Ignoring everyone’s silence, Qiao Zhao was the first to walk out.

Shao Mingyuan pretended to cough calmly and said to Chi Can and the others: “Then I’ll go over first.”

After Shao Mingyuan left, Yang Houcheng secretly glanced at Chi Can.

Chi Can flew into an embarrassed rage: “Why are you looking at me?”

He grabbed his wine cup and tilted his head back to drain it. Because he drank too hastily, a burning sensation rushed up, making him cough involuntarily. He coughed so hard that tears came out.

Yang Houcheng muttered, “If you’re angry, just be angry. We don’t need to cry about it.”

“Shut up!” Chi Can was furious to the point of death, having the impulse to smash the wine cup in his hand into his friend’s face.

Staring at the open hall door, he smiled self-mockingly in his heart: Third Miss Li, you are a heartless girl.

Jiang Yuanchao similarly held his teacup for quite a while without recovering his composure.

Miss Li and the Marquis Guanjun – weren’t they getting a bit too close?

He shifted his gaze to Chi Can.

Chi Can’s expression had already returned to normal at this moment. He raised the wine cup in his hand: “Care for a drink?”

“Alright.” Jiang Yuanchao smiled slightly.

Qiao Zhao walked slowly ahead, with Shao Mingyuan catching up.

“Where to?” Qiao Zhao asked, turning her head.

“Let’s go to my room.” Having said this, Shao Mingyuan felt his ears burning even hotter.

Qiao Zhao nodded: “That’s fine.”

The two entered Shao Mingyuan’s room together. After the acupuncture, Shao Mingyuan quickly put on his clothes and said to Qiao Zhao, “Thank you, Miss Li. Please go rest for a while. I’ll go find Shixi and the others.”

“General Shao, I have something to say to you.”

“Uh…” Shao Mingyuan looked toward Ye Luo, standing at the door, and instructed: “Ye Luo, go guard outside the door. Don’t let anyone approach.”

Ye Luo silently closed the door properly.

The river was open and spacious, so even inside the room the light was excellent. Qiao Zhao could clearly see that the jade-white ears of the man opposite had taken on a red tinge.

Was he shy?

Qiao Zhao was somewhat puzzled.

He had undressed in front of her countless times – what was there to be shy about?

Qiao Zhao sat down and poured herself a cup of tea, assuming the posture for a long conversation: “After General Shao goes to Jia Feng to pay respects, what are your plans?”

“Miss Li will pass through Jia Feng on your way to the southern coast. I’d like to ask Miss Li to wait for me for two days. After I pay respects to my father-in-law’s family, I’ll accompany you south.”

“But I plan to stay in Jia Feng for some time.”

“Why is that?”

Qiao Zhao raised her eyes to meet Shao Mingyuan’s gaze: “I want to find the real culprit behind the Qiao family fire and make sure he gets the punishment he deserves.”

Whether it was the anti-pirate general Xing Wuyang who directly attacked the Qiao family, or someone related to him, was still unclear. Since the Emperor was unwilling to move against Xing Wuyang, and even more unwilling to move against Chief Minister Lanshan, they would start with the people around them, gradually cutting off their supporters.

Shao Mingyuan was silent for a moment before asking: “Does my brother-in-law know about Miss Li’s plan?”

“He knows.”

Shao Mingyuan gazed at the young lady before him, his eyes deep and intoxicating.

“Why are you looking at me like that, General Shao?”

Shao Mingyuan’s tone was sincere: “Because I’m somewhat puzzled why my brother-in-law would agree to let Miss Li do this.”

Although Miss Li wasn’t an ordinary girl and was his brother-in-law’s sworn sister, the Qiao family fire ultimately had nothing to do with her. Why would his brother-in-law let Miss Li take on this burden?

This wasn’t reasonable. If he were in his brother-in-law’s position, he would never involve an outsider girl in such matters.

Qiao Zhao’s eyes flickered slightly.

Shao Mingyuan was suspicious of her. But this person was quite straightforward – even his suspicions were laid out in the open.

Qiao Zhao didn’t plan to tell the man before her about her true identity, but she had to admit that she trusted this person.

Not because he had once been her husband, but because he was Shao Mingyuan.

“So that’s what General Shao found strange.” Qiao Zhao looked at him with a charming smile: “It’s because I pestered him relentlessly, so big brother had no choice but to agree.”

Pestered relentlessly?

Shao Mingyuan’s expression was peculiar. He never would have thought of such a reason. While finding it absurd in his heart, meeting the young lady’s obsidian-like eyes and the mischievous smile at the corners of her mouth, he became somewhat uncertain.

A sudden thought arose in the young general’s heart: if she were to plead with him like this, even for something quite unreasonable, he probably wouldn’t be able to help but agree, would he?

Qiao Zhao put away her smile and stared at the cup in her hands, asking softly: “General Shao knows why Grandfather Li passed away, right?”

Shao Mingyuan didn’t speak.

The answer to this question was obvious.

However, the young lady before him gave him a different answer: “Grandfather Li was killed by that fire.”

Mentioning Physician Li, a trace of sorrow flashed in Qiao Zhao’s eyes: “If there hadn’t been that fire, big brother wouldn’t have been disfigured, Grandfather Li wouldn’t have needed to go south to gather medicine, and then the old man wouldn’t have met with misfortune. Moreover, since I’ve acknowledged Big Brother as my sworn brother, his affairs are my affairs. I know Big Brother is in great pain and wants to bring the culprit to justice more than anyone else. So from every perspective, I won’t stand aside.”

“Miss Li.”

“Mm?”

“Your true purpose for this southern journey is this, isn’t it?”

Qiao Zhao didn’t hide it, nodding with a smile: “Yes.”

She looked seriously at the man before her: “So please lend me your assistance, General Shao.”

Shao Mingyuan shook his head.

Qiao Zhao pressed her lips together tightly, looking at him with confusion.

“Miss Li is mistaken. It’s not that I’m lending you assistance, but rather I should thank you for your help.” Shao Mingyuan smiled as he explained: “Finding the real culprit behind the Qiao family fire is something I should do.”

“Regardless of who’s helping whom, then we’re agreed?”

Shao Mingyuan nodded: “Yes, we’re agreed.”

Qiao Zhao revealed a bright smile: “I wonder where General Shao plans to start?”

Shao Mingyuan was somewhat hesitant about this question.

Miss Li was ultimately a girl – he was afraid of frightening her if he spoke frankly.

“General Shao?” The young lady’s voice was sweet, filled with urgency.

That trace of hesitation in his heart immediately dissipated, and he spoke honestly: “I plan to have a coroner exhume and examine the bodies.”

The four words “exhume and examine the bodies” instantly changed the young lady’s complexion.

Shao Mingyuan sighed inwardly and asked gently: “Did I frighten Miss Li?”

A teenage girl, when faced with such matters, how could she not be afraid?

Qiao Zhao certainly wasn’t frightened, but in that instant her heart ached as if being twisted by a knife.

She didn’t dare imagine what her parents and relatives looked like now, and even less dared to imagine their appearance after a coroner’s examination. Just thinking about it brought piercing pain.

But she had to admit this was a necessary step.

“General Shao, please continue.”

“I once asked Minister Kou about the investigation files of the Qiao family fire. Minister Kou said that when Chamberlain Li went to Jia Feng to investigate, he had already asked a coroner to examine them, concluding they died in the fire. However, through conversations with my brother-in-law, I want to have an experienced coroner examine them again—” Shao Mingyuan paused in his speech, “Miss Li, are you feeling unwell?”

Qiao Zhao smiled with a pale face: “I’m probably a bit seasick. General Shao, please continue.”