Half a Spoiler Chapter 131

The ministers participating in the spring hunt in the Northern Park received an official bulletin stating that the Sovereign planned to establish a new department called the Imperial Medical Bureau under the Imperial Household Department. The original Chief Imperial Physician would serve as its chief, and its purpose would be to train medical professionals.

“…”

Upon learning of this, the first thought that struck most ministers was not that the Emperor had begun to value the practice of medicine, but that even during a holiday, she never stopped working – truly, the current Sovereign was one of a kind.

In fact, the Great Zhou dynasty had long possessed medical institutions. However, among their officials, aside from those who had genuinely mastered the craft, there were also many who had transferred from the Taoist priests of the Tianfu Palace. These individuals were far more skilled in exorcistic rituals than in healing, excelling at entrusting the fate of the sick to destiny through prayer.

The ministers who had read the bulletin couldn’t help but whisper among themselves. The most fundamental purpose of the annual spring hunt was, naturally, not to satisfy the Emperor’s passion for hunting, but to demonstrate the court’s organizational capabilities and reassure the public through such a grand event. During this period, even matters of utmost importance had to be set aside. Yet the current Sovereign seemed utterly devoid of such scruples – leaving at will, departing without a trace of psychological burden.

Fortunately, the Emperor was not absent for long. Wen Yanran had been away for merely a day and two nights before returning to Hengzhu Palace, making regular appearances each day to encourage those who had excelled in the spring hunt, while also serving as a significant muse for the literary creations of scholars and poets.

Many were curious about what the emperor had been doing and why the idea of establishing the Imperial Medical Bureau had suddenly arisen. Since the Emperor had not avoided witnesses during the conversation with the elderly woman at Gui Palace, rumors had already begun to circulate shortly after the imperial carriage returned to the Northern Park.

According to reliable sources, the Emperor possessed remarkable linguistic talent.

This conclusion soon reached the ears of the City Bureau and was subsequently presented to the Emperor. As the subject of this piece of gossip, Wen Yanran was somewhat astonished: having lived so long, this was the first time she had received such an evaluation.

The spring hunt of the second year of Zhaoming lasted about half a month. Apart from the sudden departure in the first two days, the Emperor spent the remaining time leisurely at Hengzhu Palace, occasionally scribbling something on paper, until the event drew to a close.

Compared to the previous spring hunt, as long as no major incidents like rebellion occurred within the Northern Park, it was enough to bathe the court in an atmosphere of joy. The only concern among the ministers was the unseasonable cold snap in Jianping over the past couple of days, which had left many elderly officials feeling unwell.

Meanwhile, in two military camps in the south, the spirits of the soldiers were brightening with each passing day.

In a clean room, several stoves had been set up, with clay pots placed atop them. The liquids inside were boiling, bubbles churning within the medicinal broths, and the fragrance of herbs drifting in the wind.

Following the arrival of emissaries from Jianping, Wen Xun had specifically cleared out an area of the camp to accommodate the medical officers who had rushed over from the capital. Among the newly established Imperial Medical Bureau, apart from the Chief Imperial Physician, who was unable to leave due to his direct responsibility to the Emperor, officials at all other levels – including the Deputy Imperial Physician herself – had been dispatched here in significant numbers. This clearly signified the Emperor’s great concern for the situation in the rear camps.

This turn of events took Wen Xun completely by surprise. In truth, when she had submitted her memorial to Jianping back then, it was not to request medical aid, but rather because she felt her illness was of uncertain outcome, and thus felt obliged to alert the court so they could appoint a successor in advance, lest instability arise within the camp.

Wen Xun had already prepared herself to join the ancestors of the Wen clan. Yet, at this critical juncture, the Sovereign in Jianping had clearly demonstrated an intention to save her.

This matter profoundly shook Wen Xun.

As a member of the imperial family and a holder of military power, her threat level surpassed even that of Wen Hong of Wuzheng Commandery, except for her youth and lack of a firm power base. If the Sovereign had chosen to wash his hands of the matter and let Wen Xun succumb to her illness, no one could have accused the Emperor of ingratitude.

The sovereign’s favor and recognition back then had already resolved Wen Xun to pledge her loyalty. Yet, the monarch of the Great Zhou was someone she felt she could never fully repay, even with all the devotion she could offer.

Among the emissaries arriving in the southern lands were the Deputy Imperial Physician herself, as well as attending physicians who had served many years in the palace, herbalists awaiting imperial summons, and other such officials. Besides their duty of caring for the patients, they were also tasked with studying the medicinal effects of astragalus and betel nuts.

It was not currently the season for betel nuts to ripen. To ensure the supply of medicinal ingredients, the Emperor had specially opened the treasuries of the Imperial Household, taking out all the stored dried fruits. She also ordered them to procure more locally upon arrival, allowing the local populace to exchange betel nuts for an equal volume of rice.

The current Deputy Imperial Physician was surnamed Gao, with the given name Lyu. She was of the same clan as Gao Shu, the Commandery Administrator of Qingyi, though by her generation, the connection to the main branch of the Gao family was already quite distant. After entering officialdom, Gao Lyu drifted through several departments before finally becoming a medical officer in the Imperial Household. Due to her unremarkable background, she remained stuck in the position of Deputy Imperial Physician, a rank of lower eighth grade, even into her forties. Fortunately, she had a genuine interest in medicine and pharmacology, allowing her to find contentment in her circumstances.

According to the prescription provided by Jianping, the treatment for the Gu sickness required astragalus as the primary ingredient, with betel nut playing a secondary role. Combining this with his own medical knowledge, Gao Lyu added licorice, realgar, and other detoxifying herbs to the formula as supplementary components.

The elderly woman was a native of the southern regions, and there was no one at Gui Palace who could converse with her. Fortunately, the Emperor also understood the southern tongue and was able to clearly relay all the knowledge gained – such as the fact that betel nut is highly toxic, and its dosage must be carefully considered; under no circumstances should it be consumed in the absence of illness.

Gao Lyu had initially been somewhat skeptical of the southerners’ folk remedies. It was only after the condition of the soldiers who had taken the medicine began to improve markedly that she became thoroughly convinced. According to news from the capital, the elderly woman who contributed the prescription had also been granted an honorary title for her merit and now received court provisions.

The medicinal decoction was almost ready to be taken off the stove. Just then, the door to the dispensary was pushed open from the outside. Recognizing the visitor, Gao Lyu rose and greeted her with a bow. “General Wen.” She added, “I was just about to come and take your pulse.”

Wen Xun replied courteously, “I am troubling you.” She sat down beside him and extended her arm.

Gao Lyu carefully felt her pulse, observed her complexion, and asked her to open her mouth so she could examine her tongue coating. Only then did she nod and say, “Your condition has improved significantly.”

Wen Xun inquired, “May I ask how General Xiao is faring?”

The personnel dispatched by the court to the southern lands had been divided into two groups: one went to the rear camp, and the other to Chongchang Border Camp. Medical officers like Gao Lyu had first attended to Xiao Xichi before coming to look after Wen Xun.

Gao Lyu replied, “General Xiao’s symptoms were milder than yours at the time, so naturally, her recovery has been somewhat quicker. However, Her Majesty has decreed that the medicine must be taken continuously for three full months to eradicate the root cause.”

Wen Xun paused for a moment, then sighed, “Her Majesty entrusted the rear camp to me, yet I have failed to fulfill my duties to the best of my ability, and instead have caused Her Majesty concern.”

There were, of course, physicians stationed in the rear camp, some even dispatched directly by the court. Yet, in the beginning, every single one of those doctors had treated the illness as a seasonal epidemic. Reflecting on past events, Wen Xun felt that if they had continued with the physicians’ original line of treatment, her fate would have been sealed.

Thinking of this, Wen Xun was filled with profound admiration for the Sovereign – while the southern lands were still struggling to determine the true cause of the illness plaguing the camps, the Emperor herself, far away in Jianzhou, had with absolute certainty declared it to be the Gu sickness.

She had also heard about the Emperor’s knowledge of the southern tongue. The gardeners and plant artisans in Gui Palace had originally been selected by Emperor Li, yet the late emperor had only known to have southerners cultivate flowers and trees for his own pleasure. He was nothing like the current Sovereign, who loved learning, excelled in thought, possessed wisdom and virtue. By observing the differences in the agricultural environment of the southern lands, she deduced that the symptoms in the two military camps were linked to contact with contaminated water. Then, by obtaining the antidote for the Gu sickness from an elderly woman, she resolved the crisis. Although Wen Xun was a military officer, she had diligently studied in her youth and knew that this incident would surely be recorded in the annals of history as a celebrated tale.

The Emperor’s own method of reasoning had also already circulated. According to Her Majesty, the southern lands had been inhabited for a very long time. Those people, having lived there for generations, were certainly familiar with the local environment and understood the symptoms of the Gu sickness. If anyone in the world was most likely to possess the means to cure the Gu sickness, it would be the indigenous people of the south. Yet, the people of the Central Plains had always despised them, and so, when faced with difficulty, it never occurred to them to seek instruction.

Wen Xun’s thoughts aligned with those of many innocent ministers who were unaware of the full truth: they all believed the Emperor was skilled in thinking and that she most likely intended, through this incident, to criticize the xenophobic tendencies of the Central Plains people and to teach the court ministers humility and self-reflection.

As the only person in the world who knew the truth, Wen Yanran naturally would not publicly declare that her cure for the Gu sickness had nothing to do with the elderly woman. The reason she had been able to logically piece together the story back then was mainly due to her superb ability to fabricate tales…

However, for most of the ministers, the information they received was that the elderly woman had not only provided the prescription but also methods for killing Oncomelania snails and preventing the Gu sickness.

After learning that the source of the Gu sickness was the Oncomelania snails in the water, some useless ditches near the rear camp were naturally filled in by the soldiers, completely eliminating the possibility of snail growth.

Due to the frequent rain and accumulated water in the southern lands, marshes were commonly found in the wilderness, and most of these marshes were overgrown with reeds. Wen Xun sent people to cut down the reeds and then set them on fire, using the high temperatures to kill the Oncomelania snails in the marshes.

After spending some time in the southern lands, Gao Lyu also discovered the limitations of the astragalus and betel nut prescription. For those recently afflicted or not yet infected, this formula had good therapeutic and preventive effects. However, if the Gu infection lasted more than a month, its efficacy gradually diminished, though symptoms could still be alleviated.

After discovering that the astragalus decoction could be used as a preventive measure before infection, the cultivation process near the rear camp, which had been interrupted, could finally resume.

Meanwhile, the largely recovered Wen Xun posted notices seeking talented individuals from the southern lands, hoping to obtain effective remedies to solve the affliction.

Although the southern lands were more developed than Tai Province, they were still considered border regions in the eyes of the Central Plains people. The indigenous people harbored complex feelings toward the imperial court – resentment mixed with strong longing. Now that Wen Xun, as the de facto commander of the rear camp and a member of the Great Zhou imperial family, had proactively lowered her stance, the latent antagonism among the indigenous people almost instantly crumbled. Some tribal leaders, seeking to curry favor with the court, presented secret methods for killing Oncomelania snails.

Although Wen Yanran’s remarks back then were made casually to convince the court ministers, the fact that they were persuasive proved that her reasoning was quite sound.

The indigenous people of the southern lands had indeed long studied the Gu sickness and discovered that those who frequently came into contact with water had a higher likelihood of contracting the disease.

Further south beyond the lands lay the ocean, and their geographical location made it easier for the southerners to collect seashells. They had long mastered the technique of grinding shells into powder, heating it at high temperatures, and then mixing the product with water to create a paste that could be applied to walls for moisture prevention.

In winter, putting this heated shell powder into paddy fields generated a substantial amount of heat. Fields treated in this manner would become somewhat safer the following year, making people less susceptible to disease.

Upon learning of this and after verifying it through practice, Wen Xun and the others felt both delighted and deeply ashamed.

Had it not been for the Sovereign leading by example, how would they have ever thought to adopt an inquiring attitude and communicate with the indigenous people of the south?

Since Wen Xun came to understand that the indigenous people of the southern lands were not as crude and ignorant as she had originally imagined, her attitude toward them became genuinely sincere. Many soldiers, led by her example, also gradually underwent a transformation in their mindset through day-to-day contact.

Inside the camp pharmacy.

Wen Xun discussed with Gao Lyu. “Since the method of using shell lime to kill snails works best in winter, I intend to repair the surrounding fields and irrigation canals this winter. Once we achieve results, we can then report them to the Sovereign.”

Inside Jianping City.

With the failure of the Western Tribes and the eastern rebellion, the realm had entered a period of stability. The ever-diligent Sovereign, unlike before, no longer held court daily. Instead, she left court affairs to her ministers and retreated for a short stay at Jingyuan.

The person currently remaining in Taiqi Palace to handle governmental affairs was the largely symbolic State Preceptor, Wen Jingmei. As for Yuan Yanshi and Song Wenshu, it wasn’t that they were unwilling to serve Her Majesty; they had unfortunately fallen ill during the recent cold snap and were thus forced to recuperate at home.

Wen Jingmei governed only in name; the ministers actually handling the various affairs were Cavalier Attendants-in-Ordinary Chi Yi, Attendant Wang Qishi, Assistant Secretary Du Daosi and Gao Changjian, among others – Gao Changjian had originally been a secretary in the Ministry of Revenue and was only brought to the Central Secretariat for training in the second year of Zhaoming. Apart from higher-ranking ministers like Chi Yi and Wang Qishi, these people nominally held positions not of substituting for the Emperor in governing, but of assisting the high officials of the court.

The Sovereign usually kept Chi Yi by his side. However, during this brief sojourn at Jingyuan, she was attended by Zhang Luo. In the ministers’ understanding, this was a method of maintaining balance.

Although Chi Yi and others were appointed to handle governmental affairs, they daily sent important memorials to Jingyuan for the Sovereign’s perusal.

Inside the Central Secretariat.

Du Daosi remarked, “I haven’t seen Minister Lu today.”

Chi Yi replied, “Erudite Lu is advanced in years and has recently been recuperating at home due to a cold. Minister Lu naturally remains in the residence to attend to her elder.”

Du Daosi was slightly taken aback.

Lu Zhongmao had been ill for some time and had initially insisted that the younger generation not look after her. The fact that Lu Yuanguang had now requested leave on these grounds suggested that Lu Zhongmao’s condition was not good.

Chi Yi’s next words confirmed Du Daosi’s thoughts. “The Sovereign has already sent someone to check on Erudite Lu, hoping that a good person like her will be blessed by heaven.”

Jingyuan was located outside the city, not particularly close to Taiqi Palace.

The reason Wen Yanran was staying here was that the place was vast, well-situated, and came with an adjacent piece of farmland. It was also not far from Gui Palace and Yao Palace.

Meanwhile, Hou Suo and others were also within Jingyuan. Other officials could remain in the city, but the Imperial Household absolutely could not – wherever the Emperor went, they had to follow.

Hou Suo had previously, as per the Emperor’s instructions, gathered all the palace ladies skilled in distilling floral essences.

The Great Zhou court had long mastered distillation techniques. Artisans in the Imperial Household excelled at extracting plant essential oils, and many emperors throughout the dynasties had even personally tinkered with distillation equipment, seeking the secret to immortality through the extraction of plant essences.

The senior palace lady among them bowed to the Director of the Imperial Household. “May I ask the Director, for what purpose has Her Majesty summoned us?”

Hou Suo gave a light cough and said, “Summoning you all here is naturally for distilling essences.”

It was now the beginning of May. The palace lady thought for a moment and ventured a guess, “Could it be plum essence?”

Upon hearing this, Hou Suo’s expression turned somewhat subtle. “It’s garlic essence.”

The senior palace lady’s eyes were filled with silent question marks – could it be that the new emperor actually found the smell of garlic pleasant?

Hou Suo said solemnly, “Her Majesty is a wise and sagacious ruler. There is profound meaning behind this matter. Do not engage in idle speculation.”

Upon hearing this, the palace ladies all bowed their heads in acknowledgment.

Garlic was typically sown in the autumn of the previous year and harvested in May of the following year. The stockpile of garlic in the Jianping area had originally been somewhat insufficient. Fortunately, the Imperial Household, demonstrating great foresight, had allocated substantial farmland for its cultivation in order to please the emperor, who loved cooking with it. Now, the treasury’s garlic reserves were quite abundant. No matter how much was consumed here at Jingyuan, there would still be plenty left for seasoning in next year’s stir-fries.

The reason Wen Yanran had come here was to extract allicin and a crude form of aspirin.

Her understanding of antibiotics was not extensive, but she was aware that substances like cephalosporins were basically impossible to extract given the scientific research conditions of this era. Penicillin was also out of the question – the Penicillium genus contained many fungal species, and not all of them were suitable for extracting penicillin. Of course, simply finding Penicillium fungi was relatively easy, but finding a strain with high yield depended purely on luck. Even as emperor, she could not locate a suitable strain under the current social conditions.

Moreover, the ancient world lacked sterilization capabilities, and Penicillium required aerobic conditions to grow. Thus, during cultivation, contamination by other bacteria was inevitable, leading to extremely unstable final products. Although one could test its bactericidal ability to determine effectiveness, considering the yield, it would likely be difficult to supply even to nobles and royalty.

Therefore, given the option of using substances hailed as natural antibiotics, Wen Yanran did not intend to dabble with fungi.

If producing a suitable form of penicillin is like soloing a max-level boss, then extracting allicin is comparable to a newbie village trial. As for crude salicylic acid, it’s like a gift pack given to all players just for logging in.

As the name suggests, extracting allicin requires garlic – and lots of it, basically dozens of kilograms for a single dose for one person – of course, this is obviously not a significant issue for the ruler of a nation – and then extracting the active substance from the plant.

Given the current technological level, Wen Yanran could attempt two methods: one is direct steam distillation, the other is ethanol extraction. Considering yield, product stability, and subsequent drying issues, she decided on the second method.

The Great Zhou currently does not have high-concentration alcohol, but with distillation equipment available, alcohol is relatively easy to obtain. Since ethanol has a lower boiling point than water, by placing low-alcohol spirits in the distillation apparatus, the first substance to evaporate is the alcohol she needs.

Although Jingyuan is a garden estate containing palaces where the Sovereign could rest, upon arrival, Wen Yanran did not decorate the halls in an elegant and luxurious manner like previous emperors. Instead, she cleared out several rooms to be used as a venue for “alchemy.”

The palace attendants responsible for maintaining Jingyuan were initially somewhat startled, but over the past couple of days, they had gradually grown accustomed to it.

After all, this is the Emperor’s own residence. Whether she uses it to crush garlic or even demolishes it entirely, it’s entirely up to Wen Yanran’s pleasure.

Inside the emptied hall, newly crafted wooden racks were set up, lined with rows of clay pots of various sizes. Wen Yanran was not particularly satisfied with the outdated equipment, so the Director of the Imperial Household urgently ordered a batch to be fired.

A pungent aroma, reminiscent of cold dishes, wafted through the hall.

Wen Yanran lifted a lid and glanced at the mashed, pungent substance inside the clay basin – intact garlic cloves contain no allicin. They must be crushed, placed in a container, covered to prevent contamination, and then left to allow the substances within the garlic paste to fully activate.

As the Emperor observed, scribes capable of writing always stayed by her side, meticulously recording every step of the experiment.

The attendants working in the hall wore outer robes made of linen to prevent their undergarments from also absorbing the strange odor – garlic paste was undoubtedly the most pungent “floral essence” they had ever produced.

To facilitate the work, Wen Yanran had specifically changed out of her wide-sleeved black ceremonial robes, wrapped her hair in cloth, and covered her mouth and nose with something called a “mask.”

Not only did she do this herself, but she also required the attendants to change their attire according to the same standard.

Zhang Luo stood in attendance at the side. In his eyes, even without the adornment of elaborate robes, the Sovereign at this moment still radiated an indescribable sense of majesty.

In truth, Wen Yanran was troubled.

The theory behind extracting allicin was not complex, but the operation was very difficult. Even the step of obtaining ethanol had failed many times.

…Fortunately, she was the Emperor and had sufficient capital to learn through trial and error.

As the hundreds of jars of wine from the treasury were gradually brought over, the facial muscles of the Director of the Imperial Household twitched slightly.

Whether wise or foolish, spending a lot of money might be a common characteristic of all emperors.

Wen Yanran gazed at the high-concentration alcohol distilled from the container, then instructed the attendants to immerse the garlic paste into it.

Allicin is slightly soluble in water but readily soluble in alcohol. By thoroughly soaking the garlic paste in ethanol and then filtering out the residue, one obtains an allicin solution.

Wen Yanran then had the attendants prepare many simple bacterial culture media using mashed rice, and sent someone to obtain saliva from Lu Zhongmao’s residence. She had the saliva smeared onto the culture media, cultivating multiple colonies.

“Drop the garlic essence onto the rice paste, cover it, and bring the paste to me after two hours.”

The attendants followed the instructions. After two hours, Wen Yanran clearly observed that where the allicin solution had been dripped onto the culture medium, a circular zone free of bacteria had formed.

This was sufficient proof that the allicin solution she had extracted possessed some antibacterial ability.

However, having verified the effectiveness of the allicin, Wen Yanran’s expression did not relax – allicin is highly irritating to the stomach and its structure is unstable. She could not simply force-feed the solution from the bottle directly to Lu Zhongmao.

Just then, an attendant came to report that the willow bark had been cleaned as per the Emperor’s instructions, boiled in water, and the stockpiled red gum dye had also been brought over.

Collecting willow bark was for obtaining crude salicylic acid, and the derivative of salicylic acid – acetylsalicylic acid – is the active ingredient in aspirin, which itself also has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects.

Because the effective elements in willow bark are not particularly abundant, this was also an extremely resource-intensive task, but its advantage lay in the simplicity of the operational steps.

Wen Yanran gave a slight nod and then instructed the previous attendant. “Heat and concentrate the garlic essence. Be careful not to let the fire get too hot. After fifteen minutes, bring it to the empty room next door and keep fanning it until it becomes dry.”

She was doing this to obtain dried allicin.

Wen Yanran lacked experimental equipment, so all steps had to rely on manual labor. And although allicin was an easily obtainable natural antibacterial agent, its properties were unstable, difficult to preserve, intolerant of high temperatures, and its own structure was easily damaged… under the Great Zhou’s backward technological conditions, these were all major problems.

Obtaining dried allicin would still take some time, so Wen Yanran turned her attention first to the preparation of salicylic acid.

Compared to the former, salicylic acid seemed exceptionally endearing.

To obtain crude salicylic acid, one simply needed to boil chopped willow bark in water -this substance is readily soluble in boiling water, so no extra effort was needed to obtain ethanol. Moreover, because its stability at high temperatures was better than allicin’s, it didn’t require slow drying by fanning, making purification very convenient.

Wen Yanran boiled it for half an hour, and only after the active substances had fully dissolved did she filter out the impurities from the willow bark decoction. She then continued heating the resulting liquid until crystals formed at the bottom of the clay pot.

These crystals were crude salicylic acid.

As the Sovereign, Wen Yanran did not have to do everything herself. After her demonstration, the other attendants followed her procedures and soon obtained the first batch of crude salicylic acid. Meanwhile, the allicin had finished drying, and the resulting small granules were ground into powder by the attendants.

Wen Yanran flexed her wrist. “Now use distilled water to boil and dissolve the red gum.”

The attendants followed the instructions. Although they did not fully comprehend the meaning of “distilled,” they understood very well that they should obey the Emperor’s commands as much as possible.

The red gum used here, also known as shellac or lac, was a precious dye produced in the southern lands during the Great Zhou. The cotton garments previously bestowed upon important ministers like Yuan Yanshi were dyed using this red gum.

But for Wen Yanran, shellac was a natural material for enteric coatings.

Both salicylic acid and allicin can cause strong irritation to the stomach. However, salicylic acid is more manageable – it can still be effective when taken directly. But allicin is different; it’s as fragile as penicillin. Once ingested, its structure would be destroyed by gastric juices, greatly reducing its effectiveness.

Therefore, in modern society, many effective drugs are administered via injection, such as penicillin injections. Common oral penicillins, like Penicillin V potassium tablets, actually undergo special processing to ensure the drug’s stability in gastric juices.

As for Wen Yanran, considering that syringes couldn’t be produced in this era, her approach was to create enteric-coated capsules – the pH levels in the intestines and stomach differ. So-called enteric-coated capsules are those that do not dissolve in the acidic environment of the stomach but disintegrate upon reaching the intestines.

Modern science provided Wen Yanran with great inspiration. Although many methods were difficult to implement due to the limitations of ancient technology, fortunately, her position allowed her to reasonably commandeer all resources within the Imperial Household and find substitutes for experiments as much as possible.

By wrapping the allicin powder and salicylic acid crystals separately in shellac, she obtained finished medications. Although the manufacturing processes and purity of the active ingredients in these two items were certainly still unsatisfactory, Wen Yanran believed that, compared to other physicians, she now stood at the pinnacle of pharmaceutical development in the Great Zhou.

Steam rose within the hall, ethereal like clouds and mist. If one disregarded the overly pungent odor, the scene truly possessed a touch of otherworldly grace.

The attendants placed the refined medicinal pellets into jade bowls, set them upon jade trays, and presented them to the Sovereign.

Gazing at the crimson, pellet-shaped medicine in the bowls, Wen Yanran felt a slight wave of emotion – this side quest really hadn’t been easy. If she hadn’t promptly begun contemplating methods to produce antibacterial drugs back then, many elderly ministers, represented by Lu Zhongmao, might not have been able to survive this ordeal.

Of course, this was also thanks to the timely notification from the system.

Just at that moment, the game panel flickered faintly a few times, but strangely, no message appeared. Instead, it soon fell silent once more…