Nanliang.

Inside the camp of General Shi.

General Shi was still unconscious, and Young Master Shi was worried about his father, having lost a significant amount of weight.

Dong Chenglang advised him not to worry, and just as he was speaking, a guard walked in and whispered a few words into Dong Chenglang’s ear.

Dong Chenglang clenched his fist tightly.

He had planned to poison his own uncle or cousin to frame the Duke Huguo, making his uncle lose faith in the court.

After Xie Jingchen gave the poison to Dong Chenglang, Dong Chenglang was eager to act, but Xie Jingchen stopped him, advising to wait for the right moment.

Though anxious, he heeded Xie Jingchen’s words.

Unexpectedly, before he could act, the Duke Huguo poisoned his uncle!

Hmm.

Xie Jingchen did not inform Dong Chenglang about poisoning General Shi.

Only by not knowing could he avoid exposing, and become even angrier.

The doctor said that if the poison isn’t detoxified soon, it might seep into the vital organs, and even if cured later, it would cause serious damage to one’s vitality.

After all, it was his own uncle; he could harm him with a degree of control, but others may not.

Upon learning this, Dong Chenglang and Young Master Shi wanted to find the Duke Huguo for the antidote.

Xie Jingchen stopped them, saying, "If you go find the Duke Huguo in such a manner, he won’t give you the antidote."

The guard also advised, "Better to plan carefully."

"Plan carefully any longer, and then my uncle will die," Dong Chenglang exclaimed, his eyes fiery with anger.

Despite the urge, he sat down.

If things went awry, even more time might be wasted.

Young Master Shi looked at Xie Jingchen and asked, "Brother Li, do you have any good ideas?"

"First, gather General Shi’s trusted subordinates," Xie Jingchen suggested.

"Inform them of General Shi’s poisoning, so everyone can head to the main military tent together."

"If we can’t force the Duke Huguo to hand over the antidote outright, he might destroy it."

"It would be best if we could obtain the antidote smoothly; if not, we’ll have to resort to extraordinary measures."

Xie Jingchen pondered deeply, presuming the Duke Huguo likely possessed the antidote.

Xie Jingchuan might be feigning poisoning to stay within the military camp.

But if Su Jin was angered and refused to detoxify him, he would certainly keep a backup plan for himself.

This backup plan must be in Nanliang, in the hands of the Duke Huguo.

Daqi wants the antidote, so the Duke Huguo can demand money, just like when Marquis Dongxiang tricked Nanliang out of one hundred thousand Silver taels.

Being prideful, the Duke Huguo would absolutely not swallow this humiliation.

This means, whether the poison was brought by Xie Jingchuan or given by the Duke Huguo, the Duke Huguo would have the antidote.

The Duke Huguo wouldn’t regard Dong Chenglang and Young Master Shi highly, falling under the fact that they alone couldn’t possibly get the antidote but would instead get rebuked.

Only with General Shi’s troops could there be a chance to obtain the antidote and, if necessary, seize it forcefully.

If the event escalates, General Shi would have no choice but to oppose.

Young Master Shi found Xie Jingchen’s plan thorough, "I’ll go gather my father’s men right away."

Soon, seven or eight generals were in the military camp.

Close confidants were stationed guarding outside.

Suddenly having so many generals entering General Shi’s camp, the Duke Huguo’s men thought perhaps General Shi had awakened or was experiencing a final burst of energy to give final orders.

The soldiers hurriedly reported to the Duke Huguo, who raised an eyebrow, suddenly feeling an ominous premonition in his heart, sensing impending trouble.

He decided to go have a look.

However, just as he was about to get up, a commotion arose outside the tent.

The soldiers guarding the tent were dragged away.

Young Master Shi pulled open the tent entrance and walked inside.

Behind him were Dong Chenglang, followed by General Shi’s troops and generals, with Xie Jingchen coming in last.

In such a crucial matter, theoretically, he should not be involved as a mere lieutenant.

Yet he was the mastermind, and Dong Chenglang’s trusted ally.

The faces of those entering were each grimmer than the last, unable to conceal a murderous aura.

Young Master Shi’s face was icy cold, and the Duke Huguo’s gaze was even colder, "What are you doing; are you planning a rebellion?!"

Young Master Shi confronted the Duke Huguo, "Hand over the antidote!"

The Duke Huguo frowned tightly.

The heir of the Duke Huguo questioned, "What antidote?!"

Dong Chenglang stepped forward, saying, "We’ve summoned every doctor within a hundred miles of Nanliang to examine my uncle, yet none could detoxify him. I’ve sent people to consult Daqi’s doctors and found out my uncle’s poison is the same as that which afflicted the second young master of Prince Zhenbei Mansion earlier!"

"After recovering, the second young master of Prince Zhenbei Mansion claimed that the poison was administered by us, Nanliang!"

The Duke Huguo’s frown deepened.

The heir of the Duke Huguo angrily said, "The poison came from Nanliang, so why are you looking for an antidote from my father?!"

"Considering the timing of the second young master of Prince Zhenbei Mansion’s poisoning, he was then watched by your father’s men, the Duke Huguo’s guards. We come not for other reasons, but to ask the Duke Huguo to interrogate those guards face-to-face and find the antidote for detoxifying my uncle!"

After Dong Chenglang spoke, several generals echoed the sentiment.

The rough voices almost overturned the main military tent.

The attitude was clear—courtesy first, then force.

None wanted unnecessary trouble; resolving matters amicably was preferred, but if not possible, they wouldn’t hesitate to fight to the bitter end.

The Duke Huguo held high prestige, and General Shi’s reputation wasn’t poor either.

In a true conflict, the victor was uncertain.

Being somewhat confident, Dong Chenglang and Young Master Shi dared to come.

Though Dong Chenglang didn’t assert the Duke Huguo poisoned anyone, regarding General Shi’s poisoning, a thread of clues was finally emerging, necessitating the Duke Huguo to investigate further.

When Xie Jingchuan was captured that day, the Duke Huguo arranged strict surveillance, preventing any close approach.

If the Duke Huguo failed to interrogate, it would affirm his involvement in poisoning.

This time, the Duke Huguo was genuinely in a quandary.

Although Dong Chenglang and Young Master Shi compelled the Duke Huguo to interrogate, before the Duke Huguo spoke, the soldiers guarding Xie Jingchuan were already brought in.

Dong Chenglang and Young Master Shi weren’t just forcing the Duke Huguo to interrogate.

But in this amount of time, these soldiers had already been interrogated.

None admitted to poisoning General Shi.

Yet when the Duke Huguo visited Xie Jingchuan, they were guarding outside the tent; the tent wasn’t soundproof, and the transaction between the Duke Huguo and Xie Jingchuan vaguely reached the soldiers’ ears, with words about poisoning included.

The Duke Huguo was furious, slapping the table, "How dare they have the audacity to falsely accuse me?!"

He hadn’t discussed poisoning with Xie Jingchuan in the tent, so how could anyone have heard of it?!

Refusing to admit, Dong Chenglang provoked him, "Since the Duke Huguo is certain he didn’t poison my uncle, he shouldn’t fear us searching the camp, then?"

The Duke Huguo was so angry his veins throbbed.

The guards he sent claimed they overheard words implying poisoning; if he refused to allow a search, it would suggest fear of discovering the antidote.

Yet, indeed there was an antidote in his tent.

Although by now, the Hidden Guard ought to have heard the commotion, concealing the antidote.

The Duke Huguo nonchalantly said, "Feel free to search!"

Just as he spoke, the Hidden Guard entered, looking urgent.

Before Young Master Shi and his group reached the main military tent, people had surrounded the Duke Huguo’s camp, forbidding entry or exit.

The Duke Huguo hadn’t anticipated this, turning purple with rage.

The statement was spoken and couldn’t be retracted.

A mass of guards encircled the Duke Huguo’s camp, but none entered; there remained generals witnessing the commotion, ready to testify no intrusions occurred.

Young Master Shi and Dong Chenglang opened the Duke Huguo’s camp and searched it publicly.

Indeed, they found a bottle of medicine in a hidden compartment under the bed; the military physician confirmed it was the antidote.

Previously, suspicion rested on the Duke Huguo for poisoning General Shi, but now having discovered the antidote, this "confirmed" the case.

The Duke Huguo was so furious he seemed ablaze.

Never had he imagined a day he, the esteemed Duke Huguo, would be forced silent.

True, he possessed the antidote, but he had no poison.

If he knew the poison in General Shi and the second young master from Prince Zhenbei Mansion were identical, wouldn’t he have been on high alert?!

Knowledge about him possessing the antidote was confined to the second young master of Zhenbei Mansion and close Hidden Guard.

Upon discovering who betrayed him, he would certainly exact revenge with relentless vengeance!