Upon seeing the stunned Luo Qin Quan, Xiao Wang Ye feigned surprise, though he had already received word that the man had inexplicably arrived.
Ever since Xiao Wang Ye began disaster relief and grain distribution, the granary personnel had been under the control of his guards for safety, to prevent Luo Qin Quan from interfering again.
Facing the energetic Xiao Wang Ye, Luo Qin Quan appeared quite dejected. He offered a weak greeting, responding:
"Good morning, Your Highness."
Observing his crestfallen demeanor, Xiao Wang Ye secretly surmised that the matter of the stolen grain from the cave had likely been exposed.
Otherwise, why would the man be staring at the grain with such a dazed expression?
He slowly walked over to Luo Qin Quan and teased:
"Lord Luo is quite the rare guest. This is my first time seeing you here."
This statement was not untrue. Ever since the granary opened for disaster relief, Luo Qin Quan had only sent his subordinates to assist, never appearing himself.
Having been subtly mocked, Luo Qin Quan could only offer an awkward smile, unable to find a retort.
He glanced at the meager amount of grain in the granary and suddenly had an idea, hatching a plan.
Since his own grain was gone, why shouldn't he procure more?
With this thought, he looked up at Xiao Wang Ye and said with feigned sincerity:
"Your Highness, as you can see, there is very little grain left in the granary. How about we go outside the city to procure more? After all, there are many refugees in the city waiting for your assistance."
Luo Qin Quan spoke these words with genuine earnestness, looking expectantly at Xiao Wang Ye, but with a hint of calculation hidden in his eyes.
If more grain was procured, wouldn't it ultimately end up in his own pockets?
Luo Qin Quan intended to use Xiao Wang Ye's efforts to fill his own deficit.
As he was patting himself on the back for his cunning, Xiao Wang Ye, having already seen through his petty scheme, raised an eyebrow and casually waved his hand in refusal.
"Lord Luo, your words are mistaken. This grain can sustain the city's populace for another ten days to half a month. There is no immediate need to go out and procure more."
"But..."
Upon hearing this, Luo Qin Quan grew anxious and quickly interjected, intending to persuade him further.
However, Xiao Wang Ye gave him no opportunity to speak, preemptively cutting him off.
"The most crucial matter in the city right now is to find the source of this strange illness and resolve its root cause, to cure the city's residents. Otherwise, no matter how much grain we procure, it will be useless. Do you not agree?"
"Yes, Your Highness speaks wisely." Luo Qin Quan responded with a dry chuckle.
With his opponent stating it so, he could find no better excuse and had to leave dejectedly.
Upon returning to his manor, he immediately summoned his trusted subordinates and secretly dispatched them to search for his lost grain outside the city!
That night, Luo Qin Quan received no news. As there was no additional grain appearing anywhere within Fengdu City, he surmised that the lost grain had not yet entered the city.
Meanwhile, a shadow flitted in through the window and then concealed itself in the darkness, perfectly evading everyone's sight.
He secretly listened to the words spoken within the room, remaining undetected.
This person was one of the individuals Xiao Wang Ye had dispatched to monitor Luo Qin Quan!
On the other side, after sending someone to follow Luo Qin Quan, Xiao Wang Ye no longer concerned himself with that matter and turned his attention to the sick ward.
He busied himself assisting Ye Qing Cheng, while pretending to have completely disregarded Luo Qin Quan's words.
"The source of this illness has still not been found, and I am powerless at the moment."
After spending the entire morning diagnosing all the patients in the sick ward and the residences, Ye Qing Cheng sat in the ward's resting area, sighing.
Xiao Wang Ye's heart stirred upon hearing this.
"Then I shall also inquire on your behalf."
With that, not only he himself but also the guards and soldiers throughout the city were ordered to search for the first person who contracted the strange illness.
Such a large-scale operation naturally caused a great stir, and it also dispelled Luo Qin Quan's suspicions of Xiao Wang Ye, making him believe that he was genuinely prioritizing the resolution of the strange illness.
Although Xiao Wang Ye intended to use this tactic to deceive Luo Qin Quan, he was not merely pretending to search for someone while resting in secret.
He went through the streets and alleys, personally questioning everyone in the city.
Heaven rewards the persistent. Finally, he learned from a child about the origin of the first person infected with the strange illness!
"It was that Lai Lai Inn in the east of the city. All the customers who ate there got sick, and the owner of the shop has fled!"
The child, while licking the candy Xiao Wang Ye had given him, pointed in the direction of the east.
Upon hearing these words, Xiao Wang Ye did not doubt them further, as the informant was merely a child of three or five years old, and it was unlikely for someone so young to be full of lies.
Therefore, he sent people to inquire about the Lai Lai Inn, hoping to obtain information from it.
His subordinates quickly relayed the news: this inn was the most famous in Fengdu City, not only for its affordable prices but also for its delicious food, making it very popular among the common folk.
Furthermore, many high-ranking officials and nobles frequently dined there, resulting in a large influx of people.
The situation was indeed as the child had described. The inn had been abandoned since the outbreak of the strange illness, and the whereabouts of the owner remained unknown.
If it weren't for this child's careful observation, everyone would have likely assumed the innkeeper had simply fled to escape the disaster.
Since the strange illness first appeared, many prominent families in Fengdu City, upon hearing the news, had fled the city one after another.
It was not surprising that people would consider the owner of the Lai Lai Inn to be among these escapees, as most people who could leave had already done so.
Those who remained were either already suffering from the strange illness or had family members who were ill, or they had missed their chance and were trapped within the city due to the lockdown.
There was also a group of officials and nobles in Fengdu City whose special status meant they could not easily leave without orders.
Hearing this, Xiao Wang Ye still felt it was insufficient evidence to conclude that the Lai Lai Inn had caused the illness, so he sent people to investigate more thoroughly.
This time, his suspicions were finally confirmed.
After the guards canvassed the households and cross-referenced them with the death list provided by Luo Qin Quan, they discovered that every guest who had visited the Lai Lai Inn that day had indeed fallen ill and passed away.
One or two cases could still be dismissed as coincidental, but when everyone was affected in the same manner, it was no longer a simple matter!
Xiao Wang Ye was greatly shocked by this discovery and immediately informed Ye Qing Cheng, who was still in the sick ward.
Ye Qing Cheng also did not expect to have uncovered such a significant clue in less than half a day.
Setting aside her current tasks, she picked up her medical kit and prepared to investigate the inn!
To prevent any unforeseen circumstances, Xiao Wang Ye personally accompanied her.
Given the inn's fame, the two quickly found their way there after asking for directions.
However, the door was tightly shut, and a layer of dust covered the entrance, clearly indicating that no one had entered for a long time.
Xiao Wang Ye forcefully kicked open the door and led Ye Qing Cheng into the rather dim inn, lighting a candle.