Chapter 540 The Guest of Guanghan
Administering medicine?!
Upon hearing those two words, Shang Ruyi's eyes suddenly darkened.
She had thought before that this sudden plague might lead to the discovery of the people who had been scavenging medicinal herbs in Daxing City, and thus find out who was behind the plot to harm Yuwen Ye. But she didn't expect it to happen so quickly!
There's no one else who could possibly provide medicine in a time like this!
She immediately exclaimed, "Who is administering the medicine?!"
Wo Xue said, “A group of people came—just like the people that Young Master Pei brought. However, they didn’t keep accounts or keep count; they just had the patients at Yanzuofang line up to receive their medicine.”
"oh……"
Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi and Pei Xingyuan exchanged a glance.
Neither of them said much, but Pei Xingyuan immediately asked, "Who sent these people to distribute the medicine?"
Wo Xue frowned and said, "I can't tell the way. These people seem to be just following orders. I saw several patients who received medicine asking for the name of their savior with great gratitude, saying they wanted to go back and set up a memorial tablet and burn incense for their benefactor. But those who gave the medicine only said—don't ask for names."
"..."
Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi frowned again.
Do not ask my name.
These four words perfectly capture both aloofness and carefree spirit.
Under normal circumstances, if Shang Ruyi heard someone administering medicine utter these four words in a city ravaged by plague, she would have thought that the person was a living god or bodhisattva. But at this moment, these four words sounded like a deep, almost bone-chilling irony to her.
Although it appears to be a benevolent act of charity, only Shang Ruyi, residing in the western part of the city, understands that this person only distributes medicine in Yanzuo Ward. In other words, the person behind it is willing to forgo fame and fortune, doing all this for only one purpose—
Eradicate the plague in the eastern part of the city!
This is what Shen Wuzheng said before: this person is helping Yuwen Qian!
Wo Xue continued, "This servant wanted to find out more, but those people were very cautious and wouldn't say a word more. Moreover, the guards at Yanzuofang were very strict. This servant was worried that if I stayed too long, I would be discovered, so I had to hurry back to report to the young mistress."
Shang Ruyi asked, "Aren't there any other clues at all?"
Wo Xue said, "Those people are very tight-lipped, and I really didn't get a single clue, but—"
"But what?"
"However, the person that the young mistress asked me to follow disappeared when he walked into the crowd of people dispensing medicine. I suspect that he may be connected with those people."
"oh?"
"Moreover, he left in a hurry and dropped something. I thought it might be useful, so I picked it up."
"What is it? Show it to me."
Wo Xue hurriedly reached into her bosom and pulled something out, handing it to Shang Ruyi. She then said, "It was because I picked up this that I lost focus and got lost."
Shang Ruyi looked down and saw what it was, and immediately gasped.
That was a money bag!
Although money pouches are not uncommon, not to mention these noble families, ordinary people also carry money pouches with them when they go out and about, but the money pouch in front of them is particularly eye-catching - it is made of the finest satin, all black, without any decorations of flowers, birds, fish and insects, only a circle embroidered with moon white silk thread in the very center of the money pouch!
It was exactly the same money bag they had found halfway up the mountain after being attacked in the valley across the Yi River!
Could it be that—
A sudden surge of emotion washed over Shang Ruyi, and at the same time, that familiar feeling, as if struck by lightning, struck her again. Cold sweat broke out, her whole body turned icy, and even her movement to reach for the money bag faltered for a moment. Her fingertips trembled, and the money bag fell from their hands.
"well!"
Wo Xue exclaimed in surprise.
Just then, another hand suddenly reached out and grabbed the money bag!
"This is--"
Shang Ruyi was still a little dazed, but Shen Wuzheng, who had turned around, had already opened his eyes wide with surprise: "Wuzheng!"
Standing in front of them, the one who steadily caught the money bag with one hand was none other than Shen Wuzheng!
He had arrived at some unknown time, his face veiled by the same one Shang Ruyi had given him, revealing his eyes, which were usually filled with a gentle smile. But at this moment, a deep melancholy shone in those eyes as he stared at the money pouch in his hand, his brow furrowed.
Upon seeing him, Pei Xingyuan, who had just been somewhat surprised and worried, immediately cheered up, put his arm around his shoulder, and laughed, "Hey, when did you get here? Did you see me just now? I looked so impressive!"
Although his attention was immediately drawn to the money pouch, upon hearing his words, Shen Wuzheng looked up at him helplessly, shook his head, and said, "What kind of prestige is that?"
"How can it not count? I've silenced so many people with my words."
"That's just twisted logic."
"How is that fallacy? I—"
Seeing that he was about to argue, Shen Wuzheng didn't have time to argue with him. He turned to Shang Ruyi and immediately asked, "Little sister, what's wrong? Why do you look so pale?"
"Huh? I, I'm fine."
Although she had become familiar with this feeling over the past few days and even vaguely knew where it came from, she couldn't avoid the physical reaction. Shang Ruyi could only hurriedly raise her hand to wipe the sweat from her forehead and the tip of her nose, force a smile, and then say, "Brother, why are you here?"
Shen Wuzheng looked up and glanced around at the patients who were still queuing, reluctantly but obediently taking out their hard-earned money to buy medicine. He then said, "I was worried, so I came to check on them."
Feeling slighted, Pei Xingyuan immediately said, "What's there to worry about? Leave it to me, I won't mess it up even if I don't do it well."
Shen Wuzheng completely ignored him.
His gaze fell once more on the money pouch in his hand, his eyes growing even more intense.
Seeing the slight furrow in his brow, Pei Xingyuan finally noticed something and asked, "What's wrong? Is there anything special about this purse? It's just embroidered with round things—what are they, a moon or a cake? It's a mooncake, isn't it?"
Although she had mixed feelings, Shang Ruyi still chuckled at his words.
After laughing, her heart suddenly sank, and she glanced at the money pouch again.
Seeing their unfathomable and thoughtful expressions, Pei Xingyuan couldn't stand it. He grabbed Shen Wuzheng and demanded an answer. Unable to resist his nagging, Shen Wuzheng told Pei Xingyuan about how he, Yuwen Ye, and Shang Ruyi had crossed the Yi River and encountered danger in the valley, nearly being crushed to death by large rocks in their carriage. He then said, "Afterwards, we sent people to investigate halfway up the mountain. Although the perpetrators were gone, we found a money pouch, which must have been left behind by them."
After he finished speaking, he lowered his head and stared intently at the money pouch.
Shang Ruyi also said, "Brother, if I remember correctly, this is exactly the same as the money bag we found back then, right?"
Shen Wuzheng nodded silently.
Pei Xingyuan took a deep breath and said in astonishment, "So, this person who looted the medicinal herbs and wanted to kill Feng Chen has wanted your lives for so long?"
Shang Ruyi said in a deep voice, "It's not just that."
"What?"
"Later, our people also found some traces of saltpeter, sulfur and charcoal piled up in the shady part of that valley, but they had been taken away."
"..."
In other words—
"In other words, that person went so far as to blow up a valley just to take you all down—no, this person was probably targeting Feng Chen, and the others were probably just incidental."
Hearing this, even though she was the one who had gone through it all, Shang Ruyi still couldn't help but shudder.
Pei Xingyuan is right.
That person was targeting only Yuwen Ye from beginning to end.
It was only because they were traveling with Yuwen Ye that the falling boulder might kill her, who was also in the carriage; and it was only because Mu Xian, Cheng Qiao, Shan Tong'er, and the others were Yuwen Ye's subordinates that if the saltpeter and sulfur destroyed the entire valley, they would also be buried with him.
even--
That person plundered the entire city of Daxing and the entire Guanzhong region of medicinal herbs, just to make Yuwen Ye suffer from a serious illness and die from it. As for whether the plague would spread and affect people in and outside the city, causing them to die without any cure, that was not even within that person's consideration.
That person only wanted to take Yuwen Ye's life!
Realizing this, not only did Shang Ruyi feel a chill run down her spine, but even Pei Xingyuan, who usually dealt with all difficulties and obstacles with a smile, frowned. For the first time, a hint of anger appeared on his handsome face as he said in a deep voice, "Who on earth is it? So ruthless!"
Shang Ruyi didn't speak, but her brows were already furrowed into a knot.
Although these things seem to be connected, this person has always remained hidden behind the fog, doing so many things without even a name!
Who exactly is this person?!
Just as her mind was in turmoil, Shen Wuzheng's clear voice suddenly rang in her ears—
"I think I know who this person is."
"...!?"
Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi and Pei Xingyuan both widened their eyes and stared at him. Even Wo Xue, who had been silent all along, couldn't help but take a deep breath and stare intently at him.
Shang Ruyi hurriedly asked, "Brother, how did you know?"
Shen Wuzheng looked down at the money pouch in his hand again and said in a deep voice, "I just remembered that I may have seen this money pouch a few days ago."
"I saw you a while ago? When and where?"
"Poetry Competition".
A poetry competition?!
Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi and Pei Xingyuan were startled again. Pei Xingyuan immediately asked, "Is it the poetry competition that Shenjuan Pavilion organized before, the one you almost lost? Who used this money bag?"
As he said this, he seemed to remember something and suddenly opened his eyes wide.
"Could it be—"
Shen Wuzheng looked at him, then at Shang Ruyi, and said in a deep voice, "Guest of Guanghan."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com