However, the Prefect quickly composed himself. He was well aware of the friction between Wang Qingchun and Madam Qi, and Huang Lingshan would never allow himself to be used as a pawn.

“In that case, just have someone take the people away for treatment. Why must she treat these others?

If she doesn't treat them, she naturally won't have to concern herself, and the rumors will vanish on their own,” he inquired. Wang Qingchun was left speechless by the question.

How could such a question even be asked? It was deeply awkward!

“Because only Madam Qi can cure this illness,” Huang Ziqiao answered supportively, stepping in to relieve Wang Qingchun’s embarrassment. He sneered disdainfully, “An incurable disease, what do you know!

And yet you keep insisting you’re right. Do you think everyone is as dense as you are!” The Prefect had served as an official for many years and wasn't one to be swayed by every rumor.

Regarding Madam Qi’s affairs, he had his own judgment and would not be influenced by either Wang Qingchun or Huang Ziqiao, two men whose enmity was as deep as their previous favor. The Prefect immediately used official channels to summon several doctors from the neighboring prefecture and county to jointly assess the situation, while confining Huang Ziqiao to his residence in the meantime.

“Father, just wait until the plague subsides and you lose your post!” Huang Ziqiao stomped his feet in anger. “Xiao Qiao, if Madam Qi keeps stirring things up like this, even if it’s not a plague, your father will lose his position,” the Prefect consoled him.

“Be good, stay here quietly. Let your father handle this matter.” He became indignant again as he spoke.

“That woman is utterly outrageous, actually bewitching you!” he roared, his eyebrows raised. “Father, can your mind be a little clearer?

When has Madam Qi ever bewitched anyone!” Huang Ziqiao shouted. “Does she need to bewitch me?

She can even secure an official decree of divorce from the Emperor—what do you amount to in her eyes? I’m only doing this for you!

Those merchants wouldn’t listen; Madam Qi advised them a few times and then washed her hands of the matter. Wasn’t I just afraid that people dying from the plague would ultimately harm you?” What a filial son!

The Prefect’s eyes welled up with tears. Look, look at those who always mocked him for raising his son like a father!

See how much the son cares about him! A father’s love for his son couldn't be much more than this...

Uh... perhaps he was still treating his son like a subordinate...

The Prefect shook his head, thoroughly embarrassed. Nevertheless, moved as he was, he gave a few final instructions: “In any case, you are forbidden from leaving the house,” before rushing out.

Walking in the streets, the Prefect finally sensed that the atmosphere was indeed wrong. There were visibly fewer people, and the expressions of those on the street were tinged with unease.

“This is too much! How could something like this be publicized without proper reporting!” the Prefect said indignantly.

“My Lord…” his personal attendant whispered, leaning closer. “It was reported, by the Young Master…” The Prefect immediately fell silent.

If the Young Master accepted the report, it counted the same as if he had accepted it himself. No issues there.

“Does the Judicial Medical Officer not know about this either?” the visiting doctors from the neighboring region asked, looking curiously at Wang Qingchun, who was walking alongside them with a darkened face. Wang Qingchun’s face grew even blacker.

“In Yongqing Prefecture, I am only the nominal Judicial Medical Officer. The true one is Madam Qi of the Qianjin Hall,” he said coldly.

“Let alone reporting to me, it’s a grand favor if she deigns to acknowledge me when I go to inquire.” The doctors were taken aback by Wang Qingchun’s apparent resentment and looked somewhat sheepish. “My Lord is joking,” they said one after another.

“Whether I’m joking or not, you will see for yourselves shortly,” Wang Qingchun stated plainly. Overall, Qi Yue felt things were progressing smoothly.

When Liu Pucheng contacted the various medical halls in the city, he received quick agreements. Even those hesitant to help with statistics promised to immediately send any patients presenting with diarrhea to Qianjin Hall.

Of course, this wasn't because their view of Qi Yue had changed; it was simply unavoidable. They couldn't cure the diarrheal illness, and since Qianjin Hall could, if they failed to send patients over, they would be inviting trouble as patients’ families smashed up their establishments.

Thus, happy to have an easy way out, they pushed all such patients towards Qianjin Hall. If you can cure them, we gain favor; if you can’t, well...

it has nothing to do with us. The estate outside the city was also secured quickly; Hu San sent word back that same day and rushed over with men to begin setting things up.

The setbacks, however, were a shortage of penicillin and difficulties in persuading patients to move to the isolation grounds. When people heard they would be confined to the estate outside the city without family accompaniment, everyone refused.

Compounding this, Qi Yue and her team went door-to-door inquiring about diarrheal cases, only for Huang Ziqiao to immediately follow up with government officials to forcibly move people, causing even greater panic. At this point, two of the diarrhea patients sent over succumbed to the illness.

Qi Yue persuaded the families to cremate the deceased before burial. The families finally erupted in protest.

“You said you could cure them! You tricked us!

Now they’re dead! And you want to burn them!

Are you trying to grind their bones to dust!” the family members cried out. The Prefect and others arrived at that moment and were instantly troubled by the crowd once more gathered outside Qianjin Hall.

“What, Madam Qi, have you killed someone again?” Wang Qingchun asked coldly. “And this time, was it because the nobility coerced you, leading to a delay in treatment?” “Exactly!” Qi Yue shouted back, pointing a thickly gloved hand at him.

“It’s you! As the Judicial Medical Officer, neglecting your duty is one thing, but actively inciting obstruction afterwards!

If it weren't for you, how could these two patients have been sent so late!” The other doctors from different regions exchanged glances—so Wang Qingchun hadn't been joking after all. This beautiful young woman didn't hold back an inch of her anger upon meeting them; they didn't even afford each other the slightest pretense of respect.

“Madam Qi Yue, do you think whatever you say is automatically true? Don’t spout such nonsense!” Wang Qingchun roared.

“That’s right,” Qi Yue retorted without backing down. “Whatever I say, is true!” Though accustomed to being challenged, Wang Qingchun trembled with rage.

“If whatever you say is true, then if you claim you can cure diarrhea, how did these two people die?” he demanded, pointing at the bodies still lying on the ground, covered with white cloths. Because Qi Yue insisted on cremation and burial, the families vehemently refused, causing a deadlock, so the bodies had not yet been moved.

“How did they die? They sought death themselves!” Qi Yue snapped back, her eyebrows raised.

No one expected the woman to say something like that; even Liu Pucheng and the others were stunned. Has Master completely lost her temper...

Qi Yue stepped forward, looking at the wailing family members. “You caused their deaths!

I kept telling you, bring anyone with diarrhea here immediately, and what did you do?” she commanded. The family members visibly flinched from the sudden shout.

“I sent people to check, and you wouldn’t let them in. When they found a patient, you sent them to another clinic.

All the other clinics advised you to come to me, but you still haggled and refused. If you had listened to me from the start, would this patient have died?

You wasted the time, and now you want to blame me for not curing your person? No way!” Qi Yue berated them.

The family members flinched again from the raised volume. Wang Qingchun burst into a furious laugh.

“Madam Qi, are you suggesting that anyone who doesn't listen to you is essentially committing suicide?” he asked. Hearing his question, everyone present understood this was a trap...

No sane person would jump into it. Qi Yue looked at him, then at the gathered populace.

Whether the collective food poisoning incident was truly caused by the wine and dishes from the Qingfeng Tower, as Wang Qingchun investigated, or not, the current diarrhea patients mostly seemed to come from affluent families, perhaps because the upscale fare from such restaurants wasn't affordable for ordinary people. These were only the ones sent over; the others, based on their inquiries, were likely hidden away in noble households—families they couldn't investigate.

If last time she offended the poor, this time she would be offending the powerful families in the city. Qi Yue’s gaze swept over the crowd.

“That’s right,” she announced loudly. “If you don't listen to me, you are choosing your own death.” This statement caused an uproar among the crowd.

Liu Pucheng and the others were also startled, clearly not expecting her to say something so direct. Even if she thought it, she shouldn't have spoken it aloud.

“I used to explain things nicely, telling you everything, but I realized you simply don't understand. If you don’t heed kind words, then I must speak more harshly,” Qi Yue continued, raising her voice further, ignoring the commotion.

“I am telling you now: if anyone in your household develops acute abdominal illness and refuses to come with me to the isolation hospital outside the city, they are choosing their own death.” How arrogant! Everyone present was too shocked to speak; the area fell into an eerie silence.

“Madam Qi, as a healer, are you resorting to sorcery and curses?” a stern, aged voice rang out from the crowd. Sorcery!

That meant cursing! While doctors commanded respect and admiration, sorcerers inspired fear and avoidance.

Although they seemed to possess supernatural power, it was associated with evil and darkness. Wasn't the Madam speaking now effectively cursing them?

Someone recalled that a while ago, someone had said that any doctor who prevented Madam Qi from treating people would surely die—and that doctor had indeed died... Following this seemingly casual remark, everyone present involuntarily took a fearful step back, regarding Madam Qi with wariness.

They then noticed that the street was suddenly populated with more people, dressed in luxurious clothing with arrogant expressions—the prominent gentry of the city. The speaker was a renowned scholar from a prestigious literary family, holding considerable status in Yongqing Prefecture.

As soon as he finished speaking, another voice chimed in. “Master Tong, you speak too harshly.

Madam Qi, as a doctor, acts with a parent’s heart; she is merely overly anxious about the critical cases and spoke carelessly. Please do not put it that way,” said Wang Tongye.

Without waiting for Master Tong to reply, he turned to Qi Yue. “Yue Niang, quickly apologize to everyone.

You are speaking out of deep care, which is why you spoke so harshly.” Qi Yue looked at him, surprised that Wang Tongye had come. Her gaze swept past him and saw Wang Qian and Wang Qiao’er behind him; it appeared they had just returned from outside.

They both had looks of worry and gave subtle shaking gestures. “No, that is exactly what I meant.

I am not cursing you; you are cutting off your own path to survival,” she said, looking up and enunciating every word. This woman...

Wang Tongye’s eyes showed anxiety. Master Tong smiled upon hearing this.

“Madam Qi, if you cure this illness, the credit is yours. But if it is not cured, the fault lies with everyone else—isn’t that a bit too self-serving?” he said slowly.

Accompanying his statement, others in the crowd began to agree, and the family members who had just been scolded snapped back to their senses. “It’s clearly because you couldn’t cure it!

You bluffed! When you couldn’t handle it, you blamed it on us!

This is absurd and hateful!” “I saw it! She didn’t treat them properly at all!

She even urinated on the patient!” Several family members shouted out. Urine?

This declaration stunned the crowd even further. This was because the penicillin, having very low efficacy, required a large dosage, but the quantity they had was insufficient.

Qi Yue was forced to filter and extract urgently from the urine of already injected patients. “Did your husband die?” Qi Yue asked the family member who shouted.

The family member paused, then looked at the relative still lying on the stretcher. Because they had resisted moving the patient earlier, they had snatched him back.

Now, although the patient lacked spirit, his consciousness had returned, and his previously ashen complexion had regained some color. “If I can cure it, I can cure it.

What method I use is none of your business,” Qi Yue challenged him. “Do you want your life but still intend to pick and choose the treatment method?

Aren't you a bit heartless?” The family member’s face flushed and paled. Standing in the back, Wang Qiao’er watched with shining, excited eyes.

It was thrilling! Surrounded and accused by so many people, and yet that woman remained so willfully defiant—truly...

thrilling! She tugged at her father’s sleeve.

“Qiao’er, don’t cause trouble,” Wang Qian said softly. “Father, quickly step out and speak up for Madam Qi!” Wang Qiao’er urged, pushing him.

“Hurry, hurry! You’re so good with words, your tongue is worth ten.

If you help Madam Qi, you can definitely argue down these people!” Wang Qian reached out and covered her mouth. “Stop talking nonsense,” he hissed quietly.

“Father,” Wang Qiao’er pulled free, stomping her foot and glaring. “If you don’t speak for her now, who will?

Aren’t you planning to marry her and make her my stepmother?” Wang Qiao’er’s voice was sharp; though the scene was chaotic, some nearby people turned to look. Wang Qian lifted her up and covered her mouth again.

“Qiao’er, you must not speak so wildly in public,” he warned sternly. Wang Qiao’er looked at him, confirming he wouldn't relent.

Wang Qian’s expression softened, and he glanced at the central conflict. “One must never act rashly; everything must be thoroughly considered, especially the consensus of the masses.

The masses can only be guided after you align with them. Didn't your teacher teach you that?

Restraining the populace is more crucial than controlling a river; Yu the Great controlled the waters not by damming but by channeling…” he murmured. Before he could finish speaking, the sound of urgent hoofbeats echoed from the street corner, rapidly approaching, and a male voice cut through the crowd.

“That’s right, people as heartless as you are indeed destined to die!” As this voice cut through the din, everyone turned to see Chang Yuncheng, covered in road dust, dismounting his horse and striding forward forcefully. “What are you doing?

Relying on your numbers to bully people?” Chang Yuncheng demanded, approaching the crowd, his sheathed saber knocking rhythmically against his leg as he moved, producing a dull thudding sound.