dognovel Chapter 2204: No progress yet.
Chapter 2204: No progress yet.
Yan Ruyu's voice was tinged with emotion: "Thank you all for your kind help."
Now that Youcheng is in trouble, it is precisely the time when we need to work together.
With you all here, I believe there's no obstacle we can't overcome, and we will definitely be able to cure these patients!
"Your Highness is too kind!" Doctor Zhang quickly said. "Treating the sick and saving lives is our duty. Moreover, Your Highness disregarded your own safety and took the lead in treating patients. We have even less reason to back down!"
"Your Highness, rest assured, if we don't have enough medicinal herbs, I will immediately send someone back to the pharmacy to get more. We will not let the herbs hold us back!"
Standing to the side, Governor Cao's eyes were already red as he watched this scene of unity and determination.
These days he has to worry about his wife's condition, as well as take care of patients and maintain order in the city, which puts him under tremendous pressure.
Seeing so many people standing up for the people of Youcheng, he couldn't hold back any longer and quietly wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes.
His voice trembled slightly as he said, "Good, good! With everyone's help, Youcheng is saved, and the people are saved!"
Yan Ruyu turned around, her gaze sweeping over everyone present, her tone calm and firm: "Since everyone is ready, let's begin!"
Dr. Cao, you are responsible for coordinating the diagnosis and treatment of critically ill patients and allocating the necessary medicinal materials;
Dr. Zhang, could you please lead a few doctors to look after the patients with mild symptoms and prescribe medication?
Shopkeeper, please arrange for the staff to brew the medicine and ensure that the decoction is delivered to each patient in a timely manner.
Cui Chong, thank you for leading the constables to maintain order and register the information of the new patients;
Song Ping, please assist me in recording the changes in the patients' conditions and their treatment progress.
"Yes, sir!" everyone responded in unison, their voices loud and clear.
In an instant, the entire mansion came to life.
Dr. Cao and Yan Ruyu went to see critically ill patients and helped them receive intravenous drips and medication.
Dr. Zhang and others sat behind a makeshift table, carefully inquiring about the condition of patients with mild symptoms and prescribing medications.
Manager Qian and his employees set up several large iron pots in a corner of the courtyard, chopped firewood, boiled water, and added medicine. Soon, a rich aroma of medicine filled the air.
The bailiffs followed Cui Chong, guiding the new patients in an orderly manner, registering their information and arranging beds;
Song Ping, holding paper and pen, followed Yan Ruyu, recording her instructions and the patients' conditions at any time.
The candlelight shone brightly, illuminating the busy figures of everyone.
The smell of medicine in the air grew stronger, no longer oppressive, but filled with a sense of hope.
Governor Cao stood in the center of the courtyard, looking at the bustling yet orderly scene, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
He knew that the battle against the unknown disease had only just begun, but with a leader like Yan Ruyu and so many people working together, he was filled with confidence.
As night deepened, the lights in the mansion remained bright, and the busy figures never stopped.
In the small courtyard.
The light was dim, candles were lit in the main room, and a map of Youcheng was laid out on the wooden table, marked with dense red dots.
Huo Changhe, dressed in black casual clothes, sat upright on the wooden chair in the main seat.
The candlelight cast shadows on his face, creating a play of light and shadow. His deep eyes were as calm as a still pool, revealing little emotion.
Two bodyguards stood bowing before the table, their voices extremely low.
"Your Highness, according to our investigation over the past few days, Manager Zhou of Baixing Teahouse stopped believing in Buddhism after his wife passed away. His family's small Buddhist shrine has long since stopped burning incense, and he has not continued to pay for incense at the temples outside the city."
Huo Changhe's fingers paused for a moment, then he looked up at the guard: "How did his wife die?"
“Your Highness,” the guard replied with his head bowed, “more than ten days ago, Manager Zhou’s wife was on her way to visit relatives in a neighboring county when she was robbed and killed by a group of bandits. All three maids and two servants who were traveling with her perished.”
Huo Changhe frowned slightly, his gaze darkening.
He had experienced too many conspiracies and intrigues, and the drama of faking death and disguise was commonplace. The incident of the fake governor of Rongzhou was still vivid in his mind, so he had no choice but to be more vigilant.
"Has it been confirmed that the corpse is indeed his wife?"
"I have checked repeatedly," the guard said with certainty, without the slightest hesitation. "After Manager Zhou found the body, he immediately invited the most famous coroner in the city to examine it. The coroner confirmed that the body was that of Madam Zhou."
Madam Zhou's relatives also came to pay their respects. After seeing the body, they had no objections. The matter spread to neighboring counties, and many people knew about this tragedy.
Huo Changhe fell silent, his fingertips landing on the edge of the table again, tapping lightly, the rhythm slow yet thoughtful.
"So, he felt that he had been a devout Buddhist for many years, sincerely worshipping the Buddha, but in the end, his wife did not receive any protection and instead died tragically at the hands of bandits, which made him disheartened and stop believing in Buddhism?"
“That should be the case,” another guard added. “I found out that Manager Zhou was a devout Buddhist in his early years. He would go to the temple to chant sutras on the first and fifteenth of every month. He kept his family’s Buddhist shrine meticulously, and he never engaged in the killing of animals in his teahouse business.”
After his wife's death, he donated the Buddha statues from his shrine to a temple in the suburbs, and thereafter never spoke of his faith again, becoming much more melancholic than before.
Huo Changhe slowly nodded, but he still felt that something was not quite right.
His gaze swept across the map on the table, where the location of Baixing Teahouse was marked with a striking red dot, not far from Yishengtang.
These two companies seem to have no connection, but they are both involved in this strange emergency. As a key figure, Manager Zhou's past cannot be easily overlooked.
"Keep an eye on this person." Huo Changhe's tone was calm and carried an unquestionable command. "Pay close attention to his every move, especially whether he has any private contact with people from Yishengtang. Don't miss any clues, no matter how small."
Remember, do not alert the enemy; all actions must be carried out in secrecy.
"Yes, sir!" the two guards replied in unison, bowing and accepting the order.
Huo Changhe raised his hand to rub his temples, his gaze returning to the guards, his tone becoming more urgent: "Have the people from Yishengtang found any clues?"
What's the progress of the investigation into their medicinal herb sources, supply channels, and the people in charge behind them?
Mentioning Yishengtang, the expressions of the two guards became more solemn.
"Your Highness, Yishengtang operates with extreme caution. Our subordinates have investigated the source of their medicinal materials, and on the surface, they are all purchased from legitimate pharmaceutical merchants. The accounts are clear and impeccable."
As for the supply channels, they have a dedicated fleet of vehicles for transportation, with varied routes and tight security.
"So, there hasn't been a substantial breakthrough yet?" Huo Changhe's voice turned cold.
"It is our incompetence, Your Highness. Please punish us." The two guards knelt down in unison, their voices full of remorse.
"Get up." Huo Changhe waved his hand, not being too harsh.
He knew that the guards had done their best, and the forces behind Yishengtang were clearly more troublesome than they had anticipated.
"This matter cannot be rushed," Huo Changhe said slowly, his gaze turning back to the night outside the window. "Continue your investigation, focusing on their fund flows and unusual medicinal herb purchases, especially those uncommon herbs. Perhaps that will provide a breakthrough."
"Yes!" The guards stood up and stood to the side again.
A brief silence fell over the room, broken only by the crackling of the flickering candlelight and the soft tapping of Huo Changhe's fingertips on the edge of the table.
He recalled the mysterious zither music Yan Ruyu had mentioned, as well as the tea and medicinal cuisine that showed no problems, and his doubts grew even stronger.
The death of Manager Zhou's wife seems like an accident, but could there be a hidden story?