"Elder Xu?"
Lin Qingge recognized the old man as Elder Xu from Renji Hall, who had helped her several times before.
Hua Jinrong was the proprietor of Renji Hall, so it wasn't strange for the skilled Elder Xu to be there.
What was strange, however, was Elder Xu's attitude towards Murong Bai.
Unlike before, in Elder Xu's words, Murong Bai had a new title.
Young Master?
Lin Qingge looked at the exceptionally handsome man walking towards her, ready to enjoy the show.
"Young Master, it truly is you! I thought, I thought..."
Elder Xu clasped his hands together, his eyes welling up with tears.
Compared to others, Murong Bai's demeanor towards Elder Xu was not exactly amiable, but it was certainly the best it could be.
He slightly nodded towards Elder Xu and said, "Uncle Xu, it's been a long time."
"That's wonderful, it really is you, Young Master! It's truly the blessing of the Master's spirit in heaven, it's so good that you are safe and sound!"
Elder Xu spoke incoherently, overcome with emotion.
Murong Bai simply replied with two calm words: "I'm fine."
Remembering something, he glanced up at Hua Jinrong in the distance. The latter flashed him an exceptionally bright smile.
Taking in this scene, Lin Qingge reaffirmed her suspicions.
This flamboyant peacock and that sharp-tongued fox were indeed involved!
Elder Xu, who had also noticed this detail, smiled and explained, "Young Master, after the Master met with his accident, I was fortunate to be taken in by the proprietor, which allowed me to barely survive until now. The proprietor not only saved me from that catastrophe but also settled me in this unknown Changzhou County. I never expected that you, Young Master, would also come to Changzhou County!"
"Uncle Xu, my name is Murong Bai now. I'm currently residing at the Yizhuang, working as a coroner."
After introducing himself, Murong Bai suddenly wondered why, after working as a coroner in Changzhou for so many years without incident, he was encountering acquaintances everywhere recently. It seemed that since someone took office, the people around him had suddenly increased – those he knew, those he'd met once, those he wanted to see, and those he didn't...
On the other side, Elder Xu, upon hearing that Murong Bai was working as a coroner at the Changzhou County yamen, exclaimed in surprise, "What?! A coroner! Young Master, you've studied medicine with the Master since childhood, dedicating ten years. If not a living Hua Tuo, you are definitely a miraculous healer. How, how could you be a coroner!"
"What's wrong with being a coroner? It's quite good. Not only do I get paid, have free lodging, but no one finds fault with me or frames me. I can even dissect a few corpses for practice when I'm bored. Most importantly, it's peaceful. As soon as they hear I'm a coroner, those bothersome women automatically retreat. Don't you agree, Lord Lin?"
Lin Qingge, being called upon, showed no embarrassment at being caught eavesdropping, smiling calmly, "I didn't expect Coroner Murong and Elder Xu to be old acquaintances."
"Heh~ It's all thanks to you, Lord Lin. Although Elder Xu and I have both been in Changzhou County for many years, if it weren't for you, we would probably still be passing each other by without recognizing each other~"
As if not hearing the sarcasm in the other's words, Lin Qingge continued, "With Coroner Murong and Elder Xu both here, I am confident that this plague will be resolved soon."
Having watched the commotion, Lin Qingge turned and waved to Leng Ningyue, signaling her to go back and rest.
After placing the supplies nearby, Lin Qingge first opened the wooden box containing the masks. The neatly stacked masks lay quietly in the box. Both the material and the craftsmanship were far superior to those hastily made yesterday. Especially the materials used for these masks – the outer layer was a slightly thicker coarse cloth, the middle layer was breathable cotton gauze, and the inner layer was soft silk. Although their protective effect could not compare to the N95 and medical masks of her previous life, given the current conditions, they were definitely the absolute best. Not to mention how much manpower it would take to sew them overnight. Just the raw materials alone – the entire county's stock of cotton gauze was likely contained within this box. Even so, Leng Ningyue seemed unfazed and even instructed her to discard them after use without being stingy, stating that another batch would be sent in the afternoon.
Good heavens! She wasn't throwing away masks, she was throwing away piles of hard-earned money!
While Lin Qingge grumbled, a deep sense of gratitude flowed through her heart. Leng Ningyue must have given her the very best she could find... and without any reservation or holding back. No wonder the plot of the male lead spending lavishly on the female lead in TV shows, though overused, was still so popular. It turned out that being cherished and doted upon felt truly wonderful. It was a shame about the gender difference. Otherwise, she would definitely have pledged herself to Leng Ningyue!
Or maybe not. What if Leng Ningyue was a woman disguised as a man? That would be perfect, as she herself was a woman disguised as a man. They would make a perfect couple. Even children would be readily available. However, there was no "what if." When she found Leng Ningyue, she had examined her and confirmed that she was a genuine woman. Therefore, the previous speculation was unfounded. Indeed, the wise do not fall in love; iron pots only stew goose. She should continue to be wise; this current situation was perfectly fine.
Lin Qingge first put on a mask herself, then tucked two into her pocket, and called Yan Tinghao to distribute the remaining masks. With sufficient medicinal herbs, Murong Bai and Elder Xu began researching prescriptions for the plague without even having breakfast. Lin Qingge set aside their portions separately, and she and Yan Tinghao snatched the rest.
As expected, after breakfast, the villagers who had shown symptoms yesterday experienced worsening fevers, and their skin slowly turned dark purplish. The doctors who had just entered the epidemic zone immediately got busy, preparing and boiling medicines. The mass outbreak of plague could no longer be explained as a common cold with a fever. Fortunately, there was enough manpower. After a brief deployment, Lin Qingge gathered everyone in batches at the foot of a clear mountain for explanations and instructions.
At first, people didn't believe it. After all, one might not encounter plague in their lifetime; how could they be so unlucky as to be hit by it? But listening to the county magistrate's repeated emphasis and seeing the busy doctors and stringent security measures, they had no choice but to believe. However, not everyone could accept the reality. Some refugees, upon hearing about the plague, clamored to take their families and leave. Lin Qingge could not and would not agree, so those people gathered and started shouting:
"Why won't you let us leave? We aren't criminals! We have the freedom to go wherever we please!"
"That's right! You can control everything, but can you control our bowel movements and flatulence? Even the Heavenly Emperor has no right to question where we go!"
"Exactly! No matter how great you are as a county magistrate, can you be greater than the Heavenly Emperor?"
To be seen by everyone, and to project more authority, Lin Qingge stood on tiptoe on a large rock and said sonorously, "This official may not be greater than the Heavenly Emperor, but to prevent the spread of the plague, no one, including this official, can leave until this epidemic is over!"