Chapter 445 Murderous Intent!

The eldest son?

Yuwen Qian?!

Upon hearing this person's name, Shang Ruyi's breath caught in her throat.

She subconsciously thought of the dream she had just had, and a chill ran down her spine. She looked at Nie Chong nervously and asked, "Besides those three words, what else did you hear?"

Nie Chong said, "Please forgive me, young mistress, I only heard those three words."

"..."

Shang Ruyi sighed inwardly.

But she also knew that Nie Chong couldn't be blamed. The military camp was so big, and the camps where Song Yu and Ma Xu were located were far away from the camps of the groups of people brought by Yuwen Ye. There were also people training in the drill ground in between. Ordinary people might not be able to hear what the people on the other side were saying, let alone hear the gongs and drums being played on the other side.

The fact that he could hear those three words already made him worthy of the title "Hearers Who Can Hear Everything".

Shang Ruyi said, "Thank you for your hard work."

"I wouldn't dare."

"By the way, you just mentioned that soldiers are training on the drill ground. Have they been training every day these days?"

"yes."

"them--"

Nie Chong said, "It seems that they are planning to send troops right now."

Shang Ruyi frowned.

Could that person from Daxing City be someone sent by Yuwen Qian? He went to see Song Yu and Ma Xu as soon as he arrived, so they really are in cahoots?

But what message did this person come to deliver to Yuwen Qian?

Are we to persuade Song Yu and his men to persist in sending troops?

However, this is a military matter, and Yuwen Qian doesn't seem to have any intention of interfering in the military operations in Fufeng. Why did he suddenly send someone over at this time?

Shang Ruyi felt a wave of dizziness.

Just then, a series of heavy footsteps sounded behind her. Turning around, she saw Shan Tong'er running over, covered in sweat. As soon as she saw Shang Ruyi, she immediately said, "Sister Ruyi."

Shang Ruyi asked, "Why are you sweating so much?"

Shan Tong wiped his forehead with his arm and said, "I was practicing my skills in the backyard just now. I can't go back to camp for the next two days, but I can't let my skills fall behind. I still need to protect you and Second Brother Yuwen."

Despite the gloom that shrouded her heart, Shang Ruyi couldn't help but smile upon hearing these words.

She took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from behind his ears, saying softly, "Go eat with your brother Nie, or you won't be able to get any later."

Shan Tong'er chuckled shyly, then tilted his head and looked at her intently.

"Sister Ruyi, you look very tired."

"Yeah?"

Shang Ruyi subconsciously reached out and touched her face. She knew that although she hadn't fallen ill, the ordeal of the past few days must have made her look quite unsightly.

Shang Ruyi smiled faintly and said, "Maybe he didn't sleep well."

Shan Tong'er looked at her with concern and said, "You must take good care of yourself too. Second Brother's illness has already made everyone very sad. If you also fall ill, we will all be at a loss."

As he spoke, he muttered, "And yet, you've always stayed by your second brother's side."

"..."

Nie Chong, who was standing nearby, reached out and patted him on the shoulder.

Shang Ruyi's expression darkened slightly, but she immediately smiled and said, "I know how to take care of myself, you all go ahead."

Shan Tong'er didn't say much and followed Nie Chong away.

This courtyard had never had any servants, and no one ever approached it. With Shan Tong'er gone, it became even quieter, so quiet that you couldn't even hear the wind. Shang Ruyi watched their backs as they left, the smile on her face slowly fading, and her already troubled thoughts becoming even more chaotic at that moment.

After an unknown amount of time, she finally turned around and went back to her room.

As soon as they entered, they saw Wo Xue take out a paper tube made of cotton paper from a corner alley. It was prepared by the government officials. The things He Wenzhu used for fumigation were all brought with him, but there were only a few of those medicinal materials left. In the past few days, Yin Changyue and his men sent people to search the city. Although they did not find any medicine that could treat the plague, they did prepare a lot of fumigation materials such as sandalwood and mugwort, and sent them over directly.

Upon seeing her return, Wo Xue immediately said, "Young Madam, I have a fever."

Shang Ruyi nodded and immediately closed the door.

Wo Xue lit the paper tube, then shook it twice to extinguish the flame. Immediately, a thick smoke billowed out of the paper tube. Wo Xue took the paper tube and began to shake it around the bedside. Before long, the smoke filled the entire room.

Shang Ruyi had already walked to the bedside and coughed lightly twice.

However, after smoking for a while, you can open the door to ventilate the room, and it won't feel so stuffy anymore.

But for some reason, after coughing twice, she felt dizzy again. She hurriedly reached out to hold onto the screen next to her, only to see that He Wenzhu on the other side had also started coughing. Wo Xue, who was closer, was even more affected by the fumes, her eyes turning red and tears streaming down her face as she coughed incessantly.

She said, "Why does it smell so pungent today?"

"...?"

Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi and He Wenzhu subconsciously looked up and exchanged a glance, as if they both sensed something.

He Wenzhu hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Miss Woxue, please allow this old man—"

But before he could finish speaking, his legs suddenly gave way and he nearly fell!

Wo Xue quickly reached out to support him: "Old sir."

Shang Ruyi increasingly felt something was wrong. The smoke today was not only choking, but it also made her feel dizzy and even had a slight urge to vomit.

The smoke seemed to be—

At this moment, He Wenzhu was already half-lying on the ground. Even with Wo Xue's support, he couldn't stand up at all. But because he was closer to the ground, he could smell it more clearly. He coughed and said, "There seems to be some, some hook vines in there."

Uncaria rhynchophylla?!

Upon hearing those two words, Shang Ruyi's brows furrowed immediately.

She vaguely remembered that although this medicine had the effect of clearing heat and calming the liver, if the processed Uncaria rhynchophylla was burned, it would cause people to fall into a coma!

Why are there hook vines in the things they're burning?!

But there was no time to worry about that now. Shang Ruyi immediately said to Wo Xue, "Quick, turn it off!"

"Ah? Okay!"

Upon hearing this, Wo Xue understood what was going on. Despite her dizziness, she hurriedly threw the cotton paper tube on the ground and stomped on it twice. However, the thick smoke continued to billow in the room, making them even more dizzy.

Just then, Shang Ruyi suddenly heard a heavy breathing sound beside her.

Looking down, one could see Yuwen Ye lying on the bed, unconscious for days. His face was flushed with a sickly red, and his lips were a deep purple. He was clenching his teeth and his brows were furrowed, as if he was trying his best to endure something.

This cigarette is harmful to ordinary people, let alone him!

Shang Ruyi's eyes reddened with anxiety, but she didn't have time to think. She immediately pulled off the veil that He Wenzhu had soaked in medicine over her face and covered Yuwen Ye with it.

Immediately, his breathing became smoother.

But that wasn't enough. Even though Wo Xue stomped out the cotton paper tube, the thick smoke in the room still hadn't dissipated. In fact, it seemed to be even thicker than before, making it feel like they were being burned when they breathed. Coupled with the dizziness and heaviness caused by the burning of the hook vine, the three people in the room were having some difficulty moving.

Shang Ruyi covered her mouth and nose with one arm and said to Wo Xue, "Go quickly and open the door!"

"Oh, okay!"

Upon hearing this, Wo Xue hurriedly suppressed her dizziness and rushed to the door, about to push it open.

But then there was a loud clanging sound.

When I pushed it, the door was found to be tightly shut!

Wo Xue was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly pushed the door twice more. The door rattled, but she still couldn't open it. Not only that, she could even feel a scorching heat, even more intense than the thick smoke inside the room, seeping in from outside.

She shouted, "Young Madam, the door won't open!"

"What?!"

Shang Ruyi was shocked. When she came in, she had only left the door slightly ajar. How come the door couldn't be opened now?

Is it locked, or is someone there?!

At this moment, danger and worry surged into her heart, making Shang Ruyi, who was already suffocating from the smoke, feel her vision blurring. But she still gritted her teeth and stood up. Seeing that Wo Xue pushed hard several times but still couldn't open the door, she didn't go to the door. Instead, she rushed to the window directly opposite the foot of the bed. Although the windows had been closed and hadn't been opened for days, they weren't locked. If the door was blocked, she could still get some air through the window.

But with that push, her heart sank.

Even the windows were shut shut!

Someone added Uncaria rhynchophylla, a drug that causes unconsciousness, to the herbs they were fumigating. Then, while everyone in the government office was out eating and Shan Tong'er had left, leaving only a few people in their room, they sealed the doors and windows from the outside, thus trapping them all inside.

But what can be done?

Even if the effects of Uncaria rhynchophylla do cause them to fall into a coma, it will only cause them to fall into a coma, not kill them.

Could it be that—

Shang Ruyi raised her head and looked at the thick smoke around her that was so thick that it was almost impossible to see. A flash of inspiration suddenly appeared in her dazed mind. Just then, she saw Wo Xue's face darken as she looked at the door that she couldn't push open. She took a step back, took a deep breath, and then kicked out suddenly.

"don't want!"

Shang Ruyi shouted and rushed towards her.

But by then, it was too late.

Wo Xue kicked the door hard, and with a loud "bang," the door trembled so violently that it almost cracked the wall. She kicked a large hole in it, and a large piece of the door flew out.

Wo Xue's face lit up with joy.

But the next moment, a ball of crimson flame suddenly rushed in from outside, heading straight for her face.

Wo Xue was unable to dodge in time and was about to be engulfed by the flames when Shang Ruyi suddenly rushed up and pulled her back.

With a whoosh, the flame swept straight down from above her head!