The news that pulse-taking was resuming in the city reached Sun Simiao, and the old fellow, along with a group of his peers, arrived in a grand procession.
"Not bringing old me along for house calls, Ling'er, you're getting more unruly by the day!"
Upon meeting, he launched into a tirade against Changsun Ling'er.
Changsun Ling'er had just finished examining someone, and she turned to them with a smile, offering comfort.
"Sister, your illness is minor. Once this plague passes, go to Shenyang and stay for ten days to half a month."
"I guarantee you'll conceive a chubby baby, perhaps even twins."
"Hahahaha, thank you, Bai Niangzi, for your auspicious words. I'll head home and stay put honestly."
The woman was overjoyed at the news. She stood up, bowed deeply to everyone, and then turned to leave.
Her steps were much lighter than when she arrived, almost like a maiden's. As she walked, she even started to skip…
Watching the woman depart, Changsun Ling'er finally rose from her chair, helped Sun Simiao to sit, and explained.
"How would your disciple dare? I thought you and the seniors were busy discussing medical theories and refining prescriptions."
"Hmph! That excuse is barely acceptable!"
"Come, come, Shizhen, you and I will stake out this spot today and show the juniors a thing or two!"
Sun Simiao gave a proud snort and then beckoned the other "Bai Niangzi" among his companions to sit beside him. This person was none other than Li Shizhen.
Beneath her bio-protection mask, Changsun Ling'er couldn't help but stifle a giggle.
No wonder Master was putting on airs today; it was because juniors were present.
Dozens of medical masters were stationed at various locations throughout Yangzhou.
On the roof of a house at the mouth of an alley, Wang Xuance and Xue Rengui, each armed with a Barrett rifle, kept a vigilant watch on their surroundings.
Fang Er sat atop a wall, observing Sun Simiao and Li Shizhen taking pulses below.
After watching for only a short while, he couldn't help but be impressed.
The difference between Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine when facing such a situation was enormous!
A general practitioner, placing a hand on the pulse, examining the tongue, prying open an eyelid, and asking a few casual questions.
All manner of ailments, big and small, could not escape their keen eyes.
This wasn't just about screening for plague patients; it was a large-scale free clinic!
"Main symptoms: chest and hypochondriac fullness with vomiting, macula-related intermittent fever, accompanied by slight looseness after defecation."
"Cause: Evil invasion of the Shaoyang, combined with Yangming interior excess, and depletion of vital energy."
"Treatment: Harmonize Shaoyang, purge heat and remove excess."
"Prescription: Chai Hu Jia Mang Xiao Tang."
"..."
One patient every two to three minutes, diagnostic results were recited one after another by Sun Simiao and Li Shizhen.
Changsun Ling'er and Zhang Yuanshuang each attended to one, diligently taking notes.
After receiving their prescriptions, patients collected eggs and flour and left.
For ordinary ailments, the supervisory army would deliver the medicine to their homes.
Those infected with the plague were taken away with their entire families and sent to the Liu Family Pharmacy for centralized treatment.
Time ticked by, and the sky gradually darkened.
Fang Er and Zhang Gongjin stayed in the city with their men, allowing the medical team to depart.
On the rooftops, everyone lay prone in a row, observing every blade of grass and tree on the street.
Perhaps because Fang Er had increased the manpower for each squad, the incidents of substitution killings had not recurred.
But whether any unforeseen events would happen at night, no one knew!
The moon was bright, the stars were few, and birdsong filled the air.
From evening until midnight, there was no movement.
Zhang Gongjin complained, "Brother, isn't sleeping at home more comfortable?"
"My gun is almost broken from being pressed against the tiles..."
Fang Er glanced back at him.
"Is your gun properly kept?"
"Hehehe, whether it's proper or not, who knows!"
"How about getting me a pack of Sunflower Seeds to satisfy my cravings? It's too boring just lying here like this!"
Fang Er flicked a thermos flask over.
"Put this on your gun. Forget about seeds; people might hear you."
Zhang Gongjin looked at the thermos flask in his hand, utterly bewildered. What was this for?
After fumbling for a while, he finally discovered the correct way to open the thermos flask.
He immediately let out a curse.
"Damn, how can an Earl use this thing?"
He then shoved it back into the arms of the donkey-like man.
"You're not married yet, are you? This is for you..."
Although the donkey-like man wasn't married, he had frequented brothels.
He stared at the item for a good while, his face flushing red as he shoved it back to Zhang Gongjin.
"Your Excellency, perhaps give it to someone else. The mouth of this cup is too small..."
Zhang Gongjin: ...
If they weren't in ambush, he would have stripped the man and compared them!
"Silence!"
Meng Zhong suddenly whispered a warning from the side.
Everyone immediately stopped their chatter and looked towards the street.
They saw a furtive figure peeking out from an alley, a bundle slung over its back.
The figure's movements were exceptionally swift, darting from one patch of darkness to another while pulling out a rolled item from the bundle and throwing it into the houses lining the alley.
"Your Excellency, your subordinate will go apprehend him,"
Ge Luoyang quietly requested permission.
"Be careful, don't make too much noise. There should be accomplices in the city."
"Yes!"
With permission granted, Ge Luoyang crawled forward a short distance before suddenly leaping up and dropping from the rooftop.
Mid-air, his hand had already reached his waist and pulled out a telescopic baton.
"Bang!"
The baton struck the man precisely on the back of the neck.
"Hmph!"
The man merely grunted and fell heavily to the ground.
From a gap in the bundle on his back, a rolled item fell out.
"The Great Tang Daily!"
Ge Luoyang's expression instantly turned grim when he saw these four words. He took out a zip tie and bound the man's thumbs behind his back.
He then pulled off the "standing" sock, crumpled it, and stuffed it into the man's mouth.
Only then did he toss the newspaper onto the rooftop.
"Your Excellency, it's a fake report!"
Fang Er took the newspaper and glanced at it, nearly causing Ge Luoyang to kill the man on the spot.
"Harming the populace and winning hearts, what is Bai Niangzi's intention?"
"The Liu Family Pharmacy saved the people from dire straits, yet their entire family was beheaded. With two Dukes overseeing Yangzhou, what is their purpose?"
Zhang Gongjin was also furious.
"Damn it, these rats truly have insatiable ambitions!"
As if it were a coordinated action, just as Fang Er finished collecting the newspaper, the walkie-talkie on Zhang Gongjin's waist crackled to life.
"Your Excellency, a suicide operative was captured in Longjing Lane!"
"Another one was apprehended in Gushui Lane!"
That night, the people of Yangzhou slept soundly.
Their long-standing ailments were being treated, and they even received eggs and flour for free. They were so happy that they were playing cards even in their dreams.
As the sky began to show the pale white of dawn, no more suicide operatives appeared.
The skilled soldiers of the Divine Spear Army entered the citizens' homes and collected the newspapers.
Fang Er and Zhang Gongjin, along with the night's haul, returned to the Divine Spear Camp.
A total of seventeen people!
Before any interrogation could begin, Lai Yifa rushed over.
"Your Excellency, a message from Yixing. It has been confirmed that Xuanwen Bookstore has a branch in Yangzhou."
"It's located in Xuanhua Lane, not far from the Yangzhou Prefectural Office!"
Fang Er furrowed his brow and looked at Zhang Gongjin.
"Let's go search!"
Half an hour later, the contingent returned to the city.
The entire Xuanhua Lane was surrounded, and a house-to-house search commenced.
"Your Excellency, we found it!"
"Maliu Alley, the third house from the south!"
The walkie-talkie crackled. Fang Er and Zhang Gongjin rushed to the location immediately.
A three-courtyard siheyuan, it appeared unremarkable.
However, upon opening the cellar in the back courtyard, a hidden world was revealed beneath!
Three woodblock printing presses were placed side by side, with barrels of ink nearby.
Upon entering, everyone smelled the strong, pungent odor of fish glue added to the Mingzhou ink!
"Where are the people?"
Seeing that the courtyard was empty except for their own party, Zhang Gongjin asked a soldier nearby.
"Reporting to Your Excellency, there's a tunnel here, and our brothers are already in pursuit!"
The soldier stepped forward and pushed against the wall behind the printing press.
There, a hidden door was clearly visible!