He searched the entire mansion but couldn't find a single clue. He could only watch helplessly as the precious medicinal herbs vanished, his heart aching with regret.
The second prince looked at the empty pharmacy and his face turned ashen with anger.
His previous gentle and refined facade was completely shattered, his eyes becoming ferocious and terrifying. He smashed several teacups in the courtyard and roared at his men to investigate, but they couldn't find a single trace. He could only swallow his anger.
Meanwhile, after quietly leaving the Second Prince's residence, Shen Qingtang went to the nearby mountains to collect herbs. But as soon as she squatted down to dig for herbs, she inexplicably felt a chill run down her spine.
It felt as if dozens of eyes were staring intently at her. She looked up abruptly and was instantly terrified by the sight before her: a group of imposing tigers surrounded her.
The lead tiger growled at her, making the leaves around it rustle.
Before Shen Qingtang could react, the tiger pounced on her without warning.
Shen Qingtang could only dodge while taking out the dagger she carried to fight back. Her arm was cut by the tiger's claws, and blood seeped out, but fortunately it was only a minor injury.
Inside the inn, Pei Wuwang remained restless.
He felt uneasy and couldn't help but frown, glancing frequently at the door. He was really worried about Shen Qingtang.
He immediately ordered his men to search everywhere.
Pei Nian'an sat to the side, head down, her face pale.
Xiaoping leaned close to him and whispered something to him.
Pei Nian'an's body stiffened again, her head drooped even lower, her eyes were full of inferiority, and her fingers were clenched so tightly they turned white.
At this moment, Old Madam Pei suddenly walked over, called Pei Nian'an to a corner, and said in a sharp and sarcastic voice: "You child, your life is inherently cheap. It's your good fortune to be able to stay in the Pei family and follow your father! From now on, stay away from that exiled convict Shen Qingtang and learn to treat our Pei family better, otherwise you won't even have a place to stay in the future!"
Hearing these words, Pei Nian'an's eyes instantly reddened, but she dared not refute them. She could only bite her lip and nod, feeling even more wronged and uneasy.
With a feigned kindness on her face, Madam Pei held Pei Nian'an's hand, but her tone was full of provocation: "Nian'an, look at Shen Qingtang now that she has her own son, Xiaoping. Her heart is all on her son. What are you to her?"
She patted Pei Nian'an's hand and continued to brainwash her: "You are an outsider after all. The mother and daughter are the real family. Stop clinging to Shen Qingtang all the time. Get closer to our Pei family. Your father can still protect you. Otherwise, you'll have nowhere to go if someone dislikes you one day."
Pei Nian'an lowered her head, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her clothes, tears welling up in her eyes, but she dared not let them fall.
On the other side, Shen's mother kept thinking about Pei Nian'an.
She had always liked the child's well-behaved nature.
She hadn't seen him eat just now, and now he's vanished again. Xiaoping snuggled in her arms, begging for candy.
Mother Shen had no interest in comforting Xiaoping; she put Xiaoping down and got up to go look for her.
When they found Pei Nian'an, they happened to run into Old Madam Pei talking to him.
Seeing Pei Nian'an's aggrieved look, Chen's mother felt a pang of heartache, and her eyes instantly reddened with heartache.
She strode over and pulled Pei Nian'an into her arms, her voice choked with emotion: "Nian'an, come with Grandma, we won't talk to her here! If anyone dares to bully you, Grandma will be the first to object!"
As she spoke, she glared fiercely at Old Madam Pei, then picked up Pei Nian'an and walked back.
Pei Nian'an leaned against Shen's mother's chest and finally couldn't hold back his tears. He hugged Shen's mother's neck tightly with both hands. Only with Shen's mother did he feel a little warmth from his family.
When Madam Pei saw that Madam Shen was about to take Pei Nian'an away, she quickly stepped forward to stop her: "Madam Shen, what do you mean by this? We are Nian'an's family. What's wrong with saying a few words to him?"
Shen's mother, who was usually gentle and kind, was unusually strong at this moment, holding Pei Nian'an tightly and refusing to let go.
His tone was icy: "Relatives? You dare call yourselves relatives?"
She exposed the Pei family's dirty laundry in public, her voice clear and bright: "Who doesn't know about your Pei family's affairs? Second Brother Qin took a concubine and eventually made her the one in charge, forcing the first wife to return to her parents' home. Even First Brother Qin, didn't he secretly keep a mistress back then? Your own family is in turmoil, yet you have the nerve to try and sow discord between Nian'an and us?"
These words struck at the Pei family's sore spots, and Old Madam Pei turned pale with anger.
The rest of the Pei family stood frozen in place, unable to utter a single word. Mother Shen didn't look at them again, picked up Pei Nian'an, and turned to leave.
Xiaoping watched this scene from a distance, blinked, and a venomous glint flashed in his eyes as he stared intently at Pei Nian'an's back.
Pei Nian'an turned around and met his vicious gaze, causing her body to tremble violently.
She instinctively tried to get down from her mother's arms, but her mother held her even tighter: "Nian'an, don't be afraid, Grandma is here."
At this moment, Old Master Shen also came over, patted Pei Nian'an's head, and said gently, "Good child, don't listen to their nonsense. From now on, our Shen family will be your home, and no one will be able to bully you."
Shen's mother helped Pei Nian'an wipe away her tears.
Grandpa Shen then asked him what he wanted to eat for dinner. The family chatted and laughed as they walked back, the atmosphere warm and natural.
He completely disregarded the embarrassment he caused the Pei family behind him.
Shen Qingtang is fighting tigers in the jungle.
She gritted her teeth, pulled out the bomb she was carrying, and was about to throw it.
The braised food in my pocket accidentally fell to the ground: a chicken leg with Zhou Hei Ya flavor and a duck wing with sweet and spicy flavor.
There were also several packets of braised tofu, all made by her using spiritual spring water, which carried a faint spiritual aura.
The tigers stopped instantly upon smelling the aroma. The lead tiger let out a low growl and instead of attacking, it moved closer to the braised food.
It carefully picked up a chicken leg and began to gnaw on it. Seeing this, the other tigers also rushed over to grab the food, their fierce demeanor completely gone.
Shen Qingtang stood there, stunned, forgetting to throw the bomb in her hand. To her even greater surprise, after the tigers finished eating the braised food, they all knelt down before her, growling and rubbing their heads against her trouser legs.
They turned and ran back into the depths of the jungle, and soon returned with a bunch of herbs in their mouths. They were all rare medicinal materials that Shen Qingtang needed, and even a thousand-year-old Ganoderma lucidum that they had guarded for many years was brought over.
"You bunch of good-for-nothings! You've guarded this treasure for hundreds of years, and you've been bought off by a few packets of braised food?" A shrill eunuch's voice suddenly rang out, and a fiery red fox jumped down from the tree, standing with its hands on its hips like a human, its fur glossy and smooth.
His eyes were full of disappointment and frustration. "You think you can be so easily fooled by a little food? Aren't you ashamed of us demon beasts!"
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