224. The Villainous Five

Shenyang Nong, with heavy dark circles under his eyes and some bluish stubble on his chin, exuded an irrepressible excitement. He held a thread-bound book in his hand and said, "Commander Qin, I have finally finished copying and compiling all of Physician Li's prescriptions. I have even categorized them by symptoms. Look at how neat and organized they are!"

Qin Fengsong took the book and flipped through a couple of pages, his eyes full of admiration: "Imperial Physician Shen has worked hard. I have already asked His Majesty for permission to send people to repair the tomb of Imperial Physician Li and erect a new stele, so that all the treasures he left behind will not have been in vain."

He paused, then frowned: "You also need to take care of yourself. You've been working too hard these past few days. Don't collapse before the prescription is even fully tested."

"Hey, this is nothing!" Shenyang Nong waved his hand, his voice full of excitement. "These prescriptions are too ingenious. I'll go to the Imperial Hospital to verify their efficacy right away. The sooner the medicine is made, the more people I can save!"

"Doctor Shen! Uncle Qin!" The little dumpling rushed out.

Qin Fengsong and Shen Yangong were both taken aback. When they saw that it was two little kids, they quickly squatted down and asked, "County Princess? Young Master Jin? What are you doing here?"

"Imperial Physician Shen, Yue'er wants a prescription!" The little girl rushed to him, her face flushed red, and spoke rapidly, "Brother Xie is going to the south to fight the plague. Many people there are sick. If you have a prescription, it might be able to save Brother Xie and many others!"

Shenyang Nong was taken aback at first, but then he realized what was going on. Seeing the girl's anxious eyes and looking at the compilation in her hand, he immediately handed the book over: "This is the copied collection of prescriptions. Don't worry, I'll take you to find Lord Xie first!"

Qin Fengsong also stood up: "I know the way to the palace well, I'll take you there!"

The two of them, one in front and one behind, led the little dumpling and her second brother quickly toward the Wenhua Hall.

As soon as they arrived nearby, they heard Qu Zijin's anxious voice coming from inside: "It's been almost half an hour. If anything happens to the children, I..."

The palace doors were pushed open.

Qu Zijin and Xie Wenling looked up at the same time, and when they saw the figure at the door, they both stood up abruptly.

"Princess! Young Master Jin!" Qu Zijin rushed forward, grabbed the two children, and looked them up and down, his face full of lingering fear. "Where did you two run off to? Do you know how scared I was!"

Xie Wenling also came over, his emotions clearly visible.

The little boy held up the thread-bound book in his hand and handed it to him: "Thank you, brother! This is the prescription! Take it with you, and you won't be afraid!"

Xie Wenling paused, then looked into the little dumpling's bright eyes, his heart softening again.

He patted the little dumpling's head, then nodded to Shen Yangong and Qin Fengsong: "Thank you both."

Shenyang Nong hurriedly waved his hand: "You are the one who should thank the county magistrate! If it weren't for the county magistrate finding the prescriptions, I wouldn't have been able to compile this collection. Thank you, sir. I've skimmed through the prescriptions in this book, and the ideas are ingenious. If you take them to the south, they will definitely come in very handy!"

Qu Zijin looked at the scene before him and finally breathed a sigh of relief, but couldn't help glaring at the two children: "If you dare to run around again next time, I'll punish you by making you copy the book ten times!"

The little dumpling stuck out her tongue and tugged at Xie Wenling's sleeve, saying, "Brother Xie, once you have the prescription, you must come back safely! Yue'er is waiting for you!"

Xie Wenling looked at her and nodded gently: "Okay, I will definitely come back safely."

-

Xie Wenling set off that very evening.

Upon receiving the news, everyone from the Marquis of Beiding's residence went to see him off.

The little girl watched as the figure in red blended into the group and gradually disappeared into the night, and her eyes welled up with tears again.

"Yue'er, don't worry," Jiang Xiyue knelt down to wipe away her tears, "Brother Xie has the prescription and the physicians sent by the Imperial Hospital, they will definitely come back safely."

The second brother patted his chest and assured him, "Brother Xie is so powerful, the plague must be afraid of him! When he comes back, I still want to hear him tell stories about the South!"

But the little dumpling was still listless.

She always felt that a prescription alone couldn't solve the problem and was still dangerous.

She should think of another way.

What other options are there?

She suddenly thought of someone—Sister Fufu!

The system auntie said that Sister Fufu can help her!

The little dumpling looked up and said, "Daddy, Mommy, Yue'er wants to go outside the city to play with Sister Fufu tomorrow. Yue'er will go alone."

"Just you alone?" Marquis Beiding frowned.

"Yes!" The little dumpling nodded. "Yue'er has grown up and can take care of herself without needing anyone to accompany her."

Marquis Beiding initially disagreed, but considering that she had been depressed because of Xie Wenling's matter, it would be good for her to go out and relax.

Finally, she relented: "Then let the butler accompany you."

The little dumpling immediately nodded in agreement, and a glimmer of light finally appeared in its eyes.

-

Meanwhile, in the Beiding Marquis's residence, in Tao Wanbi's room.

Tao Wanbi was wearing a bright red bellyband, waving her hands in front of the bronze mirror, and humming an off-key tune.

"System, change the song! Play a DJ track, something fast-paced!" she exclaimed excitedly.

[...]

The system, forced to act as a sound system, was heartbroken and despaired of its host's aesthetic sense.

Tao Wanbi swayed to the rhythm, but after only a couple of swaying motions, the system suddenly emitted a crackling sound of electricity, and the energetic DJ music came to an abrupt halt.

Tao Wanbi was very dissatisfied: "Seriously? It lags even when I'm playing music? What kind of terrible quality is this?"

[Host, an emergency mission has been triggered.]

Xie Wenling has already taken the prescription to Qiuhe City.

“Xie Wenling, that name sounds familiar. I think I’ve appeared in the script before, the prime minister? But…” Tao Wanbi pouted, “What does it have to do with me? He can be his powerful minister, I’ll live my own life, we’re unrelated.”

Xie Wenling must be eliminated.

The system is exceptionally robust.

He is a key figure in the villainous female supporting character Jin Lanyue's faction; we must eliminate him.

"Eliminate? Kill someone?" Tao Wanbi was startled.

Although she had expected it, she was still somewhat afraid when the matter was actually presented to her.

Yes, he must die.

Noticing Tao Wanbi's hesitation, the system advised—

[Host, Xie Wenling is ruthless and cunning.]

He was different from the others in Jin Lanyue's team. The others wouldn't attack you unless you attacked them.

But Xie Wenling is different; he will take the initiative and will never show mercy.

[Host, you have already offended Jin Lanyue, which is equivalent to offending Xie Wenling.]

Once he has a free hand, it won't be you killing him, but him killing you.

Even if you were a three-year-old child, he wouldn't show any mercy.

Even if it's just to protect yourself, you have to kill him.

Tao Wanbi fell silent.

She was never a steadfast person; she was cowardly, greedy, lustful, and liked to cheat and deceive.

The system once again swayed her.

This person... it seems like we have no choice but to kill him.

"Just treat it as a game... It's not like it's the real world. It's not like I haven't killed people in games before."

[That's exactly right. Please believe me, host, the villainous five-man squad will be your pentakill.]

"A villainous five-person group? Wasn't there only one vicious female supporting character, Jin Lanyue?"

Jin Lanyue also has a team...it's mentioned in the script.

"I forgot... who was it?"

In our script, the villainous team consists only of Wei Chaoyun and Jin Lanyue.

Jin Lanyue plots to help Wei Chaoyun become the Crown Princess, thus challenging the male lead, Wei Jiayou, to a power struggle.

"Want to be an empress? Awesome!"

But they failed. Wei Chaoyun was ultimately beheaded, and Jin Lanyue resisted fiercely, only to meet a tragic end.

"...This has nothing to do with me, don't take us."

In another scenario, Jin Lanyue rescues Qu Zijin and Lin Fuman, while simultaneously recruiting the neutral Xie Wenling into her camp, creating a power struggle between them.

Fortunately, she realized her mistake too late and couldn't save Wei Chaoyun.

Unfortunately, Wei Chaoyun is dead, and Jin Lanyue and we are now irreconcilable enemies.

[Among them, Jin Lanyue is the core of the team. Wei Chaoyun is her unwavering pillar of support. Xie Wenling is the backbone, but also the most troublesome and difficult to deal with. Lin Fuman is a follower of Jin Lanyue and the team's financial provider. Qu Zijin is more like the team's glue.]