At the sight of Duan Canghai’s expression, Yang Ning knew that Qiu Qianyi was awesome indeed.

“It appears that you really know the poison king in Nine Creek.” Yang Ning sighed. “The one who poisoned me this time must be a disciple of the poison king.”

Duan Canghai was shocked. “My Lord, are you sure that it is a disciple of the poison king?” He frowned. “It’s difficult to handle this matter.”

Gu Qinghan furrowed her brows. “Canghai, who is the poison king in Nine Creek?”

“He is one of the White Miao people in Ba Shu,” Duan Canghai explained. “My Lady, you know that there are many members of minorities in Ba Shu. Among a lot of minorities, the Miao people are the most powerful. It’s said that the Miao people live in seventy-two caves, which are located among the mountains and rivers in Ba Shu. King Shu Li Hongxin is influential in the west region, but he mainly appeases the Miao people and doesn’t dare to offend them randomly.”

Gu Qinghan nodded. “I know that there are many Miao people in the west region, and I have heard that there are fights among the Miao people.”

Duan Canghai replied, “Right. The Miao people live in seventy-two caves, and there are two kinds, Uncivilized Miao and Sociable Miao. The Uncivilized Miao people live on mountains and stay secluded. Green Miao and Red Miao are Uncivilized Miao, and the Sociable Miao people can speak our language and communicate and trade with us, the Han people. Black Miao, White Miao and Flower Miao are Sociable Miao. The poison king in Nine Creek is one of the White Miao people. They are second to only the Black Miao people, who are skilled in raising venomous insects, while the White Miao people are skilled in using poison. The poison king is the number one great master in using poison among the White Miao people and also among the people in the west region.”

“Since they are Miao people, why did they come to the capital and become our enemy?” Gu Qinghan frowned. “Qiu Qianyi sounds like a name of the Han people.”

Duan Canghai explained, “This is the poison king’s alias. Many of the Sociable Miao people have names of the Han people. Before Qiu Qianyi became famous, the number one great master in using poison in the world was the Tang Clan in the west region. The Tang Clan are the Han people. Qiu Qianyi found the Tang Clan and wanted to compete with their master on poisoning skills. At that time, how would the Tang Clan take one of the White Miao people seriously? So they didn’t give Qiu Qianyi a chance. As far as I know, in less than half a month, the members of the Tang Clan started to be poisoned to death one after another. Within only half a month, there were only less than ten people left in the Tang Clan of more than two hundred and seventy at last.”

Gu Qinghan’s expression changed slightly, and Yang Ning also gasped in astonishment. He could certainly understand that the murderer must be the poison king in Nine Creek, Qiu Qianyi. This man was cruel and evil. No wonder he had such a disciple as Nao.

“The Tang Clan was the number one old and well-known clan in poisoning skills in the west region but could do nothing. Their master watched all people in the clan die after being poisoned.” Duan Canghai looked serious. “The Tang Clan had a long history of using poison, and nobody offended them, so they don’t have friends in society. When they were in need, nobody helped them.”

“How is the Tang Clan now?” Yang Ning asked.

Duan Canghai smiled bitterly. “The Tang Clan faced ruthless mass slaughter and even fowls and dogs were not spared several decades ago. When their master was found, the skin and flesh all over his body were dry, and there was a flag with the words ‘Qiu Qianyi from Nine Creek’ hung on the gate of their house. Since then, Qiu Qianyi became famous all over the world. All people in society are scared at the mention of him.”

Gu Qinghan’s beautiful face was pale.

“Qiu Qianyi always stays in the west region and seldom leaves there.” Duan Canghai looked solemn. “My Lord, you said that Qiu Qianyi’s disciple poisoned you this time. Have you offended the poison king?”

Yang Ning knew that it was significant, and he hesitated for a moment. Then he finally told them simply what had happened then. Duan Canghai was shocked. “I see. In this case, the one who poisoned you must be the demon girl named Nao.”

“Miss Tang has said that the demon girl won’t give up but will come again.” Gu Qinghan was worried. “Canghai, they keep an eye on Ning persistently. What do you think we should do?”

Duan Canghai frowned. “My Lord, in my opinion, the demon girl poisoned you this time, which might not be the poison king’s plan. Although he is peerless in poisoning skills, he needs to consider the White Miao people. If his disciple kills a marquis, she just rebels brazenly, and the imperial court won’t stand by and do nothing, so the White Miao people will surely be in deadly danger.”

“Do you mean that it was the demon girl’s own decision?” Gu Qinghan asked.

Duan Canghai nodded. “The poison king doesn’t bear a grudge against the marquis’ family and won’t become the imperial court’s enemy easily. This demon girl must have decided all by herself. If so, we don’t need to worry too much. If the poison king takes actions personally, we can do nothing but ask the Temple of Great Light for help. He will have to think twice while facing the temple. Now it is just a disciple of the poison king, and we have Miss Tang who can help us, so we may be able to cope with the demon girl.” He lowered his voice. “We can set a trap in the mansion. If the demon girl doesn’t give up, we can lure her into the trap.”

Gu Qinghan shook her head. “That’s a way that Ning has also figured out, yet Miss Tang has said that the demon girl is quite cunning and may kill Ning if she finds that. She is in the dark and can see us. We have to guard against her.”

Duan Canghai furrowed his brows. “Such a girl comes and goes like a shadow, and it’s difficult for us to know her whereabouts, and nobody knows where she is and how she will put poison. Precautions can’t ward off sudden attacks.”

“Have you heard about washing blood?” Yang Ning kept silent for a while and finally asked. “Wash your blood with herbs and then you can be immune to all kinds of poison.”

Duan Canghai was astonished. “Is there such a skill? I really have never heard about it.”

Yang Ning finally told him about Tang Nuo’s suggestion and then stated in disbelief, “There is no need to doubt Miss Tang’s medical skills, but I also have never heard about the skill of washing blood.”

“Ning, I think we should be careful,” Gu Qinghan reminded in a low voice. “It’s not that I doubt Miss Tang, yet as Canghai said, her background is unknown, and she has something to do with the demon girl…” She paused for a moment and then added, “We should always guard against the harm others may do to us.”

Duan Canghai nodded slightly. “My Lord, Her Ladyship is right.” After pondering for a while, he continued unhurriedly, “But anyway, there are many extraordinary people in the west region. There is Qiu Qianyi who is a great master excellent at poisoning, and naturally there are many extraordinary people in other fields. Since Miss Tang has said that she can wash blood, although it sounds unimaginably queer, it may be true. After all, we have never seen it. We can’t be sure, yet we can’t deny it firmly.”

Yang Ning smiled. “Duan, do you mean that I can have my blood washed?”

“No.” Duan Canghai waved his hand in a hurry. “My Lord, don’t misunderstand me. I just tell you the truth. If you can be really immune to all kinds of poison, it will be exceedingly welcome, but…but we don’t know if Miss Tang has ulterior motives.” He lowered his voice, “However, Miss Tang doesn’t look like a bad person and doesn’t want to harm you seemingly. Otherwise, after you were poisoned this time, as long as she didn’t help you, you…would have no chance of survival.”

Gu Qinghan stated gloomily, “It is impossible to judge a man’s heart from his face. Don’t let her wash your blood hurriedly. Just wait and see.”

In the following days, the marquis’ mansion was more heavily guarded, and Duan Canghai stayed next to Yang Ning all the time. In order to prevent the demon girl from poisoning him again, Yang Ning even moved to another house in the mansion secretly.

Perhaps because more people were garrisoned in the mansion, Nao didn’t have a chance to sneak in, and Yang Ning was alert, so he wouldn’t let others harm him easily. He was safe and sound for a few days successively.

Tang Nuo didn’t mention washing blood again.

In two days, the streets and alleys which were blocked started to return normal. Yang Ning got the news that the new emperor had led many officials to return to the capital city, and the late emperor had been buried in the royal mausoleum.

Even though many people had thought earlier that it would be difficult for this emperor to take the throne and there might even be bloody fights and changes, in the end, it was threatening but not dangerous and had passed in safety. There was secret turbulence in the capital city, yet it didn’t change to a bloody fight.

Next, an imperial edict made it known to the world that the new emperor had taken the throne and the reign title was Longtai. There was a general pardon.

Only the people in the capital could feel the tense atmosphere covering the city lately. Now the general situation was settled, and people finally sighed with relief.

Although few people knew that this period was a difficult time about the future of the state, it finally went through it.

The common people didn’t know how many people at the imperial court had been transferred, but the Black Sword Camp was transferred out of the city and still guarded in the military camp in the suburb. The Tiger God Camp still defended the gates of the capital. The Royal Guard Camp which had been dispatched out of the capital returned and guarded the imperial palace.

However, some people whispered in private that after the Royal Guard Camp was dispatched out of the capital, there was a great transfer of personnel. Many high-level and middle-level military officers were promoted and rewarded and transferred from the Guard Camp, yet as a matter of fact, they were promoted openly but demoted in secret. Although many people even got titles of nobility and a raise as a result, they lost the real power.

The common people certainly didn’t know if it was true, and Yang Ning was too busy to care about it.

Even though he was still overshadowed by Nao’s poison, what he most cared about was Tang Nuo’s panacea.

The emperor had issued an imperial edict and titled Yang Ning as Marquis of Honor, but he didn’t reward Yang Ning with money. The marquis’ mansion couldn’t make ends meet currently. As Gu Qinghan estimated, they couldn’t sustain life for two months.

The family of the Marquis of Honor was not like the other noble families. Except for the fiefdom and two shops, they didn’t have other source of finance. The pawnshop had been burnt, and only one pharmacy was left. It was daydreaming to sustain hundreds of people in the mansion depending on merely one pharmacy. Under the situation, they had to figure out other ways.

Tang Nuo’s medicant was a potential source of finance. If the medicant was really so magical, of course they could make more, and then they would do excellent business and make a lot of money.

After Yang Ning and Tang Nuo rushed to the Yong’an Hall early in the morning, the pharmacy was just opened to do business. Seeing that they entered the room, Mr. Song waked to them immediately and cupped his hands. “My Lord, nice to see you.” He knelt on the floor.

The heir of the Marquis of Honor and the Marquis of Honor were certainly different.

The heir of the Marquis of Honor was just the successor and didn’t have a title of nobility, but the Marquis of Honor was a real marquis, so Mr. Song didn’t dare to neglect him.

Yang Ning knew that the news had spread that he had inherited the title of Marquis of Honor, and he pulled Mr. Song up, saying with a smile, “No need to do that. You can do the same as before. Mr. Song, you know the purpose of my arrival. Did that child come back?”

Mr. Song looked at Tang Nuo aside and tided up his clothes before bowing to her deeply. He sighed with emotion. “Miss Tang, I am sorry that I don’t have sharp eyes and failed to recognize a person of great talent. If I offended you, please forgive me. This time I have widened my horizon and know what the saying that there is always someone who is better than me means.”