Chapter 254

Although Dou San claimed his inner strength was profound, he could no longer bear it: "Excuse me."

He turned and rushed out, quickly took care of his 'business', and with unsteady steps returned to the tavern.

He looked at Tuan Tuan, who was shielded in the center by the crowd, his face filled with surprise and doubt.

This little girl must be a rare poison expert in the world!

I've roamed the jianghu for years, yet I don't know when I was poisoned!

He silently circulated his inner strength, attempting to expel the body's 'toxins', but discovered that aside from stomach discomfort, his meridians were completely clear.

This only heightened his alarm—what poison is this? It's so bizarre!

Could diarrhea merely be the initial symptom of this poison? The worst may still be ahead?

Dou San's eyes flashed as he fixed his stare on Tuan Tuan: 'What poison exactly are you using?'

Tuan Tuan blinked her big eyes, looking innocent: 'Poison? No, just make your stomach ache a little—run to the latrine a few more times.'

"Hmph!" Dou San didn't believe it at all; a bitter smile of 'I understand' crossed his face. 'You needn't keep mocking me, Sir.'

"My inner strength can't detect it, yet the symptoms are so acute—this must be an extremely cunning deadly poison! I, Dou San, have roamed the jianghu for years; my judgment is still sound. For someone so young, your poison mastery has reached perfection!"

"I admit defeat at the hands of an expert like you, Sir!"

Tuan Tuan: '……'

Xiao Ningxun, Lu Qi, and the others: '……'

Xiao Ran's eyes lit up—this misunderstanding is perfect! It puts your earlier arrogance in its place!

"Cough cough." He composed his expression, 'Hmph! You still have some insight! Listen, my little one's poison is colorless, tasteless, formless, traceless—you could search the world and never find an antidote!'

"If you don't want to die from burst intestines, then honestly spill everything we want to know!"

Everyone shot Xiao Ran a simultaneous sideways glance.

Tuan Tuan gave him a huge eye-roll, her little mouth pouting high.

But Dou San was utterly shocked by Xiao Ran's words—indeed! Diarrhea is merely the first step! Burst intestines? His face grew even paler.

He gritted his teeth, his jianghu spirit still intact: 'Since I've lost, per the rules of the road, I accept defeat! Given your abilities, that trifling toll matter of Ma Daqiang is hardly worth troubling you. Speak—what exactly do you want to know?'

Seeing he was finally willing to talk, Tuan Tuan stepped forward, lifted her little face, and asked: 'Uncle Dou, when you were transporting goods, did you see lots and lots of iron-thread wood?'

"Where do they come from, where are they headed, and who ordered you to transport them?"

"Iron-thread wood?" Dou San's pupils narrowed, his face troubled: 'This...'

Seeing this, Xiao Ran immediately said from the side, voice dark: 'Don't want the antidote?'

Xiao Ningxun lowered his hand to his forehead; Xiao Er and Lu Qi pressed their lips tightly together.

Dou San shuddered all over, hesitated a moment, then resignedly said: 'Forget it! This isn't really a secret—it's just that the business for this batch of goods was handled by Qingzhou Prefecture.'

"It's managed personally by the head steward over there; I here only coordinate manpower and horses for certain route segments—I truly don't know the exact source or destination."

"Qingzhou Prefecture?" Tuan Tuan latched onto the key, pressing: 'You don't know—who does? I'll go find him and ask!'

Dou San stared at the innocent-looking yet ruthless little girl before him, a chill running through him—he just wanted to quickly get rid of this plague god.

"The head steward of Qingzhou Prefecture is named Xie Guzhou; when you get there, head to the west city's 'Changfeng Cargo Depot'—you should find him there."

The current chief of the Xiling Horse Band is Xie Guzhou.

They exchanged glances—could this iron-thread wood have been personally taken on by Chief Xie?

Dou San clasped his fists toward Tuan Tuan: 'Little lady—no, little expert! I've told you everything I know, holding nothing back. Please, Sir, grant us the antidote.'

Tuan Tuan's brows knotted: 'I said there's no antidote! It's just a stomach ache—just a few trips to the latrine will do!'

Hearing this, Dou San's face drained of color, a grim 'as expected' expression appearing.

He glanced around and saw only the brothers who had finished their 'business' helping each other, slumped sideways against tables and chairs, clutching their stomachs—clearly still enduring the abdominal pain.

He drew a deep breath and bowed deeply to Tuan Tuan: 'Little expert, I understand. It must be that my earlier arrogant words offended you, and you refuse to give me the antidote—I accept that.'

"But these brothers of mine are innocent! They merely followed orders—please have mercy and give them the antidote! I am willing to accept any disposition."

The horse band men hearing this all became excited.

"Third Master! We won't beg her!"

"Right! We share weal and woe!"

"It's just diarrhea—I can tough it out!"

"If we die, we die together!"

"I don't need any antidote!"

For a moment, the tavern erupted in fervor, actually showing quite a bit of jianghu righteousness.

Xiao Er and Lu Qi exchanged a glance; these people may act overbearing, but at the crucial moment this unwillingness to face death alone counts as a kind of manly spirit.

Tuan Tuan anxiously stamped her little foot.

She looked this way and that—why won't they believe her!

I need to give them something to pass off as an antidote!

Suddenly her eyes lit up—'deng deng deng' she ran to the counter, tiptoed, and grabbed the big tea pot on it.

She lifted the lid, untied the embroidered pouch, and took out a small paper packet.

She carefully opened the paper packet, pouring the snow-white, salt-fine granules inside into the tea pot all at once, then shook the tea pot vigorously.

She shoved the tea pot toward Dou San: 'Here! This is the "antidote"—just one sip each!'

Dou San glanced at the tea pot, again clasped his fists: 'Many thanks! Gentlemen, please!' and directly issued the order to evict them.

Tuan Tuan took Third Brother's hand and headed out, with Xiao Ran closely following.

Xiao Er and Lu Qi brought up the rear as the group walked out of the tavern.

Xiao Ran couldn't wait to edge up to Tuan Tuan: 'Little one! Quickly tell Ninth Brother—what exactly did you just pour into the tea pot?'

Tuan Tuan gave him a sly grin: 'Just sugar frost! I bought it on the candied fruit when we came.'

Xiao Ran: "... Ha?"

Xiao Ningxun staggered and almost fell.

Even the usually steady Lu Qi and Xiao Er couldn't help but violently twitch the corners of their mouths.

So, the "antidote" that those death-defying, earth-shaking men were going to line up to drink is just a pot of sugar water?

Just imagining those burly men, filled with a tragic, heroic spirit, taking turns drinking sugar water.

Xiao Ran could no longer hold back, covering his belly as he burst into an earth-shaking laugh: "Hahaha! Little brat! You really are! Hahaha!"

Everyone walked to the entrance of the government office.

Tuan Tuan raised a hand and pointed at his own carriage: "I want to go back to the carriage!"

Xiao Ran said: "Why go back to the carriage? Let's go find the biggest inn!"

Tuan Tuan reached out his hand toward Third Brother: "I'm tired, Third Brother, let's take the carriage to find an inn."

Xiao Ningxun bent down and lifted her up: "Okay!"

Several people walked to the carriage; Xiao Ningxun, holding Tuan Tuan, was about to get in when Lu Qi suddenly grabbed them, put his finger to his lips, making a shushing gesture.

Then he pointed inside the carriage, making it clear that someone was inside.

Xiao Ningxun tightly hugged his sister and took several big steps back.

Lu Qi and Xiao Er exchanged a glance, understood each other, and nodded.

Lu Qi suddenly flung open the carriage door, Xiao Er leapt onto the roof, hanging upside down as he opened the window.