Tao Lengshuang was contemplating how to teach the Tao family a lesson when she heard the voice of Shen Ershen.
"Mò family, who hired these bandits?"
Tao Lengshuang saw Shen Ershen wearing an outer coat and urged her to quickly enter the main hall to warm herself by the fire. "It was the Tao family. I was thinking about how to punish the Tao family, but I can't resolve them all at once. I need to investigate the person behind the Tao family."
Shen Ershen's eyes rolled, and she already had an idea. "Mò family, what do you think of this plan..."
After listening to her mumbling, Tao Lengshuang's eyes grew brighter. "Shen Ershen, your idea is excellent."
Shen Ershen chuckled as she warmed herself by the fire. "Send in the helpers, and I guarantee the Tao family won't dare to step out for several days."
"Perhaps, we can even find out who helped the Tao family."
Tao Lengshuang thanked her and went to find the hidden guards. Tonight, she would give the Tao family a night they would never forget.
Meanwhile.
The Tao family hadn't slept yet. They were all gathered in the main hall, waiting anxiously.
"Why haven't they arrived yet?" Yu Shi was the most anxious. She kept looking outside. "Eldest son, did you not handle this matter properly?"
Tao Laoda yawned and said impatiently, "Are you not annoyed? I've said it many times, I've handled it. Perhaps the bandits were delayed."
"All night I've heard you chirping away, it's so annoying."
Yu Shi's expression changed repeatedly, but she eventually refrained from getting angry. "These bandits are truly useless, unable to handle such a small matter..."
Before she could finish, she suddenly spat out a large mouthful of blood, terrifying herself and everyone else.
"What's going on?" Old Master Tao, who had been keeping his distance, also suddenly spat out a large mouthful of blood and collapsed onto the kang.
This scene greatly frightened Tao Laoda and the others. Without a second thought, they tried to run out of the main hall.
However, they either collapsed to the ground powerless or blood flowed from their eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.
"What's happening? Why am I so weak? What's going on?"
"I'm bleeding! Ah, I'm bleeding! Why am I bleeding? Why am I bleeding for no reason?"
"Help! Help! Is anyone going to save me? Hurry, someone save me!"
Just then, Tao Dagou let out a terrified scream. "There's a ghost! There's a ghost over there!"
He pointed outside the main hall and quickly retreated to a corner of the kang. "There's a ghost! I just saw a black shadow flash by. It's a ghost!"
Tao Laoda and the others' hearts skipped a beat, and they instinctively looked in the direction Tao Dagou was pointing.
They saw several people with disheveled hair, covered in blood, standing at the entrance of the main hall. What's more, they were floating.
"Tao family, you owe me my life! Give me back my life!"
"Yu Shi, your gossiping caused me to commit suicide. Today, I will drag you to hell, make you taste all the pain, and never let you reincarnate."
The eerie voices almost made the Tao family wet themselves. Everyone present hid in the corners, not daring to look any further.
"It has nothing to do with me! It has nothing to do with me! Get away from me, get away!"
"If you want revenge, go find them. It has nothing to do with me. I don't know anything. Get away!"
The few 'ghosts' clamored for the Tao family to pay with their lives but never entered the main hall.
The terrified Tao family did not notice this. They kept pushing the blame onto each other and even revealed each other's malicious deeds, asking the ghosts to settle accounts with them and spare their own lives.
While they were being frightened, the few 'ghosts' suddenly saw the Tao family members spitting out blood and falling to the ground, unconscious.
The few 'ghosts' exchanged glances, realizing that something was wrong. They immediately returned to report to Tao Lengshuang.
When Tao Lengshuang learned of this, protected by the hidden guards, she arrived at the temporary residence of the Tao family under the cover of night.
As soon as she entered the main hall, she saw the Tao family members lying haphazardly on the ground, with traces of blood at the corners of their mouths.
After checking the pulses of the Tao family members one by one, she chuckled. No wonder the Tao family was no longer in pain. So that's why.
This could be considered the Tao family's self-inflicted suffering.
She did not treat the Tao family and turned back to her own home, leaving a hidden guard to watch over the Tao family, waiting for them to come to her.
As expected, the next day the Tao family came to Tao Lengshuang to ask her to treat them.
"Lengshuang, please take a look at our illness. We don't know what happened, but we suddenly started spitting blood."
Tao Lengshuang looked at the Tao family's ashen and terrified expressions, her lips curling up. "You should ask yourselves if you ate something you shouldn't have."
"The medicine I gave you was supposed to make you suffer for half a month. It's only been a short while, and you're no longer in pain."
The Tao family's faces changed drastically when they heard this. They had eaten the so-called antidote given by the maid. After taking it, they were no longer in pain. Who would have thought this would happen?
"Lengshuang, you must save us! Someone is trying to harm us."
Tao Lengshuang stated that she would not save the Tao family and said coldly, "Do you think I don't know that you bribed bandits to harm me?"
"You all tried to take my life, and you still expect me to cure you? How audacious are you?"
The Tao family did not expect Tao Lengshuang to know about this. They evasively said it had nothing to do with them, then turned to beg Tao Lengshuang to cure them, saying they would give her enough money.
No matter how much Tao Lengshuang lacked money, she would not save those who tried to harm her. "Instead of begging me, you'd be better off begging the person who helped you. Perhaps they can cure you."
Upon hearing this, the Tao family ran away like madmen.
Tao Lengshuang had the hidden guards follow the Tao family and returned to the main hall to warm herself by the fire, waiting for the hidden guards to report back.
While waiting, she saw Mo Lingxi return with bags and packages, looking like someone returning from visiting relatives.
"Daddy!"
Seeing Xiao Feng, she happily rushed over. Tao Lengshuang walked over and took some of the things from Mo Lingxi's hands, asking doubtfully, "Why did you buy so many things?"
One had to admit, rich people were indeed rich. They bought things in piles, which was truly enviable.
The three of them returned to Tao Lengshuang's room and sat down to chat.
Mo Lingxi said these things were bought for Tao Lengshuang and Xiao Feng, including a lot of supplies. "If you lack anything, tell me. I can buy most things."
Tao Lengshuang saw Xiao Feng curiously and happily flipping through them, so she let him be. She smiled and said to Mo Lingxi, "We basically don't lack anything."
"The main issue is the current situation. If the situation is unstable, even preparing more things is useless."
Mo Lingxi also understood this and told Tao Lengshuang not to worry too much, as he would handle these matters.
"I have two things to tell you now that I'm back."
He elaborated on Sheng Li's poisoning and how Sheng Li did not resemble her parents, General Sheng and his wife, while Tao Lengshuang did.
"Although resemblance based on appearance alone doesn't prove anything, I feel that the whole matter is not that simple. Coupled with the fact that the Sheng family and the Tao family have no connection, I cannot help but suspect that you and Sheng Li were maliciously swapped."