There was once a story in a martial arts novel about a Duan family heir who, after swallowing a toad called "Mang Gu Zhu Ha," became immune to all poisons, married a beautiful and wealthy woman, and reached the pinnacle of life!
Although this plot point was a bit far-fetched...
In reality, toads have extremely high medicinal value, especially in detoxifying, reducing swelling, and relieving pain.
The ancients advocated "fighting poison with poison"...
The Compendium of Materia Medica even referred to it as "Chan Bao" (toad treasure), stating its miraculous efficacy in strengthening the vital essence, consolidating the root, breaking down stasis, and eliminating cancer and detoxification. Even in later generations... many folk doctors, or "barefoot doctors," used it as a folk remedy to treat tumors, hepatitis B, poisoning, and a series of other diseases.
Moreover, Lu Yu had faith in Zhang Zhongjing's medical skills.
He didn't give Sun Shangxiang much time to react. He directly used his hands to pry open Wu Guotai's mouth and immediately stuffed the toad's skin pieces and the dried white secretion "Chan Su" into Wu Guotai's mouth, making her swallow it.
Although Wu Guotai was weak, she could see that Sun Xiaomei's husband was pouring "toads" into her mouth. She could also feel a cold sensation in her throat...
Her body strongly resisted, and she felt nauseous...
Soon, Wu Guotai felt a violent urge to vomit. She used all her strength to turn over... wanting to spit it out.
In this era, using "toads" as medicine was still too advanced, too inauspicious!
Even more so than medicine...
More people were willing to believe that "toads" were poisonous.
Sun Shangxiang also sobbed...
"Lu... Lu Yu, you... you... are you my nemesis? Are you the nemesis of my Sun clan? How could you do this... this... *sob sob*..."
As Sun Shangxiang cried out...
Wu Guotai felt her abdomen churn like boiling water, the pain unbearable. This feeling was direct, countless cold sensations colliding and merging with the original heat in her body!
She wanted to speak, but being so weak... her throat was hoarse, and she couldn't utter a sound.
Sun Shangxiang desperately patted Wu Guotai's back, trying to make her feel better.
However... only Lu Yu quietly observed Wu Guotai's complexion. In less than fifteen minutes, her face, which had been as pale as paper, began to show a touch of redness.
Outside the door, chaos erupted.
Sun Shangxiang's voice was filled with sorrow, and Wu Guotai's pained groans were even more heart-wrenching...
One of the physicians relayed Lu Yu's diagnosis to everyone present.
Sun Yi was about to rush in, but Sun Quan stopped him, "His Highness the Crown Prince is a divine physician of this era. He knows... should we interfere?"
They say concern can cloud judgment...
Sun Shangxiang was like this, as was Sun Yi. Sun Quan, however, with his pair of bright green eyes, was unusually resolute. At this moment... he had no other choice but to trust Lu Yu.
"I'm worried about Mother... she... she..." Sun Yi still tried to push forward but was intercepted by Dian Wei and Xu Chu, who had rushed to this side with Lu Yu...
The two burly men formed a solid door, blocking everyone outside!
"Third Brother, good medicine tastes bitter!" Sun Quan continued to persuade.
After a full fifteen minutes of struggle, Sun Yi still managed to break into the room...
But the scene inside stunned him.
Because...
Because his mother, Wu Guotai, was... was currently upside down with Sun Shangxiang's help, trying to spit out this "toad" in this manner...
And tears continuously welled up in Sun Shangxiang's eyes.
As for Sun Yi, along with Sun Quan, Zhou Yu, Zhang Zhao, and others behind him, they were all dumbfounded.
After all... Wu Guotai was already nearing seventy years old this year. Moreover, she was poisoned and on the verge of death. Where would she have the strength to stand on her head, even with Sun Shangxiang's support... it wouldn't be possible, right?
Sun Shangxiang continued to cry, "Mother, you can't spit it out... still can't spit it out."
Lu Yu, on the other hand, sat leisurely on a Hu stool, watching their "performance" with keen interest? It was as if he were watching a monkey show.
Sun Quan was the first to exclaim, "Mother's complexion, Mother's departure, Mother's poison... it's better... it's better now?"
Sun Yi nodded heavily...
And because of their words, Sun Shangxiang seemed to finally realize. She looked at Wu Guotai in astonishment. Yes... her mother had never had this much strength before, but this time...
Thinking of this, she looked at Lu Yu again. Lu Yu was now resting his chin on his hand, his eyes slightly narrowed, as if observing her.
Instantly, Sun Shangxiang slapped her forehead. Her reaction... was truly... truly slow!
They say concern can cloud judgment, and being caught up in the moment makes one oblivious...
That's precisely the reason.
"The poison in Guotai has subsided considerably, but she still needs to take her medicine on time!"
Lu Yu's voice was soft, yet... every word carried immense weight.
*Clatter...*
*Clatter...*
With two sounds, Sun Yi and Sun Quan knelt...
If their previous submission of Jiangdong to Great Wei was due to circumstances and the general trend, then now... they were truly convinced.
Lu Yu quickly helped them up. "What is this for?"
"The grace of saving my mother..."
Before Sun Quan could finish speaking, Lu Yu interjected, "We are all family. The urgent matter now is the plague in Jiangdong... I hope Dodo here can assist and cooperate in this matter!"
"Your Highness the Crown Prince... no... brother-in-law has commanded, and I, Sun Yi, will spare no effort, even at the cost of my life!" Sun Yi bowed deeply again.
The grace of saving a life was like a rebirth...
Lu Yu saving Wu Guotai was equivalent to Wu Guotai giving birth to Sun Yi once, and Lu Yu giving birth to him again.
And the ancients placed immense importance on the grace of saving a life.
With that said, Lu Yu finally turned his head to look at Sun Shangxiang. Her expression was somewhat strange at this moment... She seemed to feel guilty for her impulsiveness, and perhaps because she didn't trust Lu Yu... and...
"Heh..."
Lu Yu let out a light chuckle and said softly, "My two Sun brothers, your sister here... seems not very intelligent. If she were in the Eastern Palace... she would likely cause a lot of trouble!"
This statement was full of meaning.
Sun Quan quickly said, "Your Highness the Crown Prince, rest assured. We, your two brothers, will discipline our sister well!"
As soon as he said this, Sun Shangxiang pouted, but seeing her mother's restored complexion, her mood became much lighter.
Tonight...
Even her husband, Sun Shangxiang, would have to admit her fault, wouldn't she?
...
...
In the main hall of the Sun Residence in Wujun, it was very quiet.
Sun Quan, Sun Yi, Zhang Zhao, Zhou Yu, Lu Xun, Lu Su, and others were all kneeling on both sides.
They were all staring intently at Lu Yu, who was kneeling in the center.
A physician was reporting on Wu Guotai's condition, which had improved... This was great news for the Sun family...
After the physician withdrew, Lu Yu softly said, "Everyone must be very curious why such a widespread plague has appeared in Jiangdong?"
"Why don't you all take a look at this..."
Lu Yu gestured to Dian Wei, and some Dragon Cavalrymen carried a small bamboo basket forward.
The "squeaking" sounds from the bamboo basket were incessant. Everyone looked up. Inside the basket were mice with pointed heads, small eyes, and long tails. What else could they be?
Uh...
Many people recoiled in fear upon seeing the mice, afraid of contracting the plague.
Jiangdong was now terrified of rats.
Lu Yu's words followed in rapid succession, "Everyone, do not be afraid. These mice have been disinfected and do not carry the plague. However... as you can see, there are over ten different types of mice in this basket..."
Lu Yu slowly walked towards the basket and pointed to the mice of different colors, introducing them: "This is the yellow-breasted rat, three times larger than ordinary mice. This is the brown rat. Anything it touches, if a person touches it... they are very likely to contract poison. And also..."
Lu Yu meticulously introduced each type of mouse.
Before coming to Jiangdong, he had already dispatched many people from the Medical Bureau to this place, having done ample preparation.
With the assistance of the Five Pecks of Rice Sect, various types of mice had been collected in one place.
Of course...
As Lu Yu introduced these mice, all the officials were bewildered. They had never seen these mice before. Moreover... in their impression, the mice in Jiangdong were very small. Compared to these huge mice, they were like snacks to these mice.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince..." Zhou Yu asked proactively, "Why have we never seen these mice in Jiangdong?"
Lu Yu looked around at everyone, then narrowed his eyes and said earnestly, "Because these mice do not belong to Jiangdong!"
"The mice in Jiangdong are small and delicate. Although numerous, they are not very poisonous, nor can they cause such a widespread plague... However, these mice come from the Western Regions, where the miasma is strong and the poison is potent. They are like invasive species, wantonly invading Jiangdong. Any water these mice have drunk, any grain they have eaten, and then consumed by people, will cause illness!"
"The most terrifying thing is that this plague is contagious. Once someone falls ill, it will spread rapidly... thus causing the plague throughout Jiangdong!"
As soon as these words were spoken...
Everyone below looked at each other, and they understood. In an instant, they all understood.
Everyone present was intelligent...
Recalling the widespread rumors, the truth had surfaced. Someone had brought highly poisonous mice from the Western Regions to poison the entire Jiangdong. The secondary goal was to incite war between Jiangdong and Great Wei...
The intentions... could not be described as anything less than malicious!
But...
Who could it be?
Zhou Yu frowned and continued to ask, "The urgent task is to prevent the spread of this plague. Wujun has become a severely affected area. We cannot let the entire Jiangdong suffer such devastation! Your Highness the Crown Prince, can only the 'toad' cure the plague? If that is the case, it will be difficult to find such a quantity of toads!"
*Ahem...*
Lu Yu coughed lightly. Toads are used to treat severe plague symptoms, employing the method of fighting poison with poison!
For mild cases... how could such a thing be used!
"Actually, it's not that troublesome. Divine Physician Zhongjing has already developed some medicinal ingredients, but it requires issuing prescriptions and collecting a large number of herbs..."
"That's easy!" Sun Yi said, "What do you need? List it for me, Your Highness the Crown Prince, and I'll send people to get it!"
With the medicinal problem solved, Zhou Yu's eyes darted around. He said, "The antidote can indeed prevent the spread of the plague, but... if these mice are not eliminated and are allowed to multiply, the plague will spread endlessly! Does Your Highness the Crown Prince have a way to permanently solve this rat problem?"
"Yes..." As if he had expected someone to ask this, Lu Yu uttered a single word without hesitation.
—"Cats..."
That's right... cats!
And just like Zhang Qiying's reaction when she heard that cats could catch mice, when the word "cat" was uttered, everyone present... their eyes widened, and they looked astonished. Cats? Could they replace dogs... to catch mice?
For a time, everyone was in an uproar, and immense questions arose in their hearts!
...
...
Five days later, twenty thousand cats were sent from the Central Plains. It took thirty thousand armored soldiers to escort these twenty thousand cats.
And with the arrival of the cats...
The entire Wujun began a tense yet orderly prevention and control of the plague.
Just as in the past... when treating typhoid fever, Zhang Zhongjing held consultations in Wujun, and one by one, the common people suffering from the plague were cured.
Undoubtedly, Lu Yu's appearance brought a guiding light to this city plagued by "plague."
But... curing was easy, but prevention was difficult.
It took time for cats to catch mice, and it took time to purify water sources. The speed of controlling the plague was far slower than the speed of its spread. Every day, countless patients still filled the free clinic's halls.
Including the medical officials sent from Wujun, Zhang Zhongjing had over a hundred people by his side... This number of physicians was far from enough.
"Elder Zhang..." Lu Yu and Zhang Zhao stood by the window on the second floor, looking at the long queue of common people below...
Lu Yu asked worriedly, "How many patients are still queuing..."
"Over a thousand..." Zhang Zhao replied truthfully. "This is just one of the free clinic locations. All the free clinics combined have over a thousand people queuing..."
Upon saying this, Zhang Zhao sighed, "His Highness the Crown Prince has helped our Wujun a lot, but... but unfortunately, our Wujun is not living up to expectations. If... if we could gather five hundred doctors, then... then..."
*Phew...*
Lu Yu sighed softly. Let alone five hundred doctors, even a hundred more would be extremely important.
In terms of manpower, they were still stretched thin.
"Elder Zhang, there's no need to disperse the people tonight. Let the doctors rest in batches. I will stay here... with the doctors and the common people!"
"Your Highness the Crown Prince!" Lu Yu's words touched Zhang Zhao.
For Lu Yu, Jiangdong was now also a part of Great Wei, and every common person here was his subject!
He admitted to himself that he could not love the people as his own children, but... he could not stand by and watch his people suffer from the plague!
—"Old man, where do you feel unwell?"
—"Old man, when did you realize you had contracted the plague?"
—"Madam, do you feel a burning sensation in your head?"
On the first floor, the voices of doctors could be heard. Each physician, wearing the white robes provided by Lu Yu, seemed to be wearing battle armor beneath them. Their entire beings were filled with a sense of mission and responsibility!
This is what is meant by—the compassion of a physician;
And what is also meant by—the solemnity of a great doctor!
Zhang Zhao slowly walked down the stairs...
Just then.
A young man ran over, out of breath. His face was not pale, but rather extremely ruddy. He ran up to Zhang Zhao, "Sir, I... I am from Wujun. I have studied medicine for five years and am proficient in adjusting medicinal herbs. See... can you teach me, so that I can also join this plague free clinic?"
Ah...
The sudden appearance of this young man stunned Zhang Zhao.
Who would have thought...
Behind this young man, more and more people followed.
"Sir, is His Highness the Crown Prince here?"
"Sir, please tell His Highness the Crown Prince that my daughter has studied medicine with her grandfather since childhood. Although she is a girl, she is proficient in medical skills. Let her stay and help His Highness the Crown Prince!"
"Sir, I also want to join the free clinic. I understand medicine and herbs. Where is His Highness the Crown Prince? I'll go... and beg him to agree!"
"Sir, I also studied medicine for three months. I... can I try? Every little bit helps..."
This...
Appearing before Zhang Zhao were countless young people. They brought their own medical kits, and they bravely stepped forward, determined to fight the plague to the end.
Zhang Zhao did not know... where they got their courage, but Zhang Zhao could feel the burning light and flames in their eyes!
And more and more "barefoot physicians" came to support. In the end, the young, innocent faces brought tears to Zhang Zhao's eyes.
For a moment, he realized...
Jiangdong... never lacked fearless and brave young people. What it lacked... was only a lighthouse to guide them forward!
"Your Highness the Crown Prince... His Highness the Crown Prince is on the second floor!"
"However, now is not the time to pay respects to him. Come with me... we have medicine, and you are all young. You will surely learn it quickly!"
"Everyone, don't panic. His Highness the Crown Prince is on the second floor. Once this plague is quelled, you will all be able to meet him!"
Looking out...
When one place is in trouble, support comes from all directions.
The physicians queuing up to provide support, in a moment, outnumbered the patients!
...
...