Chapter 241: Favorability +1

A sparsely populated hillside somewhere in Shenyi Gu.

It is some distance from the Town, and aside from certain specific holidays, very few people pass by here.

In winter, the vegetation is desolate, and the hidden mountain path is revealed. Few people walk it, the surface is rugged, and one walks with a stumble.

Especially when blindfolded, one will fall with the slightest carelessness.

Zhang Dalang is in such a state at this moment.

Previously, he was detained by the Medicine Gang; they claimed to the outside world that he had been executed, but in reality, he had been kept in secret detention all along.

He knew too much about the local interpersonal disputes and dark secrets. At the beginning of the chaotic times, he hadn't just changed his position to a street soldier; he had also secretly helped people do some dirty work. It was all internal strife within Shenyi Gu—some wanted him dead, while others wanted to protect him!

Zhang Dalang still had to be thankful that the people of the Zhao Clan had handed him over to Shenyi Gu, which allowed him to bargain for more conditions with the Medicine Gang.

As the days passed, Zhang Dalang believed he could still escape this disaster.

But on this day, he was suddenly blindfolded, his hands bound, and he was taken away from the place of his detention.

After all, being a native born and raised here, even though he was blindfolded and could not see the situation outside, he could still infer the places he passed through by his sense of hearing and the feel of the road under his feet. Gradually moving away from the Town, Zhang Dalang was initially relatively calm, inferring that the Medicine Gang wanted to move him to another place of detention.

But gradually, he seemed to smell the scent of burning paper and incense in his nose, and a bad feeling suddenly surged in his heart.

He stopped walking, resisting moving forward.

But the people who brought him out gripped him, almost dragging him to continue forward, and no matter how he struggled, he could not escape.

The smoke from the burning paper became increasingly obvious.

Upon reaching the place, Zhang Dalang was pushed to the ground. Without the restraints on both sides, he quickly rubbed off the cloth strip covering his eyes and looked around.

Confirming the guess in his heart, his whole body suddenly felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.

This is one of the graveyards of Shenyi Gu, where mostly locals are buried.

When he saw clearly the words carved on the tombstone in front, Zhang Dalang's face became even more ghastly pale.

If it were an old person from the Su Family, he could still retain that bit of comfort in his heart, and there was one secret no one knew: his son could continue to occupy that identity and live a life free from worry about food and clothing. But now...

Zhang Dalang stared blankly ahead.

More than a dozen people stood around.

The Medicine Gang personnel who had escorted Zhang Dalang bowed to the person leading in front: "Doctor Ji, the person has been brought."

Doctor Ji gave an expressionless "Hmm," and raised his hand, signaling that the irrelevant personnel could leave.

Those few from the Medicine Gang said no more, nor did they look at Zhang Dalang again. They knew very well what Zhang Dalang's fate would be.

One must never underestimate the determination of famous doctors to avenge their apprentices!

With outsiders gone, Doctor Ji's eldest apprentice brought over a box containing ice cubes and a pill, with medicine glue wrapping tainted blood. It was the kind of poison pill Zhang Dalang had used to poison people.

It was crafted by Doctor Ji himself. With an expert's touch, this pill was even more exquisite and compact.

Subsequently, Doctor Ji took a pair of gloves from the toolbox at his side, put them on, and looked at the deathly pale Zhang Dalang...

The sun slowly hung high, then gradually set in the west.

At dusk.

The wind in the mountains carried away the residual scent of blood, leaving only the smoke from burning branches and firewood.

A corpse was burning in the fire pile.

The expression on Doctor Ji's face remained faint; he took off his blood-stained gloves and threw them into the fire.

The apprentices around looked at him with even more conviction and greater awe.

Doctor Ji's eldest apprentice had a closer relationship with his master. Seeing that the serious business was finished and the atmosphere was too heavy, he said: "Junior Brother can rest in peace in the underworld!" "This time, thanks to the thorough investigation by the Zhao Clan, otherwise our entire sect would have had to take the blame for Zhang Dalang, and Junior Brother would have had to continue bearing the injustice!"

"I didn't expect the Zhao Clan to be quite reasonable."

The Evil Plague is raging and the world is in chaos; the situation in Beidi is changing too fast, and the Six Great Powers have soldiers and blades, as if the warlord separatism of the past has reappeared.

Their people of Shenyi Gu have the most direct and profound impression of the Six Great Clans of Beidi—namely, they are powerful and unreasonable!

But the way the Zhao Clan handled the Zhang Dalang incident this time did change their stereotypical impression of the Beidi Zhao Clan.

It seems that warlords are not all of a violent and bloodthirsty style.

Doctor Ji listened to what his apprentice said and agreed in his heart.

That time when he went to Old Tang to confirm the issue with the medicine glue, Doctor Ji asked Rong Huan to intercede, allowing the people of the Zhao Fa Xunweis time to investigate thoroughly, and also allowing his sect to clear its name. He originally thought it would consume more energy and resources, but he didn't expect that Rong Huan was magnanimous, and the Zhao Fa Xunweis were also quite easy to talk to; they were truly trying to solve the problem, not using it as an excuse to stir up trouble. The Zhao Fa Xunweis even informed them after clearing up the medicine glue incident.

Although he agreed with his apprentice's statement, as a master, he still had to keep his apprentices alert regarding the Six Great Clans.

"The Zhao Clan can become one of the Six Great Powers of Beidi, it is absolutely not by being soft-hearted!"

Doctor Ji conducted a warning education for his apprentices on the spot, left people to deal with the remains in the graveyard, and then returned home.

The servant guarding the residence saw the master return and hurriedly sent over a letter: "Doctor Tang's people just sent this over."

Doctor Ji opened the letter, read it quickly, frowned, and wore a strange expression.

He indeed did not want to have too much involvement with the Zhao Clan and wanted to pay off the favor owed from the medicine glue incident as soon as possible, but he did not expect it to be in this way.

Invite him to go and dissect a Plague Ghost with Old Tang?

It wasn't that he couldn't.

He was just surprised that the Zhao Clan actually didn't mind this?

Those who can play together always have some common hobbies. Doctor Ji and Doctor Tang were just like that.

They studied medicine, and the way they occasionally solved problems was considered taboo in the eyes of the world, such as dissecting corpses.

The world believes that dissecting corpses is a cursed thing. In this era, a Coroner is not yet considered a public official and has no formal establishment; in the eyes of people with certain status, it is a lowly profession and cannot be brought to the table. As a famous doctor, one should draw a clear line with a Coroner.

Doctor Tang and Doctor Ji and the others refused!

Before the chaotic times, they were feared, excluded, and criticized. After the chaotic times, they received much respect and preferential treatment, but compared to other famous doctors, the world still maintained more distance when facing them. Therefore, when Doctor Ji saw what was written on the letter, he was genuinely surprised:

"The Xinzhou Xunweis are actually different from worldly customs!"

Favorability +1.

After looking again at the details written by Old Tang in the letter, Doctor Ji wrote a reply and had someone send it over early tomorrow morning.

He agreed to this matter.

The time for the dissection of the Plague Ghost would be decided by Old Tang's side; Doctor Ji only needed to bring people and tools and go over when the time came.

However, before that, quite a few things still needed to be prepared.

The Plague Ghost carried Gu poison, so protection had to be well-prepared, and the tools needed for the dissection also had to be selected.

To prevent any omissions, Doctor Ji took out paper and a brush to first list an inventory of items.

Thinking of the content written in Old Tang's letter, Doctor Ji was quite curious.

Old Tang said that the Xinzhou Xunweis had many strange objects, so the secret tools they used privately did not need to be hidden or tucked away at this time; the Xunweis might not even think much of them. Doctor Ji was not a person with strong curiosity.

Just like how Old Tang took Rong Huan as an Apprentice and made a deal with the Xinzhou Xunweis. With his explosive temper, he was actually able to endure taking on an Apprentice and even gave enough patience and tolerance... Just how great a benefit must he have received?! Doctor Ji was a bit doubtful at first, but he did not specifically ask, and afterwards, he cast it to the back of his mind.

But now, looking at what Old Tang mentioned in the letter, he really wanted to know what exactly Old Tang had obtained from making a deal with the Xunweis. If those strange objects were useful for studying medicine, then... it was not impossible for him to get a little closer to the Xunweis for the time being!

Thinking this way, while listing the reminder inventory, Doctor Ji pondered deeply and then wrote down a few more items.

For the same dissection of a Plague Ghost, one could do it by the book, or one could perform it with a show of skill!

Xinzhou was not lacking in Coroners, and Shenyi Gu also had Coroners, but the people from the Zhao Fa Xunweis preferred to expend favors to find him and Old Tang to dissect the Plague Ghost precisely because they valued the abilities the two of them had in this area! Doctor Ji had a bit of selfish intent.

Isn't it just showing off technique? Old Tang can do it, and I can too!

Since the Zhao Fa Xunweis want to see, then let them see enough at once!

Let them see what is called professional!