The male supporting character was actually myself.

Seeing her rush out, Li Dongchen went into his study and divided the ground medicine powder into several portions, each one heavy.

He planned to start with the eighteenth concubine. She had almost miscarried last time, so she was particularly concerned about the medicine to prevent miscarriage. Every time, she would have someone brew the medicine early and drink it all without leaving a drop.

Then, on the way, go to other courtyards and put the drugs in whenever there's an opportunity!

I'll try to get them all to have their attacks. Doctor Yang will be too busy and won't be able to save any of them. It will take some time for the old man to come back after he hears the news tomorrow. While the mansion is in chaos, I can take the opportunity to fill in the gaps and deal with those who haven't been treated yet.

Just as he was getting ready to wait for nightfall, Bug looked up at the sky, frowned slightly, pinched his fingers, and hurriedly got up to report to someone, "Prepare to close the net! The other side will definitely make their move around 5 p.m., and the target should be the 18th concubine!"

Li Tianxing's palms were slightly sweaty as he changed his clothes and secretly returned to his residence as soon as he left the city.

Today's operation reminded him of when the team first started. Back then, the territory was small and there were few people, so he often did things like feigning an attack while secretly advancing. But no matter how risky the operation was, he had never been as nervous as he was now.

He desperately wanted to catch the person who committed the heinous act, yet he was also afraid to do so.

What if...it really is Dong Chen?

Can I really kill him with one shot?

"General, everything is arranged." Lieutenant Li, dressed as a servant, walked over and whispered, "For safety reasons, all the concubines have been secretly moved into the secret passage. They are all accompanied and protected by special personnel and are very safe. All the courtyards and kitchens have been ambushed with experts transferred from the Second Young Master's military camp. As long as someone dares to make a move, there will be no mistake!"

"Very good." Li Tianxing nodded, took a deep breath, and sat down in the cubicle to wait silently.

Time passed by, and darkness gradually fell in the loosely disciplined and crowded Marshal's Mansion.

Meanwhile, Jiang Chen, who was thousands of miles away and had just finished his military duties, was "resting" alone in his tent. He kept his eyes closed but was using his Soul Weapon perspective to lurk beside Li Dongchen, ready to make a move at any time.

The fluffy little dumpling was also full of energy, its eyes wide like copper bells. It squatted on Li Dongchen's shoulder, waiting to fill in any gaps. In case the protagonist's halo kicked in and he had a chance to escape the encirclement and pursuit, it could secretly trip him up to help catch him or resist the brain-damaging attack, so that the old man would not be bewitched and soft-hearted to release the person.

Everything is ready except for the east wind.

Apart from the unsuspecting servants who were being led around in a relaxed manner, as if on vacation, everyone else with their own plans was poised to act.

"Clang! Clang! Clang..." The clock in the study struck five times.

Li Dongchen, who had been leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them, a ruthless glint in his eyes. He got up, opened a drawer, put the medicine packet inside his long robe, grabbed a fur coat, put it on, and pushed open the door into the dim light.

The lanterns in the courtyard swayed in the cold wind, and he walked with firm steps, head held high, like a general about to go into battle.

After tonight, no one in the Marshal's Mansion will be able to threaten his position!

In Li Dongchen's mind, there was a timetable he had collected, along with many clocks turning. At five o'clock, the eighteenth concubine's small kitchen would start brewing medicine, followed by the fifteenth concubine, the seventeenth concubine, and the twentieth concubine's kitchen would be the latest. As long as he didn't waste time, he could put all the medicine in along the east alley.

No one would suspect that the pregnancy-preserving medication was problematic. Even when the eighteenth concubine was the first to experience symptoms, Dr. Yang couldn't find anything wrong. After hearing the news, the other pregnant women would only be more obedient and take the medication...

"Squeak~" He pushed open the unguarded side gate, a smile flashing across his face.

As expected, Zhang Ziqiu was useless. If she didn't step in and manage the servants, they would only become more negligent. When the concubines suffered miscarriages one after another and the old master became angry, it would all be because these servants were incompetent. Who could they blame when they were beaten and punished?

Li Dongchen carefully observed the corner tower. The guards responsible for keeping watch were currently eating and drinking around the table. Occasionally someone would glance out the window, but they didn't really look closely.

"A bunch of parasites!" He watched as he slipped away during a break, sneering to himself, "Once tonight's events are over, I'll kick all of you good-for-nothings out without the old man even having to say anything. It's a good thing we live in a peaceful world where no one dares to mess with the Marshal's Mansion, otherwise, with your dereliction of duty, who can guarantee the safety of our masters?"

Soon they reached the small courtyard of the Eighteenth Concubine's kitchen. Li Dongchen could hear someone urging him through the wall, "Add more water and turn the fire down! This medicine needs to simmer for over an hour. We're just waiting for you. Hurry up and play a couple of rounds of cards first, and stir it every now and then! It's a medicine for preventing miscarriage, not for treating an illness. It's ready when it's almost done. Why be so meticulous?"

"Coming, coming, don't rush me, it'll be ready soon!" He peeked in and watched as the old woman temporarily in charge of brewing the medicine hurriedly added two ladles of water to the pot, placed it on the stove, stirred it haphazardly with chopsticks, and tossed the chopsticks aside. While wiping her hands on her apron, she said with a smile, "I have less to do today, and I won't have any other work after brewing this medicine. While the newly appointed steward and the eldest young mistress are out of control, we can finally have some fun. Tonight, nobody's going to leave early!"

She came out of the kitchen without even closing the door, but carefully closed the door when she stepped into the woodshed. Soon, laughter and the clatter of mahjong tiles could be heard coming from inside.

What a golden opportunity!

Li Dongchen peeked around and listened intently to make sure the card game was going well and no one would notice the commotion outside. He pulled up the scarf around his neck to cover his face, tiptoed into the kitchen, took out a medicine packet from his pocket, and prepared to pour powder into the medicine pot.

"Heh, they've finally arrived. I'd like to see who has the audacity to plot against the Marshal's heir!" A familiar, cold voice rang out from behind the cabinet. Li Dongchen, who was up to no good, jumped up like a startled rabbit and tried to run away!

The fluffy ball couldn't help but roll its eyes. "The protagonist's halo was so damn sudden, I didn't even have time to cover it up, so it made you all collectively stupid. With such an obvious body shape, how could a normal person not recognize it? Sure enough, even eight hundred schemes can't block the protagonist's halo..."

It muttered to itself as it jumped onto Li Dongchen's shoulder, trying to shield him from his aura and ensure the plan to trap him like a turtle in a jar would proceed smoothly.

Suddenly, a large number of soldiers appeared on the previously empty walls and rooftops. Even the door to the woodshed was opened. Apart from the two old women who had been called in to act, all of them were soldiers carrying real guns and ammunition.

"Oh no! We've been tricked!"

He was startled, a chill ran down his spine, and cold sweat instantly broke out on his forehead.

What to do? We absolutely cannot get caught, otherwise…

Li Dongchen dared not think any further. This moment seemed to stretch out infinitely. As he watched Lieutenant Li lead the group up, a sudden inspiration struck him, and his eyes fell on a bag of flour at the kitchen door!

If enough flour can be stirred up to form a dust cloud in the confined space of a kitchen, the stove fire will ignite it instantly, causing a dust explosion.

The entire kitchen will be blown to rubble, and you'll be able to escape in the chaos!

Perhaps... In that instant, an even more wicked thought flashed through his mind—since Lieutenant Li was here, it meant that the old man's departure was a trap to lure him into making a move, and he was very likely inside the house just waiting to catch him before showing himself!

Since that's the case, you might as well all die together!

The kitchen explosion was something that shouldn't have happened at the Marshal's Mansion. The Marshal, his adjutant Li, and many of his subordinates were killed in the explosion. At that time, the mansion was in complete chaos and no one was in charge. Everything was under my control.

The poisoning of the pregnant concubine completely eliminated the threat, and from now on, the eldest son of the legitimate wife will be in charge of the Marshal's Mansion!

If that brute Li Jiangchen refuses to back down, he will be accused of disrespecting his elder brother, and the powerful families that follow ancient customs will unite to fight against him!

Having made up his mind, Li Dongchen did not turn around and run away, but instead rushed towards the flour sack that was right in front of him.

"Don't shoot, spare them alive!" The classic scene of failing at the crucial moment arrived late, but it did. Just as Lieutenant Li was about to fire when he heard the commander's order, he had no choice but to put down his gun.

The fluffy little ball tried its best to cover the protagonist's halo, which was burning like a raging fire, but its fluffy round face turned red, but to no avail. In its frustration, it meowed and cried out for the bug to appear.

Just as Li Dongchen's treacherous scheme succeeded and he had already seized the flour sack, the Soul Weapon was launched.

Jiang Chen, who was thousands of miles away, could not see how dazzling the protagonist's halo was, but the little white cat was obviously having a hard time resisting. When he saw Li Dongchen rushing towards the flour bag, he knew what the other party was going to do. So, he used his soul weapon to wrap around Li Dongchen's feet and pulled him backward!

"thump!"

Li Dongchen, who was focused on blowing up Lieutenant Li and the others, couldn't take a step with his right leg. He tripped and fell heavily to the ground, almost breaking his bones. He lost control and collapsed onto a wooden stool next to the flour sack. He immediately felt dizzy and unable to move.

After this dramatic scene, the classic scenario of underestimating the enemy and allowing it to escape was not repeated.

With the help of the aura surrounding the frilly ball, the now unaffected Lieutenant Li strode over and delivered a heavy blow to the back with his iron rod, rendering the thug powerless. He then kicked the villain to the ground, pulled off the villain's scarf, paused for a moment, and said with a solemn expression, "It really is you, young master."

Li Tianxing's hand trembled and his heart raced. When he heard the words "Young Master," he closed his eyes in despair, took a deep breath, and walked out of the cubicle with heavy steps.

"Meow~ It really was a bug that worked!" The fluffy ball, panting heavily, breathed a sigh of relief and wiped away non-existent sweat. It meowed with relief, "Luckily, a bug helped us. Otherwise, with the protagonist's halo burning so fiercely, he might have succeeded and escaped smoothly."

After being hit hard with a stick, Li Dongchen felt excruciating pain in his knees and back, and it was highly likely that he had broken his bones.

But physical injuries were obviously not that important at this moment; the most urgent thing was to save his life! He had to find a way to persuade his father not to execute him directly, otherwise he would be completely doomed!

"It really is you!" Li Tianxing was filled with anger and hatred when he saw his face. He kicked him and cursed, "You heartless bastard! Just like your mother!"

Li Dongchen was kicked again and instantly grasped the key point. He slowly got up, pulled off his scarf, and revealed a bitter smile. Tears welled up in his eyes, but he held them back. His body was injured and he could barely stand up straight.

"My mother?" He pointed at the old man and gave a miserable smile. "You still have the nerve to mention my mother? What promises did you make when you married her with all the traditional betrothal gifts and sedan chairs? And how did you treat her afterwards? You treacherous and faithless scoundrel, it's all because of you!"

You deceived and betrayed my mother. When she married you, the army was not doing well. It was she who risked her life, took on the reputation of the Marshal's wife, and shouldered all the dangers and responsibilities to manage the entire inner palace, so that you could wholeheartedly develop and expand your power!

And what did you do for her?

Besides leaving her alone in her empty room, exhausting her heart and soul, they also brought in one woman after another to be her concubines, making her listen to their nightly revelry and watch those lowly women steal her husband, and then flaunt their favor in front of her.

What did you do when those slutty bitches bullied my mother?

You did nothing! You just enjoyed the benefits she gave you from managing the inner palace, while stabbing her heart again and again! If she hadn't been depressed because she didn't receive understanding and love from her husband for many years, and if she hadn't been exhausted from managing the inner palace of the huge general's mansion, how could she have died so young?

It's all because of you!

How dare you question me? Why should you, who worked so hard to build this empire for you, be allowed to have children with those greedy, lowly women who crave wealth and status? I refuse to accept this! I am the eldest son, and the Li family should rightfully belong to me! It's your insatiable greed that keeps you playing around with women and making them have children.

How can I tolerate someone else snoring beside my bed? If you were in my shoes, you would definitely have done something even more ruthless, cruel, and vicious!

A heated debate, though lacking in conviction, coupled with the protagonist's undeniable aura that the little white cat couldn't suppress, actually silenced Li Tianxing.

He stared blankly at his angry eldest son, as if he had never known him before.

"Take him away." Li Tianxing sighed and waved his hand, ordering, "The eldest young master is ill and needs to rest from today onwards. No one from the Marshal's Mansion is allowed to approach Qinglang Garden. Let the eldest young master recuperate there."

Lieutenant Li frowned slightly, "General..."

"No need to say anything more, just do as I say. No servants will be assigned to Qinglang Garden, and the soldiers will stand guard with live ammunition. Anyone who tries to escape will be shot dead."

He waved his hand weakly, not wanting to see his eldest son's face anymore. "Take him away."

"Yes!" Lieutenant Li stepped forward to carry out the order. Before Li Dongchen could even feel relieved to have escaped death, he heard the punishment and knew that although he was spared the death penalty, he would not escape punishment. He immediately struggled and pleaded, "Father! Father, you can't put me under house arrest! Father! Think about our deep father-son bond. I am the one you rely on for the rest of your life..."

Lieutenant Li didn't care about anything else and dragged him outside.

In the struggle, the medicine packet in Li Dongchen's arms fell and scattered red powder all over the ground. Li Tianxing found the blood-like powder very glaring. He shook his right hand and ordered, "Go and search the west wing. Tell the eldest young mistress what happened, but don't disturb her. Burn everything Li Dongchen owns, including his collection of books. This kind of harmful thing must not be allowed to remain in the world!"

"I never expected Li Dongchen's aura to be so powerful. He saved his life again at the critical moment by talking his way out of trouble." Jiang Chen saw everything through the soul artifact, leaned back in his chair, and slowly rubbed his temples, trying to think of a solution.

We cannot give him any room to back down!

Otherwise, if he hadn't taken advantage of Li Tianxing's anger to kill the protagonist, he would have had even less energy to deal with him once the war of aggression broke out. If, as in the plot, he had been given the opportunity to contact the enemy country, the entire Li family would have been stained because of him, a traitor.

In the future, it will be much harder for Li Tianxing's other children to achieve great things.

Since I don't intend to control the political situation for long, I must eliminate any potential threats!

"Little White, you still have to go back..." After making up his mind, Jiang Chen waited for the fluffy little ball to bounce back and report the news, and whispered a few words of advice to it in its furry ear.

"Okay, meow, I know what to do!" The little white cat saluted, then turned and hopped away into the night.

Shortly after, Mr. Nangong called to report, and Jiang Chen listened to his account and then patiently explained for a while.

"Damn, so that's what happened!" He stroked his catfish-shaped beard and hurriedly went out to find Lieutenant Li.

The Qinglang Garden was deserted, and the walls of the rooms were covered with peeling paint that revealed bloodstains, which looked particularly eerie under the lights.

"You still don't know what happened here, do you?"

Suddenly, a woman's soft sigh drifted over from mid-air, so faint and indistinct that it was impossible to discern where the voice came from or who was speaking!

Li Dongchen stumbled along, his knees aching, and he had been dragged all the way by his adjutant. Now, he sat slumped in the empty room, seeing no one but hearing a mournful voice, which terrified him so much that the hairs on his body stood on end.

"Who? Who's speaking?!"

"Qinglang Garden has a total of three main rooms and two side rooms. The floor here is covered in blood, and there are still scratch marks left by the woman who died tragically on the table you are leaning on..."

Li Dongchen was quite frightened and hurriedly took a few steps back from the table, his voice changing as he spoke, "Who exactly are you? The Commander-in-Chief has ordered that no one but me is allowed in Qinglang Garden!"

"A person?" The little white cat, holding a megaphone, squatted on the rooftop and laughed, mimicking the tone of a horror movie: "Who said I'm a person? Guess who killed the woman and the unborn child who died tragically in Qinglang Garden, their eyes wide open in death? And why were they killed? Every wrong has its perpetrator, every debt its debtor. Li Dongchen, it's time for you to pay your debt in this cycle of karma..."

Although he didn't know the specifics, he once mischievously jumped over the wall and sneaked into the locked Qinglang Garden to pick pomegranates when he was a child. His mother found out and gave him a good scolding.

His mother later told him that many disobedient women had died in Qinglang Garden, and that the pomegranates there had been drenched in human blood and were inedible...

Adding to the secrets she revealed before her death, Li Dongchen could vaguely guess that his mother must have tested such a potent powder on many women to achieve such accuracy. As for those women who died after taking the medicine... they were obviously in Qinglang Garden!