Feng Jiu’er spent about a quarter of an hour bandaging Mao Linye’s wound.

For the next half hour, she stayed by his side, tending to him while he ate.

Mao Linye said nothing and made no demands, so Feng Jiu’er found the work easy enough to handle.

She kept waiting, and finally, about an hour after entering the side chamber, two people arrived.

They were Mao Linye’s two capable aides, Du Ling and Song Shiniang.

Du Ling looked different from the day before yesterday — his face was rather pale, and he was missing an arm.

Song Shiniang was also injured, her complexion poor, though Feng Jiu’er didn’t know the details.

It was probably an injury from the night before.

The two entered the hall and, looking at the man in the seat of honor, gave a slight nod.

“Boss, Du Ling failed. He couldn’t find the person.”

Mao Linye said nothing, lifting his teacup for a light sip.

“Boss, Du Ling did his best. He even… cut off his own arm,” Song Shiniang said, cupping her hands.

There was a clatter — the medical text in Feng Jiu’er’s hands fell to the floor.

Earlier, while Mao Linye was busy, she had gotten his permission to look through his medical texts.

She would ask questions half-understanding, and Mao Linye never tired of answering.

Before Du Ling and Song Shiniang arrived, the mood in the hall had been rather pleasant.

The other three people in the hall turned to look at Feng Jiu’er at the sound.

Feng Jiu’er snapped back to herself, bent down to pick up the book, and didn’t dare lift her head again.

Song Shiniang glanced at Feng Jiu’er, then at Mao Linye, and cupped her hands. “Boss, we have matters to discuss. This girl—”

“It’s fine.” Mao Linye stretched out his long arm and rubbed Feng Jiu’er’s head.

Song Shiniang couldn’t help frowning, but seeing Mao Linye’s manner, she didn’t dare say more.

“Boss, what do you plan to do about the city lord’s funeral?” Song Shiniang asked.

“Also, according to our scouts, the city lord’s two sons, his daughter, and his son-in-law are on their way here.”

“What’s more, the token is missing, so we—”

“How is the matter with the pharmaceutical factory being handled?” Mao Linye did not respond directly to Song Shiniang’s words.

Song Shiniang paused, raised her eyes, her expression growing even worse.

“The explosion happened too suddenly. All the medicinal materials and equipment are gone.”

Feng Jiu’er immediately felt the chill radiating from the man beside her. She kept her head lowered, not daring to say or look at anything.

Mao Linye stayed silent; the hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

After a while, he moved his arm slightly and said, “Now only Nanshan Villa remains. There must be no more mistakes.”

“Notify Shen Jiu — tell him he must keep the formula safe no matter what.”

Song Shiniang looked up at Mao Linye, her moth-eyebrows furrowing briefly before she quickly composed herself.

“Yes.” She cupped her hands in response.

“Du Ling.” Mao Linye’s cold gaze fell on Du Ling.

“Boss.” Du Ling cupped his hands. “Please give the order.”

“Go to Nanshan Villa and deliver a letter to Shen Jiu.” Mao Linye pulled a letter out from beneath his desk.

Du Ling nodded, stepped forward, walked up the steps, and extended his one remaining right hand to take the letter.

Du Ling returned to stand beside Song Shiniang.

“Shiniang, you’ll take charge of matters at the estate,” Mao Linye went on, assigning tasks.

“The funeral will be held today. Once it’s over, cremate my second brother.”

“Boss, shouldn’t we wait for the city lord’s family? I’m afraid that—” Song Shiniang frowned, not daring to say more.

“No need.” Mao Linye waved his hand.

“Send word out: my second brother died an unnatural death, and I will act as city lord in his stead for now.”

“Until the murderer of my second brother is found, I am willing to give up the position of city lord.”

Before accepting the order, Song Shiniang glanced once more at Feng Jiu’er — it was not the first time she had stolen a glance at her.

Feng Jiu’er, who had kept her head lowered the whole time, happened to look up at that very moment.

Their eyes met, and Song Shiniang immediately looked away.

“As you command!” she said, looking at Mao Linye and cupping her hands.

“You may go,” Mao Linye said, waving his hand.

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

Du Ling and Song Shiniang both nodded at the same time, turned, and left.

Feng Jiu’er had thought she would need to stay behind, but instead, the man beside her told her she could leave.

“Xiaoxiao, go on back for now. It isn’t very safe around the estate these past few days.”

“I’ve had another place arranged for you and your siblings. Go stay there for now — if you need anything, you can come find me anytime.”

“All right.” Feng Jiu’er stood up, hugging the medical text, and went to put the book back on the shelf.

She returned to Mao Linye’s side, looked at him, and said, “Then, boss, I’ll be going now.”

“Don’t forget to change your dressing, and don’t forget to rest, and don’t forget to eat. Your health matters.”

“Mm.” Mao Linye gently touched her arm. “Go on.”

Feng Jiu’er bowed respectfully and turned to leave.

Mao Linye truly did have people arrange lodgings for Feng Jiu’er, Qiao Mu, and Gong Xinyue.

It was a small but elegantly built courtyard compound.

After the servants delivered them there, they left behind provisions, said a few words of instruction, and departed.

“Jiu’er, what exactly is going on?” Qiao Mu asked, not long after sitting down.

“Mao Linye suspects us,” Feng Jiu’er said with certainty.

“So he deliberately gave us our freedom in order to test us?” Qiao Mu frowned.

“Mm.” Feng Jiu’er nodded. “That’s my guess, but it’s probably close to the truth.”

“He said all they have left now is a pharmaceutical factory called Nanshan Villa, and that the formula is with a man called Shen Jiu.”

“Mao Linye sent one of his men, Du Ling, to deliver a letter to Shen Jiu at Nanshan Villa.”

“Nanshan Villa — I know that place,” Gong Xinyue said, her brow furrowing.

“You know it?” Feng Jiu’er turned to look at her.

Qiao Mu looked at Gong Xinyue too.

“Mm.” Gong Xinyue nodded. “If Mao Linye really means the Nanshan Villa I know, then it should be the same one.”

“Nanshan Villa isn’t in Fenggang Town — it’s in a town near Xiang City, a place that collects medicinal herbs.”

“I met Mao Zhongcai in that very town.”

“Back then, we weren’t yet growing herbs on a large scale. Whenever our brothers found good wild herbs, they’d send them to Nanshan Villa.”

“Many nuns live there. They’re kind and gentle, and buy herbs at fair prices — many common folk support them.”

“Nanshan Villa is a Buddhist convent?” Feng Jiu’er frowned.

Gong Xinyue nodded, then shook her head.

“I can’t say for certain either. In any case, they dress like nuns, but they don’t rely on others’ charity — they run their own business.”

“Mao Linye is keeping a group of nuns in such a remote town?” Qiao Mu tapped the table lightly.

“It’s only a possibility,” Feng Jiu’er said, brow tightening.

“Mao Linye hasn’t left a single person behind — he’s just waiting for us to make a move. This can’t be rushed.”

The hall fell quiet for a moment, then Gong Xinyue lightly tapped the table.

“It’s not convenient for us to go in and scout it out. But there are people who could.”

—