Abandoned Woman Busy Farming
Chapter 1244 - 1246 Risking Life and Limb_1

Chapter 1244: Chapter 1246 Risking Life and Limb_1

Bai Ruozhu took a deep breath, feeling a thudding pain in her chest, as if her ribs had been broken and pierced into her heart.

The agonizing cries were like the desperate groans of the dying, and the pairs of despairing eyes made her feel as if she were trapped in an ice cave, unable to breathe.

No, she could not watch so many people die in despair. She had to save them, even if she couldn’t save everyone, every single one saved was a victory!

"Don’t worry, everyone. What Doctor Sun said was about the past. Now we have gained a lot of experience in treating the plague and have many formulas. As long as you keep faith in your hearts, you will surely get through this difficult time!" Bai Ruozhu spoke up.

But she was too young, and her words didn’t have the influence of Doctor Sun in these people’s hearts. They felt that if even Doctor Sun couldn’t cure the disease, how could a young woman possibly have a way?

Bai Ruozhu furrowed her brows and tore off the cloth covering her face. Jiang Yichun tensed at her side, wanting to step forward to stop her, but saw her shake her head slightly at him, signaling for him to trust her and not to interfere.

Jiang Yichun clenched his fists tightly, his eyes filled with worry, but he forced himself not to step forward.

He had the strength to protect her; he could have her stand behind him and give her everything she desired, but he couldn’t. He could not let such a woman be overprotected, could not force her to stand back, and most certainly could not stop her determination to save lives.

Jiang Yichun silently resolved that he would not and could not stop her. Instead, he would stay by her side. If she were to contract the plague, then he would contract it with her, and then use himself as a test to find a cure for her!

Bai Ruozhu threw the cloth from her face onto the ground and walked towards the nearest little girl, Xiuxiu. She reached out to touch Xiuxiu’s head and then bent down to pick her up.

She smiled and said to Xiuxiu, "You see, your auntie isn’t afraid of getting sick. If your auntie didn’t have the ability to cure the plague, why would she dare to joke with her own life?"

Xiuxiu’s eyes lit up, "Auntie, you are so kind. I believe you can save me!"

Suddenly, the drying yard fell silent, and the other patients all stared at Bai Ruozhu in shock. As the days went by, more patients were admitted, and everyone had avoided them like the plague. Even Doctor Sun, who was closest to them, had been extremely cautious, never removing the cloth from his face. And this woman had just taken off her mask and even held a girl who had contracted the plague. Was she out of her mind?

Bai Ruozhu looked at the crowd and smiled, "Your fate is in your own hands. Those who believe in me, show some confidence and live well. A bit of strength will help you overcome the illness sooner. Also, if you have the strength, don’t just lie there. Move around when appropriate, get some sun, and you will heal faster."

Xie Er, who looked more spirited than the rest, got up and said, "So we can move around, huh? My butt’s sore from sitting so long. I’m going to go get some sun."

"Wait a moment," Bai Ruozhu stopped him, and then said to everyone else, "Those who came in yesterday afternoon, step forward. I will check on you, and if you are still in the early stages of the plague, come with me to the yard nearby to stay temporarily."

A woman among those destined was anxious, struggling to rise and asking, "Does that mean they can still be saved, and that’s why they have to stay away from us? Are we beyond help?"

The morale that had just started to rise dropped dramatically with her question. Bai Ruozhu bit her lip and said, "No, that’s not it. Different stages require different treatments, and I will treat each of you in turn."

Those who had arrived the previous afternoon eagerly stood up. Bai Ruozhu assessed the situation and pointed out five people to leave. She told Jiang Yichun to arrange for them to cleanse themselves with sulfur before moving to the small yard next door.

Jiang Yichun was somewhat reluctant to leave Bai Ruozhu, but she chided him with a glance, saying, "Have you forgotten I know martial arts? You go quickly, and afterward, go out and tell Zhou Shu that we have too few helping hands here. We need at least two chefs, separately preparing meals and decoctions, we need cleaners, someone to apply medicine, help with cleansing—ask if there are any doctors in the town willing to help, offering a large reward."

Jiang Yichun nodded, "I will arrange these, and you be extra careful, make sure you also drink the preventative medicine."

"Yes, Doctor Jiang." Bai Ruozhu lightened the mood by making a silly face at him, easing the oppressive atmosphere.

Initially, the five people included Xiuxiu and Xie Er, but Xiuxiu suddenly burst into tears and adamantly refused to leave, saying she wanted to honor her grandfather and would not go anywhere.

Old man Zhang sighed deeply and said, "Silly girl, you were just looking for your mother, how are you going to see her if you stay by your grandfather’s side? Be good and go get treated; if you recover soon, you’ll be able to see your mother."

Bai Ruozhu thought of Xiuxiu as just a child and said to the young man Xie Er, "You help take care of Xiuxiu. If you don’t take good care of her, don’t expect me to treat your illness."

Xie Er huffed, "You don’t need to tell me that. I may speak too quickly at times, but my heart isn’t black."

This time, old man Zhang did not get angry with Xie Er but nodded at him, saying, "Little Xie, I appreciate your help."

His politeness made Xie Er somewhat embarrassed, and he grunted acknowledgment before taking Xiuxiu and leaving with Jiang Yichun.

Afterward, Bai Ruozhu began to take the pulse of each patient one by one, and before long, Sun Jia, who had been hiding in the shadows, came out again and stood behind, asking, "Can you really cure the plague?"

Bai Ruozhu nodded, "It’s just a matter of time."

Sun Jia’s eyes reddened as he muttered, "Why didn’t I meet you earlier?" After saying that, he quickly held back his tears and asked, "Is there anything I can help with?"

"Bring me some paper and a writing brush. There are many patients here with different conditions; I need to take some notes." Bai Ruozhu said.

"Alright." Sun Jia turned and went to the backyard room to get the paper and brush.

Bai Ruozhu sighed as he took the pulse of a middle-aged man and said, "Doctor Sun is a pitiable person. He came to our Guangqi Town over a decade ago. I heard that when the plague broke out in his hometown, his only son died from it. His wife, unable to bear the loss, drowned herself in the river, which is why he came here to the Northwest. He’s a great person, often giving us poor folk free medical care. When we contracted the plague, he was the only one who dared to come and take care of us."

The man, realizing it, gave Bai Ruozhu an awkward smile and said, "And you, you’re a good person too."

Bai Ruozhu smiled back at him, advised him on a few things to be mindful of, and just then, Doctor Sun returned with the paper and brush. Bai Ruozhu took the paper and brush, wrote a formula for the first person, and wrote a "1" on the paper, then encircled it. She also used the brush to write a "1" on the person’s clothing and circled it as well.

She was recording clinical cases and wanted to avoid any confusion, so she had to assign each patient a number.

With a puzzled face, Sun Jia asked, "Doctor Bai, what is this that you are writing?"

Bai Ruozhu suddenly realized that people at that time did not recognize Arabic numerals.

"It’s a mark to distinguish each person clearly. We need to treat according to the different conditions to prevent confusion."