"What are you smiling about?" Xia Yunting asked, taking the basket from her as she returned.
"Huh? Was I smiling?"
"Your lips are almost turned up to the sky," Xia Yunting said, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. "Did something good happen?"
"No, I just remembered some past events."
Rong Zhi casually brushed it off. She would never admit that she had just been contemplating whether to take Xia Yunting back to the Medicine King Valley.
For the next few days, Rong Zhi had been busy with Gu Xinlan at home, brewing medicine and delivering it to Yu Cheng. Because his condition was the most severe, if the medicine was effective for him, then the others would be a piece of cake.
Although the duration of taking the medicine was not long, it had already shown significant effects.
"Congratulations, Uncle Yu, your face has recovered much better."
Rong Zhi took the empty medicine pot, looking at Yu Cheng's gradually recovering face, her voice filled with joy.
Although his skin was still a bit wrinkled, it was no longer frightening, and he was almost indistinguishable from the other villagers.
"It really has…" Yu Cheng ran a hand over his face, his tone a little excited. Finally, he looked around, hurried to the water缸 in the courtyard, and looked at his reflection in the water. He couldn't help but beam with joy.
"It's different, I look like a person again…"
Rong Zhi and Gu Xinlan exchanged smiles.
It seemed the prescription was fine and could be copied and distributed to the villagers.
Rong Zhi had originally planned to set up a large pot at the haunted house to distribute the medicinal soup to the villagers. However, Gu Xinlan had managed the heat and brewing without any mishaps in the past two days. It was assumed that the villagers could also brew the medicine themselves. Rong Zhi was happy to have a lighter load and went back to tailor the medicine to each villager's symptoms, writing hundreds of prescriptions.
Except for a few villagers with specific complications that required minor adjustments to the herbs, the rest of the villagers only needed the same prescription. Rong Zhi specifically wrote the villagers' names on the special prescription and asked the village chief to help distribute them, so they could get the herbs and brew them themselves.
The process was not complicated, and Rong Zhi completed it in less than half a day.
Upon returning, Rong Zhi found Gu Xinlan still in the kitchen, tending to her own medicine, which was for her throat.
Rong Zhi asked, "Xinlan, does your throat feel any better these past two days?"
Gu Xinlan looked up and replied forcefully, "Mm."
Compared to her previous voice, this time it was noticeably clearer, indicating that the herbs were effective.
"Don't talk too much for now. Rest well. Once you're completely recovered, you can talk as much as you want."
Gu Xinlan's brilliant smile was her response.
Gu Xinlan was quite good-looking when she smiled. Her previous sallow and emaciated appearance had much improved after this period of recuperation, and she was considered one of the most beautiful young women in the village.
After checking on Gu Xinlan, Rong Zhi went to the side room to see the Zhang father and son. Old Master Zhang could already sit up, but he was in a bad mood. He would often stare at his son and sigh as if the sky were about to fall.
Young Master Zhang hid in a corner, head bowed, not saying a word.
Seeing Rong Zhi enter, Old Master Zhang spoke, "Let us go home."
"Your illness isn't cured yet," Rong Zhi said, looking at his emaciated frame. She thought, what was the difference between sending him back now and letting him go back to wait for death?
"Even if I die, I will die on my Zhang family's property."
The Zhang family mansion was his last asset. If he didn't go back now, would he wait for others to seize it?
With that, he seemed to have made up his mind and got out of bed to leave, but he lost his balance and fell to the ground.
Rong Zhi quickly helped him back onto the bed.
"Old man, I advise you to rest well. If you recover your health, you can keep the money you get back, right? Otherwise, in your current condition, how much time will you have to enjoy the money once you get it back?"
Old Master Zhang looked resentful, beating his own legs forcefully.
"It's all your fault! It's all your fault! My son is like this, and the money is gone. What's the point of me living?"
As he spoke, he started to wail uncontrollably, crying miserably.
Rong Zhi fiddled with her ear and looked at Young Master Zhang in the corner. She suddenly walked over and lifted him up.
"You're coming with me."
Young Master Zhang didn't resist and let Rong Zhi lead him out.
"Where are you taking my son?" Old Master Zhang exclaimed, wanting to follow but lacking the strength.
"Don't worry, I'll guarantee to return a normal son to you."
She left him with a sentence and, before leaving, instructed Gu Xinlan, "Xinlan, please keep an eye on Old Master Zhang and don't let him do anything drastic."
Gu Xinlan's response came from behind. Rong Zhi went to Yu Cheng's house to fetch Xiao Hei, mounted the horse, and pulled Young Master Zhang up with her.
"Hold on tight," she said, spurring the horse. "Giddy up!" She galloped away, heading straight for the county office.
Lu An was not at the office at the moment; he was reportedly out investigating a case, leaving only a few constables on duty. Rong Zhi greeted one of the constables and asked for his cooperation in opening the prison cells.
The constable had gone up the mountain with Lu An before and knew that Rong Zhi had made a significant contribution during this incident, so he didn't make things difficult for her and asked which prisoner she wanted to see.
"This young master wants to find the person who abused him back then."
Rong Zhi explained briefly, and the constable immediately understood.
"Alright, take your time finding them."
He then stepped aside, leaving the two of them some space. Such things were not uncommon. Visitors to the prison were not limited to the prisoners' relatives but also their enemies. As long as they didn't kill each other, they would turn a blind eye to a few punches and kicks to vent their anger privately.
Rong Zhi didn't say anything to Young Master Zhang and simply led him around the prison cells.
The ferocious Five Ghosts and assassins on Swallow Mountain were all skilled fighters. To prevent them from colluding with each other, they were all locked in separate cells, each bound to the wall with heavy iron chains and special iron handcuffs and shackles. No matter how capable they were, they couldn't break free.
Young Master Zhang remained silent, his head bowed. He followed Rong Zhi wherever she went, like a soulless puppet.
However, Rong Zhi keenly noticed that every time they passed the dwarf among the Five Ghosts, he would deliberately avoid her gaze and even subtly move closer to Rong Zhi, as if seeking protection.
So, Rong Zhi stopped in front of the dwarf.
Young Master Zhang didn't notice Rong Zhi's movement and bumped into her back. When he realized he had stopped in front of the dwarf's cell, his eyes suddenly filled with terror.
Although the dwarf was bound, his ferocious expression was enough to instill fear.
Rong Zhi said to the guard, "Brother, could you please open the cell door?"
Upon hearing this, the guard and Young Master Zhang were both startled.
"Miss, this is a high-security prisoner. He's very capable. Look at these heavy iron chains. What ordinary prisoner gets this treatment? What if he escapes if the door is opened?"
"Don't worry, it'll be fine. I was involved in capturing him back then. I'm confident he won't escape."
The guard recalled the constable's attitude towards this young lady just now and tentatively asked, "Are you perhaps the young lady who apprehended them all on Swallow Mountain?"
"I wouldn't dare. It's all the Prefect's merit. I just helped a little."
"Oh, my apologies, my apologies." The guard's attitude immediately changed, and he stepped forward to open the cell door.
"Miss, be careful. This man is a pervert. The other day, a brother went in to deliver food and couldn't stand his insults, so he slapped him. He ended up biting off his little finger. If you want to hit or scold him, stay far away. If you really need it, I can lend you this knife."
As he spoke, he untied the saber at his waist and handed it to Rong Zhi.
Rong Zhi saw that the guard was quite perceptive and didn't refuse, but she didn't take the knife. Instead, she turned to Young Master Zhang and said, "Young Master, take it. Your revenge, you deal with it yourself."
Young Master Zhang's body trembled. It was clear he understood, but he absolutely dared not confront the dwarf himself.
Rong Zhi simply grabbed the saber and thrust it into Young Master Zhang's hand.
"Go."
She pushed Young Master Zhang forward, forcing him into the situation.
The guard was startled. It wasn't this young lady acting, but this young master's frail body, not even enough to poke with a finger.
"Whose young master is this? He looks a bit familiar."
"The medicinal supplier, the Zhang family."
"The Zhang family!" the guard exclaimed. "Young Master Zhang has been missing for a long time. He's still alive? Oh my, this young master was once a bully in Changping County. I never thought he'd end up like this, it's truly…"
He sighed, and suddenly became curious whether this young master would dare to act. Thus, he also watched with a bit of schadenfreude.
A clanging sound of rattling chains echoed around. Prisoners in other buildings craned their necks to look over. Although they couldn't see anything, it didn't dampen their murderous aura.
The dwarf glared at Young Master Zhang, and Young Master Zhang almost dropped the knife.
"Pah! A tiger fallen to the plains is bullied by dogs. Even a good-for-nothing like you dares to bully me. Cut me! If you don't cut me to death today, I'll come to your house tomorrow, saw off your arms and legs, tie them up, and throw them into the pigsty, hahahahaha!"
He laughed ferociously. Young Master Zhang suddenly threw down the knife, covered his head, and started to yell, his face turning pale, as if remembering something terrifying.
"Hahaha, with such little courage, you dare to flaunt yourself in front of us brothers."
From another cell not far away, a mocking laugh erupted, as if a switch had been flipped. Soon, the entire prison was filled with such laughter.
"Ahhh..." Young Master Zhang's legs gave out, and he knelt on the ground, his body beginning to convulse violently.
Rong Zhi ignored him, watching silently. The guard also seemed puzzled, not knowing what was happening.
After a long time, the surrounding laughter gradually subsided. Young Master Zhang suddenly looked up, revealing a pair of blood-red eyes.
"I'll kill you, I'll kill you!"
He grabbed the saber next to him and charged at the dwarf, slashing. The dwarf's eyes narrowed, and then he lowered his head and let out a "噗嗤" laugh again.
"Are you here to put on a monkey show for me?"
It turned out that Young Master Zhang was too anxious and forgot to draw the saber from its sheath, stabbing the sheath directly into the dwarf's stomach.
Young Master Zhang froze, then his face flushed with embarrassment. Regardless of whether the saber was out of its sheath, he kept stabbing the dwarf's stomach, as if to vent all his anger.
However, although it was a flesh-and-blood body, it felt like hitting steel. In the end, the dwarf was unharmed, while Young Master Zhang was panting from exhaustion.