TSWPF -Chapter 114 Epidemic

The villagers all said they had heard the news. They, too, hoped to plant crops and harvest some rice, so they wouldn’t have to worry about going hungry.

“There’s another piece of good news to tell you all,” the village head said. Seeing everyone nodding, he smiled with satisfaction. “His Majesty cares for us common folk and has therefore exempted us from taxes for the next two years.”

This was truly wonderful news. When the villagers heard it, bright smiles spread across their faces. One after another, they knelt down and shouted, “Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor forever!”

Without having to pay taxes, they could save a great deal of grain and no longer worry about starvation.

After saying a few more words to the villagers, the village head had his son distribute the seeds and carefully register everyone’s names.

After taking the seeds home, the villagers all began praying fervently for rain. As long as it rained, they could plant their rice.

Perhaps Heaven truly heard their prayers. Half a month later, a heavy rain fell.

The moment the rain began, the villagers burst into cheers, each and every one running outside to enjoy it.

Li Qingfeng and the other two boys were no exception, dashing into the courtyard to play.

Liu Zhirou and little Li Qingning also wanted to run out with them, but Li Qingling stopped them.

They were still quite young, and she was afraid they might fall ill, so she wouldn’t let them go.

The two little ones could only stare longingly at their older brothers playing, their hearts filled with envy.

But when Li Qingling wasn’t paying attention, Li Qingning, the little rascal, toddled out on her short legs.

“Ah? Big sister, little sister ran out!” Liu Zhirou cried anxiously, stamping her feet as she watched her younger sister giggling in the rain.

Li Qingling looked over and saw Li Qingning splashing about like a little mad thing in the rain.

She shook her head helplessly, then glanced at Liu Zhirou, whose eyes were full of longing, and finally relented. “If you want to go, then go.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Liu Zhirou ran out and soon ended up playing wildly together with Li Qingning.

“…” Turns out they had been waiting right here for her to say that!

When Liu Zhimou came out and saw the scene, he smiled, reached out to rub Li Qingling’s head, and said indulgently, “Since they’re happy, let them play for a bit. When they come back later, we’ll just have Grandpa prepare some medicine for them to drink.”

This was the advantage of having a doctor in the family—you didn’t have to worry about children getting sick and then having to travel all the way to town.

Li Qingling shot him a sideways glance. “Why are you so easygoing today, hmm? Aren’t you usually quite strict with the kids?”

He quietly hooked her finger with his, his gaze drifting toward the children laughing happily in the courtyard, and said gently, “As long as they’re happy, that’s enough.”

If it weren’t for his status, he would have liked to go out and experience it himself.

Li Qingling tilted her head to look at him. Seeing his ears tinged pink, she pursed her lips and smiled. Turning her hand over, she grasped his and teased him, “If you want to hold hands, then do it openly. What are you afraid of?”

Teasing him was really quite fun.

She felt she might get addicted to it.

With a loud boom, Liu Zhimou’s face turned bright red. He avoided her gaze, cleared his throat, and said, “I just remembered there’s an essay I haven’t finished reading. I’ll go read it first.”

With that, he forcefully pulled his hand free and fled in big strides.

Watching his retreating figure, Li Qingling couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

Don’t be fooled by how calm and crafty he usually was—he was actually quite easily embarrassed.

Every time she teased him, he would blush and run away.

Liu Zhimou sat in the study, rubbing his face in frustration. That little girl always caught him off guard and teased him.

He didn’t want to blush in front of her and lose the upper hand, but he just couldn’t control himself!

How could that girl be so thick-skinned, teasing him so calmly?

Next time, he would definitely tease her back and wouldn’t flee in panic again.

Li Qingling had no idea she had just dug herself a pit—one that she would eventually fall into and taste the bitter fruit of her own making.

……

“How long is this rain going to last?” Li Qingling frowned as she looked at the torrential rain outside. It had been pouring for three days and three nights straight, with no sign of stopping. If it continued, it would really turn into a flood.

First a drought, and now a flood—how were the common people supposed to survive?

“That depends on whether Heaven decides to show us mercy,” the old man replied worriedly. “If Heaven doesn’t, there’s nothing we can do.”

What worried him most was whether this rain would bring some kind of epidemic afterward.

He sped up his work, prepared a batch of medicine, handed it to Li Qingling, and told her to boil it. Once it was ready, everyone was to drink a bowl.

Looking at the old man’s worried expression, Li Qingling asked, “Old man, are you worried there might be an epidemic?”

She had seen news reports before—after earthquakes, bodies had to be cremated collectively to prevent outbreaks of disease.

With this round of natural and man-made disasters, many people must have died without proper burial. After being drenched by rain like this, bacteria would easily spread.

The old man hummed in acknowledgment, standing at the doorway with his hands behind his back, staring at the downpour outside, his brows knitted tightly together.

He hoped he was just overthinking things.

Seeing how worried he looked, Li Qingling’s heart sank as well.

The last epidemic had already claimed countless lives. If another one broke out now, she really couldn’t imagine the consequences.

Calling it hell on earth wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

“Old man, prepare more of this medicine,” Li Qingling said after some thought. “I want to deliver it to the villagers too, so they can take precautions.”

It wasn’t enough for just their own family to prevent it—having the whole village take precautions was best.

Otherwise, if the villagers all fell ill, it would eventually spread to their household as well.

“All right, I’ll prepare it now,” the old man replied.

Li Qingling acknowledged him and went to the kitchen to boil the medicine. Once it was ready, she had everyone in the family drink a bowl.

The two little ones, smelling the bitter medicine, pinched their noses and refused to drink it.

Seeing this, Li Qingling scared them, saying that if they didn’t drink it, they would get sick, and once sick, they would have to drink even more bitter medicine.

With that threat, the two little ones shuddered, their small faces scrunching up as they said they would drink it.

“That’s more like it,” Li Qingling said, handing them the bowls. Only after she saw them drink did she feel relieved.

After cleaning up the bowls, she handed the remaining medicine to Liu Zhimou and asked him to take it to the village head’s home, explain the situation, and let the village head decide what to do.

Liu Zhimou nodded, took the medicine, put on a rain cape, and headed out into the heavy rain.

The village head was standing at the gate with a troubled expression, watching the torrential rain. When he saw Liu Zhimou arriving through the rain, he was startled.

“Zhimou, come in quickly!” the village head called loudly. “It’s raining so hard—why did you come? Is something the matter?”

Liu Zhimou took off his rain cape, set it aside, and then pulled out the medicine prepared by the old man.

“Village Head Grandpa, when I was fleeing from Song Mountain earlier, I once saved a doctor. He’s staying at my home for now,” he said, pushing the medicine toward the village head. “This is medicine he prepared for us to prevent an epidemic. Please distribute it to the villagers and have everyone drink it.”

Hearing this, the village head’s heart skipped a beat. He asked nervously, “Zhimou, does that doctor think an epidemic will break out?”

Thinking of the epidemic from a year ago, he couldn’t help but shiver.

If another epidemic really came, there would truly be no survivors left in Oxhead Village.

“That’s not certain. This is just for prevention,” Liu Zhimou said, not stating it too definitively. After all, no one could guarantee whether it would happen. “Village Head Grandpa, think about it—after the disasters before, so many people died and weren’t properly handled. Now there’s been another heavy rain…”

He didn’t finish his sentence, but the village head fully understood.

With a heavy heart, he nodded and said he would definitely distribute the medicine and instruct the villagers to drink it properly.

“Then I’ll trouble you, Village Head Grandpa,” Liu Zhimou said, sighing inwardly as he looked at the increasingly aged village head. “I’ll head back now.”

“All right. The rain’s heavy—be careful on the way!”

Liu Zhimou responded with a sound, put his rain cape back on, and walked back into the downpour.

After Liu Zhimou left, the village head’s eldest son came out and asked worriedly, “Father, could there really be another epidemic this time? And is that doctor Liu Zhimou mentioned reliable?”

“No matter what, we must take this seriously,” the village head said, glancing at his eldest son. “The fact that Zhimou even thought of the villagers shows that he cares about our village. From now on, you must treat his family politely, understand?”

He was getting old, and after the earlier flight from disaster, his health had worsened. The position of village head would eventually pass to his son. He hoped that after he was gone, his son would continue to treat Liu Zhimou’s family with respect and not lose their goodwill.

His judgment wouldn’t be wrong—Liu Zhimou’s family would go far.

Being on good terms with them would bring only benefits, never harm.

The village head’s eldest son nodded repeatedly, just short of swearing an oath to the heavens. “Father, I understand. I’ll treat their family politely. You can rest assured!”

The fact that Liu Zhimou’s family had survived the previous disasters unscathed—and even lived better than others—already proved how capable they were.

No matter how foolish he might be, he wouldn’t dare offend such people.

The village head smiled in satisfaction. Though his eldest son wasn’t particularly clever, he listened to advice, and that was enough.

“Take this medicine and deliver it to each household. Tell them what it’s for. Once they hear, they’ll obediently take it.”

He entrusted this task to his eldest son so he could appear more in front of the villagers, making it easier for him to win their support once he took over as village head.

The eldest son understood this as well. He agreed, put on his rain cape and bamboo hat, picked up the large bundle of medicine, and set off.

He went door to door, knocking and explaining the situation before handing over the medicine. The villagers, frightened after hearing his words, all nodded repeatedly, promising to boil and drink it.

Some even kept asking if there was any extra medicine, hoping to get more.