"I said it was poison, so it's poison," Leng Ningyue explained lightly, causing Ye Shengxiao to roll his eyes wildly.
"No, not only did I almost lose my life, but I also took all the blame. How could you bear to poison me?"
"To be precise, it should be that I spared your life."
"Alright, alright, even if you, Grandma, showed mercy and spared my life, can you at least give me the antidote? Since yesterday, I've been covered in red rashes, itching terribly, suffering from unbearable abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. I'm practically being tormented into losing my human form. The deadline of three days is almost here. Am I really going to kick the bucket?" Ye Shengxiao, feeling like he was beyond saving, was on the verge of tears.
"Grandma, please be merciful and give me the antidote quickly! I, the dignified flower thief, still have so many flowers I haven't plucked yet. To die now would be a great loss to the women of this world!"
…
Suddenly feeling that this was quite good, Leng Ningyue remained silent. However, Lin Qingge, who lived in the adjacent room, burst in from outside in a hurry.
"Madam, are you alright? I heard some commotion in your room—" Upon seeing the man standing by the window, she fell silent and quickly walked behind Leng Ningyue, patting her chest with lingering fear. "Madam, what kind of creature is standing in your room? It looks neither human nor ghost. Forget about children, even adults would have nightmares if they saw it in the middle of the night!"
Ye Shengxiao, who had been described this way for the first time since birth, immediately became agitated. He crossed his arms and shouted, "My handsome and extraordinary appearance, if it's not unprecedented, it's at least without equal in history. How can it be scary?"
Lin Qingge's gaze swept over his face, which was covered in red rashes and pustules, her expression practically screaming 'disdain'.
"Tsk tsk tsk, it's indeed uglier than any predecessor or successor. No! You scoundrel, not only did you sneak into the government office at night, but you also audaciously barged into my madam's room with what intentions?"
"This…" Ye Shengxiao looked towards the cool and aloof woman not far away, unsure whether to confess truthfully or to be vague. Leng Ningyue, however, directly revealed his identity, stating softly, "A flower thief."
"Ah?" A string of question marks appeared above Lin Qingge's head. She then understood and couldn't help but curse, "Damn it! I haven't caught you yet, and you've gone and plucked flowers on my doorstep!" This was simply beyond tolerance! Lin Qingge grabbed a feather duster nearby and prepared to strike.
Ye Shengxiao wanted to dodge, but upon receiving a chilling glance from someone, he had no choice but to lower his raised foot and stand his ground, taking the blow squarely. Still bewildered by the beating, Ye Shengxiao watched as the man who had rushed in put down the feather duster, picked up a rope, and menacingly approached him. He quickly spoke up, "It's not like that, Madam. Please explain to your lover on my behalf. I had no intention of offending Madam, I merely came to ask for the antidote."
"Who are you calling a lover? I am her husband! It's truly a case of 'searching high and low for something only to find it unexpectedly.' I was wondering how to capture you, and you've delivered yourself right to my doorstep. But an antidote? What antidote?" Lin Qingge looked at Leng Ningyue in confusion. The latter casually said, "When he was trying to capture me, he was hit by the Five Poisons Powder you gave me, so he's back for the antidote."
Ye Shengxiao, feeling that it was somewhat true but the reality was slightly different, dared not even breathe. But Lin Qingge, upon hearing this, looked at Ye Shengxiao with a touch of admiration.
"Master Murong's Five Poisons Powder is incredibly potent. You can still stand here with such a calm expression. In a way, you are quite talented. By the way, is there an antidote for the Five Poisons Powder? Isn't the Five Poisons Powder supposed to cause unbearable pain with no cure?"
"I'm not sure if there's an antidote, so I asked Constable Yan to inquire with Master Murong after returning to Changzhou County."
Upon hearing their conversation, Ye Shengxiao couldn't help but exclaim, "What?! No antidote?!"
"Quiet. If you wake up Mo'er, you won't be able to speak with that mouth of yours anymore." Leng Ningyue cast a sideways glance, her eyes like invisible ice blades, causing Ye Shengxiao to feel pain all over.
Lin Qingge, without a word, directly used the rope to tie him up. After binding the flower thief like a mummy, he suddenly began to convulse and foam at the mouth. It was more terrifying than the epileptic seizures she had seen in her previous life. Remembering that Murong Bai, that monstrous fellow, had said the Five Poisons Powder was not fatal, Lin Qingge couldn't help but worry, "Will this fellow kick the bucket before nightfall?"
"Perhaps."
???
Lin Qingge, not understanding why Leng Ningyue said that, soon got her answer. Because Yan Tinghao had actually rushed back, arriving under the stars!
"Sir, this is the antidote Madam requested. Master Murong said that because Madam integrated more ingredients into it, the formula for the poison was more complex, so he took extra time. However, Master Murong also said that Madam has a talent for making poisons, and if Madam has any more strange poisons next time, she can come to him for an antidote."
Making poisons? And a remarkable talent? Lin Qingge was utterly bewildered. The same Five Poisons Powder, how did it become different in Leng Ningyue's hands? Moreover, the Five Poisons Powder was originally made by Murong Bai, so why would it take time to make an antidote?
Perhaps because Lin Qingge's expression was too exaggerated, Leng Ningyue explained softly, "I mixed the Five Poisons Powder you gave me with Huang Lian, the bulbs of Narcissus, the pollen of Delphinium, and the juice of Rhododendron petals, and made them into honey pills. These are all things that can be found in the garden. Although their toxicity isn't high, their effect when mixed with the Five Poisons Powder is quite good. Oh, and I also added a little bit of the rat poison I got from the kitchen."
…
Although Lin Qingge knew what Leng Ningyue said, would a normal person think of mixing these things together? And then actually feed it to someone? It was utterly outrageous! But Leng Ningyue looked at Ye Shengxiao, who had collapsed, and frowned slightly, "I originally estimated three days. Now it seems the toxicity wasn't strong enough, or his body is too robust."
Regardless, Lin Qingge, who absolutely couldn't watch this flower thief die before her eyes, had Yan Tinghao feed the antidote he brought to the man and then ordered him to take the person away and guard him strictly. Lin Qingge glanced at the sleeping Lin Zimo, confirmed there was no one else in the room, and then adopted a rare serious demeanor, asking, "Sister Ningyue, do you have anything you want to tell me?"