Chapter 157: Chapter 158: Hu Chengxuan, a Traitor

“Zhang Fang, in your opinion, could that wretched woman have possibly destroyed the iron gate?”

“My lord, that’s hardly possible!”

Hu Chengxuan’s sinister eyes stared at Zhang Fang.

“How is it not possible? Weren’t you the one who said that wretch had Innate Divine Strength, possessing an extraordinary talent!”

Zhang Fang hesitated. “My lord, even though she is strong, she is still a woman, and that’s a gate weighing ten thousand catties!”

Hu Chengxuan chuckled darkly twice.

“You are covering up for her.”

Zhang Fang repeatedly waved his hands.

“My lord, I am merely telling the truth, with no intention of covering up for her.”

Hu Chengxuan sneered once.

“Don’t think I don’t know, your brother Zhang Zhao’s whole family was saved by her, right?”

Zhang Fang immediately fell to his knees, defending himself, “My lord, although Miss Qi Yue saved my brother’s family, I absolutely did not intend to cover up for her. It is just not within a woman’s ability to do so.”

“It might be beyond her alone, but she has four guards under her!” Hu Chengxuan sneered repeatedly. “Because you owe her a favor, you refuse to tell the truth, which proves exactly what I’ve been thinking!”

Zhang Fang was taken aback. “What thought?”

“That you and that wretch have been in cahoots all along, maybe you’re even involved in this matter.”

“My lord, that’s absolutely impossible, my lord has been tremendously kind to me, I would never betray my lord.”

“Since you say so, I’ll give you an opportunity,” Hu Chengxuan said coldly. “Find an opportunity to kill that wretch for me!”

Hearing this, Zhang Fang shook his head repeatedly.

“My lord, this matter couldn’t possibly be Miss Qi Yue’s doing…”

“Miss Qi Yue? How affectionately you address her! I’ll ask you this once, will you kill her or not?”

Zhang Fang’s knees shuffled forward a few steps as he pleaded, “My lord, Miss Qi Yue has been kind to my brother and me, I…”

Before he could finish, Hu Chengxuan lifted a foot and kicked Zhang Fang in the chest, causing him to spit out a mouthful of fresh blood on the spot.

“Considering that you once saved my life years ago, I’ll spare you today. Go to Nanling and dive for pearls with your brother for me!”

“My lord! You can’t do this, Miss Qi Yue couldn’t have destroyed that gate!”

“Get out!”

Hu Chengxuan kicked Zhang Fang away, and strode out.

It was currently the afternoon, and Qi Yue was in the residence discussing with Huang Zai’an about setting up a pharmaceutical factory.

“Master, that’s settled then, you don’t have to go back this time. Tomorrow, have someone bring over the junior apprentice, and I’ll leave the main responsibility of the pharmaceutical factory to the two of you.”

“While you, young lady, are keen on making money, this is a good deed, and I will naturally help you.”

“What do you mean I’m keen on making money, do you know how much a bottle of Carefree Pill costs?” Qi Yue rolled her eyes and extended a hand, “Give me the money!”

“Look at yourself,” Huang Zai’an twirled his mustache. “When the time comes, I’ll take you to find the National Treasure, and it will all be yours, that should be enough!”

“You always talk about the right moment, but when exactly will that be?”

“The right moment is when there is chaos under heaven, and the Treasure Map appears. Just wait!”

Seeing the old man’s smug look, Qi Yue couldn’t help but twitch her mouth.

Creating chaos under heaven was beyond her, but she did have the Treasure Map in her possession, though she couldn’t decipher it.

Well, she’d just have to wait then.

Suddenly, a flurry of footsteps came from the front yard, and a group of variously shaped individuals rushed in with someone.

“Master, this person insists on seeing you, he has urgent matters to discuss.”

Qi Yue saw the man—it was Zhang Fang.

Since their last meeting at the city gate, it had been a long time since they had seen each other.

Seeing the blood still on his mouth, she immediately ordered someone to bring a stool.

“Zhang Fang, you are seriously injured, have you come to seek treatment from me?”

She instructed Old Lady Zhang to bring the Internal Injury Pill from the room.

“Thank you, Miss Qi Yue, my injuries are not severe. I came to remind you that Minister Hu intends to take action against you.”

Upon hearing Zhang Fang’s words, Qi Yue was somewhat surprised.

According to the letters she had found last night, Qing Nanzun indeed helped Hu Chengxuan control the poison’s outbreak, leading him to cooperate with the Fox King of Donggao.

Hu Chengxuan’s decision to turn against her must be because he discovered that she was the one who had poisoned him.

However, she didn’t believe that Qing Nanzun had the capability to detoxify.

Unless he had given Hu Chengxuan a pill that alleviated the symptoms but falsely claimed he could detoxify, all to make Hu Chengxuan align with him.

In doing so, Qing Nanzun could use Hu Chengxuan as a weapon to kill someone else, ultimately leading her to a deadly trap.

One was for revenge, and perhaps also to snatch the Qimen Secret Arts from her!

How cunning Qing Nanzun is!

She had originally written the script to control Hu Chengxuan for herself, yet he had intercepted it.

This is tolerable, but how could one possibly endure this!

She truly underestimated Qing Nanzun this time.

And Hu Chengxuan, that fool, even believed that Qing Nanzun could cure his poison!

Upon learning that Zhang Fang had been demoted to Nanling for refusing to kill her, Qi Yue spoke of building a pharmaceutical factory and asked for his help in protecting it.

Zhang Fang, however, wanted to go to Nanling to find his brother, Zhang Zhao.

Only then did Qi Yue remember the mother and son, Zhonglan, and asked, “I thought since you served as Minister Hu’s guard, you had the power to rescue your brother and reunite your family, but it turns out you couldn’t.”

“Miss Qi Yue, what you don’t know is that Minister Hu’s orders are severe, and such matters are unspeakable. Fortunately, my sister-in-law and child went to the Capital City, all thanks to your care; my brother and I are deeply grateful and at a loss for how to repay you.”

Zhang Fang spoke and attempted to kneel again, but Qi Yue quickly had a tall man support him and she administered the medicine to him.

Upon learning that Zhonglan had taken the child with Shen Yu back to the Capital City, Qi Yue felt relieved.

Shen Yu was a kind-hearted man, and since he had acknowledged Zhonglan as his adopted daughter, she was sure to have better days ahead.

“Big Brother Zhang, since you wish to return to Nanling, I will not stop you, but remember one thing, no matter when, your life must come first.”

“Thank you, Miss Qi Yue.”

Qi Yue then gave Zhang Fang two bottles of Carefree Pill to carry with him.

Zhang Fang, well aware of Qi Yue’s formidable nature, gratefully accepted with many thanks and was escorted out through the back door by the tall man.

Huang Zai’an became worried again after hearing Zhang Fang’s words.

“My disciple, what should we do now? Hu Chengxuan has managed to control his poisoning, and I fear that all these matters will fall onto your head.”

Qi Yue snorted.

“If you’re scared, you can return to Northern Ridge and continue living your peaceful life.”

Huang Zai’an had been pacing back and forth on the ground, and upon hearing this, he blew up at Qi Yue.

“Is that what I meant? Even if we let the poison slide, that Hu guy has pinned the thief’s label on you; how can you be so unconcerned?”

Qi Yue smiled slightly.

The poison was indeed hers, and she had emptied the warehouse; Hu Chengxuan wasn’t wrong to accuse her.

However, she would neither admit to these actions.

She wanted to see if Hu Chengxuan, a traitor, would dare to escalate the situation.

Thinking so, she beckoned Old Lady Zhang over and whispered a few instructions in her ear.

Old Lady Zhang immediately went to carry out the orders.

Huang Zai’an, watching this, asked, “What are you up to now, sneaking around like this?”

“It’s confidential,” Qi Yue replied with a sly smile, “You’ll know tomorrow.”