My Imperial Advisor is ChatGPT

Chapter 96 The Invisible Killer: Smallpox and Cowpox

In early winter in Xianyang, the chill spread southward along the Qin Straight Road.

The newly installed telephone line whistled softly in the cold wind, like some ominous whisper. Although the "Great Qin Telecom" business was booming under Liu Bang's management, today, the red special line connecting Xianyang Palace and Lantian Camp brought news that made everyone feel uneasy.

Inside the imperial study, the heating was on full blast, but Ying Zheng's face was as cold as ice.

He gripped the receiver tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force. On the other end of the line, Meng Tian's voice was no longer as strong as usual, but carried an undisguised fear and hoarseness.

"Your Majesty...something has happened at the Lantian camp."

"Did the barrel explode? Or have the Xiongnu attacked?" Ying Zheng asked in a deep voice.

"Neither," Meng Tian's voice trembled. "It's... a ghost or spirit. An invisible ghost or spirit."

"Three days ago, several prisoners of war escorted back from the northern frontier suddenly developed high fevers. The army doctor thought it was a cold and gave them ginger soup. But yesterday, red rashes started to appear on their bodies, then turned into blisters, and finally became infected... They looked like they had been licked by a vengeful ghost."

"The most terrifying thing is," Meng Tian paused, "that the two military doctors who were taking care of them also collapsed this morning. Their symptoms were exactly the same. The army is now in a state of panic, and everyone is saying it's a 'divine punishment' sent down from heaven."

Ying Zheng hung up the phone.

In this era, swords and spears are not frightening, nor is even rebellion. What is most frightening is plague.

That was the real Grim Reaper's scythe, invisible and intangible. Once it was swung down, nine out of ten houses would be empty, and bones would be exposed in the wilderness.

"Little G," Ying Zheng called out in his mind, his voice still calm, but his heartbeat quickened involuntarily.

[Yes, Brother Zheng. Analyzing the symptoms described by Meng Tian: high fever, full-body rash, blisters, pustules, highly contagious...]

Little G's voice paused for a second, and then a bright red skull logo popped up on the familiar blue screen.

[Warning: Highly suspected smallpox.]

This is one of the most terrifying killers in human history. Before the advent of vaccines, its fatality rate was as high as 30%. Even if one survived, they would be left with pockmarked faces or even blindness. Brother Zheng, this is a biological war, more dangerous than the annihilation of six kingdoms.

Ying Zheng took a deep breath and turned to look at Wang Jianguo, who was studying the telephone line diagram next to him.

"Jianguo, stop fixing that broken box. Get ready, death is knocking."

The Imperial Physician's Despair and the Imperial Preceptor's Awesomeness

Half an hour later, the side hall of the Qilin Hall was temporarily transformed into the "Epidemic Prevention and Control Command Center".

Imperial Physician Xia Wuqie knelt on the ground, trembling all over. He had just visited several suspected patients who had been urgently quarantined outside the city, and was now frantically scrubbing his hands with strong liquor, as if he wanted to rub the skin off.

"Your Majesty! That's 'barbarian sores'!" Xia Wuqie cried out, his voice trembling with sobs. "It's a venomous disease brought from barbarian lands! Ancient books say it's caused by evil spirits entering the body, and there's no cure! The only thing we can do is... burn the sick people and their houses down, and maybe that will save the rest!"

"Burn?" Ying Zheng sneered. "The Lantian camp has 100,000 elite soldiers. Do you want me to burn them all down?"

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty is incompetent..." Xia Wuqie banged his head on the ground.

"Alright, stop kowtowing. If kowtowing could cure diseases, I would have been leading the way long ago." Ying Zheng waved his hand impatiently and looked at Wang Jianguo, "Jianguo, Little G said you have a way?"

Wang Jianguo pushed up his glasses, his expression serious. In his hand was a newly drawn drawing of an adorable... cow.

"Your Majesty, Physician Xia is right, this illness is indeed dangerous. But before science, there are no invincible spirits."

Wang Jianguo pointed to the cow: "This is our savior."

"A cow?" Zhao Gao peered in from the side, holding a handkerchief soaked in vinegar to his nose. "Grand Preceptor, you shouldn't be thinking about beef hotpot at a time like this, right? This cow can cure the plague? Could it be... that we smear cow dung on ourselves to ward off evil spirits?"

"Prefect Zhao, you have a vivid imagination, but you're going in the wrong direction." Wang Jianguo rolled his eyes at him. "It's not cow dung, it's cowpox."

Wang Jianguo turned to face Ying Zheng and began his famous "First Lesson in the Biology of the Great Qin Dynasty".

"Your Majesty, smallpox is so terrible because our bodies don't recognize this enemy. When it invades, the body's defense army (the immune system) is still asleep, and by the time it reacts, it's too late."

"Cowpox is a relative of smallpox. It grows on cows and can be transmitted to humans, but it is very harmful to humans. At most, it causes a fever and a few small pimples, which will get better in a few days."

"The most amazing thing is," Wang Jianguo said, waving his pointer, "that once our bodies have fought this 'weak relative' and remembered what it looks like, the next time the real smallpox monster comes, our bodies will shout: 'Hey! I know this bastard! Beat it up!'"

"That's immunity."

The main hall was deathly silent.

Xia Wuqie's mouth gaped open, his beard trembling: "The Grand Preceptor means...we want to actively transfer diseases from cattle into humans? This...this is utterly heretical! This is introducing the filth of animals into human society!"

"What kind of inhuman beasts are these!" Ying Zheng slammed his fist on the table. "As long as I can live, I'd dare to inoculate myself with diseases that affect not only cattle, but even tigers! Jian Guo, how reliable is this method?"

"Ninety-nine percent," Wang Jianguo said decisively. "The remaining 0.1 percent is due to operational error."

"Very well!" Ying Zheng stood up, his eyes blazing. "Issue my decree: Search the entire city for cows that have contracted smallpox! Immediately! Right now!"

However, popularizing science is often more difficult than science itself.

When the news that "vaccination can prevent smallpox" spread from Xianyang Palace and was published as the headline in Liu Bang's "Da Qin Daily," it did not lead to the expected enthusiastic participation. Instead, it triggered a panic even more terrible than the plague.

In a teahouse in the West Market of Xianyang.

"Have you heard? The imperial court is going to inoculate us with 'cow poison'!" A pockmarked idler waved his arms in terror. "That's pus scraped from cows! How filthy!"

"I've heard about it too!" another middle-aged woman chimed in mysteriously. "Uncle Er next door said that if you plant this, you'll slowly turn into a cow! First, you'll become stronger, then you'll grow horns, and eventually you'll even want to eat grass!"

"Oh my god! That's terrible! Does that mean we'll all have to farm the land from now on?"

"This must be the Grand Tutor's conspiracy! The current tractors aren't enough; he wants to turn us into oxen to pull carts!"

The rumors spread like wildfire, instantly reaching every corner of Xianyang.

People were already terrified of smallpox, and the news that they would have to be injected with "cow pus" terrified them even more. The vaccination sites set up by the government were deserted, while long queues formed in front of the Taoist stalls selling "exorcising talismans" and "divine water".

Li Si rushed into the imperial study, his hat askew.

"Your Majesty! Something terrible has happened! The people are resisting vaccination, and some have even stormed the vaccination sites, driving out the imperial physicians!" Li Si cried out in distress. "They say... they'd rather die of smallpox than become a bull demon!"

Ying Zheng listened to the report, his face so dark it seemed to drip water.

"Ignorant," Ying Zheng coldly uttered two words. "Is this my people? They'd rather believe those baseless rumors than my imperial advisor?"

"Your Majesty, the people are still not enlightened," Wang Jianguo sighed. "To them, the invisible virus is not scary, but the visible 'bubble' is disgusting. To break this deadlock, explanations alone are useless; someone needs to take the lead."

"Lead the way?" Ying Zheng narrowed his eyes. "You mean..."

"We need to find someone of noble status, respected by the people, and... fearless of death." Wang Jianguo looked at Ying Zheng.

Ying Zheng was about to stand up when he said, "Then I..."

"No!" Li Si and Zhao Gao rushed over and grabbed Ying Zheng's legs at the same time. "Your Majesty is of inestimable health, how can you test poison on yourself! What if the Grand Preceptor's method... goes wrong? What will happen to Qin?"

Ying Zheng frowned: "Then who will go? Zhao Gao, you go?"

Zhao Gao was so frightened that snot bubbles came out of his nose: "Your Majesty! This servant...this servant has been weak and sickly since childhood, and this servant is afraid of oxen! This servant's legs go weak at the sight of an ox!"

Just then, a clear voice came from outside the hall.

"Your subject is willing to go!"

Everyone turned around. Fusu strode in. He was dressed in a smart outfit, with his sleeves rolled up high, revealing his fair and muscular arms.

In recent years, after the trials of studying diligently at the "Burning the Dead" and the Epang Palace University, this once gentle and refined young man now has a more resolute and decisive look in his eyes.

"Fusu?" Ying Zheng was somewhat surprised. "Aren't you afraid he'll grow horns?"

Fusu smiled, a smile that was both helpless and composed.

"Father, I took biology classes at the Epang Palace University. The Imperial Advisor said that there is reproductive isolation between species... oh no, I mean genetic isolation. A human is a human, a cow is a cow, and getting a smallpox vaccination won't turn you into a cow. Just like eating pork won't turn you into a pig."

Fusu walked up to Wang Jianguo, extended his left arm, and looked at him with a firm gaze.

"Your Majesty, I am the eldest son of the Great Qin. If even I dare not believe in the science of the Great Qin, how can the people dare to believe? Grand Preceptor, let's begin!"

To achieve the greatest publicity effect, Ying Zheng decided to make a big splash.

The vaccination ceremony was held in the square in front of Xianyang Palace, allowing the public to watch.

That day, the square was packed with people. Everyone wanted to see if the legendary eldest son, Fusu, would really be transformed into the Bull Demon King.

On the high platform, Xia Wuqie held a gleaming knife (actually a specially made inoculation needle) in his hand, his hand trembling like someone with Parkinson's disease.

"My lord...my lord, I...I really did it?" Xia Wuqie looked at Fusu's smooth arm and felt like an executioner.

"Imperial Physician Xia, don't shake," Fusu said calmly. "If you shake like this, what should be a small cut might turn into a major artery."

The people below the stage held their breath.

"Look! That's cow pus! It's yellowish!"

"Oh dear, this is terrible. The young master is about to start mooing."

Amidst the intense attention, Xia Wuqie finally calmed himself down, dipped a little of the treated cowpox spore paste, and gently drew a "well" shape on Fusu's arm.

"Hiss—" Fusu frowned slightly, but didn't utter a sound.

"Is it done?" Fusu asked.

"Okay... all done." Xia Wuqie wiped his sweat.

Fusu stood up, raised his arm, and showed the tiny wound to the people below the stage.

"Fellow villagers! This is Fusu! I've been vaccinated against smallpox! I feel great now, I haven't grown horns, and I don't want to eat grass!" Fusu shouted. "Smallpox is a demon, but this cowpox is a shield! For the sake of your elderly and children, don't believe the rumors, believe in science!"

The audience was completely silent. They looked at each other, their eyes still filled with doubt.

Just then, Zhao Gao, who had been hiding in the back, was suddenly kicked out by Ying Zheng.

"Ah!" Zhao Gao screamed and stumbled to the front of the stage.

"Prefect Zhao, you should plant one too," Ying Zheng said calmly. "You're tough and resilient, so you can demonstrate to the people that this thing doesn't hurt."

"Your Majesty! No! I don't want to turn into a cow!" Zhao Gao cried and wailed, desperately protecting his arm.

"Hold him down!"

Two Black Ice Guards rushed forward, grabbing Zhao Gao from either side. Xia Wuqie, grinning maliciously (actually, his expression was distorted with nervousness), walked over and thrust a needle into Zhao Gao's pale arm.

"Awooo—!!!"

Zhao Gao let out a bloodcurdling scream, so shrill that it frightened the pigeons in the square into flight.

"Does it hurt?" Ying Zheng asked.

Zhao Gao paused for a moment, then looked at the tiny red dot on his arm, barely bigger than a mosquito bite.

"It doesn't seem to hurt...?" Zhao Gao blinked. "I just... the atmosphere was just right, it wouldn't be appropriate not to cry out."

The crowd below burst into laughter.

Fear is most afraid of laughter. Once everyone laughs, the veil of mystery and terror is lifted.

Even the cowardly Zhao Gao planted it, and it didn't turn into an ox. So it seems this matter... isn't so terrible after all.

In the following days, the situation changed subtly.

Fusu would publish his daily health status diary in the "Da Qin Daily":

Day 1: Slight fever, arms a little itchy.

"The next day: A small blister appeared, but I was in relatively good spirits and ate a bowl of mutton stew."

Day 5: The blisters scabbed over, and the fever subsided. I'm still a human being.

This wave of "live-streaming e-commerce" style science popularization has greatly reassured the public.

But what truly turned the situation around was a "bad idea" from Liu Bang.

On this day, a large red notice was displayed at various vaccination sites in Xianyang, stamped with a bright red imperial seal:

[Qin Dynasty Epidemic Prevention Order]

1. All those who have been vaccinated against smallpox will be issued a "Great Qin Good Citizen Health Certificate" (which is actually just a scar on the arm).

Second, based on this scar, one month of corvée labor will be exempted and taxes will be reduced by 10% that year!

3. All factories and shops should give priority to hiring people with scars.

IV. The first 100 people vaccinated each day will receive 10 eggs!

The moment the notice was posted, the entire city of Xianyang was in an uproar.

Turning into a cow or a horse? Compared to tax cuts and eggs, those are nothing!

"Hurry! Get in line! The eggs will be gone if you're late!"

"A 10% tax cut? My whole family will go farming! I'll even bring my newborn grandson!"

"Hey doctor, could you give me two implants? I'd like to get a 20% tax reduction!"

The vaccination site instantly transformed from a deserted place into a bustling market. Countless elderly people pushed wheelbarrows and carried stools, queuing up overnight.

"Don't push! Don't push! There's room for everyone!" Xia Wuqie's voice was hoarse from shouting, but his face was beaming with joy.

Meanwhile, the former noble communities of the six kingdoms were eerily quiet.

These self-proclaimed noble old aristocrats stubbornly believed that this was Qin witchcraft, a vulgar pastime. They kept their doors tightly shut, refused vaccination, and tried to ward off the plague by burning mugwort and drinking talismanic water.

half a month later.

Smallpox arrived as expected, sweeping through Guanzhong.

Within Xianyang, most residents had been vaccinated against smallpox and developed antibodies. Although there were sporadic cases, most were mild and recovered quickly. Daily life and production in the city were virtually unaffected.

However, within the grand mansions of the former nobles of the six kingdoms, a completely different hellish scene unfolded.

The cries of agony never ceased, day and night. High fever and pustules claimed one life after another from those pampered individuals. Those noblemen who usually looked down on the common people were now watching their skin fester and dying in agony.

Science is the fairest judge. It doesn't look at your lineage or your wealth; it only looks at whether you respect it.

On a deep winter night, Ying Zheng stood on the terrace of Xianyang Palace, looking down at the brightly lit city below.

The cold wind howled, but his heart was warm.

"Jianguo, we won this time."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Wang Jianguo stood behind him, holding a latest epidemic report. "The incidence rate in Xianyang and the surrounding areas has dropped to its lowest level. The epidemic in the Lantian camp has also been brought under control. We have successfully defended this biological war."

Ying Zheng touched his left arm, where there was a small, round scar—it was a scar he secretly planted after confirming his safety, as an example.

"This little scar actually managed to stop death," Ying Zheng exclaimed. "Little G is right, the most powerful forces in this world are often invisible."

Brother Zheng, this is just the beginning.

Little G's voice echoed in my mind.

Smallpox was merely the vanguard of the microbial army. Cholera, plague, influenza… they still lurk in the shadows, lurking among humanity. For the Qin Dynasty to endure for ten thousand years, it needs not only a Great Wall of steel, but also a Great Wall of biology.

"The Great Wall of life..." Ying Zheng repeated the phrase.

He turned around and gave the order to Wang Jianguo:

"Issue my decree:"

First, the Imperial Medical Bureau is upgraded to the "Ministry of Health of the Great Qin," with Xia Wuqie appointed as its minister. He is tasked with researching those invisible insects for me!

Second, I will establish a "Microscope Academy" at the Epang Palace University. I want to train a group of warriors who will fight with glass slides!

Thirdly, from now on, all citizens of the Great Qin must be vaccinated against smallpox at birth! This is not just about saving lives; it's the "factory setting" for the people of Qin!

Wang Jianguo laughed: "Your Majesty is wise. This is called 'herd immunity'."

At this moment, Zhao Gao walked over, clutching his arm, his face full of flattery: "Your Majesty, this scar of mine is particularly round and beautiful. Does it foretell that I will become rich this year?"

Ying Zheng glanced at him, in high spirits: "I don't know about getting rich, but you certainly won't turn into a cow. Because cows aren't as talkative as you."

The ministers burst into laughter.

In this cold winter, Da Qin used a tiny cowpox to ignite the first spark of humanity's fight against the plague.

The small round scar left on his arm became a new medal for the people of Qin.