Chapter 36: First Glimmer of Edge

"Uncle Ding, what should we do now?"

"Is waiting for death the only option?"

……

The crowd gathered, chattering in a frenzy, anxious and desperate.

Inside, plague raged; outside, the corrupt officials eyed them like tigers. Do they still have any way out?

Uncle Ding fell silent.

In fact, even he did not know where a way out lay.

The plague had already spread, and they were still helpless. As for Xue Gui, if he truly intended to strike them, how long could these powerless common folk possibly resist?

He suddenly felt lost, as if he had stepped into a crossroads, not knowing what to do.

All this time, he had been the backbone of the people, enjoying great prestige. Ding Zhangshan did not harbor grand ambitions; he merely wished to protect his kin and villagers from harm and strive to survive in this chaotic age.

But now he realized that this hope was far too difficult.

Many of those standing here were his own kin and friends; watching them die helplessly, how could he bear it?

Seeing these hopeful, expectant gazes, he did not know how to respond.

At that moment, a cold voice sounded beside him, "First gather everyone, tally the numbers, register them, investigate their origins, to prevent any more villains from infiltrating."

"Isolate the infected, and disinfect the places they have lived."

Shen Qingquan stepped forward, "Uncle Ding, among the herbs Elder Huang brought, many are fever‑reducing and can help the infected; brew a few pots now and have them take it."

"Good!"

By the time Ding Zhangshan recovered, the "good" had already slipped out.

Before he could stare blankly, she continued, "Ding Tai, take your band of brothers to interrogate those few, make them reveal how they contacted the outside and transmitted messages. I suspect Xue Gui will act soon."

"Gather everyone into the north and south barracks; that will make management easier. If anyone refuses, seize them outright, no need for idle talk."

"Yes! I'll handle it right away!"

Ding Tai puffed out his chest, immediately beckoned his brothers, and escorted the group down.

"Uncle Ding, please send some people with me to fetch some items from home."

Uncle Ding opened his mouth to ask, but she turned to the crowd, "I am Miss Shen, same as you, having fled famine to Xiangcheng. I know you are terrified now; fear solves nothing. Your only way out is to unite as one. If a group's hearts scatter, nothing can be done, let alone surviving this chaotic world."

The scene fell silent for a moment.

Shen Qingquan's cold eyes swept over the crowd, "The plague is terrifying, but not unbeatable. First, you must start with yourselves. If you notice fever, itching, diarrhea, or other symptoms, report them promptly; this protects not only your families but also yourselves. Early detection allows early treatment."

"Furthermore, keep living spaces well‑ventilated, disinfect with Mugwort Water or Vinegar Water; destroy any clothing or utensils used by patients promptly, never reuse them, to prevent contagion."

"One final point: strictly forbid eating rodents or insects for sustenance, especially diseased animals or livestock, as the plague spreads from them."

Later histories have long recorded the plague's origins. Most plagues first spread from animals. These refugees, starving, would eat anything— not just rats, even leaves and soil. Little do they know, both are major vectors for pathogens.

Moreover, they neglect hygiene, and the environment here is filthy, damp; once one becomes infected, others can hardly escape contagion.

"If we can't eat rodents, what shall we eat?"

"Exactly! Given our situation, we would starve before we die of disease!"

"Frankly, what you say doesn't solve the problem at all!"

……

The crowd chattered in a frenzy,

clearly unwilling to believe her words.

Ding Zhangshan frowned and silenced everyone.

Then Elder Huang stepped forward, "Everyone, I can attest that Miss Shen's words are not empty. To curb the plague's spread now, we must follow her instructions precisely. If you trust this old man, give us a chance; I promise here to spare no effort to heal you."

Huang Yuanchang also stepped forward, "You all know my character, and Miss Shen once saved my Grandfather, becoming our family's benefactor. I am willing to trust her and will never gamble with anyone's lives."

He looked at Shen Qingquan, who gave a slight nod.

"I, too, am willing to trust Miss Shen."

Ding Zhangshan also spoke, "Had Miss Shen not been here earlier, we would have fallen into that Corrupt Official Xue Gui's trap and killed each other. Miss Shen could have ignored us, yet she intervened. I'm no great figure, but I know that Ding family lads repay kindness and never become heartless."

"I also believe this lady; she is certainly not a bad person."

Mrs. Ding Tai also spoke up, "Just now this lady secretly gave me some food; I believe many of you saw it. I think she is a good person, a truly great good person! You few who make snide remarks, you always chatter about nothing. Why don't you figure it out yourselves? Let me see what kind of good ideas you, you bunch of bastards, can come up with."

She planted her hands on her hips, fuming, and berated those few; the ones who had been standing out were drenched in her scathing tirade, yet none dared retort, all cowered.

Because this elder sister‑in‑law has a short fuse, they've seen her lose it; not only the youngsters, even their fathers, if they provoke her, only get scolded harshly.

Given that this sister‑in‑law already holds high seniority in the village and has Ding Tai, a son who obeys without question, anyone from Ding Village fears her.

As for the other refugees, most were later taken in, some joined on the road, but the main force remains those from Ding Village.

Those troublemakers were harshly scolded, immediately tucked their heads and fell silent.

Their mother glared at them fiercely, then forced a smile and stepped forward, "The boys are being immature; sister‑in‑law, please don't be angry."

Mrs. Ding Tai glanced sideways and spat, "If you do wrong, you must apologize; does this principle still need me to teach?"

Several aunties bowed their heads, hurriedly pressing the boys to apologize.

"What are you doing to me? Of course you're apologizing to Miss Shen! She's helped us so much—do you not know you must apologize when you speak wrongly?"

The boys were again forced to apologize to Shen Qingquan; in truth, Shen Qingquan wasn't especially angry— to them she was no different from a stranger, so expecting them to instantly trust her was impossible.

With the troublemakers dealt with, the atmosphere finally ceased to be tense.? This book first published on 17K Novel Network; read the official version immediately!