Chapter 232: Chapter 232: Fury

Wang Bolao returned to Wangshan Town angrily and immediately asked through gritted teeth, “Where’s Xia Wenjin?”

After all, he had been a mayor for many years. After hearing Xia Wenjin’s words, he sent people to watch Zhang Jiantang and also sent people to watch Xia Wenjin. This time, it came in handy.

The servant reported, “Xia Wenjin went to Shuifeng Village.”

Wang Bolao shouted, “Tell him to come to see me immediately!” After thinking for a moment, he realized Xia Wenjin was an outsider, and his authority as a mayor might not be enough. Feeling stifled and angry, he immediately said, “Follow me to Shuifeng Village.”

Shuifeng Village is where Uncle Kuang lives; this village was the first to set up a quarantine location because it happened to have a vacant house here, which only needed minor renovations to be usable.

Even though the roof was made of thatch, the interior was repaired to have four large rooms, capable of accommodating more than a dozen people.

Xia Wenjin finally told Uncle Kuang’s family about the epidemic. Instead of hiding it, scaring the villagers, or allowing them to flee, she reasoned that it would lead to more severe consequences.

However, she chose her words carefully, knowing Uncle Kuang was broad-minded and Auntie Kang was kind; they could accept it better.

As expected, Uncle Kuang was initially shocked upon hearing the news, with some panic in his eyes, but he quickly calmed down. When Xia Wenjin asked him to help her go to the Village Chief, Uncle Kuang agreed without hesitation.

The Village Chief had met Xia Wenjin at the mayor’s place and knew she was staying at Uncle Kuang’s house, which made him much more accepting and cooperative.

However, the screening process was still not going smoothly.

The location of the rashes was covered by clothing, and they couldn’t forcibly strip people to inspect them—they could only ask people to check themselves. Everyone reported back saying they didn’t have any.

These figures were definitely wrong.

But Xia Wenjin had no other choice as she couldn’t manage everything.

The day after Huangfu Jingchen went to report to the Government, Liu Dahai fell ill too.

This burly man became weak and helpless like all the patients. At Xia Wenjin’s urging, Liu Dahai and his family of three moved to the quarantine site.

Xia Wenjin also went to Zhang Jiantang’s place to speak with the family of the person who had died, as the death of someone brought more persuasion to her case. That family also had two members with rashes, and their neighbor, a family of three, with one already sick, moved to the quarantine site together.

Xia Wenjin was tirelessly testing medicine prescriptions.

She calculated the dosage of every medicine, continuously tried different concoctions, and personally oversaw the process.

At this moment, while she was in the quarantine site making a new formula, the door was suddenly kicked open as Wang Bolao stormed in furiously. Upon seeing the medicine pot over the fire, his anger intensified, and in a fit of rage, he kicked the pot over, shouting, “Xia Wenjin, how dare you deceive me!”

With a crash, the pot fell to the ground, shattering into pieces, the fragrance of the medicine spreading, the liquid splattering everywhere.

Xia Wenjin watched helplessly as she couldn’t save it—it was the result of her research after more than ten attempts, constantly changing formulas, adding and subtracting ingredients—it was the last bit of medicine she had. But now, under Mayor Wang’s foot, it was mixed with mud, and could no longer be used.

Xia Wenjin’s gaze shifted from the broken pot back to Wang Bolao.

Wang Bolao was still seething, pointing at her and cursing loudly, “You wretched thing, claiming that Young Master Huang is from the Capital City and went to report to the County Magistrate, who would immediately send doctors and medicines. But when I went, I found out the mayor said he had ulterior motives and didn’t take him seriously at all. It got me scolded by the County Magistrate and even flogged! I won’t be a mayor for much longer now, are you happy? It clearly was a miasma sickness, but you insisted it was an epidemic. Where is this epidemic? What are you really aiming for? You managed to deceive me, thinking you’re ready to die!”

An outsider daring to treat him, the head of a town, like a fool?

However, Wang Bolao’s furious rage didn’t make Xia Wenjin feel a shred of fear or shame. Fueled by a fire of anger in her eyes, Xia Wenjin kicked him hard on his flabby belly. Caught off balance, he fell backward onto the medicine dregs, getting painfully jabbed by the shards. Xia Wenjin quickly closed in, raining punches and kicks while shouting furiously, “Do you understand that this medicine is meant to save lives? And you kicked it over! You think you have such prowess? Is being a mayor that impressive? Throwing your official weight around in front of me? If it weren’t for saving your lives, would I be here wasting my efforts with you?”

She asked a question and followed it with a punch, leaving Wang Bolao with a bruised and swollen face.

Wang Bolao’s entourage heard the unusual commotion and hurried over, only to find their mayor beaten almost into a pig-headed shape. As they tried to intervene, Xia Wenjin kicked each one away effortlessly.

Wang Bolao transitioned from a fit of rage to screams of pain, and finally to begging for mercy.

The punishment at the County Magistrate’s place was painful, but the beating now was even worse!

Xia Wenjin, still unable to quell her anger, grabbed him by the collar and dragged him outside.

Despite living a well-off life of luxury, in Xia Wenjin’s furious grip, Wang Bolao, plump and hefty, was like a chicken.

Directly heading to the house where Liu Dahai’s family of three was staying, she threw him to the ground and said angrily, “You’re so concerned about your reputation and position, but have you seen their condition? You are the mayor; does their life or death have nothing to do with you? Do you think if they fall ill, you can wash your hands of it? You say there’s no epidemic, it’s miasma sickness; have you ever seen miasma sickness torment people like this?”

Wang Bolao’s eyes were both blackened from the beating; he squinted through swollen lids and glanced at Liu Dahai’s family.

Uncle Liu had long lost consciousness; if it weren’t for Xia Wenjin continuously medicating him, he might not have lasted. Xiang’er had also lost a lot of weight, half reclining on the bed. Liu Dahai could still sit up, and the pair looked at the sudden sight of a pig’s head on the floor, and upon closer look, realized it was the mayor.

Xia Wenjin’s anger and interrogations made Liu Dahai understand what had happened.

Over these past three days, Xia Wenjin had been brewing medicine and examining them tirelessly, without concern for her own infection, and they had seen it all, deeply grateful to her. Seeing her beat up the mayor like this, they couldn’t help but worry for her.

Wang Bolao endured intense pain, but upon seeing Liu Dahai’s family, he was shocked to the point his pupils dilated.

This…this old man, short of breaths more than inhales, this woman with eyes devoid of spirit, this man with haggard eyes full of bloodshot threads—they all had faces sallow and sickly, as if drained of life, and ready to report to King Yama at any moment.

Blood oozed from Wang Bolao’s mouth, and he mumbled, “Are…are they…uh-there (epidemic)?”

“What do you think?” Xia Wenjin replied through gritted teeth, “You kicked over the medicine, it was the last bit left. You think we have a lot of it? Now, tell me, what are we going to do?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep