Chapter 68 Crimson Poison

Inside a dilapidated temple on the outskirts of Beining City, several men disguised as vagrants were rapidly changing their clothes.

"Hurry up, everyone, and then burn all these clothes. We must not leave a single trace behind," urged the leader, a man with triangular eyes and a flat nose, his voice sharp and severe.

The other three remained silent, moving their hands and feet swiftly. In the blink of an eye, they had all changed into merchants' attire.

"Did this operation leave any loose ends?" the lead man asked coldly.

The three immediately shook their heads. One of them replied, "Boss, we disguised ourselves as vagrants and slipped in half a month ago. We waited for a full ten days before daring to make a move. No one will ever suspect us."

"Good, that's for the best."

The leader nodded slightly, though still looking uneasy as he instructed, "You will continue to lie low in Beining City. If the Third Prince has any new orders, I will come to find you."

"Remember, don't rush to spend the money you were given, and do not draw unnecessary attention to yourselves."

"Understood. We know what's at stake."

The man nodded repeatedly, and soon the four of them quietly slipped away.

Meanwhile, Qin Xuan had arrived at the wells in the Northern Wasteland District.

These wells had been dug on Qin Xuan's orders when the Northern Wasteland District was first established.

"Your Highness, do you suspect there is something wrong with the water in the wells?" Zhuge Xuan asked, unable to keep from guessing as he observed Qin Xuan's expression.

Qin Xuan nodded slightly. "It's not certain yet. Go and have a few death row inmates brought over; I need to run a test."

Shortly after, Qin Xuan summoned the physicians currently treating the sick to inquire about the nature of the illness.

To his surprise, the doctors offered completely different diagnoses: some claimed it was a fever-chills affliction, while others diagnosed typhoid. Fortunately, the possibility of a plague had been ruled out.

"Your Highness, this humble old man dares to have a guess, though I am unsure if I should voice it."

A lean, withered elder spoke in a low voice.

Unlike the other physicians, this man was dressed in rags, lacking even a pair of intact shoes. By comparison, while the other doctors were not clad in silks and satins, they all looked respectable enough.

"Old sir, please speak your mind."

Naturally, Qin Xuan did not judge a person by their appearance, offering the respect due to a medical practitioner.

Flustered and deeply flattered, the old man said anxiously, "This humble subject hails from Danxia City and was once on the verge of death. It was entirely thanks to Your Highness's benevolence and the doctors you sent that I was saved. That is why I am willing to risk offending my peers to speak out of turn."

It was evident that the old man felt a sense of inferiority, coupled with intense internal struggle.

He hesitated for a moment before continuing, "When I was examining the patients just now, I noticed that all of them suffer from depleted vital energy with evil humors gathered within. Their bodies exhibit damp-heat symptoms, yet there is no internal heat. Coupled with the relentless diarrhea and vomiting among the afflicted, I fear someone has intentionally poisoned the water with red venom, causing so many vagrants to fall ill simultaneously."

"Red venom?"

This was the first time Qin Xuan had ever heard of such a name.

The old man nodded. "This poison originally came from the lands of Diannan, and later spread to the Central Plains, but it has not appeared for many years. Although this humble old man is from Danxia City, my ancestors originated from Diannan. Combined with generations of practicing medicine, that is how I am able to recognize a thing or two."

"If it truly is red venom, how can it be cured?" Qin Xuan asked, frowning.

"If we were still in Diannan, it would not be difficult. Using the bark of the cinchona tree, which is native to Diannan, ground into a powder and taken orally, it would take effect immediately. However, Diannan is thousands of li away from the northern frontier. Even if we could procure it now, I fear it would be too late. Moreover, with tens of thousands poisoned this time around, we would likely be powerless to help them all."

A trace of sorrow flickered in the old man's eyes as he let out a powerless sigh.

"Are there really no other methods?" Qin Xuan's brow furrowed tightly.

"Your Highness, as this humble subject just mentioned, those afflicted with this poison suffer from depleted vital energy and accumulated evil elements. Even if supplemented with typhoid decoctions, it merely treats the symptoms rather than the root cause." The old man had clearly already pondered countermeasures, which was why he felt all the more helpless.

Yet his words provided a subtle hint to Qin Xuan. Although he knew little of traditional Chinese medicine, he understood that the phrase "depleted vital energy and accumulated evil elements" essentially meant that the patients' immune resistance had vanished or weakened, making the illness extremely difficult to eradicate.

A certain medicine suddenly flashed through his mind, one that might yield miraculous results.

Without delay, he spoke up, "Elder, do not rush to leave just yet. If what you say is true, and I can resolve this issue of depleted vital energy, do you have the confidence to cure these vagrants?"

"Your Highness, can you actually acquire cinchona tree bark?" the old man asked in mounting excitement.

"Let's just say I can."

Qin Xuan had no time for lengthy explanations and pressed on, "Are you certain?"

"Naturally." The old man patted his chest. "My family has practiced medicine for generations; I have at least that much certainty."

"Very good."

Qin Xuan nodded, summoned a member of the Divine Strategy Army to properly look after the old man, and then called for Monkey.

Ever since the smallpox outbreak, Monkey had been promoted by Qin Xuan to the rank of chiliarch and had been continuously training the scouts of the Divine Strategy Army.

"Your Highness, you summoned me?" Despite holding the rank of chiliarch, Monkey still maintained an utterly unremarkable appearance—the kind of person who, once tossed into a crowd, could never be found again.

Not wanting to waste time, Qin Xuan briefly recounted the current situation and said, "You have spent a long time among the vagrants and participated in their relief work, so you will take charge of arranging the subsequent tasks."

"Understood, sir."

Monkey nodded with a solemn expression. "Quarantine first, then sanitize, followed by treatment. I will have the workshops prepare face masks and soap, and order people to clear away all the filth to ensure the sanitary safety of the entire Northern Wasteland District."

Hearing these words, Qin Xuan nodded repeatedly, a look of approving a smile touching his face.

Though Monkey was a dwarf, he was more meticulous than anyone else and far more empathetic toward the vagrants.

"Go ahead and do it boldly; I trust your capability."

With that brief instruction, Qin Xuan sought out Zhuge Xuan. "Well, how are the death row inmates reacting?"

"Not much reaction yet..."

Before Zhuge Xuan could finish his sentence, a soldier of the Divine Strategy Army sprinted over frantically. "Reporting to Your Highness, Military Adviser! One of the death row inmates has started experiencing abdominal pain."

"It really was poisoning."

Qin Xuan abruptly stood up, his eyes filled with killing intent.

To develop the economy, Beining City had not enforced detailed inspections on those entering and leaving in recent times, relying only on a few hidden sentries to observe from the shadows.

Looking back now, the culprits must have exploited this exact loophole to sneak into Beining City.

"Pass down the order: immediately seal off the entire Northern Wasteland District. At the same time, place Beining City under martial law—no one is allowed to leave, only to enter."

Qin Xuan commanded in a chilling voice, "Military Adviser, immediately send men to investigate all personnel entering and exiting the Northern Wasteland District, and cross-reference the vagrant rosters. I want to see just who dares to poison the wells."

"Understood, Your Ministry shall attend to it immediately."

Zhuge Xuan accepted the order with a stern expression, the same boiling intent to kill raging within his heart.

"In addition, have the original wells filled in and sealed. Find another location to dig new ones, and henceforth dispatch guards to patrol them at all times." Qin Xuan added.

Though this well-poisoning had not yet caused massive casualties, it served as a wake-up call for Qin Xuan.

As Beining City grew increasingly prosperous, those who coveted it would naturally resort to even more unscrupulous means.

"It seems it is time to thoroughly clean out the snakes, insects, rats, and ants hidden within this city."

A sinister smile full of murderous intent bloomed in Qin Xuan's heart.