The wife of two taels of silver

After breakfast, Lin Haitang and Gu An said goodbye to everyone in their worried and hesitant eyes and set off on their journey to Zhanglin County.

The imperial court posted notices to recruit talents, hoping that someone could save the country from the epidemic. However, although countless people with the world in their hearts went to Zhanglin, they still failed to stop the outbreak of this strange disease. Zhanglin County has blocked more than ten villages in succession, and the situation is still expanding.

Huang Qiuhao, the director of the Imperial Medical Bureau, led ten people from the bureau to fight day and night in Zhanglin, but still could not find a way to cure the epidemic. Just half a month ago, Huang Qiuhao was infected with the epidemic and died.

Lin Haitang took down the notice on the street, folded it and put it in her sleeve. Looking at the endless stream of people at the city gate, Lin Haitang straightened her back and said, "Gu An, let's go."

Gu An nodded slightly, and the two of them swiftly mounted their horses, waved their whips, and galloped away in the dim morning light.

Zhanglin County was not close, and it took the two of them a day and a night to get there.

Before approaching Zhanglin County, Lin Haitang folded a white cloth into a triangular scarf and tied it behind his head to cover his mouth and nose. Of course, Gu An did the same.

The gates of Zhanglin County were tightly closed, and it was not as lively as Hua'an County. The closer Lin Haitang and his companions got to Zhanglin County, the fewer people there were on the road. When they arrived at the city gate, there was no one except the guards.

Two soldiers, spears in hand, were patrolling back and forth at the city gate, their faces covered with yellowed white cloths. Seeing Lin Haitang and Gu An approaching on horseback, they pointed their spears and said, "The area ahead is an epidemic area and cannot be passed. Please take a detour."

Gu An and Lin Haitang dismounted. Lin Haitang pulled out a notice from his sleeve and said, "Gentlemen, I'm a doctor. I've uncovered this notice to treat illnesses."

Unexpectedly, the two soldiers looked at each other with surprise in their eyes, then glanced at Gu An and Lin Haitang, then put down their spears, sighed and said, "You two are righteous, but once you go in, you can't get out, so you must think carefully."

There haven't been any new doctors for several days. Before, many doctors rushed to Zhanglin County, but because too many doctors died and the epidemic was not under control, gradually no one came.

The soldier didn't have much hope for the young couple in front of him.

The Director of the Imperial Medical Bureau is dead. Is there really anyone who can cure this disease?

However, as yamen runners of Zhanglin County, although they had no confidence in these two people, they could not drive them out, so they still had some hope in their hearts.

Outsiders don't know, but the officials, especially those serving in Zhanglin County, all know that if the problem cannot be cured, the higher-ups will order the entire Zhanglin County to be burned down.

Fortunately, this disease is not contagious to livestock, otherwise Lin Haitang and Gu An would not even dare to bring a horse in.

Before entering the gate of Zhanglin County, Lin Haitang and Gu An each took a pill.

To save others, you need to cure your own disease first.

The word "depressed" is not enough to describe the scene in Zhanglin County.

A dead air hung over the streets and alleys, with broken baskets and vendor carts scattered across the ground in a mess.

The streets were filled with white and yellow paper money, echoing the people's sobbing. It would not be an exaggeration to say that it was hell.

There were so many dead bodies that there was no room at home to store them, and fearing they would infect other family members, they dumped the bodies on the streets. The bodies were rotten all over, their eyes sunken, their skin livid, their protruding eyeballs bloodshot, and the whites of their eyes had completely turned yellow.

You don't need to look at these people to know that they suffered a lot in their lives. The festering pustules on their bodies are close to each other, like fish scales, all over their bodies, including their fingers and soles of their feet.

At the beginning, the yamen runners pulled the dead bodies out on carts and burned them together. By now, most of the yamen runners have been infected, and the remaining uninfected ones dare not come, so these corpses are left openly on the streets.

Lin Haitang had never seen such a scene before and was completely terrified. She subconsciously hid behind Gu An and looked at the dead body on the ground. Although she felt sick to her stomach, she couldn't take her eyes off it.

Gu An was also shocked by the scene before him. After all, he had been to the battlefield, so he immediately calmed down and held the frightened Lin Haitang in his arms.

One of the two people subconsciously sought support, while the other subconsciously sought protection, but neither of them looked at each other, their eyes were fixed on the people on the side of the road.

Some people cannot bear the blow of the death of their loved ones, so they kowtow and cry beside the corpse, but that is all they can do.

Lin Haitang and Gu An looked at each other, both with serious expressions. Lin Haitang swallowed and pulled Gu An to continue walking inside.

I don't know which alley entrance I was in when a little boy suddenly rushed out. He looked about nine or ten years old. He was dressed in rags and his face was covered in black mud. The infection was mild, with only sores on his exposed arms. He kowtowed to Gu An again and again: "Please! Please save my sister. She is only three years old. She doesn't have this strange disease. Please take my sister out!"

The little boy knocked his head again and again, very loudly. After only two knocks, blood came out from his forehead.

Gu An bent down and helped the little boy up, saying, "Take us to see your sister first."

The little boy's eyes sparkled with light. He grinned, but his eyes were red. He knelt down again and kowtowed to Lin Haitang and Gu An: "Thank you, Bodhisattva! Thank you, Bodhisattva!"

Lin Haitang felt very uncomfortable watching this. She looked at the little boy leading the way in front, who must have thought that his sister was saved and was running happily.

At the very end of the alley was the little boy's home. The house was in a mess, with stools and chairs scattered all over the floor, the window paper full of holes, and one of the doors of the main room missing, leaning crookedly against the wall. Lin Haitang turned around and saw an axe placed next to the gate.

"elder brother!"

A little girl younger than Gu Zhilan ran out of the house. Her face was covered with black mud. She must have been hungry for a long time. Her cheeks were sickly sunken and her clothes did not fit her. It seemed that the little boy had cut open some adult clothes and wrapped them around her.

The little boy opened his arms and wanted to hug his sister, but when he was about to touch her, he quickly dodged to the side.

The little girl was about to fall to the ground, but Gu An quickly supported her. The little girl looked at her brother with tears in her eyes, but she did not cry. She just sobbed with her mouth tightly closed.

The little boy wiped away his tears with his arm and said, "Huahua, dear, I have a strange disease and cannot hold you."

The little boy knelt down again, kowtowed and said, "Please, two Bodhisattvas, take my sister away. I know where my money is at home. I will give it all to you!"