On her wedding night, she went into exile with her pharmacy arsenal

As soon as Miaoqin sat down, a fat figure stood up from the table, making a screeching sound as the chair legs scraped against the ground.

The man was around forty years old, dressed in a royal blue brocade robe, with a glossy jade pendant hanging from his waist, swaying with his steps.

His face was flushed from drinking, his eyes were puffy, and he was carrying an ornate tin wine pot containing the precious wine that Manager Yu had specially bought.

"Miss Miaoqin," the fat merchant said, his steps unsteady as he approached Miaoqin and let out a burp.

The surrounding guests all turned to look.

Miaoqin frowned almost imperceptibly, but a faint smile remained on her face, though it didn't reach her eyes.

She glanced down at the wine jug in the portly merchant's hand and said in a flat tone, "Greetings, sir."

"You're too kind!" The plump merchant waved his hand, his tone tinged with a hint of drunken pride. "Miss Miaoqin, your music is absolutely superb! Beautiful! And you are even more beautiful, like a fairy descended from heaven!"

As he spoke, he poured Miaoqin a glass of wine: "Come on, have a drink with me!"

Miaoqin looked at the glass of wine with a calm and unwavering gaze, and gently shook her head: "Thank you for your kindness, Master, but I have never drunk alcohol. Please forgive me."

The fat businessman paused, his smile freezing on his face.

He blinked his somewhat dazed eyes, looked Miaoqin up and down, and after a long while said, "Miss Miaoqin, are you afraid that I won't drink and will let you drink alone?"

He patted his chest and said, "No problem, I'll drink first!"

After saying that, he picked up the wine pot, filled his cup again, and drank it all in one gulp.

He wiped his mouth, poured another full glass, and handed it to Miaoqin, the glass almost touching her lips: "Look, miss, I've drunk it, can you drink it now?"

Miaoqin sneered inwardly, but remained calm on the surface, shaking her head again: "I appreciate the host's hospitality, but I really apologize for the drinking."

At this, the fat merchant's face darkened completely.

He looked around and saw many guests staring at him with great interest.

"Are you disrespecting me?" His voice was clearly displeased, the alcohol taking effect, and his tone became aggressive. "I've been in the business world of Youcheng for so many years, and no one has ever dared to disrespect me like this!"

Miaoqin looked up at him, her eyes still calm and without the slightest panic. Instead, she asked softly, "Master, how much Xingyuan Zui did you drink just now?"

The portly merchant was taken aback and subconsciously touched the wine pot: "Not much, just... just a little less than half a pot."

He assumed Miaoqin was interested, so his tone softened considerably, with a hint of boasting: "This Xingyuan Wine is a rare item; it costs ten taels of silver per pound, and ordinary people simply can't afford it."

I'm afraid it's even rarer to see a street musician like yourself, let alone have a good drink with you."

He proudly raised his chin: "How about this, as long as you're willing to have a few drinks with me, you can drink as much of this Xingyuan Zui wine as you want today, it's all you can eat!"

Not only that, I'll give you another hundred taels of silver afterwards, how about that?

A few murmurs immediately arose from the surrounding area.

Someone frowned and whispered, "Miss Miaoqin is here to perform, not to keep you company while you drink."

Others chimed in, "Today is Manager Yu's birthday banquet. It's really inappropriate to pressure the young lady like this."

An elderly man with half-white hair and beard standing nearby couldn't stand it any longer and spoke up to remind her, "That's enough. Miss Miaoqin doesn't want to drink, why force her?"

Today is a special day for Manager Yu, so let's not spoil everyone's fun.

Shopkeeper Yu showed no displeasure whatsoever. Instead, he raised his hand and waved it, saying in a calm tone, "It's alright, it's alright. We're all business colleagues. It's a rare opportunity to get together. Let's all enjoy ourselves."

The employer meant well; if Miss Miaoqin is unwilling, there's no need to force her.

This statement, though seemingly fair, subtly implies indulgence.

Upon hearing this, the fat merchant straightened his back even more, a smug look appearing on his face, and his gaze toward Miaoqin carried a hint of coercion.

In the corner, Yan Ruyu held a teacup, her eyelids slightly lowered, concealing the smile in her eyes.

Huo Changhe's lips curled into a faint smile, waiting to see the show.

The portly shopkeeper stepped forward, reached out to pinch Miaoqin's chin, and brought the wine glass to her lips, his tone somewhat domineering: "Did you hear that? Shopkeeper Yu said to let me enjoy myself!"

Drink this, and we'll call it even; otherwise, don't blame me for being impolite!

The wine almost splashed onto Miaoqin's face, and the surrounding guests held their breath.

To everyone's surprise, Miaoqin did not move. Just as the fat merchant's hand was about to touch her chin, she raised her hand and quickly and steadily grabbed the fat merchant's wrist.

Her fingers were slender and seemingly delicate, yet they contained a considerable strength.

The fat businessman felt a sudden tightening on his wrist, as if it were being clamped by iron clamps, and he couldn't move.

At the same time, the smile on Miaoqin's face vanished. Her eyes suddenly turned cold, her gaze sharp as a knife.

She slowly rose, exuding an inexplicable imposing aura, and coldly said, "A dying man dares to threaten me?"

As soon as these words came out, everyone in the hall was shocked.

The fat businessman was stunned for a moment, and the effects of the alcohol immediately sobered him up considerably.

He struggled a few times, but couldn't break free from Miaoqin's grasp. His face contorted with rage: "What... what nonsense are you spouting? What dying man? How dare you curse me?"

The surrounding guests were in an uproar, whispering amongst themselves.

"What does Miss Miaoqin mean by that? That's far too presumptuous!"

"This person's actions may be inappropriate, but it doesn't warrant such a curse!"

Miaoqin ignored their discussion, her gaze coldly fixed on the fat merchant, her fingers tightening slightly.

"You...you let me go..." The fat merchant's voice trembled, no longer as arrogant as before.

Huo Changhe and Yan Ruyu exchanged a glance, a cold glint flashing in their eyes.

Huo Changhe paused, then said in a low voice, "It's starting."

Yan Ruyu nodded gently, her gaze falling on the pot of Xingyuan Zui, her eyes deep and thoughtful.

Miaoqin scoffed, released her grip, and pushed the fat merchant, who lost his balance and staggered back a few steps, crashing into the table behind him, scattering wine cups and chopsticks all over the floor.

He clutched his chest, gasping for breath, his complexion growing worse, his eyes unfocused, and he seemed to have difficulty even standing.

The surrounding guests were so frightened that they all stood up and made way for them, their faces filled with panic.

"What's going on here?"

Before he could finish speaking, the fat businessman collapsed to the ground.

"Quick... quick, call a doctor!" Manager Yu shouted.

The scene instantly descended into chaos. Miaoqin stood still, watching the chaos unfold before her, a cold glint flashing in her eyes before she regained her composure.

She calmly sat down again, composed and at ease.

“Miss Miaoqin,” Manager Yu looked at her, his tone displeased, “what exactly did you mean by what you just said?”

Miaoqin looked up and stared directly at him, saying calmly, "Tell the truth."

She looked around at the crowd, her voice laced with sarcasm: "Not just him, but all of you too."

"They all have to die."