The Lucky Farmgirl-Chapter 2081 - 2056: Sugar Pills

Knowing the rules cannot be changed, Manbao didn’t dwell on it and directly asked, "What’s the quantity?"

"Ten pills."

"Then let’s start with ten." Manbao asked, "Is the stock sufficient?"

Keke responded and explained, "It’s enough."

Upon hearing that, Manbao was relieved. So, while on the horse, she asked Keke for ten pills. She heard the sound of jingling in her ears, indicating a successful transaction.

After a while, another jingling sound came, signifying the items had arrived.

As they approached the city gate, she closed her eyes to read the usage instructions.

Scanning quickly, it stated that the pills should be ingested, taking effect within half an hour to two hours. If after two hours the test values are not up to standard...

Manbao skipped over that part as it was meant for people from that world.

She directly checked the medical advice given by Teacher Mo.

Teacher Mo’s advice was detailed, "Just swallow it, and if you feel dizzy, nauseous or have a fever within half an hour, then you should take..."

"If there are no abnormal reactions within two hours, then everything’s fine, with an eighty-nine percent chance. Don’t take unnecessary risks."

Manbao remembered it clearly, and with a thought, suddenly had a handful of pills in her sleeve. They were wrapped in paper, and she glanced down to find that the paper looked very familiar. Opening it, the pills were round, white, and resembled the sugar balls she had before.

Looking around, she saw that everyone was focused on Bai Shan and Daji’s interaction with the officials. She pinched one and popped it into her mouth, initially planning to swallow it with water. However, it tasted slightly sweet with just a faint medicinal flavor and melted into syrup in her mouth.

Manbao smacked her lips, feeling that the medicine was lacking in sensation.

Then she felt envious, wishing all their medicines were like this...

But isn’t there a saying in books that good medicine tastes bitter?

Can something this sweet really prevent smallpox?

Manbao questioned inwardly, though she didn’t hesitate in her actions. She pulled out a medicine bottle, carefully avoided the pills inside, wrapped the paper around it, and then lightly nudged the horse’s belly, signaling it to move closer to Bai Erlang, gesturing for him to extend his hand.

Bai Erlang, confused, extended his hand. Wasn’t she always reluctant to let them get close to her?

Manbao poured a ’candy’... medicine into his hand and said, "Eat it."

Bai Erlang, seeing the medicine bottle, thought it was medicine but found it to be a familiar piece of candy. He threw it into his mouth, crunching on it and asked, "Why the sudden interest in giving me candy? Eh, why does this candy taste different and have a medicinal flavor?"

Manbao replied, "It’s for the prevention of smallpox. It might not work, but it’s better than nothing."

Bai Erlang: ... At least put more effort into lying.

Manbao watched as he finished eating before dismounting to find Bai Shan and Daji.

A guard took Manbao’s city pass and ran into the city. Bai Shan turned around and told her, "They need to report and get permission before entering."

Manbao nodded, placing a candy in his palm, "Just eat it."

Bai Shan looked at the candy in his palm and then at her, before eating it, also tasting the medicinal flavor.

Manbao handed the medicine bottle to Daji, quietly instructing, "You eat one too, and make sure everyone else eats one, keeping an eye on them to make sure they do."

Daji agreed, although he also felt that these... the pills resembled the ones they used to have in Qili Village, but he still carried on.

Bai Shan walked over to Manbao’s side, noticing she wasn’t avoiding him anymore, raised an eyebrow slightly, then lowered his voice to ask, "Did he send these?"

Manbao looked around and nodded.

Bai Shan then asked quietly, "Can it cure the illness?"

Manbao shook her head, "Just for prevention."

Bai Shan understood, meaning it couldn’t treat patients, only prevent the healthy from falling ill. But that’s quite good too, as long as there are no new patients...

Bai Shan asked quietly, "Do you have a formula?"

Manbao replied softly, "Even if we had a formula, we couldn’t make it."

These medicines are patented, not to mention that she couldn’t obtain it. Even if Teacher Mo developed it and didn’t mind giving her the formula, she couldn’t make it.

Because... they aren’t made from traditional Chinese herbs.

Manbao regretted it in her heart, as the technological gap between the two worlds was too vast. Otherwise, she could have learned some pharmaceutical techniques from that world.

But she doesn’t have the equipment from that world here, and even if she paid the technology tax to obtain a set, it wouldn’t be used openly in this world. Learning it would be useless.

It’s better to just gain a basic understanding of it, know what’s going on, and then focus her energy on medical practices and pharmaceuticals she can actually use.

Bai Shan did not think about technology, instead assuming that the pills contained ingredients not found in their world, making it impossible.

He sighed, "Then we can only ponder the method of variolation."

Manbao nodded, "That’s what I was thinking too."

In a few words, Daji had already distributed the pills. He returned them to Manbao, whispering, "Three pills are left."

Manbao nodded, whispering to Bai Shan, "Give them to Scholarly Senior Brother Yang once we’re in the city."

Bai Shan nodded, "Before we left, Senior Brother Tang was worried about turmoil here in Xiazhou and feared someone might harm scholarly sister-in-law and Brother Qi."

"But these pills are not one hundred percent effective, only eighty-nine percent, so we still need to be careful."

Therefore, only Bai Shan knew about this, while others thought they just took a medicinal candy, better than nothing.

So while waiting to enter the city, they were still cautious, with masks covering their faces, afraid that any smallpox virus might sneak into their noses and mouths.

Bai Shan waited a while and still seeing no one coming, he went to speak with the guard, "Is the county office far from here?"

"Not far, but it takes about four quarters on horseback round trip. Moreover, there are many checkpoints in the city, especially going outwards, each checkpoint requires identity verification. You’ll probably have to wait about an hour before getting through."

That long?

This was somewhat unexpected for Manbao and Bai Shan. Bai Erlang also dismounted, asking, "Then Scholarly Senior Brother Yang... is the County Magistrate Yang currently stationed at the County Governmental Office?"

"Naturally."

Bai Shan then asked, "Who is in charge of the city with County Magistrate Yang now?"

"Lord Yang and General Gong."

Manbao asked, "Is it General Gong who helped Lord Yang surround the Governor’s mansion?"

The guards talked.

Bai Shan turned his head to her and said, "Xiazhou is a military hub. General Gong has been stationed here in Xiazhou City for twelve years, and before that, the Gong family was originally from Xiazhou City."

He whispered, "When the late emperor rose, the Gong family led eight hundred soldiers under their command to capture Xiazhou City and pledged their allegiance."

Manbao understood immediately, this General Gong was the biggest local figure in Xiazhou. No wonder Scholarly Senior Brother Yang could suppress the officials up and down Xiazhou, as he had his support.

It makes one wonder how Scholarly Senior Brother Yang managed to persuade General Gong.