Rong Zhi watched the servant's retreating figure, a confident smile on her face, then she darted into the shadows of a corner.
A moment later, the servant emerged, clutching his head in pain. "What fear of women? Nonsense, all this for me to get scolded. Where did that person go?" He looked around, realizing the person from before had vanished.
Rong Zhi held a small pebble between her fingertips, flicking it outward with her internal energy. It struck an acupoint near the servant's nose. "Ouch, who hit me?"
By this time, Rong Zhi had already blended into the crowd.
As night fell, the gatekeeping servant was relieved of duty. He went directly behind the rockery, turned a large stone, and there, a girl in a pink dress with double buns was waiting.
"My darling..." The servant beamed and moved to embrace her, but as he drew near, his stomach churned violently. His face paled, and he coughed, clutching his chest.
"What are you doing?" The girl pouted at his reaction and walked away, displeased.
"Wait for me..." The servant tried to chase after her, but suddenly recalled what the person had said earlier: fear of women, contagious... His expression shifted to horror. "Oh dear..."
Taking advantage of the deep night, a nimble figure weaved through the prince's mansion, quickly drawing the attention of the Qianying Guard. All maids and servants were ordered back to their rooms and forbidden to go out without reason.
The Qianying Guard patrolled back and forth. They had seen the intruder, but somehow, they couldn't catch them. Every time they thought they were close, the person would vanish like a ghost.
After searching everywhere, they found nothing.
"I think I was hit by some hidden weapon."
"Me too, but there's no wound."
"And we didn't find any hidden weapons."
The Qianying Guards were all perplexed.
Meanwhile, the servants hiding in their rooms also felt something strike them, but they had no idea who was responsible. It was as if ghosts were haunting the place!
In one room, Chu Qingze listened to the commotion outside, wanting to investigate. However, his hands and feet were tightly bound. Just as he was wondering, something heavy landed on his shoulder.
"Chu Qingze."
"Why are you here?" Chu Qingze's eyes lit up when he saw Rong Zhi, a look of excitement on his face. Family!
"I've come to rescue you."
"Quickly help me untie these ropes!" Chu Qingze struggled and extended his bound hands.
Rong Zhi didn't move. "There's a squad of dark guards outside, and they outnumber us. I can't get you out right now, but don't worry, in less than three days, they'll escort you out themselves."
"Why?"
Rong Zhi leaned closer and explained her plan to him.
Chu Qingze nodded in understanding. "Then I'll be waiting for you."
"Someone's coming, I'm leaving now."
A shadow fell over the window and door. Rong Zhi, before anyone entered, slipped out through the back window.
The next moment, the door opened, and Xiao Yao entered, a long sword in hand, her sharp gaze fixed on Chu Qingze. "Who did you just see?"
"See? I didn't see anyone. I only heard howling outside. Who knows what you're all doing?"
Xiao Yao waved her hand. "Search!" The dark guards behind her filed in and ransacked the place, yet they didn't even find a footprint. Xiao Yao was puzzled. A bird leaves no trace, but could this assassin have wings? How could there be no sign at all?
Angrily, she shoved a nearby dark guard and stormed out with a cold snort.
Just as she left, that dark guard frowned, covered his mouth, and ran off. The remaining dark guards exchanged glances. Even Xiao Yao, who was halfway out, couldn't help but turn back. This scene felt so familiar?
The next day, in the backyard of the prince's mansion, a group of servants gathered.
"Do you all feel like something is... off with you?" The gatekeeping servant spoke first. The others looked at each other, and finally, one person slowly replied, "I think... I got infected by that person. This morning, Cui Hua was fetching water in the backyard, and I helped her for a bit. As soon as I got close, I felt like throwing up. Her perfume was so suffocating!"
"Me too. I don't dare go near places with many maids now."
"I thought it was just me, but it seems everyone is the same."
"You know, yesterday I met a big-bearded doctor at the gate..." The gatekeeping servant recounted yesterday's events in detail, instantly causing a stir among the others.
"That won't do, I haven't even married yet."
"How about we do this..." The gatekeeping servant gathered the group and whispered for a while. The others all nodded in agreement.
Meanwhile, Chu Qingze had just finished his breakfast, served by a maid. He felt a chill down his spine as the woman opposite him stared at him menacingly. "Why are you staring at me? I really don't know what happened last night."
"Don't lie to me. This must have something to do with you. When I catch you, I'll make you all suffer! I'm watching you today to see what other tricks you can pull!" She kept her word and indeed stared at Chu Qingze with sharp eyes, causing him to instinctively step back.
Just then, a servant ran in from outside. "Miss, the Master is back and looking for you."
Xiao Yao was surprised. "Didn't my father go to court? Why is he back so soon?" She didn't suspect anything. Seeing the servant's anxious expression, she simply instructed, "Don't let him escape," and hurried away.
The servant slowly walked in. Chu Qingze, seeing this, obediently extended his hands. "Here, tie me up." The servant, however, took a step back as if Chu Qingze was something filthy. He suddenly turned and ran.
Chu Qingze was baffled. Huh, no one is guarding me, and I'm not tied up like a mummy. This is the perfect time to escape. A flash of inspiration struck him, and he remembered Rong Zhi's words from last night. He then slipped out through the back window.
Chu Qingze had expected many people to try and stop him, but to his surprise, people he passed acted as if they were blind. Even a patrolling dark guard, who was standing by the wall, turned his head away when Chu Qingze approached, as if intentionally letting him leave. Chu Qingze left the prince's mansion so smoothly that he still felt a sense of unreality when he saw the bustling merchants outside.
Suddenly, his hand was gripped tightly, and his vision blurred as he was pulled into a small alley. "I didn't expect you to get out so quickly. Much faster than I imagined." It was Rong Zhi.
Chu Qingze couldn't help but ask, "What exactly did you say to those people? Why are they avoiding me like the plague?" Last night, Rong Zhi had only mentioned spreading rumors among the servants to throw them into disarray, not the specifics.
Rong Zhi smiled. "I told them that if they got too close to you, they would contract your fear of women and would never be able to touch women again. Last night, I acupunctured them, making their sense of smell much more sensitive than usual. The young ladies and maids in the mansion usually wear heavy makeup, so when they got close, the scent became overwhelming, and they exhibited symptoms similar to yours. Naturally, they thought they were sick and didn't dare keep you in the mansion."
Chu Qingze recalled the servant's reaction from earlier and understood. "This is a case of harming yourself as well. If this gets out, who will dare to come to me for treatment in the future?"
"Don't worry, these symptoms will disappear soon. Even if it gets out, you can just say that people in the prince's mansion spread rumors."
"That's true. Xiao Yao doesn't know they let me out yet. Let's leave before she finds out." The two quickly departed.
Xiao Yao searched the courtyard but couldn't find her father. She began to doubt the earlier message. She wanted to question the servant who delivered the message, but he was unfamiliar, someone she had rarely seen before, and she couldn't find him immediately. This was not a critical issue. When she returned to Chu Qingze's room, she was surprised to find only two ropes left on the bed. The person was gone!
Her eyes widened. "Qianying Guard!"
"Present." Several dark guards appeared before Xiao Yao. "Where is he? Go find him at once."
"Yes!" The Qianying Guard dispersed. However, they wouldn't really search because Chu Qingze had left the prince's mansion right under their noses.
Chu Qingze returned to his pharmacy and started packing his belongings without a word. "I've angered such a she-devil. I can't stay here."
"Wait a moment." Rong Zhi stopped him. "She troubled you this time, so you're moving. If she comes for you again next time, where else will you move?"
"Then what should I do?"
"Don't worry, she probably won't have the mind to trouble you anymore for a while." Chu Qingze didn't understand what she meant, but seeing her confident demeanor, he felt reassured.
When Rong Zhi returned to the General's Mansion, Xia Yunting had just returned from court. Behind him, Xia Jin was directing several servants carrying a pile of gifts, his face beaming with joy. Seeing Rong Zhi, Xia Jin nodded politely. Rong Zhi was dressed as a man and held the position of a physician in the General's Mansion. Xia Jin didn't know she was the woman who had caused a stir in the mansion before, so he treated her with much more courtesy.
Rong Zhi looked at the gifts – fine silks, satins, and gold and silver jewelry. They seemed substantial. It appeared Xia Yunting had earned the Emperor's favor during his court session, but... why?
"While the Emperor was investigating Duan Xucheng, he also discovered some irregularities in the Imperial Hospital," Xia Yunting said, dismissing Xia Jin and explaining to Rong Zhi.
"What irregularities?"
"There was an imperial physician in the Imperial Hospital, originally recommended by the Prime Minister. However, his medical skills were poor, and he only managed to keep his position due to the Prime Minister's backing. The Emperor's investigation revealed that the incident in Swallow Mountain, Changping County, was related to this imperial physician."
"Wasn't it the Blood Drinking Pavilion? Why is an imperial physician involved?" After asking, Rong Zhi realized the connection herself. "The Blood Drinking Pavilion colluded with that imperial physician?"
"Precisely." Xia Yunting's eyes showed approval. Dealing with intelligent people was effortless. "The Emperor was furious when he found out and severely punished the imperial physician. Our actions in Changping County were also brought to the Emperor's attention, and these gifts are a result of that."
Rong Zhi looked at the gold, silver, and silks and suddenly asked, "You didn't mention my help, did you?"
"No, I didn't. Are you afraid of people knowing you were with me?" Seeing her nervousness, Xia Yunting felt a hint of amusement.
"It's nothing, it's just that we posed as husband and wife in Changping County, and I don't want to cause trouble." Although she said so, Xia Yunting felt it couldn't be that simple.
"Xiao Mo, you're becoming more and more like the former Valley Master of Medicine King Valley," he said, gazing at Rong Zhi's face meaningfully.