“I’m the boss’s woman.” The woman spoke with a touch of pride, setting the tray in her hands down on a nearby table.

“Come here.” She turned back to look at Feng Jiu’er.

Feng Jiu’er pressed her lips together, took a deep breath, and walked over with light steps.

“You. Do you need something from me?”

“I brought you food.” The woman extended a cold, slender finger and traced it along Feng Jiu’er’s cheek.

“Th-thank you.” Feng Jiu’er pulled out a chair and sat down.

The woman looked at her, her crescent brows arching.

“Eat. Why aren’t you eating?”

“I’m not hungry.” Feng Jiu’er looked up at her and shook her head.

The woman picked up a pair of chopsticks instead and picked up a piece of pastry. “Hungry or not, you’re going to eat it!”

“Don’t think that just because you’re young, you can do whatever you please. There’s poison in this pastry — did you know that?”

“The boss never actually took a liking to you. He just wanted to bring you in here to poison you to death. Hurry up and eat! Open your mouth!”

Hearing that the pastry was poisoned, Feng Jiu’er’s expression changed at once, and she immediately raised a hand to cover her mouth.

If this woman hadn’t shown up, she’d wanted to see whether she could catch the sound of the discussion happening inside.

No one was making medicine in this particular spot, but she could faintly catch that unpleasant scent in the air.

Even though she’d already suspected as much beforehand, Feng Jiu’er still felt a jolt of surprise — though what she felt even more strongly was anger.

“Eat!” The woman grabbed Feng Jiu’er’s shoulder with one hand.

The woman was taller and larger than Feng Jiu’er, and facing down a romantic rival, she clearly wasn’t holding back on strength.

“Eat!” The pastry in her hand was already pressed against the back of Feng Jiu’er’s hand.

“I won’t!” Feng Jiu’er stood, and in stepping back, bumped into the chair.

It struck the floor with a loud bang.

The woman shoved Feng Jiu’er against the wall, pried at the hands covering her mouth, and pressed the pastry right up against the corner of Feng Jiu’er’s lips.

“Whether you want to or not, you’re eating it! Do you really think it’ll be this easy to become our boss’s woman?”

“Quick! Open your mouth. With us here, don’t even think about it!”

A door to one of the rooms opened, and a man stepped out. “What’s going on here?”

The man wore white robes, a white cloth wrapped around the front, and his hair bound up in white cloth as well — his appearance different from everyone else outside.

“You’ve come at just the right time! Hold her down for me. She refuses to eat the pastry — ha! She’s already come this far in — do you think we’re going to let her have her way?”

Amid the struggle, Feng Jiu’er caught the scent confirming the pastry really had been drugged.

Still, this particular poison, while significant for an ordinary person, wouldn’t do much damage to her body.

Feng Jiu’er was even more reckless than Leng Xuepiao — when developing medicines, testing them on herself was routine practice.

Over time, her resistance to poison had grown far stronger than most people’s.

Just as she’d expected — Mao Linye wasn’t the type to trust someone so easily. Was this his way of testing her?

With the man now joining in, the “delicate” Feng Jiu’er was forced to swallow four pieces of the pastry.

After the man and woman left, she crawled painfully toward one side of the room.

She crawled until she was not far from the door of the room Mao Linye had entered, and just as she leaned against the wall, she collapsed as if breathing her last.

The two men guarding the door outside glanced at her a few times, and seeing her eyes fully closed, paid her no more attention, straightening their posture at once and standing guard without so much as a sideways glance.

Even they couldn’t hear what was being said inside, so they didn’t think a woman fainting there could reveal anything of importance.

Feng Jiu’er certainly hadn’t crawled all this way just to play dead for anyone’s benefit.

Once that madwoman had left, she wanted to see whether she could still catch any important information.

Feng Jiu’er hadn’t expected that she would actually be able to hear the people talking inside. Though the volume was very low, she could still make out a fair amount.

Inside the room, a large screen divided the space. Behind the screen sat four people, with a few others standing.

The one seated in the main seat was Mao Linye. Three others sat in chairs on either side — two men and one woman.

“Boss, do you think it might be people from the imperial family?” the woman suddenly asked, frowning.

“Shiniang, what do you mean by that?” asked the man seated across from Shiniang — a burly man with a face full of beard.

Song Shiniang glanced at Mao Linye, and seeing he said nothing, continued, “The battle at Yongshan City has been confirmed. It was the First Prince.”

“And it’s almost certain that the one who fought against him was the current Third Prince.”

“The Third Prince really betrayed the throne?” The bearded, burly man’s brow furrowed tightly.

“Eight or nine parts certain,” said the refined, scholarly-looking man beside Song Shiniang.

The bearded, burly man glanced at the refined man and said nothing further.

“The Third Prince, together with that force from a foreign country, forced the First Prince to retreat.” Song Shiniang’s voice rose again.

“It seems the First Prince has left, but whether he’s truly gone — who can say?”

“Boss, Liuchuan City and Yi City each sent three thousand troops over. They were hoping our Plains City could hold through this battle.”

“They’d have no reason to stir up trouble right now and leave us unable to focus on the war.”

“So if it’s not people from the imperial family, then it’s…” Song Shiniang gave a light cough, “the City Lord’s people.”

The burly man looked at Mao Linye and said, “In that case, it’s more likely to be people from the imperial family.”

“But then why would General Cai burn our medicine factory?”

“Perhaps it’s meant as a warning to us.” The refined man lifted a cup.

“Could it be that General Cai knows the secret behind the Song Family Village medicine factory?” The burly man scratched his head, turning the thought over.

The refined man set down his cup, and together with Song Shiniang and the burly man, turned to look at Mao Linye.

“Boss, what’s your take on this?” Song Shiniang asked.

Mao Linye looked at the two of them seated together, his thick brows furrowing slightly.

“The Song Family Village medicine factory has always been followed up on by Duling and Shiniang. Isn’t it true that only about three hundred people even know of this factory’s existence?”

Song Shiniang didn’t take offense, saying instead, “Are you suggesting there’s a spy among us, Boss?”

Before Mao Linye could respond, Duling — the refined, scholarly man — spoke up as well.

“So, if we find the spy, everything will become clear?”

“Boss, both my life and Shiniang’s were saved by you. Over a decade ago, we chose to follow you, and we would never do anything to betray you.”

“I only want the result.” Mao Linye picked up his teacup, lowered his head, gently blew away the tea leaves floating on top, and took a sip.

“One day.” He tossed out those words as he set down the cup.

“Understood.” Duling stood up.

He walked to the center of the hall and cupped his hands toward Mao Linye.

“Just as you said, Boss — the matter of Song Family Village must have been leaked by someone.”

“If I can’t find the traitor within one day, I’ll cut off my own arm as penalty.”

“Duling.” Song Shiniang stood up as well.

Duling, however, kept his head lowered, bowing with cupped hands, waiting for Mao Linye’s response.

“Good!” Mao Linye nodded. “I hope you won’t disappoint me. You both know full well how important the Song Family Village medicine factory is to us.”

“A place so carefully hidden isn’t easy to discover — this matter must be handled properly.”