After arriving in Kaikang City, the four of them first drove their carriage to the entrance of the county magistrate's office. A yamen runner dismissed them with a flippant remark about not knowing the location of the Life-Seeking Sect.
Song Gaoli clutched his head and wailed, "Just as I feared. Living in constant fear is unbearable. Is there any permanent solution?"
Song Jinzhao looked into the distance. Before her stretched an endless vista of streets and houses, while behind her, a plaque hanging above the main gate clearly bore the words "Kaikang County Magistrate's Office."
"Either eradicate the Life-Seeking Sect, killing until they dare not make a move, or eliminate the one who hired them."
Song Gaoli immediately lifted his head and asked, "Sister Jinzhao, do you know who hired the assassins? Was it Yan Baoyi's father?"
Song Jinzhao shook her head. "It's not confirmed yet. Too many people resent me for being in their way. These assassins probably aren't targeting Qiming."
Song Gaoli was puzzled. "But you doctors are all about healing and saving lives. How could you be in anyone's way?"
Song Shixue, sitting inside the carriage compartment, lifted the window curtain.
"It's all because my elder sister's medical skills are too exceptional. No scheme or trick can escape her discerning eye. Naturally, that breeds resentment."
Song Gaoli frowned, only half-understanding.
What did that mean?
How could diagnosing illnesses reveal schemes and tricks?
They returned to the inn they had stayed at last time for the night. For safety, Song Jinzhao chose the largest room this time, so all five of them could sleep in one room.
Song Jinzhao, Song Shixue, and Song Anhao took the bed, while Song Qiming and Song Gaoli slept on the daybed.
In the chaotic yet orderly kitchen, a tall man dressed in coarse kitchen helper's clothing walked in with his head bowed.
His gaze swept over the tables holding the prepared dishes before he silently, like an invisible man, sidled up to a pot of braised crucian carp with tofu.
His pale fingers lightly brushed over it, and two drops of blood fell into the pot, instantly dispersing.
An inn waiter knocked on the door with a tray. "Honored guests, the dishes you ordered are ready."
Song Qiming, who had been dozing on the daybed, opened his eyes, glanced sideways at the closed door, and got up to answer it.
The waiter made two trips, placing all the dishes and staple food on the table.
He bowed respectfully to Song Qiming. "Just call out in the corridor when you're finished, honored guests, and I'll come to clear everything away."
Song Gaoli weakly climbed down from the daybed. "After traveling all day, we can finally have something hot to eat."
Song Qiming first filled a bowl with chicken soup and handed it to Song Jinzhao before the others began to eat.
Song Jinzhao took a sip of the soup, then put the bowl down, picked up her rice bowl, and started serving herself some dishes.
Phantom, peeking through the window, curled his lips into a smug smile upon seeing all four of them eat the crucian carp with tofu.
No matter how capable they are, once the gu poison enters their bodies, they can only wait for death when it activates without the antidote.
The rich flavors of saltiness and spiciness spread on her tongue.
Song Jinzhao frowned, looking at the half-piece of tofu in her bowl, then brought it closer and sniffed carefully.
A very faint scent of blood.
"Stop. Don't eat any more." Song Jinzhao stopped the three who were wolfing down their food.
Phantom's expression froze. He hadn't expected Song Jinzhao to discover it so quickly.
But it was too late; they had already eaten it.
The gu worms had crawled down their throats into their stomachs. In a few days, without the antidote, death was certain.
Song Jinzhao frowned and turned to look at the half-open window, but saw nothing except the corridor.
Song Qiming and the others paused, their hands holding their rice bowls, food still in their mouths, unswallowed.
Song Shixue blinked in confusion. "Elder sister, what's wrong?"
Song Jinzhao stood up and leaned closer to the crucian carp and tofu, sniffing carefully. "There's a scent of blood in the dish."
The thought of human flesh flashed in his mind. A wave of nausea surged up his throat. Song Gaoli spat the food in his mouth back into his bowl, holding his breath to suppress the urge to vomit.
After inspecting all the dishes and tea on the table, Song Jinzhao found that only the braised crucian carp with tofu carried the faint scent of blood.
The fishy smell could mask the scent of blood. Those unfamiliar with the smell of blood or with less sensitive senses of smell would find it hard to detect.
Song Qiming's face was filled with dread. "Elder sister, what do we do now? We've already eaten it."
Song Jinzhao said gravely, "Go and make yourselves vomit."
The three immediately rushed out of the room and ran downstairs to vomit.
The waiter, who was attending to other guests, stood there helplessly upon seeing this.
What happened? Their food shouldn't be that bad.
Apart from those drunk on wine, he'd never seen anyone vomit like this.
"Waiter, was the chef who prepared the braised crucian carp with tofu just now injured on his hand?" Song Jinzhao's voice came from the top of the stairs.
The waiter looked up and hurriedly replied with a smile, "You jest, honored guest. The kitchen masters have been cleaning fish for half their lives. Never mind a few crucian carp, even a large grass carp weighing over ten pounds can be scaled and gutted in the blink of an eye. It's simply impossible for them to get injured."
Song Jinzhao's expression remained impassive. She turned and went back to the room to put the sleeping Song Anhao down.
Using a spoon, she carefully fished out the fish meat and tofu from the clay pot piece by piece to examine them.
Finally, on a piece of pale yellow fish meat, she discovered two tiny, wriggling thread-like worms.
