Chapter 620 - 482: Man-Made Disaster? (3)

"Junior Brother, are you suspecting that someone deliberately threw this masked palm civet into the village temple, causing Mr. Cen to contract the plague?"

"I’m just speculating. The skinning technique for this masked palm civet is very crude. If a hunter had handled it, it wouldn’t look like this. Therefore, I judge that this civet was secretly thrown in from outside the village temple, and Mr. Cen picked it up. He’s someone who likes to take advantage of freebies, so naturally, he butchered and ate the civet he picked up. Because he didn’t have the skills to handle the fur, he simply skinned it for the meat or wanted to keep the fur to sell to passing fur traders for some silver coins, leaving the fur behind," Lin Miao analyzed.

"If this masked palm civet was indeed placed deliberately, then Mr. Cen should not be the only one affected," said Sun Youwei, who had witnessed the wickedness of the world and understood that some people have no bottom line in their malicious deeds.

"I fear that’s exactly the case."

"I will draft a letter to inform Pei Jian, Mr. Pei, of the situation we’ve discovered here, asking him to be vigilant. If someone truly committed such a heinous act, we must uncover and bring them to justice!" Lin Miao said, acknowledging that ultimately, it was up to the government to handle this, and he could only provide clues.

"That sounds good." Both women agreed with Lin Miao’s approach.

"How is the master’s health?" Lin Miao asked since he had just developed a closer relationship with her apprentice, naturally he was concerned.

"The master is fine. She wanted to come, but I persuaded her to stay home and rest temporarily," Sun Youwei explained.

"Alright, it’s best if she doesn’t come. Her health is fragile, and if she were to get infected, it would be problematic," Lin Miao nodded. "On our side, I’ve instructed Yue Mei’Er to define an area and only treat patients within this range, isolating them for treatment. However, I’m also concerned that once the news spreads, more patients will arrive, so I’m planning to ask Pei Jian to temporarily loan Xue Family Manor as a centralized isolation and treatment point. Adhering to the principle of admitting all those who should be admitted, we aim to treat as many ’plague’ patients as possible. What do you think?"

"We have no objections, but how will we solve the issue of resources? This method will likely require a substantial amount of money," they expressed.

"I estimate that Pei Jian will enforce a donation this time, and no official will escape. In the letter, I will state that I intend to donate two hundred thousand taels of silver for the epidemic response. This money will cover the expenses of the isolation and treatment point at Xue Family Manor," Lin Miao said, "Wealth should come from the people and be used for the people; that is the right path."

"Junior Brother is truly benevolent," Sun Youwei felt deeply moved. Such a man was worthy of entrusting her life to.

"Let’s leave it at that for now; I’ll go write the letter to Pei Jian."

The letter was written quickly. After some thought, Lin Miao revised the "Prevention Guide" he had drafted based on the problems encountered and solutions found that day, recopied it, and put it together with the letter.

Called for Liansuo.

"Deliver this letter and the ’Prevention Guide’ back to the city at once, and personally hand them to Pei Jian, Mr. Pei. Then, wait a while for Pei Jian’s reply and instructions, and return afterwards," Lin Miao solemnly entrusted the items to Liansuo.

Lin Miao suddenly remembered he had forgotten to write a letter to Wen Ruyu, so he quickly spread out paper and penned a letter to Wen Ruyu, entrusting it to Liansuo as well.

"Yes, Young Master, Liansuo will see it delivered."

"This is my Deputy Chief Order; take it with you, no one will stop you." Lin Miao handed his Medical Bureau Deputy Chief’s official order to Liansuo. Currently, Dongshan City was under curfew, and city gates were closed; without a transit order, entry was impossible.

Although Liansuo could move freely, such actions were ultimately against regulations.

...

Night had already deepened.

After the street ban order was issued, chaos erupted throughout Dongshan City, but people were deployed in all streets and districts to severely crack down on price gouging and those inciting disturbance.

Pei Jian had steeled his resolve that any instigators who ignored three warnings would be shot on the spot!

All the hired enforcers became supervisors, wearing red armbands, working with the various government offices to ensure the street ban order’s implementation wasn’t exploited by some to cause trouble.

Without proper oversight, those in local positions of power would have taken advantage to oppress the common people even more ruthlessly.

And the hired enforcers were highly effective, as they operated in a semi-official capacity with a hint of the free-roaming martial spirit.

These enforcers held acting chivalrously as one of their core values.

Having them supervise government actions was indeed a brilliant idea, a suggestion mentioned in Lin Miao’s letter.

After all, no matter how good the epidemic prevention measures, disaster would still ensue if those executing them were problematic.

If natural disasters were exploited by human malice, they would pale in comparison.

Initially, it was thought the government was just all talk.

Nobody expected Pei Jian was serious until the news came that a rogue was shot and dragged off by guards.

Only then did people come to their senses—the government was serious this time; there was no ’too many to punish,’ no ’just a few days in jail and then you’re out’.

This was not a matter of a few days in jail; it was a question of years, even risking lives.

Furthermore, the city’s martial arts schools, cart services, and security agencies were all required to dispatch personnel, undergo brief government training, and wear red armbands as auxiliary forces for the authorities.

Even knowing there would be initial chaos, Pei Jian gritted his teeth and persisted, issuing order after order for the sake of all the city’s inhabitants.

Of course, many required the official seal of the Imperial Envoy, which would enhance their deterrent effect.

Busy, exceedingly busy, Pei Jian didn’t even have time for a sip of water.

The entire Dongshan Prefecture government compound was brightly lit with unprecedented hustle, noting all sorts of information, while all department heads were present, none allowed to be excused, always ready to address issues.

From the central hall, one after another officials came to report news, allowing no time to pause for breath.

In the central hall, a huge map of Dongshan City hung on the wall, showcasing the progress of implementing the street ban and isolation in each district.

Red indicated completion, while blue dots marked designated isolation points in each district, and confirmed cases were sent directly to Shengyuan Hall and Ye Mansion.

The number of cases was surging rapidly.

Despite the early spring chill, Pei Jian felt not a hint of cold, clad only in a single garment but still felt hot and bothered, with sweat beads forming on his forehead.

This plague erupted too abruptly, without any warning, spreading swiftly and widely, astonishingly fast as if overnight it blanketed the entire Dongshan City.

This defied common sense; even as someone not versed in medicine, never having experienced such a "great plague," he perceived something abnormal underlying it all.

It felt as if a colossal invisible hand was orchestrating everything, chillingly sinister.