Chapter 84

 An Epidemic Breaks Out; Swept Away in One Fell Swoop

At that same moment, inside the capital’s Shanyi Hall, Qin Chunquan and his associates sat anxiously in a room. Though they were all senior figures loyal to the master, they wore grim expressions, and the atmosphere was heavy with gloom.

"What is going on with Dr. Pang? He is being utterly ungrateful. It has been four full months—what kind of illness could possibly take this long to cure?"

"Hmph! It’s nothing more than a despicable ploy by Huichun Hall. From the very beginning, they didn't just ask for him outright; they staged this so-called 'professional exchange.' Once Dr. Pang betrays Shanyi Hall and chooses Huichun Hall, everyone will think Huichun Hall is superior to us!"

"Outrageous!" One man with a fiery temper stood up and slammed his hand angrily onto the table. "After all the kindness we showed Pang Da, to think he would treat us this way!"

Countless letters sent via the courier station, the messengers dispatched to find him, and even Pang Zhengfei himself—all had gone completely silent, with no news whatsoever.

"Isn't his choice obvious by now?" Qin Chunquan gritted his teeth. Had it merely been the He family and Huichun Hall involved, he wouldn't have been so certain.

"Big Brother, trust me—that young fellow named Jiang Baiye is no easy opponent. I even suspect that he is the one behind all of this." Qin Chunquan walked over to the window and pushed the shutters open; the bustling, lively sounds of hawkers and street vendors from outside immediately flooded into the room. In the distance, the plaque for "Huichuntang"—inscribed personally by His Majesty—gleamed brilliantly in the sunlight. A steady stream of people moved in and out, while the three shop assistants inside bustled about, barely pausing for breath as they attended to the constant flow of customers.

A closer look revealed that even high-ranking officials and wealthy nobles, arriving in carriages or sedan chairs, would stop there.

They would enter looking deeply troubled, only to emerge with their worries swept away, looking lighthearted and cheerful—clearly intending to return.

Qin Chunquan went back down to the second floor and entered his own shop, Shanyitang. While there was still a fair amount of foot traffic, the scene was nothing like the past, when crowds would jostle and clamor, terrified they might miss their chance to see a doctor.

Upon spotting him, a patient with a sharp eye immediately hurried over to ask, "Second Master Qin, give me a straight answer: when is Dr. Pang coming back? My old ailment is acting up again, and I simply can't do without him!"

Qin Chunquan suppressed his growing irritation. "Doctors Xue, Xu, and Wen here are all fully capable of treating you. You should let them take a look; this condition shouldn't be neglected."

"You know it shouldn't be neglected? Then why is Dr. Pang nowhere to be found? Did you have a falling out with him and drive him away in anger?"

At these words, many people turned to look, their expressions a mix of anxiety and curiosity.

Dr. Pang enjoyed immense renown in the capital—he was practically considered a miracle healer. Countless people trusted him and relied on him to sustain their lives; even members of noble and wealthy clans, though healthy, would invite him to "read their features" and check their pulses, seeking peace of mind. With Dr. Pang having been away for so long, people were privately speculating all sorts of things.

Qin Chunquan rubbed his temples. "Dr. Pang has gone to the countryside to gather herbs and refine a new prescription; he’ll be back once he’s figured it out."

He didn't say a single word about Huichun Hall, lest business suffer even more.

"Hmph! You folks at Shanyitang keep changing your story—it’s all so confusing. Anyway, I can't wait any longer!"

"I don't trust anyone here except Dr. Pang. I might as well go check out that new Huichun Hall; I hear they’ve cured quite a few strange ailments lately!" Convinced his treatment had been delayed, the man flung these words out and stormed off in a huff.

His departure took a number of other patients with him. A medical hall relies entirely on reputation and credibility; with both faltering, even the old regulars began to have doubts.

Qin Chunquan watched them leave with a dark expression; his attempts to stop them only drove more people away.

Over at Huichun Hall, they were surprised to see a large crowd heading their way.

They didn't have time to ponder the visitors' motives, though—they were simply too busy. Between dispensing herbs, relaying messages, and treating patients, the place was a hive of constant activity. Even Old Master He, the head physician, had to pitch in personally, wiping away sweat as he collected payments and kept the accounts.

When ladies and young misses visited, he would also recommend medicinal ingredients and herbal dishes known for enhancing beauty and complexion. "Miss Shan, take a look at this silver ear fungus—what do you think?"

"What a magnificent cluster! I’ve never seen one so intact and beautiful; is it real?" The elegant, noble young lady was overjoyed. She adored soups made with such ingredients; while bird's nest was more expensive, the thought of it being made from a swallow's saliva and feathers made her recoil.

Silver ear fungus, however, suited her perfectly—tender, smooth, and silky. Drinking a small bowl daily meant waking up the next morning with a slightly better complexion.

"This can't be cheap, surely?"

"One hundred taels per cluster—less than half the usual market price."

The young lady’s eyes widened in astonishment, and the two maids beside her looked equally incredulous.

Not long ago, they had purchased two clusters at two hundred taels each; those had been smaller and of visibly inferior quality, yet this one was so much cheaper?

Just then, the voice of a noblewoman rang out: "I’ll take this silver ear fungus. Do you have any more? And I’d like some of that 'Winter Ganoderma' from last time—it worked wonders—so I’ll buy a few more boxes."

It was clear the two parties were acquainted. Curious, the young lady whispered to herself, "It’s so cheap—I wonder if there’s something wrong with it?"

The noblewoman, though somewhat aloof, offered a brief remark: "You..."

Miss Shan was surprised to discover that the box holding the fungus was exquisitely crafted—far superior to... "This is medicine from Jichun; it’s renowned for its quality and reasonable price. You’ll see for yourself once you’ve bought it a few times."

Others chimed in with agreement. Miss Shan’s sharp eyes even noticed the characters "Jichun" painted in gold leaf in the bottom-right corner of the massive medicine cabinet that spanned an entire wall of Huichuntang.

The name appeared on every single drawer, and even the medicine packets carried by patients were stamped with the red seal of "Jichun Pharmaceutical Workshop."

She found it intriguing, yet she immediately bought up the rest of the snow fungus; if the quality held up, it was an absolute bargain!

Once the customers had left, Master He hurriedly checked his inventory. "Oh no, it’s all sold out! Quick, write to Bai Ye! Tell him to stock up on more *lingzhi* and snow fungus—the more, the better; we can sell every last bit of it!"

That noblewoman was a trendsetter in the realm of wellness and tonics; many other ladies followed her lead, so it wouldn't be long before crowds flocked to his shop for *lingzhi* and snow fungus.

Just as Master He’s letter was being sent off, a courier from the postal station was delivering another letter to Shanyitang—one that ended up right in Qin Chunquan’s hands.

Hearing it had come from Xuanhe Prefecture, he hurriedly tore it open.

Sure enough, it was a reply from Dr. Pang. He stated that he would return in half a month and told them not to worry; he had no intention of betraying his employer, and they should stop sending people to harass him.

Qin Chunquan breathed a sigh of relief and hastened to show the letter to the others. Halfway back, his expression suddenly darkened. The image of Jiang Baiye’s handsome, youthful face flashed before his eyes; despite his youth, those deep, dark eyes seemed vast enough to hold the entire world.

A man of unfathomable cunning.

Looking at the reply letter again, Qin Chunquan was seized by a mix of shock and suspicion, sensing traps and schemes lurking in every line.

Finally, he crumpled the letter into a ball in his hand...

Upstairs, hushed whispers were being exchanged, and Qin Chunquan immediately joined the conversation.

"The time is nearly upon us. After this, Huichuntang will cease to exist, and even our other rivals will be left far, far behind by our Shanyitang!"

The head proprietor of Shanyitang wore an inscrutable expression. Though orchestrating something truly terrifying, he puffed away at his long-stemmed pipe without blinking, as casually as if he were crushing an ant.

After a long silence, he asked, "Where do you think we should begin?"

Qin Chunquan, barely able to contain his excitement, blurted out, "Xuanhe Prefecture—it has to be Xuanhe Prefecture. That is where we shall wipe away our past disgrace!"

Late that night, the two lay entwined, their bodies slick with sweat.

Jiang Baiye let the other man rest against his chest as he brought up the events of the day: "After we saw the new house, my mother asked if we might hold a celebration. We wouldn't need to register it with the authorities just yet, but we could hold a private ceremony—celebrate with close friends and family—to make things official between us."

Lu Lizhi kept his eyes lazily closed, barely registering the words; he was clearly still drifting in the languid afterglow of their recent, intense passion.

He looked utterly languid and alluring. Jiang Baiye felt his mouth go dry again; his hand moved unconsciously, though his expression turned serious.

"From now on, you’d best not go to the prefectural academy; stay home with me instead. We can invite Master Yi over privately to tutor you."

Lu Lizhi opened his eyes—dazed yet clear—and fixed his gaze steadily upon him.

Jiang Baiye let out a laugh of exasperation. "So, it turns out you didn't listen to a single word I said earlier."

Lu Lizhi wondered what sort of explanation was needed between two men; they had already slept together, after all, and by now, they knew—or had discovered—pretty much everything there was to know.

"How about giving me an explanation, then? You’ve taken me so... deeply?"

Lu Lizhi considered it for a moment and decided—*hmm*—not to give him an explanation after all.

He couldn't let Jiang Baiye have everything go exactly his way, or else he’d become insufferable.

Jiang Baiye had been incredibly busy lately—so busy that he was sometimes even a bit perfunctory with him. As Lu Lizhi thought about this, he completely forgot the time he had kicked the man out of their shared quarters.

Jiang Baiye gave a rough outline of what was likely to happen next.

Lu Lizhi tried to sit up abruptly but suddenly went limp again; Jiang Baiye hurriedly grabbed a cloth to clean him up, sounding a note of regret.

"It’s already leaked out."

Lu Lizhi grasped his hand, ignoring the mess entirely; his questioning gaze was filled with anxiety. "Don't worry; I've made some preparations, though I'm not sure how effective they'll be..."

The next day, Jiang Baiye visited Huichuntang and dropped a subtle hint, urging them to be on their guard.

Afterward, he went to the Sun Family Pharmacy in Shulin County.

Dr. Sun had even procured a large quantity of *Zhuwei* grass from elsewhere. "I don't know why, but I have a bad feeling about things. It’s only natural to stock up on this kind of medicinal herb."

Jiang Baiye’s eyes lit up slightly; *Zhuwei* grass had a wide range of uses, and he felt he was about to burn through his current supply very quickly.

"Dr. Sun, you really ought to keep a good stock of it. *Zhuwei* grass is growing again now; for a perennial herb like this, you can never have too much on hand."

Dr. Sun took the advice to heart; he sensed there was a deeper meaning behind the young man's words.

Upon returning, Jiang Baiye reorganized the workshop's operations. "Let's put the other medicines aside for now. Spring is here, bringing a higher risk of catching cold or having 'pathogenic qi' invade the body—demand for these types of remedies will be high. Ronghua and Fugui, come here and learn to identify these herbs; for the foreseeable future, we’ll be focusing on producing these medicines."

"But these medicines are cheap; making them isn't very profitable," the senior craftsmen remarked. Since so many people knew how to make them, there was no shortage on the market. They felt they should focus on producing valuable, rare medicines instead—lowering the price slightly so that more people could benefit. "What you say makes sense," Jiang Baiye said after a moment of reflection. "Let's do this: we’ll keep producing these medicines—working overtime to get it done—and I’ll source other, more valuable medicinal herbs to make up for the shortfall."

Although they had some reservations about his instructions, everyone carried them out strictly.

As spring arrived and vegetation began to sprout, various medicinal fungi—including different types of *Lingzhi* (reishi mushrooms)—began to grow in abundance.

Jiang Baiye had taken steps to propagate them in previous years; when he ventured into the forest, he found the *Lingzhi* no longer growing in isolated clusters but in vast, sweeping patches.

While he was busy frantically harvesting these prized herbs and urging the workshop to ramp up production—even raising wages by ten percent to incentivize the effort—Lu Lizhi had returned to the prefectural academy. He excelled in successive quizzes, earning the genuine respect and admiration of his classmates. Even when he took his customary leave every five days, Master Yi no longer raised any objections.

Late one night, just as Huichuntang was about to close its doors, a hand suddenly reached in and pressed firmly against the door panel.

"Please, save my mother! She’s been unconscious and hasn't woken up yet. Could you take a look and see what’s wrong?"

The shop assistant, who was closing up, hesitated for a moment but reported the matter to the physician on duty for the night shift. This physician frequently rotated shifts with Dr. Meng, though he took the night duty more often.

Dr. Wang immediately told them to bring the patient inside. He had spent ages trying to identify the cause of her coma without success; just as he was deciding to have her stay the night so he could consult with Dr. Meng the next day...

The woman, who had been lying unconscious on the door-turned-stretcher, suddenly sat bolt upright and spat out a large mouthful of black blood!

It splashed right onto Dr. Wang’s face, leaving him momentarily stunned.

However, as a physician accustomed to all manner of unsavory sights, he quickly took the handkerchief handed to him by an assistant and wiped his face.

Just then, a piercing cry rang out—

"Mother! Mother, what’s wrong?"

The woman collapsed stiffly to the ground, instantly ceasing to breathe.

Dr. Wang was startled. "What happened? How could this be? It’s impossible..."

He muttered in bewilderment while rapidly attempting emergency measures, throwing the night staff at Huichun Hall into a state of frantic disarray.

After a long while, Dr. Wang slumped, his movements ceasing as he said in a daze, "It’s too late..." How could it have happened so fast? And without even finding the cause?

The young man wept uncontrollably. "Mother... Mother, how could you leave me all alone?"

Although the assistant nearby had seen many patients die right there in the clinic, he was still deeply moved by the young man's heart-wrenching grief. He caught a glimpse of the man’s arm, which was covered in blisters—the same gruesome sores he had noticed on the back of the woman’s neck just moments before she died...

Dark clouds loomed over Xuanhe Prefecture. As Jiang Baiye emerged from the mountains, his eyelids twitched incessantly; the thought that Li Zhi might contract that epidemic—as described in the book—made it impossible for him to remain calm.

"I shouldn't have let him go back. How could I have been so careless?"

He quickly spoke to Village Chief Wang: "Tell everyone not to go out for the time being; everyone must stay within the village. No visiting relatives or traveling elsewhere. It’s complicated—no time to explain—just do as I say!"

Having dealt with him for so long, Village Chief Wang didn't need to ask "why"; he agreed immediately. "What about you two? You should come back quickly, too. The village ought to be safer, right?"

Safe? Amidst an epidemic, nowhere was truly safe.

Fortunately, he had already ensured his parents, the He family, and Li Zhi drank the decoction made from *Zhuwei* grass. While its effect at this stage was limited—much like *Banlangen* (Isatis root), offering only minor preventive benefits—it was better than nothing.

Seeing Jiang Baiye shake his head distractedly, Village Chief Wang’s heart sank; he hurriedly found Uncle Luo to pass on the instructions.

Although Jiang Baiye was frantic with anxiety, these sudden, ominous signs did not cause him to lose his reason entirely.

After delivering the harvested medicinal herbs to the workshop, he issued an order.

"The food and supplies should be mostly ready by now, right? For the coming period, I’m afraid I’ll have to ask everyone to endure some hardship and voluntarily remain confined here. Each of you will receive a bowl of medicinal decoction daily. As for your families—I’ll arrange for them to be notified, so there’s no need to worry too much."

Given the extraordinary circumstances, he had to ensure everyone stayed within the workshop grounds. "Keep gathering herbs, and keep processing them!"

Yet, the crowd began to stir in confusion and alarm, unsettled by Jiang Baiye’s grave demeanor.

"Has something happened? It’s rather frightening."

"Exactly, exactly. Can I go home? My child is still out there."

Anxious gazes turned toward Jiang Baiye, who stood in the open space ahead of them.

Jiang Baiye offered some reassurance. "It might just be my imagination, so let’s not panic. Regardless, it’s better to be safe than sorry!"

Fortunately, most of the hired hands were from Qingshui Village, so they didn't need to travel far to contact their families.

However, should anyone wish to leave the village to notify other relatives elsewhere...

Jiang Baiye made his stance clear: "You may go, but you cannot return to the workshop. Furthermore, I will not employ you again in the future."

In that moment, Jiang Baiye appeared stern and unyielding.

He could not simply warn Prefect Yan or the others beforehand to prepare for precautions—not before the event had actually occurred or before they grasped the true danger.

They would likely dismiss his words as alarmist nonsense; they might even have him arrested and beaten.

Worse yet, they might suspect him of being up to some sort of mischief. Since ancient times, the bird that sticks its head out gets shot.

Moreover, for those in power, the deaths themselves—or even the sheer number of casualties—might not be the primary fear; rather, it is the chaos that ensues from such events that truly terrifies them.

The world is vast, and the scope of this epidemic is so wide that Jiang Baiye could not possibly warn everyone individually; besides, no one would have taken his words seriously anyway.

He could only do what he could in his own way, ensuring he had a clear conscience.

"I have said all I can. I won't restrict your freedom, but you must bear the consequences yourselves!"

The crowd gradually quieted down.

Jiang Baiye went to inspect the workshop's warehouse. Seeing it stacked high with *Zhuwei* grass and other emergency medicinal herbs—filling a space of nearly a thousand square meters—he felt a sense of relief.

He also checked the food supplies; provided no one wandered off or met with disaster, there was enough to feed everyone in the workshop for a month.

"As for vegetables, Ronghua and Fugui can gather wild greens, mushrooms, and spring bamboo shoots from the mountains."

Ronghua and Fugui agreed immediately, without a moment's hesitation, even though they were deeply worried about their own families.

Stepping outside, Jiang Baiye saw Uncle Wang directing men to seal off the area around the village; outsiders would likely be kept out.

Fortunately, he had recently halted all trading and business partnerships, so there was little reason for anyone to visit the workshop anyway.

With the situation in Qingshui Village temporarily under control, Jiang Baiye hurried straight to the Prefecture Academy.

On the way, however, he ran into He Lin. "Where are you going?" He Lin asked, sneezing as he spoke. Jiang Baiye: "..." He was already having a visceral, anxious reaction.

"Why are you looking at me like that? It’s that time of year when the weather fluctuates between warm and cold—I’ve got a bit of a... *cough, cough*... well, I know what you’re going to say!"

Seeing him cough uncontrollably, Jiang Baiye didn't waste another word; he drove off immediately, calling back, "Stay safe—don't go running around after taking your medicine!"

He Lin, who had hoped for a lift, was left speechless: "..." *The bastard! Is he even human?*

This encounter left him paranoid; upon arriving at Huichuntang, he would cover his nose and mouth and keep his distance whenever he saw someone coughing.

A shop assistant suddenly recalled a strange incident from a couple of nights prior and mentioned it. As the He family ran a medical clinic, they—while not necessarily expert physicians—were certainly well-versed in the basics of traditional medicine.

He Lin listened intently. "Blisters? That doesn't sound like the external symptoms of a cold or flu... it probably isn't that. But where is Dr. Wang? Why hasn't he arrived yet?"

"Dr. Wang seems to be feeling unwell." As he spoke, the sound of someone coughing drifted out from inside the clinic.

For those with frail health, the unpredictable weather of a late-spring cold snap made falling ill all too easy; this was a common occurrence every year.

While He Lin felt a surge of anxiety, he also felt a bit foolish for having been so easily spooked by Jiang Baiye.

Meanwhile, upon arriving at the Prefectural Academy, Jiang Baiye noticed a marked increase in the number of people coughing; a vein in his temple throbbed, and his entire body tensed up.

"Where is Lu Lizhi?" he asked as he made his way through the grounds. He had originally intended to whisk Lu Lizhi away quietly, having everything arranged beforehand. Yet, when the moment actually arrived—contemplating the pain and trouble he might face—Jiang Baiye felt a surge of fear, even though he knew that, ultimately, everything would turn out fine.

No one could say for certain that the outcome wouldn't change.

The thought alone made him feel suffocated.

This feeling was especially acute when he spotted him in the crowded little canteen, smiling and chatting with a group of fellow students—several of whom were coughing violently, their faces flushed crimson.

Almost instinctively, Jiang Baiye covered his mouth with his sleeve and gave a soft cough himself.

"Lu Lizhi!" It had been a long time since he had called him by his full name; Jiang Baiye was truly panicked.

Lu Lizhi’s heart skipped a beat. He saw the man—who had appeared out of nowhere—standing not far off, staring intently at him. Jiang Baiye was pushing his way through the dense crowd, ignoring the complaints and scolding of others, walking resolutely toward him.

It was as if he were the only person in the world who mattered.

Lu Lizhi suddenly realized that his love for Jiang Baiye could grow even deeper.

That love intensified and deepened, heavy with emotion; amidst the surrounding whispers, he stepped forward decisively to meet him.

"Come home with me!" Jiang Baiye grasped his hand.

Song Haocheng and the others caught up, exchanging glances. Finally, Song Haocheng reached out to place a hand on Jiang Baiye’s arm, shaking his head silently.

Jiang Baiye understood what he meant, but right now, none of that mattered to him.

Reputation, profit—what did any of that matter compared to a life? The surrounding sounds of coughing seemed like a demonic din; they amplified and pierced his eardrums, causing him to clutch Lu Lizhi’s hand ever tighter.

Wen said, "It’s not safe here; come home with me."

Lu Lizhi was about to nod, but he noticed the people around them—each one casting strange, disgusted looks at Jiang Baiye.

He wouldn't have minded if they had directed such gazes at him—he was long used to it—but he detested them disparaging Jiang Baiye.

Unable to think of a way to handle the situation on the spot, he instinctively tried to pull his hand away; he used too much force, and the movement triggered a fit of coughing.

Jiang Baiye’s mind went *buzz*—something inside him snapped!

Without wasting another moment on arguments or explanations, and right there in full view of all the academy students, he scooped the other man up and hoisted him onto his shoulder!

The crowded little canteen erupted in an instant uproar.