Upon hearing the Guangling Governor’s words, the Huang family was momentarily stunned. Not only because the Huang family’s influence in Guangling was so vast that few dared to challenge them, but also because the matters the Governor spoke of had happened at least two or three years ago. The Huang family had long since suppressed these incidents, and it seemed impossible for a Governor who had only been in office for two or three months to not only know about them but to investigate them.
Yet the Governor’s words were completely accurate, down to the exact number of deaths. Old Master Huang glanced at the white-robed young master seated above with shock, unsure of his true identity.
Though Young Master Qingchen hadn’t reproached him directly, the Guangling Governor already felt deeply ashamed. Seeing Old Master Huang still stealing glances at Xu Qingchen made his anger surge. After taking office, he had wanted to deal with these old aristocratic families, but with the realm newly stabilized, maintaining peace was the priority. These families had been entrenched in Guangling for years – even slight resistance from them would be beyond his ability to control. Causing upheaval in the newly peaceful Guangling would have been his mistake. But now, with Young Master Qingchen’s backing, he no longer needed to hold back. He was ready to take decisive action to restore peace to Guangling.
“Huang Shiliang, I’m asking you a question. What are you looking at?” the Guangling Governor demanded sternly.
Old Master Huang’s heart skipped a beat, instinctively sensing today’s situation was precarious. But even knowing the danger, he couldn’t simply give up. This was because Young Master Huang Yaozhu was his family’s only son and heir.
“Lord Li, there must be some misunderstanding. My son… my son has always been law-abiding. How could he commit such evil acts? Someone must be framing our Huang family. Please investigate carefully, my lord.”
Governor Li nearly laughed in anger, pointing at Huang Yaozhu who lay bound and immobile on the ground: “Law-abiding? If he’s so law-abiding, how did he end up tied up like this?”
Old Master Huang stole another glance at the white-robed young master calmly drinking tea above, and said in a low voice: “Who knows… perhaps they deliberately set a trap to frame my son?”
“Xu Qingchen, what are you doing?” Just as Governor Li was about to explode in anger, a clear, pleasant voice came from the doorway. Everyone froze, turning to see a beautiful young woman in yellow standing there, looking at them curiously. Her cheeks were flushed like peach blossoms, with a faint rosy glow, clearly having just woken up.
Most importantly… Old Master Huang turned back stiffly to look at the white-robed young master seated at the highest position, his expression twisting. He stammered: “Young… Young Master Qingchen?!”
Old Master Huang’s vision nearly went black as he almost collapsed. He knew his son’s character all too well. Just seeing this exceptionally beautiful young woman, he could guess what had happened. But who could have known that in all of Guangling, his son would offend Young Master Qingchen? In all the territories under Prince Ding’s jurisdiction, Young Master Qingchen’s word was law. Even Prince Ding himself had to give him face. Was heaven truly determined to destroy the Huang family?
Xu Qingchen looked at Yunge with slight disapproval, beckoning to her: “Didn’t I tell you to rest well? Why are you up?”
Yunge curiously glanced at everyone in the hall as she walked to Qingchen’s side. “I couldn’t sleep.”
Qingchen patted the chair beside him, saying: “Since you can’t sleep, sit here for a while.”
Yunge nodded, casually sitting beside Qingchen and blinking as she looked at the person tied up below: “Qingchen, what are you doing?”
Qingchen smiled and said: “Governor Li is hearing a case, and I’m watching. Why don’t you watch too?”
Yunge glared at the person lying on the ground and nodded firmly: “Mm, that guy is bad! The Governor must punish him severely!”
Qingchen lovingly stroked her hair, smiling: “Governor Li is just and fair. He’ll punish him severely.”
Below, Governor Li’s mouth twitched slightly. So severely punishing Huang Yaozhu was the only way to be just and fair? With Young Master Qingchen saying this, what could he, a mere subordinate, say?
“Governor Li?” Qingchen calmly glanced at Governor Li.
Governor Li’s heart tightened. He quickly suppressed his private complaints and said seriously: “Huang Shiliang, do you have anything else to say?”
Old Master Huang’s legs finally gave out and he fell to his knees. Few in the world hadn’t heard of Young Master Qingchen’s name. Those with power naturally knew more than common people. They understood that the name “Young Master Qingchen” represented not just unparalleled talent and intelligence and the Xu family, but also authority that could shake the world.
“Young… Young Master Qingchen, this lowly one knows his wrong. Please spare my son’s life.” Knowing the identity of the person seated above, Old Master Huang understood denial was useless and could only beg desperately to save his son’s life.
Seeing Governor Li’s questioning look, Qingchen calmly said: “Governor Li is hearing the case. Why are you looking at me?”
This meant to handle it according to law. Governor Li understood and his expression turned stern as he declared: “Since you admit guilt – Guards! Huang Yaozhu oppressed the common people and forcibly abducted women causing deaths. Take him into custody first, then set a date for execution!”
With one sentence, Huang Yaozhu’s fate was sealed. In the hall, not just the Huang family’s faces changed – even Huang Yaozhu bound on the ground began struggling desperately. His pleading gaze turned desperately toward Yunge. Yunge frowned and turned to look at Qingchen. Qingchen said softly and calmly: “It was lucky I happened to save you. Think about it – would other girls who encountered him have such good fortune? Moreover, he caused the deaths of a family of three.”
Yunge’s eyes widened as she glared at Huang Yaozhu, giving a light snort before turning away. Bad person! She wouldn’t save him!
Seeing Yunge’s reaction, Young Master Qingchen shook his head in amusement.
Governor Li waved his hand, ordering people to quickly take Huang Yaozhu away.
Old Master Huang wailed as he fell to his knees: “Young Master Qingchen, mercy! My son knows his wrong, please spare his life! This one has only this one son, please let the Huang family keep a single thread of bloodline!”
Yunge looked at Old Master Huang with furrowed brows and said in her clear voice: “You only have one son, but the family he killed has no one left at all.” Old Master Huang was speechless. When his son had driven that family of three to their deaths, who would have thought of today’s retribution?
“Sob… it was all this lowly one’s fault in raising him poorly. Please, Young Master Qingchen, show mercy. This one… this one is willing to give up all family wealth, just asking Young Master to spare my son’s life.”
Qingchen’s eyes flickered as he said flatly: “Give up all wealth? You mean this?”
Old Master Huang started, finally reacting: “This… naturally I mean it. Please show mercy, Young Master.”
After a moment of silence, Qingchen looked to Governor Li: “Send people to confiscate the Huang family property. Give each servant ten taels of silver, and for the rest… not a single tael is to be left.”
This unexpected turn caught Governor Li off guard: “This… uh, yes, this official will handle it right away. Then… how should we deal with Huang Yaozhu?”
Qingchen lowered his eyes and smiled: “Since Old Master Huang is willing to trade all his family wealth for his son’s life, then sentence him to exile at the border. Never to return, pardons not applicable!”
Old Master Huang’s face went white. How was this any different from death? With normal sentences, as long as one still had life there was always room for change. One would encounter imperial pardons from time to time. But Young Master Qingchen adding “pardons not applicable” meant all hope was gone.
“No! Master… our Huang family can’t end like this!” The Huang family members who had been pleading behind Old Master Huang immediately protested. Trading everything the Huang family had just for Huang Yaozhu to be exiled to the border forever? No one was willing to pay such a price. Rather than this, it would be better for Old Master Huang to try having another child, or even adopting one would be better than this.
“Master, think this through…”
Not just the others, even Old Master Huang himself hesitated. What he wanted was for his son to live well and continue the family line. How could he be willing to trade all the family wealth for such an outcome?
Seeing Old Master Huang’s expression, Young Master Qingchen’s lips curled in a mocking smile as he said flatly to Governor Li: “It seems Old Master Huang is unwilling. Governor Li, better sentence according to the law then.”
Old Master Huang could no longer say anything in plea, and could only watch helplessly as his son was taken away, breaking into loud sobs.
While the hall was so lively, outside was not quiet either. Those young masters and their families who had been brought by the yamen runners were all waiting outside. Though they didn’t know what had happened, hearing Old Master Huang’s wails from inside, they looked at each other uneasily, sensing something was very wrong.
Though Old Master Huang ultimately didn’t give up all his family wealth, after a few days the Huang family couldn’t last anyway. The aristocrats and wealthy merchants of Guangling would hate them to death. Which family didn’t have some unfilial sons? Which of these great households hadn’t done some things that couldn’t see the light of day? But it just happened that Huang Yaozhu was caught by Young Master Qingchen. If he hadn’t been caught by Young Master Qingchen, perhaps Young Master Qingchen wouldn’t have bothered with Guangling’s affairs at all. So these unfortunate people would unanimously direct their anger at the Huang family.
On this day, in this unremarkable inn in Guangling, several young masters from either aristocratic or wealthy families who had long run wild and caused deep harm in Guangling city were all arrested. Awaiting them would be execution, exile, or imprisonment. When they emerged from the inn, everyone appeared pale and swaying, drawing curious onlookers among passing commoners.
“Xu Qingchen, you’re amazing!” In the now-empty hall with only Xu Qingchen and Yunge remaining, Yunge sat in her chair with her chin propped up, gazing at the snow-white-robed Young Master Qingchen, her eyes full of admiration. She had seen the crimes Qingchen had revealed – he had just sat there without saying anything, yet those seemingly powerful people had been frightened into kneeling and begging for mercy. But Yunge wouldn’t plead for them. Though those white-haired elders crying pitifully were sad, she had seen plenty of wealthy families bullying common people on her journey. Those who were bullied were even more pitiful. Each time she encountered such situations, she could only teach those bullies a lesson and give some silver to the victims. But Qingchen had effortlessly put all those bad people in prison. Now they would never harm common people again!
Young Master Qingchen had seen many admiring gazes before, but he suddenly found Miss Yunge’s gaze particularly gratifying. He raised an eyebrow with a smile and asked: “How am I amazing?”
“You punished so many bad people,” Yunge said.
“That was Governor Li’s judgment,” Qingchen smiled.
“But you gave him all the evidence,” Yunge pointed out.
“That was collected by the secret guards,” Qingchen said with a gentle smile. Yunge tilted her head and said: “But… I felt those people were all afraid of you, not Governor Li at all.” Though Governor Li had done all the talking, she sensed that those people didn’t dare move because of Xu Qingchen sitting above, not because of the stern-faced Governor Li.
“You have good eyes,” Qingchen smiled.
“Of course!” Yunge said happily.
Qingchen raised an eyebrow, looking at her with an ambiguous smile: “If your eyes are so good, how could you not see those people were swindlers? Come, tell me, how many times were you deceived on your journey?”
Yunge’s face immediately turned red, “I… I wasn’t deceived many times!”
“Oh? Really?” Qingchen looked at her with amusement, taking several items from his sleeve and placing them on the table: “What are these?”
“Eh? These are my hairpin jade pendant… and money pouch. How are they… in your possession…” Meeting Young Master Qingchen’s meaningful gaze, Yunge’s voice gradually faded.
Qingchen looked at her helplessly and sighed softly: “You’re such a silly girl, you didn’t even know when you were being deceived. Just yesterday, that person in mourning clothes – you gave them your jade pendant. Do you know that pendant alone could support an ordinary family for a lifetime?”
“But… their father was dead. And I didn’t have any loose silver then,” Yunge argued in a small voice. She was a doctor after all – surely she could tell better than Qingchen whether someone was dead or alive?
Qingchen said: “The person was indeed dead, but did you know if that was their father?”
“Uh?” Yunge was speechless.
Qingchen picked up the hairpin from the table and gently helped her pin it back in her hair. Then he took the jade pendant and hung it properly for her: “Look at your journey – if I had found you a few days later, wouldn’t you have run out of money even for food?”
Yunge lowered her head embarrassedly, counting on her fingers as she said softly: “I know medicine, and I can gather herbs.” So she wouldn’t have gone hungry.
Young Master Qingchen nodded in agreement: “Indeed, you know medicine but pay for others’ medicine yourself, you can gather herbs but give them all away to others.”
“But… they needed help,” Yunge said dejectedly. Though she didn’t know if her father had practiced medicine, he had left behind many precious jewels, and her adoptive father likewise had countless wealth. Yet only she, who had brought plenty of silver when leaving home, grew increasingly poor.
Young Master Qingchen smiled and patted her forehead: “Now you know how silly you are?”
Yunge puffed up her cheeks in dissatisfaction: “I’m not silly! Foster’s Father says I’m very smart!”
Qingchen gave her a skeptical look, and the young miss immediately deflated, muttering sadly: “How could this be… I helped them with good intentions, why did they deceive me?”
Qingchen said gently: “There are many bad people in this world. Did you think no one would dare bully you like in Li City? Who told you to run away from home?”
At these words, Yunge immediately looked at Qingchen warily. She also remembered how the night before she fled, Qingchen had said she was his fiancée. Her hair stood on end: “You… why are you here?!”
Qingchen smiled calmly, “What do you think? Leaving home without a word – do you know how worried everyone was? What if you encountered danger? How would the Xu family answer to Master Shen?”
“I… I didn’t run away. I’m… I’m traveling to practice medicine and help people,” Yunge tried hard to keep her eyes wide to appear less guilty. Qingchen said nothing, just looking at her calmly with a smile, making Yunge feel increasingly guilty and short of breath. “Well… it’s not my fault. It’s all your fault! I… I don’t want to be your fiancée!”
Young Master Qingchen’s eyes darkened as he lowered his gaze slightly and asked: “Oh? Why not?”
Yunge bit her cherry lips, looking at Qingchen somewhat pitifully: “Anyway… I just don’t want to.” She wouldn’t tell Qingchen that she didn’t like studying.
After a moment of silence, Young Master Qingchen smiled gracefully, reaching out to pull her closer: “I know, you don’t want to write characters or memorize books, right?” Having her thoughts exposed, Yunge felt somewhat embarrassed, muttering softly: “So what if that’s true? I just don’t like studying, I’m just very stupid.”
Young Master Qingchen laughed, feeling deeply that he had bullied the young girl too much. Yunge wasn’t stupid at all – how could someone who earned both Qin Zheng and Mother Second Aunt’s praise after less than a year of study be stupid? It was just that the young miss wasn’t very interested in the four arts and spent most of her energy on medicine instead.
“Then… what if I don’t make you copy books or memorize texts anymore?” Qingchen asked softly.
“Eh?” Yunge’s eyes brightened as she looked at Qingchen in surprise. Qingchen’s smile was so refined and elegant that one couldn’t help but be enchanted by it: “If you don’t have to memorize or copy books anymore in the future, would you be willing to be my fiancée?”
“Well…” Yunge hesitated.
Young Master Qingchen said calmly: “Look at you, getting deceived as soon as you left home. If you travel with me in the future, no one will dare deceive you. Even if you help more people, you won’t run out of money – you can help whoever you want to help. For medicinal herbs and medical skills you can’t find, I can have Prince Ding’s secret guards help you find them. And things like today won’t happen again. What do you think?”
Yunge blinked, feeling somewhat confused. But what Qingchen said seemed to make a lot of sense: “Then… can’t we travel together now?”
Young Master Qingchen shook his head with a smile: “Men and women should maintain proper distance. If we travel together without any relationship, people will misunderstand. It’s not good for your reputation. Of course… not good for mine either. Look at Li’er and Zheng’er – they only travel with Prince Ding and Second Brother.”
“Mm…” Sister Qin Zheng only went out with Second Brother Xu except when playing in Li City.
“Have you decided? If you’re unwilling, we can return to Li City now. If you’re my fiancée, we can travel around – it doesn’t matter if we travel for a year or more,” Young Master Qingchen smiled like a spring breeze.
“All right then,” Yunge answered absently while still pondering.
“…” Young Master Qingchen – is it okay to trick a young girl like this? The secret guards outside exchanged glances.