After her mind was read, the spoiled brat became the darling of the whole group.

"My good disciple, does it hurt?"

The man in black robes walked up to the boy, stopped in front of him, raised his head, and revealed a handsome face.

Although he looks older and has aged, you can still see the handsome features he had in his youth.

However, those eyes were too gloomy, making people feel uncomfortable at first glance.

"Master, Master." Luo Hanfeng lifted his eyelids, his face pale as he looked at the man in black robes.

As they spoke, a snake, its tongue spitting out its serpentine breath, emerged from the pool and slithered straight up Luo Hanfeng's leg. A cold, sticky sensation emanated from Luo Hanfeng's exposed skin. The snake continued to coil around him, finally settling on Luo Hanfeng's neck, raising its neck and staring coldly at the artery in his neck.

It looked as if it was about to bite down at any moment.

"Don't move." The man in black robes reached out and beckoned to the snake. The snake obediently slithered along the man's fingertips and coiled itself around his arm.

The man in black robes chuckled softly, gently tapping the snake's head with his finger, and said, "You are poisoned. If it weren't for my Gu worms sucking the poison out of your body, you would probably have died within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn."

"My good disciple, you must thank your master properly."

Luo Hanfeng's handsome brows furrowed, and beads of cold sweat trickled down his temples from the pain.

Even in such pain, he still managed to say with difficulty, "Thank... thank you, Master."

As soon as he finished speaking, the man in black robes let out a cold snort.

"Look at all these treasures your master has possessed. Half of them have died trying to save you! How much effort your master has put into saving you?"

The man in black robes stepped forward, grabbed Luo Hanfeng's chin forcefully, and looked at Luo Hanfeng coldly; "How did you treat your master?"

"Why haven't you completed the task I asked you to do yet?"

The man in the black robe squeezed Luo Hanfeng's chin so hard it almost crushed it.

"I want that dog emperor dead, and that Jun Lanjin too! Why are they still alive?"

His voice grew increasingly angry, and even the snake coiled around his wrist sensed the man's rage, immediately standing up and biting into Luo Hanfeng's arm.

"Ugh!" Luo Hanfeng was in unbearable pain. He tilted his head back, his muscles tense. He was gripped tightly by the hand hanging in the air, and the pain made his breathing rapid.

"Master, Master, please calm down!" Luo Hanfeng managed to utter the words with difficulty. "I have already sent someone to put a slow-acting drug in my father's food. In just over a month, the poison in his body has taken effect."

"At that time, he will soon pass away."

"Oh?" Upon hearing this, the man in black robes relaxed slightly. He slowly released Luo Hanfeng's chin and gently tapped the snake's head with his finger.

The snake obediently retracted its head.

Black blood oozed from the spot where Luo Hanfeng had been bitten by the snake, dripping into the Gu pool beneath him and instantly killing a large number of Gu worms.

Luo Hanfeng's face turned from pale to bluish-purple, and finally even his lips turned black.

Taking advantage of this time, Luo Hanfeng quickly said, "As for Jun Lanjin, he is not worth worrying about. He has had toxins in his body since childhood and will not live past this year."

“I saw him recently and found that his health is deteriorating every day; he is destined to die young.”

The man in the black robe was finally satisfied.

He took out a medicine bottle from his sleeve, poured out a small blue pill, and put it into Luo Hanfeng's mouth, saying slowly, "If that's really the case, you should have told Master earlier, so you wouldn't have to suffer like this."

"Alright, the poison in your body has been mostly neutralized, so you don't need to soak in this Gu pool anymore."

With a wave of his hand, the two ropes binding Luo Hanfeng's hands snapped.

Luo Hanfeng instantly fell into the pool.

The man in black robes ignored his life or death and turned to leave.

Luo Hanfeng took a couple of breaths, channeled his inner strength, and killed all the Gu worms in the pool before finally crawling out of it in a disheveled state.

He clenched his fists, his pale brown pupils were unfathomable, concealing a deep killing intent.

……

News of the victory reached the palace, and at the same time, news that the epidemic had been brought under control also reached the palace.

A smile finally appeared on the face of the Chu Emperor, a smile that had not been seen for a long time.

At that time, he sat in the Empress Dowager's palace and said, "It is thanks to Zhiheng's good ideas that the disaster was brought under control. If he had not sent people south to treat the disaster and the epidemic, I am afraid that the disaster would not have been brought under control for a long time."

The Empress Dowager's health is deteriorating. Lying in bed, she coughed lightly, covering her mouth with a handkerchief, and said, "Yes, I wonder who Zhiheng used this time?"

As he spoke, the smile on Emperor Chu's face gradually faded: "Xie Yuhe, Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review."

"The Xie family?"

The Chu Emperor said calmly, "And this year's new top scholar, Song Qingyang."

"This new top scholar is quite talented; the court is in dire need of someone like him."

"They know everything from astronomy to geography. How long has it been since the court has had someone like that? They're all just a bunch of good-for-nothings who're just scraping by!"

"Sooner or later I will kill them all one by one, so as to save my money from supporting this bunch of useless people!"

The Empress Dowager hesitated for a moment before speaking up: "I've heard that the new top scholar is unmarried. If he is truly a talented person, we can choose a princess to marry him and make him a prince consort. In this way, we won't have to worry about him having any real power that could threaten the royal family's position."

Throughout history, imperial sons-in-law have never held any real power.

Although he was the princess's consort, which seemed like a high position, in reality, no ambitious minister would want to be a consort.

Upon hearing this suggestion, the Emperor of Chu's eyes lit up: "Your Majesty's insight is brilliant."

The Empress Dowager chuckled softly: "In the court today, I wonder how many officials are eager for the throne, and how many are truly loyal?"

"An emperor still needs to have a discerning eye to recognize talent."

"This Xie family..." The Empress Dowager hesitated for a moment before slowly saying, "The Xie family has followed Your Majesty since the founding of the country, risking their lives together. Your Majesty should be able to see whether they are loyal or not."

"Now that we have won this victory, and it is thanks to the great contribution of the Xie family, Your Majesty might as well release the Xie family?"

"I am still furious that the Xie family was released so easily!"

The Empress Dowager said, "In the end, Your Majesty is only wary of the Xie family's military power. You can take this opportunity to take back the military power and let the Xie family's merits and demerits cancel each other out. In this way, Your Majesty will not only take back the military power, but your subjects will also thank Your Majesty."

The Chu Emperor was moved.

Seeing this, the Empress Dowager pressed her advantage, saying, "After all, they are founding heroes. If the entire Xie family were to be executed, it would chill the hearts of all the officials in the court!"

The Chu emperor finally relented.

He said, "What the Empress Dowager says makes sense. Once they return to the capital in triumph and the Xie family relinquishes their military power, I will release them."

After saying this, the Chu Emperor got up and went out.

The Empress Dowager watched the Chu Emperor walk away and sighed softly, "Your Majesty is getting old, and he's become too suspicious. His many concerns have actually caused him to lose something."

"Your Majesty, it's time for you to take your medicine."

The nanny beside the Empress Dowager brought the medicine up.

The Empress Dowager took the medicine, drank it, and then said calmly, "Go and write a letter to the old lady of the Xie family, saying that I have already helped them this much out of consideration for our past relationship. Their future fate still depends on the Xie family themselves."

"Yes."

Someone went to carry out the order.

"Zhiheng is getting on in years, it's time for him to get married. How is that girl from the Xie family doing in the palace?" The Empress Dowager turned to ask the nanny beside her.

The old woman hesitated for a moment and said, "Your Highness, the Xie family's daughter has been imprisoned in the imperial prison, and we haven't heard anything from her yet."

"The Xie family's glory is probably not what it used to be. If they were to marry Prince Jin, wouldn't that be a bit...?"

The old woman paused at this point and didn't continue.

"That girl, even if the Xie family's glory remains, is still not good enough for Zhiheng."

The Empress Dowager rubbed her temples and said, "That girl De'an has been by Zhiheng's side for so long, but I haven't seen Zhiheng like her that much."

"I always thought Zhiheng was gay because he didn't seem to have much interest in women. But this time I finally saw a woman who could get close to him. And I think she's clever and well-mannered, so I don't need to worry about her."

The old woman spoke up: "Your Highness, I heard that the most beautiful woman in the Yin family of Pingzhou has recently been cured by a divine physician, and her whole family is moving to the capital."

"Perhaps, the prince will like it?"

"Hmm?" The Empress Dowager's eyes lit up. She looked at the old woman and asked, "You mean, that girl from the Yin family?"

The old woman nodded. "The girl from the Yin family is exceptionally beautiful, and her family background is beyond reproach. More importantly, she is well-educated, knowledgeable, and knowledgeable about many things."

"The Yin family dotes on this daughter, often letting her travel and explore the mountains and rivers. Compared to those dull and conventional women in the capital, it's possible that the prince will like her."

The Empress Dowager pondered for a moment, "If that's the case, then it would be even better. However, is the girl from the Yin family easy to bear children?"

The old woman shook her head. "I haven't heard of that."

The Empress Dowager said, "It's a pity that Zhiheng doesn't like having many women in the harem, and the Jun family only follows the rule of not taking concubines."

"Otherwise, I'll give both to Zhiheng."

The old woman said, "Why don't you take a look at the Prince after that Miss Yin enters the capital?"

"That's all it has to be."

"How is things on the other side of De'an?" the Empress Dowager asked, inquiring about Princess De'an.

The old woman said, "Ever since the prince confined me, I've been preparing your birthday gift and haven't left the manor."

The Empress Dowager said, "I only hope that after that girl comes out, she won't dislike Zhiheng anymore."

On one side, the Empress Dowager was worrying about Jun Lanjin's marriage, while on the other side, Xie Xing and Jun Lanjin were both trying to detoxify themselves.

The detoxification process was unpleasant; Xie Xing screamed and cried out in pain.

The Valley Master of Medicine King Valley looked sour from crying.

He tapped Xie Xing on the head and said, "You little brat, what's the big deal? You're giving me a headache. Shut up."

Xie Xing sobbed, "Grandpa, it's not that I can't hold it in, it really hurts!"

"Hmph, pampered little girl. If it were me, I bet I wouldn't utter a sound... Ah!"

Before the Valley Master could finish speaking, his tone abruptly changed, and he gasped, looking incredulously at Xie Xing, who was reaching for his arm: "Girl! Are you trying to kill me?!"

"I'm so old, if you bite my arm, aren't you afraid of breaking your teeth!"

Xie Xing raised his head, his eyes brimming with tears, and looked at the old valley master. "You were the one who said it, without saying a word."

The old valley master coughed lightly and finally added a pain-relieving herb to the bath, saying, "But I'm warning you, adding this herb will make the medicine less effective."

"If you lose a few more years of your lifespan, you'll suffer when you're old."

"Take it off."

Xie Xing didn't care at all, as long as she wasn't in pain right now.

She didn't expect to stay in this ancient world for long.

If we fail to complete the mission and are trapped in this ancient world, we might as well die sooner rather than later.

The sooner she dies, the sooner she'll be reborn; anyway, she's just barely surviving the rest of her days.

The old valley master looked at Xie Xing with suspicion, and while administering acupuncture to her, he said, "You little girl, you are so young, yet you treat life so lightly. This is unacceptable, unacceptable."

Xie Xing lay on the bathtub, biting her lip in pain, unable to speak for a long time.

On the other hand, Jun Lanjin was also not having an easy time.

His poison was deeper and more potent than Xie Xing's; removing it would be equivalent to losing half a life.

It will take time to recover.

After three days and three nights of continuous treatment, the toxins in their bodies were finally cleared.

Xie Xing was already lying on the bed, completely exhausted.

At this moment, Xie Tongchen led Xie Yuze into the pharmacy.

When Xie Yuze entered and saw Xie Xing's pale and weak appearance, his expression immediately changed. He quickly stepped forward and asked, "What happened to you?"

Xie Xing felt annoyed whenever he saw the two of them.

She turned her head and asked, "Why are you here again?"

Xie Yuze retorted, "What are you saying? I'm your brother, can't I come to see you?"

"Do you know how worried I was about you, that beast!" Xie Yuze said, then suddenly stopped. He glanced at Xie Tongchen and finally asked in a low voice:

"Has he done anything inappropriate to you?"

Thinking of the questions Luo Hanfeng had asked Xie Xing before he fainted, Xie Yuze felt a surge of murderous intent.

He clenched his fists, wishing he could tear Luo Hanfeng to pieces on the spot!

How can someone be so shameless!

Xie Xing said, "I ran away."

"Good that he escaped, good that he escaped." Xie Yuze breathed a sigh of relief, but when he saw Xie Xing's appearance, his face darkened again. "I am determined to kill Luo Hanfeng!"

Xie Tongchen, standing behind the two, said upon hearing this, "When I came to rescue Xie Mingzhu and Luo Hanfeng earlier, I discovered that Luo Hanfeng had already been poisoned."

"If the poison isn't neutralized, he'll probably die too."

"Impossible." Xie Yuze denied it without even thinking.

He stood up with a cold face and said, "Luo Hanfeng couldn't have died so easily. He must be hiding in this city."

"The emperor is far away, so let's take advantage of his illness and kill him here. That way, it'll save us the trouble of killing him when we get back to Shengjing."

Xie Yuze wanted to nip Luo Hanfeng in the bud.

Xie Xing glanced at Xie Yuze.

[Speaking of which, didn't Xie Mingzhu personally stick a hairpin into his hair? Why does he seem to hate Luo Hanfeng even more now?]

[He can't bear to kill his precious little sister?]

The thought disgusted Xie Yuze, and he quickly added, "Xie Mingzhu? She killed too."