Upon hearing this, the man's eyes instantly widened. "A bloody disaster? How dare you curse me! I think you've had enough of living!" With that, he rolled up his sleeves and charged towards her.

The old woman selling the seedlings saw this and quickly said, "Girl, run quickly!"

Shang Ruoyi curled her lips, placed her things on the old woman's booth, and said in a low voice, "Don't worry."

Just as she finished speaking, the man rushed up menacingly. As soon as he raised his hand, Shang Ruoyi stomped hard with her foot and kicked him directly on the knee. The man knelt straight down.

"Ah, ah, ah, my knee!" Burning with anger, he picked up a nearby stone and charged again.

Just when everyone thought Shang Ruoyi was surely going to be bloodied on the spot, she stepped forward quickly and landed a side - kick right on the man's abdomen. The intense pain made him fall backwards, and the flying stone hit him right on the forehead, causing blood to flow.

"Blood! Blood!" The man exclaimed in horror. "I'm bleeding!"

Shang Ruoyi walked up to him. "It's just a superficial wound. Stop yelling." Seeing that it wasn't serious, she smiled and said, "Didn't I say you'd have a bloody disaster today?" With that, she picked up her things and walked towards the city gate.

When there was no one around, she put the seedlings into the space and returned to the team with a small amount of rice and meat.

Since she had already bribed the guards with silver, they didn't ask why she had taken so long. Looking at the food in her hands, they smiled and said, "There's even meat. Miss Shang, you've gone to a lot of trouble."

Hearing the guards' words, He Jingheng was very unhappy.

What "Miss Shang"?

She was already married. She should be called Lady Shang.

When He Qing returned to the Xiao Wang Mansion, he was in so much pain that he passed out. The princess of the Xiao Wang Mansion invited all the imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital to diagnose and treat him, but none of them could figure out what was wrong.

"Your Highness, our medical skills are limited. We really don't know why the young master is like this," the head of the Imperial Hospital wiped the sweat from his forehead and said in a low voice. "The young master's illness is really strange."

Just then, a maid in the room rushed out in a panic. "Your Highness, the young master has woken up and is screaming in pain. Please go and have a look!"

When the princess of the Xiao Wang Mansion heard this, she was shocked.

When she entered the room, He Qing was sweating profusely from the pain. He felt as if there were countless bugs gnawing at his body. "Mother, there are bugs!" He Qing shouted loudly.

The princess of the Xiao Wang Mansion was greatly startled and quickly stood up from the bed. "The young master said there are bugs. Hurry up! Where are the bugs? Come quickly!" she shouted. "Find them on the bed!"

"Yes!" The guards rushed forward and searched the bed.

He Qing was in so much pain that he couldn't speak and waved his hands anxiously.

How could the princess of the Xiao Wang Mansion understand his meaning? She just thought he was anxious and stepped forward to comfort him. "Don't worry. No matter what kind of bugs they are, Mother will definitely find them for you."

"Stop! Stop!" Finally, he managed to catch his breath and shouted, "Get out!"

The guards quickly turned around and left upon hearing this.

He Qing looked at the imperial physician, gasping for breath. "This Young Master feels as if there are thousands of bugs gnawing inside me. What's going on?"

What? Thousands of bugs? Inside the body?

The princess of the Xiao Wang Mansion almost fainted upon hearing this. If it weren't for the maid supporting her, she might have really fallen to the ground.

The head of the Imperial Hospital furrowed his brows and took He Qing's pulse again. After a moment, he shook his head. "Judging from the pulse, there's nothing abnormal with the young master's body. He's not sick, nor has he been poisoned."

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"How could that be? If there's nothing wrong, why am I in so much pain?"

"I don't know about that," the head of the Imperial Hospital shook his head. "My knowledge is limited. I'm afraid I can't relieve the young master's pain."

"Quacks! A bunch of useless people!" At this moment, even more intense pain hit, and He Qing shouted angrily, "Get out! Get out of here! All of you, get out!"

"Yes." The head of the Imperial Hospital gave him a cold look and turned to leave.

After walking out of the Xiao Wang Mansion, the group of imperial physicians behind him finally heaved a sigh of relief.

"The illness of the heir of the Xiao Wang Mansion is really too strange."

"Yes! It's unheard - of."

The head of the Imperial Hospital looked at the plaque of the Xiao Wang Mansion and curled his lips into a sneer. The son of a singing girl and a deposed prince dared to speak to him like that. Then let him suffer like this.

The news that the heir of the Xiao Wang Mansion had been poisoned by a strange toxin reached the palace. He Lingsheng was having a meal in Consort Zhao's palace when he received the news.

"I see. You may leave," he put down his chopsticks and said softly. "Mother, Your son has some matters to attend to. I'll take my leave first."

"All right. Later, I'll have Yufu send you some snacks to your palace," Consort Zhao smiled. "I didn't expect Prime Minister Shang, who seems like an old - fashioned person, to have such a wonderful direct daughter."

Consort Zhao stopped talking at this point. He Lingsheng naturally understood what she meant. Although he was unhappy, he could only nod. "It's up to Mother to decide."

"You're grown up. You should have some people around you who care for you," Consort Zhao put down her chopsticks and said softly. "Shang Nian is at least a high - ranking official in the court. Although you're the Crown Prince now, you must know that your father has many sons. You must have enough power to ensure that your position is not shaken."

He naturally understood these principles.

"Sheng'er, remember, only when you're in the highest position can you like the people you like and do what you want. Do you understand?"

"Your son understands."

Consort Zhao nodded. "Go and attend to your business."

After He Lingsheng left, Bixi, Consort Zhao's personal maid, walked in. "Your Highness."

"What happened?"

"The heir of the Xiao Wang Mansion has been poisoned by a strange toxin, and even the head of the Imperial Hospital couldn't do anything about it."

Consort Zhao put down her chopsticks and said in a deep voice. "Is this kind of thing even worth telling Sheng'er? The people below are becoming more and more incompetent." Bixi stood aside, not daring to say a word.

"Replace the thoughtless people around Sheng'er. That low - born brat of a singing girl's son dares to waste Sheng'er's time and make him leave before finishing his meal to deal with things." Consort Zhao lost her appetite for food. She picked up a handkerchief to wipe her mouth, then threw it on the ground after using it, and said coldly. "Useless people don't deserve to live in this world."

Bixi curtsied. "This servant will take care of it right away."

"Go. Do it discreetly. Don't let Sheng'er find out."

"Your Highness, don't worry."

He Lingsheng came to the Xiao Wang Mansion. Looking at He Qing, who had been tortured beyond recognition by the pain, he directly tapped his sleeping acupoint. He Qing, who had been howling for a long time, finally quieted down.

He Lingsheng asked in a deep voice, "What happened?"

The attendant told him the whole story. "Hit by a hidden weapon?"

"Reporting to the Crown Prince, a silver needle flew in from nowhere. After the young master was hit, he became like this."

He Lingsheng narrowed his eyes. This matter must be related to He Jingheng.

"I'll send people to search far and wide for famous doctors. He Qing won't be allowed to suffer like this."