Detoxification

"Since they were coming for you..."

"If I lost my chastity today, I'd still kill them first, then settle the score with you!"

Shen Qingzhu bit down hard on the tip of her tongue, using pain to claw back a shred of clarity.

Her eyes glared at Lu Yuan with bitter hatred.

"Madwoman. Stupid woman."

Lu Yuan cursed under his breath.

He had already explained everything clearly to her.

Yet this woman still insisted on dumping a chamber pot over his head.

What a disgusting nuisance.

"Enough, stop howling."

"I can help you deal with it. Use the bucket..."

Seeing Shen Qingzhu on the verge of being burned apart by the drug's effects.

Lu Yuan spoke up. He was also afraid this woman would latch onto him afterward.

But before Lu Yuan could finish.

"If you dare stick me with it, I'll kill you first."

Shen Qingzhu screamed.

Looking as though she was ready to perish together with him.

"Holy hell, this woman really talks like a cannon."

Lu Yuan wiped the cold sweat from his brow.

Then he pointed at the wooden bucket in the corner. "What I meant was, there's ice water in that bucket. It can suppress the drug inside you."

When Lu Yuan had been eating earlier, he had caught Bao Tianbao's little move from the corner of his eye.

So he had kept his guard up.

Just in case, he had deliberately slipped a few copper coins to the waiter and had him prepare a large bucket of freshly drawn well water in the room.

It was late autumn, and well water was cold enough to pierce the bone.

Hearing Lu Yuan's words.

"You... next time you speak, don't leave me hanging like that."

Only then did Shen Qingzhu calm down, though she showed no intention whatsoever of apologizing.

Lu Yuan knew that bickering with this stupid woman now was simply wasting his life.

"Take off your outer clothes. Leave only your close-fitting undergarments, then get in and soak. After that, circulate your inner force to fight the aphrodisiac."

Lu Yuan gestured toward the bucket.

But those words made Shen Qingzhu bristle again.

A flicker of shame and fury crossed her dazed eyes. "Bastard, why do I have to take off my clothes?"

"The drug needs to be expelled through sweat and pores. If you keep your clothes on while circulating your inner force, your body temperature will rise and instead speed up the drug entering your blood. By then, even I really won't be able to do anything."

Lu Yuan's face was utterly expressionless now.

"If you dare deceive me, or dare sneak a look, I'll chop you into eight pieces!"

After hearing this, Shen Qingzhu stared straight into Lu Yuan's eyes.

Since this fellow had not taken advantage of her helplessness just now, she only held out for a moment.

Then she chose to trust him.

She was about to lose control of the drug's effects.

With a splash.

Shen Qingzhu jumped into the wooden bucket.

The bone-piercing well water submerged her delicate body.

And cleared away much of the desire raging within her.

At that moment, Shen Qingzhu sat cross-legged and began circulating her inner force.

Before long, wisps of white mist.

Rose into the air.

That was a sign that the drug's effects were being forced out of her body.

However, the aphrodisiac was far too potent. Coupled with the stimulation of the ice water, Shen Qingzhu's strength drained rapidly.

In less than the time it took to burn an incense stick, the speed at which she emitted white vapor slowed, and her entire body sank into a groggy haze.

"Bastard... did... something go wrong..."

Shen Qingzhu's voice had become incomparably weak, and her eyelids kept drooping.

"If you fall asleep, you won't be able to circulate your inner force, and the drug won't leave your body. Then you'll tear off the rest of your clothes, jump out of the bucket, and cling to me."

"Ah, bastard, I'll kill you."

"No, no, no. I have another method, but it hurts a little. You'll have to endure it."

"Stop dragging your feet. I'm not afraid of pain."

Shen Qingzhu blurted out instinctively.

Smack!!!

A crisp, resounding slap suddenly exploded through the silent room.

Without the slightest mercy, Lu Yuan swung his hand straight across Shen Qingzhu's exquisitely beautiful face.

After delivering that slap, Lu Yuan felt much more refreshed all over.

"Ah!!!"

Shen Qingzhu cried out, and her eyes instantly cleared considerably.

Covering her pretty face, she looked at Lu Yuan, completely stunned.

"I asked you beforehand. You said you weren't afraid of pain."

Lu Yuan spread his hands with an innocent look.

Facing Shen Qingzhu's gaze, which was practically ready to kill.

Lu Yuan shook out his slightly numb palm and asked softly, "Still... still want to continue?"

Feeling the burning pain on her cheek.

As well as the brief clarity that had returned, Shen Qingzhu gritted her silver teeth and nodded in humiliation.

Smack! Smack! Smack!

Soon after, a series of sharp slapping sounds rang out from the room.

Along with Shen Qingzhu's stifled cries.

And upon hearing the sounds coming from Lu Yuan's room.

The room next door seemed to be stirred up as well, its noises immediately becoming even more suggestive and amorous.

The next morning.

Bao Tianbao and Bao Dibao squatted outside the door.

Whispering among themselves.

"Brother, those sounds last night were really something! Lu Yuan got himself a bargain."

Remembering Shen Qingzhu's appearance, Bao Dibao could not help licking his lips.

"If they let you do it, would you dare? Lu Yuan's a hungry ghost among lechers. He even dared touch a female prisoner. Now he's finished."

Bao Tianbao chuckled darkly.

The two chatted with great enthusiasm.

Shi Yun's door opened.

He yawned while fastening the sash around his waist.

As for the female prisoner named A Xiu, she had already vanished without a trace.

"Brother Shi..."

The two hurried over and greeted him fawningly.

"Go get the record book, and bring the innkeeper over while you're at it."

Shi Yun gestured.

This time, with both witnesses and physical evidence nailed down, he wanted to see how Lu Yuan could turn things around.

Very soon, the innkeeper was brought over.

Bang bang bang!!!

Shi Yun began pounding on Lu Yuan's door as well.

"Lu, the sun's already up. Get your ass out here and report in."

The door slowly opened.

Lu Yuan stretched lazily. "Oh, so many people. Treating me to breakfast?"

"Breakfast? I think you're about to eat prison food." Bao Tianbao and Bao Dibao rubbed their hands together, staring at Lu Yuan's lower body.

Shi Yun sneered. "Brother Lu certainly had himself a grand time yesterday. You've really learned the essence of escorting female prisoners, haven't you?"

Lu Yuan spread his hands. "I did sleep quite well last night, though my hand hurts a little. But I don't quite understand what Brother Shi means..."

As he spoke, Lu Yuan even shook his hand.

Those words made a sound of silver teeth grinding rise from inside the room.

Seeing Lu Yuan still playing dumb, Shi Yun's face darkened at once. He shouted sternly, "Lu Yuan, quit screwing around and confess your crime!"

"Crime?"

"As an escorting constable, you dared violate a female prisoner on the road. You should be punished for defiling a prisoner. Do you admit your guilt?"

"Shi Yun, you can eat recklessly, but you can't talk recklessly. Fabricating facts out of thin air and slandering a fellow county yamen officer is the crime of malicious slander under the law. If this goes before the court, I'm afraid you won't be able to keep that uniform on your back."

"Quite a few people at the inn heard the commotion from your room yesterday. The innkeeper and the Bao brothers can all testify. You still want to deny it?"

Just as Shi Yun was about to call for the Bao brothers to seize Lu Yuan.

Creak!!!

The door behind Lu Yuan was pushed open once more.

Shen Qingzhu walked out of the room.

Her originally cold and breathtakingly beautiful face was now swollen high on both sides.