Everyone except Sui Yunzhu waited outside the room. An Jiu and Zhu Pianpian crouched by the stove, boiling water.

The silver needles had been removed from Zhu Pianpian’s body. Her spiritual energy now surpassed her previous levels, allowing her to detect even insects crawling in the grass outside. However, this energy depleted several times faster than before.

“Aren’t you returning to the capital?” An Jiu asked.

Zhu Pianpian replied, “The shop manager handles things in the capital. There’s usually nothing for me to do, and we have no new merchandise.”

Meihua Village wasn’t far from Bianjing. When they didn’t need to produce new goods, they communicated via carrier pigeons.

An Jiu sighed, “It’s rare to see you part with money!”

“I’ve always viewed wealth as dirt!” Zhu Pianpian dusted off her hands and glanced at An Jiu. “You don’t understand me. For someone like me who earns money like flowing water, it’s hardly precious.”

Zhu Pianpian excelled at making money but wasn’t adept at managing assets. She would reinvest all ten taels if she earned ten, starting new ventures instead of saving a portion like most people.

An Jiu looked at her round face and suddenly thought of Yu Pianfei. “Hasn’t your brother come to see you?”

“Him?” Zhu Pianpian grew pensive for a moment before waving her hand dismissively. “What’s there to say about him? There’s so much interesting gossip in Bianjing lately! The most intriguing is that the second young master of the Hua family is getting married.”

“The second young master of the Hua family? Hua Rongjian?” An Jiu was surprised. They had been drinking together recently, and she hadn’t heard about any wedding plans.

“Yes.” Zhu Pianpian’s gossip fire blazed, unstoppable even by a great wave. “I heard that Minister Hua requested the Emperor to arrange the marriage. The Emperor chose a bride from an ordinary family named An Shun.”

Zhu Pianpian nudged An Jiu with her elbow. “What an auspicious name, don’t you think?”

“A Shun…” An Jiu murmured. “Could it be her?”

“Who?” Zhu Pianpian’s interest was piqued. “Do you know An Shun?”

“No, I don’t,” An Jiu dismissed her cluttered thoughts, thinking she should congratulate Hua Rongjian, whom she considered a friend. But as her mind wandered back to the name An Shun, a fiery red figure abruptly appeared in her mind.

Was it Mei Ruyan?

It couldn’t be such a coincidence, could it? Besides, Mei Ruyan was devoted to Mr. Mo, seemingly prepared to remain unmarried for life. She wouldn’t marry someone else.

Inside the room, Mo Sigui’s progress in removing the gu worm was fairly smooth. However, using his true qi to locate the worm had exhausted him, forcing him to use golden needles to temporarily immobilize it.

After resting for an hour, he continued the extraction. The gu worm, startled by Mo Sigui’s true qi earlier, had been forced towards the skin by medicine. However, this clever worm chose to settle in the neck.

The neck contained many vital arteries; one wrong move could cause Mei Yanran to bleed to death. Mo Sigui surmised that the worm intended to enter the brain but, overwhelmed by the medicine’s potency, had fainted in the neck.

“Playing games with me!” Mo Sigui heated his knife over the fire, seething. “I’ll cut you into a thousand pieces!”

Outside, night had fallen.

Zhu Pianpian received a carrier pigeon message. She sat on the stone steps, legs crossed, humming a tune as she opened it.

Just then, Sheng Changying passed by carrying water. Startled, Zhu Pianpian jumped up, accidentally dropping the newly opened letter. The wind carried it to An Jiu’s feet.

Ignoring the fallen letter, Zhu Pianpian stood gracefully, gazing shyly at Sheng Changying. “Brother Sheng,” she called softly.

Sheng Changying’s face reddened to his ears. “Miss Zhu.”

An Jiu clicked her tongue. These two had already slept together, so why such shyness?

As An Jiu bent to pick up the letter, the thought of “sleeping together” prompted her to observe their behavior closely, planning to use these insights when she next saw Chu Dingjiang.

Meanwhile, Zhu Pianpian had ascended the steps, lifting her skirt slightly. Her movements were perfectly calculated, revealing just a glimpse of her lotus feet without appearing frivolous. The subtle, inadvertent exposure was truly alluring.

An Jiu looked down at her own small feet, plainly visible beneath her tight clothing.

“You must be tired. You’re sweating,” Zhu Pianpian said, producing a fragrant handkerchief. She gently wiped his brow and neck, her actions seemingly attentive yet somewhat provocative.

An Jiu was bewildered. Sweating was normal in summer, wasn’t it? She felt her own body and pulled out a black face cloth, imagining pressing it against Chu Dingjiang’s face…

“I’m not tired,” Sheng Changying finally eased into the situation. Though still shy, his gaze towards Zhu Pianpian was naturally tender.

An Jiu inhaled sharply, eyes widening. Was it really that simple?

“Such a big bucket of water,” Zhu Pianpian remarked, her eyes falling on the red marks on his hands. She reached out to gently stroke them, her voice full of concern. “They’re all red.”

An Jiu noticed that Zhu Pianpian’s hand was half-hidden in her sleeve, only her fingertips visible, like spring onions. She caressed his hand slowly and gently.

Sheng Changying immediately grew flustered as Zhu Pianpian continued to stroke his hand, eventually reaching his palm.

“Miss Zhu…” Sheng Changying’s voice was low and urgent. Seeming to gather great courage, he suddenly grasped Zhu Pianpian’s fingers.

An Jiu watched, forgetting to breathe.

But upon touching her soft hand, Sheng Changying recoiled as if burned. His face flushed deeply. “Miss Zhu, I… I…”

An Jiu had known Sheng Changying for some time. Every time she saw him, he had dark circles under his eyes, looking half-dead. When had he ever appeared so spirited?

Zhu Pianpian then took his hand, seemingly oblivious to his embarrassment. “Brother Sheng, does it hurt? Let me blow on it for you,” she said anxiously.

She raised his hand to her lips and gently blew, her lips almost touching his skin.

“Pianpian…” Sheng Changying gripped her hand tightly.

My, my! They were on a first-name basis now! An Jiu clutched the face cloth and letter, watching with great interest.

Despite An Jiu’s high spiritual energy making her easy to overlook, her intense gaze caught Sheng Changying’s attention. He quickly withdrew his hand.

“Don’t mind me, carry on! I have things to do!” An Jiu said, swiftly departing, proud of her perceptiveness.

An Jiu ran to a rockery and noticed she had crumpled the letter. She spread it out on a flat stone to smooth it.

Inadvertently, she saw the letter’s contents, which detailed “A Shun’s” identity.

It was Mei Ruyan!

She had followed them from Yangzhou to Bianjing. An Jiu had ignored her before, but who knew she would join the Konghe Army and be betrothed to Hua Rongjian!

An Jiu had also served in the Konghe Army. Even with Chu Dingjiang’s support, her progress had been slow. If Mei Ruyan had truly left Wei Yuzi, she couldn’t have entered the Emperor’s circle so quickly on her own.

Wei Yuzi served Liao. This meant there must be a Liao spy among the Konghe Army’s high-ranking officials who had secretly promoted Mei Ruyan.

Such deliberate actions suggested Mei Ruyan had ulterior motives.

This won’t do! I must tell Hua Rongjian, An Jiu thought.

She took a few steps forward before stopping, remembering Mei Yanran.