“Let’s not talk about her. Jiyun, do you have any news? Is my prescription useful?”
It was not the time to care about Wang Xing’er now. An Jiuyue was most concerned about whether her prescription would help mitigate the epidemic.
“I ordered someone to pass the prescription to an imperial physician I’m familiar with. He wants me to ask you what you want in exchange for the prescription,” Qian Jiyun replied.
An Jiuyue was stunned by his question. “Huh?”
What conditions? What does he mean?
“What do I want in exchange? What do you mean?” she asked.
Qian Yiyun explained, “Sister Jiuyue, your prescription is valuable. How can you give it away so casually? He’s saying that the imperial physician asked if there is anything you want in exchange for this prescription. He’ll do whatever you say.”
An Jiuyue finally understood what he meant. She rolled her eyes and shook her head.
“It’s just a prescription. Is there a need for this?”
She did not offer this prescription to seek something in return. She only hoped to cure this epidemic disease as soon as possible.
She looked at Qian Jiyun and said earnestly, “But if I must say something I want, I hope that imperial physician can teach his revised prescription to the doctors amongst the commoners. They can then treat patients with the epidemic disease at any time.
“I don’t need to receive any benefits. I just hope that we can quickly suppress this epidemic.”
Qian Jiyun looked at her and smiled.
He knew that his wife was broad-minded. She was not attracted to all those benefits.
“Then I’ll do as you say and send someone to deliver the message,” he said.
“Don’t mind me.”
Qian Jiyun heard his sister chime in.
“Big Brother, even if Sister-in-law doesn’t want any benefits, we should at least get her some herbs in exchange. Someone tried to sabotage our water source today. Who knows what will happen in the future?
“Even if nothing happens, it feels safer to have some medicine at home. Don’t you agree, Sister-in-law?”
Qian Yiyun raised her eyebrows and asked An Jiuyue.
How can she not receive what she deserves? The Emperor would reward any minister handsomely. She has to take what she deserves.
An Jiuyue was silent for a moment before agreeing. “Mhm.”
It had not been long after the flood, but there were epidemics everywhere. If this continued, everyone would be panicked. It would be good to have some medicine at home.
“Let’s do as Xiao Yiyun says.”
“Okay,” Qian Jiyun replied.
…
The villagers grew even more worried because of Wang Xing’er. They recruited a few more men to guard the village and the spring.
No one dared to gather water from the river to drink anymore.
However, it was not enough. Even if they had water, they had to have food.
Not many families saved up money. Besides whether they were even willing to use their money to buy food for other villagers, the rice and grain sold in town were increasingly expensive.
It had only been a few days, but prices had increased so much that the people could not afford them.
Early the next day, An Jiuyue brought Qian Jiyun to another place to fetch water. She witnessed some villagers carrying bags of grain up the mountain secretly.