(Finally finished this chapter of three thousand characters—please take a look at the results!) "What's wrong?" Qian Jin asked in surprise, yet out of his consistent trust in Shen San, he instinctively paused. "Wasn't the person who just brought the dishes you? Where is the original one?" Shen San didn't pay attention to the fat man's confusion; instead, he gently placed his hand on the knife pouch at his waist, slowly stood up, and coldly asked the young servant who was serving wine. "Due to the large number of guests, Li Er went to assist in other pavilions. I came in his place, sir. What can I do for you?" The young servant, startled by Shen San's intense gaze, turned pale instantly and answered in a shaken tone. Observing this reaction, Shen San's expression softened slightly, though he still seemed unconvinced. He then turned to the young golden-leaf girl in Shen Zhongshan's arms and asked: "Miss Jin, do you know this man? Is he truly one of your Xiangxiang Pavilion staff?" "Hmm...?" "The most popular star, looked slightly uneasy, but eventually said with a touch of embarrassment: 'Not to be rude to Lord Shen, this person does indeed seem unfamiliar. However, among the hundreds of us at Xiao Xiang Court, I've never seen anyone like this—nothing unusual at all.' He had long been dissatisfied with Shen San, who, though joining the Siping Guild later than him, enjoyed greater trust from Shen Zhongshan. As one who always styled himself as the Guild's chief strategist, Shen now resolved to make Shen San truly look foolish. "Oh, what should we do? Brother Fan, go ahead and try your hand at it," Shen Zhongshan said with grand gestures on the surface, yet in reality he was deeply concerned for his own safety and promptly changed his tone, expressing his support for Fan Ju to take the initiative. "Since this man has no martial skills, if he truly intends to harm us, he can only act through the wine and dishes. Therefore, if he tastes every morsel of the wine and food, the truth will surely come to light!" The poison scholar spoke with confident assurance. "Brother Fan, excellent idea! Young man, first drink the wine and then sample the dishes. Should you show any hesitation, I'll immediately snap your head off!" The stout man, Qian Jin, clapped his hands with delight and immediately shouted at the young servant who had just entered the room. Upon hearing Fan Ju's suggestion, the black-robed Shen San felt that the method was truly excellent and thus remained silent, observing calmly. As for Shen Zhongshan and the young Jinzhi in his arms, they had no objections at all. Thus, the serving lad, under the watchful eyes of the three, sighed heavily and drank a cup of wine, then took a few bites of the dishes before swallowing. Seeing that the man remained unharmed after eating, Fan Ju beamed with satisfaction and, with a meaningful glance toward Shen San, said, "It seems Shen junior has been overly cautious—this man is merely a servant. Next time, do make sure not to dampen everyone's spirits again!" With that, he took a few bites of the newly served dishes and chewed them leisurely. "Hmph!" Shen San hummed, not paying attention to Fan Ju's subtle criticism, yet he relaxed and settled back into his seat. "All right! It's settled now! It was just a misunderstanding." "Shen Zongshan naturally knew that his two subordinates were at odds, but he found it precisely what he had hoped for, so he gave a hearty, generous laugh. "Since it's just a misunderstanding, you may go now, young man—here's your silver as a token of appreciation!" He pulled out a piece of silver weighing two taels and tossed it to the young servant. "Thank you, sir! I'll be off then!" The young man, delighted at the gift, joyfully bowed and stepped out, closing the door behind him. "Oh, what a generous host Mr. Shen is! From now on, he won't be stingy with Jin Zhi either!" came the soft, coquettish voice of Xiao Jinzhi from inside the room. "Of course, my dear—she's my heart's darling! As long as she serves me well, I'll never let her down! Now, brothers, raise your cups—let's drink until we're completely drunk tonight!" The rough, resonant voice of Shen Zongshan echoed through the room, clearly heard by the young man outside. The young man outside suddenly chuckled, neither immediately leaving nor moving, but quietly stepping beneath a nearby eave, standing motionless like a ghost, as if waiting for something. After about a cup of tea's worth of time, a sudden cry of terror rang out from within: "It's poisoned! The wine and dishes are poisoned—I'm being poisoned!" As soon as the words were spoken, the person began to laugh strangely, then fell lifeless. From the tone of voice, it was clear it was the black-bodied man, Qian Jin. "You base scoundrels! You've plotted to murder our master—I'll have your lives!" Shen Zhongshan roared in shock and anger. But it seemed too late; after a few involuntary, dry laughs, he too collapsed and died. The elegant scholar Fan Ju and Shen San exchanged a look of fear, then spoke in unison: "The young servant—he's the one who poisoned us." "The young servant—he must have the antidote!" With that, both of them rushed toward the door, as if their lives depended on it, pushing the woman in their arms with urgency. But alas, as soon as they reached the door, they let out two hearty laughs and slowly slid to the ground. "It seems the stout black-clad man drank the most, so his toxicity struck first. The Shen Zhongshan also consumed a good amount, hence he came second. As for the black-robed man and the scholar, though they drank little, my 'Laughter Soul Decoction' is remarkably potent—any single drop taken would surely prove fatal." The young man thought calmly, then waited a moment before pushing open the door and stepping inside. "The Qingling Powder truly proves to be quite effective. As long as one takes a dose beforehand, it not only prevents a wide range of toxins but also proves remarkably effective against herbs that induce drowsiness or confusion—last time, it even allowed me to outwit the Yan family and their associates." He offered a somewhat unusual smile, gently brushing his fingers against the bottle containing the Qingling Powder tucked in his inner pocket. Thus, the senior and mid-level leaders of the Siping Guild were all focused on who should succeed as the new guild master. With no strong contender emerging and each one refusing to yield, a fierce internal struggle for the position of guild master finally erupted that very evening. By the next morning, when the ordinary members who had not taken part in the conflict rose to find the scene, they were astonished to discover that the entire Siping Guild had unexpectedly fallen under the leadership of a rather unassuming junior leader named Sun Er-gou. In a single night, Sun Er-gou had eliminated all his senior rivals without anyone daring to step forward in opposition, securing his position as guild master. By the following morning, he had already issued an official notice to the other guilds in Xicheng, formally confirming his succession. Meanwhile, the mastermind behind the entire maneuver, Han Li, after enjoying a well-deserved rest, appeared at the Mo Mansion—the same elegant little building—where he found the Lady Yan and several other distinguished ladies still standing before him. Behind them, three renowned beauties of Jiayuan City—the Mu Sisters—had stepped into view. Han Li had already met Mu Yuzhu and Mu Caian, so his gaze was primarily fixed on Mu Fengwu, the adopted daughter of Dr. Mu. Mu Fengwu was a graceful young woman in yellow silk, with a round, oval face, appearing to be around sixteen or seventeen years old. She carried a delicate, refined charm that gave Han Li a sense of youthful elegance and petite grace. As Han Li had been staring at her continuously, Mu Fengwu now felt slightly shy, lowering her head and revealing her smooth, slender, snow-white neck, which caused Han Li to find himself swallowing several times in quiet admiration. "Master Han, please stop gazing at my Fengwu like that! She's quite shy and has a thin sense of self-respect! Shall we continue with the topic we started yesterday?" After a flirtatious smile, the third lady said softly to Han Li.