Chen Qing's throat was dry, but his mind was still replaying those six vermilion pills.
Yang Tie said that it was an extremely yang substance.
He saw with his own eyes that the pills were dark in color and smelled fishy.
After taking the medicine, Gu Mochen did indeed feel feverish all over, his nose bled profusely, and even the women passing by looked at him strangely.
With such potent medicinal effects, how can it be considered fake?
This only shows that Gu Mochen has been living a life of luxury for many years, which has weakened his constitution, making him unable to withstand such a strong medicine.
Chen Qing lowered her head further.
"Your Highness, the medicine was too potent, and you've been working hard lately with grain prices and distributing porridge. Your energy couldn't handle it, which is why you had this problem."
After hearing this, Gu Mochen grabbed a teacup from the table and threw it at the person.
The teacup brushed past Chen Qing's ear, then struck the stone wall, scattering shards of porcelain all over the floor.
"You mean, I'm impotent?"
Chen Qing received another blow to the back, his jaw clenched sorely, and sweat streamed down his face.
"Your subordinate dares not."
"You dare not?"
Gu Mochen stood up, his soaked clothes dragging on the ground.
"I made a fool of myself on South Street, the whole city saw it. Now tell me, it was because I couldn't control the effects of the drug?"
Zhou Huaili stood to the side, his hand gripping the folded document tightly.
He had long ago advised Gu Mochen to have the family physician examine the medicine.
But Prince An wouldn't listen to a word.
Now that something has happened, while Chen Qing certainly deserves to be punished, the guards, attendants, and soup kitchen managers in Prince An's Residence will also suffer as a result.
Zhou Huaili looked at the exposed flesh on Chen Qing's back and hesitated before speaking.
"Your Highness, most of the rumors circulating in the city have been suppressed."
Gu Mochen turned his head.
"Suppress it?"
"There are many people on South Street, and news spreads quickly, so it's not easy to completely block it."
Zhou Huaili paused, then lowered his voice.
"However, I have already sent people to keep an eye on things in teahouses and taverns everywhere. Anyone who dares to speak nonsense will be arrested as a warning to others."
Gu Mochen snorted through his nose and turned his gaze back to Chen Qing.
"Keep fighting."
When the tenth blow landed, Chen Qing's vision began to darken.
A bloody mark was left on the edge of the bench from his forehead, and his ears were filled with a buzzing sound. Even the shadows of the guards carrying batons swayed in the wind.
His fingers, hanging by his side, twitched, touching a small piece of old cloth hidden in his pocket.
That was the cloth that Batuer used to clean his knife.
The edges of the fabric were frayed and still had a faint oily smell.
Chen Qing clutched the piece of cloth in his palm, and the image of Batuer sitting at the gate of Yi Prefecture City, holding a short axe, floated into his mind.
That Northern Territory man always glared at people and had a bad temper, but back in Yi Prefecture City, Batuer had once shielded him from a patrol's inspection.
Brother Ba is still in Yi Prefecture.
He cannot die in Anyang.
He has to go back.
"The fifteenth stroke."
As the guards counted off, Chen Qing finally managed a muffled groan.
Gu Mochen walked up to him, his shoe tip stopping next to Chen Qing's face.
"Are you really confident about Yang Tie's situation?"
Chen Qing held on to her last breath and looked up.
Yang Tie is extremely strong.
" Yi Prefecture collects filth, builds underground canals, manufactures fireworks, and gathers so many people of dubious origin. If Your Highness wants to suppress Gu Moran, you can't rely on just one pill."
Gu Mochen's face darkened.
Chen Qing's back was being struck by a stick, but his mouth still didn't stop.
"Your Highness should prepare as soon as possible."
Gu Mochen stared at him for a long time.
The only sound in the dungeon was the faint crackling of burning torches.
Zhou Huaili stood at the back, his lips moved, but he didn't dare to make a sound.
Chen Qing has gone completely mad.
But Prince An happens to hate Gu Moran the most.
These few words might actually hit the nail on the head.
Gu Mochen raised his hand.
The guards stopped using their canes.
"After the twenty strokes, apply medicine to his wound."
Send another letter to Yang Tie.
Chen Qing raised his head, his eyelids blurred with sweat, but he still managed to hear the second half of the sentence.
Gu Mochen's voice was very low.
"Have him send all the medicine he has to Anyang."
The final blow fell.
Chen Qing's face slammed against the wooden stool, but he gripped the old cloth in his palm even tighter.
Brother Ba.
Wait for me to get back.
None of those people from Yi Prefecture will escape.
I won't let them hurt you.
The back alley of the old prince's mansion.
Qin Hongxiu carried a three-tiered bamboo food box, walking very slowly.
The food box contained a bowl of shredded chicken noodles, a plate of braised beef, and lotus seed soup that she had cooked for half an hour that morning.
The jade tassel of the sword in his sleeve pocket rested heavily against his wrist bone.
She sat with the sword tassel in her arms until very late last night.
The charcoal brazier was burning brightly, and the room wasn't cold at all, but she tossed and turned, unable to close her eyes.
Pu Yunshan tore up her death contract, stuffed the token from Mount Qingcheng into her hands, and even went to the old prince's mansion to sign a five-year contract in order to raise a thousand taels of silver.
Five years.
The young master of Mount Qingcheng, Fourth Rank swordsman, should have been practicing swordsmanship and wandering the martial world within the mountain gate, but instead he came to Prince Yi's Residence to work hard for her.
Qin Hongxiu walked to the corner of the back door and was about to raise her hand to knock when a shout came from inside.
" Pu Excellent, shift two inches to the left!"
"Knew!"
Pu Yunshan's voice came down from above, carrying the heat of his work.
Qin Hongxiu stopped and quietly peeked out from the corner of the wall.
Two layers of scaffolding were erected behind the Prince's Mansion, with most of the wall bricks removed, and several craftsmen standing below mixing mortar.
Pu Yunshan changed out of his brocade robe and into a coarse cloth short jacket, tucking his trousers into his boots. He carried three thick beams on his shoulders and walked up the wooden frame.
The piece of wood weighed heavily on my shoulder.
He walked quickly and steadily on the crossbeams, and once he reached the top, he supported the roof beam with one hand and held onto the wall bricks with the other, then moved the log to the gap.
Tuoba Mang stood below, holding a large bowl of noodles, with half a piece of green vegetable in his mouth.
"Higher!"
Pu Yunshan looked down at him.
Do you even know how to repair a wall?
Tuoba Mang put the bowl aside, put his hands on his hips, and started yelling.
"You're still blaming me?"
He had just opened his mouth when Pu Yunshan kicked a small piece of wood from above, which hit him right on the forehead.
"Stop shouting down there."
Tuoba Mang covered his forehead, glaring angrily.
" Pu Excellent, you dare to smash my things?"
Pu Yunshan secured the roof beam, jumped off the scaffolding, and dusted off his hands.
"It missed."
"If you'd hit the mark, you'd be lying in a hospital bed."
Tuoba Mang was speechless for a long time after being choked up. He then turned around, picked up the bowl of noodles, and took a big gulp.
Qin Hongxiu stood outside the wall, watching Pu Yunshan go to move bricks again.
His back was covered in dust, his hands were covered in sawdust, and his forehead was sweating, but there was not a trace of impatience on his face.
Tuoba Mang asked him to move wood, so he moved wood.
The craftsman said there wasn't enough mortar, so he took a bucket to mix more mortar.
A brick on the wall was loose, so he squatted down and used tools to pry it flat little by little.
He signed a five-year contract and worked harder than anyone else.
Qin Hongxiu gripped the handle of the food box, her fingertips marked with red welts from the bamboo strips.
All the words I had prepared last night suddenly got stuck in my throat.
She originally intended to return the sword tassel to Pu Yunshan.
I begged Gu Moran to burn that five-year contract.
With a thousand taels of silver, she could return to the Flower-Between Pavilion to re-sign the contract and continue entertaining customers; Pu Yunshan didn't need to lose money.
But seeing him turn his head and smile at Tuoba Mang while carrying bricks, she felt a little reluctant to let him go.
That person is so stupid.
He's so silly you just want to pull him into your arms.
"Miss Qin."
Someone spoke from behind.
Qin Hongxiu shifted her shoulders and turned her head.
Liu Ruyan wore a moon-white cloak and carried a small bronze stove in her hand, with faint steam rising from its lid.
As she emerged from the side courtyard, her gaze first fell upon the food box in Qin Hongxiu's hand, then swept over the bulge in her sleeve.
"Looking for the Prince?"
Qin Hongxiu hid the food box behind her back.
"Hmm. I'll also come and see Young Master Pu."
[Thanks to Yun Dan's Flower, Qingchun's Xiuer, Jiaojiao's Urging for Updates, Chen Qing's Milk Tea, Li's Flower, and everyone else for their love and support!]