Chapter 1618: Chapter 1618: Siege, Massive Assault

Xu San was dazed from the hit, and once he came back to his senses, he hurriedly said, "Big brother, don’t be mad. It’s my fault; I’ve caused trouble for you."

He only felt sorry for Brother Lu, fearing Brother Lu might be bullied by Ms. Lu, so he wanted to help. How could he have imagined he’d contract Manager Lu’s strange disease.

Xu Da scolded, "You causing trouble for me is minor, but have you considered our mother? If you died, what would she do?"

When father died, mother was already devastated, just hoping that the three of them, her sons, would be well. Yet, Old San insisted on courting death.

Brother Lu, feeling deeply ashamed, was about to kneel down to apologize but was stopped by Xu Da: "No need to kneel; your father once saved Old San from drowning, so he’s repaying your family with gratitude this time."

It’s a rule in the Lei Family’s Trading Team that favors must be repaid.

Xu Da remembered this rule and said to Brother Lu, "The city is chaotic now, and you’re young. Stay at my home for this period. If anything happens, you can quickly run to the main house to avoid it. As for your family’s estate, don’t worry. If Ms. Lu dares to seize your share of the property, the Lei Family’s Trading Team will surely help retrieve it."

Brother Lu was overjoyed and tearfully said, "Thank you, Brother Xu Da."

"Stop thanking me. Hurry and come with me. The main house also needs a thorough cleaning to prevent poisonous insects from hiding somewhere unseen and harming our people," Housekeeper Liu said as he recruited them as laborers, assigning tasks to keep them busy.

He then told Doctor Zhang, "Hurry back to the pharmacy. I reckon Second Housekeeper has already received the news and is waiting for you there."

"Alright, I’m heading over now. Be careful yourselves." Doctor Zhang immediately shouldered the medicine box and left for the pharmacy at the main house.

As expected, Second Housekeeper was already waiting in the pharmacy courtyard. Upon seeing him, he immediately said, "Doctor Zhang, hurry over and explain the poisonous insect disease to all the doctors and attendants. Direct everyone in the main house on what to do; they’re at your disposal."

Currently, Doctor Zhang is one of the only two in the Lei Family’s Trading Team who has treated the poisonous insect disease, and he must be utilized abundantly.

Upon hearing this, Doctor Zhang thought about finally leading the charge, feeling a bit excited. He composed himself and then proceeded to explain the situation to the crowd.

...

In the guest hall of the front yard, Master Xiao Yu had already informed Lei Mao about Ms. Gao Lei’s request.

Lei Mao said, "Aunt surely wants me to invite Magistrate Hao here, to make him report to the Capital, and fears Qi Vice Magistrate might act first, submitting prematurely and disrupting the main official and assistant officer’s procedure."

"Given the urgency, there’s no need for extra trips. I’ll bring Magistrate Hao to the separate yard personally. Any necessary words, Aunt can tell him herself."

After considering, Master Xiao Yu said, "That works."

Lei Mao got up, turned to Lei Shu, and said, "Go with Doctor Fang to the various wells to lure out poisonous insects. With you there, even Qi Vice Magistrate’s people wouldn’t dare trouble Doctor Fang."

"Yes." Lei Shu was the main house’s housekeeper and Lei Mao’s confidant; in Lei Mao’s absence, he resolved all matters there.

There was also a very capable Third Housekeeper leading the Lei Family’s Trading Team brothers to help guard the city at the city wall.

"Doctor Fang, let’s go." Lei Shu called out to Doctor Fang, gathered a team of brothers, and used a carriage to take Doctor Fang to various city wells, using the insect attractant to draw out poisonous insects from the wells.

Though generally composed, Lei Shu was startled seeing hundreds of poisonous insects crawling out from the wells: "Quick, burn them with fire!"

The brothers immediately poured pine oil and ignited it.

With a whooshing sound, the area around the well within three feet was ablaze, and in the blink of an eye, the poisonous insects were reduced to ashes.

The crowd breathed a sigh of relief, but Doctor Fang said, "We must lure them once more; lest some slow-moving ones still hide within the wells."

Lei Shu responded, "Doctor Fang, there are many wells in the city, and numerous people have contracted the poisonous insect disease. You have much to occupy yourself with. How about leaving two batches of insect attractant with the brothers so they can lure insects themselves while we quickly move to the next well."

"Agreed." Doctor Fang consented, leaving two batches of insect attractant for the brothers, and after carefully advising them to beware of poisonous insects, hurried to the next well with Lei Shu.

Lei Mao had already headed for the city wall to find Magistrate Hao.

But Magistrate Hao and General Liang were currently overwhelmed; the garrison soldiers had contracted a strange disease, with many suddenly fainting, unable to breathe, suffering acute abdominal pain and swelling.

"What, have you found a way to treat it?!" General Liang pressed the military doctor anxiously.

The six military doctors at the Prefecture garrison were skilled in treating battlefield injuries but had never seen such a strange disease.

The oldest, most skilled Senior Doctor Xu said, "General Liang, this disease is something I’ve never seen before. I surmise it might be another poisoning act by the Rong people."

General Liang nearly drew his sword upon hearing this, angrily retorting, "Of course I know the soldiers have been poisoned by the Rong people, but what exactly is the poison? Can you solve it!?"

Senior Doctor Xu felt aggrieved: "No need to rush. I need to study it."

"Study it? We have two hundred brothers down already. If more fall, and the Rong people attack the city tonight..." As the main commander, General Liang abruptly stopped, holding back from saying anything to undermine morale.

But with so many soldiers down, morale had long been shaky.

Seeing this, Master Xiao Yu quickly suggested, "Brother Mao, it’s the poisonous insect disease! Doctor Fang gave me a bag of insect attractant. Use it for the soldiers to drive the insects away."

Lei Mao nodded, took the insect attractant, and went straight to Magistrate Hao, instructing him to call the enraged General Liang over. He then explained how the Rong people used birds to drop poisonous insects into the city, the insect disease, and the procedure for luring and killing the insects. "If you two don’t believe, you can immediately try this insect attractant."

General Liang snatched the bag, pushed it to Senior Doctor Xu, and shouted, "Hurry, test it!"

Senior Doctor Xu was bewildered: "I’ve been a military doctor for decades, dealing with the Rong people many times, but I’ve never heard of such a terrifying poisoning method."

"Stop wasting words. Quickly do as Master Xiao Yu said," General Liang was so anxious he nearly wanted to chop the old military doctor.

Senior Doctor Xu promptly gathered all military doctors, listened to Master Xiao Yu’s instructions on how to use the medicine, and immediately began the operation.

Originally treating it as an experiment, they unexpectedly lured poisonous insects out of the soldiers’ bodies.

"Ah! Insects, there really are insects inside the soldiers!" A military doctor shouted in fright and quickly retreated.

General Liang angrily kicked him, scolding, "Why retreat? Quickly collect the insects, or wait for them to infest other soldiers!"

The frightened military doctor snapped back to reality, hurriedly following Master Xiao Yu’s method to place the insects into bowls and then handed them to soldiers to burn to death.

The crowd labored for an hour, using up the entire bag of insect attractant.

"There are still sick soldiers; bring more medicine quickly!" General Liang shouted.

Lei Mao said, "The medicine must be acquired from the Old Madam. General Liang and Magistrate Hao, if you wish to obtain it, head to the separate yard to meet the Old Madam."

This insect attractant was a precious item capable of saving every living being in Great Chu. Such a thing could undoubtedly be exchanged for great merits or possibly become a great disaster. Hence, Lei Mao didn’t dare speak further, instead advising them to see the Old Madam.

When the time comes, what benefits the medicine can be exchanged for, is up to the Old Madam.

In any case, this merit can’t be given free to General Liang and Magistrate Hao but must remain in the hands of Lei Family’s Trading Team and the Qin and Gu families.

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