I started out with seven husbands, and I worked hard to support my family while crying.

Chapter 520: The Secret of Fuxiang Pavilion

After that thrilling chase, Fang Xiaoxiao and the others were still deeply moved. But life had to go on, and Lingxi Pavilion had to continue operating as usual.

One afternoon, sunlight streamed into the courtyard of Lingxi Pavilion. Fang Xiaoxiao had just finished dealing with some business in the store and was preparing to take a short rest. Just then, a slight commotion arose at the store entrance.

"Madam, watch your step." A gentle voice came.

Immediately afterwards, a lady dressed in luxurious clothes and with an elegant demeanor entered Lingxi Pavilion, surrounded by a group of maids. This lady was none other than Madam Lin of Fuxiang Pavilion in the Jiaofangsi (Imperial Music Bureau).

Madam Lin had a beautiful face, but her eyes revealed a hint of weariness and worry that she could not hide. She moved gracefully to Fang Xiaoxiao and gave a slight curtsy.

"Miss Fang, I have long admired your excellent medical skills. I have come to visit you today, hoping that you can treat me." Madam Lin's voice was gentle and polite.

Fang Xiaoxiao quickly returned the greeting and invited Madam Lin to sit down.

"Please speak freely, Madam. May I ask if you are feeling unwell?" Fang Xiaoxiao carefully observed Madam Lin's complexion and expression.

Madam Lin sighed softly and said, "Lately, I've been feeling palpitations and shortness of breath, having many dreams at night and difficulty falling asleep. Moreover, my body feels increasingly heavy and weak."

Fang Xiaoxiao nodded slightly and began to take Madam Lin's pulse. Her brows gradually furrowed as she pondered Madam Lin's illness.

Just then, a maid accidentally knocked over a vase, making a crisp sound. The maid was so frightened that she immediately knelt down and begged for mercy: "Madam, spare me! Madam, spare me!"

Madam Lin frowned slightly and scolded, "Clumsy! Get out!"

Fang Xiaoxiao looked up at the maid and found her eyes glazed over, her face pale, and her body swaying slightly. A thought struck Fang Xiaoxiao; she felt that the maid's condition was somewhat abnormal.

After the maid left, Fang Xiaoxiao continued to examine Madam Lin. After a while, she released her hand and said, "Madam, your illness is probably caused by too much worry and poor blood circulation. I will prescribe some medicine to regulate your blood and qi. If you take it on time, you should feel better."

Madam Lin nodded, her eyes full of gratitude: "Then I'll have to trouble Miss Fang."

Fang Xiaoxiao got up to fetch paper and pen, preparing to write a prescription. Just then, the maid who had been there earlier came in again and served Madam Lin a cup of tea.

Fang Xiaoxiao glanced at the maid again, her doubts deepening. Using the excuse of checking the room's ventilation, she walked over to the maid, sniffed lightly, and detected a faint, peculiar fragrance.

Fang Xiao was startled; the aroma was extremely similar to that of Wushi San (a traditional Chinese medicine).

She calmly returned to her seat and said to Madam Lin, "Madam, your maid seems to be feeling unwell as well. May I take a look at her as well?"

Mrs. Lin was somewhat surprised, but she still nodded in agreement.

Fang Xiaoxiao had her maid extend her hand to take her pulse. The pulse was weak and disordered, which was very consistent with the symptoms of inhaling Wushi Powder.

Fang Xiaoxiao looked at Madam Lin with a serious expression and said, "Madam, this maid has probably taken Five Stone Powder."

Upon hearing this, Madam Lin was shocked and exclaimed, "What? Five-Stone Powder? How is that possible?"

Fang Xiaoxiao explained, "Madam, I can't be mistaken. This maid's symptoms and pulse indicate that she has been using this substance for a long time."

Madam Lin trembled with rage: "That wretched maid dared to do such a shameful thing behind my back!"

Fang Xiaoxiao comforted her, "Madam, don't be angry. The most important thing right now is to find out how she got this bad habit, so that others won't be affected by it."

After some questioning, the maid finally revealed the truth. It turned out that while she was out running errands, she had met some bad people who had tricked her into taking Five-Stone Powder.

Madam Lin was heartbroken: "It's all because of my poor discipline that such a poisonous creature entered my Floating Fragrance Pavilion."

Fang Xiaoxiao said, "Madam, it's not too late to find out now. This maid needs to quit taking the Five Stone Powder immediately, and the others in Fuxiang Pavilion need to be strictly disciplined to prevent similar incidents from happening again."

Madam Lin nodded repeatedly: "Miss Fang is absolutely right. Please, Miss, save this maid."

Fang Xiaoxiao pondered for a moment and devised a plan for the maid to quit taking the Five-Stone Powder, and instructed Madam Lin to strictly supervise her.

After handling all of this, Madam Lin was extremely grateful to Fang Xiaoxiao: "Miss Fang, if it weren't for you today, I would still be in the dark. If there is any need in the future, Fuxiang Pavilion will definitely do its best to help."

Fang Xiaoxiao smiled and saw Madam Lin off.

However, she had a vague feeling that the relationship between Fuxiang Pavilion and Wushi Powder was probably not so simple. Perhaps, there was a deeper secret hidden behind it.

In the days that followed, Fang Xiaoxiao kept an eye on the maid's progress in overcoming her addiction while secretly investigating Fuxiang Pavilion.

She discovered that some of the guests at Fuxiang Pavilion also seemed to be involved with Wushi San (a type of drug). Moreover, on several occasions, she saw some suspicious-looking people spying on her from the shadows near Fuxiang Pavilion.

Fang Xiaoxiao decided to venture into the lion's den to find out what was going on. She disguised herself and infiltrated Fuxiang Pavilion, trying to find more clues.

In the Floating Fragrance Pavilion, she saw all sorts of people, some indulging in sensual pleasures, others harboring ulterior motives. She carefully observed every detail, not letting any clue slip by.

Suddenly, she overheard a conversation between two men in a corner.

"We need to be careful with this batch of Five-Stone Powder; we can't afford any more mishaps."

"Don't worry, the boss has given instructions, this time it will be foolproof."

Fang Xiaoxin felt a tightness in her chest; she knew she was getting closer and closer to the truth.

Just as she was about to continue eavesdropping, she accidentally knocked over a wine glass.

The two men turned around alertly, their eyes filled with suspicion and hostility.

The sound of Fang Xiaoxiao knocking over her wine glass alerted the two men. They quickly got up and walked towards Fang Xiaoxiao, their eyes filled with suspicion and hostility.

Fang Xiao's heart tightened, and her mind raced as she thought of a solution. She pretended to be drunk, swaying unsteadily and mumbling incoherently, "This wine...it's really good wine..."

One of the men frowned and said, "Is this woman drunk?"

The other man, however, remained vigilant and said, "Be careful, it might be a trap. Let's ask around first."

They walked up to Fang Xiaoxiao and shouted, "What are you doing here?"

Fang Xiaoxiao raised her dazed eyes, grinned foolishly, and said, "I...I'm lost. Where...where am I?"

The two men exchanged a glance, and one of them said, "Throw her out. Don't let her get in the way."

Just as they reached out to grab Fang Xiaoxiao, she suddenly broke free and ran desperately in one direction. The two men chased after her, shouting, "Stop! Don't run!"