The imperial physicians in the study chamber were petrified.
They looked at the Emperor with silent protest in their eyes.
But Xiao Yunzhou pretended not to notice. "You all discuss it first. After the evening meal, the Emperor will come and hear about your progress."
"By the way, Liu Runnian."
Xiao Yunzhou turned his gaze toward Liu Runnian, the brilliant uncle whose talents were recognized by Little Princess.
"You have always been innovative, even though you don't understand medicine. You should stay and listen to the Imperial Academy of Medicine's views on smallpox. If you have any sudden insight, you can also discuss it with the Emperor's imperial physicians."
When the Emperor said this, Liu Runnian immediately received hostile looks from all the imperial physicians present.
Nonsense.
Utter nonsense!
The left and right chief imperial physicians fixed their piercing gazes on Liu Runnian.
How could someone who doesn't understand medicine come up with a way to eradicate smallpox?
Utterly absurd.
If it weren't the Emperor who said it, they might have argued with him on the spot.
"Humph."
"Well."
The left and right chief physicians, and the bolder elderly imperial physicians, snorted and turned their backs on Liu Runnian.
Liu Runnian: "..."
Wearing the official robe of the Ministry of Works, he felt quite awkward among the Imperial Academy of Medicine.
But... he had indeed heard how Little Princess dealt with smallpox.
...It's just inoculation, isn't it?
Liu Runnian suppressed his expression and looked down at his feet.
"By the way, Old Liu," Xiao Yunzhou continued, turning to Liu Wenchang, "you can also draft a memorial for the Emperor at the Ministry of Personnel. If anyone knows a divine physician or has studied smallpox, they can submit a petition. Whoever has merit, the Emperor will reward them."
Liu Wenchang acknowledged the order. Before leaving, he gave his eldest son a 'be careful' look.
Liu Runnian took a deep breath, indicating he understood.
"That's all for now. You all discuss it, while the Emperor handles the matters of the Earth and Moon Sect." With that, Xiao Yunzhou went to the Hall of Governance.
There was no helping it; he was truly occupied, stretched too thin.
He could only let the imperial physicians discuss first.
Of course, he knew that the imperial physicians wouldn't come up with anything, since the inoculation technique didn't belong to the mortal realm, but was brought by Little Princess from the Immortal Realm.
But no matter, he, the Son of Heaven, would 'guide' them later on.
With these thoughts, Xiao Yunzhou went to discuss with the commander of the Imperial Guards about investigating the remnants of the Earth and Moon Sect outside the capital.
The study chamber fell silent, then erupted in loud voices.
"Head Imperial Physician Hu, is this what you meant when you said the Emperor's medical skills are superb? I really believed your heresy!"
The right chief imperial physician, who looked quite healthy and robust in his sixties due to good self-care, was now flushed and full of vigor.
"I think the Emperor hasn't even read half a medical book. He's just spouting nonsense, utter nonsense!"
Head Imperial Physician Hu was almost reprimanded in the face by the right chief physician. "Head Imperial Physician Hu, be honest, how much favor did you receive from the Emperor?"
Head Imperial Physician Hu: "..."
In all honesty, ever since the Duke of Dingguo suddenly fell ill and was promptly treated by the Emperor's timely summoning of Head Imperial Physician Hu, he had come to believe that the plague medicine was devised by the Emperor himself.
But regarding the Duke of Dingguo's matter, Head Imperial Physician Hu couldn't disclose the details to others.
In the entire Imperial Academy of Medicine, only a few people believed that the Emperor's medical skills were indeed superb.
"Let's be fair," Head Imperial Physician Hu cleared his throat, his face flushed. "You're all well aware of the devastation caused by smallpox. Since the Emperor is determined to eradicate it, we should all put in our best efforts."
Although he said this, Head Imperial Physician Hu himself knew that the Emperor's order to eliminate smallpox this time was a thorny task.
As the head of the Imperial Academy of Medicine, he didn't have much confidence either.
But the Emperor's command cannot be disobeyed.
"Everyone," Liu Runnian finally couldn't help but speak up, "isn't it unwise to give up before even starting? After the evening meal, the Emperor will come, so I think we should start pooling our ideas early."
"Ahem, do we have any medical books on smallpox that I can borrow and take a look first?" Liu Runnian asked shamelessly, despite the contemptuous looks from the imperial physicians.
"..."
The imperial physicians were speechless.
Liu Runnian's attempt to study medicine at the last minute was futile, as he was completely ignorant about it.
What a mess.
"Well, Lord Liu is right. Let's begin." Head Imperial Physician Hu, under pressure, instructed the medical assistants to find the books.
Soon, not only Liu Runnian but also the imperial physicians began searching through the books.
"Eruptions on the face and body, spreading rapidly, resembling fire rash... If not treated immediately, severe cases often result in death."
Liu Runnian read aloud earnestly, as if to help himself understand better.
But within a radius of one step around him, not a single imperial physician was willing to stand beside him for discussion!
The imperial physicians scorned associating with him.
"This book records that consuming patties made from water-buffalo lice and flour with porridge can prevent smallpox."
Head Imperial Physician Hu soon found a record but shook his head before finishing, "This method is not effective."
"Nope, it won't work." The left chief physician waved his hand. "When I was young, an elder in my village tried it on his grandson, but it had no effect."
The surrounding imperial physicians nodded in agreement. "It may have occasional effects, but those are exceptions."
Head Imperial Physician Hu sighed and put down the book he was holding, only for Liu Runnian to pick it up.
"Esteemed physicians, although I don't understand medicine, I've read some medical theories and roughly know about observation, auscultation, inquiry, and palpation, and treating the root cause."
To everyone's surprise, Liu Runnian spoke up. "This method of making patties from water-buffalo lice and flour should not have been randomly concocted by the author of this book. There must be some medical reasoning behind it."
Liu Runnian didn't understand medicine, but he had heard Little Princess's thoughts earlier about the cowpox method - inoculation!
To Liu Runnian, the cowpox method was essentially fighting poison with poison!
Introducing a milder form of the disease into the body, allowing a small infection to occur, thus preventing the possibility of future infections.
This line of thinking was actually quite similar to the 'consuming patties made from water-buffalo lice and flour with porridge to prevent smallpox'!
It seems that the early author who recorded this medical method already had the rudimentary idea of inoculation!
Far from dismissing this method as ineffective, Liu Runnian felt as if he had heard a celestial melody and wished the imperial physicians would carefully study it further.
"Could we perhaps continue exploring along this line of thought?" Liu Runnian looked at Head Imperial Physician Hu. "When I was young, I heard stories that mentioned the phrase 'fighting poison with poison' more than once. For the smallpox disease..."
Head Imperial Physician Hu looked awkward, but before he could speak, the surrounding imperial physicians began chuckling.
"Lord Liu, you truly are... full of novel ideas."
"Lord Liu, have you finished all your work at the Ministry of Works?"
"Lord Liu, what a brilliant idea - fighting poison with poison! If you ever fall ill, this old man will treat you by fighting poison with poison. How about that?"
"..."
Liu Runnian's mouth twitched.
Damn it.
He now realized the suffering of the Emperor's brother-in-law, Xiao Yunzhou.
Trying to guide these people, why was it so difficult?
They just didn't get it, this group!
Liu Runnian sighed and simply retreated to a corner to read books.
"Hmph! He's getting upset now? I'm not even upset."
"That's right."
The people from the Imperial Academy of Medicine couldn't help but comment when they saw Liu Runnian's reaction.
After dinner.
The people from the Imperial Academy of Medicine continued reading and drafting prescriptions without pause.
Xiao Yunzhou returned to the Imperial Study Room and saw everyone sitting on the floor, engaged in endless debate.
He was greatly relieved, "Oh, you're discussing it so fervently. So, do you have any ideas yet?"
The Imperial Academy of Medicine fell silent.
They debated endlessly because they had no definitive conclusion.
Under Heaven, there were no medical texts to follow for preventing smallpox.
Xiao Yunzhou nodded, "It is indeed difficult."
After all, it was a method only known to the Little Princess from the Immortal Realm.
It was normal for ordinary people to be unable to think of it.
Xiao Yunzhou sat down, picked up his tea cup, and gently blew on it, "Well, why don't you all listen to my thoughts?"
"??"
"I already have an immature idea."
"What do you think about the words 'fighting poison with poison'?"
"!!!"
The people from the Imperial Academy of Medicine forcibly restrained themselves from turning to look at Liu Runnian, who had remained silent in the corner for a long time!
What kind of idea was that?
Why did it sound so familiar, this "immature" suggestion!
