Chapter 30: There’s Still Poison Left in Your Body

Chapter 30: There's Still Poison Left in Your Body

To everyone's surprise, this batch of convicts was different from the previous ones, as they were so poor that they couldn't even afford a single silver coin.

It was scorching hot at this time of the year, and the steamed buns wouldn't last long before going bad.

With the number of officials present, there was no way they could finish all those buns.

Thinking it would be better to put the buns to good use rather than let them spoil and be thrown away, Zhou Laoba decided to help Peng Wang repay his life-saving debt with them.

Peng Wang had no objections, and thus, the steamed buns easily ended up in the hands of the Mo family.

This time, He Zhiran didn't take out any food from her space. After all, the package given by He Yuanming was only so big. She had already taken out a lot of braised beef yesterday, along with a sheet. If she continued to take things out without restraint, it would surely arouse suspicion from others.

Despite merely having plain steamed buns, the Mo family was content compared to the other exiled convicts.

Perhaps because Second Sister had gone to the Xie family last night to give her nephew white flour buns, the Xie family seemed less hostile towards Mo Jiuye today. They didn't cast hostile glances at the Mo family as the other three families did while watching them eat their buns.

The three families' eyes were like knives, fixated on the Mo family members.

If not for their fear of the officials, they would have lashed out with insults already.

He Zhiran, chewing on a steamed bun, caught a glimpse of those people out of the corner of her eye.

Her gaze inadvertently met Li Rouer's sinister stare.

Intent on provoking her, He Zhiran deliberately raised the bun in her hand and flashed a wide grin at Li Rouer.

The provocation was unmistakable.

Undaunted, Li Rouer raised her hand, forming a fist as if ready to strike.

He Zhiran maintained her smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. She continued to devour the steamed buns heartily.

Their subtle exchange did not escape the observant eyes of Old Lady Mo. It could be said that He Zhiran had not intended to hide her actions from anyone.

From Lady Old Mo's reaction yesterday, when Li Rouer attempted to trip up He Zhiran, it was evident that the two knew each other and held a grudge.

However, she could see how capable her daughter-in-law was and wasn't overly worried.

Later, she just needed to remind the others to be cautious around Li Rouer.

After all, she understood that it was easier to deal with the boss than with his underlings.

As the Meng family finished their meal and tidied themselves up, Zhou Laoba and Peng Wang arrived.

The Meng family instinctively grew tense at the sight of them.

Zhou Laoba spoke in an authoritative tone, "Our leader was bitten by a snake yesterday and is still weak. For now, he'll have to sit on Mo Jiuye's wooden cart."

Old Mrs. Mo asked uncertainly, "Does that mean you want Jiuye to get down from the cart?"

"How else can our leader travel if not with Jiuye? Are we supposed to squeeze him into a cart like a prisoner?" Zhou Laoba sounded displeased.

Old Mrs. Mo was put in a difficult position.

"Sir, you know that my Meng family consists only of womenfolk. If Jiuye isn't allowed on the cart, how are we supposed to travel with him?"

"Yes, Sir, aren't you making things difficult for us?" The candid Second Sister-in-law chimed in.

At this, Peng Wang lost his temper before Zhou Laoba could say anything.

"I suppose you all don't want to live anymore? Disregarding the orders of an official?"

Seeing the Mo family being put in their place, the other clans watched with gloating amusement.

Many secretly rooted for Peng Wang and Zhou Laoba, hoping they would teach the Mo family a harsh lesson.

Noticing that her second daughter-in-law was about to cause trouble, the Old Lady Mo hastily pulled her aside.

However, she was at a loss as to how to handle the situation.

For a moment, the Old Lady Mo was utterly bewildered.

Mo Jiuye, lying on the wooden cart, listened to the exchange between the two parties and began formulating a plan.

If he were to give his cart to Peng Wang, the man wouldn't possibly let the women carry him. If that happened, he would have no choice but to regain consciousness sooner.

Just as Mo Jiuye was pondering how to regain consciousness, he heard He Zhiran speak.

She strolled unhurriedly in front of Peng Wang, her tone respectful yet composed.

"Peng Sir, do you still feel a tightness in your chest and shortness of breath?"

Peng Wang indeed experienced these symptoms, and they were quite severe; otherwise, he wouldn't have fought with Mo Jiuye for the wooden cart.

"It's true. I find it hard to catch my breath even after taking a few steps."

In Peng Wang's eyes, He Zhiran, being a well-bred lady, might have stumbled upon a snakebite remedy in some book and accidentally saved his life.

He was aware of his own condition; while he felt unwell, it wasn't as grave as the previous day.

Upon reaching Yunlai County, he planned to consult a physician, who would prescribe medicine to help him recover.

To his surprise, He Zhiran accurately diagnosed his current symptoms.

This strongly suggested that she possessed medical knowledge. Hence, Peng Wang responded without equivocation.

"Lord Peng's poisoning from yesterday was severe. Although I managed to save your life, there is still residual poison in your body. If not treated promptly, it could still jeopardize your life," she explained.

In reality, Peng Wang's snake venom had already been completely cleansed. The symptoms he was experiencing were due to the damage the venom had inflicted on his nervous system.

Given a week's time, he would recover on his own.

However, to escape the current situation of being carried by Mo family women while rushing to their destination with Mo Jiuye, she had to intimidate Peng Wang.

Peng Wang, trusting He Zhiran's diagnosis based on his own physical condition, asked, "Mrs. He, do you have a solution?"

This was precisely what He Zhiran was waiting for.

"There is a way, but..."

As she spoke, she glanced at Mo Jiuye, who was lying on the wooden cart.

Peng Wang, a shrewd man, immediately grasped He Zhiran's intention.

His face darkened instantly.

In his long career as an official, this was the first time he'd been negotiated with by a prisoner.

Peng Wang wanted to say that he didn't need He Zhiran's treatment; he would find a doctor in Yunlai County, and Mo Jiuye had to give him the wooden cart today.

But before he could speak, Zhou Laoba pulled him aside for a whispered conversation. Only then did Peng Wang return, clearly displeased.

"To the He family, if you can fully remove the remaining poison from me, I'll allow Mo Jiuye to share the cart with me."

"Sir Official, as you can see, our Mo family consists only of womenfolk. It's already a struggle for us to push our husband alone..."

He Zhiran would eat anything, but she disliked being at a disadvantage.

While two or three Mo family women could indeed manage to push the cart, she didn't wish to burden her own kin.

Peng Wang was seething. He'd already swallowed his pride and agreed to share the cart with Mo Jiuye, yet He Zhiran dared to bargain with him still.

Just as he was about to lose his temper, Zhou Laoba once again interrupted him.

"Certainly, I can arrange for a few male convicts to assist with the cart," Peng Wang replied.

Peng Wang glanced at Zhou Laoba, understanding that his suggestion was well-intentioned. He silently approved of the plan.

"I've agreed to all your terms. If you fail to completely rid me of the residual poison, be prepared to face the whip of the law enforcement officers," he warned.