Gu Xinlan looked at the contents of the jar, vaguely feeling that it looked familiar, but couldn't quite recall where she had seen it. She thought it was odd for them, not being doctors, to be carelessly storing medicinal herbs.
However, she was still speaking slowly, and before she could voice her concern, Liu Hong had already taken the jar and liberally added a large handful of its contents to each bowl of pork rib soup.
Gu Xinlan: "..."
Oh well, since Miss Lin could use it, it must not be anything bad.
"Xiao Mo, why does this pork rib soup taste bitter? Did you use the wrong seasoning?"
Xia Yunting threw his spoon back into the bowl after just one sip.
"It's not wrong," Rong Zhi said, taking the spoon and tasting it. It was bitter, extremely bitter. However, Rong Zhi maintained a calm expression and handed the spoon back to him.
"Drink more. You're injured, so drinking more will help your wounds heal."
Trusting Rong Zhi, Xia Yunting hesitated for a moment before picking up the bowl and drinking it all in one gulp.
After finishing the bowl of soup, Xia Yunting's tongue felt numb. The soup wasn't just ordinarily bitter; it was life-threateningly so.
However, with his mouth feeling tingly and numb, the toothache subsided considerably.
Watching Rong Zhi carry the bowl out, Xia Yunting suddenly understood. The sugar packet he had hidden earlier had probably been seen.
This woman... why did she always play tricks on him in secret?
In another side room, Chen Xing and the other three had faces like withered gourds.
"Why does this pork rib soup have a medicinal smell?"
"Perhaps it's medicinal cuisine..."
...
Xia Yunting's injuries healed remarkably quickly. Within three days, he was moving freely, though the gruesome scars on his back were still visible when he removed his clothes.
A message arrived from the yamen, stating that the people rescued from the mine had also recovered somewhat and could be sent back. They asked Xia Yunting to bring Chen Xing and the others to escort them.
Xia Yunting naturally did not refuse, but Chen Xing was somewhat perplexed.
"Since those people are from Yunshui Village, their families should be the ones to pick them up. Why is it being asked of you?"
"You're being dense!" someone next to him said. "This is the prefect showing respect to our General. If it weren't for the General risking his life to save them, those people would have been crushed to death in the mine. It's only fitting for the General to personally escort them, so that their families know who their savior is."
"So that's how it is. This prefect is quite clever. General, we'll go prepare immediately."
Chen Xing went off to borrow carriages and horses. Xia Yunting changed his clothes and was about to depart when he saw Rong Zhi looking at him with a knowing gaze.
"What?"
"I'm suddenly beginning to suspect you deliberately got injured to gain their trust."
"Why?" Xia Yunting asked, confused.
"Now that the villagers still misunderstand you, this is a perfect opportunity to salvage your reputation by saving people. This is called a 'bitter flesh strategy,' isn't it?"
Rong Zhi looked entirely convinced. In the past, officials seeking the trust of the populace often resorted to minor, harmless tricks.
However, this time she had guessed wrong.
Xia Yunting smiled. "The injury is real, and if I want the people of Yunshui Village to resolve their misunderstandings, wouldn't it be more effective to let the facts speak for themselves? Moreover, you've cured the villagers of their poisoning. They'll naturally feel grateful to me by extension. I don't need to employ any bitter flesh strategy."
Rong Zhi considered it and realized it made sense. She had indeed been overthinking things. It seemed Xia Yunting was different from the officials she had encountered before; he didn't have so many convoluted thoughts.
Chen Xing soon returned with the carriages, and led by an officer from the prefect's yamen, they set off from the village to collect the people.
Rong Zhi, Liu Hong, and Gu Xinlan watched their receding figures from the doorway. Liu Hong, having overheard the conversation with the officer, understood the whole story and couldn't help but sigh.
"Miss Lin, ever since you arrived, the human traffickers have been apprehended, and those who were taken away can return. You are truly the lucky stars of Yunshui Village!"
Rong Zhi smiled. "It's not that. We just do what we can with our abilities. We were merely lending a hand to help everyone."
"The villagers will be overjoyed when they find out."
Rong Zhi also looked forward to it.
"Don't tell them yet. When they return, have everyone come to the village entrance to pick them up. It will be a surprise for them."
"Mm."
"What is that?" Gu Xinlan pointed towards the village. Rong Zhi and Liu Hong turned their heads and saw a dark mass of people running towards them on the village's dirt road, their emotions running high. Leading them was the village chief, Yu Rong, followed by men and women alike, all with expressions of excitement.
"What's going on?" Liu Hong asked in surprise.
"Could it be that Chen Xing told them when he borrowed the carriages?"
As they were wondering, the crowd had already arrived. Yu Rong's eyes gleamed. As soon as he approached, he asked Rong Zhi, "Girl, someone just said they were from your household and came to borrow carriages. Are more people being rescued?"
"Uncle, where did you hear about this?"
Rong Zhi asked with a smile. She had originally thought Xia Yunting wouldn't make a fuss. After all, so many people had gone missing from the village, and not all of them could be found. If everyone were to be informed grandly, while some would be happy, many would undoubtedly be disappointed.
"Alas, how could I not know? The moment I saw so many carriages being borrowed, I understood everything. Last time, everyone lent out so many carriages and only brought back so few people. This time, the number of people being brought back must be even greater. So, we've all rushed over to pick them up!"
"Yes, we've all come to pick up our family members."
The people behind him echoed in agreement, their excitement palpable.
Rong Zhi looked at their expectant faces, feeling a pang in her heart. She was also afraid that they would be disappointed if they couldn't find their relatives later, so she didn't make a big fuss about it. She simply said, "Everyone, please calm down. Things are still uncertain. We'll discuss it when they return."
"Then we'll wait right here. We're not leaving."
The crowd was clearly too excited and settled down right in front of Rong Zhi's house.
Rong Zhi was both amused and touched, a hint of bitterness welling up within her. The people's yearning for their families was so profound. Those damned human traffickers were inhuman, and the Yin Xue Pavilion was a den of beasts.
The waiting time felt exceptionally long, mainly because the crowd was making so much noise at the door. Rong Zhi couldn't very well leave them to wait alone, so she stayed put.
With nothing else to do, she noticed a gaze fixed upon her from within the crowd. She looked over and saw that the gaze came from Lu Yuanxiu. He was currently looking at Gu Xinlan and Liu Hong, his expression darkening, because Liu Hong was pointing at a bird in a nearby tree and chatting happily with Gu Xinlan, completely oblivious to Lu Yuanxiu.
Rong Zhi sighed. It had already passed. What was the point of clinging to it?
About an hour later, the rumbling sound of carriages approached. The previously noisy crowd suddenly fell silent. Everyone's eyes turned in unison towards the source of the sound and saw carriages, led by Chen Xing, approaching.
"Oh, my son!"
"Is my husband here?"
"And my little grandson."
The crowd could no longer wait and surged forward, encircling the five carriages to search for their relatives.
Chen Xing, unable to move, looked up at Rong Zhi for help.
Rong Zhi smiled and shook her head. She suddenly noticed that Xia Yunting was not there.
"What's going on? Where is Xia Yunting?" Rong Zhi quickly stepped forward and asked in a low voice.
Chen Xing's expression turned serious. "The county yamen said that a prisoner had escaped from confinement, and the General went to pursue him."
"What kind of prisoner?"
"They say it was a short, three-inch dwarf. He shouldn't be much of a threat. The General can handle him alone... Hey, Madam, where are you going?"
Before Chen Xing could finish speaking, Rong Zhi had already turned and was running towards the county yamen.
"Hey! Everyone, please don't push! Take it slow, take it slow!" Seeing more and more people gathering, all eager to get to the front to identify their relatives, Chen Xing, fearing an incident, quickly got out of the carriage to intervene.
Meanwhile, Rong Zhi had arrived at the yamen's gate. She grabbed a gatekeeper and asked, "I heard a prisoner escaped from your jail. Where did he flee to?"
The guard pointed inside. "In the prison. He's already been caught."
As soon as he finished speaking, a gust of wind swept past. Rong Zhi flashed inside.
The guard rubbed his eyes. He must be going crazy today. Just now, a man had entered like a ghost, and now a woman was doing the same. He must have been on duty for too long and was hallucinating.
Before Rong Zhi even reached the prison cells, she heard gasps of astonishment from within.
The jailer at the gate peeked into the cells, engrossed in the spectacle, and didn't even notice Rong Zhi entering.
In the center of the prison corridor, a short but well-built figure lay on the ground, motionless, his clothes stained with dark red blood.
Rong Zhi covered her nose.
Such a strong smell of blood. This dwarf had actually died like this.
"Miss, oh my goodness, Miss, you've finally arrived! Look at this, what should I do? This young master has beaten the key prisoner we were holding to death. How am I supposed to explain this to my superiors?"
The same jailer from before recognized Rong Zhi and hurried over to lament, his voice hushed. While speaking to Rong Zhi, he pointed to one of the cells.
Rong Zhi bent down to check the deceased's breathing. He was completely without breath, his body cold. He was as dead as dead could be.
Rong Zhi walked towards the cell indicated by the jailer and saw a tall figure within. She recognized him as Xia Yunting. However, Xia Yunting had one hand around the neck of the person in front of him, and with a *crack*, the neck of the person he was holding twisted, and he too collapsed.
Xia Yunting then turned his head, the coldness in his eyes gradually receding. "Xiao Mo, why are you here?"
"I heard someone escaped from the prison, so I came to check. Are you injured?"
Rong Zhi examined Xia Yunting from head to toe. She noticed only a small bloodstain on his right hand, but it likely belonged to the other person.
Looking at the fallen figures on the ground, she realized it was the blind man, one of the Five Specters.
"What exactly happened?"
Xia Yunting gestured outside. "He escaped first. After escaping, he tried to rescue the others, but it's been dealt with."
He said it casually, but it was chilling. His so-called "dealt with" meant breaking the person's neck with a snap.
"Why did you kill this blind man too? He was the easiest to interrogate among the Five Specters. If you kill him, how will you find out who was behind it all?"
"There's no need for coercion. I've already found out."
Xia Yunting said as he walked out of the cell. His tall figure blocked the sunlight shining in through the window, casting a shadow on the ground.
His blood-stained hand hovered above Rong Zhi's shoulder, but then he retracted it before touching her.
"Let's go home."