Qinxue looked at Xiao Man, who was somewhat anxious, and said comfortingly, "Mistress, someone has already been sent to investigate. Rest assured, nothing will happen."
"I don't know why, my eyelids are twitching violently, I always feel like something is going to happen." Xiao Man rubbed her right eyelid, feeling a sense of unease.
Qinxue immediately had hot water brought in and wrung out a hot towel to apply to Xiao Man's eyes, thinking she was too tired. Xiao Man lay on the chair, enjoying Qinxue's attentive service, and did not stop thinking about why they had abandoned Zhang County.
If, as the rumors said, Zhang County had mineral deposits, how could the greedy Pang Tong have given it up? Unless something beyond their control happened, forcing them to abandon Zhang County!
Flood, lockdown, Xiao Man suddenly pulled off the hot towel from her face and sat up straight, "It's a plague!"
"Mistress, what plague?"
"If, as you said, Zhang County has mineral deposits, and with Pang Tong's greedy nature, how could he have voluntarily given up such a large piece of fat meat? Yet he chose to lockdown the city. This indicates that something uncontrollable happened in Zhang County, forcing him to abandon it!"
"Why a plague?"
"After the flood, everything was in ruins, making it easy to trigger various diseases. Coupled with the heavy casualties and the bodies not being promptly dealt with, and the weather gradually getting hotter, a plague is highly likely to break out!" Xiao Man's breathing became rapid. If a plague had indeed broken out in Zhang County, after so many days, it would have likely become a living hell!
"Mistress, this... this is just your guess."
"Pang Tong certainly didn't give up Zhang County from the start. You immediately go and investigate. After the flood, did they call for doctors to go to Zhang County? If they did, then it can be almost confirmed that a plague broke out in Zhang County."
"Your subordinate will investigate immediately." Qinxue hurried to check this matter, praying in her heart that it was not a plague, otherwise, there might not be many survivors left in Zhang County!
Xiao Man paced uneasily in the room. She hoped her guess was false. If a plague had truly broken out, after so many days, Zhang County would undoubtedly be a living hell. Then, whether to save them or not would be a dilemma!
Qinxue was extremely quick in handling matters. She soon gathered information: "Mistress, I have found out. After the flood, the prefect of Jiang Prefecture secretly invited more than a dozen doctors to Zhang County. However, they went and never returned. The doctors' families went to demand an explanation, but were severely beaten by the constables from the prefect's yamen."
Xiao Man slumped back into the chair. Now she was a hundred percent certain that something was wrong in Zhang County. Zou Yang and Pang Tong, in order to prevent the situation from getting out of hand, had sealed off Zhang County, leaving the people inside to fend for themselves!
"Mistress, what do we do now?" Qinxue thought of Xiao Man's prediction. She couldn't even imagine the current situation in Zhang County.
"Bring people, and accompany me to the prefect's yamen." Xiao Man took the cloak from the hanger and put it on. "We must find out what exactly happened in Zhang County. If we can know the situation inside in advance, perhaps there is still a solution."
"Yes."
As Xiao Man led her people to the prefect's yamen, Wen Mohan's side had a refugee rush in.
"My lord, a refugee has escaped from Zhang County seeking help."
Wen Mohan immediately put down the case files he was holding. "Bring the person up."
The guards brought the person up. The man looked disheveled. "My lord, please save us. There are still many people in Zhang County. Those damned corrupt officials in the government are ignoring our lives."
"Who are you, what exactly happened in Zhang County? Why weren't you registered?"
"My lord, this humble one is called Li Erdan. I was not originally from Zhang County, but from Bai County. Prefect Zou Yang recruited people to dig for ore in Zhang County, offering generous compensation. This humble one and the young people from the village went to Zhang County to mine. It was fine at first, but... but then the flood came, and the mine collapsed. Most of the miners were buried alive. Those officials, instead of saving my companions, sealed Zhang County, leaving the people inside to fend for themselves. After the flood, there was no clean water, no food, we... we... we really couldn't survive, my lord, please quickly bring people to save my companions!"
"Lawless!" Wen Mohan was quite shocked. "What kind of ore were you digging for?"
"It was an iron ore."
Wen Mohan immediately understood why Zou Yang and the others wanted to conceal the situation in Zhang County. It was likely that in addition to iron ore, Zhang County had also manufactured a lot of weapons. If the matter of Zhang County was leaked, it would be a capital offense!
"My lord..." Su Cheng was somewhat hesitant. Zhang County was sealed off, how did this person escape? He suspected a trap.
"How many people are there in Zhang County in total?"
"There are over three thousand local residents in Zhang County, and over ten thousand people were recruited to mine."
"Over ten thousand people!" Wen Mohan was quite shocked, seemingly not expecting so many people to be in Zhang County.
"Commander Su, prepare immediately. Bring food, water, and medicine. Leave one doctor to look after this place, and all other doctors will accompany this official to Zhang County." Wen Mohan looked at the refugee who had escaped from Zhang County. "Take him down to rest well first."
After the man left, Su Cheng stepped forward. "My lord, this matter may be a trap."
"Even if I know there's something fishy, I have to go. Those are tens of thousands of lives!" Wen Mohan's expression was solemn. "I want to see what exactly Pang Tong and the others are trying to do!"
"My lord, we can first send people to investigate Zhang County. It's not too late to go in after clarifying the situation."
"The flood occurred about twenty days ago. Those buried in the mine are likely beyond saving. Commander Su, how long do you think the common people in Zhang County can hold on? Can they wait until we investigate before we save them? Do you know how many people will die with each day's delay?"
Su Cheng's brows were furrowed. He certainly knew, and he also understood that even if Zhang County was a trap, they had to go in.
"This subordinate will prepare immediately."
"Bring more grain and medicine. There should be many injured people in Zhang County." Wen Mohan sneered. "I understand what Pang Tong's plan is. He wants to trap me to death in Zhang County, but he doesn't know that the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. I am just bait. The one who truly wants to kill them is still behind!"
"Yes."
Wen Mohan ordered people to bring provisions and medicine overnight and headed straight for Zhang County. Pang Tong watched the long procession, quickly heading in the direction of Zhang County, a cruel smile curving on his lips.
"Go and check later whether our stolen silver is in the refugee camp."
"Yes, General."
"When the imperial envoy enters the city, immediately seal off Zhang County tightly. Do not let anyone inside come out."
"Yes, General."