The Lucky Farmgirl

Chapter 2317 - 2292: Expansion

Bai Shan was also shocked and asked, "Do you want to experiment with smallpox pus?"

"Of course!"

After confirming that everyone’s rashes had subsided, Manbao prepared the smallpox scabs, intending to test if they would contract smallpox again.

This was the final step. When Manbao brought the prepared smallpox scabs, the six people sat together, nervously eyeing the bowl in her hand.

They heard that these scabs were taken from people. In the past, they would avoid even hearing about smallpox, eager to stay far away.

But having already been exposed to cowpox scabs, they were now going to be exposed to human ones...

Thinking about this, the six were not as anxious and lined up calmly, waiting.

Manbao placed the prepared cotton cloth in their noses, saying, "Leave it until the evening, and remove it after six hours. Normally, you’ll know the results in about three to five days, but we’ll usually keep people for ten days to observe. If you haven’t contracted smallpox in ten days, it means the inoculation was successful, and you won’t contract smallpox in the future."

Upon hearing this, the six swallowed nervously and asked, "What if the previous cowpox doesn’t work?"

Manbao’s eyes narrowed as she said, "Then you will get rashes again, and this time it will be much more dangerous."

This would be like inoculating with human pox, something Manbao had experience with, only their physical condition was not as good as those previous prisoners.

Thinking of this, Manbao also grew a bit anxious and said to Bai Shan, "Do we have enough medicinal supplies prepared?"

Bai Shan replied, "We have what you need in Xizhou City, and we’ve bought all you might use."

Manbao sighed, "That’s true."

Both were nervously awaiting the results, causing Bai Erlang and others who came to visit to feel tense as well, asking, "How are the people now?"

Manbao replied, "Pretty good, no reactions yet, but it’s only the second day. Let’s wait for a few more days."

Bai Erlang thought for a moment and said, "If it’s successful, the subsequent experiments should go faster, right?"

Manbao nodded, "The cowpox scabs are ready-made, no need to wait again. Once this is confirmed, we can proceed with the second batch of experiments."

Moreover, having the experience from the first time, the second experiment will definitely be faster.

Bai Erlang was delighted, "Then our speed will definitely be faster than the main army’s. Yesterday, we received good news that General Ashina captured three cities in Kucha and is approaching Kucha’s capital."

Manbao asked him, "If we’re faster than the army, what do you plan to do with the remaining time?"

Bai Erlang laughed, "I heard that when it gets colder, the desert might see snow, the snow on the dunes is particularly beautiful."

Bai Shan perked up, "There’s little water in the desert, isn’t it hard for it to snow?"

Snowfall is like rainfall, and after winter, there will be even less rain.

"That’s what the teacher said. He observed the heavens at night and felt that there should be rain in the Western Regions this year. When it gets colder, won’t the rain turn to snow? It will definitely snow."

Bai Shan turned his head to Manbao, "Why not have them build another yard nearby? After all, it’s made with yellow mud, it’s very fast, and it will speed up the experiments."

Manbao: "Will the Protectorate agree?"

She had no objections, at worst she’d call Bai Erlang and the others to help when busy.

But they’d have to wait until this experiment proved cowpox to be effective before starting the next one. Otherwise, if it’s ineffective, then...

Manbao shook her head, suppressing the thought for now.

Bai Shan pondered, "They should agree, I’ll take Liu Huan with me to ask."

He said, "We’ve been interacting with them more recently, perhaps because Junior General Guo instructed them before leaving, so they are polite to us."

Adding Liu Huan to the mix, the problem shouldn’t be big; just two yards, just two days of work, and nothing expensive is added inside.

He said, "I hear General Ashina and the Ministry of Revenue need a second batch of provisions."

So even General Guo wouldn’t want to offend Liu Huan too much at this time.

Even if they’re a thousand miles from the capital and can’t complain to Minister Liu at any time, borrowing authority suffices.

Bai Shan indeed took Liu Huan to the Protectorate, and upon returning, not only secured two more yards but also acquired a lot of rice, noodles, vegetables, and meat, with more chickens in the yard, including laying hens.

They added several sheep grazing outside the yard.

There was no choice; Bai Shan requested a lot of meat, saying that soldiers coming later need a period of recuperation—one yard for six people, three yards for eighteen.

Eighteen people having two meals with meat a day is quite a lot. He was particular that it must be fresh every day.

The Protectorate was reluctant to deliver fresh meat daily, as it was a place with smallpox, not somewhere you can easily come and go.

So they simply drove ten-odd sheep to them, so they could slaughter them themselves.

Assistant General Nie, who was in charge of guarding the patients, sneered and said to Bai Shan, "They’re just lazy, but slaughtering ourselves is better; we can even use the sheep bones to make soup, which tastes better than the meat."

Bai Shan then simply handed the task of slaughtering and herding to Assistant General Nie and went to the camp to select eighteen people to temporarily reside in the two newly built yards.

Manbao, accompanied by Zhou Liru, took their pulse and prescribed nourishing diets to start building up their strength.

The eighteen people thought they’d be getting smallpox upon arrival, but instead, they got to eat well for a few days. As they ate, they nervously waited, standing on tiptoe to peek into the next yard every day.

That yard was not easily accessible, and the people inside couldn’t come out. They heard they were inoculating there.

The eighteen swallowed nervously, and when the soldiers came to deliver meals, they couldn’t help asking, "Brothers, are the people in the next yard still alive?"

The soldiers guarding them knew they weren’t prisoners but soldiers like them, and since they were now wounded and disabled, hoping only to return home, the soldiers showed empathy and were polite to them, saying, "They’re living well. If you don’t believe it, stand in the yard and shout over there; you’ll know."

These mud houses didn’t block sound at all; even a fart in the next yard could be heard here.

They had only just arrived and would daze around on the bed after meals, not daring to speak loudly, or else the others would have noticed by now.

The eighteen paused, then asked, "Can we shout?"

The soldier put down the meals and tableware and said, "Go ahead, by the way, wash your dishes after eating. Lord Zhou said that you can walk around when free; just don’t get close to that yard, and you can roam nearby. We’ve put the sheep on the hillside; you can help us watch them when free."

"Brothers, weren’t we supposed to get smallpox? Why are we only eating?"

"Not getting smallpox, it’s inoculation!" the soldier emphasized, "Lord Zhou cares about you; he wants to build up your bodies first, so you can withstand smallpox later. Since they haven’t got results yet, you first focus on building up your body. Once they’re done, it’ll be your turn after you’re strong enough."