During my escape from famine, I survived by eavesdropping on the whispers of food.

Upon hearing this, Lin Zheng involuntarily dropped the item from his hand onto the table.

He asked in shock, "Are you sure what you're saying is true? Qin Shuangshuang really told you to pick poisonous mushrooms?"

Or does he want to bring back these poisonous mushrooms for some other purpose?

Lin Zheng couldn't believe that Qin Shuangshuang might be planning to use this opportunity to poison all of these tens of thousands of people.

This won't do. He quickly got up, went around to the table, and said to them, "You all need to explain this clearly in detail."

One of the soldiers said, "Qin Shuangshuang said she has a way to remove all the toxins from these mushrooms. Therefore, she hopes you can quickly send more than fifty constables up the mountain so that all the mushrooms can be picked as soon as possible, to prevent other people from deliberately going up the mountain to pick the mushrooms and unknowingly eating them."

Upon hearing this, Lin Zheng still couldn't believe it and said, "In that case, I'll go with you. What if Qin Shuangshuang has other intentions? I'll be in trouble then, after all, these are matters of life and death."

Although Miss Qin has been kind to us, if she really did kill all these tens of thousands of people, wouldn't that be tantamount to massacring the entire city?

My official position is irrelevant, but the lives of the common people are innocent.

Everyone then made way for Lin Zheng, who followed them up the mountain.

He climbed a long distance, and because of his wound, it was quite difficult to climb to the top. He took a few deep breaths and asked the soldiers in front of him, "How much longer?"

The officers and soldiers said to him, "Sir, it's not far now, just a short distance ahead." At this point, Lin Zheng didn't even want to stop and hurriedly went up. On the main road, he saw a small figure holding a wooden stick, poking around aimlessly.

Hearing the commotion, Qin Shuangshuang turned around and saw Lin Zheng approaching. She asked curiously, "Didn't you say to bring the yamen runners up to collect it? Why did you bring an official?"

Before anyone could speak, Lin Zheng said to her, "I've brought the people you asked for, but I want to ask, why are you taking the poisonous mushrooms back for no reason? Are you really going to massacre the city?"

You should think carefully before you act. Those are human lives. Even if you don't care, I, the official, must.

Qin Shuangshuang was completely shocked. Looking at the two soldiers behind him, she asked, "What did you tell the magistrate? Why does he suddenly think I'm going to massacre the city?"

The soldiers shook their heads and said to Qin Shuangshuang, "Miss Qin, we just said that you sent fifty constables up there to pick the poisonous mushrooms that cover the whole mountain. As soon as the magistrate heard that, he came with us."

Qin Shuangshuang smiled and said to him, "Sir, please don't misunderstand. I'm going to prepare mushrooms because I really want to make soup for everyone when I get back."

Before Qin Shuangshuang could finish speaking, Lin Zheng hurriedly said, "These mushrooms are not to be taken, not to be taken."

Then Lin Zheng was about to pick out all the poisonous mushrooms from his basket, but he seemed to have no idea which mushrooms were edible and which were not.

Seeing this, Qin Shuangshuang hurriedly told him to stop. "Sir, please don't misunderstand. I have other uses for these mushrooms. I have a way to clean up all the toxins. Otherwise, how do you think I have been able to lead my team to survive until now?"

When Lin Zheng heard that Qin Shuangshuang had an exceptional talent in this area, he wondered what methods she had used to completely remove the toxins from the food.

Then he remembered that Qin Shuangshuang had cured his illness before, and he felt that Qin Shuangshuang was indeed a rare talent.

If she really has this method to remove the toxins from the food, then she can cleanse any poisonous things in the future and make them safe to eat. This would be an immense benefit to people like them who can't find food.

Qin Shuangshuang noticed Lin Zheng's hesitation and said to him, "The reason I had them pick all these mushrooms was because I was worried that the local people might not know how to clean the mushrooms of toxins and end up eating them, then blame us for everything. Besides, their lives matter too."

I couldn't ignore it, so I wanted someone to pick all the mushrooms. Even if they couldn't eat them right away, I couldn't let them poison themselves.

Lin Zheng was surprised to hear that Qin Shuangshuang had considered things so thoroughly; he realized he had been petty and narrow-minded.

He then bowed slightly to Qin Shuangshuang in apology and said, "It was indeed a misunderstanding on my part. I am truly sorry, Miss Qin."

Qin Shuangshuang shook her head and said to him, "It's not your fault. Your considerations are understandable. I need to explain this to you. Now that things are clear, things will be easier."

Now I need those yamen runners to hurry up and pick all these mushrooms. I still need to go back and cook for everyone. Cooking for tens of thousands of people is really quite a hassle.”

At this moment, Lin Zheng turned around and said to the fifty-odd constables who had come up, "Just do as Miss Qin said, quickly pick all these magic mushrooms and put them in our most secret place. Under no circumstances should other people find out."

"To prevent the refugees from taking all these things back and eating them themselves, which would truly be a matter of life and death."

The fifty constables behind him then stepped forward and busied themselves on a pile of snow-covered hills, searching high and low for mushrooms hidden under the grass.

Before long, the refugees were all astonished to see basket after basket of mushrooms being carried into the county government office.

Some of the refugees then started to speak up.

"Aren't those all poisonous mushrooms? Why did they bring back those poisonous mushrooms?"

"Exactly! My eyesight is terrible. Why are they picking so many poisonous mushrooms? Are they really going to poison us all to death?"

"Judging from that girl's demeanor, she doesn't seem like someone who's going to kill someone. I don't think so."

Just then, a familiar figure appeared. Qin Dafang stood on the street, hands on his hips, watching the people peering into the county government office.

She joined in the commotion and said to them, "You wouldn't believe it, that girl is my niece. She's wicked and tried every means to drive his grandparents out of the house. And his mother isn't a good person either."

Now she expects me, her lonely aunt, to take care of her poor grandparents. Look at her now, she won't even talk to us.

Just then, Qin Shuangshuang arrived following a group of yamen runners and overheard what the eldest son's wife had said. She couldn't help but laugh and say, "You really are trying to make yourself look good. Your husband's life is already hanging in the balance, and now you're busy remarrying. Don't you find that ridiculous? And what about my relatives?"