"Where is the person who knows the clue?" A flicker of hope rose in Wei He's heart.
"On the other side of Qingqi County, less than a li from here. I'll take you there."
Jiuying rose to his feet, but swayed slightly and nearly fell.
Fortunately, Wei He hurried forward and caught him.
"You need rest!" Wei He frowned. Just supporting Jiuying, he could feel how terrible his balance was. This was not how a martial arts master should be.
Clearly, he had not rested properly for a long time, and he was injured besides.
"There's no time to rest." Jiuying shook his head. "More and more people are falling ill. It has become an epidemic. If we still can't find a way..."
"Let's go together. I think I can offer you some advice." Wei He considered it. Modern scientific research had developed a profound understanding of epidemics, especially contagion. Looking at Jiuying, it was obvious that he had paid no attention at all to transmission.
"Fine." Jiuying fell silent for a moment, then nodded. He turned to look at Sun Yan'er, who was silently weeping.
Sun Yan'er stood guard beside the coffin, slowly burning paper money bit by bit. She seemed not to have heard them speaking at all.
"Yan'er, I'll be back soon. Stay home and don't go anywhere." Jiuying gave her a low warning. Finally, he looked once more at the coffin in the middle of the hall and sighed soundlessly.
Then he left the courtyard with Wei He.
Outside, nearly every household along the street had hung white mourning streamers. Funeral music drifted from afar, mixed with faint cries and wails.
The two had barely left before they saw, not far ahead, a braided-haired child sitting before a small earthen house on the right.
The child