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

Chapter 2075 The People Who Killed You

Liu Jiulang kowtowed several times, then stood up and placed the last incense stick into the bronze incense burner in front of the statue.

As he turned around, the hem of his wide robe swept across the blue bricks, stirring up a very light breeze.

The bands around them had already set up their formation at some point. The lead drummer tapped his drumsticks on the edge of the drum, glanced at everyone present, and then lowered his wrist, bringing down the first drumbeat.

The drumbeats were not as gentle as those of ordinary sacrificial rites; instead, they carried a heavy, forceful force, striking the heart with each beat.

Immediately afterwards, horns sounded one after another, the melody so powerful it was almost jarring, not a gentle tune for praying for divine protection, but rather conveying a sense of grim determination and the threat of war.

Yan Ruyu stood in the shadows, her brows slightly furrowed. For some reason, the melody seemed familiar, as if she'd heard it somewhere before—perhaps a tune played on ancient battlefields in a movie or TV series?

Or perhaps you've seen it in a historical documentary?

She tried hard to recall, but only a blurry image remained in her mind; she couldn't grasp any specific memories.

The music lasted for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. When the last note fell, the lingering sound of the horn still remained in the air. Liu Jiulang looked up at Governor Ding, who was standing on his left.

Governor Ding raised his hand and waved it, his movements unhurried. The eight men who had carried the statue earlier immediately stepped forward. They were all dressed in shorts with their sleeves rolled up to their elbows, revealing their strong forearms.

The man at the head walked to the base of the statue, bent down and threaded the wooden bar into the pre-set buckle. The others quickly followed suit, forming a group of four, each holding onto the wooden bar in front and behind.

"Lift!" the leading man shouted, and the eight men exerted their strength at the same time, and the statue was steadily lifted.

They walked in unison toward the water, their footsteps making no extra sound on the stone path, except for the occasional slight creaking of the wooden planks.

Upon reaching the water's edge, the men slowed their pace and gently lowered the statue into the water.

The river water overflowed the base of the statue, creating ripples, and then flowed down the folds of the statue's robes.

Just as the base of the statue was completely submerged in the water, a voice suddenly rang out from the crowd, shouting only one word: "Worship!"

Liu Jiulang was the first to kneel down, placing his hands in front of his knees and keeping his back straight.

Governor Ding followed closely behind, the hem of his official robe spread out on the ground without being disheveled.

The officials and their entourage on the shore also knelt down in unison.

The people in the distance, needless to say, remained kneeling on the ground, not even raising their heads.

They bowed silently before the rolling waves.

On the surface, it is a plea to heaven and the gods, and the people behind it must also think so, placing their hopes for a better life on this kind of sacrifice.

But in reality, they had no idea what was on the water.

Yan Ruyu stood still, her gaze sweeping over the dark mass of figures in front of her.

So many people are kneeling here, and not a single person is speaking; even their breathing is so soft it's almost inaudible.

All I could hear was the sound of the rushing river. Mist rose from the water's surface, carrying the scent of still-burning incense and candles, which filled my nostrils and made me feel a little stuffy.

She looked at Liu Jiulang in the front row. He remained kneeling, his profile somewhat blurred in the mist, yet exuding an unusual solemnity.

The scene was eerie; grand yet eerily quiet.

Just then, Huo Changhe gently grasped her fingertips.

Yan Ruyu turned her head to look over, and Huo Changhe gave her a wink, gesturing towards the right.

She immediately understood and nodded slightly. While everyone was focused on kneeling and worshipping, the two of them took very light steps and retreated little by little before turning around and leaving.

After walking for about half an incense stick's time, we stopped ahead, and soon the soft sound of oars paddling across the water could be heard.

Huo Changhe led Yan Ruyu onto a tree on the shore, then pushed aside the branches in front of them and looked ahead.

Yan Ruyu also stuck her head out, and immediately a fast boat appeared in her line of sight, slowly sailing towards them.

Three men stood on the boat, each holding a knife, the blades gleaming coldly in the mist.

One of the men walked to the stern of the boat, where two women were tied up. They were not gagged, but their heads were hanging down, their long hair covering their faces, so their expressions were not visible.

The man bent down and cut the ropes binding them with his knife, his movements swift and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.

The moment the rope hit the ground, he reached out and grabbed one of the women's arms, giving her a gentle push. The woman fell into the water with a "plop," without even struggling.

The other woman was pushed into the water and quickly disappeared.

The men didn't look into the water; instead, they turned and walked to the iron chain at the stern of the boat. One of them reached out and unhooked the chain.

The chains, now unrestrained, immediately plunged into the water, splashing up a spray before sinking, leaving only ripples on the surface.

“This should be the ship that brought the divine beast,” Yan Ruyu said in a low voice, with a hint of certainty. “Those two women are bait, meant to make the divine beast work harder.”

She turned to look at Huo Changhe, her eyes filled with a hint of coldness—this was clearly not the first time he had done something like this.

Huo Changhe nodded, his gaze still fixed on the ship, his tone laced with sarcasm: "Looks like you're all very experienced; you do this all the time."

He noticed that the man who had pushed the woman into the water was now wiping his knife with a cloth, his face expressionless.

Yan Ruyu stared at the ship, remained silent for a moment, then looked at Huo Changhe and asked, "Shall we board?"

Upon hearing this, Huo Changhe smiled slightly. He reached out and gently put his arm around Yan Ruyu's waist, then with a slight effort, he lifted her into the air.

The two lightly touched the water's surface with their toes, using that momentum to leap up again and land steadily on the ship's deck.

The deck was a little damp, and there was a cool sensation underfoot.

The three men on the boat had just breathed a sigh of relief when one of them, leaning against the gunwale, said in a relaxed tone, "Things went fairly smoothly today. Those two women didn't cause any trouble, which saved us a lot of trouble."

Another man chuckled in agreement, about to reply, when he turned around and saw Yan Ruyu and Huo Changhe suddenly appear on the deck.

His smile froze instantly, his eyes widened, and he instinctively gripped the knife in his hand, his voice tinged with panic: "Who are you people?"

The other two men reacted immediately, turning around and pointing their knives at the two men, their expressions wary.

Huo Changhe stood in front of Yan Ruyu, slightly turning his body to block her view.

He looked at the three men in front of him, his tone calm but carrying an undeniable chill: "The men who will kill you."