Chapter 13 Or did he think of her Doraemon at first?

    “The symptoms that the villagers have are diarrhea and stomachache. Some also vomit and have a fever at the same time.”

    “And where are the sick villagers staying?”

    “They are staying in their own home, miss. They have their relatives help take care of them. The army doctors are so busy with helping the villagers that they do not have time to rest.”

    Bai Yu let Bai Hua ask about the villager’s basic symptoms from a soldier sent by them after they arrived at the village in the late afternoon.

    “It’s almost dark so there’s nothing much we can do.” Her half-sister muttered to herself. On her pretty face were signs of worry and contemplation.

    “Benwang already had the people with severe conditions be separated in a tent. Tonight we would have to treat them first.” The general said. Bai Hua nodded in agreement. She asked for Ouyang Feilong’s permission to go check on the sick, which he was willing to guide her there.

    But before leaving, Rui Wang still sent a sharp glance at Bai Yu who stayed still, not doing or reacting to anything since she arrived. It might seem like she was selfish, but the truth was that she had no knowledge of treating sick people. She had no use even if she followed them.

    “I already sent words to the mansion. A doctor will come to check miss’s health as soon as possible, then we can go back and leave this blighted village.” Xiao Xi whispered when they entered the tent prepared by the soldiers.

    “If I leave before things are resolved, then I’ll lose to Bai Hua.”

    “But it’s dangerous, miss. If something happened to you…”

    “If something happened to Bai Hua, then isn’t it better that I’m here to see it?”

    “That’s true, miss.”

    Bai Yu had to use the evil scheme as an excuse, otherwise, her maid would be suspicious.

    Haah! She was still a human at heart, though. Even if she could not help treat the sick, there were other things she could do to help here. The old Bai Yu would have jumped at the opportunity as a nurse like a frail young miss would, and then her spotlight would be completely stolen by Bai Hua who was more capable. She knew that this original body had no knowledge about healing magic or any medicine. Thus, this new Bai Yu would not volunteer herself and become a fool, but she would sit back and watch the ability of the heroine.

    “That third miss sure is irritating. She’s just a useless woman but she acts like a doctor. Surely she’s trying to charm the general, miss.”

    Xiao Xi had not known that the current Bai Hua could use magic now. Not just normal magic but healing magic, even. Her combination of the method of treatment from the old life and new life was what had created her reputation that would even reach the Emperor. This was the beginning of Bai Hua’s prosperous life in the series.

    Right now, Bai Yu was not sure whether this Bai Hua was the same person as Song Lianhua or not. But the goddess of fate had said that she and Bai Hua’s fates were intertwined through many lives. It was possible that Bai Hua’s soul in another life as doctor Padma had crossed over into this body.

    If it was truly Song Lianhua in Bai Hua’s body then she would have cried when she received beatings back at the mansion, because that was Song Lianhua who was weak, fragile, and so dear. Hmph!

    “Her wishing to help the villagers is a good thing. What is there to gain from envying her?”

    “But she’s outshining you, miss. How could that useless person like her compete with my young lady who has high-level magic?”

    “No need to worry. I have my own way.”

    Not liking others for being better or more popular than themselves was something Bai Yu had much experience in. When she was an international actress, she was so popular that many did not like her, but she did not care about them, and she herself never hated anyone better than her. She believed that it was proper for capable people to be able to show their skills, and those who feel envious should just go find something they were good at instead of spending their time on hating someone else.

    So, even though she felt slightly envious of Bai Hua’s ability, she would not let herself lose to the heroine!

    She was Bai Yu, the first miss of the senior chancellor household. How could she be defeated by a lowly daughter of a concubine?!

    “Then, what would miss do?”

    “During the time of an epidemic like this, hygiene is important.”

    From the symptoms she heard, this illness sounded like food poisoning. Fortunately, it was not infectious, but there was a high possibility that the cause was from food, water, or bacteria in the ingredients that the villagers had eaten.

    “Tell our people to boil water and wash every utensil in it before using it for the meals. That also includes water or other ingredients in cooking. You have to make it hot, or cook it thoroughly to sterilize it first.”

    “I understand the part about boiling water. But what does sterilize mean, miss?”

    “It means killing dirty things in the water.”

    “Is there such a thing?”

    “There is. But it’s so small that it’s invisible to the naked eyes.”

    “Then how could miss see it?”

    “Have you ever died before you realize what happened?” Bai Yu wanted to roll up her sleeves.

    “I’ll go order the workers. Please excuse me, miss.”

    ----------------------

    “These seem like symptoms of food poisoning.”

    Bai Hua said aloud in the meeting taken place in the general’s tent. Her conclusion was the same as what Bai Yu had assumed.

    Though Ouyang Feilong did not show interest or care for anything in particular, he still took in every different opinion that would benefit the villagers. It could be said that the reason Bai Hua who was known for her uselessness could participate in this meeting was that the opportunity given to her by the general.

    “What is this food poisoning?” The royal army doctor asked, perplexed that he had never heard of such disease once in all his life as a doctor.

    “It is the condition where body received contamination. If the effect is not severe then it will result in frequent excretion or stomachache. If it is severe, it will lead to vomiting as well. But for the fever symptom, this is the first time I have seen it.” Bai Hua confidently replied. She was already used to explaining symptoms of illnesses.

    “How would Miss Bai know?” The doctor looked at Bai Hua in surprise.

    “Uh…” Her peach blossom eyes looked around for a moment. “…I have read it from a book, sir.”

    Even though she knew it was a lie, Bai Yu still let her half-sister continue the pretense.

    “And how do we treat these symptoms?” Ouyang Feilong asked as well. He did not care how she got her knowledge from. The black dragon’s only concern was whether she could cure the villagers or not. All eyes were on Bai Hua, waiting for the answer in hopeful silence.

    “First, we will have to clean every utensil used for cooking, including all ingredients. Everything must be cleaned with boiled water.”

    Too late, third sister. Jiejie had already done that.

    “Benwang heard that Miss Bai had ordered the workers from the temple to handle this already.”

    “Miss Bai…” Bai Hua tilted her head. She was confused because she did not order something like that, and so everyone’s gaze went to the first miss of the Bai family instead.

    “I just like cleanliness. I did not realize that it would be helpful for third sister like this.” Bai Yu said humbly with a sweet smile. She could still perfectly maintain her image as a graceful and merciful young lady.

    The truth was that she had also ordered workers to dilute salt and sugar in boiled water to use as rehydration solution for the villager to drink in order to substitute water and nutrient lost by diarrhea. She had just finished distributing the solutions to villagers who had slight diarrhea as well.

    “Then, what to do next?”

    “Separate the patients, Your Highness. Patients who have diarrhea and stomachache, patients who showed symptoms of diarrhea and vomiting, patients who have diarrhea and fever and are also vomiting, and then those who are healthy. They will be split into four groups and treated according to their symptoms. The healthy will take care of the sick. Most importantly, they need to eat clean food, use clean utensils, and…”

    The transmigrated doctor continued to explain her method. Bai Yu was only half listening because she had expected most of them already, though for other details she had nothing to recommend or take action on her own like when she distributed rehydration solution since she did not know what medicine to use in this world, or if it could be easily cured with healing magic.

    This time it was Bai Hua’s fate to show her ability. Bai Yu only needed to go with the flow. Still, the villainess was worried in place of Bai Hua. There were no diarrhea tablets or antibiotics here, then how would she cure food poisoning?

    Haahh! She should have brought a first aid kit with her when she killed herself.

    -------------------

    Three days passed, Bai Hua and the army’s royal doctors, together with royal doctors from the capital, invented a formula. Then, the army’s soldiers went out to find the herbs with the property that could be used to treat the symptoms.

    Though the cold weather was an obstacle for the non-soldiers, the combined efforts helped the villager’s condition, and some were cured. They all praised the commander-general and Miss Bai Hua in great joy.

    Still, there was a worrying condition of some villagers whose fever showed no sign of easing. Even worse, people in a nearby village also started showing the same symptoms. The meeting was held again in Ouyang Feilong’s tent.

    “We need to use the same method as we did with this village so that we can continue treating the sick.” It was the illustrious Miss Bai Hua who spoke up to share her opinion. Many in the tent nodded in agreement with her.

    “Who would watch over that village, then? The distance between the two villages was too much to travel back and forth so frequently,” a royal doctor from the capital voiced the point that everyone had been worried about.

    It was clear that no one wanted to go to that village, since it was unknown whether the condition of the people there was better or worse than here. And because of this fear of the unknown, they were afraid that they would fall sick as well if they went there. No one wanted to risk. Not when the cause of the disease was still unknown.

    “Benwang will go there and the captain will stay here.” The man with the dragon mask was the one who accepted this mission in the first place. He was never afraid of something trivial such as this.

    Bai Yu internally applauded Rui Wang. If she wanted to create a good impression and buy his trust, then she could just volunteer to follow him there. But she would not…because there was something she just remembered that she had to do.

    “I would like to go with Your Highness as well,” Bai Hua said with a determined gaze, surprising everyone in the meeting, except Bai Yu. She could predict that the heroine would always act as the center of attention because this was the scene created for her.

    “The situation here is almost resolved, there is only the fever that I have yet to find a way to treat. I will try to think up a method while helping the patients in that village.”

    “But you have started making progress here…” the army’s royal doctor who had worked with Bai Hua from the start and saw both her brilliance and bravery hesitantly said.

    “Hua-er believes in you, doctors…” Her thin lips formed a beautiful smile. The peach blossom eyes gaze at every one of the elderly royal doctors. She continued in a firm voice. “…The elders here all are professional. You can handle this situation; I am sure of it.”

    “Then I will go with you, miss,” royal doctor Mu who had treated Bai Yu’s wound said with eyes filled with trust.

    “Just you and I are enough, sir. I will leave the matter here in you all’s care.” The former sentence was said to the doctor who volunteered, while the latter was to other doctors with a smile.

    This third miss of the Bai family was not a useless person. She was capable, but not arrogant. She was gentle, but not weak. Bai Yu had to internally give Bai Hua a big round of applause.

    “Why didn’t you volunteer to come with benwang?”

    “I am not skilled at treating the sick, Your Highness. Moreover, I am a woman. It would only cause Wangye more trouble if I follow.”

    “But your sister volunteered without hesitation.”

    Screw my sister!

    “Wangye please do not tease me.” Bai Yu smiled so wide her two dimples showed, even though inside she wanted to spit fire at this black dragon! Why would he provoke her by comparing her with Bai Hua?!

    “Benwang may have misjudged you.” He walked away as soon as he finished speaking, not in time to see her confused reaction.

    What was he talking about? All along he was indifferent toward everything, then why would he care about her? And up until now what kind of person did he want her to be? Or did he think she was Doraemon?

    “Miss, lunch for the villagers is finished. Do you want to return to the tent?”

    “I want to go to the river next to the village.”

    “The water there is so cold. You can’t play in it, miss.”

    “I didn’t say that I was going to play.” She flicked her puppy maid’s forehead then started heading toward the said river. Before setting out, she had asked two soldiers to guide her way. Although the area was under Ouyang Feilong’s care, she still had to take precautions in case that something unexpected happened on her way to the river that was not too near or too far from the village.

    When they reached the river, Bai Yu walked up to the bank. Her white hands, now completely free of wound or scar, cupped the water in an attempt to examine it, though it was still as clear as every time the villagers took it to use and consume. She frowned. If there was nothing wrong with the water, then what could be the carrier for the bacteria, then?

    “Do you know which way is the other village?” The slim figure gracefully stood up. Today she wore a dark blue dress like always. It was the color that gave Bai Yu the image of a cold and serene beauty more than normal.

    “Walking down this stream will take half a day to reach the village, miss.”

    It was what she thought, this village was in the area of headwater, and the next village was also not far down the river. Bai Yu was still certain that the source of the bacteria was from water.

    “What if we walk that way?” She pointed in the opposite direction, which was the source of this river.

    “It is a forest, miss.”

    “No villages?”

    “No, miss. If we walk up the stream, it will take three days until we reach the magic forest. There is no human living there.”

    “Then what else is living there?”

    “I do not know.”

    “Forget it.”

    Bai Yu sighed. She gave up and finally turned to go back to her tent. After the group had split up, the two soldiers were confused about the young miss’s behavior. Still, her questions were only about the villages and nothing of concern, so they both decided not to report it to the general.

    That night, Bai Yu thought over and over while lying in her tent about what could be the source of the disease. Everyone else was busy with taking care of the villagers, and so they might have forgotten to focus on finding out the cause. This could be ignored before, but now that another village started being affected, Bai Yu thought that the matter could not be ignored any longer. At first, she was sure water was the carrier of the disease since the two villages were located near the same river, but she could not find anything out of ordinary when she inspected the water.

    Then what could be the carrier?