After Mo Qinghuan and Mu Yanming returned to the prince's mansion, Uncle Zhong rushed over in a hurry.
"Your Highness, Princess, there are two more cases. A servant named A Zhuang in the washroom and Zhuzi, a helper in the kitchen."
Mo Qinghuan and Mu Yanming exchanged a look. "Uncle Zhong, quickly take us to have a look."
Uncle Zhong led the way in front. When they reached the servants' resting room, as soon as Uncle Zhong pushed open the door, Mo Qinghuan smelled a stench of feet. She frowned and turned to look at Mu Yanming, only to find that his brows were also tightly knitted.
She was just about to step inside when Mu Yanming grabbed her.
"Uncle Zhong, call the people out."
Mo Qinghuan thought he just couldn't stand the smell, but she didn't know that Mu Yanming did this because he was afraid the smell would bother her.
After the two were called out by Uncle Zhong, Mo Qinghuan examined them and found that their symptoms were relatively mild. So she took out some medicine from her medicine box and handed it to Uncle Zhong.
Uncle Zhong distributed the medicine to them and told them how to use it.
Then the two of them headed towards the Yangyang Hall.
On the way, Mo Qinghuan looked up at Mu Yanming. "Your Highness, I think this matter is fishy. Moreover, I don't think it's just happening in the prince's mansion."
Mu Yanming agreed with Mo Qinghuan. With his eyes downcast, walking shoulder to shoulder with her, he asked, "Are you worried that it will also break out outside?"
Mo Qinghuan nodded. "Yes. And we not only need to find those who are already sick, but also trace the source. Otherwise, we won't be able to solve the problem at the root."
"Okay. I'll assign people to assist you."
Mo Qinghuan gave him a sweet smile. After returning to the Yangyang Hall, she immediately started arranging the investigation.
She changed into a crescent - white long robe and tied her hair up high. Mu Yanming even helped her put on the cap personally. Then she went out on the street with Bai Ke and Lu Zixiu, while Mu Yanming didn't go with them because he was pretending to be ill.
Mo Qinghuan arrived at the Jujun Restaurant and chose a seat in the main hall.
"Waiter, bring a pot of tea."
Bai Ke showed a look of disgust and rolled his eyes. He asked Mo Qinghuan, "My lord, why do we have to sit in the main hall?"
Mo Qinghuan was looking at the diners, observing if anyone behaved abnormally while eating.
Hearing Bai Ke's words, she withdrew her gaze, dipped her chopsticks in the water in the cup, and wrote the character "stupid" on the table.
Bai Ke thought Mo Qinghuan had some mystery in mind, so he craned his neck to look. After seeing clearly what Mo Qinghuan had written, he frowned and looked at Lu Zixiu. "Mr. Lu, look at her. She's so excessive! Humph."
Mo Qinghuan was disgusted by Bai Ke's behavior and shivered her arms.
Lu Zixiu quickly asked, "What's wrong?"
Mo Qinghuan laughed. "I'm disgusted by Bai Ke. I've got goosebumps all over."
Hearing this, Lu Zixiu covered his face with his fan and laughed.
Seeing the two of them laughing at him together, Bai Ke lifted his foot and put it on the chair. He looked towards the door, looking just like a hooligan.
Mo Qinghuan continued to observe if there was anything wrong.
Just as she was observing, there was a commotion at the door, which caught the attention of the three of them.
The three of them stood up and walked to the door. Bai Ke patted the shoulder of one of the onlookers and asked, "Hey, brother, what's going on?"
The man who was patted turned around. "I heard that Old Man Li wants to sell his daughter Li Xiuhua to Liu the Butcher, a fat man, as a concubine. His daughter refused and ran out. But Liu the Butcher has already given Old Man Li the silver, so he came to arrest her."
Just as he was speaking, Liu the Butcher had already caught Li Xiuhua. Li Xiuhua kept struggling, but no one stepped forward to help her.
Mo Qinghuan couldn't bear to watch. She patted Bai Ke's shoulder. Bai Ke looked back at her in confusion. "What's up, my lord?"
"Go and deal with that Liu the Butcher for her."
Bai Ke looked at Lu Zixiu with a look of embarrassment. Lu Zixiu spread his hands, indicating that he wouldn't interfere.
Seeing that Bai Ke didn't move, Mo Qinghuan reached out and pushed him, sending him into the middle of the crowd. When Liu the Butcher saw someone coming out, he scowled. "Who are you?"
Li Xiuhua grabbed Bai Ke's leg like a drowning man clutching at a straw. "My lord, I beg you, save me." With tears in her eyes, she looked up at Bai Ke. For a moment, Bai Ke really felt a little bit of pity for her.
When Liu the Butcher saw Li Xiuhua clutching Bai Ke's leg, he immediately stepped forward and grabbed Li Xiuhua's hair. He cursed loudly, "You little slut. Your father has already sold you to me. Now you're mine. Holding another man is cuckolding me."
Saying this, he seemed to suddenly realize something. "Oh, no wonder you refused to go with me no matter what. This guy is your lover, right!"
As he said this, he pointed at Bai Ke. Bai Ke had already been unable to bear it when he saw him beating a woman. So as soon as his finger pointed at him, Bai Ke raised his hand and bent his finger.
Liu the Butcher howled in pain and raised his hand to fight with Bai Ke. Bai Ke sneered, picked him up horizontally over his head, and threw him out.
"I hate men who beat women the most in my life."
As soon as he said this, the onlookers immediately applauded for Bai Ke. Some kind - hearted girls even stepped forward to help Li Xiuhua up.
Liu the Butcher got up and pointed at Bai Ke, scolding, "Don't be so arrogant, you kid. Just wait for me. See if I don't chop you to death!"
Bai Ke thought Liu the Butcher was hopeless. He shrugged his shoulders provocatively.
"Sure. I'll welcome you anytime. I'll beat you every time I see you!"
Liu the Butcher said and ran away. Mo Qinghuan walked up to Li Xiuhua. "Go home quickly."
Li Xiuhua lowered her head. "My lord, I have no home anymore. My father has sold me. Even if I go home, my father will surely send me to Liu the Butcher's house. So, my lord, can I follow you?" She grabbed Bai Ke's arm.
Scared, Bai Ke instinctively withdrew his hand. Seeing this, Li Xiuhua bit her lips tightly. "My lord, I can do anything. Washing clothes, cooking, and serving people. I can do it all."
Saying this, she blushed and lowered her head.
Bai Ke looked at Mo Qinghuan at a loss. Mo Qinghuan squinted her eyes and smiled. "Miss, he doesn't like women. It's no use following him."
"My lord, you..."
"Miss, we have important matters to attend to. We won't talk to you for now."
She pulled Bai Ke and left. Lu Zixiu also followed.
But Bai Ke was still brooding over what had just happened. He walked halfway, the more he thought about it, the angrier he got, so he stopped.
Mo Qinghuan looked back at him. "What are you doing?"
"My lord, why did you say just now that I like men..."
Mo Qinghuan and Lu Zixiu exchanged a look and laughed without any disguise.
Lu Zixiu walked up to him and patted his shoulder. "Then you can go back now and tell that girl that you like women!"
Bai Ke looked at Lu Zixiu with a look of grievance. "Mr. Lu, why are you also making fun of me with the princess!"
Lu Zixiu ignored him and walked up to Mo Qinghuan. "Where are we going?"
Mo Qinghuan craned her neck and looked in the direction where Liu the Butcher had run. "I just thought of something. Let's go to Liu the Butcher's pork stall and have a look."
Seeing that the two of them didn't wait for him, Bai Ke rolled his eyes and followed.