"It's true, the yield is 1,000 catties per mu, and every mu is the same! As you instructed, the tax has been collected, totaling 100,000 catties of rice seeds," the official honestly replied.
“Very good, very good. Keep the rice seeds safe. I will take them to Jiangnan County so that the people there can plant them as well.”
Those who had harvested rice had already saved some seeds for themselves.
So he doesn't need to worry anymore.
With food, the people of Jiashu County, including disaster victims, finally had a chance to survive.
Cheers resounded throughout the city and its surroundings.
However, there are a few exceptions.
For example, the Chen family and the Yan family.
Wang Lihua died of illness half a month ago.
Nine-year-old Chen Tiangui was left alone. Ignoring Bai Lizheng's advice, he went to plant grain and instead stole various things in the village.
He was eventually chased away by the villagers, but at night he lost his footing and fell to his death in a dried-up ditch.
The Yan family was in no better shape; the original owner's mother, Sun Yingyun, was released from prison early on.
But her health had already deteriorated, and after returning home, her son and grandson were not filial, and she was verbally abused by her granddaughter-in-law every day.
He died in a mass grave last year.
Yan Chun didn't even dig a grave for her.
The villagers pointed their fingers at him and cursed him for what he did.
Finally, Bai Lizheng asked Yan Xia for her opinion and decided to kick Yan Chun's family out.
They had barely set out when they were looted by disaster victims, and some starved to death or died of disease.
Those who survived became beggars, foolishly begging for food.
Yan Xia, on the other hand, boarded a carriage with Magistrate Lu in early July and headed to Jiangnan County.
“This time, you must come with me. You are more familiar with rice seeds than I am, and this is your achievement. I will never take it from you.”
Inside the carriage, the two drank warm water, and Lu Cunshan spoke slowly.
It's not that I don't drink tea.
Rather, it's the drought of the past few years.
The tea trees have all died long ago.
As for the old tea, it has long been consumed.
"I..." Yan Xia finished drinking the warm water in her cup and was about to speak when the carriage suddenly stopped.
Yan Xia fell flat on her backside.
The pain made her face contort in pain.
"What's going on! How could you drive a carriage like that!" Lu Cunshan shouted at the outside world.
"Sir, someone has stopped the carriage."
The coachman's terrified voice came from outside.
Lu Cunshan lifted the curtain and looked out.
Ahead, two young men dressed in white robes were supporting a middle-aged man dressed in black silk, blocking the road. At a glance, Lu Cunshan knew that the three men were definitely not ordinary people.
"Please lend me the carriage. My master has been poisoned and needs to be taken to the clinic for treatment."
Although their voices were cold and clear, a closer listen revealed a tremor in them.
"Come on up." Lu Cunshan nodded.
"Thank you, brother."
The two men remained expressionless. They helped the middle-aged man into the carriage, one accompanying and caring for him while the other went outside to sit.
"Turn around and go back to town."
Fortunately, we had only been gone for half an hour.
Shuangqiao Town is the safest among the county towns in Jiangnan.
Lu Cunshan simply told the coachman to turn back.
He didn't even consider Anning Town, which was the closest to him.
The place was in complete chaos.
I've heard there are even people who eat lamb legs.
Not to mention clinics, most of the doctors are probably either dead or have run away.
Back in town, the carriage stopped in front of the clinic.
Jiashu County has long since returned to order, and just like a few years ago, some food stalls have reopened.
The middle-aged man hadn't fainted yet, but he was close. His eyes were lifeless, his lips were purple, and his face was pale with a bluish tinge.
Two young men carried him into the clinic. Yan Xia originally thought that Magistrate Lu would set off immediately, but unexpectedly he also got off the carriage and followed him into the clinic.
Since that was the case, Yan Xia had no choice but to go in with them.
"It's a poisonous substance!! This is a poisonous substance!! There's no saving him, hurry up and make the funeral arrangements."
The doctor stroked his beard and shook his head repeatedly.
His words were like a death sentence for the middle-aged man.
"You old man, if your medical skills are bad, then they are bad. Don't say there's no hope!"
One of the young men got angry.
"Hmph, my medical skills are second to none in Jiangnan! My grandfather was a royal physician! If it weren't for the drought that forced me to flee from Jiangnan County to this place, you wouldn't even have a chance to meet me! Disciple, see them out!"
The old doctor, furious, flung his sleeves and told his apprentice to chase them away.
"My brother is very impetuous and inexperienced. I hope you can forgive him, Doctor. May I ask, Doctor, is there really no way to save my master?"
The other young man quickly apologized.
His eyes were pleading.
They seemed extremely sad.
"Do you know what 'false poison' is?" Seeing his sincere attitude, the doctor turned around and asked him.
"I don't know."
The man shook his head.
"The person who poisoned him was extremely vicious. The poison was made by combining all the poisons in the world into one. Once a person took it, these poisons would fight each other in the body. In the end, the person who was poisoned did not die from the poison itself, but from the weakness of his internal organs and other parts of his body. I heard that many years ago, a high-ranking official was poisoned by this poison."
First, he became confused, then blind, deaf, and unable to smell. Then he lost all speech and control of his limbs, becoming like a living dead, but the pain intensified several times over! It wouldn't end until he died in agony on his bed, a full eighteen days of suffering, like a journey through the eighteen levels of hell. If you can't bear to see your husband suffer, I suggest you give him a quick death. Of course, there's another way to save your husband: find a thousand-year-old ginseng!
The old doctor's expression changed slightly, and he sighed.
With a hint of helplessness on his face, he continued.
"Do you know that I have never seen a thousand-year-old ginseng since I was born? Not to mention a thousand-year-old ginseng, even a six-hundred-year-old ginseng has not appeared for decades. Where are you going to search for a thousand-year-old ginseng? I didn't say anything earlier because I felt that this method would be useless. Even if you went to the capital or the palace, you wouldn't be able to find a thousand-year-old ginseng, let alone in this small place! Think about it yourself. Looking at his condition, it has been three days already. By tomorrow, his mind will be confused."
The old doctor's tone became much more intense.
It seemed to be a reminder to the man in front of him.
Let him make a decision quickly.
Either die suffering, or be given a quick and comfortable departure.
Yan Xia, who was standing nearby, saw everything. She happened to have a thousand-year-old ginseng, but she wouldn't take it out.
Although she donated food to save lives, it doesn't mean she would save everyone.
To her, the man in front of her was just a stranger.
She knew she wasn't that kind; how could she possibly give such a precious ginseng to a complete stranger?
Yan Xia remained silent.
She turned to leave.
However, the next second...
She heard a 'thump'.
It turned out that the young man from earlier had knelt on the ground.
"My master is actually the current emperor. He cannot be harmed, absolutely not! We will send people to find the thousand-year-old ginseng. Please, old doctor, suppress the toxins in His Majesty's body. Our people can find it in two days at most. I beg you."
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