After returning to the capital, the eldest daughter saved her entire clan with her medical skills.

Chapter 268 (022 words added)

At the banquet, amidst the singing and dancing, Xue Ruanruan noticed something amiss. The dishes seemed tampered with; several medicinal herbs, when mixed, could disrupt one's internal energy. Without a word, she feigned illness and left the table, going to the kitchen. There, she carefully examined the ingredients and seasonings. She discovered a rare spice, non-toxic in itself, but when combined with several common ingredients, it created a disruptive effect on internal energy. This was clearly a carefully orchestrated scheme targeting those in the household with internal energy. Knowing the gravity of the situation, Xue Ruanruan quickly prepared an antidote and added small amounts of it to some common ingredients. Then, she quietly returned to the banquet. She hinted to her father and brothers to only eat a few specific dishes. Her brothers understood and subtly maintained control. Just as everyone wondered why Xue Ruanruan had only recommended these dishes, a strategist beside the Regent suddenly clutched his chest, his internal energy surging erratically. It turned out that the strategist had intended to influence the internal strength of the Zhenguo General's Mansion members through food, then create trouble, but Xue Ruanruan had countered his plan. The Regent was shocked and wanted to retaliate but couldn't find a reason. Enraged and humiliated, he was powerless to do anything and could only hastily leave with the strategist. The Zhenguo General's Mansion members breathed a sigh of relief. After this incident, the general looked at Xue Ruanruan with loving affection and pride, saying, "Ruanruan, thanks to you." Xue Ruanruan responded with a gentle smile. Several days later, shocking news suddenly spread through the once peaceful city—a plague was quietly spreading throughout the city! This news was like a bolt from the blue, instantly shattering the tranquility of people's lives. Tension and panic began to permeate the streets and alleys, with citizens whispering and discussing this sudden disaster. Some speculated that the source of the plague might be travelers from outside the city, while others believed that food from a shop in the city had been contaminated. Regardless, the shadow of the plague had already fallen on everyone's hearts. Just when everyone was at a loss for how to treat this intractable disease, Xue Ruanruan, who had been quietly listening to the discussion, suddenly stepped forward. Her soft yet firm voice broke the heavy atmosphere: "I'm willing to volunteer to go and treat the patients!" As she spoke, her beautiful eyes shone with confidence and courage, as if she could already see the joy of successfully curing them. Those around her looked on with surprise and admiration, but mostly with worry. After all, the disease was exceptionally complex, and the slightest mistake could lead to irreversible consequences. However, Xue Ruanruan remained unmoved and resolutely embarked on this path of treatment, fraught with unknowns and challenges. She took her medicine kit and several capable assistants to the epicenter of the outbreak. There, all was silent; the people were sickly and in great pain. Xue Ruanruan calmly examined the symptoms and discovered that this was not an ordinary epidemic, but rather the result of a man-made poison. Xue Ruanruan frowned, knowing that to cure the poison, she needed to find the poisoner and the formula. While using existing medications to alleviate the patients' symptoms, she sent people to investigate the movements of suspicious individuals in the city. After several days of investigation, her assistant reported that a mysterious sorcerer had been frequently seen entering and leaving the city's water source before the outbreak. Xue Ruanruan deduced that this person was involved in the poisoning. She decided to find the sorcerer herself. Following the clues, Xue Ruanruan found him in an abandoned Taoist temple on the outskirts of the city. The sorcerer wasn't flustered upon seeing her; instead, he sneered, saying it was all for revenge against the Zhenguo General's Mansion. It turned out he had been expelled from the General's Mansion. Xue Ruanruan righteously told him that his actions would harm countless innocent lives. The sorcerer remained unmoved and even attacked Xue Ruanruan. Although Xue Ruanruan was skilled in medicine, she also knew self-defense. She skillfully dodged his attacks and, taking advantage of his momentary lapse in attention, sprinkled a sleeping potion to subdue him. After finding the antidote formula on the sorcerer, Xue Ruanruan rushed back to her clinic to prepare the medicine and save lives. As the antidote was distributed, the sick people gradually recovered. To express their gratitude, the General's Mansion provided financial assistance to the poor families in the city affected by the epidemic. Xue Ruanruan's fame soared because of this, and she became a revered physician in the city.