"If we look at it by the standards of Gu masters in ancient times, Situ Zhi's Gu skills have reached a level that is unprecedented and unprecedented.

It's just because he was too trusting and refused to hide in the dark to appreciate the achievements of his Gu art. Instead, he had to go to Suzhou City for on-site inspection, and was captured by the palace minister Shen Tuyu."

Wang Bofan said: "His student Yu Shi also inherited 80% or 90% of his Gu magic mantle."

"Situ Zhi has been captured by the Zhenfu Division, so this plague..."

A clan elder hesitated and said in horror: "Is this the so-called rainy world caused by it?"

The bodies of those who died from the plague will be covered with lumps and black spots, and their skin will turn black and purple. The appearance is unheard of and terrifying, and is even more tragic than the great plague recorded in history books.

During this period, the successive burials of members of the family have left an indelible shadow in the hearts of the survivors.

Wang Boxan shook his head and said: "I didn't say that in the letter."

"What did the letter say?"

Another clan elder frowned and said: "Wait, no, Taiyuan City has been sealed off by the Zhenfu Division. How did this letter get into your hands?"

"When I returned to the study in the afternoon, I found this letter on the table."

Wang Bofan said solemnly: "I have secretly checked it, and there are no signs of damage to the formation in the family mansion. No one has entered or left the study throughout the whole day.

Zhaoming's methods are amazing. He somehow bypassed the formation and delivered the letter to me.

As for the content of the letter... Yushi claimed that he wanted to make a deal with our Wang family."

"Deal?"

A white-haired clan elder narrowed his eyes and said in a hoarse voice: "Can he cure the plague so that my Wang family will no longer die?"

"No, but he can help Wang prevent the plague in advance."

Wang Bofan reached out to open the envelope when the white-haired man raised his hand to stop him.

The latter formed a hand seal, released his mind power, and enveloped Wang Bofan's body, forming an invisible ball that isolated Wang Bofan from other spaces in the darkroom.

"It's better to be cautious."

The clan elder's eyes flashed brightly and he put down his palm.

Wang Bofan nodded indifferently, knowing in his heart the reason why the other party did this - if the envelope was opened and a source of plague erupted from it, the whole Wang family would be destroyed.

He deliberately slowed down his movements, slowly opened the envelope, and pulled out a strange talisman.

The reason why it is weird is because what is written on the yellow paper talisman is not a rune, but a simple portrait of a child.

The child has a bright smile, has braids slanting back and up, has a thin and thin neck, and a big and round belly. He looks indescribably annoying.

"The letter claims that this talisman is the plague ghost talisman invented by someone in the late Han Dynasty."

Wang Bofan whispered: "In the 22nd year of Jian'an, malaise was prevalent, and the stupid people were disgusted with it."

The faces of everyone in the darkroom changed slightly. Wang Bofan's words came from Cao Zhi and Cao Zijian's "Speaking of Epidemics", which tells the story of a great plague in the late Han Dynasty that killed people in every household and even the whole family.

At that time, the people hung talismans in front of their doors in an attempt to resist the plague ghosts outside their doors.

Cao Zijian disagreed with this and claimed that this was the work of foolish people. The real cause of the epidemic was "the mismatch of yin and yang, and the wrong timing of cold and heat."

This sentence must take into account the background of the time. Cao Zijian's elder brother Cao Pi became the heir apparent in the 22nd year of Jian'an. The so-called "yin and yang are out of place, and the cold and heat are at the wrong time" is actually a metaphor. It was Cao Pi's becoming the heir apparent that led to divine punishment.

.

Every member of the Wang family is well-read in scriptures and knows this allusion very well. The only question is, what is the use of this plague ghost charm?

"To say it is useful, it is indeed useless. After all, after the establishment of the People's Republic of China, the plague still occurred. The act of hanging the talisman cannot stop the plague at all.

The research results of later generations of talisman masters, including the bachelors of the academy, on the plague ghost talisman also showed that this kind of talisman has no effect.

From the very beginning, he was a liar with no knowledge of the truth, drawn to defraud foolish men and women out of money."

Wang Bofan's eyes were dark and he said: "However, Yushi said in the letter that he studied the origins of the Plague Ghost Talisman in detail, found a way to turn the Plague Ghost Talisman into reality, and improved the Plague Ghost Talisman.

The current talisman does have the ability to drive away plague ghosts.

As long as someone copies the Plague Ghost Talisman and sticks it on the door of other people's homes, then the plague that should have happened to him will be passed on to others in the future."

"How is that possible?"

A clan elder scolded: "That's nonsense! The plague ghost doesn't exist at all!"

Wang Boxan glanced at the clan elder and saw that he was not only a member of the Wang clan, but also a member of the Neo-Confucian Society.

Since Ji Xingwang of Luli Academy invented the microscope a few years ago, the Society of Science has been using it to observe various objects.

First, countless small insects were discovered in the water, and new terms such as plankton, bacteria, and cells were created.

It was also discovered that the human body is actually composed of countless cells, destroying many previous concepts in one fell swoop.

Later, it was discovered that many diseases are actually caused by bacteria and spores, such as malaria. This includes the plague.

Since diseases have their carriers, the so-called epidemic ghosts and malaria ghosts are also imaginary by people, and naturally the talismans cannot be effective.

"There are indeed no plague ghosts that are as real as ghosts and gods."

Wang Bofan nodded and said: "But at the end of the Talisman Road, it is close to God. Who can tell clearly?

Maybe the plague ghost talisman can really bias the plague bacteria that are too small to be seen with the naked eye?

For example, do you tend to infect people affected by the talisman?

Just like drinking raw water can easily lead to diarrhea and dysentery, eating worm-bearing pork can cause worms to grow in your stomach."

"...Bo Fan."

Another clan elder took a deep breath and said in a deep voice: "We know that your eldest son is also infected with the plague and is bedridden. But this is not a solution to the problem.

Jun Qianzi, Situ Zhi, Ghost Spade, Yuansou and others in Zhaomingli are all criminals wanted for heinous crimes by various countries and even Mount Taihao. Being involved with them is already on the verge of treason."

"I know, I am very clear-headed, and I did not ignore the Wang family because of Jie'er's matter."

Mentioning his eldest son, Wang Bofan paused, exhaled, and said slowly: "The reason why I took out this letter is that Situ Zhi is indeed the most brilliant Gu master in the world. The disciples he taught have spent a lot of money.

He went to such great lengths to secretly pass the letter into the palace, he wouldn't have done it just to amuse us.

Second, we can conduct private experiments to test whether this so-called plague ghost charm is really useful.

If it is effective, then our Wang family will have room to move."

"You mean..."

The clan elder hesitated.

"We quietly spread the epidemic ghost talisman and how to use it to the people, allowing people to draw the talisman themselves and paste it on other people's doors."

A stern look flashed in Wang Bofan's eyes, "If this is the case, Taiyuan Mansion will be in chaos."

The faces of the clan elders all showed expressions of disbelief. Some took a breath, while others immediately calmed down and thought after being shocked.

The plague ghost charm cannot prevent the plague ghost, it can only pass the risk of contracting the disease to others.

This means that once the plague ghost talisman spreads among the people, in order to prevent their family members from being infected with the plague, people will madly draw the talismans and post them on the doors of their neighbors and enemies.

The plague ghost talisman will spread quickly throughout the city. Even if the town and Fusi come out in force, while confiscating folk talismans, they will issue repeated orders in newspapers and periodicals, indicating that the plague ghost talisman is ineffective.

It is also impossible to ban the human nature of survival and the practice of drawing talismans among the people.

The common people are always worried. Even if the government says something fantastic, they won't believe everything. Let alone something like this that concerns the life of the whole family.

In this way, the Plague Ghost Talisman will spread to every corner of the city like a real plague.

The result is that there are signs at every door.

"The spread of plague depends on people.

When people go to various cities and put up talismans, the plague will inevitably spread. Regardless of whether the plague ghost talisman is effective or not, it will spread chaos and plague in the city."

Wang Bofan said: "And if the plague ghost talisman is effective, it will be more beneficial to the Wang family - there are people guarding the Wang family's door, no one can put the talisman on it, and we can pass the risk to others.

At this time, countless people in the city were killed or injured, and we can imagine Li Ang's reaction again.

Either he will be ruined and will fall down from his position as the observer. Let us replace him with someone who can be influenced by the Wang family. The Wang family will take this opportunity to withdraw from Taiyuan Mansion and save themselves.

Or, His Majesty and the Academy must protect Li Ang no matter what, and he will continue to stay in the position of observer.

In order to collect the plague ghost charms from the people and at least prevent the plague ghost charms from Taiyuan Prefecture from spreading to other states, he can only borrow the power of my Wang family.

The Wang family can still take this opportunity to force Li Ang and agree to the Wang family's departure from Taiyuan Mansion.

No matter which one, it will be beneficial to me, the Wang family."

"...even at the cost of the lives of the people in the city?"

"It's not a price."

Wang Boxan said calmly: "Over the years, I, the Wang family, have made enough contributions to Taiyuan.

Which road and which bridge was not built with money from me, the Wang family?

Even the Taiyuan Hospital where Li Ang’s students now live was built by me, the Wang family.

In everything, the family should be given priority."

Wang Bofan's last words became the straw that broke the camel's back, and most of the clan elders nodded silently.
To be continued...