"Poison Master? You've come personally?" The plump kitchen maid was very surprised to see Tang Jiu'er appear in the kitchen, as it was usually her who delivered the Poison Master's meals.

  "I got up early today and I'm also hungry early, so I came over to eat something first."

  Tang Jiuer said, scanning everything in the room with a glance.

  Fat chef heard that immediately scooped a bowl of soup from the pot: "This is yesterday's stewed chicken soup, I'll give you some potato powder to eat with."

  Tang Jiuer nodded and casually asked, "Does our family often have people like me coming to ask for food?"

  "There are a lot, those kids are hungry soon, can't bear it, and will run to mix food. Yesterday, Tang Liu still ran over and took two chicken legs to gnaw on!"

  "Is it? Then who else came running yesterday?"

  "There's only him." The fat cook said, turning around to chop vegetables on the chopping board. Tang Jiuer raised an eyebrow and looked at the ladled-out chicken soup, thinking to herself: Tang Liu'er? Hmm, what a coincidence.

  ……

  Hua Rou hugged her knees and curled up in a corner of the cell.

  After yesterday's poisonous punishment, she was in a very low mood, watching everyone suffer and unable to help.

  When trouble comes, solve it; if you can't, then let things take their course naturally.

  These were the words that her parents would often say, and she had heard them so many times that they had become a habit, so she was naturally optimistic and always held onto hope.

  However, the her yesterday clearly knew how to detoxify everyone, but she had empty hands and could only watch as the pain spread, listening to those mournful cries, which made a layer of dust cover her heart.

  "It's time for dinner!" The disciples of Xing Tang carried in the bamboo baskets, and the people in the cells began to get a little angry.

  Rice cakes, flatbread, piece by piece thrown into the cage. Some people are like starving tigers, pouncing on food and gobbling it down as soon as they grab it. Others seem like walking corpses, shoving food into their mouths, chewing mechanically, numb and desperate.

  "Eh! Meal time!" Xing Tang's disciple knocked on the opposite prison door, where two people were locked up. At this moment, only one appeared in front of the prison door, while the other had only one foot stretched out into the light beam.

  "Call her over to get the meal." The disciple of Xing Tang couldn't see that person move, so he urged the one at the door to go call her. That person crawled over, and after a moment, from the darkness came a sigh: "She's dead!"

  The disciples of the Xing Tang didn't seem surprised at all, instead, they curled their lips and said: "What bad luck!" Then they continued to eat.

  He was not surprised, but Hua Rou stood up in shock, she walked to the prison gate and looked at the foot that was dimly purple in the light column, feeling a chill in her heart.

  She subconsciously looked around at the people, those who were not weak and drowsy were just bowing their heads in indifference. Not one of them showed any sympathy for the person's death. The numbness and desperation that filled the air made Huajuan feel nauseous.

  "Yours." The young disciple of the Criminal Department stuffed a rice cake into Huā Róu's bosom, then tossed a piece of flatbread behind her and left.

  Before long, two disciples came in and carried out the dead man.

  Hua Rou gazed at the corpse's eyes, which were wide open, without anger or pain, but with a desperate emptiness.

  A chill ran down her back and suddenly Hua Rou understood why this place was called Hutu Prison.

  Born with no hope, life and death are all empty, isn't it suffering?

  "You said you're dead, does that mean you're free now?"

  Behind her, the woman's voice was soft and fluttering, but Hua Rou didn't hear it. At this moment, she was filled with fear of this despair, and was immersed in it!

  The woman behind him gave a bitter smile and threw the rice cake in her hand to the ground, falling backwards onto the ground.

  ……

  I followed you out of the courtyard of the government office and came to Tang Liu's side: "What's going on?"

  "Respectful younger brother." Tang Liu lowered his voice and looked around: "What did you do with the things I asked you to let go? Those two people didn't even go to the execution ground today!"

  I heard Mu Jun say with a faint smile: "Within three to five days, they should all be too busy to bully Hua Rou."

  Tang Liu's eyes sparkled with curiosity: "Really? Mu Shidi, hurry up and tell me, what happened to them?"

  "Don't ask what you shouldn't know!" Mu Junwu said and turned to leave, Tang Liu'er was anxious and scratched his ears: "Why are you so petty? We're friends, we're buddies, we're brothers..."

  Admiring you, I entered the courtyard, but before we could finish our conversation, Tang Liu's shoulders slumped in disappointment.

  This guy, saying two more sentences will kill him!

  ……

  In the mansion of Meng Zhi-Xiang in Chengdu Prefecture, there were two corpses covered with grass mats.

  "What was found on Toudao Mountain?" Meng Zhi-Xiang slightly furrowed his brow, his eyes revealing a hint of doubt.

  "Yes, under the north cliff, but probably died a long time ago. Moreover, with insects and snakes, the corpse is extremely rotten, especially the face has decayed beyond recognition..."

  After hearing Song Zhi's answer, Meng Zhixiang didn't say anything else. He silently took a piece of ginger and put it in his mouth, covered his nose with a handkerchief, and walked towards the corpse.

  "Chang Qi." Song Zhi called out to the leader of the soldiers, who immediately lifted up the grass mat with the other soldiers.

  The rotting corpse was unbearable to look at. Song Zhi, who had already taken a glance at Meng Zhi Xiang's side, couldn't help but turn his head away to avoid feeling nauseous. However, Meng Zhi Xiang didn't back away and instead circled around the two corpses in the foul smell before stopping beside the thinner one on the right.

  "Lord Hou." Chang Qi brought two things to Meng Zhi-Xiang's side: "The iron coin was found on the corpse on the left, and this jade hairpin was found on the corpse on the right."

  Meng Zhi-xiang glanced at the iron coins, didn't say a word, but stretched out his hand to pick up the jade hairpin and examine it carefully. Then he nodded: "Put them away, take them to the back mountain and bury them."

  "Yes." Chang Qi immediately led the men to cover and remove the body, while Song Zhi waited for Meng Zhi Xiang to spit out the ginger slice and collect the handkerchief. After cleaning up, he asked in a low voice: "Sir, do you think it's that person?"

  Meng Zhi-xiang handed the jade hairpin to Song Zhi: "You take a look!"

  Song Zhi held up the jade hairpin and examined it closely, seeing that its workmanship was delicate and smooth, with a rounded body, and in the center of the pin were engraved two characters: "Ying Ce".

  "Congratulations, sir!" Song Zhi's face lit up with joy: "It seems that King Qi has been eliminated, you can rest easy now!"

  "We've been waiting for this day for far too long..."

  "Xiao, go and inform Tangmen, let them know they don't have to..."

  "No!" Meng Zhi-Xiang was extremely cautious: "The corpse's face is already disfigured, it can't be seen clearly, I need to be more cautious."

  "It's clear, it's clear, but I'm a bit confused!"

  Meng Zhi-xiang took two steps forward and stopped, turning his head back: "I suddenly had an idea." He beckoned to Song Zhi, who immediately went over.

  Meng Zhi-xiang whispered a few words in his ear, and Song Zhi-eyebrow raised: "Old master, this is indeed luring the snake out of the cave! High, it's really high!"

  "Go and handle it!" Meng Zhi Xiang said, taking the jade hairpin from Song Zhi's hand, and walked away with an extremely relieved expression.