Chapter 12: Separately Going Their Own Ways
Long Qi could smell the aroma of wine from afar and could find Madam Zhuang's tavern without asking much.
As soon as I entered the door, I saw that the hall was crowded with people. The rich aroma of wine filled the hall. The sounds of drinkers toasting each other, clinking glasses, shouting, the waiters answering, and people singing on the stage were endless. It was very lively.
I didn't know where to sit when the waiter came over to greet me. It turned out that the restaurant had always been doing a booming business, with a constant stream of customers. However, there were many limited tables in the restaurant, so over time, people started to share tables and drink. Some generous people were able to make friends with drinking buddies here.
Long Qi immediately thought that this might be a good way to get some information, so he asked the waiter to lead him to a small table by the window.
There were two people at the table. One was shirtless and muscular, with broad shoulders and a round waist, angry eyebrows and a beard, and a voice like a bell. The other wore a brocade hat and long clothes, was thin, had a fair and handsome face, and smiled softly. One was drinking from a bowl, and the other was drinking from a small cup. At first glance, they seemed to be very uncoordinated, but they were actually good friends who met because of wine and often met here to drink and chat.
Long Qi gave the two of them a fist bump and sat down. The waiter hurriedly asked him what he wanted to order.
"I could smell the aroma of wine from a distance and was drawn here unconsciously, but when they asked me what I wanted, I really had no idea."
"Hahaha! Young man, you are an outsider, right?" The bearded guest laughed, "Although Baimozhi is well-known in Liangcheng, I think the Qionghua Dew from Yaoyi's family is more mellow. I'm afraid it's the aroma that attracted you here."
The white-faced man nodded and said, "Although it is a flower wine, it is so delicious that I can't bear to put it down. It is so delicious that I can't stop savoring it."
"In that case, I'll let you two brothers taste this Qionghua dew." He bowed to the two men and said, "We can't just drink, right? Bring me a few more dishes. I'll drink with you two brothers and we won't leave until we're drunk!"
……
In front of the government office, Lu Ying handed in a visiting card. Soon, a servant came out and said that it was Zhao Tongzhi who invited him into the office for a chat.
This is strange, shouldn't the person who invited him be the prefect? Lu Ying was puzzled but did not say anything, and followed the officer into the hall.
As soon as he stepped into the main room, he saw an old man pacing back and forth. Upon seeing Lu Ying coming, he hurried forward and extended his hand to greet him.
"But we have waited for the capable person to come!"
"I wonder why the co-magistrate is so anxious?" Lu Ying asked while bowing.
Zhao Tongzhi sighed when he heard this: "It's hard to put it into words!"
As soon as the two of them sat down, without waiting for Lu Ying to explain his purpose, he said, "I can roughly guess your purpose. To be honest, this matter has troubled the government for a long time..."
"The magistrate is saying..."
"That's right, it was a case of wounding in the suburbs." The old Tongzhi said and sighed.
"Why does this case make you so anxious?"
"This story starts half a year ago..."
Half a year ago, a woodcutter passed by the forest in the southern suburbs. From a distance, he saw three people wearing only middle clothes, standing on the path. When he got closer, he heard them murmuring, as if they were discussing something. He didn't take it seriously at first and went to chop wood. But when the sun set and he returned home, the three people were still the same as in the morning. Out of curiosity, he went up to greet them. Unexpectedly, when he got closer, he found that their pupils were white, drooling, and their voices were weak, like zombies. He was so scared that he hurried to report to the police.
When the police arrived, it was already dusk, but the three men were still standing there, which was extremely strange. Someone was brave enough to pull them forward, and as soon as he touched one of them, the three men fell down in unison, but their faces and voices were the same as when they stood there...
From then on, this would happen to three people every month, all on the day after the full moon, and all men.
Mr. He, the prefect of Liangcheng, is extremely talented. He was on the list in the past two years and was fortunately favored by heaven to be sent here. Although he is young, he has studied under Yuanqing and knows some Taoist matters.
Perhaps he discovered something, because one day last month he suddenly shouted: So that's how it is! Then he left the house alone, but...
That day was a full moon night, and the next day he was like the previous victims, still lying in the yamen...
"This is what the co-magistrate is worried about..." "To be honest, this matter has not been made public, nor has it been reported to the emperor. If this matter spreads among the people, there will definitely be a panic here..."
"Can this matter be reported to the generals guarding the border?"
"Of course I kept it a secret."
"Master Tongzhi," Lu Ying stood up and bowed to Master Zhao, "This is exactly why I came here. I wanted to learn about the case, but after hearing what you said, I know there must be something fishy about it. I think the prefect must have discovered something that day, so he left the mansion alone and didn't want to hurt innocent people. To be honest, I have two fellow Taoists who are investigating this matter. One of them once saved my life with her superb medical skills. I believe she can also wake up the prefect, but she is probably still collecting evidence. When I meet her, I will explain the whole story and invite her to come into the mansion to perform treatment. But can you let me look at the relevant files first?"
Upon hearing this, the old magistrate had no choice but to ask the bailiff to take Lu Ying to the filing room.
……
Lingxiang asked about the patient on the street, but found that no one knew about it, which was very strange. But then she thought again, this matter was so bizarre that the government would definitely not make it public to avoid confusing the people.
These people thought that they were being held in the government post, so they went to inquire about it.
When he arrived at the gate of the official post station, he explained his purpose to the guard and was then led into the inner hall.
From time to time, an old man with a long beard came to greet her. It turned out to be the clerk of the government office. After Lingxiang bowed, he took her to a small courtyard.
"Miss Lingxiang, there are many patients in the hospital. Since you are from the Xuanmen sect, I believe you can find a way to save them..." The teacher sighed on the way.
"Please forgive me, senior. I have not seen the patient yet, so I cannot give you any guarantee."
Lingxiang's frank words made the teacher look at her differently. Unlike the previous quack doctor who promised a lot but did nothing.
"It's okay, it's okay, but some of them have families, some are still young and strong, and they are all honest people. It's unbearable for me to see them end up like this..."
"Senior has a kind heart, Lingxiang will do his best."
As they were talking, they arrived at a courtyard gate and could vaguely hear the gurgling sound of medicine pots and the footsteps of some people walking inside.
"There are twenty people here in total, including seventeen patients, one doctor, a medicine boy and a servant." The teacher said as he invited her in.
After Lingxiang greeted the doctor, he took her to see the patient.
Some of these people were skinny, some were pale and skinny, and even a few who looked like they had not yet walked away had pale faces.
The thin ones all had their eyes closed, while those who had not yet walked away had their eyes rolled back, and they all spoke in hoarse voices.
The doctor said that those thin ones were patients from half a year ago, and those who were still in good shape were sent to the hospital last month. This time, they were all being kept alive by the old ginseng, and their meals were liquid food.
This is not a disease at all. It is undoubtedly a form of magic. Judging from the symptoms, it should be caused by one person, but I don't know what magic caused it.
Judging from the pulse, their lives are not in danger for the time being, but if this continues for a long time, they will definitely die, especially those who are so thin that they look like they are walking.
Lingxiang already had a plan in mind, so she fed the Soul Gathering Pills to those who were in the most serious condition, while for those who were relatively optimistic, she asked the medicine boy to give the others a Qi-Nourishing Pill to be dissolved in water and taken orally.
He also told the doctors that on any sunny day, they should be placed in the courtyard with their eyes covered and exposed to the sunlight for two quarters at noon.
After giving these instructions, he went to look for his master.
(End of this chapter)
