Chi Can’s expression was grim: “The physicians at Jisheng Hall are quite skilled. I’ll go fetch one.”

At worst, he’d bring a physician from Jisheng Hall back to the Princess Residence afterward—that way they wouldn’t have to worry about word spreading.

“Please, young masters, watch over my general. I know someone better than the physicians at Jisheng Hall.” Chen Guang volunteered to fetch help. After dropping this line, he turned and ran off.

“Who is Chen Guang going to fetch?” Yang Houcheng asked.

A graceful silhouette suddenly flashed through Zhu Yàn’s mind.

Chen Guang was now serving as Miss Li’s coachman. The person he was going to fetch—could it be Miss Li?

This guess seemed somewhat absurd, yet the story of Miss Li using silver needles to save the young master of Earl Changchun’s residence was still circulating outside. Perhaps Miss Li truly possessed exceptional medical skills.

For some reason, he felt that things which would seem incredible if placed on others became entirely possible when it came to Miss Li.

Perhaps there were people in this world who were born to make others feel ashamed of themselves.

“Let’s wait and see. Tingquan’s guards are all fairly reliable,” Chi Can said irritably.

If they weren’t reliable, they wouldn’t have caught that servant Taosheng, disguised as a woman, red-handed.

Chen Guang ran back to the Li residence to request an audience with Qiao Zhao.

Qiao Zhao had been feeling somewhat restless these past two days.

She wondered how her grandfather and the others were progressing with their investigation. As someone others viewed as an outsider, it was too difficult for her to learn anything about the situation.

“Miss, Chen Guang wishes to see you. He seems quite urgent,” Binglu hurried in to report.

“Bring him over.”

As soon as Chen Guang saw Qiao Zhao, he said breathlessly, “Third Miss, please come with me quickly.”

“What’s the matter?”

“Our general is coughing up blood!”

Qiao Zhao stood up abruptly, then realized she was being somewhat improper and asked calmly: “How could he be coughing up blood?”

Although Shao Mingyuan was tormented painfully by the cold poison, it shouldn’t have reached such a severe stage, should it?

“The Marquis Jing’an’s wife sent over a red wooden box filled with letters—all letters our general wrote to the general’s wife when he was in the Northern Territories before. After our general read them, he started coughing up blood…”

“Letters…” Qiao Zhao murmured, unable to help asking: “What letters? Your general wrote letters to his wife?”

Although Chen Guang didn’t understand why the Third Miss was focusing on the wrong point, he still explained: “Of course, he wrote them. The general would write at least one letter to the general’s wife every month, even during the most intense battles, right up until early this year. It’s just that the general’s wife never replied to any of them.”

By the end, Chen Guang’s tone unconsciously carried a complaint: “The general’s wife was too heartless. Although the general went to the Northern Territories right after the wedding and couldn’t accompany the general’s wife, isn’t this what Great Liang’s soldiers should do? If everyone stayed in the capital, enjoying wealth and honor, the capital would have fallen to the barbarians long ago. I still can’t forget how cold it was in the Northern Territories—you could see your breath turn to ice crystals. The ink would freeze, and the general had to melt the ink anew for every character he wrote…”

The little coachman was going off-topic.

Qiao Zhao frowned: “Stop talking. Let’s go to the General’s residence.”

She didn’t want to call it the “Marquis residence” because doing so would remind her of those two years of prison-like existence and that lingering feeling of suffocation.

As she sat in the carriage, Qiao Zhao kept thinking: So during those two years, Shao Mingyuan had been writing letters to her all along. Those letters had all been intercepted by the Marquis Jing’an’s wife. Why would Lady Shen do such a thing?

Even if they were often apart and the mother-son relationship wasn’t as deep as with children who were always by one’s side, intercepting letters from son to daughter-in-law was too incomprehensible.

Qiao Zhao sighed.

The peculiarities of the Marquis Jing’an’s residence were even more than she had imagined. How was it that after being reborn, there were mysteries everywhere?

Chen Guang drove the carriage at breakneck speed. Soon, the carriage came to an abrupt stop, and Qiao Zhao quickly reached out to steady herself against the carriage wall.

“Third Miss, we’re here!”

Everyone was waiting anxiously when they heard footsteps and looked up to see Chen Guang followed by Qiao Zhao. They couldn’t help but be stunned.

“Why are you here?” Chi Can frowned.

Ever since Princess Changrong had exposed Chi Can’s feelings that day, he had inexplicably developed an aversion to seeing Qiao Zhao. Seeing her now, along with his irritation, there was also an indescribable joy deep in his heart.

This joy made him even more irritated, naturally making his tone extremely harsh.

Qiao Zhao looked deeply at Chi Can.

What had she done to offend him now?

“Chen Guang called me here,” Qiao Zhao said flatly, then walked toward Qiao Mo. “Brother Qiao, how is General Shao? Please take me to see him.”

Qiao Mo nodded: “Very well, Miss Li, please follow me.”

Seeing Qiao Zhao following Qiao Mo inside, Chi Can’s face was clouded with darkness. He raised an eyebrow and asked Chen Guang, “When did Miss Li become acquainted with Young Master Qiao?”

He had never seen a young lady who attracted admirers like this!

“Uh, I don’t know,” Chen Guang played dumb.

One must have clear positions and firm attitudes. Young Master Chi was their general’s rival in love—he certainly wouldn’t explain anything.

Let the misunderstanding deepen!

Qiao Zhao walked beside Qiao Mo, unable to help but observe his complexion.

She was walking on Qiao Mo’s right side, seeing his flawless profile—soft yet angular lines, incomparably handsome.

Noticing Qiao Zhao’s scrutiny, Qiao Mo couldn’t help but look at her.

Qiao Zhao smiled openly: “Brother Qiao’s complexion looks much better.”

Qiao Mo’s expression was indifferent: “When one recovers from illness, naturally one’s complexion improves.”

Qiao Zhao’s steps faltered.

With many people around and ears listening, Qiao Mo didn’t say much, speaking calmly: “Miss Li’s medical skills are exceptional. Please examine the Marquis Guanjun.”

Qiao Zhao pressed her lips tightly together.

“Miss Li?”

“Very well, I’ll go look.” She glanced at Qiao Mo and hurriedly turned to walk toward Shao Mingyuan.

Qiao Mo was startled.

Just now, although Miss Li’s glance at him was brief, he seemed to see tears in her eyes.

Miss Li was crying?

But at most, he had been somewhat cold in attitude—there was no need for such a reaction, was there?

Speaking of which, he was grateful to Miss Li. But he found it somewhat difficult to accept that a young lady had so casually driven his great-aunt mad.

No matter what his great-aunt had done or what punishment she deserved, this should have been discussed between him and his maternal grandfather’s family, not left to Miss Li, a completely unrelated outsider, to interfere.

Simply because of her relationship with Physician Li, Miss Li had taken revenge while he was still unconscious. Even if done with good intentions, it was still somewhat… meddlesome.

Young Master Qiao thought: It was perfectly normal for him to be somewhat cold in attitude, to make the young lady think twice before acting in the future, wasn’t it?

The young lady cried at him, yet why did he feel this inexplicable sense of guilt?

Qiao Mo silently watched Qiao Zhao’s retreating figure, sighing softly in his heart: After all, no matter how much Miss Li resembled Zhaozhao, she wasn’t his sister.

Qiao Zhao was in a rather poor mood, and seeing Shao Mingyuan’s condition made her mood even worse.

Just what kind of heavy thoughts did this man harbor to torment himself into such a state?

Originally, his cold poison could have lasted several years, just long enough for Grandfather Li to return and help expel the poison. But now that the cold poison had attacked his heart, only she could take action.

However, to remove the cold poison after it attacked the heart, he would need to be bare-chested!

Miss Qiao felt life was hopeless.