TGCFNM -Chapter 285 Searching for Medicinal Herbs

After the emotions of the people of Anma County had temporarily stabilized, Chu Ling instructed Ma Liuzi to gather those who were still able to move and clean up the streets together.

They also prepared to set up fire racks outside the county town. Every household was told to cover their mouths and noses, wrap their hands, and carry out all the clothes and bedding the deceased had used in life to be burned.

As for moving and assembling the wooden racks, that naturally fell to Chu Ling and the others.

When the city gates were opened once more, Chu Ling had Zhang Dong lead Ma away to one side. Then she ordered a clearing to be made. Firewood and wooden doors were piled up, and afterward the townspeople stuffed old clothes into the gaps.

In total, they built five large pyres.

The people of Anma County watched with hopeful eyes: they were only burning some clothes. Once the filthy things were burned away, the plague poison would be gone.

Just when everyone thought that was all—

Chu Ling stood silently, gazing at the city gate.

Lin Fu’s frail figure strained as he pulled a wooden cart forward. His wife pushed from behind, her legs trembling with exhaustion, yet she continued to move ahead with determination.

Wan Sanjin started to step forward to help, but Chu Ling grabbed him. “Don’t go. He wants to personally see his father off on his final journey.”

Wan Sanjin turned his face away, unable to bear it.

“Old Master Lin has passed?”

“Old Master Lin is gone! Quick—go, quickly.”

The people of Anma County supported one another and walked over with slow steps, helping steady the cart.

Lin Fu bit his lip hard, letting his tears fall and strike the ground, yet his voice remained firm. “My father said that if someone dies of plague, they must not be buried. Otherwise, it will ruin the soil and harm others. So… so it’s better to burn the body directly.”

“Ah? Burn—burn it?”

“Really… really burn it?”

“Yes. It must be burned!” Lin Fu lifted his head, crying uncontrollably. “My father thinks the same as the magistrate. Only by burning it will this plague poison stop.”

Uncle Wu, standing beside Chu Ling, let out a soft sigh. “The old master was kindhearted, and his son is a good man too—he knows how to uphold the magistrate.”

Chu Ling’s eyes reddened. Unable to hold back, she turned away.

After Lin Fu helped lower Old Master Lin down, the people of Anma County joined together, weeping as they placed him upon the pyre.

Once Chu Ling steadied her emotions, she looked at the crowd and said, “The bodies of those who died of plague must… must be dealt with quickly. And the things they used must all be burned as well.”

Lin Fu nodded and pulled the cart back home with his wife to gather clothes.

Seeing this, the others also went back, crying as they walked.

About half an hour later, each household—some carrying, some dragging wooden carts—laboriously brought out the coffins that had been keeping vigil at home. They came to the pyres and placed the corpses upon them.

Chu Ling immediately led others to help.

At the same time, another group returned home to bring out the clothes and livestock they had kept hidden, throwing them onto the pyres as well.

Cao Tong and Yan Sheng then brought fire oil from the county yamen and poured it over the stacks.

The villagers lit their torches, and through tears hurled them onto the pyres—

Blazing flames roared to life, slowly engulfing everything. Thick black smoke billowed into the sky, waves of heat crashing outward. What remained in the eyes of the people was a sight that would never fade from memory.

The great fire burned from afternoon until night, lighting up more than half the sky.

Chu Ling sent all the townspeople back to rest for the time being. Then she had Wan Sanjin and Su He distribute the salt from the county yamen, while she herself prepared to visit the only medical clinic in the county to see if there were any usable medicinal herbs left.

The streets were pitch-dark. After a day of exhaustion, almost everyone had remained indoors.

Carrying a lantern, Chu Ling walked alone down the street. Though the surroundings were quiet, perhaps because of the day’s fire, the air in Anma County somehow felt much clearer.

But the most critical issue—the epidemic—remained unresolved.

“We’re here,” Bai Su reminded her.

Chu Ling climbed the stone steps and looked at the apothecary. She tentatively pushed the door.

With a soft creak, it opened. Inside was equally dark.

She lifted her lantern and stepped forward, discovering the clinic in complete disarray: tables and chairs overturned, countless teapots and cups shattered, medicine cabinets seemingly yanked open by force—some drawers had fallen to the ground, others hung precariously, ready to drop at any moment.

Holding the lantern, Chu Ling searched for oil lamps. After finding several and lighting them one by one around the room, the clinic brightened considerably.

“It seems the townspeople tried to save themselves,” Bai Su said.

Chu Ling blew out her lantern and slowly walked behind the counter. Looking at the opened drawers, she lightly lifted one, glanced at the label, then pushed the empty drawer back in.

“It wasn’t the townspeople who took them,” Chu Ling said with a frown. “The people here took the medicine and ran.”

“They ran?” Bai Su immediately stepped behind the counter and stared at the empty drawers. Refusing to believe it, she had Chu Ling open every single one.

After checking everywhere behind the counter, Chu Ling shook her head. “It looks like they took everything.”

Ghost Scholar frowned, his voice heavy. “Actually, when we were setting up the fire racks today, I already had my suspicions. Now it’s confirmed—anyone with some means fled. Those who couldn’t run are just ordinary folk.”

“Master Lin stayed until the end…” Chu Ling murmured softly. She glanced around the clinic again. “Ma Liuzi said the doctor who stayed behind has already died. Now even the medicine is gone, so they can only wait for death.”

Bai Su frowned helplessly. “Let’s search as thoroughly as we can. Otherwise, the medicine we brought won’t be nearly enough. We’ll even need to test remedies ourselves—after all, there’s no existing prescription in this world for an epidemic.”

“You… need… to test medicine?”

A chill ran through Chu Ling’s heart as she looked toward the figure who had appeared soundlessly. She drew in a sharp breath. “Your illness is this severe?”

“He said you,” Ghost Scholar reminded her.

A coldness crept up from Chu Ling’s feet as she walked over. Seeing the dark blotches of poison on the old man’s face and on his bare arms, she said in shock, “You… died from the infection?”

The old man smiled gently. “You could say that. I was the doctor here. My surname is Luo.”

Chu Ling cupped her hands and bowed solemnly. “Physician Luo was kindhearted. You even implicated yourself in your efforts to treat others.”

“A physician’s heart is like that of a parent,” Physician Luo said with a faint smile, looking at Chu Ling. “You are from out of town?”

Chu Ling nodded slightly. “We passed through here and I have temporarily taken on the role of county magistrate. I came tonight to look for medicinal herbs.”

Physician Luo shook his head in discomfort. “The medicine was taken by them. Not a single piece left. They took it all…”

Chu Ling looked at him, then asked with some hesitation, “Doctor, where is your body?”

Physician Luo pointed toward the back. “The stove collapsed and set my body alight. It has all burned away.”

Chu Ling looked at him sorrowfully and stepped forward. “Physician Luo, why do you still remain here?”