novelraw Chapter 217
Chapter 217
Ye Chutang knew Peng Bin would enter the town.
Because those who treat human life with the least regard are the most afraid of dying.
Therefore, she wasn't surprised at all to see Peng Bin staggering over with a livid face.
Peng Bin's legs felt like they were filled with lead; every step took all his strength.
Just as he was getting closer and closer to Ye Chutang, his vision went black, and he fainted.
Ye Chutang ignored the collapsed Peng Bin and walked towards a solemn-faced Han Chong.
"Have you finished catching the rats?"
"I don't know. My men are still checking. Many people have already been bitten by fleas."
"Gather them in one place first."
Han Chong looked at his busy subordinates and said, "They've all been arranged in the apothecary, but there are too many people. We need to find another place."
"Then requisition the shop next door. Keep them close for easier management."
"Alright, I'll arrange it shortly. Madam Qi, many people in the town have also contracted the plague, but the apothecary is out of medicine. What should we do?"
Dayang Town wasn't large; the clinic and the apothecary were one and the same.
The medicine was stolen last night, leaving nothing behind.
The doctor went to the county town this morning to buy some herbs, but the apothecary's assistant hasn't delivered them yet.
Ye Chutang wasn't lacking medicine; she just needed to find a suitable excuse to bring it out.
What she worried about now was that, aside from the plague and the rat-borne disease, the dog emperor might have other moves.
Thinking of this, she walked up to the unconscious Peng Bin, stepped on his hand, and ground her foot down hard.
The sound of bones crushing rang out.
The fingers are connected to the heart; Peng Bin quickly let out a miserable shriek and woke up.
He looked at his right hand, which was now like a pile of mush, and let out a terrified scream.
"Ah! Help! My hand!"
Ye Chutang squatted down, smelling the medicinal scent emanating from Peng Bin, and asked, "Whose man are you? What is your mission?"
Thinking of his family's lives, Peng Bin shook his head.
His voice trembled from the pain. "Someone sent a message to the county office, saying that Dayang Town has..."
"Slap!"
Ye Chutang interrupted Peng Bin's words with a slap and grabbed his collar.
"Your clothes were boiled in insect repellent, weren't they?"
These words made Peng Bin's livid face turn a shade paler. He tried to break free from Ye Chutang's grip but failed.
"I... I don't know..."
"Slap!"
Ye Chutang slapped Peng Bin again.
"The Qi family can take your family's lives as easily as flipping a hand. Think carefully before you answer."
"I really... Ah!"
Seeing that Peng Bin was being dishonest, Ye Chutang directly blinded one of his eyes with a silver needle.
The silver needle was pulled out, its metallic luster covered by the dark fluids of the eyeball.
The thick dark fluid dripped down the silver needle into his other eye.
His vision was veiled by a faint, dark layer.
Seeing the silver needle just inches away from his other eye, Peng Bin was terrified and immediately gave in.
"It's the county magistrate. Our families are locked up in the county office. If we don't follow orders, none of our families will survive."
Ye Chutang knew Peng Bin was lying. The silver needle in her hand moved down a bit more, pressing against his eyeball.
"You have one last chance to tell the truth."
Peng Bin was so terrified he didn't dare to blink or move.
"We are the garrison troops of Lai County, ordered to send... send all the exiled people on their way."
"How?"
"Plague, rat-borne disease, and smallpox, followed by burning the town."
The moment the words "burning the town" came out, Ye Chutang grabbed Peng Bin by the neck.
"Tell me the specific plan."
Only by knowing the source of the poison could she solve the problem as quickly as possible.
Peng Bin didn't dare to hide anything and recounted the detailed plan from start to finish.
"I've told you everything I know. Please give me the antidote."
He felt as if knives were scraping his bones and cutting his flesh; every part of him ached, making him wish for death.
"Idiot!"
After saying that, Ye Chutang snapped Peng Bin's neck and stood up.
She looked at Qi Yanzhou. "The soldiers guarding outside Dayang Town are not the main force; they are abandoned pawns."
These soldiers had no status or background, yet they knew the truth about burning the town.
Obviously, the mastermind behind the scenes never intended to let them live!
Qi Yanzhou understood what Ye Chutang meant.
"Let's resolve the epidemic in Dayang Town first, then deal with the people behind it."
After saying that, he grabbed Ye Chutang's arm and asked worriedly, "Atang, are you absolutely certain?"
If not, he would never let her risk herself.
These ancient epidemics were not particularly tricky diseases for Ye Chutang.
She nodded affirmatively. "I am! But we must cut off the source of infection first."
The source of the plague is the water.
There is a plague-infected corpse in the well at the east end of the town.
The source of the rat-borne disease is the rats.
Although most of the rats had been burned, the fleas were still biting people everywhere.
The source of the smallpox is the waiter at the teahouse.
The waiter was infected with smallpox a few days ago and had contact with quite a few people.
Qi Yanzhou said to Han Chong, "Send someone to salvage the corpse from the well and burn it, then seal the well. Most people in the town know each other. It shouldn't be too hard to ask around about who went to the teahouse these past few days. Find them."
Han Chong did not immediately agree.
He looked at Ye Chutang. "Madam Qi, sealing the well and finding people isn't hard. The hard part is that we have no medicine. How about I take some men to Xun County to buy some?"
Ye Chutang immediately objected. "No. Everyone in the town might be infected with the disease; no one can leave. I will handle the medicine. You don't need to worry."
In Han Chong's view, even the cleverest housewife cannot cook without rice; without medicine, they couldn't treat anyone.
But he knew Ye Chutang was right.
The people in this town could not leave!
If the epidemic spread, the entire Beichen Kingdom would suffer.
He said, "People from nearby villages come to the town for the market. The teahouse waiter came into contact with too many people. The smallpox has likely already spread."
Ye Chutang had guessed this as well. "The flow of people in the town is too concentrated, making cross-infection easy. We must resolve the epidemic in the town first before checking the villages."
"Alright, I'll go handle the well and find those people first."
Han Chong immediately ordered his subordinates to get to work and went to busy himself as well.
As for the four exiled families under house arrest, Wu Chenggang was left to watch them. If anyone tried to escape, they would be killed without mercy!
Qi Yanzhou looked at Ye Chutang with a solemn expression.
"Atang, you didn't mention a solution for the rat-borne disease. Is it very tricky?"
"It's a bit tricky, but not hard to resolve. It will just take more time. What I'm worried about now is that if a person contracts several diseases at the same time, the mortality rate will be too high."
What she didn't say was that under the interaction of the three viruses, a new virus might form.
"Then we should keep the infected people further apart. Whatever herbs you need, I'll have Nan Xiao get them."
Nan Xiao was nearby, so sending a message wouldn't be difficult.
Ye Chutang thought about how small the town was; even if they quarantined people at the east and west ends, it wouldn't be of much use.
Right, the cellars!
"Arrange the infected people in the cellars. That will reduce the risk of it spreading."
"Alright, I'll go tell Han Chong. As for the herbs..."
"I will handle the herbs. You have more important things to do."
Qi Yanzhou guessed what Ye Chutang was talking about and asked, "Find the mastermind behind the scenes?"
Ye Chutang nodded. "I'm absolutely certain this person isn't far from Dayang Town!"