Chapter 88: We Stand Together Through Thick and Thin

Chapter 88: We Stand Together Through Thick and Thin

As the two conversed, the sound of footsteps and weeping grew closer.

The villagers, having spotted the flickering light in the valley, began to head in their direction.

Before long, a group of figures emerged from the darkness and rain. Upon closer inspection, Village Officer Liu was at the forefront.

Peng Wang called out, "Village Officer Liu, what's the situation down in the village?"

Upon recognizing the familiar voice, Village Officer Liu quickened his pace. Before he could regain his balance, he wailed with a trembling voice,

"It's all my fault for not heeding your advice. Now, the entire village is submerged under water. Less than a third of the villagers have managed to escape."

At this point, Village Officer Liu broke down into sobs, looking utterly distraught.

The villagers trailing behind him also wept more intensely.

All the villagers assembled in front of the cave, numbering roughly forty or fifty people by estimation.

The majority were young people, with the elderly, weak, and children comprising only a tiny fraction.

It was evident that those who didn't make it up the mountain had met with misfortune.

Peng Wang and Mo Jiuye couldn't help but sigh at the thought of so many lives lost to the floodwaters. Indeed, as the saying went, "Floods and fires spare no one!"

Now wasn't the time for sentimentality. Peng Wang scanned the crowd and made a decision on the spot.

All the women would go to the Mo family's cave, while he would lead the officials and male convicts to the largest cave – the one they were currently using for shelter. They would vacate this cave for the villagers.

Though it would be crowded, they couldn't leave the villagers without a place to stay.

With everything arranged, Mo Jiuye and He Zhiran brought some charcoal to the villagers to help them dry their clothes first.

As for food, they hadn't yet figured out a solution.

Just as Mo Jiuye and He Zhiran handed the charcoal to Village Officer Liu, a sudden cry came from the villagers.

"Village Officer, Li Tiezhu from my household has fainted. What should we do? Our village healer was swept away by the flood. Who can attend to my son Tiezhu's illness...?"

Upon hearing this, He Zhiran took the initiative.

"I have some knowledge of medicine. Let me examine him."

Seeing that the volunteer was a seemingly young woman, Village Officer Liu had his doubts.

He found it hard to believe that such a young lady could possess medical expertise.

Peng Wang noticed Liu's hesitation.

"Village Officer Liu, Madam Mo is no ordinary physician; one could even call her a divine healer."

Hearing Peng Wang bestow her with the title of a divine healer, He Zhiran couldn't afford modesty in this situation.

She urged Liu, "The situation is urgent. We cannot afford any delay." Without knowing the patient's exact condition, any delay might cost a life.

Village Officer Liu trusted Peng Wang's words and promptly instructed the villagers to make way, allowing He Zhiran to examine Li Tiezhu's condition.

He Zhiran examined the patient by the flickering firelight, and soon, she gasped in astonishment.

A swelling was evident in Li Tiezhu's lymph node beneath one temple.

This immediately reminded her of the plague.

Turning to the villagers, He Zhiran asked, "Is there anyone here who is related to him?"

"I am Li Tiezhu's wife," replied the woman who had just found Li Tiezhu unconscious and sought help.

Observing the woman's anxiety, He Zhiran spoke sternly, "Stay calm and answer my questions honestly."

"Alright."

"Before he lost consciousness, did he experience chills, high fever, severe headache, intermittent vomiting, and difficulty breathing?"

As Li's wife listened to He Zhiran describe these symptoms, she nodded repeatedly.

"All that you've mentioned is correct. My husband, Tiezhu, has indeed shown such symptoms over the past couple of days."

As they spoke, Li's wife had already seized He Zhiran's sleeve, her face filled with anxiety as she asked, "Doctor, has my husband Li Tiezhu fallen gravely ill?"

From Li Tiezhu's symptoms, it seemed to match those of the plague.

To further confirm her diagnosis, He Zhiran turned to Village Officer Liu, pulling him aside for a private conversation.

"Village Officer Liu, have you noticed an increase in rats around your village lately?"

Upon hearing her mention rats, Village Officer Liu let out a deep sigh.

"Don't even mention it. Although there were rats in the village before, their numbers were never excessive. Recently, however, their population has surged, and they've grown significantly larger. Just yesterday, I found several dead rats in my granary."

Hearing the village head's response, He Zhiran's expression grew even more somber.

"Village Officer, Li Tiezhu is likely suffering from the plague."

"The plague?" Village Officer Liu was immediately stunned.

This term was not unfamiliar to him.

He had heard of this illness over twenty years ago, in a county several hundred miles away from here.

The imperial court initially dispatched many royal physicians to treat the illness, but even they eventually fell victim to the plague. Later, to prevent its further spread, the court ordered the quarantine of that entire county.

It was a tragedy for the people there; they either succumbed to the disease or starved to death, with none surviving.

At this thought, Village Officer Liu's legs turned to jelly.

"Doctor, no, Divine Female Physician, please save us!"

As he spoke, Village Officer Liu knelt before He Zhiran, repeatedly kowtowing.

Mo Jiuye, standing by the entrance of the cave, noticed something amiss and hurried over.

Just then, He Zhiran had helped Village Officer Liu to his feet.

Mo Jiuye asked in a grave voice, "What happened?"

To avoid causing panic among the villagers, He Zhiran mouthed two words to Mo Jiuye: "Plague."

Upon hearing these words, even Mo Jiuye, who was accustomed to life and death, couldn't help but turn pale with shock.

"How could this be?" he murmured, instinctively moving closer to He Zhiran.

She promptly stopped him. "Don't come any closer."

Mo Jiuye understood her intentions - she was concerned that he might contract the plague from being too close to the villagers.

As a man of great stature, how could he let He Zhiran, a woman, face such a perilous situation alone, especially when it came to life and death?

Although he knew that infection was inevitable, he remained undeterred.

In truth, He Zhiran wasn't afraid of the plague. In her previous life, she had developed an effective herbal cure for it. As long as the infected person's condition hadn't progressed to organ failure, her medicine could heal them.

Regrettably, before she could share this breakthrough with the world, she unexpectedly found herself transported to this new era.

Unexpectedly, shortly after her arrival in this era, the antidote for the plague she possessed proved invaluable.

Although her spatial dimension didn't store the specific herbs needed to cure the plague, anything could be purchased on Taobao Mall – this was not a concern. The only issue was how to expose these medicinal herbs to sunlight within the confines of the cave.

Mo Jiuye had already come to her side and silently held her small hand.

His gaze was filled with sincerity.

"We will face this together."

Seeing that her words couldn't deter Mo Jiuye from joining in, He Zhiran decided to accept his company with a willing heart.

In response, she instinctively squeezed his hand back, assuring him that she was at ease.