Shops destroyed like this were a common sight, so it was nothing to be surprised about.

Seeing no movement inside, and given the late hour, Cheng Zongyang knew it wasn’t a good idea to shout.

He glanced left and right, then easily vaulted over the wall into the backyard. But the next moment, he saw several people inside armed with Firewood Knives and wooden clubs. They were staring nervously and silently at the back gate, as if guarding against vagrants trying to break in.

When they saw someone actually vaulting over the wall, their expressions changed. Just as they were about to charge at Cheng Zongyang with their makeshift weapons, he spoke first.

"Is Li Ze here? I’m his friend."

Hearing the familiar name, and especially the word "friend," the men stopped. The middle-aged man in the lead asked with suspicion and uncertainty:

"Who are you?! What do you want with my son?!"

The leader was a rather portly middle-aged man, armed with an iron pitchfork, and his tone was wary.

Cheng Zongyang sighed. "You don’t know me, so there’s no point in explaining. Just have him come out and talk to me."

However, the middle-aged man said coldly, "My son has the plague! He isn’t here!"

Cheng Zongyang’s expression faltered. "He has the plague and isn’t here? Then where did he go? Or should I say, where did you drive him off to?"

’Li Ze was born of a concubine, the third son of the family, and wasn’t highly regarded, but I never thought they’d be this heartless.’

’Ever since I met Li Ze, I knew he was always working at the winery; you couldn’t say he wasn’t hardworking. Still, I can understand their actions. It’s human nature to seek fortune and avoid calamity. Anyone would probably do the same in their shoes.’

"Hmph, if you get the plague, you should get the hell away from here! Are you trying to get the whole family killed?!" a young man sneered.

Cheng Zongyang pointed his Tang Blade at the man. "Tell me where he went. Or I’ll kill you first!"

The young man’s expression turned to one of alarm, and he quickly retreated behind the others.

"He went with his mother to the old residence. It’s at No. 17, South Pond Eleventh Lane, in South City," Father Li said with a sigh.

Cheng Zongyang stared at him, wasted no more words, then turned, using the wall for leverage to leap out of the courtyard and leave.

’He really is a Martial Artist!’

Father Li wiped the sweat from his forehead. He had told him the address so directly precisely because he had guessed this.

After leaving, Cheng Zongyang doubled back and hurried toward South City.

This time, however, he first found a moment to return to his own residence. From his warehouse in the Wilderness World, he took out ten large packs of the backup Lotus Clearing Fever Powder he had asked his second uncle to prepare.

Back in his courtyard, the residents were once again silent as mice upon his return.

He looked at the people in the courtyard and asked, "Who has the plague, or a high fever? I have medicine here."

Instantly, five people in the crowd raised their hands.

At this, the expressions of the remaining healthy people changed. They all backed away, glaring furiously at those who had raised their hands. If Cheng Zongyang hadn’t been there, they probably would have tried to kill them!

’They have the plague and didn’t run far away, but instead kept eating and living with us! Are they trying to kill everyone!?’

Cheng Zongyang took one pack for himself and handed the remaining nine to the old cook, saying:

"Put it in a pot with cold water. After it boils, let it continue to cook for about a hundred breaths. Then, those who aren’t sick should drink a small bowl each as a preventative measure. Those who are sick should drink a large bowl to treat the illness. It must all be drunk while hot."

A look of joy appeared on the old cook’s face. He quickly asked, "Sir, how much water should I add?"

"Just add enough for the amounts I just mentioned. Each pack of this medicinal powder contains a ten-person dose, so it’s more than enough."

"Yes, thank you, Sir!" The old cook quickly cupped his hands in gratitude.

Cheng Zongyang gave a slight shake of his head and turned to leave.

A short while later, Cheng Zongyang followed the address and arrived at the old residence Father Li had mentioned.

He knocked on the door, but there was almost no response from inside. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Cheng Zongyang’s face darkened. He vaulted over the wall again, and was immediately hit by a musty, foul stench emanating from within. It gave him a bad feeling.

He stepped into the kitchen, entered the Wilderness World, and reappeared a moment later with a torch in his hand.

He lit the torch and entered the main hall to look around. It was a mess, but no one was there. Using the torchlight to guide him, he entered the inner room, and the foul stench instantly intensified.

But it wasn’t the smell of a corpse, rather the stench of excrement.

Holding his breath, he went to the bedside and saw Li Ze, so ravaged by the plague he was almost unrecognizable. His emaciated form was like a candle flickering in the wind.

He barely reacted to Cheng Zongyang’s entrance.

Cheng Zongyang’s brow furrowed tightly. He immediately went to check the other room and found Li Ze’s mother in a similar state, if not worse—she was on the verge of breathing her last.

’How did this mother and son even survive this long!’ Cheng Zongyang thought with a frown as he returned to his residence and brought back a married couple.

"There’s water in the courtyard. I need you two to help clean them up. I’m going to give them medicine in a bit."

With that, Cheng Zongyang personally boiled water to prepare the medicine.

’I’m not a Doctor. In a situation like this, all I can do is leave it to fate.’

’I originally went to the Li Family Winery to buy wine. But after hearing that Li Ze was kicked out, my purpose has changed. Now, I’m taking him back with me!’

’Li Ze knows how to brew wine—not just grain wine, but fruit wine as well. He was basically in charge of the Li Family Winery. It’s a shame he wasn’t valued.’

’In the future, wine will be an extremely important supply and commodity for me.’

’Not only can I use wine to make rice wine, but I can also produce high-proof spirits and pure alcohol. Alcohol can be used for disinfection, as fuel, and is also needed for making perfume.’

’Of course, more importantly, I need a lot more wine for medicinal wines!’

’That makes someone like Li Ze, who knows how to brew, quite important.’

The couple Cheng Zongyang brought with him couldn’t refuse. They each began cleaning up one of the patients.

After Cheng Zongyang finished preparing the medicine, he painstakingly fed it to them in small, separate doses.

Perhaps it was the warmth of the medicine, or maybe just the hydration from the liquid, but Li Ze seemed to regain a sliver of consciousness, though he remained delirious.

After this was done, Cheng Zongyang showed no intention of letting the couple return. They were to continue looking after the patients. Although the couple was worried about their two children back in the courtyard, they didn’t dare say anything and could only stay and provide care.

When it was nearly midnight, Cheng Zongyang returned to his residence to wait for Li Lu.

Li Lu arrived on time.

He had a new government official with him, who was pulling a flatbed cart to the gate.

"This is my nephew. I’m just starting to train him, so don’t worry," Li Lu explained as soon as he saw Cheng Zongyang.

Cheng Zongyang nodded slightly. It was normal for Li Lu, now a constable, to cultivate his own people.

Li Lu was a bit puzzled seeing so many people in the courtyard, but since Cheng Zongyang didn’t seem inclined to explain, he didn’t ask.

"Four nines, two eights," Li Lu said in a low voice. "The clothes are color-coded. Right, about that matter you tasked me with—my men looked into it. The original residents were indeed a mother and son, but according to the register, they’re already dead. They were beaten to death by vagrants, who then occupied the house. I’ve already taken care of them."

"Understood."

Cheng Zongyang nodded slightly. This news was well within his expectations. If even Li Lu’s family had run into trouble, what chance did a lone widow and her son have?

’I can tell Ma San about this later.’

The three of them then began carrying the burlap-sacked corpses to the back of the courtyard.

When the vagrants living in the courtyard saw that two Lord Officials had come, they didn’t dare to even breathe too loudly.

Once all the corpses were placed in the room, Cheng Zongyang took out the medicinal powder he had prepared in advance.

These were Medicinal Materials for a medicated bath, but Cheng Zongyang had ground them all into a mixed powder with a stone mortar. It would be impossible to determine the ingredients just by examining it.

"Here are thirty packs of powder. Use one pack a day for a medicated bath. This is a one-month supply. I’ve written down the method in this booklet. Follow the instructions in the booklet strictly. Remember, you must be rigorous. If you fail, it will be your problem."

Seeing how serious and solemn Cheng Zongyang was, Li Lu nodded with equal gravity. "Don’t worry. I will read the booklet thoroughly before I begin."

"I’ll come back in a month to check on the situation," Cheng Zongyang said.

"Deal!" Li Lu didn’t linger and left with the items.

Cheng Zongyang looked at the six corpses, his heart pounding with excitement.

’In the Market Hut, three Soul Crystal Stones were already prepared, just waiting for the corpses.’

He absorbed them into the Market Hut, then hurried back to Li Ze’s house.

’These bodies are still warm, meaning they died recently. As for the corpse I kept from before... although it’s been preserved in the hut, I don’t know if it’s still usable after all this time.’

’If it is, I’m afraid... I’ll have to add corpse collecting to my list of businesses.’

"Sir, the young man woke up. As you instructed, I fed him some thin rice porridge. He fell asleep again afterward. But... I don’t think the woman is going to make it."

Upon entering the house, Cheng Zongyang listened to the couple’s respective reports.

"Thank you for your hard work. Your children are safe; I’ve made arrangements."

"Thank you, Sir." The couple’s hearts were put at ease, and they hurried to express their gratitude.

Time flew by. Near the end of the Yin hour, as Cheng Zongyang was practicing his Basic Saber Technique in the courtyard, he suddenly heard some movement from inside.

Cheng Zongyang stopped his saber practice, turned to look toward the main hall’s entrance, and immediately walked inside.

The couple, who had been dozing in the courtyard, were also startled awake and hurried in after him.