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

"They all have to die."

The three words floated lightly into the noisy front hall, and the faces of all the guests turned pale.

"Miss Miaoqin, what...what do you mean by that? Are you joking?"

"A joke?" Miaoqin's voice was cold. "I never joke."

Manager Yu's face turned ashen. He strode up to Miaoqin and said, "Miss Miaoqin, today is my birthday banquet. The hall is full of colleagues from the Youcheng business community. We are all gathered here in joy. How could you say such unlucky and vicious words? It is really inappropriate!"

"Shouldn't be?" Miaoqin looked up at Manager Yu, a cold smile playing on her lips. "I said I was stating the facts. What's this about 'should' or 'shouldn't'?"

If I don't tell you, you'll all remain confused.

You should thank me for letting you die knowing why.

Shopkeeper Yu's pupils constricted sharply: "What do you mean by that?"

Miaoqin pointed to the wine pot that the fat merchant had smashed on the ground. The pot of Xingyuan Zui was still gushing out amber-colored wine, emitting a rich aroma.

"That Xingyuan Zui wine in that pot, a fine brew that Manager Yu bought at great expense, you've all had your fill today, haven't you?"

The crowd looked at each other, their faces filled with surprise and doubt.

Manager Yu forced himself to remain calm: "So what if it is? This wine is a rare delicacy. We've drunk quite a bit, and we haven't experienced anything unusual!"

"Nothing unusual?" Miaoqin scoffed, her eyes sweeping over everyone. "It's just that the time hasn't come yet."

I poisoned the wine. At first, there are no symptoms, but after half an hour, unbearable abdominal pain will occur. Another half hour later, blood will flow from all seven orifices, and death will ensue—even a god could not save you.

"what?!"

A scream pierced the hall, followed by a chorus of panic.

Several timid merchants immediately bent over, trying to vomit up the wine they had drunk.

The banquet hall instantly descended into chaos.

"Why did you do this?" Manager Yu trembled with rage, pointing at Miaoqin and shouting, "I invited you to perform at my birthday banquet, and I treated you very well, serving you good food and drink, preparing a private room for you, and giving you generous money. I have not shown you the slightest disrespect, so why did you have to do this to me?"

Upon hearing this, Miaoqin chuckled softly, her tone mocking: "Why would I care about your little bit of silver? What I want is much more than that."

"What exactly do you want?" Manager Yu asked through gritted teeth, his eyes full of vigilance.

Miaoqin slowly rose, lifted her skirt, and walked step by step to the center of the hall, her gaze slowly sweeping over each guest present.

These people were all leaders in Youcheng's business community, controlling the flow of money and goods throughout the city, and were the core of Youcheng's wealth.

Her eyes were scrutinizing, filled with an arrogant sense of certainty, as she said, word by word, "What I want is for you to obediently listen to me."

From this day forward, every business transaction and every trade route in Youcheng will be under my command.

What I want is the lifeline of Youcheng, which is entirely in my hands.

"That's wishful thinking!" Manager Yu shouted angrily, turning to look at everyone. "Fellow colleagues, this woman is vicious and is trying to control us with poisoned wine and seize control of Youcheng. We must not be forced by her!"

If everyone works together, we might be able to subdue her and find an antidote!

No sooner had Manager Yu finished speaking than someone looked troubled.

Looking at the fat merchant curled up on the ground, his face pale, Wang, the shopkeeper in the corner, felt his legs go weak and his voice trembled with tears: "I don't want to die!"

Half an hour...we only have half an hour left!

His words were like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the will to resist of many.

The poison was inside the body, and the body could not resist it, leaving no chance of survival.

For a moment, everyone's faces were filled with hesitation and fear, and the atmosphere in the hall fell into a stalemate once again.

A clear, cold voice broke the silence, like ice beads falling onto a jade plate: "If I listen to you, will I live?"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw the lady who had been sitting quietly in the west corner slowly get up.

She was indeed as beautiful as jade.

She walked slowly to the center of the hall, her steps steady, her expression calm, and she looked directly at Miaoqin.

Miaoqin raised an eyebrow slightly, looked Yan Ruyu up and down, and smiled with a hint of amusement: "This lady is quite composed."

You're right, listen to me, there's definitely a way out.

"As long as you all obey my orders from now on and keep me happy, I'll not only give you the antidote when I'm in a good mood, but I'll also let you continue doing your business and enjoy wealth and luxury."

Her tone shifted abruptly, her eyes turning icy cold as she pointed at the frail, dying merchant on the ground: "If anyone disobeys me, dares to outwardly comply but inwardly defy me, or displeases me..."

He is your role model!

The fat merchant was speechless. He clutched his stomach tightly with both hands, his body curled up in a ball, his face obscured, but one could sense his extreme pain.

Everyone who saw him was terrified, and many people subconsciously took a step back, their fear intensifying.

Yan Ruyu disagreed and shook her head slightly: "You think you can control all the important merchants in Youcheng and the economic lifeline of the whole city just by relying on a jar of poisoned Xingyuan Zui?"

"Miss Miaoqin, you are far too arrogant."

"Arrogance?" Miaoqin laughed, her laughter clear yet arrogance-filled. "Madam is mistaken."

While that is indeed the case, what I want to do is not limited to a jar of wine.

As soon as she finished speaking, she suddenly raised her hands and clapped them three times.

"Clap! Clap! Clap!"

A series of hurried footsteps came from outside the hall, and the servants and laborers who had been guarding the door and the corridor rushed in.

They shed their servants' clothes, revealing the tight-fitting outfits underneath, and held gleaming steel knives in their hands, their blades gleaming with a cold, sharp light.

The leader was the same subordinate who had given Miaoqin the signal earlier. He led a dozen or so men and quickly dispersed, blocking all the entrances and exits of the hall.

Screams rose and fell, many women collapsed to the ground in fright, and the men also looked terrified.

Manager Yu was secretly alarmed. He thought he had made thorough arrangements, but he didn't expect that Miaoqin's people would still find a loophole and sneak into the mansion with so many of their subordinates.

Miaoqin stood in the middle of the chaotic crowd, a confident smile on her face, her gaze sweeping over the panicked people.

"Do you still think I'm arrogant now?"

From this day forward, I will set the rules for Youcheng!

Not to mention ordinary businessmen, even Manager Yu was a little uneasy.

He stole a glance at Yan Ruyu, then at the composed Huo Changhe, barely managing to stay calm.

Miaoqin sized up Yan Ruyu, her almond-shaped eyes narrowing slightly: "I think that you, Madam, are just as capable as any man, so why don't you follow me?"

Yan Ruyu smiled faintly: "You? You're not worthy."

Miaoqin's smile vanished: "If you won't listen to reason, you'll have to suffer the consequences!"

She pointed at the fat merchant on the ground: "Then die like him!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the fat merchant on the ground stretched.