A four-year-old medical prodigy descended to the mortal realm, and the entire capital sought her tre

The emperor was greatly alarmed by the rooster's transformation.

Is this the effect of the Longevity Water?

Was it something that Duke Ling wanted to give to himself?

"The Duke of Ling has some nerve! He actually dared to plot against me!"

"Using children's lives to obtain the elixir of immortality is already utterly heinous, but his evil deeds don't stop there!"

"For all his crimes, I have the authority to execute him..."

Just as the words "exterminating nine generations of relatives" were about to slip out, the Emperor's mind flashed back to the tender moments he had shared with Consort Ling the previous night.

He thought for a moment, then changed his words, saying, "The Duke of Ling harmed the children of the Preschool Children's Hall. Let the Dowager Princess decide his crime first!"

Zhou Ruo, Zhao Jinzhong, An Chang, An Nan and several other children came to the Dowager's courtyard.

All thirty children who went missing from the orphanage have returned safely, which has finally eased the Dowager's worries.

"Ruo'er, the Emperor has asked your grandmother to decide how to deal with the Duke of Ling. I would like to ask for your opinion."

Duke Ling first coerced Zhou Ruo and placed her and Zhao Jinzhong under house arrest, and then colluded with Lü Qingchen to persecute the children of Baoyoutang.

These persecuted and abandoned children were ultimately rescued by Zhou Ruo. Only she knows how difficult it was to save them.

"Ask me?" Zhou Ru thought for a moment, "Hmm... this old man is very bad."

The Dowager Consort agreed: "Yes, it's very bad. So, what kind of punishment would Ruo'er like him to receive?"

"First, give him ten lashes, then starve him for three days and don't let him eat."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Jinzhong and An Chang both felt that Zhou Ruoxin was too soft-hearted and too childish.

However, Zhou Ruo added, "Put him back into the snake pit, and the toad in with him. He'll be punished by having to play with my snakes and toads for a few days!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Jinzhong and An Chang exchanged a glance and fell silent.

"Oh?" The Dowager was also surprised when she heard what Zhou Ruo said next. "He won't survive like that."

This morning, the Emperor sent Eunuch Qin to deliver a message to the Dowager Consort: Consort Ling cried all night last night, pleading with the Emperor to spare Duke Ling's life.

The Dowager Consort was worried that Zhou Ruo would feel bad if he was spared the death penalty, so she asked for her opinion.

"Playing with my snake and toad won't kill you!"

Zhou Ruo thought that the Yin energy on the Duke of Ling's body could nourish the poisonous snakes and toads she had collected.

She could certainly guarantee his safety.

"But Grandma, that old man won't live much longer either; his honeydew disease hasn't been cured."

He currently has an excess of yin energy within him; if he falls ill, he will die very quickly.

"In that case, let him go to Ningguta. It's a difficult place; he'll have a hard time there."

Will Ruo'er be able to accept this?

The Empress Dowager continued to question Zhou Ruo.

"Grandma, is that tower far away?"

"It's very far."

"Before we go, let the old man play with my snake and toad."

Otherwise, he would have died halfway to the tower.

Zhou Ruo felt it would be a real shame to let go of the yin energy on his body.

The Dowager Consort thought that letting him die on the way was too easy for him.

He has to go to Ningguta and experience inhuman treatment!

"Very well! Then let's grant Ruo'er's wish and let Duke Ling play with your snake for a few days!"

Zhou Ruo was overjoyed to receive permission. "That Taoist priest wants to come too! Snake Snake likes him more!"

And so, Duke Ling and Lü Qingchen were locked in a dark little room.

Every day, I am entangled by a giant snake and licked by a toad.

When they first entered, the two men's hoarse screams nearly shook the house apart.

After two days, their cries gradually subsided.

The Yin energy on Duke Ling's body was completely drained, and he felt increasingly comfortable.

On the fourth day, Lü Qingchen and Duke Ling's voices returned to normal.

On the fifth day, when they were about to be released, the two were reluctant to leave the small, dark room.

Finally, Lü Qingchen was beheaded and his head displayed to the public.

The Duke of Ling was stripped of his dukedom and exiled to Ningguta, accompanied by his wives, concubines, and family members.

Two years later, the Duke of Ling died in Ningguta from a relapse of honeydew syndrome.

The accomplices in the orphanage were all exiled.

Master Yunxu's efforts in saving a dying boy and raising him free of charge for nearly a year have brought fame to Yunxu Temple, and its incense offerings have become increasingly prosperous.

Zhang Jing used the five taels of silver that Zhao Jinzhong had given him to plant fruit trees and crops on a large scale on the back mountain of Yunxu Temple.

Therefore, Yunxu Temple is self-sufficient in daily vegetables and fruits, and can even sell the surplus to people who come to burn incense and ask for divination.

Every year, Zhang Jing would send the freshest fruit to the Duke's mansion for Zhou Ruo and the people there to enjoy.

The Taoist priest and his disciples, including Zhang Jing, lived a prosperous and comfortable life.

Two days after the Lingguo Duke case ended, Pingluo Marquis Sheng Linfeng and his wife Su Wan visited the Dingguo Duke's residence.

The purpose of their visit greatly shocked Zhao Yucheng and Ji Ping.

The group sat facing each other in the living room. Ji Ping stared wide-eyed, unable to hide her surprise, and asked:

"Are you and your wife arranging a marriage between your daughter, Miss Sheng, and my son, Zhao Jinzhong?"

Sheng Linfeng and Su Wan nodded repeatedly, saying, "Exactly! Exactly!"

"Young Master Zhao is exceptionally courageous and skilled in both literature and martial arts at a young age, and enjoys the deep trust of the Emperor and the Crown Prince. He is destined for great things!"

Sheng Linfeng praised Zhao Jinzhong for a while, and then continued:

"To be honest, my daughter has long admired Young Master Zhao, so my wife and I have come here specifically to discuss the marriage of our two children with the Duke and his wife."

Ji Ping had met Sheng Yueyi, the young lady of the Sheng family.

Right there in the guest room that day, she realized that Sheng Yueyi had designs on her son, Zhao Jinzhong.

At the time, Ji Ping was worried about her son, wondering when he would finally understand.

But she never expected that a marriage proposal would come knocking on her door so quickly.

"But Jinzhong is not yet fourteen years old."

Ji Ping thought to herself, "This Lord Sheng is a bit too impatient. In the Great Qing Dynasty, men must be at least fifteen years old before they can get married."

"Young Master Zhao is truly outstanding. We're afraid that if we arrive too late, he'll be reserved by another family."

If the Duke and Madam Ji agree, our two families will arrange the marriage between the two children.

"We'll arrange the wedding when both children are of marriageable age. What do you two think?"

Which prince or nobleman wouldn't want to marry into the Duke's family with a man like Zhao Jinzhong?

Because Zhou Ruo had saved Su Wan and Sheng Yueyi's lives last time, Lord Sheng brought Wulong back to the Duke's mansion to take care of him.

He and Zhao Yucheng were kindred spirits, and his daughter also liked Zhao Jinzhong.

When these things were put together, Sheng Linfeng felt that the Ping Le Marquis's Mansion and the Ding Guo Duke's Mansion were very much connected.

They were already well-matched in terms of social standing; if they could become in-laws, it would be the icing on the cake.

Zhao Yucheng, who had been mostly silent, finally spoke up: "I don't think Yueyi has reached marriageable age yet?"

Su Wan replied, "I'm already fourteen, and I'll be fifteen in six months."

"Oh—she's a year older than our Zhong'er," Zhao Yucheng said, looking at Ji Ping.

Ji Ping nodded, looking somewhat embarrassed, but she didn't show it too obviously.

Zhao Yucheng added, "Lord Sheng, to be honest, Jinzhong is too opinionated. This matter requires his own consent."

Just then, Zhao Jinzhong returned to the Duke's mansion from the Eastern Palace.