Deal

The winters in Xiazhou are too cold. It’s the New Year, and without adults watching, they naturally wouldn’t stay up all night. So after talking and warming by the fire, everyone returned to their rooms.

Bai Shan and the other two moved into the county governmental office early on, so not only were their rooms close, but their courtyards were also nearby. Once they were a distance away, the three began whispering, "I knew you had ulterior motives. Is that method of inoculation reliable?"

Manbao said, "I will research further, it will definitely be reliable." Plus, there’s Teacher Mo. Recently, he’s found quite a few remedies for smallpox for her, although not many were useful.

Bai Shan said in a low voice, "Don’t say too much, just leak a bit to Imperial Doctor Lu. When we return to the capital, find someone to try the inoculation method. By the way, have you properly sealed the scabs you collected?"

"Don’t worry, they’re sealed tightly, they won’t leak." They’re stored in the space, and she has collected quite a few. She just needs to take out a small bottle when they return to the capital.

Manbao planned how to speak to Imperial Doctor Lu. The next day, after sleeping in, she confidently went to the courtyard next door to find Imperial Doctor Lu.

Imperial Doctor Zheng had just finished washing up and greeted Zhou Man without minding, "Why so early, Imperial Doctor Zhou?"

Manbao looked up at the position of the sun. Today was the first day of the new year, the sun was shining brightly. She thought she was already late, but were they even later than her?

Manbao seemed puzzled. In the Zhou Family, only the children would sleep in. In her memory, everyone from her parents to her Second Brother and Third Brother were early risers.

Well, her Fourth Brother and younger siblings didn’t count.

Manbao looked around and asked, "Where is Imperial Doctor Lu?"

Imperial Doctor Zheng pointed to a room on the side and said, "He hasn’t gotten up yet. What do you need him for? Isn’t duty already being rotated at the other courtyard?"

"It’s not about the other courtyard," Manbao hesitated for a moment, deciding not to disturb Imperial Doctor Lu’s sleep. "When he wakes up, tell him I need to discuss something with him. I’ll be busy in the study at the front of the county governmental office."

Imperial Doctor Zheng: "...Imperial Doctor Zhou, today is the first day of the new year."

Manbao: "So what?"

Imperial Doctor Zheng: "Aren’t you going to take a break?"

Manbao said, "It’s neither home nor the capital here. There isn’t even a shop open outside, no family to accompany, nowhere to go and play, so how do I rest?"

Imperial Doctor Zheng: ... Isn’t sleeping nice?

But facing Zhou Man’s gaze, he swallowed the words. Forget it, it’s better not to misguide the youth. At their age, they should be a bit more ambitious.

Imperial Doctor Lu, already awake but not wanting to get up, eventually didn’t sleep much longer. As soon as Zhou Man left, Imperial Doctor Zheng knocked on his door.

Even pretending not to be awake was impossible.

Imperial Doctor Lu grumbled as he got out of bed, "It’s the first day of the new year. Even if this is an external assignment, can’t they spare a person? Can’t whatever it is wait until the afternoon?"

Imperial Doctor Zheng smiled, "I heard Imperial Doctor Zhou and Young Master Bai are organizing data, probably for the reports."

Not only does Yang Heshu need to submit a report detailing the death and recovery numbers from this epidemic, but the Imperial Hospital also needs to submit a report, focusing specifically on the prevention and treatment aspects.

Imperial Doctor Lu is the chief of this external assignment, so it’s his task to write the report, but...

He doesn’t have much experience writing official reports. In the past, Director Xiao would handle such affairs from above, and Imperial Doctor Liu from below. Even Zhou Man has submitted more reports than him.

So Imperial Doctor Lu pondered for a moment and decided to find Zhou Man at the front.

Zhou Man was not there to discuss the report but to talk about the inoculation.

Imperial Doctor Lu frowned, "Inoculation? The risk is too great. What if it gets out of control and turns into another epidemic?"

Manbao nodded, "That’s why I want to learn from the Western Regions. If I can master this technique, how many people in Great Jin will survive if inoculated in their youth, the next time smallpox strikes?"

Imperial Doctor Lu pondered for a while before asking, "So you want to go to the Western Regions?"

Manbao nodded, "Imperial Doctor Lu, do you think this method is feasible?"

Imperial Doctor Lu reflected, "It’s not impossible, but are you really going all the way to the Western Regions for this?"

Manbao gazed at the sky outside the door at a forty-five-degree angle and said, "If I can learn this technique, it will be a meritorious deed for generations to come."

Imperial Doctor Lu nodded, "Indeed."

Seeing that he didn’t seem opposed, Manbao said, "Then I’ll write the report?"

Imperial Doctor Lu then remembered and asked, "By the way, regarding our Imperial Hospital’s report, uh, I’ve heard you’ve already calculated the data?"

Manbao nodded, "Do you need it, Imperial Doctor Lu? I’ll get a copy from Bai Shan for you."

Imperial Doctor Lu sighed, "After two months of running around, my eyes are increasingly strained. Now, it’s not just tiring to write; even reading my own pulse records is taxing."

Really?

Manbao looked at Imperial Doctor Lu suspiciously, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Shall I write it for you?"

Imperial Doctor Lu smiled broadly, nodded, and said, "Then I’ll trouble you, Imperial Doctor Zhou. You can handle more tasks. Write your report and help me with mine. I’ll just copy it later."

Manbao calculated the time and found she had nothing much to do recently, so she agreed.

However, she also set a condition, "I’ll mention the inoculation method in the report. Remember to assure the emperor for me later."

This method of uncertain efficacy was not something Imperial Doctor Lu wanted to endorse. But since Zhou Man had just agreed to help with the report, Imperial Doctor Lu reluctantly agreed.

Thus, both parties reached an agreement and went their separate ways.

Manbao went next door to the office to find Bai Shan.

Feng Zongping and most of the students from the Imperial Academy were there, still organizing documents and case files. Just as Zhou Man said, this was neither home nor was there a bustling market outside. It was meaningless to go out, so it was better to work in the office.

Bai Shan saw her coming and handed her a portion of data, "Here’s what you wanted."

Feng Zongping, seeing this, smiled and said, "Lord Zhou Junior, I also have the expense data for post-epidemic prevention in each county. Do you want it?"

Zhou Man immediately said, "Yes, give it to me."

Feng Zongping hadn’t expected her to actually want it and, after a moment of surprise, found a report among the documents and asked, "What do you want it for?"

Manbao took it and said, "To bring it back to the Imperial Medical Office as a reference. It might come in handy for teaching students in the future."

The students from the Imperial Academy stroked their chins and commented, "In terms of epidemic prevention, it makes sense for the Imperial Hospital and the Imperial Medical Office to handle it."

Bai Shan said, "The Imperial Hospital has few people, and the Imperial Medical Office is not yet fully established. Even if it were, local governments wouldn’t maintain too many people, so epidemic prevention will still have to rely on the county government. However, the Imperial Medical Office should have oversight responsibilities." 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Everyone nodded in agreement and asked Manbao, "Is there such a regulation for the Imperial Medical Office?"

Manbao said, "Of course there is. The Imperial Hospital has this rule, and the Imperial Medical Office follows suit, adopting the same protocol."

Everyone understood, realizing that Zhou Man indeed needed this data.

Others began looking around, "We have some data here as well..."