Chapter 647 - 490: Celestial Dew of Restoration (Part 3)

"Is it no money, or is it no plan to give money?" Zhao Rui snorted coldly.

"There is no money. Last year, the tax silver collected by the Ministry of Revenue was already 10% less than the previous year, yet the court’s expenditures continue to rise. This 100,000 taels was scraped together from all corners, Your Majesty."

Zhao Rui was furious, wanting to curse, but the accounts are indeed like this. He also knows that the Ministry of Revenue truly has no money. If pushed too hard, these ministers would bite back.

Historically, the civil official group has always supported the Crown Prince, but this time when the Crown Prince went to Dongshan to fight the epidemic, they were actually obstructing him behind the scenes?

Their purpose should be not wanting the Crown Prince to go.

Without money, even if the Crown Prince goes to Dongshan, what use can it be?

...

"Who is it, who is plotting against me?" Crown Prince Zhao Yuanze also received this news. Obviously, after the news leaked out, the civil officials supporting him in court used this passive method to prevent his departure.

"Your Highness, it should be arranged by the Empress. You almost had an incident the last time. She knows it’s the Emperor who sent you, couldn’t stop it by force, so used this method..."

"Why doesn’t Mother understand, this isn’t helping me, this is harming me!" Zhao Yuanze quickly ordered, "Quick, I want to enter the palace to see Mother."

As expected, the Crown Prince’s request for a meeting was refused by the Empress.

She was determined to stop her son from going to Dongshan.

...

"Issue an edict to allocate two million taels of silver from the Inner Treasury for the Dongshan Prefecture epidemic control, along with the 100,000 taels from the Ministry of Revenue, and give them to the Crown Prince. He can dispose of this money at will; direct him to set off immediately!" Zhao Yuanze didn’t see the Empress, but the Emperor’s edict came first.

Upon receiving this imperial edict, Zhao Yuanze understood that his father was determined to let him make a trip to Dongshan Prefecture.

This is good, as he originally wanted to go once more, so it was not a disagreement after all.

...

It’s the seventh day.

The number of patients at the Xue Family Manor isolation treatment center has exceeded 1,000, and the cases in the city are still increasing daily, but the growth is relatively gradual. With the medical resources of Dongshan Prefecture, it’s still manageable, at least there hasn’t been a large-scale panic.

And the street isolation order certainly had effects; without it, outbreak might turn the entire Dongshan City into hell on earth.

Although many die daily now, at least within the city, it remains stable.

As more people get infected, the consumption of medicinal materials and resources is rapid. Even with Pei Jian urgently procuring supplies and buying medicines, at this rate of consumption, it won’t take long before they’re exhausted.

The money spent daily is like flowing water.

The one million taels raised, at this rate, will be depleted within ten days.

Even if the ban is lifted after ten days, the subsequent isolation and treatment costs will still be significant, and this likely won’t see a dawn of hope in the short term.

Optimistically estimating, if the epidemic could be ended within three months, at least five million taels of silver would be needed.

The losses are immeasurable; even tens of millions of taels would be considered light.

If we can get through this catastrophe, Dongshan City won’t recover for at least three years.

The death toll has long since surpassed a thousand by now, with the current trend, who knows how many will die in Dongshan City?

Yongning Hall has already closed, and Xia Zhu is helping at Shengyuan Hall. Though she hasn’t received the "Medical Officer" title, at this moment, no one thinks she’s unqualified.

In treating the epidemic, she’s now an expert; even people like Wen Ruyu face problems and come to her for advice.

Because through her hands, countless people declared dead have been pulled back.

Otherwise, more would be dead.

Xu Qixi of the Xu Family is the same. Although she hasn’t been with Lin Miao for the longest time, her intelligence and talent, coupled with Lin Miao’s guidance, naturally enhanced her medical skills quickly, lacking only experience.

And this epidemic provided her with a great opportunity to accumulate experience, her fame nearly rivaling Xia Zhu’s.

The Xu Family’s Baoan Hall has also been requisitioned as a designated isolation treatment medical hall.

...

The light in the underground quiet chamber at Miao Manor was lit again, Situ Wan had returned.

Lin Miao brought a meal box as usual, today he made a bowl of vegetable and meat wontons. Without speaking, Situ Wan ate them all in one go.

She likely hadn’t eaten anything good during her outings these two days.

"This is Shenxiao Dao’s miraculous cure-all elixir. They don’t allow it to be taken away, must be consumed on the spot. I spent a great effort deceiving them to get this small bottle," Situ Wan handed Lin Miao a porcelain bottle.

Lin Miao reached out to accept the porcelain bottle, and without uncorking it, slipped it into his bosom.

"I saw it firsthand this time, after someone drank this elixir, they truly recovered instantly." Situ Wan said, "Also, I observed for a long time; this person shouldn’t be a shill for Shenxiao Dao."

"Oh, can you find this person again?"

"Yes, I remembered where he lives. If you want, I can bring him back tomorrow," Situ Wan nodded.

"Good, but don’t alert anyone, especially Shenxiao Dao," Lin Miao nodded.

"Are you staying tonight?"

"Do you want me to stay?" Lin Miao chuckled, this was the first time Situ Wan proactively brought up the subject.

"Stay if you want, I’m going to bathe and freshen up." With that, Situ Wan left the quiet chamber in embarrassment and anger, taking a clean set of clothes out.

There’s a hot spring on the manor, beloved by the women; in the cold winter, soaking in the hot spring for a while daily not only wards off the chill but nourishes the skin.

At this time, there should be no one around, it’s just right for her to go.

Women bathing don’t return for hours, Lin Miao carried the empty meal box and, with the "elixir" bottle in his bosom, returned to the laboratory.

Perhaps, tonight the secrets of the so-called miraculous elixir could be unraveled.