On the eighth day of March, news came from Jiangdong that an epidemic had broken out and a large amount of medicinal materials was needed.
Moreover, the Welfare Bureau can no longer accommodate so many patients. Doctors in private clinics seem to have joined forces to drive up the prices of medicines and even increase the consultation fees. Ordinary people can't afford to see a doctor at all.
Jiangdong is located in the north-south convection area, and influenza breaks out almost every year. Therefore, the Imperial Hospital ordered the Jiangdong Huimin Office to prepare a large amount of medicinal materials a month ago.
However, the General Director of the Jiangdong Huimin Office also reported that the price of medicinal materials had soared since the beginning of the year. Not only that, but some people were buying medicinal materials in large quantities, and there was a severe shortage of medicinal materials for treating colds on the market.
Medicines are in short supply, so they can be transferred from nearby state capitals. However, strangely enough, the medicinal materials market seems to have been deliberately disrupted this year. Since the beginning of the year, whenever medicinal materials for treating colds appear across the country, people buy them up in large quantities. Therefore, the state capitals do not have much medicinal materials for treating colds.
Without medicine, a minor cold can turn into a serious illness and spread rapidly. This is the first time that medical insurance has faced a severe test since its establishment.
The Welfare Bureau was overwhelmed by the victims, but the doctors were helpless. They could diagnose the disease but had no medicine to cure it.
Murong Jie did not return home for two consecutive days and had been discussing the matter urgently with his ministers.
There is no doubt that this is a conspiracy.
Zi'an and a few young sisters were also talking about this.
"The market was closed during the Chinese New Year, but as soon as the medicinal materials market opened at the beginning of the year, some people started buying seasonal medicinal materials in large quantities. It was clearly aimed at Jiangdong. There is an outbreak of seasonal epidemics in Jiangdong almost every year, and many people know this." Hu Huanxi said.
"Huanxi, aren't you also involved in the medicinal materials market? How many medicines for treating colds do you have on hand?" Zi'an asked.
Hu Huanxi shook his head. "No, I had already considered the Jiangdong epidemic, so I wanted to buy a large amount of goods when I entered the market at the beginning of the year. However, someone bought a large amount of goods in the name of the Huimin Bureau. I thought they were preparing for Jiangdong, so I didn't fight for it. It was a mistake."
"Purchasing goods in the name of the Welfare Bureau? In that case, there must be someone from the Welfare Bureau acting as an insider?" Zi'an said.
"It's possible. Otherwise, the wholesalers of medicinal materials in the market would raise prices when they see the large-scale buying in the market. Only when the imperial court intervenes would the wholesalers sell at normal prices." Hu Huanxi said about the market trend.
"No wonder he hasn't made any moves." Zi'an sighed, "It's really hard to guard against."
"How could you possibly defend against this? He is the emperor, who has been in power for many years and has many trusted people working for him. Your Highness is busy with reforms, so how could he have thought that he would use the lives of the people as bargaining chips? He is really no different from Chu Jing in Beimo. Is it true that an emperor would sacrifice the people in order to consolidate his throne and power?"
Zi'an has been friends with Hu Huanxi for such a long time, but she rarely heard Hu Huanxi talk about state affairs or the emperor. She has always been very calm, but this time, she was really angry.
The shadow that Chu Jing brought to Zi'an is still there. Although the flu cannot be compared with the plague, if it is not treated and spreads widely, it will still cause the deaths of many people.
"I really hope that the tragedy of Wolf Tail Mountain will not happen again." Rouyao shuddered.
"Huanxi, you are familiar with drug dealers. Go and ask who has a large quantity of drugs for treating epidemics."
Hu Huanxi said: "Okay, I'll ask someone to find out."
She did have connections in this area, but if she had them, then maybe Su Yue Lou also had them, so she said to Lingli, "Lingli, ask the people in Su Yue Lou to ask around."
"Okay, let's split up." Lingli said.
Zi'an said, "Thank you for your help."
Hu Huanxi had just stood up, and upon hearing this, he smiled and said, "You are being polite now. Haven't you helped me before?"
"I have helped, I have helped, but I feel that I have helped you too little and you have helped me too much." Zi'an said apologetically.
Hu Huanxi said, "With you, the princess, as my backer, who in the business world wouldn't give me some respect? Your help is invisible."
"Oh, I dare not take credit for it. It is the princess who supports you." Zi'an said with a smile.
"Both, both." Hu Huanxi smiled at Zhuangzhuang.
Zhuangzhuang also laughed, and as he laughed he became worried, "I hope this is the last shiver."
They all went their separate ways.
Zi'an asked Dao Lao Da to go to the palace to inquire about the situation. Nanny had just prepared lunch when she saw the Jin guards from Prince Li's mansion hurried in, "Princess, Princess, help me."
Zi'an was also shocked to see him panicking, "What's wrong? What happened?"
"Our princess is sick and has lost her appetite for several days. The prince asked us to come and ask the princess to come and save her."
Zi'an rolled his eyes, "Are you tired of eating? You're asking for help when you have no appetite. You scared me."
"That's what the prince said," Da Jin said awkwardly, "The prince is so nervous, but Wangcai's wife wasn't that nervous when she gave birth."
Zi'an, with a big belly, ordered, "Xiaosun, ask Wu Yanzu to bring the medicine box and accompany me to Prince Li's mansion."
"Okay." Xiaosun went there quickly.
The nanny was so distressed that she said, "I'll keep the food warm for you to eat when you come back."
"I'll just have something to eat in the palace. Don't get too hot. You guys go and eat." Zi'an said.
"Please keep it warm. Today I made your favorite bamboo shoots." said the nanny.
Zi'an couldn't resist her, so he said, "Okay, you keep it warm, I'll come back and eat it."
Zi'an rushed out with Wu Yanzu.
When they arrived at Prince Li's mansion, Prince Li was already waiting at the door. When he saw Zi'an coming, he said nothing else but kept talking about Ah Man's "illness".
"Since three days ago, I have lost my appetite. I thought it was due to indigestion, so I asked someone to give me some digestive tea. I felt better, but I still can't eat much. In the past three days, I have eaten less than a normal meal."
Prince Li used to be rather rigid. Everyone knew that he loved and was concerned about Ah Man, but he seldom showed it or said anything about it. This was the first time he was so nervous.
Zi'an comforted him, "Don't worry, Third Brother. I'll go check your pulse first."
"Go quickly, she hasn't eaten for several days, her hands and feet are weak, and she is gasping for breath when she walks." Prince Li said with concern.
He led the way in front, and Zi'an followed in with Wu Yanzu, who was carrying a medicine box on his back.
The sound of dogs barking could be heard in the distance. Zi'an recalled that he had been scared by Da Jin and had to hide in a tree. He couldn't help but smile. Those were truly glorious years.
Ah Man was lying on the bed, looking really sick. When she saw Zi An coming, she couldn't help but look at Prince Li with a complaining look, "Can't you just find a doctor to see her? Why did you ask her to come? Her belly is so big. If something goes wrong on the way, I wonder how you will explain it to the Seventh Prince."
"I sent the Great Jin to pick him up." Prince Li said confidently.
"That's not OK."
Zi'an said quickly, "It's okay. I was bored in the mansion. Third brother asked me to come over. I just happened to come to Prince Li's mansion to have some good food."
"Don't worry about him anymore. I'm fine. Everyone has a poor appetite sometimes." Ah Man stood up, and Prince Li scolded him, "Lie down. You haven't checked his pulse yet. Do you know he just has a poor appetite?"
(End of this chapter)