Sir Song, do you want to pledge yourself to me?

Ji Chuan looked at Ji Nuan, frowning, and said with worry, "They have bad intentions! Nuan Nuan, do you really want to take them with you?"

Ji Nuan understood her brother's concerns, but she also had her own plans. She patiently explained, "Third Brother, you've seen it too. They won't give up until they achieve their goal. If I refuse them today, they might find another opportunity. Why don't I take them up the mountain alone and see what their real intentions are?"

After hearing this, Ji Chuan became even more anxious: "That's too dangerous! Zhang Qinghu is just a reckless second-rate guy who will do anything to achieve his goals." He knew very well what kind of person Zhang Qinghu was.

Ji Nuan smiled confidently and said, "Third brother, are you still not confident in my skills? I will be careful." She was very confident in her abilities.

However, Ji Chuan still insisted on his own opinion: "It is hard to guard against it. I'd better go with you." His tone was firm and unquestionable.

Ji Nuan looked at her brother's determined eyes and knew she couldn't convince him. So she compromised and said, "Okay, but you have to follow them from a distance and don't let them see you. I want to see what they're up to."

She already had a plan in mind and decided to use this opportunity to uncover the true intentions of Zhang Qinghu and others.

Ji Nuan came out carrying a backpack and said to Ji He, "I'm ready, let's go."

When they reached the mountain, Ji Nuan was so focused on picking herbs that she didn't seem to notice the little movements of Ji He and Zhang Qinghu.

Ji He and Zhang Qinghu huddled together, whispering to each other with furtive looks.

"She is only busy picking herbs and ignores us. What should we do?" Ji He asked Zhang Qinghu in a low voice, looking a little anxious.

Zhang Qinghu's eyes rolled and he proposed a sinister plan: "Why don't you go and talk to her first, and I'll knock her out from behind when she's not paying attention, and then I'll carry her back. Everyone in the village will be watching, and she'll have to marry me." His tone revealed a nonchalant frivolity.

However, Ji He immediately rejected this idea: "No, you are not going to hold back. If you beat him to death, none of us can escape." She did not trust Zhang Qinghu's violent methods.

Zhang Qinghu was also a little troubled by what Ji He said: "Then what do you say we should do?"

"This was secretly given to me by my mother before she went out." Ji He took out a small paper bag from his arms and handed it to Zhang Qinghu mysteriously.

Zhang Qinghu opened it and sniffed it, a lewd smile on his face: "My aunt still knows how to love me." He whispered to Ji He, "Pour this on the handkerchief first, go over to her and get close to her, and when she's not paying attention, cover her mouth and nose with the handkerchief. Leave the rest to me."

After the two of them had discussed it, they split up. Ji He, holding the handkerchief soaked in medicine, pretended to be affectionate as he walked towards Ji Nuan, while Zhang Qinghu quietly followed behind them, ready to take action at any time.

They didn't know that although they thought they spoke very quietly, Ji Nuan heard every word.

Ji Nuan felt both infuriated and amused by the two men's sinister intentions. She was infuriated that they, for their own selfish desires, would resort to such despicable means to scheme against her and try to ruin her life; she was amused that they had actually thought they could get away with it, not realizing that she had already heard their entire conversation clearly.

There had been some minor frictions between their family and their aunt, but they were trivial matters, never deep hatred. She couldn't understand why her aunt and her family were so cruel and devised such a scheme to harm her.

Ji Nuan sneered and did not expose them immediately. Instead, she pretended to be unaware and continued to busy herself with collecting herbs.

Seeing Ji Nuan squatting on the ground picking herbs, Ji He pretended to be concerned and approached her, asking what kind of herbs she was picking. Ji Nuan sneered inwardly, but remained calm on the surface. She deliberately used the back of her hand to gather the hair by her ear, and smeared the dirt on her hand on her face, creating a seemingly "rare opportunity" for Ji He.

Ji He saw the dirt on Ji Nuan's face, and just as she had expected, a flicker of excitement flashed in her eyes. With feigned concern, she took out a handkerchief and prepared to wipe the dirt off Ji Nuan's face. However, the moment she reached out, Ji Nuan quickly grabbed her handkerchief and covered Ji He's face with it. Before Ji He could react, she collapsed to the ground, clearly drugged by the handkerchief.

Zhang Qinghu saw this and thought to himself, "This is not good!" But he didn't immediately go forward to check on Ji He. Instead, he quietly circled behind Ji Nuan, preparing to attack her with a large rock. However, his every move was observed by Ji Chuan, who was not far away. Ji Chuan was terrified and hurriedly quickened his pace, ready to protect his sister at this critical moment.

Ji Nuan didn't wait for her brother to come to her defense; she had already sensed Zhang Qinghu's intentions. Just as Zhang Qinghu was about to succeed, she suddenly turned and struck him with a palm strike, lightning fast. Zhang Qinghu had no time to react before Ji Nuan's palm struck him, knocking him unconscious.

Ji Nuan looked at the two people lying on the ground, and a hint of coldness flashed in her eyes.

"Since you want to harm me, don't blame me for giving you a taste of your own medicine." Ji Nuan flicked her fingers at the two people on the ground.

She turned around and said to Ji Chuan who had rushed over, "Third brother, they wanted to plot against me, using such despicable means. But now, they have been poisoned by the medicine they brought with them, so it can be said that they have brought it upon themselves. You should hurry back to the village and find a way to bring some people here. There will be a lot of fun to watch. However, remember to clear yourself and don't let this matter implicate you."

Upon hearing this, Ji Chuan nodded solemnly. He glanced at Ji He and Zhang Qinghu lying on the ground, and without stopping, he turned and went down the mountain.

Seeing Ji Chuan leave, Ji Nuan quickly tidied herself up, took the collected herbs, and quietly left the scene.

In Taohua Village, the atmosphere suddenly grew tense. Several villagers gathered around Ji Chuan, his face pale and his eyes filled with anxiety. He eagerly described what he had seen and heard on the edge of the outer mountain: "Before I even reached the edge, I heard bursts of shouting and a roaring noise, like wild animals running."

As Ji Chuan spoke, he wiped the sweat from his face, which was caused by his nervousness.

"Hurry, everyone, pick up your weapons, we have to go to the mountain to rescue people!" He shouted loudly, with unquestionable determination in his voice.

Upon hearing this, the villagers realized the seriousness of the situation and immediately took action, picking up sickles and hoes and running up the mountain.

There were also a few half-grown children running and calling for help.

Ji Chuan looked at the kind-hearted villagers around him, who followed him to the mountain to rescue people regardless of danger. Each face was full of determination and courage. However, Ji Chuan's heart was filled with an indescribable sense of guilt. He had used them.

When everyone rushed up the mountain to rescue people, they did not find any wild animals, but unexpectedly discovered a pair of wild mandarin ducks.

Zhang Qinghu was holding Ji He, and the two of them were entangled together with their clothes in disarray.

The atmosphere went from tense to subtle in an instant.

"Oh, my god, I'm going to get a stye!" An aunt couldn't help but exclaimed, quickly dropped the hoe in her hand, and covered her eyes tightly with both hands. If the gaps between her fingers weren't so big, people around her would really believe that she was afraid to look.

The villagers began to talk, their voices rising one after another.

Some people were surprised by the relationship between Ji He and Zhang Qinghu: "Isn't this Ji He girl engaged? How come she is with her cousin?"

Some speculated that the two may have secretly developed feelings for each other, but had not made it public due to the disapproval of their elders. Some suggested: "I'm afraid they have been together for a long time. The two children like each other, so just help them get together."

Ji Chuan stood in the crowd, his expression complicated. Someone suggested that he should go up and separate the two people, but he shook his head repeatedly, saying that they were in love and it was not right for outsiders to interfere.

As the crowd gathered, Dabo's mother and Zhang Qinghu's mother also rushed over after hearing the news. Hearing the crowd's discussions, they anxiously pushed through the layers of people and rushed in.