Chapter 249 - 249: Success

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Mr. Wen did not expect the Zou family to accept it so calmly. He said to the scribe, “Please bring the strong wine over.”

Zou’s wife cried and knelt in front of Mr. Wen. She begged him, “Doctor Wen, my eldest son and youngest son are still burning up. My youngest son is covered in blisters. Please save their lives.”

Mr. Wen looked at the woman and shook his head. “Your two children are already sick and we can’t plant any more vaccines. They can only drink medicine and recuperate slowly. Whether they can be cured is up to fate.”

Scribe Tu carried a can of strong wine into the courtyard. Mr. Wen lit the wine as Li Yu had said and took out a thin-bladed dagger. He placed it on the fire for a while and took out a cotton swab from the medicine box to soak in the wine. He said to Zou, “You first.”

Mr. Wen pulled away Zou’s clothes and revealed his arm. After wiping his arm with a cotton swab stained with wine, he made a cut on his arm. He took a new cotton swab, dipped it in the vaccine, and smeared it on the cut. He smiled and said, “Okay, next.”

In a short while, Mr. Wen planted the vaccine in the members of Old Zou’s house. Mr. Wen instructed them, ‘You cant use your hands to touch the wound. Don’t get water on it. In half a month, the wound will scab and leave a scar. If you have some fever, don’t be afraid.”

Zou bowed with his family and said, “Doctor Wen, thank you.”

Mr. Wen waved his hand and picked up the medicine box. “You’re welcome.

We’re still busy going to the other households. Just remember what I told you.” The Zous escorted the scribe and Mr. Wen, who headed for the other houses.

Then, they went to the Yang and Liu families and successfully planted the vaccine. When they arrived at the family opposite them, that family was unwilling to plant vaccines no matter what. While Scribe Tu persuaded them, the family even made a scene and said that Mr. Wen was them as experiments.

Mr. Wen picked up the medicine box and said to the scribe, “Sometimes, it’s about fate. It seems that I’m not fated with them. Let’s not force it. There are still a few families to go to!” The scribe looked at the family and sneered. “They don’t know what’s good for them.”

After two more houses were vaccinated and the vaccine in the porcelain bottle was used up, Scribe Tu sent someone to the farm to get the vaccine. Mr. Wen got busy vaccinating more than a dozen families around the Zou residence.

After the vaccination, Mr. Wen was exhausted and instructed the scribe, “Monitor the situation carefully. If anything happens tonight, look for me at the government office. I’ll come back tomorrow morning.”

“Alright, go back and rest for a while. I’ll watch over things here!”

The two medicine halls in Qingchuan City had been paying close attention to the spread of smallpox since it happened.

When the shopkeeper of the Rejuvenation Hall heard that Mr. Wen was planting vaccines for those people on East Street, he mocked Mr. Wen. “I thought you were really capable, but it turns out that you’re just so-so. If you could plant vaccines, you would have done it long ago.”

“The shopkeeper is right. I don’t know how many seniors have tried this method of planting vaccines. Although some people survived, many people died.” As a physician, he knew that Mr. Wen was often on the streets and prescribed some cheap but effective medicinal herbs to the patients, causing the shop to earn a lot less money. He had been dissatisfied with Mr. Wen for a long time. However, since Mr.Wen was from the county magistrate’s family, he couldn’t do anything to him and had to flatter him. Now that he had the opportunity, he could mock him to his heart’s content!

In the days that followed, Mr. Wen and the scribe guarded East Street. Every day, they conducted visits to check on those who had been vaccinated.

After a few days, Mr. Wen examined the arms of the people who were vaccinated and found that they had rashes. After asking, everyone said that there was no discomfort.

At this moment, the child who was infected with smallpox was unable to resist the disease. His life was taken away by smallpox at a young age.

Zou’s wife’s heart ached so much that she hugged the child and refused to let go. It took a while before everyone finally managed to take the child from her arms. Seeing that she did not get smallpox after such contact, Mr. Wen became even more convinced that the vaccine could prevent smallpox.

After a few more days, the papules turned to pustules. After most of a month, only a shallow cross-shaped scar was left on the arms of those who had been vaccinated. During this period, except for the first two days when they were a little uncomfortable, none of them died because of the vaccine.

Mr. Wen knelt on the ground excitedly and looked up at the sky as he shouted, “Master, I did it! I did it! Do you see this in heaven? We’re not afraid of smallpox anymore!”

The families who had been vaccinated also looked up at the sky happily when they saw Mr. Wen’s shout. “It worked. We won’t get infected with smallpox again.”

Mr. Wen returned home excitedly and told Li Yu the news of the successful planting. Li Yu looked at this kind -hearted old man and cried in excitement. She admired his selfless dedication.

Thinking of this, Li Yu smiled and said to Mr. Wen, “Sir, you’ve been tired for so many days. Go wash up first. I’ve already asked Old Madam Liu to make your favorite pork ribs and lotus root soup.”

Mr. Wen rubbed his hands together, unable to suppress his joy. “Not now. After I wash my hands, I’ll call Xiao Xi back from the government office and plant the vaccine for Xiao Xi too. You have to take care of the child. You’ll have to plant it in a few days.”

Li Yu nodded and said, “Alright, plant it for Ruyi and the others too. I’ll do it with the child later.”

A crisis was averted. In the following days, Mr. Wen vaccinated those in the magistrate’s office and on the farmstead.

The shopkeeper of the Qingchuan Medicine Hall, who was paying close attention to the planting of vaccines in the city, also learned of the news of the successful planting of vaccines. He hurriedly sent the news to the owner of the Qingzhou Medicine Hall.

The shopkeeper of Rejuvenation Hall also learned that Mr. Wen had cured the smallpox disease. He thought excitedly, Whoever has the prescription to treat smallpox will have an inexhaustible source of wealth. I have to quickly discuss the cooperation with Mr. Wen. It’s only a matter of time before I’m promoted to the chief shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper carried a gift to the county office and asked to see Mr. Wen. When he saw Mr. Wen, he raised his thumb and flattered him. “Mr. Wen is a role model worth learning from!”

Mr. Wen had never liked the shopkeeper of Rejuvenation Hall. He felt that he was too unscrupulous. Mr. Wen felt that he must be here to about the smallpox vaccine. Mr. Wen glanced at him and said indifferently, “Shopkeeper, you don’t visit unless you have something to say. Just say it.”

The shopkeeper was stunned by Mr. Wen’s candor. He smiled apologetically and said, “Doctor Wen, I want to talk to you about cooperation.”

Mr. Wen looked at him and smiled. “Cooperation! Are you talking about smallpox disease? I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you. I don’t plan to use it to accumulate wealth. I want to publicize the method of planting vaccines.”

“Make it public?” The shopkeeper looked at Mr. Wen as if he was looking at a

fool. “Doctor Wen, do you know how much money this prescription can earn? Are you going to make it public so easily?”

Mr. Wen looked at him indifferently, picked up his tea, and ignored him. The shopkeeper of Rejuvenation Hall left resentfully..