Inside the dungeon of Misty Rain Pavilion.
Gu Ziling was tied up tightly, bound like a breathing zongzi dumpling.
In front of her, the Apothecary cheerfully inquired: "How's my newly developed poison?"
"Does it make your whole body itch after taking it?"
"How about this - you tell me the formula for the poison, and I'll give you the antidote?"
The Apothecary scratched his messy hair, staring at her intently.
The Pavilion Master had said that if he could develop an antidote, he'd be rewarded with 100 taels of gold!
He had bargained it up to 101 taels, then worked day and night experimenting non-stop.
...But failed countless times.
If he could find out the poison's formula, he could research more targeted solutions and surely be twice as effective with half the effort!
So he brought all his torturous poisons to interrogate Gu Ziling.
However, apart from spitting at him a few times, Gu Ziling didn't say a word.
It wasn't until Qi Huan arrived that she finally sneered and asked:
"So the cuckoo who stole the magpie's nest finally deigns to see me?"
Hearing this, Qi Huan's pupils suddenly contracted.
She turned to look at Ximen Ye: "Can I talk to her alone?"
"Alright."
After the two left, she scrutinized Gu Ziling: "What did you mean by what you just said?"
"Are you satisfied with my body that you're using?"
"Bullshit!" The system angrily cursed before Qi Huan could respond.
"Host, don't listen to her nonsense. This system is a do-good-daily system, and would never do something like body snatching!"
Compared to the mysterious Gu Ziling, Qi Huan naturally trusted the system she interacted with daily more.
She turned to Gu Ziling: "Talk is cheap."
Gu Ziling cackled: "There's a plum blossom birthmark on the waist of this body, isn't there?"
"Who else but the original owner would know such a thing?"
Qi Huan lowered her eyes.
...Shu knew about it too.
So, she raised her eyes and replied: "That doesn't prove anything."
Gu Ziling thought for a moment, realizing this body seemed to have no other birthmarks, so she began recounting past events.
Her words gradually matched up with the original owner's memories.
Qi Huan furrowed her brow and asked the system: "What's going on?"
"One moment, host."
After the time it takes to burn an incense stick, the system explained:
"She is a wandering soul that was near the original host, named Bu Ruyi."
"Originally from a well-off family, she took in a scholar as a son-in-law. After her parents mysteriously disappeared, she went to the mountains to search for them but was pushed off a cliff..."
"Fortunately, she was caught by tree branches and didn't die from the fall."
"Unfortunately, she eventually died from cold and starvation."
"Her resentment was too strong, and she refused to move on. Wanting to take revenge with her own hands, by chance, she learned the method of borrowing a corpse to return to life."
"The original host's soul was incomplete, making it easy to attract dirty things. By coincidence, she was drawn in. She had been unable to find a suitable corpse, so she secretly waited for the original host to die. She watched over the original host for several years, which is why she knows about the original host's affairs."
Qi Huan suddenly remembered that in her memories, the original host was indeed dull and lifeless, only knowing how to tend the fire, eat, sleep, and use the latrine...
She had never learned medicine from Physician Qi, nor needlework from Song Zhibai.
Since she viewed the original host from the original's perspective, and the original didn't know she was mentally challenged, Qi Huan didn't know either, only thinking the original was lazy.
The system continued: "She had waited so long for the original host to die, but then you and this system arrived!"
"This system is the light of righteousness, while she is a ghost in the dark night. Naturally, she was no match for this system!"
Qi Huan nodded.
No wonder "Gu Ziling" always seemed hostile towards her. It turned out she had occupied the body that Bu Ruyi had waited years for...
"Host, actually, the soul fragment the original host was missing was you from your previous life."
"You thought you just gained the original host's memories, but in fact, you truly merged together, becoming the complete you of today."
Qi Huan widened her eyes in surprise.
After a long while, she came back to her senses and continued asking about Bu Ruyi: "Is the real Gu Ziling dead?"
The system answered: "When Gu Ziling went to Mo County to find snow lotus, she died of hypothermia. As she fell, her corpse happened to land on the crooked tree full of Bu Ruyi's resentment, allowing Bu Ruyi to take the opportunity to borrow the corpse and return to life."
Finishing her conversation with the system, Qi Huan looked directly at Bu Ruyi.
"Should I call you Gu Ziling, or should I call you Bu Ruyi?"
Bu Ruyi raised her head in shock: "How do you know?"
"Because I'm a little fairy."
"Little fairy? Hahaha..." Bu Ruyi mocked, "If you were a fairy, how come you couldn't save the Emperor?"
That stung...
Bu Ruyi laughed sinisterly: "If you want my cooperation, fine. Give this body back to me."
Too many people were hunting "Gu Ziling." She wanted to be the beloved "Qi Huan."
She wanted to be the Miss of the Song family, the Cloud Brocade County Princess personally conferred by the late Emperor, and the future Empress of Li Country.
Although she wasn't in the capital, she had been closely following news about Qi Huan.
Later, when she saw the portrait of Qi Huan's fiancé Prince An, she realized that the "Young Master Chen" who had been afflicted with cold poison was actually Prince An, now the new Emperor.
In her previous life, she had chosen the scholar because she envied the County Magistrate's Wife's prestige, hoping to become a noble lady after the scholar passed the imperial exams.
She never expected the scholar would be unfaithful...
But now another path had opened before her.
She could become Empress directly!
Bu Ruyi smiled smugly: "The Emperor has at most three years to live. In all the world, only I can cure his poison."
"Let's go to Mo County together to find a tree. You take the poison, keeping the corpse intact for me to use. When I return, I'll cure the Emperor."
"You can leave that tree alone now."
After Qi Huan's light retort, she called Ximen Ye in to ask which monastery had monks who were good at drawing talismans.
Bu Ruyi panicked.
It was said that ghosts were afraid of talisman papers. She didn't know if she would be afraid, mainly because she hadn't tried it before, and worried that trying might lead to her demise...
Qi Huan kindly told her stories about high monks catching ghosts, scaring Bu Ruyi pale as earth.
Taking advantage of her distracted state, Qi Huan gave the Apothecary a look.
The Apothecary quickly understood, constantly asking her if certain medicinal ingredients were in the formula, observing her reactions.
In the end, the Apothecary noted down all the ingredients she hesitated on before deliberately shaking her head.
He returned to his pharmacy to experiment again.
As night deepened, Qi Huan yawned.
"I'll head back for today. Tomorrow I'll write down all these stories and have people read them to you day and night, so you won't be bored in the dungeon."
Bu Ruyi broke down: "I don't feel bored."
"I don't care what you feel, I care what I feel, hehe." Qi Huan winked: "Unless you tell me the formula."
As she spoke, she walked away discussing with Ximen Ye what kind of high monk they should find.
Three years was enough time for her to wear down Bu Ruyi.
Bu Ruyi wasn't afraid of harsh interrogation because she thought she could find a new body after death.
But if her soul was threatened, would she still be so calm?
A glint of determination shone in Qi Huan's eyes.
However, the next day Ximen Ye told her that "Gu Ziling" had been killed by a Buddhist monk sent by Li Shuchen. He didn't mention a word about telling Li Shuchen everything he had overheard...
He just wanted to test this cousin-in-law, to see if he would sacrifice Qi Huan to save "Gu Ziling" for the antidote.
Li Shuchen gave his answer through action - Qi Huan was more important than his life.
He wouldn't allow "Gu Ziling" to live, with the possibility of tempting Qi Huan to give up her body.
Moved by his resolute actions, Ximen Ye added another tael of gold for the Apothecary: "You must save him."
Ximen Ye pulled back his thoughts and said to Qi Huan, who was still processing this news: "Stop spacing out, I have two more pieces of news for you."
"One good news, one bad news."
"The good news is that the Apothecary worked through the night and created an antidote."
Qi Huan, who had been listless, instantly brightened up!
"The bad news is that the antidote has some strong after-effects."
Qi Huan froze: "What kind of after-effects?"
"The medicine that combats the cold poison will make one feel hot and bothered..."
"It needs to be relieved for three days and nights. I don't know if Li Shuchen can endure it?"
Qi Huan was completely stunned.
Either die from cold poison or die in bed?
She thought for a moment: "Why don't you have the Apothecary make some antidote for aphrodisiacs as well?"
"Oh, right."
Qi Huan thought this matter was perfectly resolved, but later she discovered that she didn't understand the Apothecary's wicked sense of humor.
The next day.
Just as she was preparing to bring the medicine to Li Shuchen, she suddenly received five more pieces of news.
