Fang County fell under the jurisdiction of Shuntian Prefecture, guarding the Capital Region.
This emergency relief effort was only because the plague in Fang County had already threatened the Capital Region. If this had been some remote place far from the emperor's gaze,
even if everyone died, Imperial Lord might not even learn of it.
Since ancient times, corrupt officials had been born with two great tricks: one, extortion and exploitation; two, whitewashing the truth.
Yet despite such a short distance, with official roads all the way, the convoy still took a full day and night.
By the time the sun sank westward on the second day, they finally reached Fang County's county seat.
The vast county seat was as silent as a ghost city. Not a single person could be seen. The stench was overwhelming, and a thin layer of lime had been scattered over the ground, stretching from the city gate all the way to the Corpse Burning Facility.
Every county had a Corpse Burning Facility. It was an essential government office in every place.
But Fang County Corpse Burning Facility's conditions were far too shabby compared to those in the Capital City.
The so-called Corpse Burning Rooms were merely several roofless stone enclosures. The only covered room was used exclusively to store fuel—mostly dried cow dung, with very little firewood. There were no bellows, only several blowing tubes made from green bamboo leaning nearby.
The conditions were so primitive they were unbearable to look at. Corpses were burned with dung, and air was blown in by mouth.
Forget rain—even slightly colder weather would likely make it impossible to burn the corpses through.
The Flying Fish Guard had conscripted laborers to handle locating and transporting the corpses, as well as the fuel. The Corpse Burners only needed to