The two guessed correctly. The next day, the two who had been tailing them continued to tend to the medicinal herbs as if nothing had happened. However, the slight droop of their eyelids and their unenthusiastic demeanor clearly indicated they had just been reprimanded.
Rong Zhi was pleased to see them humbled and handed over the pills she had prepared the day before.
"Here, take these to the Zhang manor for Li Hao. These should be enough for him to recover completely. You don't need to come back to help anymore."
"Ah?" The two were somewhat bewildered and didn't take them.
"So soon?"
"What? Haven't you had enough work?"
It only took a few days to brew and prepare the medicine, and with their help, the progress had naturally been faster. Moreover, she only needed to prepare enough medicine for Li Hao's recovery, and one batch was sufficient.
"It's not that..."
The two felt a sense of injustice. They hadn't found out anything on this trip and had even been scolded for nothing.
No! They absolutely couldn't go back like this!
One of them took the medicine bottle and exchanged a look with the other.
"I'll go deliver the medicine now."
"Miss Lin, farewell." The other also clasped his hands in a salute, and without another word, they left.
Rong Zhi watched them leave the mass grave and turned to Xia Yunting, who was handing her water, and asked, "How is your injury?"
Xia Yunting handed her the water and watched her drink it before replying, "It's nothing."
Such a superficial wound was nothing to him.
"Can you still fight?"
"No impact."
The two exchanged a smile, both realizing the same thing: the Yin Blood Pavilion would soon become suspicious of them, and a fight could break out at any moment before the antidote took effect.
At this moment, Chu Qingze emerged from the cellar and said to them, "The deeds have all been handed over to Master Zhang. As expected, he's a money grubber. Seeing those things, his illness improved significantly. He almost sat up."
After he spoke, he noticed the solemn expressions on their faces.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Lock your doors well when you sleep at night."
"What do you mean?"
Chu Qingze was bewildered.
However, that night, he understood why Rong Zhi had said that.
Killing intent, such intense killing intent!
Chu Qingze put on his clothes and went outside to look, but all he saw was a desolate and bleak graveyard. The pale moonlight shone on the white banners swaying in the wind, and two or three pieces of spirit money drifted in the air, creating a chilling and terrifying scene.
Although he was long accustomed to such sights, tonight it seemed a hundred times more terrifying than usual. It felt as if countless eyes were watching him from the surroundings. He suddenly turned his head but only saw a few swaying graveyard grasses.
He remembered Rong Zhi's words from earlier and locked his door, returning inside. He tossed and turned, unable to sleep, so he decided to knock on Rong Zhi and Xia Yunting's door.
The door was quickly opened, revealing Rong Zhi's teasing expression.
"What? Scared?"
"You felt it too?"
Chu Qingze quickly entered the room and shut the door tightly. Upon entering, he discovered that this couple wasn't sleeping at all. Xia Yunting was sitting by the bed, fully dressed, and Rong Zhi's speed in opening the door suggested she had anticipated his visit.
"There are at least twenty people outside. What exactly did you do?" he asked Xia Yunting.
He remembered that Xia Yunting had been out for a long time a few days ago and had returned injured.
"Don't panic. If anything truly happens, you can betray us and say you were incited by us."
Rong Zhi spoke half-jokingly, her tone very relaxed, as if being surrounded by over twenty people was not a big deal.
Chu Qingze also heard the confidence in her voice, and his worries lessened somewhat.
"Do you have a chance of winning against them?"
"Alone, of course, I don't have a chance. But don't we have the two of you? If worse comes to worst, we can count Master Zhang in the cellar. Doesn't that increase our chances?"
Chu Qingze's lips twitched. He finally understood that she was genuinely not nervous.
But he couldn't sleep. After arriving at the mass grave, it had taken him a long time to adapt to the eerie atmosphere. However, a ghostly aura was different from killing intent. After all, no one had truly seen ghosts. But killing intent was something you could feel tangibly, as if your throat would be slit at any moment.
Therefore, he had no intention of leaving and even sat down in the room.
"In that case, I'll stay here and help you, lest you fight alone without any chance of winning."
Rong Zhi didn't expose him.
It wasn't very late yet, and none of them felt sleepy. They waited idly for a while when suddenly a rumbling sound was heard.
Rong Zhi and Xia Yunting's gazes simultaneously fell on Chu Qingze.
"Cough, cough, wait a moment, I'll go get something to eat."
"I'll go with you."
She suddenly had a brilliant idea.
"Husband, wait for us."
Xia Yunting responded, and Rong Zhi went to the kitchen with Chu Qingze. Chu Qingze added fuel and started a fire, simply stir-frying a few dishes. Rong Zhi rummaged through the kitchen and finally found a small jar the size of her palm.
"What are you doing with my hawthorn powder?"
Chu Qingze didn't understand her intention. He dealt with various corpses year-round and had a very poor appetite, so he kept many appetite-stimulating items in the kitchen, including hawthorn powder.
"It's dinner, and it wouldn't be right if only we ate. We have a group of guests outside."
Chu Qingze knew she was up to her old tricks again. He felt anticipation mixed with a bit of nervousness. Was this… really okay?
Soon, he had stir-fried a few small dishes. During the process, he watched with his own eyes as Rong Zhi tampered with his hawthorn powder, adding many other medicinal powders.
Afterward, Rong Zhi went to the courtyard, tossed the hawthorn powder jar into the air, and kicked it outwards. The jar flew high, and then she raised her hand, picked up a small stone, and threw it at the jar.
With a bang, the jar shattered, and the powder inside scattered in an extremely unnatural direction, falling uniformly around the base of the wall like snow.
A very faint sound was heard from outside, and then it quickly quieted down. At the same time, the terrifying killing intent that had been present earlier had completely vanished.
"They've left?" Chu Qingze was somewhat surprised.
"No, they haven't gone far," Rong Zhi said confidently. "They've just gone to digest the delicacy I sent them."
Chu Qingze's curiosity intensified.
About a mile outside the large house, twenty-odd assassins in black were supporting themselves by the graves, coughing until their faces turned red.
"What is this?"
"I don't know. It's so sour."
"Did they discover us?"
"It was probably just an accident. Let's go back and keep watch."
However, they soon discovered that things were not that simple.
When they returned, the courtyard was filled with the aroma of food. They didn't know what dishes had been cooked inside, but the scent wafted three miles away. These assassins, who had undergone rigorous training, found their appetites whetted, and several of them couldn't control themselves, their stomachs rumbling.
"Hold it in!"
The person who was scolded felt extremely wronged. They couldn't hold it in.
There was no other option, so they had to retreat further away to avoid being discovered.
In the courtyard, a table was set up outdoors. The three people drinking and eating exchanged glances, all sensing the movements outside.
They were all skilled in martial arts and could sense every move of the people outside.
Rong Zhi deliberately used a fan to waft the aroma of the dishes even further.
"Chu Qingze, I didn't expect your cooking to be so good. These simple dishes are so delicious."
"You flatter me."
Chu Qingze said, but his gaze remained fixed outside.
When the feeling of being watched lessened, Chu Qingze quietly asked Rong Zhi, "They won't storm in, will they?"
"No, they'll be too weak to do so soon. Come, let's drink!"
She poured wine for Chu Qingze and Xia Yunting. The three ate and chatted, appearing incredibly relaxed.
The assassins outside, having finally endured their hunger, were preparing to approach again when they suddenly felt another wave of abdominal cramps, urgently needing to use the latrine. They wanted to cry out in pain but had to endure it, so only half of the men remained to keep watch, while the other half went out to take care of personal matters.
The night passed in such a state of torment. Rong Zhi also confirmed one thing: they wouldn't make a move for now. Therefore, for the next few days, Rong Zhi didn't let them off the hook. Pepper powder, itching powder – the reserves of the two doctors, Rong Zhi and Chu Qingze, were all put to use.
The killing intent outside would sometimes be near and sometimes far. Rong Zhi felt they probably already knew they had been discovered. However, since no open conflict had erupted, they could only endure it.
Seven days passed, and someone from the Zhang manor arrived, stating that Li Hao had recovered and invited them to come over.
The servant who came to invite them had a serious expression, appearing to attach great importance to the matter.
Rong Zhi also heightened her vigilance.
Upon arriving at the Zhang residence, Rong Zhi discovered that Yun Heng was there, as well as Tang Yuanjiang. No wonder the servant looked so solemn.
Tang Yuanjiang sat in Li Hao's room, holding a cup of tea, and scrutinized Rong Zhi and Xia Yunting with interest. A shrewd glint shone from his narrow eyes.
Finally, he fixed his gaze on Rong Zhi.
"You're the one who developed the antidote?"
"Yes," Rong Zhi replied. She then glanced at the person on the bed. Li Hao's complexion had completely returned to normal, but his hands and feet were bound, his eyes were closed, and there was a clear bruise on his face. He must have gone mad recently and been beaten.
"It seems Steward Li has recovered."
"The poison is gone, but the person has gone mad. You're not a very good doctor, are you?"
Tang Yuanjiang's tone was sarcastic.
"This poison is rarely seen in the world. I apologize for my lack of skill."
Rong Zhi's tone was very humble, though she was somewhat surprised by this outcome. Li Hao had gone mad because Chu Qingze had given him medicine, and Tang Yuanjiang actually thought it was a side effect of the antidote. It was a misunderstanding, but she had no intention of clarifying it.
"Then when can you develop an antidote that doesn't make people go mad?"
"This... I don't know."
Tang Yuanjiang handed the teacup to Yun Heng beside him and said languidly, "Let's make a deal!"
"What kind of deal?"
Rong Zhi's eyes lit up, her greed undisguised.
A hint of contempt flickered in Tang Yuanjiang's heart. He said unhurriedly, "I have enough people for you to test the medicine on. I'll give you three months to develop an antidote that doesn't make people go mad. Whatever amount of money you want, whatever you desire, I can satisfy you."
"Then... if I can't make it within three months, you won't kill me, will you?"
Her tone carried a hint of fear, as if she were genuinely afraid of death.
Tang Yuanjiang grinned, revealing his teeth. "This... of course not. If you can't make it, we'll find another way."
For example, throwing her in to test the medicine.
"Then... I'll have to set a high price."
Rong Zhi truly began to ponder, appearing to be motivated by greed.
Tang Yuanjiang, who had been somewhat suspicious, was now confused. Xia Yunting had been appearing frequently lately, but the intelligence clearly stated that Xia Yunting had been poisoned by the Seven-Day Yin Poison, an antidote for which no one in the Tian Que Kingdom could currently develop. Yet, Xia Yunting was alive and well, indicating that someone had treated him. And at this juncture, someone capable of detoxifying the Seven-Day Yin Poison had appeared. He couldn't help but connect the two.
However, if she had truly helped Xia Yunting, would she dare to appear so openly in front of him? Therefore, he decided to test her.
"Speak!"
"Then... one hundred thousand taels... of gold!"