Inside the room, the Ghost Doctor was still busy, his eyes never closed, still treating Qi Guze.
Qi Guze lay quietly on the bed, his breathing weak, as if he might disappear into the boundless night at any moment.
“Ghost Doctor, you should take a rest too. I also know some medical skills and can take care of things here.” Xu Yuehuai approached the Ghost Doctor.
The Ghost Doctor looked at her with a smile, "You've followed me for so long and learned a lot, so I can indeed entrust this matter to you."
He smiled slightly, then became serious again. "However, the prince's condition fluctuates, so we must keep a close eye on him and not be careless. He needs to take different medicines every half hour, and you must not get the order wrong this time."
Following the Ghost Doctor's instructions, Xu Yuehuai carefully began to change Qi Guze's dressing.
"Each of these medicines has its own unique properties. They can stabilize the hidden injuries in his body and promote the healing of the wounds." Xu Yuehuai explained the effects of each medicine to the Ghost Doctor while operating the device.
The Ghost Doctor looked at Xu Yuehuai's almost perfect technique, nodded in satisfaction, and then slowly stood up, seemingly ready to rest.
"I can only rely on this method to keep going for now, but once I find other miracle drugs, I won't have to go through all this trouble."
After the Ghost Doctor left, Xu Yuehuai fell into silence. She sat next to Qi Guze and felt his low body temperature; her heart grew cold as well.
“Aze, when you wake up, we’ll go see the children. They must have grown so much, and they must miss you a lot.”
She kept talking in his ear, recounting many things from the past.
Qi Guze's ears twitched, as if he had really heard what she said.
The tranquility of the border town was broken by a knock on the door. General Liu, clad in armor, stood outside with a solemn expression.
Xu Yuehuai quickly put on his clothes and went out. "What happened, General Liu?"
General Liu immediately reported, "Your Highness, it has been a long time since any military rations have been delivered, and the army's food supplies are running low." After saying this, he frowned deeply, as if he could wring water out of his brows.
Xu Yuehuai frowned slightly and quickly responded: "Didn't you send anyone to gather information?"
"Several teams have been dispatched to investigate, but there has been no news to date. I'm afraid..." General Liu dared not finish his sentence.
“Alright, this matter cannot be delayed.” Xu Yuehuai made a decisive decision. “I will immediately arrange for new personnel to investigate.”
She turned around and called out loudly, "Yan Qing, Lu Li, come see me immediately!"
Before long, the two of them arrived as instructed, and after hearing Xu Yuehuai's arrangements, they took their orders and left.
However, at dusk the following day, Yan Qing and Lu Li brought back several cold corpses.
Xu Yuehuai squatted down and carefully examined the corpses. "The cause of death of these people does not seem to be stabbing. It seems more like they died suddenly."
Just then, the Ghost Doctor appeared silently behind the group and said slowly, "What the Princess said is absolutely right. They must have ingested some kind of special drug, which caused them to become mentally deranged and see unreal things. In their terror, their hearts stopped."
Xu Yuehuai immediately turned to General Liu: "General Liu, did these people eat anything unusual before they left?"
General Liu recalled for a moment and shook his head: "It was all the food we eat in the military camp every day, and there was nothing unusual about it."
Xu Yuehuai's doubts deepened, and she decided to investigate personally. "I'll go with you to the military camp kitchen."
Her words left no room for argument, and she immediately led the group straight to the military camp.
Inside the military camp kitchen, the stove was burning brightly, and wisps of smoke rose from the chimney.
Xu Yuehuai looked around, then slowly walked to the side of a short chef and asked casually, "It seems that you haven't quite mastered the heat control for this dish?"
The short chef looked up, his face full of astonishment, then said proudly, "Your Highness is mistaken. I have been cooking in the army since I was a child. With decades of culinary experience, how could I not even be able to control the heat?"
Xu Yuehuai smiled meaningfully, "Although I consider myself the best chef in the four kingdoms, your cooking skills are indeed questionable. Today, I will cook with you and prepare lunch for the soldiers together."
The short chef's expression changed slightly, but he dared not disobey and could only reluctantly agree.
Upon seeing this, all the chefs busied themselves, and the kitchen instantly became lively and bustling.
While assisting with the tasks, Xu Yuehuai discreetly observed everyone's actions, especially those of the short cook.
Suddenly, she noticed that the short chef's sleeve seemed to be stained with some strange powder. It wasn't a seasoning; it was more likely some kind of strange medicine.
Xu Yuehuai felt a chill run down her spine, but remained outwardly calm, subtly adjusting her position to observe better.
Once the meal was ready, Xu Yuehuai used an excuse to send the short cook away, quickly retrieved some food samples, and handed them to the accompanying ghost doctor for examination.
Before long, the Ghost Doctor reported with a solemn expression: "Your Highness, these dishes do indeed contain the same medicinal components as those found in the deceased's body."
With the truth revealed, a cold glint flashed in Xu Yuehuai's eyes: "What a scoundrel! How dare he commit such a despicable act in the army!"
Xu Yuehuai said in a deep voice to Yan Qing and Lu Li beside him, "Bring that chef back."
Immediately, Yan Qing and his companion left the kitchen and followed the chef's trail.
A hint of doubt flashed in General Liu's eyes: "They found out so easily? I have a feeling this matter isn't so simple." He had a deep understanding of the complexity of the situation, and his heart grew heavier.
Xu Yuehuai's lips suddenly curled into a meaningful smile: "If the other party is trying to attract and divert our attention, then we might as well play along."
"So that's how it is! I was being narrow-minded!" General Liu's face also showed a smile, and his doubts lessened.
Soon after, Yan Qing and Lu Li returned hastily. Yan Qing spoke first: "The cook escaped to the city wall near the border, fell off, and died on the spot. His body was in such a gruesome state that we didn't bring it back for you to see."
Xu Yuehuai lowered her gaze slightly and sighed softly: "As long as we confirm that he is dead, then everything will be fine. But we still need to handle this matter carefully and not take it lightly."
After saying that, she turned to Yan Qing and said, "Yan Qing, I have something to tell you."
She gently pulled Yan Qing aside, lowered her voice, and spoke rapidly: "Go and investigate the city immediately to see if there are any suspicious people, especially those outsiders whose whereabouts are uncertain. Also, secretly strengthen the defenses around the area to prevent similar incidents from happening again."
Yan Qing's expression hardened, and he nodded in agreement before quickly turning and leaving.
After Yan Qing's figure disappeared, Xu Yuehuai turned around and went to the pharmacy with the Ghost Doctor who had been standing silently by her side.
Inside the pharmacy, the two stood facing each other, the atmosphere somewhat heavy.
"Was that powder really what caused those soldiers to die suddenly?" Xu Yuehuai asked.
The Ghost Doctor replied, "It's very similar, but I feel it's definitely the same. This poison powder is extremely potent, which is truly rare."
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