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

Chapter 2118 Meeting in the old house

The entire courtyard was pitch black; not even the lanterns under the eaves were lit. Only a faint glimmer of starlight occasionally flashed across the distant horizon, barely enough to make out the outlines of the houses.

Further away, Governor Ding's courtyard was also pitch black, without even a single candle, as if it had become an empty courtyard.

All those who could be mobilized have already gone out.

A dark figure swept past Governor Ding's courtyard. The figure was incredibly fast, like a gust of wind, hugging the wall and making almost no sound.

The dark figure paused for a moment in front of Governor Ding's courtyard gate, making sure no one was there and that Governor Ding was not there either. Then it quietly retreated, walked along the courtyard wall to the backyard, quickly climbed over the low wall of the backyard, and silently landed in the alley outside the mansion.

The shadowy figure landed very lightly, like a feather brushing the ground.

She looked up at the night sky above. The starlight was dim, and the moonlight was obscured by clouds. It was the perfect time to act.

He wrapped his black cloak tighter around himself, obscuring most of his face in shadow, and turned to head west.

The east and west cities of Rongzhou have always been worlds apart.

The eastern part of the city was a prosperous place, with smooth bluestone roads and grand courtyards on both sides, vermilion gates, bronze rings and animal heads. At night, there were soldiers on patrol and lanterns from merchants, creating a scene of prosperity.

The western part of the city was a poor area with potholed roads, dilapidated mud houses with thatched roofs, and pitch black at night, where even decent lanterns were rare.

The Liu family has always been arrogant and looked down on the West City as a filthy place. They would never set foot there, let alone mention it.

That's why this place has become the most easily overlooked corner.

The shadowy figure moved with incredible speed, weaving through the narrow alleys of the western city. The soles of its shoes crunched over the pebbles, making almost no sound.

Occasionally, you can see a few mud-brick houses with dim lights, from which you can hear women whispering or children babbling in their sleep, which only adds to the tranquility of the area.

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the dark figure stopped in front of a dilapidated courtyard.

The courtyard was hidden deep in the alley, with walls made of gravel and mud, and weeds growing on top of them.

The courtyard was eerily quiet, without even the chirping of insects, like a secluded island cut off from the world.

The dark figure stood outside the courtyard gate, listened intently for a moment, and only after confirming that there was no movement inside did he let out a soft breath.

A breath escaped from beneath the cloak, condensing into a wisp of white mist in the cool night air before quickly dissipating.

Fortunately, no one has discovered this place.

She raised her hand, took out the key, and opened the door. The sound of the hinges turning was very soft, masked by the rustling of the wind.

She stepped into the yard; the soil beneath her feet was soft and damp.

The courtyard was empty, and the windows of the main house were tightly closed. The shadowy figure's gaze swept over every corner of the courtyard, and after confirming that there was no ambush, a silent, cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

Tonight, those people will probably be disappointed again.

Su Zhenhai, Prefect Ding, and those who were eager to find the "treasure" were only wasting their time. No one could have imagined that something hidden for so long would be in the slums of the western city.

As for the fate of the Liu family... the shadowy figure's eyes turned cold.

She can't care about them now, nor does she want to. Her only purpose in coming here is for that shipment.

Before the sneer had completely faded from his lips, a light suddenly turned on in the room.

The dim candlelight shone through the window paper, casting a blurry outline of the room.

The sudden light broke the silence of the courtyard and made the shadowy figure freeze instantly.

She instinctively took a step back and pressed herself against the courtyard wall, the shadow of her cloak obscuring her face.

My heart pounded softly in my chest, and my eyes, hidden in the shadows, suddenly sharpened, staring intently at the lit window.

There is someone in the house.

The door opened, and Yan Ruyu walked out in a halo of light. She stood against the light, her face showing a hint of coldness, her eyes clear and sharp as arrows.

The light shone directly into the dark shadows in the courtyard.

Upon seeing her, the shadowy figure forced a smile, took a few steps forward, and stepped into the light.

"Why are you here?"

Yan Ruyu's voice was calm, without surprise or blame.

Chunni's face immediately showed an expression of annoyance. She unconsciously twisted the hem of her clothes with her hands, stopped in her tracks, and spoke with a hint of grievance and panic.

"I... I was so bored staying in the yard that I wanted to sneak out and help, but I got lost and somehow ended up here."

As she spoke, she subconsciously looked around.

The night was deep, and only the outlines of the dilapidated houses around could be vaguely seen. Feeling somewhat afraid, I couldn't help but ask again, "Where...where exactly is this? It looks rather scary."

Looking at her flustered appearance, Yan Ruyu's lips curled into a half-smile, her eyes filled with a hint of inquiry: "How could you possibly end up here by any route?"

Chunni paused for a moment, then said somewhat awkwardly, "When I first arrived in Rongzhou, I had no money and nowhere to stay, so I found a dilapidated house in the western part of the city that no one lived in and settled down temporarily."

I remember... I think I've been here before.

Yan Ruyu's gaze lingered on her face for a moment before she finally nodded gently.

"Since you're here, come inside."

Chunni followed Yan Ruyu into the house, and a faint smell of oil lamp oil wafted towards them.

A small oil lamp was lit in the room, its wick flickering, its dim light barely illuminating the small space and casting long shadows of the two people onto the mottled wall, sometimes bright and sometimes dim.

After entering the room, Chunni quickly glanced around.

“I’ve already bought this house,” Yan Ruyu’s voice rang out from the side, interrupting her inspection.

Chunni was taken aback, a look of surprise on her face. She subconsciously looked at Yan Ruyu: "Why did you buy this place? This house is so dilapidated. I remember you bought a shop to do business before. Why did you think of buying such a run-down house?"

Yan Ruyu looked at her with a smile: "I'll buy the shop and the house. It doesn't matter if it's dilapidated, we can just tear it down and rebuild it. And it's not just this one, I'll buy all the dilapidated houses in this area."

"What?" Chunni was even more surprised, her eyes widening slightly.

She hesitated for a moment, but couldn't help but remind her, "I heard from the old residents of Xicheng that someone died here, and the death was quite tragic, so no one has dared to live here for years. Everyone says it's a haunted house."

Buying so many haunted houses is too risky. Maybe... you should reconsider?

Upon hearing this, Yan Ruyu's smile remained unchanged, completely disregarding her words: "Which house hasn't had people die in it? It's just a matter of whether they died sooner or later."

Besides, how many men have died under my command? If I were truly afraid of these things, I wouldn't be where I am today.

Yan Ruyu stared at her with clear eyes and said slowly, "I have never believed in ghosts or gods. Most of the ghosts and gods are just people pretending to be gods."