Jun Jiu Ling Episode 20 Recap
> Jun Jiu Ling Recap
Jun Jiuling, before her departure, meticulously drafted a comprehensive supply list for Shopkeeper Liu of Deshengchang, instructing him to swiftly procure and deliver the items to Qingshan Court. Chen Qi, her loyal attendant, expressed deep concern to Shopkeeper Liu about Lu Yunqi’s presence at Qingshan Court, wishing Zhu Zan were there to protect Miss Jun. Shopkeeper Liu, however, reassured him that Miss Jun would be fine.
Back in the capital, Jiang Youshu, observing Jun Jiuling's remarkable ability to rally numerous doctors from various medical halls to Qingshan Court, acknowledged her profound influence. He then directed other imperial doctors to actively engage with palace officials and lords to assuage the growing public panic and foster support. To gain entry into the heavily guarded Qingshan Court, Zhu Zan sought the assistance of Ning Yunzhao.
Ning Yunzhao's uncle, a minister, subsequently advised the Emperor, highlighting the widespread praise for Dr. Jun Jiuling's efforts. He proposed dispatching a prince or royal kin to Qingshan Court to underscore the imperial family's commitment, believing that Jiuling Drugstore alone couldn't sufficiently bolster public morale. This suggestion sparked a debate among ministers, with some proposing the Third Prince or Prince Xian.
Ultimately, Minister Huang put forth Zhu Zan's name, arguing that despite his past transgressions, Zhu Zan was in the prime of his life, less susceptible to smallpox, and his father, Lord Cheng, was a figure of great renown. Minister Huang asserted that Zhu Zan, though not of royal lineage, was still respectfully addressed as a lordship, making him an ideal representative.
The Emperor accepted this counsel, commissioning Zhu Zan to take charge at Qingshan Court, thereby offering him an opportunity for atonement. Ning Yunzhao personally escorted Zhu Zan out of the city, reminding him that this outcome was a direct result of Zhu Zan's earlier strategic advice to oppose any direct recommendation of himself. As they parted, Ning Yunzhao urged Zhu Zan to ensure Jun Jiuling's safety and well-being.
Inside Qingshan Court, a multitude of smallpox patients suffered, overwhelming Jun Jiuling and her medical team. Despite their tireless efforts, the initial detoxication soup only offered temporary relief, failing to halt the progression of the virulent disease. Doctors observed that most critically ill patients had been infected for over three days, while younger individuals showed more resilience. Jun Jiuling proposed using a new decoction for recent and younger patients, while reserving the "honey and rhizoma cimicifugae" method for severe cases.
That evening, Jun Jiuling convened a meeting with the doctors, where they shared clinical observations and meticulously adjusted prescriptions. Jun Jiuling insisted on personally decocting the medicines to ensure precision. Chen Qi, concerned for her health, brought her ginseng soup, but she selflessly directed him to give it to the other exhausted doctors. Just then, Lu Yunqi arrived, confronting Jun Jiuling and demanding to know why she had falsely reported Prince Huai's condition as scrofula.
As Lu Yunqi's demands grew insistent, Zhu Zan unexpectedly appeared, bearing an imperial decree. Acknowledging the danger, Zhu Zan declared his willingness to fight for the people, deeply moving Jun Jiuling with his courageous decision to stay despite the perilous risk of infection. In the days that followed, the patients' conditions continued to worsen, and the death toll tragically mounted.
Panic escalated throughout Qingshan Court, eroding the hope of even the most resilient, including a mother whose young daughter, Guo'er, was gravely ill. After witnessing another death, Guo'er’s mother, overwhelmed by grief and despair, decided to cease treatment. Jun Jiuling compassionately intervened, reminding the distraught mother that Guo'er's survival hinged on her own unwavering perseverance and that she was her daughter's only light in these dark times. Moved by Jun Jiuling’s words, the mother tearfully agreed to continue the treatment.
However, as more bodies were carried away, the patients’ frustration boiled over into outright anger. They accused Jun Jiuling of deception and incompetence, claiming she had lured them to Qingshan Court under false pretenses and demanded to know what medicines they were truly being given. Jun Jiuling honestly admitted that while they had not yet discovered a definitive cure, they had never ceased their relentless efforts to develop one.
She pleaded for more time, assuring them that every life was held sacred. Zhu Zan then stepped forward, introducing himself as the son of Lord Cheng. He solemnly pledged to remain with them until the epidemic concluded and all patients recovered, successfully quelling their hostility and urging them to return to their beds to recuperate. Following this, Jun Jiuling asked Zhu Zan to inform Lu Yunqi that Deshengchang's deliveries must be allowed passage.
Simultaneously, in Zezhou, Fang Chengyu, having received Jun Jiuling’s urgent message, quickly began procuring large quantities of herbal medicine, money, and most unusually, cattle that had previously contracted smallpox, urging their immediate dispatch to the capital. Meanwhile, Jiang Youshu in the capital attempted to glean information about the dire situation within Qingshan Court. Unable to send his own people due to Lu Yunqi's strict cordon, he contemplated requesting the Emperor to recall Lu Yunqi, hoping this would provide insight.
Inside Qingshan Court, the continued deaths ignited a near mutiny among the doctors, who clamored to return to the capital. Lu Yunqi considered using force to prevent their departure, but Zhu Zan intervened. He recounted Jun Jiuling's philosophy of choosing to save the world through medical ethics and offered a compromise: those who insisted on leaving would be provided clean, separate accommodations until the epidemic subsided, after which he would personally escort them down the mountain.
Jun Jiuling then sincerely thanked the doctors, stating that as long as even one person survived, their efforts held profound meaning. Inspired by her plea and Dr. Feng's renewed commitment, the doctors collectively resolved to stay. Soon after, Shopkeeper Liu from Deshengchang arrived at the foot of the mountain, delivering the requested supplies, including the unusual consignment of cattle, to Zhu Zan and Chen Qi.
Puzzled by the cattle, Zhu Zan wondered if they were for food, but Chen Qi reminded him of the law against slaughtering them. Zhu Zan then concluded that Jun Jiuling must have a specific purpose for them. Later, Zhu Zan and Lu Yunqi had a tense exchange, with Zhu Zan conveying Jun Jiuling's message.
Lu Yunqi, suspicious of the large quantities of honey, rhizoma cimicifugae, and especially liquor being consumed, implied a high death rate and accused Jun Jiuling of operating without transparency. At Qingshan Court, Jun Jiuling revealed her radical new treatment: using scabs from cattle that had recovered from smallpox. She explained that these cattle carried a weakened form of the disease.
Citing ancient records from Lingnan where people who contracted smallpox in childhood survived later epidemics, she theorized that previous exposure might confer immunity. Her proposal involved using the scabs from these recovered cattle to inoculate humans. This, she believed, could offer a definitive cure by allowing individuals to contract a mild, non-fatal version of the disease, thereby building immunity. The other doctors, however, were horrified, deeming the method absurd and a reckless gamble with human lives.
Jun Jiuling acknowledged their concerns, emphasizing the critical first step: to find a healthy individual who had never been exposed to smallpox for a "test inoculation" to prove the method's safety and efficacy.
