TGCFNM -Chapter 448 The Huang Family That Sells Medicinal Herbs

Unexpectedly, Chu Ling found that Zhuang Tianyou actually nodded.

“I know them, the Huang family that sells medicinal herbs,” Zhuang Tianyou said. “They have three medicine shops in the capital, called Shancao Hall.”

Chu Ling was momentarily stunned—she knew Shancao Hall.

“The head of Shancao Hall… isn’t their surname Shen?” Chu Ling asked anxiously.

Zhuang Tianyou nodded. “The current head of Shancao Hall is indeed surnamed Shen. But the older generation who sold herbs were surnamed Huang. My grandfather used to buy medicine at Shancao Hall long ago, so we got used to calling it the Huang family. Later, the eldest daughter of the old Master Huang married a man surnamed Shen, and since he ran things well, they just handed over the shop.”

Hearing this unexpected information, Chu Ling felt a bit dazed. After a long moment, she whispered, “Then… does this Huang family still have a branch in Anma County?”

“They do, but there was an epidemic in Anma County, so they fled,” Zhuang Tianyou lowered his voice. “They have money and resources, so they could escape anywhere. You can’t stop them—it’s a matter of life and death.”

Wan Sanjin asked curiously, “How do you know?”

Zhuang Tianyou sighed. “Because they came to our door, asking my grandfather to bring the prescription to save people. Not long after, news of the epidemic medicine arrived, and they left the capital. No one knows where they went… My grandfather said that this Huang family still has some sense of loyalty. They had money to escape, but they cared about the people’s safety, so they had my grandfather help the sick.”

Chu Ling suddenly laughed—her eyes reddened, and she didn’t even know how to express the rage burning inside her.

“The Huang family has loyalty?” she ground her teeth, snorting through her nose with anger. “When they discovered the first possible victim of the plague, they sealed off the news and chose to flee immediately! In such a huge Huang estate, they didn’t even leave behind some herbs to save lives—they took everything, even the firewood used for boiling medicine!”

Zhuang Tianyou looked incredulous. “What!”

Wan Sanjin was also furious. “You said the Huang family discovered it early. If they had warned the people, the villagers could have fled too. But no—they snuck away. By the time the villagers wanted to escape, it was too late!”

“You may not know this, but we witnessed it firsthand… To prevent the plague from spreading further, none of the dead could be buried—they all had to be burned completely,” Chu Ling choked up slightly. “The mountains of corpses were pushed out by their own relatives. They lit the pyres, and black smoke shot into the sky. From day until night, the fires burned…”

Thinking of this, Chu Ling remembered those poor souls who had died, and also Physician Luo, who had stayed behind to treat patients.

Tang Yang looked shocked. “Sir, we should report this! The Shen family couldn’t have been unaware of this!”

Wan Sanjin nodded. “We must report it. The only water source the Anma County villagers could use was Ming Lake. Someone maliciously dumped plague-infected corpses there, so we have reason to suspect this was deliberate… intended to—”

Wan Sanjin’s voice faltered, but Zhuang Tianyou shivered slightly and said, “—intended to make the Zhuang family famous?”

“But why? Why make the Zhuang family famous? The messengers… the Huang family who came in person… what exactly are they trying to do?”

Chu Ling closed her eyes. A suffocating anger swirled in her chest, lingering for a long time.

In the novel, the head of Shancao Hall was a mentor-like friend to the heroine Chu Yue, and the young lady of the Shen family was also close to Chu Yue. As a heroine capable both in medicine and combat, Chu Yue might even be able to study a cure for the plague.

But the novel never mentioned the epidemic, so Chu Ling didn’t know. Chu Yue, however, must have known about it, which is why she had prepared the plague medicine in advance, just in case.

In Chu Yue’s memories from her previous life, the plague was accidental.

This life, it wasn’t.

If Chu Yue intended for events to unfold in advance to complete her plans within a limited timeframe, could it be that the Anma County incident is somehow connected to the heroine, Chu Yue?

Anyway, in Chu Yue’s plan, someone would go to save the people, so the townsfolk wouldn’t die.

But had she miscalculated?

“Master Wan, have Zhang Dong change direction. We’re going to the prefecture; I want to file a report!” Chu Ling said coldly.

Zhuang Tianyou immediately responded, “Rest assured, Sir. The Zhuang family is willing to testify, and we can even provide the medicinal prescriptions… Using the lives of an entire county’s people to make a name for oneself? What kind of deranged person would do such a thing! The Zhuang family does not want that kind of reputation!”

Tang Yang patted Zhuang Tianyou on the shoulder. “The Zhuang family is innocent as well. I believe Prefect Fang will uncover the truth.”

“Exactly. You can run, but you can’t hide. The Shancao Hall is still operating; I refuse to believe we won’t get answers,” Wan Sanjin said angrily.

Chu Ling glanced at Zhuang Tianyou and comforted him, “This matter has nothing to do with the Zhuang family. They were innocently implicated.”

She preferred to believe that in the life Chu Yue had lived before, a plague had indeed broken out unexpectedly, but Chu Yue had not personally experienced it. She probably knew about it through the Shen family and thus also knew the medicinal prescription.

In that previous life, the Zhuang family’s patriarch, upon learning of the plague, had gone personally and developed the remedy, saving the people of Anma County.

In this life, since Chu Yue knew in advance, she must have intended to use the Shen family to have the Zhuang family act again…

But because of her unexpected interference, everything had now taken a different course.

“Sir, we’ve arrived at the prefecture,” Zhang Dong called out.

Chu Ling nodded. The four of them got out of the carriage one by one and went straight to file their report.

Prefect Fang personally received them, expression calm, only raising a hand to have them sit. Whether it was her imagination or not, Chu Ling felt as though Prefect Fang had glanced at her a little longer than usual.

But now was not the time to dwell on that. Chu Ling focused on Prefect Fang and explained the strange circumstances surrounding the Anma County case.

At this moment, Zhuang Tianyou also came forward to testify, describing the mysterious letter he had received.

Prefect Fang’s face darkened. “What you’re saying… is all true?”

“Absolutely!” Zhuang Tianyou said. “Just as the Huang family arrived at our door, and my grandfather was preparing to go see them, news arrived that the people of Anma County had already been cured, along with the plague remedy that Sir Chu selflessly shared.”

Chu Ling knew how fast news spread in Tianxia Zhi, so if it weren’t for Tianxia Zhi, she might even have run into the Zhuang family patriarch halfway.

“The county magistrate of Anma County was beheaded, but the true culprit—the Huang family—vanished without a trace…” Chu Ling stood, clasped her hands, and said with grief and indignation, “Prefect Fang, the corpses in Ming Lake, the mountains of bodies outside Anma County—this was all done by humans!”

Prefect Fang slammed the table, his face ashen. “Send someone! Bring the head of Shancao Hall to me at once!”

“Yes, Sir!”

“This matter will be carefully investigated,” Prefect Fang continued. “Also… Lord Chu, if I were you, I wouldn’t leave home for the next few days.” He furrowed his brow, waving his hand. “You may leave. I will see this case through to the end.”

Zhuang Tianyou thought for a moment and decided to stay as a witness.

Chu Ling, Wan Sanjin, and Tang Yang bowed and withdrew first.