My name is Chang An, your name is Gu Li

Chapter 155: First Meeting with the Emperor

"But what?" Song Jing's attention was immediately attracted by Chang An's big turn.

"I have a way to prevent smallpox infection," said Chang An.

"Can the plague be prevented?" Song Jing felt a little unbelievable.

Chang An smiled and nodded, saying, "Not only can it be prevented, but it can also keep you from getting smallpox for the rest of your life. It just hurts for a while."

"What's the solution? Tell me quickly!" Song Jing said.

But Chang An shook his head and said, "This method requires the use of something, and even the master cannot decide on this thing."

"What do you mean?" Song Jing and Gu Li were both confused. Song Jing was the prime minister, and there was nothing he could not do.

"The use of this thing requires the permission of the current master. Otherwise, even if the plan is successful, I, the student, will lose my head." Chang An said.

When Gu Li heard that Chang An would lose his head, he nervously grabbed his hand and said to Song Jing: "Prime Minister Song, let's go see the emperor."

The way she looked, she must be really afraid that Chang An would be taken away and never come back.

Song Jing looked at the two of them. Now Chang An and Gu Li were both people with titles, so there would be no problem for them to go and meet the emperor.

He thought for a while, and finally asked: "Yonghe, do you really have a way to prevent and treat smallpox?"

"of course can."

Song Jing finally nodded and said, "That's fine, but the emperor should be having lunch now, so let's eat first. After dinner, the two of you change into court robes and follow me to see the emperor."

"Thank you sir."

Song Jing's arrival meant an extra set of bowls and chopsticks. After lunch and Gu Li drinking the medicine, Chang An and Gu Li returned to the house, quickly changed into court robes, and came to the yard.

Song Jing also tidied his clothes, and then he and Chang An and his wife left the Jikang Earl's Mansion and took a carriage directly to Xingqing Palace.

In Xingqing Palace, Li Longji had just finished his meal when he came here and called several imperial doctors to discuss the plague with them.

"Doctor Yang, how many people were diagnosed with the epidemic this morning?" Li Longji asked, sitting at his desk.

"Your Majesty, there are thirty-four people in total, and the rest are still under examination." The imperial physician Yang Mo replied.

"Have you found out what the epidemic is?" Li Longji asked again.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I have already ordered people to start the diagnosis, and there should be results in a few days." Another imperial physician named Ma Huai spoke up.

Li Longji sighed deeply. At this moment, an eunuch ran in and said, "Your Majesty, Prime Minister Song brought the Duke Jikang and his wife to the palace to request an audience."

"Xuan!"

"Yes." The eunuch turned and left, then went out and brought in Song Jing and Chang An and his wife.

After the three of them came in, they knelt down and bowed to Li Longji, shouting, "Your Majesty, long live the emperor."

"Stand up." Li Longji said.

After the three of them stood up, Li Longji asked, "Prime Minister Song and Earl Jikang, what do you want to report?"

"Your Majesty, I already know what the plague is." Chang An spoke at this time.

Li Longji was shocked. It had only been a while since the news was passed down, and Chang An actually knew what the epidemic was? !

"Ji Kangbo, you already know it, tell me quickly."

Chang An said, "Some of the patients with this disease have headaches and fevers, and some have pus-filled rashes on their bodies, so I dare to guess that this is smallpox."

Smallpox!

Li Longji and several imperial doctors in the audience all looked solemn.

"How did Ji Kangbo know that this was smallpox?" Li Longji asked again.

Chang An replied: "After smallpox is contracted, there will be no symptoms for ten days. Then within fifteen days, symptoms such as headache, backache, and fever will appear. After another fifteen days, pus-filled rashes will appear on the body, and finally death will occur."

"And today I heard from my teacher, Prime Minister Song, that all the plague patients had these symptoms, so I believe that this plague is smallpox."

This time it was Yang Mo and the other imperial doctors' turn to be a little unconvinced. Ma Huai asked, "I wonder if Lord Ji Kang has ever studied medicine?"

"I only know a little bit, but I haven't learned it."

"Lord Ji Kang, please be careful with your words. You haven't seen the patient yet, so how dare you think it is smallpox? If it is not smallpox, wouldn't you be committing the crime of deceiving the emperor?" Yang Mo also kindly reminded.

But Chang An said: "But if these two diseases are independent of each other, I dare not make a definite statement. But if they appear at the same time, and they are produced in the form of plague and are contagious at the same time, then the only disease I know of is smallpox."

After hearing this, Yang Mo and Ma Huai thought about it and felt that there was nothing wrong with what Chang An said. When Li Longji saw that the two leading doctors did not continue to ask questions, he asked himself:

"Then I wonder if Lord Jikang's visit today is not just to tell me that this epidemic is smallpox? Could it be that you have a cure?"

But Chang'an's answer disappointed Li Longji: "Your Majesty, there is no cure for smallpox."

"But I have a method to prevent the spread of smallpox."

Li Longji and several imperial doctors present were stunned. Yang Mo asked in disbelief, "Plague is a natural disaster. How can it be prevented?"

"Smallpox is a disease, not a drought or flood, so it can be prevented." Chang An smiled slightly, "Once prevented, the person will never be infected with smallpox in his life."

Upon hearing this, Li Longji was immediately moved and asked, "What is the solution? Ji Kangbo, please tell me quickly."

"Your Majesty, although this matter is easy, it requires Your Majesty to agree to one thing before this method can be carried out." Chang An said.

"What is it? Lord Ji Kang, you can tell me."

Chang An said: "What I need is the cattle of the Tang Dynasty."

"ox?"

Li Longji and the imperial physicians in the audience were puzzled again. What did the prevention and treatment of smallpox have to do with cows?

"What does preventing smallpox have to do with cows? Does it mean we have to eat cows?" Ma Huai asked.

Chang An shook his head and said, "I dare to ask, several doctors have seen people die from smallpox, but have you ever seen a cow die from smallpox?"

Ma Huai and Yang Mo were both stunned for a moment, then replied, "I haven't heard of it."

"That's it!" Chang An said, "When a cow is infected with smallpox, it will develop cowpox on its body. At this time, you need to squeeze out the cowpox, then stain the pus on a knife, and then use the knife to cut a hole in a person's body to infect the person with cowpox. Then, after three to five days, the person will develop resistance to smallpox and will no longer be infected with smallpox."

"This... what is the reason? Why people won't get smallpox if they have pus from cowpox? Please explain it to me, Earl Ji Kang." Yang Mo and Ma Huai are worthy of being imperial physicians, and they pursue medical skills unremittingly.

"Hmm..." Chang An held his chin, thought for a moment, and said in a way that everyone could understand:

"Cows won't die from smallpox because they are many times stronger than humans. Smallpox is harmless to strong cows. But not getting sick or dying doesn't mean there won't be sequelae. Cowpox is a sequelae of smallpox in cows."

"Because smallpox cannot kill cows, the power of smallpox will naturally weaken in the cow's body. Finally, it will form cowpox in the cow's body. Although the pus inside can also cause smallpox to infect humans, the damage of pus smallpox at this time is hundreds or thousands of times weaker than normal smallpox, and the human body can completely resist it."

"But after vaccination, people will have mild smallpox symptoms for three to five days. After recovery, they will no longer be infected with smallpox."

But Yang Mo still didn't quite understand what he said, so he asked, "Why is that?"

"Then let me put it this way. It can be understood that the human body has memory. After being infected with a plague, if one survives, the human body will remember how to resist the plague. This is true regardless of the severity of the plague."

"I see......"

Li Longji also asked at this time: "Ji Kangbo, how sure are you?"

"Your Majesty, I am 120% sure." Chang An said.

Li Longji suppressed his excitement and said, "Ji Kangbo, how can you guarantee that what you said is true?"

Chang An looked at Gu Li who had been standing beside him. She seemed to know what he wanted to say, so she smiled and nodded gently.

So Chang An turned around and said to Li Longji: "My humble servant and I are willing to test the law with our own bodies!"

"Your Majesty, please find a cow that has been infected with smallpox, and my wife and I will demonstrate it to Your Majesty."

Li Longji could no longer contain his excitement and stood up from the dragon throne, saying, "Great! You are willing to test the law yourself."

Chang An and Gu Li were both stunned for a moment, then looked at each other, wondering why the current emperor was so excited.

Although Li Longji was only a king who maintained the status quo, he was not only a king who maintained the status quo, but he was also very decisive in handling certain matters. Otherwise, the Tang Dynasty would not have had the Kaiyuan Prosperity.

"Just because you, Ji Kangbo, said 'I am willing to test the law with my own body', I believe you!" Li Longji said, "There is no need for you two to test the law this time."

But Chang An smiled and said, "In fact, once this law is implemented, all the people of the Tang Dynasty, regardless of gender or age, will be vaccinated against cowpox, and even His Majesty's holy body will need to be vaccinated."

"My humble servant and I tried it for both public and private reasons. For public reasons, we wanted to set an example for the people of the Tang Dynasty, and for private reasons, we also wanted to protect our family and friends from being harmed by smallpox."

Li Longji was very satisfied with Chang An's honesty after hearing this, so he sat down and said, "In that case, I will follow your advice! If this method works, you will have made a second great achievement in addition to eliminating the evil money!"

"Come here, go find a cow that has been infected with smallpox and cowpox!" Li Longji then waved his hand and said.

As soon as these words were spoken, an eunuch trotted out of the palace. Chang An, Gu Li and the others knelt down and shouted, "Your Majesty is wise!"

"No need to be polite!" Li Longji said, "Come here, please give seats and serve tea to Ji Kangbo and Zichuan County Lord!"

Chang An helped Gu Li stand up and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."