#181 - Chapter 181 Poisoning

Sunlight streamed through the sparse clouds, casting a warm and vibrant glow upon the bustling marketplace, adding a touch of coziness to the daily shopping routine.

Xiao Yuan, carrying a bamboo basket, weaved through the throng of people, a faint smile gracing her lips.

Since being bought by the Cheng Manor, she had been eating and dressing far better than before.

Xiao Yuan was also very grateful to the mistresses for treating their servants well on ordinary days.

Therefore, she meticulously selected ingredients each time, adding a unique flavor to the Cheng Manor's dining table, especially those seasonal fresh fruits favored by the mistresses, which were her main focus today.

"Oh, Xiao Yuan, you're here early today!" Aunt Zhang, the vegetable vendor, greeted her warmly, her hands skillfully weighing the vibrant green spinach for another customer. "Take a look at these freshly picked grapes, each one plump and juicy, sweet enough to reach your heart. They're perfect for the mistresses."

Hearing this, Xiao Yuan's eyes lit up, and she hurried forward, carefully examining the basket of purple grapes. A thin layer of white frost covered their skins, making them even more alluring in the sunlight. She gently picked one up, held it to her nose, and inhaled the natural sweetness that instantly filled the air, refreshing her spirit.

"Aunt Zhang, I always trust your judgment. I'll take all these grapes," Xiao Yuan said cheerfully, taking out a few copper coins from her sleeve and handing them to Aunt Zhang, already planning how to bring this sweetness to every mistress in the manor.

Afterward, she moved on to the neighboring fruit stall, where freshly transported lychees from the South were piled high, their red skins glistening with the freshness of morning dew, exuding an enticing fruity fragrance. She carefully selected a basket of the plumpest lychees, afraid that even the slightest imperfection would detract from their perfection.

As the sun gradually rose higher, Xiao Yuan's bamboo basket became increasingly full. Besides various fruits, there were also freshly picked vegetables, tender tofu, and ingredients for small snacks that the mistresses occasionally mentioned. Each item was carefully selected by her according to the mistresses' tastes and the season.

On the way back, Xiao Yuan's steps were light, thinking about what delicious dishes Hong-jie in the kitchen would make.

She imagined the satisfied smiles on the mistresses' faces when these fresh ingredients were transformed into delicacies on the dining table, and a sense of accomplishment arose spontaneously. However, she didn't notice several ill-intentioned figures behind her.

Meanwhile, the men who had been following Xiao Yuan stopped at the side gate of the Cheng Manor.

Unnoticed, several suspicious figures lurked in a corner, whispering about a secret plan.

"This little girl is a servant from the Cheng Manor who buys groceries. There hasn't been a chance to make a move along the way. What should we do, Big Brother?"

"It's almost lunchtime. Let's take the opportunity to give them a hard blow. The Hong Sect Master is powerful, but surely not all of his family members are experts!"

"Second Brother, you're good at stealth. You keep an eye on that little girl until she reaches the kitchen. Remember, don't act rashly, lest you alert the enemy. Once you get to the kitchen, directly put the 'Heart-Shattering Powder' that the young master gave us into the water, then come out," the leader instructed in a low voice, his eyes sinister, glancing occasionally at the imposing plaque of the Cheng Manor, sneering at the Hong Sect Master's overestimation of himself.

"Yes, Big Brother. Rest assured, I'll handle it." The man called Second Brother responded, his figure agile as he disappeared into the crowd, silently following the little girl who was carrying the vegetable basket and about to enter the Cheng Manor.

Inside the Cheng Manor's inner courtyard, lush trees provided shade, and the fragrance of flowers filled the air, forming a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle 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, walked inside, placed the fruits and vegetables on the table one by one, greeted Hong Niang in the kitchen, and then turned to leave.

"Hmph, finally found this place." Second Brother, lying on the roof of the house, secretly rejoiced. He had been searching for a long time to find this place. Now that he had found it, he could begin his operation.

Although there was a great risk in acting during the day, the rewards would be very generous if he succeeded. The Hong Sect Master's family had many women, and he himself was not at home. This was undoubtedly an excellent opportunity for Second Brother.

He thought to himself with glee, 'If this mission can be completed smoothly, and I get that considerable reward, I must go and find a few beautiful girls to enjoy myself.'

Hong Niang in the kitchen was busy preparing lunch, completely unaware that there was a scheming person above her head. She carefully processed the ingredients, skillfully chopping vegetables and simmering soup, everything seemed to be in perfect order.

Hong Niang glanced at the time and felt that it was about time to put the chicken, which needed the longest simmering time, into the pot. She put the chicken into the pot, added an appropriate amount of water and seasonings, lit the stove, and let the fire simmer slowly. Then, she chopped the other dishes that needed to be cooked and set them aside, before walking out of the kitchen to help Xiao Yuan with other tasks.

Second Brother on the roof had been staring at the movements in the kitchen. When he saw Hong Niang leave the kitchen, he immediately realized that this was a golden opportunity. He tiptoed down from the roof, sneaking into the kitchen like a cat. After entering the kitchen, he quickly took out a packet of medicine powder—Heart-Shattering Powder—from his pocket and unhesitatingly sprinkled it into the simmering chicken soup.

His figure flashed, 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 house servants: "Who's there? How dare you be presumptuous in the Cheng Manor!"

Second Brother cursed inwardly, secretly lamenting his bad luck. He knew that he had been discovered. If he continued to hide, he would likely fall into an even more dangerous situation.

So, he simply stopped concealing his tracks, completely releasing his aura, leaping quickly on the rooftops, trying to escape this place as soon as possible.

At the same time, Xu Miao, who was teaching the women martial arts, also came out to check the situation after hearing the shouts of the servants.

She immediately saw the figure on the roof and determined that this person had bad intentions. Taking a deep breath, she circulated her blood energy to her arms, scaling the wall, her feet erupting with blood energy, like an arrow leaving the bow, directly crossing two houses, and soon came behind the figure.

Second Brother originally thought that he had gotten rid of the pursuit, but he didn't expect someone to suddenly appear behind him. He was so frightened that his soul almost left his body, his feet faltered, and his body involuntarily slid down.

Although Xu Miao was a woman, she was originally the Black Glove of the Green Bamboo Gang, and her skills were quite good. Now that she had become Cheng Feng's woman, her position had long been determined, and naturally she would no longer have any connection with the Green Bamboo Gang.

Xu Miao pondered to herself: "This guy is sneaking into the Cheng Manor suspiciously, he must have bad intentions!" She decided to strike first, she couldn't let this suspicious person run away.

Therefore, she acted without hesitation, reaching out and grabbing the other party's shoulder, pressing down hard, instantly knocking the thief to the ground. This move was clean and neat.

The thief was startled by the sudden attack, completely unprepared for someone to suddenly appear and attack him. He struggled to resist, but Xu Miao's strength after being enhanced by the Super Serum was like a mountain, firmly suppressing him.