As the procession moved forward, the apprentice's pain became more pronounced.

He was covered in sweat, clutching his stomach in obvious pain, and when no one was looking at him, he quietly slipped out of the line and headed towards the door.

The woman in line behind him called out to him, "Where are you going? The owner said you can't leave until you've finished soaking your hands."

He turned around and said, "Auntie, I think I ate something bad. My stomach hurts terribly. I'm going to the outhouse first and I'll be right back."

The people in front of him turned around when they heard the noise. They saw him clutching his stomach, hunched over, and covered in sweat. The woman said, "Oh dear, your face is all pale from the pain. Hurry up and go. I'll save some space for you."

He responded and turned around, almost bumping into someone.

Chen Yuancheng quickly stepped forward and stood in front of Xiao Yunying.

Xiao Yunying poked her head out from behind him: "Don't rush off. If your stomach hurts badly, I'll have them wait so you can soak your stomach in medicinal wine first."

Then he turned around and called out, "Make way, everyone, there's someone with an upset stomach here, let him go first."

The apprentice's face turned even paler, and a bead of sweat slid down his forehead: "Master, my stomach really hurts. Let me go to the outhouse first; I need to poop."

Chen Yuancheng frowned and covered Xiao Yunying's ears: "Why are you saying such foul language? Aren't you afraid of offending other people's ears, Ling Qi!"

"Young master has arrived."

"Take him to have some medicinal wine made!"

"Yes." Ling Qi said to the apprentice, "Please, don't make me do it."

Xiao Yunying held his wrist, indicating that he could put his hand down. She found it a little funny; what was the big deal? She had heard even dirtier things before.

"I really can't hold it in anymore."

The apprentice shouted and tried to run past the two people blocking his way to the door.

Ling Qi rushed to him and tripped him with a swift sweeping leg kick. He got up and stepped on his back: "Someone bring the wooden basin over here."

Wow!

Xiao Yunying exclaimed in surprise, "What a cool move! Ling Qi actually knows martial arts!"

Seeing her looking at others with bright eyes, Chen Yuancheng also looked at Ling Qi.

What's wrong with me? I suddenly don't like this kid.

Li Yuan, without saying a word and with a sullen face, brought over the wooden basin and placed it on the ground.

The apprentice stared in horror at the shimmering liquor, the smell of which was so strong he could smell it up close: "Let me go! I need to use the outhouse!"

Xiao Yunying squatted down and said, "Weren't you in a hurry to use the restroom? I'll let you cut in line. You can go as soon as you're done soaking."

He hunched his arms, gripped his sleeves tightly, and hid his hands inside his sleeves: "I don't make medicinal wine, let go of me now."

Chen Yuancheng pulled Xiao Yunying up: "Stay away from him. Ling Qi, help him out and put his left hand in."

Ling Qi grabbed his arm and tried to put him into the wooden basin. The apprentice struggled fiercely, shouting, "No, let me go! I don't want to be soaked in medicinal wine!"

Ling Qi tapped his arm, and Xiao Yunying guessed that he had pressed some acupoint. The apprentice immediately lost his strength, and his left hand, which was hidden in his sleeve, was put into the wooden basin.

"Ah!" he screamed, "Let go of me! My hand is going to rot!"

Ling Qi stood up and stepped on his arm, preventing him from pulling open his sleeve to look at his hands: "Aren't you going to talk?"

His guilty look was obvious to everyone; he was undoubtedly the one who planted the poisonous mushrooms.

"What are you saying? I don't know anything! Master, you can't treat me like this! I'm an apprentice, not a slave with a death contract! This is an abuse of power! You've ruined my hand! I'm going to report you to the authorities!"

Xiao Yunying clicked her tongue: "His whole body is soft, but his mouth is hard. He even knows how to turn the tables. It seems he hasn't been hurt enough. Ling Qi, pour the whole basin of medicinal wine on him. If he hasn't been in contact with the insect-loving mushroom, there won't be any problems. At worst, we'll just have to compensate him for his clothes."

"good."

Ling Qi picked up the wooden basin, deliberately stood up slowly, and stopped on the apprentice's head: "What's the use of pouring it on the body? The effect is more obvious when poured on the head. If the scalp rots, the skull will be exposed directly. Ugh, just thinking about it is terrifying."

Are you ready? I'm about to start pouring.

Xiao Yunying couldn't help but lower her head and suppress her laughter, her shoulders trembling as she tried to hold it in.

Unexpectedly, Ling Qi was quite good at arguing and even better at scaring people than she was.

The apprentice turned his head sharply to look above him, and saw that the wooden basin was tilting more and more. The sharp pain in his hand amplified his fear. This medicinal wine was real!

"Don't pour it! I'll talk! I'll talk! Master, it was me who put the poisonous mushrooms in! Don't pour the medicinal wine! I don't want to die! Master, please save me! I'm poisoned too! Take me to the doctor! My hands are rotting! Waaah!"

The apprentice kept pleading with Chen Yuancheng, and as he spoke, he even started to cry.

Xiao Yunying scratched her forehead, wondering if her method had frightened him: "Why are you crying? A grown man like you is so shameful."

At eighteen or nineteen years old, he's old enough to get married; he's definitely a grown man.

The apprentice cried with snot and tears streaming down his face: "I'm going to die and I can't even cry? My hands are rotten too. Master, I'll tell you whatever you ask, but please get me a doctor first."

Xiao Yunying tried hard to hold back her laughter, because she felt it would be too unkind to laugh out loud now: "Who said you were going to die?"

"I'm poisoned."

Now is a good opportunity to make an example of someone, so Xiao Yunying told everyone else to go about their own business and stop guarding the place.

After everyone had left, leaving only Li Yuan staring intently at the apprentice, Xiao Yunying bent down and whispered, "You weren't poisoned, I was lying to you."

The apprentice froze: "But...but my hand is injured, it hurts so much..."

"You have a wound on the palm of your left hand, it should be a burn, it's quite big, and the blister was just popped. The blister skin hasn't dried yet, so it will naturally hurt when it comes into contact with strong liquor."

"What……"

Chen Yuancheng said to Ling Qi, "Take him away and ask him what happened."

Ling Qi pulled the still-stunned apprentice up from the ground, and Li Yuan punched him: "You bastard, my uncle has been so good to you, and you actually want to harm him!"

The apprentice must have known he was doomed. He didn't react much after being punched and was taken away by Ling Qi like a walking corpse.

Xiao Yunying sighed, "People really shouldn't do anything wrong. They're easily scared to death by the slightest disturbance. What's the point?"

If it were her, she wouldn't be able to sleep soundly at night; the guilt alone would drive her crazy.

Pshaw, she would never do such a thing.

Chen Yuancheng said, "Facts have proven that your method is effective."

"It was just luck. I took advantage of the fact that people who do bad things will feel guilty. If they haven't touched the insect-loving mushroom, or if they are mentally strong enough, this method won't work."

Chen Yuancheng said sincerely, "Yun Ying, you are really smart."

Xiao Yunying was embarrassed by the praise: "No, no, please stop praising me, or I'll start laughing."