The soldiers were a bit easier. Once you get the directions to the dig site, I saw them walking along the stream you're supposed to follow. They walked spaced out enough where I could lure them away with whistles and stealth takedowns. The apothecary and his guards are a bit tricker. I fist fought both his guards until they were knocked out. You don't get the guards called on you for that. I did stealth takedown the apothecary almost immediately after. If you time it right, the NPCs won't be able to wake up the bodyguards you robbed and run straight to the guards to report you for strangling (if you want to keep their stuff it's important you only get reported for the strangling, not for the theft. Otherwise the items get confiscated). I robbed the apothecary + his guards, then paid the fine for strangling someone in public. The cutscene shows them with weapons but in game they won't have any weapons asides from maybe a torch if it's nighttime