Chapter 202
Chapter 202
Shen Qingzhu and Ji Yan’an did not come themselves, but they sent people to move the beggars into a separate courtyard.
“Bathe and change your clothes first. Your hair will have to be shaved off too.”
No one knew for certain how the illness spread. The clothes they removed after bathing were burned. The people who came to shave their heads wore masks and gloves, and the hair was burned as well.
“You’re saying the owner of the stuffed-bun shop was bitten?”
Jiang Yunsui nodded. She had just been scrubbed and disinfected herself, and her hair was still wet.
Now she sat on a little stool before Ji Yan’an while he dried it for her.
“The bun-shop owner tried to take Xiaocao’s silver. Xiaocao wouldn’t give it to him, so she bit his hand. I saw it.”
Ji Yan’an gave a quiet hum. “Nanmo, send someone to watch that man in secret. If he develops symptoms too, bring him back and keep him isolated.”
“Yes.”
“Song Jin, send more men to observe the people who came into close contact with the Little Beggar but weren’t injured by him.”
He wanted to determine whether the disease spread only through wounds or through close contact as well.
Jiang Yunsui was not worried for herself. Immunity to every poison truly was an enviable constitution.
Once Ji Yan’an finished making arrangements and Little Mushroom’s hair was nearly dry, they began eating.
Jiang Yunsui’s appetite remained as enviable as ever.
Meanwhile, Ji Yan’an had begun discreetly contacting Dali’s garrison. The situation was rather complicated.
The garrison was small and poorly trained. The prefect muddled through his duties. He was not terribly corrupt or evil, merely mediocre and incompetent. Though he was technically the prefect, Dali’s local powers led him around by the nose.
Relations between the mountain tribes and Great Liang’s government were also extremely poor – openly hostile, even.
After some thought, Ji Yan’an decided to begin with the mountain tribes.
Like any other common people, what they wanted was simple: fair treatment, food enough to fill their bellies, and land.
But most officials assigned here either lacked connections or were below average in ability.
Men like that could not even overcome the local aristocratic clans, much less help the mountain tribes.
Language, customs, and countless other differences had created growing conflict between Great Liang’s commoners and the local tribes. Add the imbalance of information and the clans’ oppression of the mountain people, and how could relations possibly be anything but tense?
“Where is the largest local tribe?”
“Qingxi Mountain,” Shen Qingzhu replied. “Most of the mountain people live there, and they maintain contact with the other tribes.”
Ji Yan’an said, “I’ll leave the patients to you. Song Jin, come with me to Qingxi Mountain.”
Jiang Yunsui immediately piped up. “What about me? What about me?”
Ji Yan’an planted a hand on her bouncing head.
“Stay in the city and play. Don’t run off.”
Jiang Yunsui pouted. “Fine!”
After Ji Yan’an and Song Jin left, Jiang Yunsui followed Shen Qingzhu to visit the beggars.
They now had food and shelter in the courtyard, and Shen Qingzhu was treating them for free.
Of course, his main reason was to find a way to detoxify them.
By now, they were basically certain that close contact alone did not spread the poison. Infection only occurred after a scratch or bite.
The owner of the stuffed-bun shop had begun developing red rashes. Before long, those rashes would become sores.
The beggars were deeply grateful. They wanted to live, so they cooperated fully with Shen Qingzhu’s research.
Jiang Yunsui chatted with them for a while. They had nothing to do and seemed restless, constantly sweeping the courtyard and wiping down tables and windows.
Little Mushroom thought about it. Even if they recovered, how miserable would it be if they returned to begging?
So she ran to find Shen Qingzhu.
“Shen Qingzhu, Shen Qingzhu, can you find them teachers?”
Shen Qingzhu was taking the children’s pulses. His treatment had not removed all the poison, but it had suppressed it considerably.
Now he only needed to formulate an antidote.
Xiaocao and the others stared at Jiang Yunsui, unable to contain their excitement.
Would someone really… really find them teachers?
They had lived harder lives than ordinary people. Because of that, they would treasure every chance to learn and every chance to survive.
Shen Qingzhu looked at Jiang Yunsui in surprise.
“What made you think of that?”
Her voice still held a tender, childish softness. “Because they’re bored. And when they get better, they’ll have to leave. It would be so sad if they became Little Beggars again.”
She took out her purse and handed it to him.
“See if this is enough to hire teachers. Um… they don’t have to teach reading. They can teach weaving, embroidery, making sugar figurines, making tofu…”
The little girl listed one example after another, naming every trade she had ever seen or could think of.
“Waaah…”
At the sudden sound of crying, Little Mushroom turned in surprise.
“Xiaocao, why are you crying?”
Her innocent tone was full of confusion.
Xiaocao laughed through her tears. “I-I’m happy. I never imagined that anyone would plan for our future. Little Yunsui, thank you. Truly, thank you. You’re so kind.”
The others’ eyes reddened as well.
They had lost their families long ago. As beggars, they endured endless contempt and malice, living worse than stray cats and dogs.
Yet now a girl only five years old was sincerely thinking about their future.
How could they not be grateful?
Jiang Yunsui scratched her head and smiled shyly.
“Am I really that nice?”
Warmth filled Shen Qingzhu’s eyes, and he could not resist rubbing her fluffy little head.
“Of course Little Yunsui is nice. And naturally, I can grant your request. I’ll have someone find teachers willing to come give lessons here.”
Jiang Yunsui spun in a delighted circle. “Yay!”
There were many poor people in this region. Skilled workers could also find themselves suppressed for one reason or another and fall into desperate circumstances.
As long as the pay was sufficient, some were willing to teach here.
When they first began hiring, many people fled at the sight of the sores covering the beggars.
Only those whose families were in dire straits and desperately needed the money remained.
As a precaution, Shen Qingzhu arranged for teachers and students to eat separately. They did not need to stand close during lessons either.
The children were also given standardized clothing.
Seeing how hard they worked, Jiang Yunsui began reflecting on herself. She had wonderful resources for learning yet never worked hard. That really was inexcusable.
So she studied with them for two days. With a tiny embroidery needle pinched between her fingers, she produced a plump mushroom with rather ugly colors.
She was extremely satisfied. Carrying the handkerchief, she went to find Shen Qingzhu.
“Shen Qingzhu, look! I embroidered this~”
Shen Qingzhu stared at the handkerchief for a while, trying to identify it.
“Mm. That’s a very fine rock.”
Jiang Yunsui fell silent.
“It’s a mushroom!”
Now it was Shen Qingzhu’s turn to smile awkwardly.
“You’ve only just started learning. This is already very good.”
Jiang Yunsui huffed twice, tucked away the handkerchief, and announced, “I’m going out to play. I’ll be back for dinner.”
Shen Qingzhu calmly hummed in acknowledgment.
He did not bother sending anyone with her. Whoever went would lose her sooner or later.
This Little Mushroom vanished the instant one’s hand left her. A scolding stayed in her head for one second and disappeared the next.