On her wedding night, she went into exile with her pharmacy arsenal

Chapter 2287 Unexpected Visitor Arrives

Yan Ruyu met Princess Mingzhao, Mu Ning, in a hazy, dreamlike light.

She still had that carefree and unrestrained demeanor, her eyes and brows carrying the cheerful spirit of someone who had traveled far and wide, but her lips parted slightly, as if she had something to say to Yan Ruyu.

The sound floated in her ears, as blurry as if through a thin mist. Yan Ruyu listened intently, but she couldn't make out the words.

Before she could figure it out, the sound dissipated.

When I opened my eyes again, the plain embroidered patterns on the top of the tent were clearly visible. The sky outside the window was already slightly bright, and the morning breeze blew through the window frame, carrying a slightly cool feeling.

Yan Ruyu gently rubbed her temples, her fingertips still feeling tired where they touched, the scenes from her dream still lingering in her mind.

Princess Mingzhao's hesitant expression was very genuine.

She sat leaning against the headboard for a moment, silently counting the days. Princess Mingzhao had been traveling since she left Youcheng, which was nearly half a year ago.

The initial letters came frequently. He mentioned that he had been to Jiangnan and seen the misty rain of the water towns. He also mentioned that he had gone to the southwest and seen Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake. The last letter at the end of last month only said that he was in the Yunnan area and everything was fine. Then there was no more news.

I wonder where the princess is right now, whether she is still lingering in Yunnan or has gone somewhere else.

This unexpected dream left her with a strange sense of unease, wondering if it held any special meaning.

When she arrived at the dining hall after getting ready, Huo Changhe was already sitting there. On the table were several delicate side dishes, a bowl of warm lotus seed porridge, and several steamed snacks.

Huo Changhe personally served her food, and Yan Ruyu picked up her chopsticks, lost in thought.

Huo Changhe asked gently, "What's wrong? You seem distracted this morning. Did you not sleep well last night?"

Yan Ruyu snapped out of her daze, looked up at him, and gently shook her head.

"It's not that I didn't sleep well, it's just that I had a dream last night about Princess Mingzhao."

"Oh? You dreamed about her?" Huo Changhe raised an eyebrow, scooped a spoonful of porridge into his mouth, and smiled lightly. "The princess is quite skilled. She's always been an adventurous person. She fought on the battlefield in her early years and has seen quite a bit of the world."

She has Mu Chen with her, along with several guards, all of whom are well-trained. Besides, doesn't she write letters frequently? There's no need to worry.”

As Yan Ruyu listened to his words, the inexplicable longing in her heart faded somewhat.

The princess is not a delicate person to begin with, and she has capable people by her side, so nothing should happen to her. It's probably because she hasn't seen her for a long time and misses her, which is why she thinks about her during the day and dreams about her at night.

She felt relieved and stopped thinking about the dream.

The turmoil of the plague in Youcheng had only just subsided. Although Miaoqin and her group had been captured, there were still many things to deal with afterward.

The free clinic converted from the Qin family's pharmacy also needs to get on track as soon as possible. This requires checking the list of medicinal materials and arranging the doctors' shifts.

People who have been affected by the epidemic also need to be comforted.

In addition, she also needed to discuss subsequent security matters with the governor's office, and there were many things waiting for her to do.

After breakfast, Yan Ruyu took Linlang and Su Shengsheng to the free clinic, where they were busy all morning.

After arranging everything properly and chatting with the doctor on duty about the patients who had come to see him recently, he breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that there was nothing seriously wrong.

Huo Changhe met Ma Liyu and others at the martial arts training ground in the Prince's Mansion. During the epidemic, they had been guarding the treatment center and various parts of Youcheng, protecting the safety of the people, and were busy with other tasks.

Now that the storm has passed and Youcheng has returned to peace, it's time for them to return to the manor to continue their training.

He stood on the stone platform of the training ground, his gaze sweeping over the guards lined up below, and said in a deep voice: "The matter of Youcheng has come to a temporary end. You will return to the manor today and continue your training as usual. Do not slack off."

If there are any future transfers, I will send a message over.

Ma Liyu stepped forward, bowed, and accepted the order: "Your subordinate obeys and will certainly not fail Your Highness's trust."

Huo Changhe nodded, gave a few more instructions on the details of the training, and then told them to go pack their belongings and prepare to leave.

Just as he turned to return to the main hall, he saw Song Ping hurrying towards him from the direction of the mansion gate.

"Your Highness, Commander Xiao has arrived and is currently waiting in the main hall."

"Xiao Chiye?" Huo Changhe's eyes flashed with surprise upon hearing this, followed by a surge of joy.

Xiao Chiye is now the governor of Shencheng. Shencheng is the gateway to this dynasty, guarding the vital road outside the pass. He bears a heavy responsibility and cannot easily leave Shencheng. His sudden visit to Youcheng must be for something important.

Without further delay, he walked towards the main hall. As soon as he entered the hall, he saw a man dressed in black tight-fitting clothes standing in the hall. He was tall and straight with a resolute face. It was Xiao Chiye.

Upon seeing Huo Changhe enter, Xiao Chiye immediately stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "This humble general, Xiao Chiye, greets Your Highness."

"No need for formalities." Huo Changhe stepped forward and patted him on the shoulder.

"Why didn't you stay in Shencheng and instead came to Youcheng all of a sudden? Has something happened in Shencheng?"

Xiao Chiye straightened up and shook his head: "Your Highness, rest assured, everything is fine in Shencheng, and the border is also safe and peaceful, with no unusual activity."

I heard a few days ago that something happened in Youcheng, that there seemed to be an epidemic spreading. I was worried, so I sent a few people over to ask if we needed some people from Shencheng to come and help.

But to everyone's surprise, more than ten days have passed since the people sent out, more than half a month has gone by, and there hasn't been a single reply.

He paused, a hint of worry creeping into his eyes: "I have a bad feeling about this."

"Shencheng can't be left without someone for the time being, but I'm worried about Youcheng and the people I've sent out. So I had no choice but to entrust the affairs of the prefecture to my deputy and come over to inquire about the situation."

Huo Changhe's expression darkened slightly: "Something did happen in Youcheng. Someone poisoned the medicinal herbs, intending to disrupt the situation, and almost caused an epidemic."

Fortunately, the situation was handled well. The turmoil has passed, the people are safe and sound, and those who caused the disturbance have been arrested and dealt with.

He looked at Xiao Chiye and said in a solemn tone, "However, I have never seen the people you sent."

Logically speaking, the journey from Shencheng to Youcheng by official road should only take six or seven days. Even with delays along the way, it shouldn't have taken half a month without any news.

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing unease in each other's eyes, clearly sensing that this matter was probably not simple.

Huo Changhe asked, "Tell me in detail, what kind of people were sent out? When did they depart from Shanghai? Which route did they take?"

Xiao Chiye replied, "A total of three people were sent out."

The leader was Chen San, along with Li Wu and Wang Gui, all of whom were skilled men under my command. They were also veterans trained by the Prince when he was the commander in Shanghai, and they were both skilled and meticulous.

They set off from Shanghai on the tenth day of last month, taking the official road.

"I have already sent men to search along the official road towards Youcheng, but before I received any news, I came here first."