A figure quietly left Chen Family Village, not taking the official road but heading deeper into the forest.
Geng Wu ran for a while and then stopped, he covered his mouth with his hand and emitted a bird call, which was the prearranged signal. He called out several times, leaning against a tree trunk to catch his breath.
Footsteps approached from afar, and Geng Wu looked up to see Geng San.
Geng Wu nodded to Geng San, "Everything is done. Go back and report to Mr. Li."
Geng San asked, "Was anyone discovered?"
Geng Wu nodded. After Gouzi entered Chen Family Village, he kept a watch nearby without taking any rash actions, thankfully he did not advance prematurely.
Apart from villagers patrolling, Chen Family Village also had seven or eight guards, and the lead one was highly skilled and sharp-eyed. Geng Wu almost got discovered just by moving forward a few steps.
Knowing the depth of the situation, he continued to conceal himself until Miss Xie went to the city to treat the patients, and the guards left Chen Family Village as well.
But Geng Wu did not immediately seek out Gouzi. According to their calculation, the epidemic would soon spread, which would make it easier for him to act amid the chaos in Zhenzhou.
Unexpectedly, Zhenzhou Prefecture Office managed the situation well, establishing an epidemic prevention station, and officials patrolled everywhere, sending patients for treatment promptly. With these measures, the epidemic would be suppressed quickly.
Geng Wu realized he couldn’t delay any longer, so he entered the village today to find Gouzi and give him enough to infect the people of Chen Family Village with the epidemic.
Chen Family Village had close ties with several nearby villages, which could just spread the infection from these villages to Zhenzhou and turn it into the chaos of Yuezhou years ago.
As long as Zhenzhou falls into chaos and the epidemic prevails, even avenging Xiao Chi, he could report back to Xiao Xingzong.
Geng Wu realized this was a rare opportunity to gain merits. He had recently joined Xiao Xingzong, serving under Li Cong, one of the Thirteen Grand Protectors. He needed to find a way to demonstrate his talents, to be employed heavily.
After all, sending Gouzi to Chen Family Village was his idea.
Because he recognized a person, the doctor in Chen Family Village.
Geng Wu, originally named Xu Xiao, was 43 this year, born in Prince Guangyang’s territory. His father was once the Deputy General under Prince Guangyang, who often took him to Prince Guangyang Mansion. He saw that doctor at the mansion, whom Princess Guangyang trusted, and his father had spoken to him about the doctor.
Chen Family Village was hard to infiltrate, but if he could win over that doctor, maybe he could plant spies inside.
Geng Wu informed Li Cong about this, and indeed, they successfully lodged Gouzi in Chen Family Village. After accomplishing this, Geng Wu was praised by Li Cong. Once Gouzi poisoned Chen Family Village smoothly, he would have established a foothold with Xiao Xingzong, afraid of not getting wealth and honor in future?
Xiao Xingzong’s Thirteen Grand Protectors had halved over the years. Perhaps in the future, he could fill in and become one of the new Thirteen Grand Protectors.
"We’ll know if it worked in just a couple of days," Geng Wu looked at Geng San, "then you can report to Mr. Li."
Geng Wu and Geng San waited in the woods for two days. On this night, Chen Family Village suddenly lit up torches, followed by chaotic noise.
Geng Wu felt joy in his heart and turned to exchange looks with Geng San before they quietly walked towards Chen Family Village.
As they neared the village, vague voices could be heard from inside.
"Go call the doctor!"
"With Mr. Xu and Liangchen not here, what should we do?"
"Should we send them directly to the epidemic prevention station? Sister is there." Orıginal content can be found at novel fire.net
The child’s voice carried a sobbing tone.
"If Aunt and Zigeng have an incident, how will we explain to Sister?"
Hearing these words, Geng Wu was more certain that Gouzi had succeeded.
Then came the village chief’s voice, "Who else is not feeling well?"
At first, there was silence, followed by a clamor.
Geng Wu found a secluded spot to peek towards the torch direction, where a woman beside Chen Lizheng staggered, then soon collapsed backward.
"Hei Dan’s mother." Chen Lizheng shouted, reaching out to catch the woman.
Villagers immediately rushed over to help.
Geng Wu saw Chen Lizheng shout, "Back away, did you hear? Stay away from us."
Shouts came from the crowd.
Chen Lizheng exhaled deeply, his face looked especially bad under the torchlight, "What kind of illness spreads so quickly, haven’t you considered it? We are likely infected with the epidemic."
After saying this, Chen Lizheng took a deep breath before speaking again, "Think about it, who has been to Aunt’s house lately? I’ll take those people to the epidemic prevention station, while the others remain and listen to Fourth Aunt."
There was dead silence around, indescribably heavy.
"Let’s do it this way," said Chen Lizheng, "Quick, quick, don’t waste time."
Seeing this, Geng Wu smiled and looked at Geng San, "Go report to Mr. Li, we succeeded here, I’ll stay and continue monitoring."
Geng San waited for a moment to confirm Chen Family Village indeed had problems, then left to deliver the message.
Chen Family Village was in chaos, the clamorous shouts and footsteps sounded comforting to Geng Wu’s ears.
Chen Lizheng and others headed out of the village, and the villagers followed from afar, soon Chen Family Village returned to calmness. Not long after, Gouzi came forth, supporting himself with a stick.
Geng Wu laughed, thinking how Gouzi foolishly thought he could save his family; truly ignorant, weaklings in this world never had the right to speak, only to be slaughtered. A truth he had realized in these nineteen years.
Geng Wu stood to resolve Gouzi; such a blind person was easy to deal with—just a push to make him fall on sharp objects, ending his life, leaving no one to know the entire truth.
Geng Wu stared at Gouzi, stepping forward, but just as he took a step, his eyes suddenly narrowed. He instinctively reached for the dagger at his waist, but it was too late—the cold blade was already across his neck, ready to spill his blood.
Someone was lying in wait. They attacked when his attention was focused on Gouzi.
Geng Wu’s emotions whirled in an instant, he gritted his teeth, trying to fight back, but he was at a disadvantage. Before his knife could strike, he heard the sound of his bones breaking, the dagger falling to the ground.
Soon his mouth was forced open and ropes tightly bound him, all actions completed smoothly.
Torches lit up, and Geng Wu saw the people standing beside him.
The guards who were stationed outside Chen Family Village, who hadn’t left with Xie Liangchen and the doctor.
Disappearance near Chen Family Village previously was a deliberate show for him.
Geng Wu struggled, trying to grasp at a sliver of hope, but when he saw a person, all his strength disappeared, replaced by fear and despair.
Song Xian calmly said, "Take him for interrogation."