Chapter 181: Poisoning

Sunlight filtered through the sparse clouds, spilling onto the busy market and adding a touch of warmth and vitality to the daily shopping.

Xiaoyuan carried a bamboo basket, weaving through the bustling crowd with a faint smile on her face.

Ever since she was bought by the Cheng Mansion, her food and clothing had been much better than before.

Xiaoyuan was also very grateful to the mistresses who treated the servants very well on a daily basis.

Therefore, she would carefully select ingredients every time to add a different flavor to the Cheng Mansion's dining table, especially the seasonal fresh fruits that the mistresses favored, which were her main focus today.

"Oh my, Miss Xiaoyuan, you're here early today!" Zhang Shen, who sold vegetables, greeted her enthusiastically, her hands skillfully weighing green spinach for another customer. "Look at these freshly picked grapes; every one is plump and sweet enough to seep into your heart. They are perfect for the mistresses."

Upon hearing this, Xiaoyuan's eyes lit up. She stepped forward quickly and carefully examined the basket of purple, glistening grapes. A thin layer of white frost covered the skin, making them look even more enticing in the sunlight. She gently picked one up and sniffed it at the tip of her nose; that natural, sweet fragrance instantly permeated the air, making one feel relaxed and happy.

"Zhang Shen, I have always trusted your judgment. I'll take all these grapes," Xiaoyuan said readily, pulling a few copper coins from her sleeve to hand to Zhang Shen, already calculating in her heart how to bring this sweetness to every mistress in the mansion.

Afterward, she turned to the fruit stall next door, where red fruits just shipped from the south were piled up. The bright red skins carried the freshness of morning dew and emitted an alluring fruity aroma. She carefully selected a basket of the plumpest red fruits, fearing that even the slightest blemish would affect that perfection.

As the sun gradually rose higher, Xiaoyuan's bamboo basket became fuller and fuller. In addition to various fruits, there were freshly picked vegetables, tender tofu, and the ingredients for small snacks that the mistresses occasionally mentioned. Every item was carefully selected by her according to the mistresses' tastes and the season.

On the way back, Xiaoyuan's steps were light, thinking about what delicious food Sister Hong in the kitchen would make next.

She imagined the satisfied smiles on the mistresses' faces when these fresh ingredients were turned into dishes on the dining table, and that sense of accomplishment welled up. Yet, she did not see a few ill-intentioned figures behind her.

The few men who followed Xiaoyuan to the side gate of the Cheng Mansion stopped in their tracks one after another.

No one noticed a few suspicious figures in the corner, whispering and plotting an unknown plan.

"This little girl is the servant who buys groceries for the Cheng Mansion. There hasn't been any opportunity to strike along the way. Boss, what should we do?"

"It's almost noon, the time for lunch. Let's take this opportunity to hit them hard. The Hong Sect Leader might be a badass, but his family members can't all be experts, right!"

"Lao Er, your lightness skills are good. You watch that little girl until she gets to the kitchen. Remember, don't act rashly, lest you alert the enemy. Once you reach the kitchen, put the Heart-Shattering Powder the young master gave us into the water and come right out," the leader said, his eyes sinister as he lowered his voice to give orders. His gaze swept from time to time toward the majestic plaque of the Cheng Mansion, sneering at the Hong Sect Leader's overestimation of his own capabilities.

"Yes, Boss. You can rest assured when I handle things." The man called Lao Er responded, his figure nimbly disappearing into the crowd, silently following the little girl who was about to step into the Cheng Mansion with her vegetable basket.

In the inner courtyard of the Cheng Mansion, green trees provided shade and the fragrance of flowers was intoxicating, forming a sharp contrast to the clamor outside.

The little girl carefully walked through several corridors, carrying a basket full of fresh fruits and vegetables. She arrived at the kitchen door, pushed it open to enter, placed the fruits and vegetables on the table one by one, and turned to leave after greeting Hong Niang in the kitchen.

"Hmph, finally found this place." Lao Er lay on the roof of the building, secretly happy in his heart. He had searched for a long time before finding this place. But now that he had found it, he could start his action.

Although there was a great risk in working during the day, if he succeeded, the reward would be very generous. The Hong Sect Leader had many female family members at home, and he himself was not at home, which was undoubtedly an excellent opportunity for Lao Er.

He thought happily that if this mission could be completed smoothly and he got that considerable reward, he would definitely go find a few more pretty girls to enjoy himself.

Hong Niang in the kitchen was busy preparing lunch, completely unaware that there was someone with ill intentions above her head. She carefully processed the ingredients, skillfully chopping vegetables and stewing soup; everything appeared orderly.

Hong Niang glanced at the time and felt it was about time to put the chicken that required the longest stewing time into the pot. She put the chicken into the pot, added the appropriate amount of water and seasonings, lit the stove, and let the fire stew it slowly. Next, she cut other dishes that needed to be cooked and set them aside, then walked out of the kitchen to help Xiaoyuan with other things.

Lao Er on the roof kept watching the movement in the kitchen. When he saw Hong Niang leave the kitchen, he immediately realized this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He climbed down from the roof lightly and quietly sneaked into the kitchen like a cat. After entering the kitchen, he quickly took a packet of medicinal powder—Heart-Shattering Powder—from his bosom and sprinkled it into the stewing chicken soup without hesitation.

His figure flashed repeatedly, and after a few leaps, just as he was about to retreat safely from the roof, he suddenly heard a burst of hurried footsteps coming from not far away.

Immediately following were the shouts of several servants: "Who is it? How dare you act presumptuously in the Cheng Mansion!"

Lao Er cried out "not good" to himself, feeling bitter in his heart. He knew he had been discovered, and if he continued to hide his tracks, he would likely fall into an even more dangerous situation.

So he simply stopped hiding his tracks, released his own aura completely, and moved rapidly across the rooftops, wanting to escape this place as quickly as possible.

At the same time, Xu Miao, who was teaching the women Martial Dao, heard the servants' shouts and hurriedly came out to check the situation.

She saw the figure on the roof at a glance and concluded that this person was not here with good intentions. Taking a deep breath, she channeled her Blood Qi into her arms, climbed the wall, and with Blood Qi erupting under her feet, she crossed two houses like an arrow leaving the bow, quickly arriving behind that figure.

Lao Er originally thought he had shaken off the pursuit, but he did not expect someone to suddenly appear behind him. He was scared out of his wits, his footing became unstable, and his body slipped down involuntarily.

Although Xu Miao was a woman, she was originally a "black glove" (enforcer) for the Green Bamboo Gang, and her skills were quite good. Now that she had become Cheng Feng's woman, her stance was already determined, so naturally, she would no longer have any dealings with the Green Bamboo Gang.

Xu Miao pondered to herself: "This guy snuck into the Cheng Mansion sneakily; he must have no good intentions!" She decided to strike first and could not let this suspicious person run away.

Thus, she attacked without hesitation, reaching out to grab the opponent's shoulder and pressing down with force, instantly pinning the thief to the ground. This move was clean and efficient.

The thief was startled by the sudden attack, never expecting someone to suddenly appear and strike at him. He struggled to resist, but the strength Xu Miao gained after being enhanced by the Super Serum was like a great mountain, firmly suppressing him.