Two days prior, Shen Tingyi, as usual, arrived at Hengde Pharmacy to observe Dr. Chen’s consultations.
As noon approached, the number of patients at the pharmacy dwindled, and everyone was preparing for a break. Shen Tingyi went to the back courtyard.
However, Dr. Chen did not see Shen Tingyi until the hour of Shen, so he sent someone to look for her.
After searching everywhere, the person was not found. Instead, a letter was discovered in a tree in the back courtyard.
Upon reading the contents of the letter, Dr. Chen's face instantly changed.
Without taking the time to arrange matters at the pharmacy, he hurried to Li Yue Shu’s residence.
...
"Bang!"
For the first time in his life, Dr. Chen barged into someone's home with such disregard for etiquette.
"Something has happened! Miss Shen San has had an accident!" Dr. Chen exclaimed, panting. His face was pale, seemingly from shock.
Mother Mo rushed over to support him. "Dr. Chen, what is wrong?"
Dr. Chen gasped for air, about to speak, when Chai Yang Xinghe suddenly appeared from somewhere.
Xinghe anxiously grabbed Dr. Chen's shoulder. "What did you just say? Who did you say had an accident?"
When Xinghe got excited, the grip on his hands became a little strong.
Seeing Dr. Chen’s face change, Chai Yang quickly pulled his hand away.
Chai Yang, being much calmer, asked, "Dr. Chen, you said Miss San had an accident. What happened?"
Ignoring the pain in his shoulder, Dr. Chen quickly took out the letter from his embrace. "Miss San suddenly disappeared from the pharmacy. We only found this in the back courtyard."
Chai Yang took the letter and unfolded it, revealing its contents: "This old man greatly admires Madam Shen’s poisoning skills. If you want your daughter to live, come find me at Liuxian Wine House."
Xinghe also saw the contents and his face changed. "It's him..."
The Poison King of Pangshan!
If it were truly him, wouldn't Miss San be in danger!
Xinghe's expression turned icy. "He dares to arrange a meeting at Liuxian Wine House? He truly has a lot of nerve!"
Chai Yang clearly knew who it was too, and his expression darkened.
In an instant, he put away the letter and calmly made arrangements. "Dr. Chen, do you know which family the patient Yun Su belongs to?"
Dr. Chen nodded. "I heard the servant say it's the owner of the Zhao Family Fabric Shop in the city."
Chai Yang nodded, then said, "Xinghe, go to Yun Su to find Madam... find the Mistress. Be sure to deliver the message."
"Dr. Chen, please go to the county office and ask the magistrate to immediately dispatch people to search official road intersections in Tongmu County and to investigate the old man who previously abducted the Mistress."
"Aunt Mo, please take care of the household. Do not spread the news to the academy for now. We will wait until Xinghe returns before discussing anything further."
Chai Yang made arrangements methodically, considering every aspect thoroughly.
When Li Yue Shu was previously kidnapped, they had already investigated the old man's identity and had been on guard.
However, recently, due to the exposure of their master's whereabouts, the number of assassins had increased, and they had not expected an attack to be launched from the pharmacy.
Everyone moved swiftly. After Chai Yang finished his arrangements, they all got to work.
At the same time, the Poison King of Pangshan, who was supposed to be in hiding, was walking boldly through a bustling street, carrying the unconscious Shen Tingyi.
His face was already on Tongmu County's wanted posters. He dared to appear so openly now because he had changed his appearance.
He found an inn, put Shen Tingyi down, and then leisurely went downstairs to order two dishes, eating in the main hall.
Due to Shen Tingyi's disappearance, many people were secretly mobilizing. However, on the surface, everyone continued their lives as usual.
There weren't many people in the inn, but quite a few were chatting in the main hall.
"Did you hear? The divine physician Ji Mo Bai has appeared. They say he's a handsome man, very young, and the martial world is shocked!"
The not-so-low voice suddenly rang out. The table where the speaker was seated was not far from the Poison King of Pangshan's location, so he naturally overheard it.
The hand holding his chopsticks paused, and he quickly turned to look at the speaker. "You're talking about the divine physician Ji Mo Bai? Doesn't he always keep his whereabouts secret? How can you be so sure?"
Hearing someone suddenly ask, the speaker was taken aback, then proudly said, "This is why you are ignorant! Tongmu County is a remote place; other regions have already heard the news!"
"They say someone from a powerful family was poisoned, and they spent a lot of money trying to find out Ji Mo Bai's whereabouts, but unexpectedly, they encountered him by chance on the road and he cured the poison."
"Somehow this news leaked, and many people have gone to find the divine physician Ji Mo Bai!"
The Poison King of Pangshan's hand gripping his chopsticks tightened, and a flicker of unreadable light shone in his eyes.
"Where is Ji Mo Bai now?" he asked, his voice filled with urgency. Everyone looked at him curiously.
"You seem so concerned about Ji Mo Bai's whereabouts. Are you also looking for him to save your life?"
The Poison King of Pangshan's expression flickered slightly, and he nodded. "Yes, I've been looking for him for many years."
The others did not notice the anomaly in his tone. Hearing that he had been searching for many years, they were somewhat impressed by his perseverance.
The person who knew the news did not hesitate and directly shared what he knew. "I heard he is in a place called Shenxing Town, not too far from Tongmu County."
"However, this news is from a few days ago. I don't know if he is still in Shenxing Town."
The Poison King of Pangshan did not care about the latter part of his sentence; he already had his own plan.
He had been searching for that child for so many years, and every time he got a slight lead, the child would slip away. This piece of news might not be reliable either.
However, even if he had already left, he had to go and see for himself!
With this thought, the Poison King of Pangshan's mind changed instantly. After finishing his meal, he went upstairs directly and left with the still unconscious Shen Tingyi.
He would deal with this Li Yue Shu after he found Ji Mo Bai!
...
Shen Tingyi didn't know how long she had been unconscious.
She only remembered that she was going to the outhouse when she suddenly encountered a dark figure who appeared from nowhere.
Before she could get a clear look, she suddenly fainted.
When she woke up, it was already dark. She was lying in a dilapidated temple, and a figure not far away was roasting meat by a fire.
Shen Tingyi instinctively shrunk back into a corner, warily watching the person.
Hearing the movement, the Poison King of Pangshan turned his head. His face had returned to its original appearance.
"Awake?" he asked with a kind and gentle smile, offering the fragrant roasted meat in his hand. "It's just cooked. Little girl, would you like to try my cooking?"
Shen Tingyi's body tensed, and she showed no intention of taking it.
She had seen the wanted posters from the authorities and naturally recognized the wanted criminal who had kidnapped her mother.
Shen Tingyi was, after all, a child. In such a situation, she did not know how to hide her expressions. The Poison King of Pangshan saw at a glance that she had recognized him.
He hadn't intended to hide it anyway. He walked over with the roasted meat. "Little girl, let's play a game. You answer one question for me, and I'll give you a bite, how about it?"
Shen Tingyi still didn't reply, nor did she have any desire to eat the roasted meat.
But the Poison King of Pangshan didn't mind. He asked to himself, "First question, what exactly is the identity of your stepmother?"