Shi Lin was naturally very grateful.
"Zhang, this is really too much trouble for you."
"It's no trouble, not at all. Senior Brother, you hurry and eat. I'll go inside to keep an eye on things," said the young man referred to as Zhang with a smile, then stepped into the room.
Shi Lin instinctively glanced into the room, feeling a bit uneasy.
After all, the place where medicine for Lu Dingtai was being prepared was strictly regulated, with no outsiders allowed.
Now that this Zhang went in, he was technically breaking the rules, which made Shi Lin somewhat nervous.
But when he saw Zhang quietly sit down on a stool and seriously observe the fire after going in, he sighed in relief.
Shi Lin then laughed at himself for being overly tense. Although this Zhang hadn't been in the Martial Arts Hall for long, his background was thoroughly investigated before he was admitted, confirming there were no issues. How could such a person be bad?
Shi Lin then squatted on the ground and started eating without worry.
The two of them, one inside and one outside, chatted casually while eating.
"Senior Brother, when do you think Master will wake up?"
"Who knows, but Master is wise and powerful, so he'll surely be alright."
"That's true," Zhang said with a smile, but his attention remained on Shi Lin outside.
When Shi Lin lowered his head to eat, Zhang discreetly dropped a small medicine packet from his sleeve into his hand.
Then he stood up, seemingly to check if the medicine in the pot was ready, and bent down to block the view from outside.
Seizing the moment, he swiftly lifted the pot lid and was about to toss in the small medicine packet in his hand.
Just then, a cold voice came from behind him.
"What are you doing?"
Zhang was so frightened that he shivered, but his reaction was quick. He intended to hide the small medicine packet.
However, Zhao Ya reacted even faster, catching his wrist in a split second. With a slight force, Zhang cried out in pain.
Zhao Ya picked up the small medicine packet from his hand with a cold face and glanced at the now shaking Shi Lin.
"Go call Senior Brother Shen and the others."
"Yes...yes!"
Shi Lin was utterly panicked.
Just now, while he was eating, Zhao Ya had suddenly appeared beside him like a ghost, dashed into the room, caught Zhang, and found a small medicine packet in his hand.
No need to ask, there was obviously something wrong with Zhang.
And Shi Lin found himself becoming an accomplice.
Thinking about this, Shi Lin wished he could slap himself a few times.
But it was too late for regret. He could only scramble forward and notify Shen Dao and the others.
Meanwhile, Zhao Ya deftly dislocated all of Zhang's joints, even his jaw, to prevent him from biting his tongue and committing suicide.
Shen Dao and the others arrived quickly, almost bursting into the room as soon as Zhang was dealt with.
"What's going on?" Shen Dao asked first.
Zhao Ya raised the small medicine packet in his hand and pointed to Zhang on the ground.
"He was planning to poison Master's medicine and was caught by me."
Shen Dao, Miao Shaocheng, and Xu De's expressions changed instantly.
Fortunately, Zhao Ya discovered it. If this guy had succeeded, wouldn't Master have been poisoned without knowing?
Miao Shaocheng was furious, rushed forward, and grabbed Zhang from the ground.
"Tell me, who sent you?"
Of course, Zhang couldn't speak; his jaw had already been dislocated by Zhao Ya.
Then Zhao Ya stepped forward, gently patted the excited Miao Shaocheng to step aside, and then squatted down, lightly pushed Zhang's jaw.
With a click, Zhang's jaw was pushed back into place.
Then Zhao Ya asked, "Speak up. If you don't want to suffer, obediently tell us everything you know."
Surprisingly, Zhang remained silent.
The anxious Shi Lin, seeing this, immediately panicked. He knew he bore some responsibility. If this wasn't clarified, he'd be finished as well.
So he shouted, "Zhang Jia, at this point, are you still planning to resist? Just speak up."
But Zhang smirked, glanced at Shi Lin, and said, "Speak? Speak what? Weren't you the one who instructed me?"
Shi Lin's face turned white, stumbling as he yelled.
"You...you can't just accuse me like that!"
"Senior Brother, at this point, you should confess." Zhang put on a defiant look and started making wild accusations.
Everyone present knew that what he said wasn't true. If Shi Lin really wanted to harm Lu Dingtai, he could have done it himself. Why go to the trouble of using Zhang?
But once accused, the damage was done, and Zhang clearly didn't intend to speak truthfully, leaving everyone with no immediate solution.
At this moment, Zhao Ya suddenly said, "Actually, even if you don't say anything, I can guess. The only person who would secretly poison, trying to harm my Master, should be Yuan Chenfeng, right?"
Zhang Jia sneered repeatedly, "You can say whatever you like. Anyway, it was Shi Lin who instructed me."
Shi Lin slumped, looking utterly despairing, unable to speak anymore.
Zhao Ya glanced at him and suddenly asked, "Shi Lin, what's your relationship with the previous Old Liu? Why did you replace him after he had diarrhea?"