It wasn't that Huo Qiyuan was unreasonable; rules were rules! Without rules, nothing could be accomplished.
Su Muqing had once said that in wealthy households, a butler might lack cunning, but must possess sufficient loyalty and a high degree of obedience!
Huo Qiyuan agreed with this. Having been in the military for a long time, he valued discipline above all else. The most relaxed and lenient period of his life was likely after he was poisoned.
Seeing the butler's desperate plea, Huo Qiyuan ultimately didn't go too far. "Considering it's your first offense, this King will not expel you from the manor. Take that woman back to Yaoking, and you may continue your duties as a third-class steward."
"Thank you, Your Highness, for your mercy!" Xu Chengfu kowtowed to him heavily twice. He had elders and young children at home; it was fortunate he wasn't being driven out of the manor, otherwise his family's life would be difficult.
Not long after the butler was taken away, Leng Heng returned. He whispered a few words into Huo Qiyuan's ear, causing Huo Qiyuan to frown. Apart from a minor abrasion from being pushed out by him, there was nothing else wrong with that woman.
Then it was strange! When had he been drugged?
About another hour passed, and it was already deep in the night. Huo Qiyuan peeked through the door crack, wanting to see if Leng Ren's surgery was finished.
After a while longer, the lights on the robot turned green. Huo Qiyuan knew the surgery was complete and hurried to push the door open.
The robot retreated to the side, returning to its dormant state. Huo Qiyuan powered it down and put it away before walking to Leng Ren's bedside.
Leng Ren was still fast asleep. After suffering such severe injuries and having them untreated for a day and a night, his condition looked quite poor. The normally handsome and stern man now had a pale, greenish complexion, stubble that was dark and blueish, and lips devoid of color.
The large, protruding bone on his left shoulder was now gone. His entire left shoulder was protected by a frame made of aerospace metal, with only a long, twisted wound visible at the seams. The wound had been sutured, but due to the hot weather, it hadn't been bandaged.
Leng Ao and the others also rushed in. Seeing that Leng Ren's shoulder had roughly returned to its original state, they finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Your Highness, after Eldest Brother's left arm heals, will there be any lasting effects?"
Huo Qiyuan had great confidence in the items provided by Su Muqing. "As long as he rests well, he will definitely recover completely."
"That's great! Eldest Brother is such a proud and capable person; if he lost an arm, he certainly wouldn't be able to accept it."
"Alright, first use the spirit spring water to clean his wound. Leave one person to look after him. It's too late today; tomorrow, you will each receive five lashes as punishment for your negligence." After speaking, Huo Qiyuan returned to his room to rest, planning to wash up and relax. He was feeling rather tired after expending so much internal energy.
After Huo Qiyuan left, the remaining three looked at each other. Five lashes... it was bearable for them, but for their second brother, it would likely cause another significant stir. Moreover, judging by the tone of the King, his punishment would surely be more than five lashes!
Su Ling'er was thrown into the woodshed. She still hadn't recovered from the shock, wondering why the aphrodisiac had no effect on Huo Qiyuan. The amount of medicine on her handkerchief was even greater than what they had accidentally encountered before.
Now that the medicine was useless against him, and she had been expelled from Qingya Pavilion, what should she do next? As Su Ling'er was contemplating this, the door to the woodshed was violently pushed open.
"You woman! I kindly wanted to help you, but you almost got me killed! You should have just sent the medicine back; why did you have to shamelessly stay there? Now, not only are we being sent back to Yaoking, but you've also caused me to lose my job as butler!" The butler pushed the door open and pointed at Su Ling'er, scolding her fiercely.
If it weren't for this woman, he would still be the head butler. If the King and the deputy generals were not in the manor, he would have been the one with the most influence. Furthermore, being the head butler was a lucrative and desirable position; casually purchasing anything would result in a considerable income.
But now, it was all ruined!
As the butler continuously complained to her, Su Ling'er suddenly sprang up with unusual agility, grabbing his arm tightly and asking, "What about returning to Yaoking? Who is being sent back to Yaoking?"
"Who else could it be? You still have the nerve to ask! Both of us are being sent back now!" The butler shook his arm, but he couldn't shake off Su Ling'er's hand. This damned woman, though small in stature, had surprisingly great strength!
"I don't want to go back to Yaoking! I want to find Eldest Brother Leng Feng and ask him to beg the King..." Su Ling'er had failed her mission and dared not leave Sian Prefecture.
Moreover, even if she had to leave, it would be to Chehe City; she couldn't return to Yaoking! Only Wang Bingchang and his group had the antidote for the poison in her body. If she didn't return on time to take the antidote, she would suffer unbearable pain for seven days and nights, ultimately dying from intestinal rupture!
"Hmph! Still dreaming? If Leng Feng could persuade the King on your behalf, you wouldn't have been locked in the woodshed!" The butler glanced at Su Ling'er with contempt, then left the woodshed.
He locked it from the outside, thinking that Su Ling'er, being a frail woman, wouldn't be able to open such a large iron lock. He then cursed and returned to his room.
Thinking that he had only been the head butler for a little over a month and was about to pack his bags and leave, the butler stomped his feet in anger. He had misjudged this situation!
At two in the morning, when everything was silent, the locked woodshed door slowly opened, and Su Ling'er stealthily emerged. Over the past month, she had figured out the guard change times each night.
Su Ling'er moved with extreme speed and uncanny agility through the backyard, heading towards Qingya Pavilion. Her movements clearly indicated she was no ordinary maid.
In front of the moon gate of Qingya Pavilion, before she could sneak in, a dark figure suddenly rushed out. Su Ling'er instantly raised her palm, several silver needles hidden between her fingers, and ferociously attacked the dark figure.
The dark figure dodged somewhat, but somehow couldn't evade completely. Su Ling'er struck him hard with a palm, and he let out a muffled groan of pain, being pushed back several meters.
"Ling'er..."
Just as Su Ling'er was about to eliminate the person, the dark figure called her name. Su Ling'er's steps faltered, cold sweat broke out on her back, and her blood felt instantly frozen, making her incredibly stiff.
With a look of shock, she looked up at the dark figure. It was Leng Feng? How was he here? Judging by how he had rushed out, he must have been waiting here for a while. Who was he waiting for?
Su Ling'er slowly lowered her raised arm. Leng Feng emerged from the darkness, holding his chest, with crimson bloodstains on his lips. Huo Qiyuan had given him two pills, which had improved his condition, but now he had suffered another injury on top of his existing ones!