Qiao Zhao pressed her temples.

What did he mean by “our General’s Residence”? Never mind, she wouldn’t argue with a mere coachman.

“To the General’s Residence.” Qiao Zhao lowered the carriage curtain and leaned against the carriage wall, her mood complex.

By this time, an elder brother should have already arrived at the Marquis Guanjun’s residence. Did he think of her?

The weather outside was swelteringly hot, and Qiao Zhao’s mood inside the carriage also became somewhat restless, completely lacking the calm composure she had shown in the Jinlin Guards office when facing the number one figure that made all civil and military officials wary.

Qiao Zhao thought to herself that she wasn’t afraid of mountains of knives or seas of fire—she was only afraid of the trepidation that comes with approaching home.

In this contradictory and complex emotional state, the carriage stopped, and Chen Guang called from outside: “Third Miss, we’ve arrived.”

There was no movement from inside the carriage for a moment.

Chen Guang was somewhat puzzled. Not daring to lift the curtain to look, he could only call out again: “Third Miss, we’ve arrived at the General’s Residence.”

Only then did a faint voice come from inside: “I know.”

Because she had first gone to the Jinlin Guards’ office, she still hadn’t brought Binglu with her today. Qiao Zhao lifted the carriage door curtain, bent down to get out of the carriage, and stood in front of the Marquis Guanjun’s residence for a moment.

A guard came running over with quick steps, his face full of smiles: “Miss Li has come! Please go in quickly—our General has been waiting for you!”

Qiao Zhao quietly took a deep breath, but her expression remained composed as she nodded, then lifted her feet to walk inside. She had just entered the main courtyard when she saw Shao Mingyuan standing under the silk tree with his hands at his sides, and her steps involuntarily paused.

Shao Mingyuan heard the sound and turned around, walking toward her with a smile: “Miss Li has arrived.”

“General Shao.” Qiao Zhao greeted him, wanting to ask where Qiao Mo was, but the words reached her lips without being spoken.

She didn’t know what awaited her after seeing her elder brother.

Since her rebirth, she had gambled on human nature countless times, and each time she had no choice but to gamble, but only this time was she too afraid to lose.

“Miss Li, my brother-in-law has already returned.”

“Mm.” Qiao Zhao nodded woodenly, her hands unconsciously clenching into fists.

Shao Mingyuan’s gaze swept over lightly, and he couldn’t help but wonder: What was Miss Li nervous about?

“My brother-in-law has been waiting to see you. I’ll send someone to call him.”

“Don’t—” Qiao Zhao blurted out, meeting Shao Mingyuan’s slightly surprised gaze, and forced a smile. “Let me give General Shao acupuncture first.”

Yes, she should first give Shao Mingyuan acupuncture. Otherwise, after seeing her elder brother, regardless of the outcome, she probably wouldn’t be able to calm her mind.

“The acupuncture isn’t urgent. Miss Li should see my brother-in-law first—he’s been waiting.”

Qiao Zhao’s face darkened: “Acupuncture cannot be delayed. General Shao must follow the physician’s arrangements.”

“Uh, alright then.”

The two entered the room.

Without waiting for Qiao Zhao’s instructions, Shao Mingyuan very consciously removed his outer garment and lay down: “Miss Li, we can begin.”

Qiao Zhao stared at Shao Mingyuan’s upper body for quite a while without saying anything.

Shao Mingyuan cleared his throat lightly and pointed to the bandages wrapped around his waist and abdomen to explain: “I accidentally injured myself while practicing martial arts…”

The corner of Qiao Zhao’s mouth twitched.

What kind of martial arts practice could injure the lower abdomen and require wrapping the entire waist and abdomen? Was this person stupid, or did he think she was stupid?

“Is that so?” Qiao Zhao raised her hand, and Shao Mingyuan instinctively reached out to protect his lower abdomen.

Miss Qiao glanced at him coolly, expressionlessly inserting the silver needles in her hand around his heart.

She had already felt it—hard as a rock and quite uncomfortable to touch. As if she cared!

After completing the acupuncture, Qiao Zhao didn’t even glance at Shao Mingyuan, poured a cup of hot water to hold in her palms, turned to sit sideways, and gazed out the window in a daze.

Shao Mingyuan couldn’t help but glance at the young woman so close to him.

He was certain that she was somewhat off today, completely different from her usual calm and confident demeanor.

Was it because of the deal with Jiang Tang?

As soon as this thought arose, Shao Mingyuan dismissed it, then thought of another possibility: it should be because of his brother-in-law.

But thinking of this point, Shao Mingyuan was puzzled again: Was Miss Li’s special attention to his brother-in-law only because of Physician Li’s instructions?

Shao Mingyuan’s gaze fell on Qiao Zhao’s neck, but he discovered that her clothing had a high collar, covering her slender neck completely.

“Miss Li, how is your injury?”

The young woman gazing out the window remained motionless.

Shao Mingyuan had to ask again: “Miss Li?”

Only then did Qiao Zhao seem to wake from a dream: “General Shao called me?”

“How is Miss Li’s injury?”

Qiao Zhao smiled: “It’s nothing serious now. It was just a minor scrape.”

Shao Mingyuan frowned: “Did Jiang Tang threaten you?”

Seeing Shao Mingyuan’s serious tone, Qiao Zhao didn’t want him to have a falling out with Jiang Tang, so she smiled and said: “I should be the one threatening him. General Shao needn’t worry about me—I won’t do anything I’m not confident about.”

Except when it came to acknowledging her identity to her elder brother.

She discovered that no matter when she revealed her identity to her elder brother, she had no confidence.

Because she cared too much, she couldn’t afford to lose.

Shao Mingyuan was momentarily lost in thought.

“I won’t do anything I’m not confident about.”

Such words coming from a young woman’s mouth, and her living up to them, made it hard not to view her with new respect.

In the short time they had known each other, he had seen her calmly and composedly solve problems, seen her seriously lecture him, and also seen her occasionally being slightly unreasonable yet impossible to dislike.

He thought that spending half a year in daily contact with such a young woman was indeed a very dangerous thing.

Both had their concerns, and for a while neither spoke again, leaving the room in complete silence.

After a good while, Qiao Zhao reached out to remove the silver needles one by one, stood up and said: “I’m going to see Elder Brother Qiao.”

No matter what, she could only face what she had to face, even if she was alone.

Shao Mingyuan put on his outer garment and got up: “I’ll have someone invite my brother-in-law over.”

“No need. Elder Brother Qiao didn’t rest well in prison and should be quite tired. I’ll go over myself. General Shao, please have someone show me the way.”

“I’ll take Miss Li there.” Shao Mingyuan efficiently fastened his plain white silk sash.

Qiao Zhao’s gaze couldn’t help but slide over.

Bandages wrapped inside, and a sash wrapped outside—wasn’t it hot?

Shao Mingyuan’s hand at his waist paused, and his face inexplicably grew warm.

He had already wrapped himself in bandages today, with nothing showing, so why was Miss Li still looking there?

“Miss Li, let’s go.” The young general dropped this sentence and strode outside with his long legs, walking out of the room and nearly to the moon gate before realizing no one was beside him. Turning back, he saw the young woman lifting her skirt and trotting toward him.

Qiao Zhao finally caught up and couldn’t help but chide: “General Shao is quite good at leading the way.”

If she had run any slower, she would have had to ask someone else to show her the way!

Shao Mingyuan smiled awkwardly: “Miss Li, please walk in front.”

What could he do? Whenever Miss Li looked there, all he had left was nervousness.

In Qiao Mo’s courtyard, Qiao Wan was holding his arm and talking: “Elder brother, where have you been these past few days?”

“Didn’t the Marquis tell you?” Qiao Mo didn’t know what Shao Mingyuan had told his younger sister, so he responded with a question that led her to reveal the truth.

Sure enough, the young lady confessed without being pressed: “He said a divine physician came to the capital, and you went to seek medical treatment.”