It's really hard to just farm peacefully.

Chapter 168

Jiang Yan's request to stay outside the shed for a while was also not allowed, but she and the old man, as the culprits who caused the noise, were locked in small compartments on both sides of the shed.

It's unknown who built this shed, but residents entering and leaving Rongyang County would stop here when needed. The small compartments on either side were used to house livestock, and although they're now empty, a strong, unpleasant odor can be smelled upon approaching.

The small compartment was semi-open. Jiang Yan walked slowly around the space of less than ten square meters, picked a good spot facing the main road, sat down, and leaned against the wall to rest.

My clothes were already dirty just now, so I don’t mind getting dirtier now.

And... this is a solitary space, guarded by many soldiers, and provided with food. The next second, Jiang Yan's eyelids began to twitch wildly.

Don't be impatient. She should have a good sleep first. After a good sleep, she can think about how to escape.

He slept for two days. Except for the time when he got up like a wandering ghost and drank some thin soup, he curled up on the ground and didn't move for the rest of the time.

If they hadn't seen her chest rising and falling after she woke up, the soldiers outside would have suspected that she was dead. Her silence was in stark contrast to the commotion in the other compartment.

On the morning of the third day, Jiang Yan was forcibly awakened by the soldiers. She was still not fully recovered and she listened in a daze to the arrangements made by the county government... She felt numb again.

As for how to deal with those who were identified as infected or suspected of being infected with the disease, Jiang Yan knew that the worst that could happen was to kill or burn them. She could never imagine that sending them to work as laborers was an option...

It's not uncommon for civilians to be exploited for labor, but if they let them go, perhaps they think the epidemic hasn't spread widely enough or there aren't enough people there???

Although Jiang Yan felt that there should be no infected people among them, after all, he heard that the first batch of people sent in stayed there for more than a week and only a few died due to lack of medicine.

But what if? What if she, or someone who came in after her, was infected? The official who made this decision was absolutely crazy, and so were the other officials who didn't object.

Jiang Yan's worries were not a big deal to Governor Lu who issued the order. After receiving news about the movements in Kyoto and other prefectures a few days later, he had discussed the follow-up deployment with his think tanks again and again.

The first few batches of cannon fodder sent to Heding Prefecture and surrounding counties to clean up and collect corpses were doomed to die, so their physical condition when they set off was irrelevant.

However, no matter how insignificant it was, the magistrate of Rongyang County would never allow them to pass through the county, and they could only take a detour outside the city.

Moreover, because the guarding soldiers needed a transfer order from Governor Lu to leave Rongyang County, the Rongyang County magistrate thought for a long time before hurriedly recalling several dismissed yamen runners to escort the people.

Jiang Yan followed the team numbly, her hands tied behind her back. She lowered her head and tried hard to suppress the itch in her throat.

Before, she'd been coughing so hard she couldn't walk, and the accompanying yamen runners, growing impatient, would come over and whip her a few times to urge her on. Even though she had something hidden on her back to absorb most of the force, the whip still stung her arms and thighs.

Moreover, if they smoke too much, they will definitely notice something unusual. After they find the arrowheads she has hidden, they will definitely keep them under close guard, making it even more difficult for her to escape.

Although the fellow prisoners did not have a close relationship with these yamen runners, they had met or talked with each other in the same county, so they now boldly tried to establish connections and inquire about their whereabouts.

As Jiang Yan walked, he found himself back in Heyang County, and the doubts in his heart were instantly resolved.

She opened her mouth to speak, but all she could do was cough loudly, startling countless returning birds in the woods by the roadside.

"Are you done yet?" The bailiff came over and whipped him a few more times.

This time the injury was on the front of her body, but Jiang Yan couldn't even cry out in pain. She just bent her body and took deep breaths, tears streaming from her red eyes.

The leader looked at the sky, then at the other patients who looked angry or reluctant, frowned and said, "Forget it, let's stop here today and continue our journey early tomorrow."