Today is the eighth day, which ans—
In fact, she had already calculated it countless tis in her mind and knew what would happen at this ti, but when the mont truly arrived, Shang Ruyi couldn’t help but take a deep breath, her expression becoming solemn.
So, it has already co to this day.
She sighed softly in her heart, but her face instead beca calm.
The busyness of these past few days taught her a lesson: the higher one’s position, the more they control others’ fate and life or death, the less they can show emotions. Because even a trace of lancholy might cause unease and anxiety among those who rely on her for survival, and once that anxiety and unease start to spread, it can be even harder to control than a plague, and it’s more likely to cause chaos.
Thus, Shang Ruyi put on a faint smile, "Perhaps he woke up late."
As she spoke, she glanced around, then said with a smile, "Since Changle Square’s closure began until now, everyone has actually been working very hard, and as for him— I know that he’s usually a lazy person. Delivering the herbal dicines here for eight consecutive days, maybe he’s also tired, so he ca a bit late today."
Such an explanation was indeed reasonable.
However, Wu Huanzhi did not seem to put his mind at ease. Instead, his expression beca even more serious, and his brows furrowed with a faint trace of anger.
He looked at Shang Ruyi and said gravely, "Coming late is not a big deal."
"..."
"But, if there is a problem with the dicine he delivered, that would be a major issue. Young Madam, you—"
Before he could finish his sentence, the sound of horse hooves suddenly ca from behind.
Turning his head, he saw Pei Xingyuan arriving.
Dressed in a jade-colored robe, he lightly leaped off the carriage, still appearing charismatic and graceful, though sowhat out of place with the grayish market. Moreover, after getting off the carriage, he didn’t co over imdiately, but turned his head to look at the other side of the long street.
Similarly, within the smoke-filled Yanzuo Square, there seed to be a faint clamor.
Inside, it should be Jin Daji and his people distributing dicine.
And they had co even later than usual today. Judging by the ti, the patients in Yanzuo Square should have almost finished drinking today’s herbal dicine by now.
So—
In Pei Xingyuan’s eyes, which always carried a hint of a smile, a gleam flashed faintly. The next mont, he turned his head back, smiling at the guards of Changle Square with eyes lightly squinted, "Good morning, everyone."
Although the guards were loyal and did not engage in unnecessary conversation, they had grown familiar with him over the past few days, and several of them nodded in response.
Pei Xingyuan waved his hand with a smile, and the people behind him imdiately stepped forward.
These people skillfully set the long table in front of the market entrance, placed empty bowls on it, and a few small-attendants held herbal pots ready, while several accountants seated themselves behind the long table, opening their account books.
Everything was just as it had been on the previous days.
The only difference was that there were more people today than usual, and notably, more guards present.
However, the patients in Changle Square didn’t mind too much. Seeing them delivering the dicine, they all bead with joy, imdiately standing up and rushing forward.
Pei Xingyuan said with a smile, "Line up, line up, no pushing, there’s enough for everyone!"
Thus, the patients obediently ford several long queues.
Their conditions had already improved significantly from before, so their faces weren’t as sallow, and even their steps had energy. Seeing the herbal dicine poured from the herb pots, it was as if they had been walking in the dark for a long ti and finally saw light ahead; each was filled with excitent.
Seeing their joyful expressions, however, did not alleviate the stern look on Wu Huanzhi’s face.
His brows furrowed even tighter, staring intently at the herbal dicine being poured from the pots.
At this mont, the few people at the front of the line, after recording their nas and addresses, picked up the dicine bowls from the table. Yet, upon looking down, their brows imdiately furrowed.
The people behind were just waiting for their turn, and seeing them not moving, they began to urge—
"Why haven’t you taken the dicine yet?"
"Take the dicine and move aside quickly, don’t delay us."
"Yeah, what’s the hold-up?"
Among them, a patient holding a dicine bowl frowned and said, "Why, today’s dicine seems... a bit weak."
As soon as he spoke, another person beside him, who had been hesitant, also imdiately said, "Yes, you couldn’t see the bottom of the bowl with the previous dicine, but today’s is translucent."
As they spoke, those behind them crowded forward.
Looking closely, indeed, in the dicine bowls held by those few individuals, the herbal dicine was faintly clear, noticeably lighter compared to the initially thick soup-like dicine like muddy water at the start.
Soone imdiately said, "Indeed it’s weaker, I noticed yesterday."
"Exactly, the dicine these two days doesn’t taste the sa as before, much weaker than before."
"Aren’t they cheating us out of our silver!"
As they continued, the doubts in everyone’s hearts slowly turned into anger. Although there was a commotion due to the high price of the dicine earlier, suppressed by Pei Xingyuan with just a few words, there was still so dissatisfaction in their hearts. It was just that with the improvent in their condition, no one said anything more. But if there’s an issue with the dicine, how can anyone feel at ease?
A few people holding dicine bowls imdiately shouted at Pei Xingyuan, "Second Young Master Pei, what do you an by this?!"
Without waiting for the other party to respond, those at the back of the line also rushed forward, pointing at Pei Xingyuan and clamoring, "You sell such expensive dicine, yet you still cut corners, do you have any conscience?!"
"Exactly, it’s downright despicable!"
Seeing the situation, Pei Xingyuan calmly took a few steps back.
The patients, unconcerned with anything else, pointed at him and cursed incessantly. In the front, the shouting was intense, but those at the back didn’t know what was happening and kept craning their necks to look forward, curiously asking, "What’s happening up there? What’s all the noise about?"
So people, only half-understanding, murmured in confusion, "It seems the dicine is not quite right."
"What?!"
Upon hearing this, the patients imdiately widened their eyes in shock, "What’s wrong with the dicine?"
"Is there a problem with the dicine?"
"What’s wrong with the dicine? Could it be, could it be—?"
A few of the timid ones were terrified and said, "No, it couldn’t be poison, could it?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the people around were both shocked and angry. Spending money every day on expensive dicine was already infuriating enough, but they had to endure it for the sake of living. But if the expensive dicine could not even cure illnesses and might even be problematic, who could endure that?
Those at the back, unable to understand the situation, magnified their fear and anger with just a few words, imdiately becoming furious. So of the young and strong, whose conditions aren’t that serious, angrily said, "Damn it, dare to harm us, let’s fight him!"
With that, they were about to rush forward.
As they charged, the other patients also started cursing and pushing forward.
"Don’t let him off!"
"This person wants to kill us!"
"Let him make enough silver, now he wants to murder for profit!"
In an instant, the neatly lined groups beca chaotic. So were extrely aggrieved, so chid in, while the timid ones who dared not cause trouble were swept forward by the crowd. Instantly, the entrance of Changle Square was packed, and the furious patients even charged directly at Pei Xingyuan!
Seeing these people get closer, the guards who had already been stationed nearby imdiately stepped forward, blocking Pei Xingyuan.
And Pei Xingyuan took the opportunity to retreat two more steps.
However, although the crowd was agitated, he showed no fear or panic, instead, he turned his head to glance at the opposite side of the street.
Perhaps because the commotion in Changle Square was too intense, the noise from Yanzuo Square beca subdued.
Seeing his seemingly nonchalant deanor, the already dissatisfied Wu Huanzhi beca even angrier. He said heavily to Shang Ruyi, "Young Madam, with things like this, won’t you intervene?"
"..."
"Selling a dose of dicine for one piece of silver is nothing less than profiteering, extorting the people."
"..."
"And now, not even properly brewing the dicine."
"..."
"If things continue like this—"
He bit his teeth at this point, seemingly about to let loose a few words but struggling to restrain them, not voicing them out.
But, even if he didn’t say it, Shang Ruyi knew which words they were—
The hearts and minds of the people will be lost.
At this rate, even if she and Yu Wenye save the people here during this epidemic, they have already lost the hearts and minds of the people.
However—
Shang Ruyi bit her lip, remaining silent, but seeing her determination to stand with Pei Xingyuan against the patients and the people to the end, Wu Huanzhi had nothing left to say. He sighed deeply and turned to leave.
By this ti, the rumors of the soup dicine being "problematic" or "poisonous" had already spread throughout a large part of Changle Square. The patients, one by one, were furious and stord toward Pei Xingyuan and his subordinates, almost ready to use force. Seeing that the patients were about to storm out of the market, the guards dared not let them go and quickly stepped forward to block them, joining the guards brought by Pei Xingyuan at the market entrance.
However, with the crowds from both sides clashing, they couldn’t be held back.
Seeing that the patients in the market were about to rush out, one of the guards, being kicked and punched by the crowd, was suddenly enraged and instinctively pulled out the knife from his waist.
At this, the hearts of those around leapt into their throats.
Everyone knew that unsheathing a blade in such a situation might scare off so, but it would surely infuriate even more people. After all, having been ill for many days and compelled to buy expensive dicine, resentnt had built up in their hearts. Once weapons were drawn, it would completely trigger a riot!
Instantly, even Shang Ruyi broke out in a cold sweat!
At this critical mont, from across the street in Yanzuo Square, a few people suddenly ca out.
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