Chapter 1624: Assault on the City, All-Out Attack [6]
Chapter 1624: Chapter 1624: Assault on the City, All-Out Attack [6]
Clang clang clang!
Inside Xing’an Prefecture, the copper gongs resounded across the sky. Magistrate Hao, Vice Magistrate Qi, the Lei Family’s Trading Team, and the Feng Family Escort Agency were all beating copper gongs, each leading a group of people through the city, shouting, "Quick, the toxic birds carrying poisonous insects have come again, hurry and chase them down, and clean up along the way. We can’t let them harm the city’s people again!"
Magistrate Hao looked up at the flocks of birds flying away with a pale face, almost fainting... He left a few carts of herbs for himself, while the rest were transported to the Lei family’s two separate yards. If the Rong people keep releasing birds with poisonous insects, the city’s herbs will quickly be used up, and without the insect attractant, they will all be ravaged by the poisonous insects!
"Don’t worry, my lord, we can definitely burn the birds to death and prevent the poisonous insects from spreading rampant in the city," the government office squad leader said, leading officials door to door.
As soon as the residents opened their doors, they were promptly told, "Quickly inspect your courtyards, are there any fallen birds? The poisonous birds have come again!"
"What? They’re back again!" The residents were scared to death. "How is it that they were just cleaned up and yet another batch has come? How many poisonous insects do the Rong people raise? Why are they never exhausted?"
"Stop babbling and hurry to search with torches. If you’re late, it’s over," the constable squad leader said, also warning, "Stay honest. Magistrate, General Liang, Lei Family’s Trading Team, and Feng Family Escort Agency have said if anyone dares to cause trouble, they’ll be beheaded on the spot!"
Minds are unpredictable, and with the city sealed, some previously decent people might commit evil for food and herbs. Therefore, Magistrate Hao ordered that during their house-to-house searches, the officials must warn the people and make them understand fear, preventing them from doing evil when given an opportunity.
The man of this household protested loudly, "Squad Leader Cen, look at your words. Our Old Gu family has always been the most law-abiding family. How dare we do anything wrong?"
"Pah, old Gu, don’t give me that. Your family are butchers, your courage greater than regular citizens. Why act like you’re virtuous?" Squad Leader Cen added, "Stop squabbling and hurry to search. If you don’t clean thoroughly and someone in your family falls ill, the government won’t give you medicine anymore."
After speaking, he commanded the officials, "Let’s go, notify the next house!"
The group hurriedly left, going to knock on the next house’s door.
The entire prefecture was unsettled throughout the night.
Ms. Gao Lei and others were also awakened, but Gu Jinli didn’t let her leave the room, instructing Wuqing, "Take the insect attractant into the courtyard to entice and kill the poisonous insects first. Once the courtyard is clean, we can go out."
Wuqing was of similar age to Siqing and studied medicine as well. Currently, Siqing worked overnight making medicine in the herb warehouse, while Wuqing returned to rest, switching with Siqing during the day.
"Yes." Wuqing took the insect attractant and directly threw it into the courtyard.
After waiting for 30 minutes, they went out to check and indeed saw poisonous insects moving like migrating ants from the courtyard grass towards the insect attractant.
"Madam, there are poisonous insects. Hurry, Sister Erqing, Sister Siqing, bring the pine oil to burn them." Wuqing said, and after Erqing and Siqing brought pine oil to burn the insects, she held a torch, following the direction of the insects to find a fallen bird.
The bird wasn’t dead yet, but was too sick to fly, flapping its wings weakly on the ground.
Wuqing lit a fire and burned the bird.
Gu Jinli: "Inform Feng Jin and the others to search the separate yard and notify those in various courtyards not to come out until the poisonous insects in the yard are cleared!"
More people would only create more chaos. If a falling bird accidentally hit someone, it would be disgusting.
"Got it." Wuqing responded and ran to find Feng Jin.
Feng Jin was nearly exhausted like a dog. Upon learning the birds had come again, he hurriedly led people to search the house, with Master Xiao Yu and others assisting, quickly finishing the search of the two separate yards.
"Old Madam Gao, Madam, Feng Jin and the others found eight birds and burned them all. Insect attractants were placed in the grass, flower bushes, each courtyard, and near the well, and the poisonous insects have been eradicated." Wuqing reported.
Ms. Gao Lei breathed a sigh of relief.
Nanny Gui Zhi came to report, "Old Madam, Magistrate Hao, the main house, Feng Family Escort Agency, families on the same street, and Doctor Lu’s side are all seeking medicine!"
Ms. Gao Lei heard and frowned, asking Gu Jinli, "How much medicine is left to make the insect attractant in the herb warehouse?"
Gu Jinli replied, "Originally there were three rooms of herbs, but with the Rong people releasing poisonous insects like this and such a large city, many must have been used up."
Ji Zhenniang heard in fear, tightly holding her share of insect attractant and asked, "If the Rong people keep releasing poisonous insects and our insect attractants run out, will we be eaten by the poisonous insects?"
Ms. Gao Lei was concerned about the depletion of medicinal supplies, and for once didn’t mind Ji Zhenniang’s many words, looking at Gu Jinli, "San Lang’s Wife, what if these herbs are used up, or we’re missing one or two types, can the insect attractant still lure out the poisonous insects?"
Gu Jinli shook her head, "I’m afraid not."
This insect attractant recipe was from a Chinese medicine professor in her past life, and due to regional differences, it already lacks two herbs. If any more are missing, it’s entirely impossible to lure the bugs.
However...
"Everyone need not worry, I’ve researched these poisonous insects. They reproduce rapidly, move swiftly, unlike common worms, clearly cultivated. If they’re cultivated, they will eventually exhaust. I estimate the Rong people don’t have many poisonous insects left to release."
Her guess was correct. Originally, Tu Zhang calculated that releasing poisonous insects just once would ravage Xing’an Prefecture’s populace. Tonight’s release surpassed his estimates.
Furthermore, these insects must be reserved for release in Long’an Prefecture, the Capital, Southern Great Chu, and at the Great Wizard’s command. Hence, only a batch remained in Tu Zhang’s possession.
"That’s good. If the Rong’s poisonous insects aren’t exhausted, our medicinal supplies wouldn’t hold out." Ms. Gao Lei said, a lifelong non-believer in fate, she silently clasped her hands towards the eastern sky, praying, God, give the people of Xing’an Prefecture a chance at survival, even in death, let it not be too tragic.
"Let’s go, deliver medicine to Magistrate Hao and the others." Ms. Gao Lei personally went to the herb warehouse, distributing the insect attractant, silk cocoon yellow powder, and Tong Shuang Grass poison herbs to Magistrate Hao, the Lei Family’s Trading Team, and Feng Family Escort Agency.
Magistrate Hao and the others took the medicine and hurried away.
People from Doctor Lu’s side waited for them to leave before transporting the medicine out through the back door.
Doctor Lu’s appearance was somewhat sudden, and his medical skills were excellent, overly respectful to Gu Jinli, who learned of Doctor Lu’s identity. Seeing him pass the medicine to those who came for it, she caught him asking, "When will the reinforcements arrive? You have a message eagle; it can fly in to deliver news."
Doctor Lu was startled, how did Young Master Qin’s wife tread so silently? The sky wasn’t yet bright, was she trying to scare him to death?
But she asked, so Doctor Lu couldn’t ignore, replying, "There is a message eagle that can send news, but since receiving the last message, there hasn’t been a message eagle in days."