After a long while, Yang Chengye said: "Big brother, if I'm not mistaken, the imperial court will soon dispatch an imperial envoy to inspect."

  "When the time comes, official salt will be inspected after all, and since private sales of official salt are not allowed, it's only a matter of time before they're confiscated. Now we can focus on running the wine shop business, I think it won't be worse than selling official salt."

  "Why not return the official salt and deduct the donated grain money?"

  After listening to Yang Chengye's explanation, Shen Youcai suddenly realized and sighed: "It's still the second brother who thought of it."

  The county government office was still noisy with various local gentry arguing about the money and grain they had donated, making Wang An's head spin.

  "Sir, someone from the capital has arrived."

  At this time, Zhao Daizhi walked into the main hall and said to Wang An:

  "Welcome!"

  Wang An said and walked out of the hall to welcome the people from the capital.

  At this moment, a messenger grabbed the horse whip and carried a package on his back, rushing into the yamen of the county magistrate.

  "His Majesty has decreed that Imperial Envoy Zhang Jun will soon arrive in Jiaxing to oversee the settlement of refugees."

  The messenger said and handed over the package on his back to Zhao Captor.

  Wang An took the package handed over by Zhao and opened it while saying, "Zhao, take this brother to rest and prepare a table of wine and dishes to refresh him."

  The messenger declined: "Thank you, Your Majesty, I still need to return and report back, so I won't delay!"

  Wang An gave Zhao a signal with his eyes, and Zhao understood it immediately. He took out a silver ingot from his bosom, weighing over ten taels, and handed it to the messenger, asking at the same time: "Brother, when will the imperial envoy arrive?"

  The messenger touched his silver ingots, nodded in satisfaction and said: "The imperial envoy has not yet set out, and is expected to arrive seven days later."

  "Goodbye!"

  The messenger finished speaking and walked out of the government office, mounted his horse, and galloped away.

  "Sir, shall we send someone ahead to welcome the imperial envoy?"

  After sending off the messenger, Zhao returned to the yamen and asked Wang An:

  Wang An hesitated for a moment and asked: "Zhao, how has our prefecture treated you in the past?"

  "Sir treats me like a brother or father," replied Zhao. "If it weren't for Sir's promotion, I'd still be just a street thug and wouldn't be eating government rations."

  "Hmm!"

  Wang An nodded and said: "Alright, now the prefecture has some things to entrust you with. If you do well, when I get promoted, I will definitely reward you with wealth and honor."

  "Ah, I'm so flustered! Your orders will be carried out with all due haste and to the best of my abilities!" exclaimed Zhao.

  Wang An nodded in satisfaction and said, "Alright, now send two government soldiers to the post station to monitor the movements of the imperial envoy day and night. At the same time, go to the market to gather antique jade utensils, the more the better."

  Zhao Butou agreed and was about to leave when Wang An called him back.

  "This matter must be kept confidential and no information should be leaked."

  "Understood, sir!" said Zhao, bowing his head in respect.

  Watching Zhao's back as he left, Wang An murmured: "Old friend, you've come after all. I really understand you too well. It seems that even the heavens are helping me!"

  Wang An finished speaking and hurriedly returned to the rear palace.

  Returning to the Shen family home, Yang Cheng saw Wu Ruolan and Zou Shi, then locked himself in his room to start practicing the Nine Yin Manual.

  The Way of Heaven, reduces the excessive and augments the insufficient. Therefore, emptiness overcomes fullness, insufficiency overcomes excessiveness. Its intention is vast and great, its principle is profound and mysterious, its meaning is deep and subtle. The images of heaven and earth are distinct, yin and yang do not interfere with each other's order, the changes are shown in their forms, the signs of life and death are clear, without planning, the traces left behind are naturally identical, without being restricted, the obscure and bright are in harmony with each other.

  Yang Chengye used the mnemonic device recorded on the Nine Yin Manual to circulate the true yuan infused into his body by Huang Zong, flushing through his meridians and acupoints again and again.

  Although Huang Zong's true yuan was severely injured and there wasn't much left, it was equivalent to several decades of cultivation for others.

  Yang Chengye now has the power equivalent to decades of practice by others, but due to his extremely young body, he cannot withstand too much, so Huang Chang seals all the remaining power in his dantian, letting it release bit by bit.

  Yang Chengye had roughly circulated thirty-six weeks, and finally had the sensation of qi. The inner strength was like a small mouse running wildly inside his body, and it grew bigger bit by bit.

  Yang Chengye opened his eyes, a hint of excitement flashing in them, and then he jumped up, starting to practice the moves recorded on the True Classic. These moves included lightness skill, palm techniques, fist techniques, leg techniques, and claw techniques, which he practiced one by one.

  "Second brother, second brother, are you there? Something big has happened!"

  After an unknown period of time, Shen You's urgent voice sounded outside the door.

  Yang Chengye withdrew his invitation and opened the door to see Shen You pacing back and forth outside, anxiously waiting.

  Seeing Yang Chengye come out, Shen You hastily went forward and said: "Second brother, something big has happened!"

  Yang Chengye said: "Big brother, don't worry, what's going on?"

  Shen You said: "I just received the news, countless refugees are rushing in this direction, and the farmland they pass through will be trampled. They will soon arrive at Gangzi Village."

  Yang Chengye asked: "Has the prefectural yamen started building tents and houses?"

  As soon as Yang Chengye asked, Shen You became indignant and said: "I don't know what kind of mind Wang An has, but until now there is no movement at all. Let alone the account tent house, even the medicine materials are not well prepared."

  "It's better to rely on oneself than others; they won't do it, so we have to do it ourselves."

  "Big brother, inform Wu Neng to collect the medicinal materials as soon as possible and transport them back to the village. At the same time, set up a congee shed outside the village to provide relief to refugees."

  Shen You said with difficulty: "Even if we set up a porridge shed, Shen's family grain can't last for three days."

  Yang Chengye said: "Let's do it first, I think the imperial envoy will arrive in Jiaxing soon. If Wang An still doesn't take action, then his position as prefect will be gone."

  Yang Chengye paused for a moment before asking: "Is there any news from the imperial envoy?"

  Shen You said in a low voice: "According to the news from the prefectural government, the imperial court has appointed Zhang Jun as an imperial envoy and he will arrive in Jiaxing six days later."

  Zhang Jun?

  Yang Chengye frowned and said: "Is the news reliable?"

  Shen You nodded and said: "A thousand truths, a myriad of certainties. It was Captain Zhao who personally told me this, and Wang An has already dispatched government soldiers to the relay station to welcome him."

  Yang Chengye's eyes flickered and he said: "I understand, now big brother must do two things."

  "First, send someone to invite a pharmacist to decoct the medicine according to my prescription. When the time comes, refugees will inevitably produce an epidemic, and this medicine can control the epidemic."

  "The second thing is to get San'r over here to find me, I have something to take care of."

  "Third son? He's still too young, won't he be delayed?"

  Shen You didn't know what kind of medicine Yang Chengye was selling in his gourd and said with some worry.

  Yang Chengye smiled and said: "San Er is clever and agile, it's the most suitable."

  Since Yang Chengye said so, Shen You had no reason to refute and agreed with a response before leaving.

  Yang Chengye returned to his room again and wrote down the formula for Huoxiang Zhengqi Shui based on memory.

  Yang Chengye still remembers this history clearly. At that time, the Huai River burst its banks, and a large number of refugees poured into Jiaxing, leading to the spread of plague. It wasn't until three years later that the imperial court's doctors finally developed the formula for Huoxiang Zhengqi Shui. If it had been three years earlier, there wouldn't have been so many refugees dying from the plague.