As the sun set in the west, Lu Ping and his men finally returned to Ge Feng.
Zhao Er took the common folk to the Ge Si Mountains to hand them over to Liu Mi, while Lu Ping hurried into the city to report back to Jiang Jin.
Jiang Jin hadn’t expected anyone to have survived, and she couldn’t help but marvel at the resilience of human life—though she wondered how many of these people would truly make it.
The Da Qing Long Tang and Xiao Qing Long Tang were not miraculous elixirs; those with severe infections or the old and weak might still struggle to hold on.
Not long after Lu Ping left, Feng Qingzhu entered carrying large bundles.
Jiang Jin smiled and asked, “Are those the winter military uniforms?”
Feng Qingzhu placed the bundles on the table. “Yes, they just finished the work, so I brought them along. Lord, please take a look.”
Dongzhi and Xu Qian stepped forward to help unwrap the bundles, revealing cotton tunics, cotton trousers, and military overcoats from the quartermaster’s department.
The designs were drawn by Jiang Jin, completely subverting the styles of this era, blending modern silhouettes with a touch of traditional flair.
Feng Qingzhu had never seen such styles before, but when the seamstresses tried them on, they looked especially sharp and spirited.
Most importantly, the clothes were simple to wear, allowed for easy movement, and were extremely warm.
Jiang Jin examined the dyed pure-green military overcoats and the cotton tunics and trousers, which were tie-dyed into a pattern resembling jungle camouflage.
Button with wooden toggles, simple and elegant, sturdy and durable.
Jiang Jin was satisfied. She picked up one piece and weighed it in her hand. “Not bad. The cotton padding is quite thick.”
Feng Qingzhu nodded. “It’s so cold in winter, and the soldiers still have to train, so naturally we had to make it thick.”
Jiang Jin picked up the overcoat again and examined it. “Well done. Produce all of them according to this standard. Has the military department given you the sizing?”
Feng Qingzhu replied softly, “Yes, they have.”
Jiang Jin said, “Good. Get them made as quickly as possible. Ensure every soldier in the military gets two sets of cotton tunics and trousers, and those at the rank of platoon leader and above each receive an overcoat.”
She added, “Also, for quilts, issue one set per person. The barracks all have heated brick beds and heated walls, so the quilts don’t need to be very thick.”
Last year, conditions had been tough; there were no cotton quilts or cotton clothes, and they had to rely on the old methods common among ordinary people of this era—filling them with willow catkins, reeds, or straw.
Feng Qingzhu agreed, “Understood.”
She then brought out the cotton armor made according to Jiang Jin’s specifications. “Lord, this is the cotton armor. Please take a look.”
The armor of this era was typically woven from small iron scales, linked or riveted together.
The crafting process was extremely complex, and the armor was very heavy.
Jiang Jin had relatively few troops and had seized a large amount of supplies, including many sets of armor, so she had never ordered the weapons workshop to produce armor.
It wasn’t until August, while sketching the winter uniform designs, that she remembered and drew up diagrams and structural processes for cotton armor.
Cotton armor wasn’t made entirely of cotton; iron plates were embedded inside to enhance protection. The fabrication was relatively simple and cost-effective.
In terms of defense, cotton armor was inferior to iron armor, but it was lighter, gave soldiers greater mobility, and provided better insulation, making it ideal for winter use.
Jiang Jin felt the embedded iron plates inside and nodded inwardly.
Putting Yun Ci in charge of the weapons workshop had been the right move—he was practically a perfect fit, having a clear understanding of the key areas of the human body that needed protection.
The iron plates varied in size and thickness depending on the body part they covered.
Since the iron plates were embedded within multiple layers of cotton, there was less concern about riveting, which made production much more flexible.
Feng Qingzhu had also done meticulous work, layering the cotton and fabric carefully to ensure durability and detail.
Jiang Jin smiled approvingly and said, "You’ve done well, and I’m very satisfied. The cotton and fabric are to be prioritized for the military. Whatever remains can be made into cotton-padded quilts and clothing for sale to the public."
She looked Feng Qingzhu up and down and added, "You should make two sets of padded clothing for yourself to wear in rotation. It gets quite cold after winter sets in, and you’re at the industrial zone every day—don’t catch a chill."
Glancing at Dongzhi and the others, who stared at her with eager eyes, Jiang Jin added, "Everyone serving in the government office will get a set. Let’s issue them as this year’s employee benefits."
The people in the hall broke into cheers and laughter, and the county office was filled with joy for a while.
In the city of Jiu'an in Sizhou, a lighter atmosphere had also returned.
First Prince Jiang Chun laughed heartily. "So the plague was really contained by Feng Gexuan?"
Qiu Dao, bending slightly with a smile, replied, "All thanks to Your Highness’s kindness and love for the people, which moved the heavens. That’s why Feng Gexuan’s prescription worked."
Jiang Chun, pleased by the flattery, took a sip of tea before asking slowly, "What about the infected commoners outside the city now?"
Qiu Dao stroked his beard and said, "Although several hundred died before, most of those with fevers have now recovered."
He added thoughtfully, "Everyone who dealt with the refugees was from Feng Gexuan’s side. They all drank the decoction beforehand, and not a single one was infected. It’s clear the medicine is highly effective."
Jiang Chun nodded, then glanced at Qiu Dao. "Did the herbs come from your son’s pharmacy?"
Qiu Dao’s heart skipped a beat, but his face betrayed nothing. "Exactly. Feng Gexuan provided a list, and my son distributed the herbs according to that list."
Jiang Chun smiled cordially. "Well done. And the prescription itself?"
Throughout history, from the imperial court to the common folk, everyone feared plagues and tried to avoid them—all because no effective remedy existed for such highly contagious diseases.
And now, here was a cure for the plague!
If he could get his hands on that prescription, Sizhou would never again fear the plague. All factions would flock to support him all the more, and the people would truly submit to his rule.
It was no secret that despite the gathering of factions and resources in Sizhou, the forces that had fled here from other regions were not entirely loyal to him.
Qiu Dao hurriedly knelt in confession. "Although Feng Gexuan supplied the list, the exact proportions of the prescription remain unknown. The formula is of utmost importance—a single minor deviation could lead to vastly different results. I am too dull to discern even a fraction of it."
He also wanted the prescription—a cure capable of saving countless lives.
But a prescription was a healer’s very livelihood, especially one as groundbreaking and transformative as this, which could turn traditional medical knowledge on its head.
Even with all the nerve in the world, he couldn’t demand it for nothing, like taking without giving.
"And besides," Qiu Dao added, "their list may not be entirely accurate. It’s likely they included other herbs to throw us off."
Jiang Chun’s expression soured. "Couldn’t we just figure it out from the decoction...?"
Qiu Dao hesitated, then shook his head. "From the decoction, one might roughly know which herbs were used, but the exact amounts—that’s far too difficult."
He understood why the First Prince was so eager for the prescription. After all, Jiu’an wasn’t the only place in Sizhou suffering from the plague—other regions were affected too.
What’s more, if the First Prince got hold of the prescription, he could use it to cast himself as a savior, building up his reputation and winning the people’s hearts.
And Qiu Dao’s guess was right: Chen Xi had indeed padded the list with plenty of "extras."
Apart from throwing off the true formula, he also wanted to stock more medicinal herbs for Ge Feng’s use.
After all, his Lord was desperately poor.
He knew this was a bit underhanded, but after all, each served his own master.
