"I didn't do anything. Xing Jiahui found me and asked for some bedroom secret medicines. So I took the opportunity to smear some powdered Maze Grass on them. That stuff is highly volatile and makes people lose their senses once inhaled. Xing Jiahui and Duan Xucheng conspired to harm you. She must be thinking about this matter constantly, mistaking her thoughts for reality. It's like sleepwalking, a daydream."
Xia Yunting found it quite novel. "So, Madam Gu's sudden intervention to protect Xing Jiahui was also your idea?"
"Of course. Since you wanted to protect her, I helped you out."
"That sounds rather jealous," Xia Yunting fanned the air in front of his nose with his hand.
"I'm keeping her not out of personal affection. If we were to fall out now, it would be difficult to explain to the Emperor."
"You don't need to explain to me." Rong Zhi turned her head away, her expression a little unnatural. It was only then that she realized her previous words had sounded quite petulant.
"You disappeared without a reason in Changping County. I thought you were going to go back on your word. Since you're fine, fulfill your promise soon. I'll be watching you here."
"Alright," Xia Yunting smiled.
To ensure Xia Yunting fulfilled his promise promptly, Rong Zhi stayed at the Xia mansion as a physician. The next day, Xia Yunting left early, reportedly because the Emperor, while investigating Duan Xucheng, uncovered other matters connected to Xia Yunting, requiring him to provide testimony.
Seeing Xia Yunting's confident demeanor as he left, Rong Zhi suddenly felt that Xia Yunting might have invited the Emperor to the General's mansion not just to gain leverage over the Prime Minister's mansion.
Rong Zhi had no knowledge of the specifics. Seeing Xia Yunting depart, she changed her clothes and slipped out quietly.
She had been uneasy since failing to find Chu Qingze last time. With nothing pressing at the moment, she wanted to quickly confirm his whereabouts.
She went to Chu Qingze's pharmacy first, but it was empty. The only difference was that the herbs on the shelves had decreased further.
As Rong Zhi was pondering, she suddenly heard rustling sounds from the backyard. A furtive figure was stuffing money into his embrace and heading out.
The moment the curtain was lifted, their eyes met. The person startled, turned to flee, but Rong Zhi lunged forward and pinned him down.
"Who are you, and why are you stealing here?"
The person, unable to move under Rong Zhi's grasp, quickly pleaded, "My lady, spare me! Everything here is ownerless. Whoever finds it, keeps it."
"Nonsense, the owner of this place just moved in not long ago. Do you think I'm easily fooled?"
"It's true! Nobody has returned here for days. According to the rules of our profession, anything left behind by someone who hasn't returned for a long time can be taken freely."
Hearing this, Rong Zhi was somewhat surprised. "Not returned for days? Could something have truly happened?"
She released the thief and kicked him in the knee. "Bah! Thieves have rules? If you have hands and feet, you should work properly. Since you're so fond of using them, perhaps they should be broken off! How much have you stolen? Return it all, or I won't let you off!"
The thief wailed, then immediately knelt on the ground. "My lady, I dare not again. Today, I only took two pieces of silver. I'll return them all to you." He then took out the silver, placed it on the ground, and hobbled away.
Rong Zhi picked up the silver, not dwelling on the matter further. She looked around and found the room in disarray. The thief had ransacked the place thoroughly.
This time, she locked the door and was about to head to the Hundred Herbs Pavilion to find Zhang Yajing. Unexpectedly, before she could get there, she ran into Cui Xi.
"Divine Physician Lin, you're here! Quick, Divine Physician Chu is in trouble."
At the Hundred Herbs Pavilion, Zhang Yajing closed the door, her expression grave.
"Did you see clearly? It's the Xiao Prince's manor?"
Cui Xi nodded. "That's right. I heard the young servant who bought medicine asking Master, 'What kind of illness makes one unable to touch women?' Master wanted to ask for details, but he was evasive. Master said that servant is from the Xiao Prince's manor, and he often comes to buy medicine."
Zhang Yajing looked worried. "Back in Changping County, that county princess had a conflict with Divine Physician Chu. They must have encountered each other on the street. Divine Physician Chu was captured by her and taken into the Prince's manor. She's a county princess, she can do whatever she wants. What if Divine Physician Chu dies in there?"
"Don't worry, I'll think of a way," Rong Zhi soothed her, her mind racing for a solution.
At the Xiao Prince's manor, a young maidservant arrived at the rear quarters.
"Miss, that person ran away again."
Xiao Yao was playing with a butterfly dart and was used to such news.
"How did he escape?"
"He broke free from the ropes and ran from the southeast corner."
"I'll go and see."
She put away the dart, a hint of amusement on her face. She had captured him for days, and he was proving more and more interesting.
The southeast corner was a vegetable garden, usually guarded by an old gardener. At this moment, the gardener was sitting on a chair, dozing in the sun... or perhaps he had fainted.
Near the wall, butterfly darts, ropes, and silver needles lay scattered on the ground. Chu Qingze twitched his lips, looking at these items.
This county princess was truly perverse, setting up so many traps to keep him contained. Fortunately, his experience in the jianghu was vast; otherwise, he would have been poked full of holes.
After dealing with these items, Chu Qingze leaped over the wall. He took a deep breath, savoring the taste of freedom.
However, this freedom didn't last long. Chu Qingze's expression suddenly froze. Several butterfly darts flew at him one after another, hitting precisely to his sides, pinning his clothes firmly to the wall.
"Run, keep running."
Chu Qingze was overwhelmed with emotions. A myriad of expressions flashed across his face: pain, struggle, resignation.
He raised his hands in surrender. "County Princess, I was wrong. I'll go back now."
Xiao Yao raised her chin proudly. "Trying to outsmart me..."
As Chu Qingze turned to climb back over the wall, he suddenly scattered a handful of powder from his sleeve. The powder quickly dispersed, obscuring Xiao Yao's vision.
Xiao Yao coughed, fanning the air with her hand and covering her mouth. By the time her vision cleared, Chu Qingze was gone.
"Hahaha, trying to outsmart me? After you've played tricks on me so many times, did you think I wouldn't be prepared?" Chu Qingze burst into laughter and bolted.
As he rounded a corner, he suddenly felt a weakness in his body and collapsed helplessly.
Xiao Yao appeared before him, arms crossed.
"I know you're skilled in martial arts, but I had already put the Soft Tendon Powder in your tea and food. It's colorless and odorless; even a legendary divine physician like you wouldn't be able to detect it."
Chu Qingze looked shocked and tried to struggle a few times but couldn't get up.
Xiao Yao directly grabbed his hand and dragged him into the courtyard like a sack of grain.
"Since I've seen you, you won't escape my grasp."
The next moment, her smile froze on her face, and she found herself unable to move. The world spun, and she was no longer on the ground, but being carried over Chu Qingze's shoulder.
"Ridiculous. If I couldn't even see through such a petty trick, I wouldn't be worthy of my reputation as a divine physician."
As the saying goes, it's better to avoid trouble than to confront it. The other party was a county princess, and Chu Qingze didn't dare to do anything to her. So, he decided to pack up his belongings and find a new place to settle, as far away as possible.
Xiao Yao, affected by the powder, couldn't move. Just as Chu Qingze was about to spirit her away unnoticed, she suddenly shouted into the manor, "Thousand Shadow Guards, where are you!"
Swish! In an instant, several burly men appeared around them, radiating killing intent.
These were the secret guards employed by the Prince's manor, absolutely loyal to Xiao Yao, and they usually remained hidden.
Seeing Xiao Yao about to be taken away, they drew their swords without a word and charged forward.
After a series of screams, Chu Qingze was carried back by one of them, and Xiao Yao was supported by another, calmly directing them, "Watch him carefully. Don't let him leave this place again, or I won't spare you."
"Yes."
The reply was deafening.
From a corner of the distant wall, Rong Zhi and the other two, who had witnessed the entire event, had complex expressions.
"I never imagined Divine Physician Chu would suffer so much in there. It's truly pitiable!"
Cui Xi couldn't help but feel sympathy.
Zhang Yajing looked at Rong Zhi. "Divine Physician Lin, this county princess has so many tricks up her sleeve. Will we be able to defeat her?"
"We can only outsmart her, not overpower her. You two go back first, and I'll go and have a look."
Zhang Yajing and Cui Xi had no choice but to leave. As they departed, they couldn't resist casting a sympathetic glance.
Rong Zhi adjusted the hat on her head and tidied the beard around her mouth. Once she was sure everything was in place, she put on a show and walked out.
To avoid being recognized, she had deliberately attached a large beard. As soon as she reached the gate, she was stopped by a gatekeeper.
"Hey, wait a minute. What are you doing here? Do you know what this place is?"
"I know. Isn't this the Xiao Prince's manor? I heard something strange happened here and came specifically to see." Rong Zhi said, peering inside.
"What strange thing could there be? Scram, scram! If you don't leave, I'll have to chase you out." The gatekeeper was quite impatient.
Rong Zhi exclaimed, "Oh my! You have very poor manners, young man. Let me tell you, I am a divine physician. I heard that a seriously ill patient appeared here, so I came to take a look. If it weren't for me, you'd all be in trouble. Don't say I didn't warn you."
She deliberately made it sound serious, and the gatekeeper was indeed somewhat intimidated.
"What disaster? What critically ill patient?"
"I heard your county princess brought back a man with a strange illness, didn't you?"
"Yes." Hearing this, the gatekeeper became a little flustered. The county princess had ordered this matter to be kept secret, but today, when he went out to buy medicine, he had inadvertently let slip some details.
"I heard that person cannot touch women, and if he does, he suffers palpitations, shortness of breath, and breaks out in a cold sweat, right?"
"Yes."
"Oh my, that's exactly the symptom! This is an extremely rare illness called gynophobia, and it's contagious!"
"Contagious?" Hearing this, the gatekeeper shivered involuntarily.
"Yes. If you get too close to him for too long, men will develop the same symptoms as him and will no longer be able to approach women. Women will grow beards and slowly turn into men!"
The gatekeeper's face changed, as if recalling something. "Then how can it be treated?"
"Of course, I can treat it. However, I have no relation to this person, so why should I help him? I only heard about this illness and came to see the spectacle. Since you won't let me in, then forget it."
Rong Zhi then turned to leave.
"Wait!" The gatekeeper quickly stopped her, scratching his head in thought. "Wait a moment. I'll go and ask the county princess. Don't go, don't go!"
He emphasized several times until Rong Zhi was certain he wouldn't leave, then he hurried inside.