Lin Hongtao recognized the person he had bumped into and cried out, "Mother, Mother..."
He immediately went to the side of the wife of the Duke of Lin to help her up, but he was too fat to squat down.
He had to call for servants and maids to help the wife of the Duke of Lin up.
"Mother, Mother, wake up!" Lin Hongtao shook her body a couple of times.
"Stop shaking me!"
After the wife of the Duke of Lin recovered her breath, she slapped Lin Hongtao's hand away, furious.
"Mother, you're finally awake!" Lin Hongtao said excitedly.
"You scoundrel, you almost knocked your mother to death! Your father is injured, hurry and get him a doctor," the wife of the Duke of Lin said loudly to Lin Hongtao.
"Alright, alright, Mother. I'll have someone find a doctor right away. Please don't be angry."
With that said, Lin Hongtao turned and instructed the servants beside him to hurry and find a doctor.
Afterwards, he and the maids helped the wife of the Duke of Lin into the Duke of Lin's room.
At this moment, the wound on the Duke of Lin's buttocks was still painful and itchy. He arched his backside and lay on the bed, scratching uncontrollably. He had lost all reason.
"Have the doctors been invited? Hurry and let them examine me! It's so unbearably itchy!" the Duke of Lin roared.
"Father, the doctors will be here soon. Please bear with it!" Lin Hongtao comforted the Duke of Lin.
As a result, after a long while, the servants finally brought two doctors. However, these two doctors told them that apart from the wound on the Duke of Lin's buttocks, they found no other problems.
Enraged, the Duke of Lin immediately ordered the two doctors to be driven out of the Duke of Lin's mansion and sent for other doctors. As a result, what they said was the same as the previous two doctors; they could not find any other issues with the wound on the Duke of Lin's buttocks.
Thus, Prince Qing and the Duke of Lin were tormented until nightfall.
Meanwhile, on the side of the Valley Master of Ghost Valley, after studying for several hours, he finally identified all the components of the itching powder. They included: Euphorbia milii, Chinese yam, stinging nettle, stinging grass, oleander, fishtail palm, Chlorophytum, Dieffenbachia, small-leaf rubber tree, chrysanthemum... and so on. All of these were extremely itchy medicinal herbs.
After discovering the components of the itching powder, the Valley Master of Ghost Valley was very happy. He could finally formulate the antidote.
Then, it took the Valley Master of Ghost Valley nearly half an hour to prepare the antidote for the itching powder and send it for Prince Qing to consume.
After Prince Qing took the antidote from the Valley Master of Ghost Valley, it took about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea for the itching on his buttocks to stop. However, Prince Qing was already in a miserable state from the ordeal.
He was completely exhausted to the point of collapse, only having half a breath left as he slowly said, "Zuo Qing, go and get another dose of the itching powder antidote from the Valley Master of Ghost Valley. Hurry and send it to the Duke of Lin. He should have also been affected by the itching powder."
"Yes, your subordinate obeys!" Zuo Qing respectfully replied.
After Zuo Qing instructed the two doctors residing in the prince's mansion to tend to Prince Qing's buttock wound, he immediately withdrew from the room, went to the courtyard where the Valley Master of Ghost Valley resided, obtained a dose of the itching powder antidote, and personally delivered it to the Duke of Lin's mansion.
In Leng Ruoshuang's courtyard, Madam Liu and her daughter, upon hearing that Prince Qing's severe itching had been resolved by the Valley Master of Ghost Valley, the mother and daughter hurried to Prince Qing's room to curry favor.
After the Duke of Lin received the antidote sent by Zuo Qing, he quickly took it. His severe itching was also quickly stopped. However, his buttock wound was much more serious than Prince Qing's. As the doctor treated his wound, he grimaced in pain.
—
As midnight approached, a cold wind blew. The bustling streets of the capital gradually became less crowded.
At this time, Lin Zhenfan was still bound and suspended on a large wooden stake, enduring hunger and thirst. Ten Imperial Guards were stationed around him, taking turns to watch him.
Although Lin Zhenfan had been whipped, he had not fainted. At this moment, he occasionally raised his eyes to look at these Imperial Guards, his face showing an expression of disdain. If he, Lin Zhenfan, wanted to escape, these Imperial Guards sent by the old emperor to guard him would be unable to stop him.
Just then, a gust of black dense fog blew through the air. It swirled with the cold wind and, in a short while, had unknowingly knocked the guarding Imperial Guards unconscious on the ground.
At this moment, a petite and cute, exquisitely featured young girl with a baby-faced roundness, her hair tied in two pigtails on her head, wearing a pale blue belted wide-sleeved dress adorned with golden thread. She appeared to be about five or six years old.
Although she took short steps, she had mastered the Art of Shadow Movement. Emerging from a deep and narrow alley, she instantly appeared before Lin Zhenfan without stirring a speck of dust behind her.
"Pavilion Master, I will rescue you immediately."
This "little girl" spoke to Lin Zhenfan, her lips twitching slightly, revealing a sinister smile, but her voice was sweet and pleasant.
"No need. They cannot trap me. I am enduring this willingly. Come up, I have a task for you."
Lin Zhenfan's tone was sinister. His deep black eyes were bloodshot and emitted a cold glint.
Upon hearing this, the "little girl" immediately channeled her internal energy. She stamped her small foot and soared into the air, standing at the same height as Lin Zhenfan.
Then, Lin Zhenfan whispered something into the "little girl's" ear. After hearing it, the "little girl's" lips curved into another enigmatic smile, making her unfathomable. She then turned and quickly vanished into the dark night.
—
Cold King's Residence
At night, the Cold King and his wife, after having dinner with the Emperor and the Empress Dowager in the palace, returned to the Cold King's Residence.
As Leng Ruoli and Jun Mohan stepped through the moon gate of Hanche Garden, they looked up and saw Ling'er and Yin Chen hiding in the small bamboo grove, stealthily peeking towards the left side of the courtyard.
Jun Mohan was about to reprimand Yin Chen, but Leng Ruoli stopped him immediately. Then, she pulled Jun Mohan and quietly crept behind Ling'er and Yin Chen, looking in the direction they were watching.
At this moment, Leng Ruoli and Jun Mohan realized that these two were eavesdropping on Xing'er and Ye Ying's conversation. No wonder.
Leng Ruoli pondered for a few seconds before Xing'er's voice was heard from ahead.
"Brother Ye Ying, I really liked the golden hairpin you gave me last time."
After Xing'er finished speaking with her head bowed, her face turned very red.
At this time, Ye Ying, who had no experience in love, took a long time to react to Xing'er's words.
"Hehe, you like it, that's good. I'll buy you a few more pairs next time I go out."
Ye Ying raised his hand to scratch his head and chuckled twice. This was the first time he had fallen for a girl, and he didn't know how to express his affection.
Xing'er and Yin Chen, hiding in the small bamboo grove, almost burst out laughing upon hearing Xing'er and Ye Ying's conversation.
Only Leng Ruoli and Jun Mohan frowned, worrying about Xing'er and Ye Ying. Ye Ying was truly a blockhead.