After the pickup truck started, Fang Er sat in the passenger seat and waited for a while before Old Sun and Lai Yifa walked out of the yard.
When Old Sun opened the car door and got into the back seat.
Fang Er said to Huang Sheng, "Drive, to the palace."
The pickup truck turned around and drove towards Chang'an City.
The guards outside Chengtian Gate opened the palace gate when they saw the pickup truck approaching.
When the pickup truck stopped, and Fang Er and Old Sun walked over, the guard bowed to the two of them.
"Marquis of Liaodong, True Man Sun, the Emperor has decreed that you may enter the palace directly without announcement.
Smallpox is a serious matter!
If it cannot be controlled, it will be a human tragedy!
Moreover, Zi Wu and Huang Liang Towns are directly west of Chang'an City, only thirty li away!
Damn it, with the slightest carelessness, it can spread into the capital!
Fang Er habitually felt for a piece of silver and tossed it over.
Then he and Old Sun went straight to the Liangji Hall.
In Liangji Hall, Li Shimin paced back and forth in the main hall.
More than a dozen imperial physicians were bent over, prostrate on the ground, constantly flipping through medical texts.
"Not this one!"
"This one isn't it either!"
"There's none here!"
"I don't have it here either!"
Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui were also present, looking at the imperial physicians with worried expressions.
Chang'an County Magistrate Jiang Shi stood aside, sweating profusely and trembling all over.
The outbreak of smallpox was under his jurisdiction.
If too many people died afterward, then losing his position would be the lightest punishment!
Fang Er and Old Sun's arrival broke the oppressive atmosphere.
"Your subject Fang Anzhi greets Your Majesty."
"This poor Taoist greets Your Majesty."
Li Shimin turned his head upon hearing the voices and saw the old Taoist Sun.
He rushed over as if seeing a life-saving straw.
"True Man Sun, do you have a way to treat smallpox?"
Hundreds of people in Zi Wu and Huang Liang Towns are currently infected. If it cannot be controlled, we may have to resort to ancient methods!
Fang Er did not quite understand these words, so he asked.
"Your Majesty, what are the ancient methods?"
Before Li Shimin could answer, Old Sun stroked his beard and said, "Quarantine the village!"
Fang Er was even more puzzled: "Once this contagious disease occurs, isn't isolating the patients the best method?"
Li Shimin's voice was very heavy.
"Boy! Do you think it's just quarantining the village? It's sealing the village and then burning it!
Regardless of the dead or the living! Regardless of whether they are infected or not!
These words struck Fang Er like lightning.
This is simply inhumane!
Fang Xuanling saw Fang Er's shocked expression and explained, "This is the last resort. If it cannot be controlled and spreads, the number of deaths will be incalculable!
A hundred li without a soul, a thousand li with white bones. Can the Marquis of Liaodong imagine what that scene would be like?
Yes! In this era where even a common cold could be fatal, what would be the consequences of such a large-scale epidemic?
Born under the red flag in his previous life and raised in New China, smallpox had long been eradicated. He had only heard of it in legends.
At this moment, he heard Old Sun speak.
"Your Majesty, this poor Taoist must go to those two towns to see for himself."
Chickenpox and smallpox have similar symptoms. Smallpox is deadly, while chickenpox can be treated, so it is better to see it in person.
Li Shimin listened to Sun Simiao's words and thought for a long time before finally nodding.
"Since that is the case, everything will be entrusted to True Man Sun."
After speaking, he bowed to Sun Simiao.
Old Sun quickly helped Li Shimin up and said, "The physician's duty is to cure illnesses and save lives. This is my job, and I cannot accept Your Majesty's bow.
This old Taoist will now return to prepare things and set off immediately."
After being helped up, Li Shimin pulled Old Sun and said, "True Man Sun, wait!"
Then he looked at the imperial physicians still flipping through books and shouted, "You all stop flipping books and immediately go and prepare things to accompany True Man Sun!"
The imperial physicians on the ground quickly got up.
The expressions of the more than a dozen people were varied. Some were excited, while some looked timid, clearly scared.
But with the Emperor's command, they had no choice but to go!
If they went, they might be able to achieve merit, cure diseases, and save lives. If they didn't go, they would probably never be able to hold their heads high in the medical profession again.
They could only accept the order and leave Liangji Hall to go to the Imperial Medical Office to prepare their medical kits.
Watching the imperial physicians leave, Fang Er suddenly said, "True Man Sun, how about I accompany you on this trip?"
Li Shimin was stunned, "I will have the imperial physicians accompany you. What are you joining the excitement for?"
Fang Er smiled slightly, nonchalantly, "Your Majesty, perhaps I can think of a solution?"
Li Shimin looked at the confident smile on his face and a sliver of hope suddenly arose in his heart.
This kid doesn't take the usual path.
It seems he has never done anything he wasn't sure of.
"Are you sure you want to go?"
"Yes! Also, I would like to ask Your Majesty for some death row inmates. I have a use for them."
Fang Er said, nodding.
Seeing his determination, Li Shimin agreed.
An hour later, Fang Er and Old Sun left Liangji Hall, accompanied by Chang'an County Magistrate Jiang Shi, and the three walked towards Chengtian Gate.
The imperial physicians were already waiting here with their medical kits.
Huang Sheng saw them come out and quickly started the car, getting out to open the doors for the two.
Fang Er first gave some instructions to Huang Sheng, then said to Sun Simiao, "True Man Sun, Magistrate Jiang, shall we go?"
Old Sun and Jiang Shi nodded and got into the car together.
Jiang Shi was in charge of leading the way. As the pickup truck started, Fang Er said to the group of imperial physicians, "You all ride your horses and go quickly. Fang and True Man Sun will wait for you in Huang Liang Town."
After speaking, he stepped on the accelerator, turned the car around, and followed Zhuque Avenue outside Chengtian Gate, passed through Chang'an City, and headed west!