Chapter 895: A Terrifying Place (2)

Editor: Henyee Translations

The dwelling was a cave remodeled into a home, filled with bottles and jars, closely resembling Chu Qingning’s medical lab.

At first glance, it seemed ordinary. However, as Tang Jinghong surveyed the room, he discovered a hidden compartment. He moved a stone that held an oil lamp, revealing a mechanism.

Activating the mechanism, the cabinet full of bottles and jars shifted aside, unveiling a door. A strong medicinal scent rushed out from behind it, sharply pungent.

Tang Jinghong proceeded inside, finding what truly was the main medical lab.

No, it was a tobacco mixing room. Using opium poppies as the main ingredient for the tobacco, the room was saturated with the same scent he had encountered in the capital city.

If opium poppies were cultivated in Linzhang City, then this place, being used for tobacco production, was aptly chosen.

On the table, there were medical tools and baskets filled with surplus opium poppies.

Exiting the house, Tang Jinghong issued a stern order, “Burn this place down.”

“Yes, General.”

Riding back to camp, Tang Jinghong, accompanied by the magistrate, headed towards the fertile land the magistrate had mentioned.

It was a vast plain, an hour’s ride from the camp.

Upon their arrival, everything became clear.

The plain was densely planted with opium poppies, thriving robustly, some even in bloom. The sight was spectacular; however, the beautiful white flowers were tainted with sin.

Many people were weeding the fields, with someone who looked like a supervisor standing by, watched over by four others, all gazing out over the plains.

Xia Lan, a close guard, expressed shock, “General, I didn’t expect all this land, meant for grains, to be sown with such harmful stuff.”

Tang Jinghong’s voice carried a hint of severity, “Bring all of them here.”

Xia Lan complied, “Yes.”

Seeing the soldiers, the workers panicked, especially those posing as supervisors, who lost their haughty demeanor and knelt, begging for mercy, “General, spare us, we were just following orders, it’s not our fault, not our fault.”

Tang Jinghong’s eyes were cold as he looked down at the people kneeling before him, “Who made you plant these?”

The supervisor stuttered, “General, it was… it was…”

Xia Lan kicked the supervisor, sending him rolling, “If you don’t confess now, you’ll lose your lives, you maniacs!”

Pain prevented the supervisor from moving for a while.

One of his subordinates, seeing the situation, hurriedly spoke up, “I’ll tell, I’ll tell, General, please spare us.”

Tang Jinghong remained silent, his gaze sharp as a blade.

The subordinate felt a chill, “General, we were following the orders of Linzhang City’s magistrate. He threatened us with our families, we dared not disobey, please see the truth.”

It seemed it was time to confront the magistrate, Tang Jinghong thought.

Hearing this, the real magistrate shivered with fear, understanding the grave implications of the situation. Disguising someone else to take his place meant he would be the one to face death.

Tang Jinghong ordered, “Pull out all these opium poppies and burn them, leave none behind.”

“Yes, General.”

Xia Lan led a group of soldiers towards the plains to uproot the opium poppies.

Seeing the soldiers’ actions, the workers pleaded to redeem themselves, “General, we also want to contribute. This thing harms others and ourselves. We wouldn’t have tended it if not for being forced.”

Tang Jinghong nodded, “Go.”

The group of farmers also joined in. A young boy lingered behind, then rushed forward, kneeling before Tang Jinghong, “General, please, help me find our families.”

“What’s the matter?” Tang Jinghong scrutinized the boy, ordinary and timid.

The boy, in tears, explained, “We’re villagers nearby. After the officials took our land, they drove the villagers away. Now, the village is empty, and no one knows where the villagers have gone.”

“When did this happen?”

“A year ago. I was in the county selling eggs and avoided being driven away, but I was caught to tend the opium poppies. Despite my efforts, I found no trace of them.”

“Did the villagers take their belongings and clothes when they left?”

“No, everything was left behind, just the people disappeared.”

Tang Jinghong’s brow furrowed, realizing the villagers’ fate might be grim, “I’ll have someone look into it.”

The boy knelt deeply, “Thank you, General, thank you.”

The magistrate approached, “General, what do we do now?”

Tang Jinghong glanced at the magistrate but said nothing.

At the camp, Yi Chuanchuan entered the tent to find Rong Shenning and Du Zhaolin wrapped in blankets, shivering, “What’s wrong with you?”

Rong Shenning rolled his eyes in discomfort, “I feel terrible, so cold.”

Du Zhaolin’s teeth chattered, “I feel awful too. Despite it being spring, it feels like the depth of winter. Liu Zhu, please find us a medic.”

“Alright, wait here. I can’t just watch you suffer.”

Exiting the tent, Yi Chuanchuan made straight for the medic’s tent, “Rong Shenning and Du Zhaolin are ill, who can assist?”

Several medics were busy preparing medicines, exchanging looks, none too eager to help.