244: Chapter 244 Peerless Divine Doctor

Half an hour later, a carriage from the Inspector's Office left the city under the escort of government soldiers.

By the moat, Feng Yuzhang lifted the curtain and asked with a frown, "Brother Zongfu?"

A dozen meters away, Minister Liu Zongfu pulled back his curtain, revealing a face full of exhaustion.

"Brother Yuzhang, it's been a long time."

Excited, Feng Yuzhang got out of the carriage and was about to walk over, but he was immediately pulled back by the butler.

"Master! You cannot go over there!"

Only then did Feng Yuzhang snap out of it; he sighed and gave a salute from afar.

"Brother Zongfu, it was confirmed three days ago that a plague had broken out in E Prefecture. I submitted a memorial to the imperial court two days ago. You've come at a bad time!"

"His Majesty appointed me as an imperial envoy to come to E Prefecture to reward the Zhenbei Army, old General Zhao Yunting, and the Cold Iron Guard. How could I not come?"

Minister Liu Zongfu sighed, "I only have my own lack of caution to blame. I saw a large number of refugees collapsed on the road, so I went down to provide relief and ask if there was a famine somewhere."

"Who would have thought that these refugees were all infected with the plague and had been driven out..."

"The night before last, I also began to feel a burning heat in my body, and rashes appeared."

"If not for my driver, who has followed me for many years and is loyal to a fault, I fear he would have abandoned me too."

Feng Yuzhang's eyes reddened as he heard this. "Back then at the Imperial Academy, while other students mocked my humble origins, only Brother Zongfu never looked down on me."

"After all these years, we both hold third-rank official positions. Brother Zongfu's unwavering integrity commands my deepest respect."

Minister Liu Zongfu waved his hand. "Brother Yuzhang, there will be time for reminiscing later. The urgent matter at hand is how to deal with these sick refugees."

"When I came from the border of Yong Province, I saw thousands more refugees coming toward Hanyang from places like Danfeng and Lucheng!"

"The county seats can still be forcibly locked down, but in the outlying villages and market towns, the common people can only hide in their homes or flee their dwellings!"

"That was two days ago; the current misery below must be unimaginable!"

Feng Yuzhang frowned and asked, "Lord Liu, you passed through Yong Province. Were there refugees and the plague there?"

As they discussed official business, Feng Yuzhang also changed his form of address.

Minister Liu Zongfu lowered his eyes, pondered for a moment, and shook his head.

"The border of Yong Province is heavily garrisoned. To avoid the White King's Army, I took a detour through small paths. I didn't start seeing refugees until I reached the border of E Prefecture."

"A few refugees said that if they ran toward Yong Province, the White King's Army would shoot them dead on sight. There was no way to survive..."

Feng Yuzhang trembled all over, clenching his fists and gritting his teeth. "Yong Province... It really is Yong Province..."

Neither of them was a fool; this plague most likely had everything to do with Prince Bai!

"Because we officials of E Prefecture do not recognize Li Sibai, does he intend to kill all the people of E Prefecture!?"

Feng Yuzhang cursed loudly, "Devoid of conscience! Traitor! Beast!! He is unworthy of being a descendant of the imperial family!!"

Although the others present didn't dare to curse like that, they were all filled with righteous indignation.

"Lord Liu, I have set up a shelter within the city to provide temporary treatment for some of the infected city residents."

"In these extraordinary times, I cannot welcome you with the proper etiquette for an imperial envoy. I hope you will understand!"

Minister Liu Zongfu managed a weak smile. "Lord Feng, you are too kind. Being allowed into the city is already something I am deeply grateful for..."

Although he was an imperial envoy, he was, after all, only a third-rank Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, not critical to the imperial court.

Coming to inspect by imperial decree was already a life-risking venture, so he didn't expect any special treatment.

Feng Yuzhang personally led him to a drill ground within the city.

The place had been completely sealed off with wooden fences and was heavily guarded.

Aside from the physicians and workers responsible for the treatment, the common people avoided this place like the plague.

"Lord Feng, you are truly benevolent for treating the people within the city instead of abandoning them!"

Minister Liu Zongfu walked inside the fence and gave another salute to Feng Yuzhang from a distance.

Feng Yuzhang said self-deprecatingly, "I am merely doing what is humanly possible and leaving the rest to fate. I am simply incompetent!"

Just then, a woman walked out of a tent.

"Wife! Wife, how are you?" Feng Yuzhang's face was full of emotion; he wished he could run straight in.

Minister Liu Zongfu looked back, and his face showed shock upon recognizing her. "Sister-in-law? You're..."

The person was indeed Lady Hu. Dressed as a common woman, she was holding some medicine dregs, preparing to discard them.

"It really is Lord Liu."

Lady Hu smiled bitterly. "I am sorry you have to suffer this."

Minister Liu Zongfu hurriedly asked what was going on.

Upon Feng Yuzhang's explanation, he learned that Lady Hu was kind-hearted. When she first saw the refugees arriving, she went to provide them with congee.

As a result, she contracted the plague. Not wishing to infect Feng Yuzhang, she simply came here to help settle and care for those who were seriously ill.

"Wife, just wait a bit longer. I have already sent people everywhere to search for famous physicians. We will surely cure you all!"

Feng Yuzhang forced himself to stay strong and spoke encouragingly.

"Enough, I'm not dead yet. Go about your business! Tell the children not to come either; I'm busy!"

Lady Hu looked at him with feigned annoyance, then called for Minister Liu Zongfu to arrange a bed for him.

Feng Yuzhang turned his back, quietly wiped his tears with his sleeve, and walked back to the carriage.

Just as he was about to return to the government office, he saw a messenger running over in a hurry.

"Lord Feng! General Zhao has a letter for you!"

Hearing it was a letter from Zhao Yunting, Feng Yuzhang immediately opened it.

After reading it, Feng Yuzhang's face darkened. He stumbled and nearly fell to the ground!

"Master! Master, be careful!"

The Old Butler hurriedly supported him, deeply pained. To handle the plague and spur on the subordinate officials, Feng Yuzhang hadn't closed his eyes for two days.

"That damned Yan Shifeng, does he want to go down in history in infamy along with Li Sibai!?"

"Yan Shifeng? The inspector general of Sha Prefecture?" The Old Butler was puzzled.

Feng Yuzhang nodded. "Under the cover of night, Sha Prefecture shot a group of infected refugees and secretly transported them into the water sources of Huanglong Prefecture and Yangquan Commandery."

"Now, many people have also fallen ill in Cang Province, and the numbers are constantly increasing."

"General Zhao has already locked down Yangquan to prevent the epidemic from flowing into the prefectures further north."

"He reminded me to be on guard against Sha Prefecture. That Yan Shifeng has gone mad in his attempt to block the Zhenbei Army!"

Returning to the Inspector's Office, Feng Yuzhang immediately ordered the Prefectural Army to deploy personnel to keep a close watch on Sha Prefecture and strengthen the defense of water sources and other areas.

Afterward, Feng Yuzhang hastily signed an Inspector's Decree. With this warrant, officials and all resources in every commandery of E Prefecture could be mobilized at will.

He ordered an 800-li express delivery to be sent directly to Jingmen.

"Master, is that for General Lin?" the butler asked.

"Yes. General Zhao said that General Lin is a peerless divine physician. To cure this epidemic as quickly as possible, we must fully cooperate with General Lin..."

"General Lin? Isn't he the God of Slaughter? How can he also know medicine?" The Old Butler was completely bewildered.

Feng Yuzhang smiled bitterly. "I don't know either, but since General Zhao says so, we might as well treat a dead horse as if it were alive..."