"Get out!" Chu Qingze rolled her eyes at her.
"What do you want with me? I haven't made the antidote yet. The recipe you gave me is too difficult to work with."
Rong Zhi smiled, "The antidote isn't urgent. We're here to see you about the Zhang family's affairs."
"What about the Zhang family?"
Mentioning serious business, Chu Qingze also became solemn.
"Li Hao staying at the Zhang residence is likely for the Zhang family's assets. If the Zhang family is gone, the situation for the Blood Drinking Pavilion will undoubtedly become more difficult, which would be better for us. This is something you need to handle."
Chu Qingze pondered for a moment and explained, "Old Master Zhang is gravely ill, and Li Hao is managing all the affairs of the Zhang family. The assets must be in Li Hao's hands. Taking them is not a simple matter."
"We can start with Old Master Zhang. A man who's done business his whole life, I don't believe he wouldn't have a contingency plan. Besides, isn't Li Hao's life in your hands now?"
"That's natural." Chu Qingze showed a hint of pride, clearly enjoying having Li Hao under his control.
"I'll go and visit Steward Li and Old Master Zhang now."
"We'll go with you."
Chu Qingze didn't refuse. They weren't far from the Zhang residence. Chu Qingze tidied his clothes and headed for the door. As Rong Zhi was about to follow, Xia Yunting suddenly pulled her back.
"Wait, Xiao Mo, there's killing intent."
"Killing intent?" Rong Zhi's guard was raised. Both of them looked towards a spot to the west of the Zhang mansion. It was empty, except for the fleeting shadow of a corner of clothing that darted away like a mouse around the corner.
They were quick.
"It might be someone from the Blood Drinking Pavilion," Xia Yunting said.
"Don't worry, let's go in." Rong Zhi steadied herself, not overly panicked.
"We just want to help the Blood Drinking Pavilion find the antidote for the Seven-Day Poison. We're helping them. My husband went into Swallow Mountain to seek justice for a captured friend, but was provoked by the people inside. It's only natural to retaliate."
With a few light words, she found reasonable justification for their previous actions.
Xia Yunting showed a look of pleasant surprise, nodding with a smile, "Good."
They entered the Zhang mansion. A man appeared around the corner; it was the same man who had gone to the tavern to relay messages to the waiter. He glanced at their faces, a look of confusion appearing on his features, then he vanished with a flash.
By this time, Chu Qingze had finished examining Old Master Zhang and was preparing to go to Li Hao's room.
"You're too slow. Hurry up and catch up!"
He called out to them, his expression one of curiosity, as if asking with his face what had happened.
Rong Zhi caught up to him and whispered, "Someone was watching us. It should be someone from the Blood Drinking Pavilion."
Chu Qingze frowned, "What did the person look like?"
"I didn't see."
A flicker of worry flashed in Chu Qingze's eyes. He maintained his composure and said, "Old Master Zhang is a bit better than two days ago, but according to the servants at the Zhang residence, Li Hao frequently falls ill. When he goes mad, he's reckless, and what he says is no longer trustworthy."
"That's all thanks to you."
"However... the servants here obey Li Hao's orders. Although I told them to take good care of Old Master Zhang in Li Hao's name that day, they still seem suspicious. Just now, I heard two servants discussing that they would ask Li Hao properly when he regained consciousness."
"These people are quite loyal to Li Hao. It seems we need to help Old Master Zhang recover as soon as possible."
Rong Zhi pondered for a moment and then made a sudden decision.
"You go and see Li Hao yourself. I need to cure Old Master Zhang as quickly as possible."
"Alright."
Chu Qingze did not refuse, so he headed towards Li Hao's room, while Rong Zhi and Xia Yunting went to Old Master Zhang's room.
Coincidentally, on the way, a young maid carrying medicine was also heading towards Old Master Zhang's room. She merely curtsied slightly upon seeing them but did not speak, likely not recognizing them.
Rong Zhi also found her to be an unfamiliar face. She then observed the young maid. Although her demeanor was submissive and her body was thin, she walked with a steady gait, not like someone who was starving. She looked more like someone who had trained for years.
Her gaze fell on the calluses on the maid's tiger mouth, and she couldn't help but ask, "What medicine is this?"
"To answer the lady, this is the medicine prescribed by Divine Physician Chu for the master."
"Let me see."
Rong Zhi took the medicine bowl. The young maid's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, and she quickly regained her composure.
Rong Zhi caught that fleeting expression and also keenly smelled an unusual scent in the medicine bowl.
"We were just going to visit Old Master Zhang. Let us deliver the medicine."
"But..." The young maid looked troubled.
"What? I am a physician, and a friend of Divine Physician Chu. Do you think I would harm Old Master Zhang?"
"This servant doesn't mean that, but I serve Old Master Zhang. How can I let the lady do it? Let me do it!"
As she spoke, she reached out to snatch the medicine bowl back.
"Alright, then I won't take your task." Rong Zhi smiled kindly. As she let go, she used a subtle move. Although the medicine bowl was already in the maid's hand, it spun in an extremely strange arc before falling with a clatter, shattering on the ground and spilling the dark medicine soup everywhere.
The young maid's face visibly darkened.
"Oh dear, how could you be so careless? Go and brew another bowl quickly. This medicine cannot be stopped!"
"...Yes, this servant will go now."
The young maid's lips twitched. She wanted to retort but managed to suppress it, quickly cleaning up the broken porcelain shards and returning to the kitchen.
Xia Yunting watched Rong Zhi knock over the medicine bowl and then quickly shift the blame onto the young maid, leaving her with unspoken grievances, and couldn't help but find it amusing.
"Do you think she's suspicious?"
"Yes, the medicine was poisoned, and this girl is a martial artist."
Her calluses were evident of training, which differed from those acquired from manual labor.
"It seems they plan to make a move on Old Master Zhang."
"Old Master Zhang staying at the Zhang residence is too unsafe. We need to act first."
"How so?"
"They want Old Master Zhang to die, don't they? Let's help them." Rong Zhi took Xia Yunting's hand, "Let's go."
On the other side, the young maid arrived at the kitchen. Looking at the shattered pieces, she felt something was wrong.
That woman was a physician. She must have realized that the medicine was problematic. If she were to brew another bowl of poisoned medicine and deliver it, it would surely arouse her suspicion.
She had finally gotten this assignment. By killing Old Master Zhang and taking over the Zhang family's assets, she could replace Li Hao as the new undercover agent for the Blood Drinking Pavilion.
She hadn't expected her first mission to be so disastrous.
"Alas, for me, Yun Heng, a dignified female hero, to be so ill-fated?"
She rested her chin on her hand, her face like a bitter melon.
How difficult it was for someone without parents or backing. Yun Heng was an orphan who grew up being fed by others. Because she was always bullied, she vowed to learn martial arts. She heard that the Blood Drinking Pavilion was the largest assassin organization in the martial world, and to prove herself, she joined it.
Unfortunately, it was full of men, and women were rare. She was young and her martial arts were poor. For this mission, she had to bribe Tang Tangzhu (Hall Master Tang) heavily before he would send her. Therefore, this mission could only succeed, not fail.
"No, I have to go and keep an eye on that physician to see what her true intentions are."
She made up her mind, but before she could reach Old Master Zhang's room, she heard very unfortunate news. Or rather, good news for her.
Old Master Zhang was dead.
According to the servants near Old Master Zhang's room, not long after the female physician and her husband entered, Old Master Zhang stopped breathing. Several servants had already checked and confirmed that the man was undeniably dead.
When Yun Heng arrived outside the room, she saw a crowd of maids and servants gathered outside. They were all discussing, but no one had a trace of sadness on their faces.
Li Hao had been at the Zhang residence for so long, he had either driven away or killed those loyal to Old Master Zhang. The remaining maids and servants were all loyal to Li Hao and wished for Old Master Zhang to die sooner.
Rong Zhi and Xia Yunting stood in the center of the crowd. Looking at their reactions, Rong Zhi felt a chill in her heart.
Old Master Zhang had been living in a den of wolves.
Soon, Chu Qingze arrived.
He must have heard the news beforehand. The moment he saw Rong Zhi, he asked her with his eyes.
Rong Zhi remained calm, her gaze shifting to the young maid. Chu Qingze also glanced at the young maid.
Yun Heng's lips twitched, and she tried to hide herself in the crowd.
Was she discovered?
The first time Chu Qingze saw the maid, he noticed something was wrong. She was an unfamiliar face and was evasive, clearly with something to hide. Coupled with Rong Zhi's meaningful glance, he had already guessed most of it.
"What happened to Old Master Zhang?" Chu Qingze asked the crowd.
A servant stepped forward to answer, "Divine Physician Chu, our master... is dead."
After speaking, he cast his gaze on Rong Zhi and Xia Yunting, his meaning clear: it had something to do with them.
Even so, the servant showed no blame, as if it was meant to be.
"I'll go and take a look."
Chu Qingze said as he entered the room, beckoning Rong Zhi and Xia Yunting to follow. He also waved to Yun Heng.
"You, come in."
"Ah? Me?"
Yun Heng pointed at her nose, and after confirming she was being called, she entered the room with a heavy heart.
Old Master Zhang lay on the bed, his face black and motionless. He looked thoroughly dead.
Chu Qingze examined him carefully but found that this was not the case. He must have taken a fake death potion. Without guessing, he knew Rong Zhi had done it.
This had not been discussed beforehand. Chu Qingze did not understand Rong Zhi's intentions and looked at her in confusion. To his surprise, Rong Zhi admitted it directly.
"That's right, I did it. I killed Old Master Zhang."
Rong Zhi said it casually, with a hint of pride on her face, as if this had been planned for a long time.
Xia Yunting looked calm, even nodding in approval at Rong Zhi.
At that moment, Chu Qingze felt a moment of disorientation. If he hadn't known beforehand that Old Master Zhang was faking his death, he would have definitely suspected their allegiance.
He quickly realized they were acting and played along.
"Why did you do this? You know this is the Zhang residence, managed by Steward Li. This has nothing to do with you."
"It has something to do with us now."
Rong Zhi said, looking at the young maid.
"What's your name?"
"Yun... Yun Heng."
Yun Heng hadn't fully reacted, her voice lacking conviction.
"Are you from the Blood Drinking Pavilion?"
"Ah? How did you know?" Yun Heng immediately wanted to slap herself twice. Her mouth was too fast!
But she was truly surprised. Why had they figured out her identity so quickly?
Rong Zhi did not answer and continued, "Were you trying to kill Old Master Zhang just now?"
Yun Heng looked at Rong Zhi suspiciously, then at Chu Qingze. She thought about Li Hao's close ties with Chu Qingze, so this person should be an ally. She replied, "So what if I was?"
"Now that I've done what you should have done, do you owe me a favor?"
"What do you want?" Yun Heng's guard was raised, instinctively feeling that these two had ill intentions.
"Nothing. I just want to tell you that Rong Zhi and I are friends, and I believe we will also be friends with you."
At this moment, Chu Qingze finally understood Rong Zhi's intentions and guessed Yun Heng's purpose. He turned to Yun Heng and asked, "Are you here to take over the Zhang family?"