Reborn as a Hatrack in the Mystical Land-Chapter 600 - 57: Fighting Poison with Poison

After the brief disturbance regarding Peace Money, the Duke Mansion’s small grocery store resumed its regular business. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

However, as the episode of extortion faded, a new whirlwind of trouble was quietly approaching the Duke’s little grocery store.

One day, several flamboyantly dressed prostitutes entered the grocery store, bossing the young errand boy around to move things here and there. They inspected almost everything in the store but ended up buying nothing, swaying their hips as they left.

The errand boy couldn’t help but complain, but to his shock, after returning home that evening, he began to itch all over, his skin swelling up with little red bumps.

As soon as these red bumps were scratched, they bled, and overnight, the boy’s entire body was covered in torn skin, a terrifying, bloody sight.

Hong Yao returned to the shop to find that, at some point, someone had sprinkled a fine Poison Powder all over the merchandise.

If someone came into contact with it, they would end up with the same festering, unbearable itch as the young errand boy.

"It’s Lady Fen Xiang, the errand boy recognized those prostitutes, they all work for her," said the Imperial City where prostitution wasn’t explicitly prohibited by law. Lady Fen Xiang herself was once a concubine of a Pill Master in the Imperial City. Driven out by the main wife’s oppression, she ended up in Linlan Street.

She was known for being just and had learned formidable Poison Techniques from her ex-husband. This notoriety eventually scared off the local rascals, and the helpless, oppressed prostitutes gathered under her wing.

Hong Yao warned Yue Jinghua not to underestimate these prostitutes; some of them were the mistresses of Imperial City officials. If they were to whisper in their ears, it could be quite troublesome for the Duke Mansion.

"Truly despicable. Not daring to act openly, they resort to such underhanded and vile tactics as poisoning," Hong Yao said as she counted the store’s inventory. The number of goods contaminated with Poison Powder was significant, and she couldn’t help but mourn the loss.

After a moment of contemplation, Yue Jinghua said, "Go call Feng Chuo over."

Ever since Lady Fen Xiang’s subordinates had succeeded in poisoning the little grocery store, the Duke Mansion’s store had been forced to close for a thorough cleaning for three days.

Watching the grocery store’s doors firmly shut, several prostitutes who had been tailing the place quickly reported the news back to Lady Fen Xiang.

"Big sister, compared to Lun Feng and his gang, your strategy is so much more ingenious," a group of women dressed in colorful, sumptuous clothes circled a beauty in her thirties with peach-like charm, flattering her incessantly.

The news of Lun Feng’s gang being disciplined and sent packing like dogs after their attempt at extortion became the butt of the joke among the hidden powers of Linlan Street.

Lady Fen Xiang had managed to turn the grocery store upside down using just a few packs of corrosive powder and a number of her lackeys, making her followers bask in pride.

The group was gloating when suddenly, a pale-faced prostitute ran in.

As soon as she entered, she burst into loud sobs.

"Big sister, all of my clients have run off," the beautiful prostitute said as she began to cry and explain.

Around dusk, as usual, she was soliciting clients at the entrance of Linlan Street. During this time, many people would pass through Linlan Street on their way to the Beast Fighting Arena, and many of them liked to pick up a few prostitutes to accompany them.

Accompaniment was an easy job, not only could you earn tips, but you also got to enjoy the scene at the Beast Fighting Arena.

This prostitute was sweet-tongued and pretty good-looking, naturally very popular with the clients.

However, just as she had successfully solicited a client and was about to get onto his carriage, a hideous man, covered in pus-filled boils, burst out.

He grabbed the woman’s leg, cursing while ripping at her clothes relentlessly.

"He claimed he was my benefactor, that he had contracted some terminal disease from me before, some, some disease of vitality, saying that it caused festering all over the body, and after searching the entire Imperial City, no one could cure him. My client, out of fright, shoved me off the carriage," the woman said as she sobbed and wiped her tears.

The man was speaking as he shouted to the passersby.

Bad news travels a thousand miles in a flash; in just two hours, everyone on Linlan Street knew that a prostitute working for Lady Fen Xiang had contracted a deadly disease. After this, who would dare patronize them?

Lady Fen Xiang, after hearing this, only felt buzzing in her head.

Her body covered in lumps, reeking of decay; weren’t these the symptoms of the corrosive powder taking effect?

Just as Lady Fen Xiang was at a loss, uncertain of how to deal with this sudden incident, another woman came rushing in, crying bitterly.

Lady Fen Xiang focused her gaze and saw that the newcomer, who originally had a delicate face, now had a swollen nose and face, beaten to a pulp, resembling a pig’s head. If one didn’t look closely, it would be impossible to tell that she was one of her girls, Xiaoqiang.

"Xiaoqiang, what happened to you?" Lady Fen Xiang was shocked and dismayed.

Xiaoqiang was considered one of the luckiest amongst all the girls.

She had been poor since childhood and was forced to become a prostitute. Not long after, she followed Lady Fen Xiang.

Lady Fen Xiang, pulling strings in secret, introduced her to Commander Chen of the Military Department.

Commander Chen even specially bought a secluded residence in the Imperial City to support her, but who would have thought that today she would appear in such a state.

"Whimpering, elder sister," Xiaoqiang threw herself into Lady Fen Xiang’s arms, crying as if her heart would break, "That tigress from Commander Chen’s family, who knows where she got the information, led a group of servants, fierce and menacing, stormed into my residence and gave me a brutal beating."

Lady Fen Xiang gasped in horror.

There were simply too many things that had happened in one day, first, someone framed her girls of contracting a disease, and then Xiaoqiang was beaten up by Commander Chen’s legal wife. These events came one after another; to say they were coincidences would not make sense.

In the room, nothing could be heard but the weeping of her girls.

Lady Fen Xiang furrowed her brows; she understood that she had been retaliated against.

Good, good, Duke Mansion, the very good use of the same trick against the perpetrator.

This could not blame others; it was she who used poison first. However, she had not expected that the other party would resort to tricks several times more insidious than poison to persecute her sisters.

Looking at the room full of sorrowful, crying girls, Lady Fen Xiang held her forehead and lowered her eyelids, her face showing nothing but helplessness.

This was the first time that Lady Fen Xiang truly felt the gravity of the situation.

"Elder sister, someone just asked me to deliver a letter to you," while Lady Fen Xiang was distressed, one of the prostitutes came forward and handed her a letter.

Lady Fen Xiang looked down and saw the letter was signed "Duke Mansion."

Upon opening the letter, she saw a line of swift and powerful script: "You are cordially invited to an evening gathering with Lady Fen Xiang and her sisters at Duke Mansion on the evening of the tenth day of the sixth month."

Duke Mansion?!

After reading the letter, Lady Fen Xiang couldn’t sit still any longer. She flipped the letter over a few times, then slowly closed it.