Chapter 602 The Imperial City Has Changed

"Okay, I know, Fubao, I can't compare to you, I am really ashamed."

Meng Zhili blushed when he learned what his adopted daughter was thinking. On the way here, he was still thinking that if his adopted daughter could cure the people infected with the plague, his head would be saved and he would not be demoted. The lives of the people were put second by him.

He is a high-ranking official, but he is not even as good as his eleven-year-old goddaughter.

He's so embarrassed!

"Don't say that to me, godfather. You are the best godfather in the world!"

Jiang Fubao's smile was deeply engraved in Meng Zhili's heart.

It can never be erased.

Carrying the prescription, Meng Zhili rushed back to Chang'an Town without even having time to rest.

At that time in the imperial city, Meng Bujiu had just received the letter.

After reading the letter, his hands began to tremble uncontrollably.

"Fubao, you have to take good care of yourself. Don't get into any trouble. Don't..." Meng Bujiu muttered to himself, his eyes full of worry.

If he could leave, he would have wanted to go back right now.

"Someone come here--" Thinking of what was said in the letter, Meng Bujiu called his confidant.

He would send his confidants to bribe the beggars in the imperial city.

In just one night, the sky in the imperial city will change drastically.

"There is a province called Enxin in the south. In the province there is a county called Yaozhou. In Yaozhou there is a magistrate named Zhang. He is a corrupt official. He didn't care when there was a flood. He was happy when the people were starving to death. He held on to the food and refused to let go. When there was a plague, he sealed off the city. How despicable this corrupt official is. He killed countless people. It's really tragic..."

The next morning, a group of young beggars suddenly began to sing songs in the imperial city.

They were scattered everywhere, and their voices spread throughout the imperial city.

Several ordinary-looking men left from all directions.

By the afternoon, everyone of note in the imperial city knew about the plague.

"Damn it! I'm sending you to investigate this matter. You must get to the bottom of it. I don't believe that a mere county magistrate would be so bold. I want you to investigate quickly and find out who is behind that dog official! If you can't figure it out, you'll be beheaded!"

"I understand!"

A team dressed in black quietly left the imperial city and rode quickly to Enxin Province.

Meng Bujiu had been sitting in a teahouse on a busy street. He happened to be taking a break today, and he saw everything.

He just raised the corners of his mouth, took the last sip of tea, threw down a tael of silver, and left the teahouse.

At the same time, in the five counties of Enxin Province, thick smoke was burning every day.

This smoke had a terrible odor, and anyone who smelled it would feel like vomiting. The streets of the originally bustling county town were almost deserted, except for a few corpses that occasionally appeared in corners. The people were afraid of contracting the plague and being burned to death, so they didn't even dare to go out.

“Ahhh—”

“Help—”

"Don't burn me to death, I'm not infected with the plague, no, don't burn me to death, mother, save me, save me——"

"Son, my son, please let my son go, don't burn him to death, I beg you, this is my only son, let my son go, you have already burned my eldest son and my youngest son, please let him go, I beg you."

From time to time, cries for help could be heard on the streets.

The horrible crying sound was like the wind, penetrating through the cracks and into every household.

Those who were not infected with the plague hugged each other and trembled.

"Wuwu, Mom, I'm scared." A ten-year-old girl curled up in her mother's arms, crying inconsolably.

"Don't be afraid, Zhuzhu. Mom is here. We won't go out. If we don't go out, we won't be infected with the plague..."

"Mother, I have to go out. The food at home is running out. I have to go to the grocery store to buy food. You, you have to take good care of my daughter."

"No, don't go out. If something happens to you, how will we, mother and daughter, survive?"

"If I don't go out, will I starve to death?"

"It's better to die of hunger than to be burned to death! This dog official is crazy! Even if someone is not infected with the plague, as long as they are happy, they can drag anyone to be burned. If you are unlucky and meet an official who wants to take his anger out on you, what will you do? Will begging for mercy be of any use?

Didn’t you hear that Auntie Ma next door went to the river to fetch water? She didn’t run far and was seen by the police and dragged away. She wasn’t even sick! Don’t go out. I’d rather our family starve to death. Please…”

The woman hugged her daughter and cried so hard that she couldn't catch her breath.

The family of three stayed at home, not daring to open the door. They even put the table and chairs behind the door, fearing that the police would break down the door.

"Okay..." The man could only compromise.

Starving to death is indeed better than being burned, at least the body will be intact. They just hope that they die at home, and after the plague is over, the relatives in the tribe can help bury the three of them.

The same scene appears in many homes.

The city was closed down so suddenly that the people were caught off guard.

Who would hoard food at home? After so many days, not to mention meat and vegetables, even the rice jar is almost empty.

Some families even ate their own dogs. If this continued, they would either have to eat their own children or starve to death, or take a gamble and buy food at high prices. If they were seen by the officials, they would be burned to death.

It's death anyway.

An atmosphere of despair hung over the five county towns and would not go away.

"Meng Zhixian, is the letter you wrote true?"

"Yes, is there really a prescription in this world that can cure the plague?"

"I dare not use it, so I want to ask you, Brother Meng. I was wrong. I didn't believe you before. There are already thousands of people in my city who have been infected with the plague. How can this disease spread so quickly? There were only 400 people five days ago. In just a few days, there are so many more. What should I do? If the emperor finds out, I can't even save my life. Oh, God wants to kill me."

A few days later, one afternoon, the magistrates of the other four counties of Ruling Prefecture all came together.

The four of them surrounded Meng Zhili and chattered.

The noise made him feel overwhelmed.

"Stop it, listen to me, this medicine is definitely useful. Among the three towns in our county, all the patients in one town have recovered and can now walk. The patients in the remaining two towns just took the medicine a few days ago and are feeling better than before. You just follow the prescription, and as long as there are no mistakes, it will definitely work.

Take it quickly. The later you take this medicine, the more harmful it will be to your body. If you wait until the oil runs out and the lamp goes out, no matter how much you take, it will not save you. This plague is so serious, the emperor will definitely investigate. You must minimize the casualties, otherwise dismissal will be the lightest punishment. You should know this better than me."

After Meng Zhili finished speaking, a servant came running in from outside.

It was said that the prefect had arrived.

Without waiting for Meng Zhili to go and greet him, the prefect walked in directly, his face full of anxiety.