After hearing Yao Niang’s words, the chefs in the kitchen, the waiters serving dishes, those tending the fire, and those cutting vegetables all loudly responded in unison, “Yes.”

“Those little bastards didn’t even bother to find out what kind of place this is! They actually dared to barge in with swords and knives. If we don’t give them a taste of our power, they won’t know how thick the earth is or how high the sky is.”

“If you ask me, after we catch them, we should just kill them directly.”

“Chop them into meat sauce and use them as drinking snacks!”

“Exactly.”

Everyone’s hearts were filled with rage.

Plucking hair from the head of the Grand Duke, they simply didn’t know whether they were alive or dead.

This was the first time in so many years that Tiansha Inn had been humiliated like this. If word got out, that would be terrible.

After giving these instructions, Yao Niang took food, drinks, and top-quality wound medicine to Wen Yu’s room.

She also brought a set of clean clothes.

“Young master, let me apply medicine for you first. While I’m at it, you can change out of this blood-stained clothing, then eat something and rest well.” As Yao Niang spoke, she was about to strip off Wen Yu’s clothes.

Wen Yu retreated two steps backward, “I can do it myself.”

“What are you being shy about? Wasn’t it that young lady who applied medicine to your wounds last night? If she can look, why can’t I?”

“That’s not what I…”

“Just let me help you. Besides, you’re injured right now, so it’s inconvenient for you.” As she spoke, Yao Niang forcibly stripped open Wen Yu’s clothes.

The white cloth strips wrapped around his body were all stained with blood.

Clearly the wounds hadn’t been treated well!

Yao Niang had always been meticulous. She unwrapped those bandages one by one, and the sword wounds came into view, truly heartbreaking to see.

She took out the wound medicine and gently applied it to his injuries.

Wen Yu gritted his teeth in pain.

But he desperately endured it.

While applying medicine for him, Yao Niang rolled her eyes around and asked, “By the way, young master, why were those people chasing you? Looking at the sword wounds on your body, each one was aimed to kill. What kind of deep grudge or hatred would make them strike so viciously?”

Wen Yu knew she would definitely ask this question. Fortunately, he was already prepared, so he used the same reason he had previously given Ji Yunshu to answer Yao Niang, “I don’t recognize those people either. I’m just a merchant traveling for business, but I never expected to encounter such a thing. I suppose it’s just bad luck.”

“A merchant? So you’re saying they came to rob your goods?”

“I think so.”

This kind of thing happened frequently in the desert, nothing unusual.

However—

Yao Niang was quite a character. With just a bit of calculation, she could tell there were suspicious points.

She asked directly, “That’s strange then. If it was to rob goods, why would they pursue you relentlessly? Desert bandits always take the goods and leave. How could they risk a sandstorm to hunt you down?”

Wen Yu’s eyes flickered, and his fist secretly clenched. He was very clear that this woman wasn’t easy to fool. Not only was she hard to deceive, she was also an extremely shrewd person. He had to be more careful. Unless absolutely necessary, he couldn’t make a move. Right now, the most important thing was to leave here alive.

He feigned puzzlement in his answer, “I’m not clear about that either. Perhaps they wanted to silence me, to prevent me from escaping and seeking revenge on them later.”

“I see! That does make sense. However, you say you’re a traveling merchant, so why have I never seen you before? You should know, any merchant who passes through this Nansai Desert will stop at my Tiansha Inn for a night, but over all these years, your face seems rather unfamiliar, young master.”

Wen Yu said, “This is my first time traveling for business, so it’s natural that you’re not familiar with me! I think those bandits probably saw that it was my first time in the Nansai Desert, that I was a newcomer, which is why they came to rob my goods.”

Desert bandits always liked to pick soft persimmons to squeeze.

Caravans like Master Hu’s, bandits generally didn’t dare approach. But if a greenhorn passed through the desert, they would usually be robbed.

So what Wen Yu said made sense.

Yao Niang didn’t continue questioning. After bandaging him up, she had him change into clean clothes.

“Alright, this medicine is very effective. I guarantee you’ll be better in three days.”

“I’m truly grateful. I’ll remember this kindness in my heart.”

“I’m called Yao Niang. You can also call me… Xiao Yao.”

Pfft—

Wen Yu really couldn’t bring himself to say it, so he just smiled politely.

“Then I won’t disturb you further. Eat the food while it’s hot.”

“Mm.”

Yao Niang left.

Wen Yu was indeed somewhat hungry. Yesterday he had been fleeing the entire time and was already exhausted.

He picked up his chopsticks and started eating.

But after just a few bites, he discovered something was wrong.

It seemed someone had… added something to this food!

But it was too late. His head grew heavy, and he collapsed, immediately losing consciousness.

The door was pushed open from outside, and Yao Niang led four workers in.

She walked up to Wen Yu and lightly flicked his face with her hand, “Playing games with this old lady? You’re still too young!” Having said that, she waved her hand at the people who came in with her and said, “Carry him to the back courtyard and hide him well.”

“Yes.” Two workers then carried the drugged Wen Yu out.

Yao Niang continued instructing the other two workers, “You two, thoroughly rearrange this room. Set up everything that needs to be set up.”

The workers said, “Don’t worry, just leave it to us brothers. We guarantee we’ll turn this room into a cage, making sure they can get in but can’t get out.”

“Hurry up and do it. Don’t make a commotion and disturb the guests.”

“Understood.”

Yao Niang laughed coldly and went out.

When they were carrying Wen Yu out, they happened to be seen by Xiao Ba.

Xiao Ba quickly returned to his room, saying with a gossipy expression, “Brother, guess what I saw?”

Luo Yang was eating the meat he had brought from Ji Yunshu’s place, “What?”

“I saw Yao Niang’s people carry a man out from Miss Ji’s room.”

“Pfft—” Luo Yang spat out the mouthful of meat directly, eyes widening, “A man? You didn’t see wrong, did you?”

“I swear, I really didn’t see wrong. It was Yao Niang’s people who carried that man out, and that man seemed to be dead, not moving at all. Brother, you don’t think… this is a black shop, do you? They’re secretly killing people just to… eat human flesh?” By the time he finished speaking, Xiao Ba felt his back go cold, hugging his arms as his hair stood on end.

Luo Yang quickly rushed to the doorway and looked toward the room where Ji Yunshu was staying.

Xiao Ba pressed his head against his arm, pointing at the room where Ji Yunshu had previously stayed and said, “Brother, you’re looking at the wrong place. Miss Ji is staying there.”

“That room?”

“Mm.”

Luo Yang told him, “Miss Ji moved to a different room. She’s not staying there!”

Not knowing why, Luo Yang inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief.

Then he returned to the room to continue eating meat.

Xiao Ba scratched his head and asked, “Brother, what’s going on here?”

“How would I know?”

He couldn’t be bothered with all that.

But thinking about it this way, it did seem very strange.

Why would Ji Yunshu move to a different room for no reason? And why would a man be carried out from her original room? This was just too strange, wasn’t it?