Though Jiang Shi was strong-willed, vain, and concerned with face, she was even better at reading people’s expressions.

Seeing her usually honest husband truly angered, though she had lost such tremendous face before the servants, she still forced herself to lower her head and enter the side room with Old Lady Guan.

Old Lady Guan breathed a sigh of relief and consoled her warmly: “Honest people do stubborn things. The child is missing—he’s just acting in anger. Don’t hold it against him. When that girl Jia is found, I’ll speak to the Old Ancestor of the Second Branch and have the Old Ancestor punish him severely!”

But what if that girl Jia couldn’t be found?

Jiang Shi grasped Old Lady Guan’s hand, crying and complaining: “Am I a stepmother or something? The daughter is his but not mine! I’m the one who carried her for ten grueling months and gave birth to her, who raised her this big through all the hardships. When something happens to our daughter, don’t I feel heartbroken? Don’t I feel grief? He’s not just slapping my face—he’s cutting out my heart!”

Old Madam Li inside the inner room heard this, and her dissatisfaction shot to its highest point.

She lacked ability, so she handed the household over to Jiang Shi to manage, and she was happy to have the leisure.

Jiang Shi said she would find someone accomplished for that girl Jia, someone who could let her wear the phoenix crown and ceremonial robes. She thought her own experience was limited, so she let Jiang Shi handle Jia’s marriage!

But what had Jiang Shi done?

She drove that girl Jia until she couldn’t stay at home, crying and begging her to bring her to Ganquan Temple to relax.

Wasn’t it just because her own family’s grandnephew had taken a fancy to that girl Jia?

When a family has a daughter, a hundred families seek her.

Not only was that girl Jia beautiful, but her temperament was good too. Wasn’t it perfectly normal for her own family’s grandnephew to find her appealing?

But Jiang Shi had to make such a fuss that it caused resentment from heaven and unrest in the household.

When all was said and done, she just looked down on the Li family for being merchants.

What was wrong with being merchants?

When the old master was alive, if not for her own family brothers’ support and assistance, could the Third Branch’s business have grown this large? Could the Third Branch be this wealthy? Could they earn extra regard from the Second Branch and First Branch? Could Jiang Shi eat well and drink well?

Old Madam Li felt she wasn’t looking down on the Li family—she was looking down on her as the mother-in-law.

This was truly a case of good horses being ridden by others, good people being bullied!

Old Madam Li was displeased. Sitting on the bed, she said coldly: “She’s your daughter, true enough. But since ancient times, ‘failing to teach a son is the father’s fault, failing to teach a daughter is the mother’s fault.’ Master Shi is magnanimous and generous—who doesn’t give him a thumbs up and call him ‘good’ when he goes out? What? The master can’t say anything to you?”

Jiang Shi sucked in a cold breath.

She hadn’t expected her dough-like mother-in-law to suddenly become assertive. She especially hadn’t expected her mother-in-law to accuse her of failing to properly teach her daughter and contradicting Cheng Lu… If this went any deeper, divorcing her was even possible.

She trembled all over with anger, but she knew this wasn’t the time to defend herself.

That girl Jia hadn’t been found yet.

If nothing was wrong, that would be fine, but if something happened, every word and action of hers right now would be her crime.

She could only lower her head and enter the inner room to apologize to Old Madam Li.

Old Madam Li began crying again.

Her girl Jia hadn’t left with Li Jing. So where had she gone? If she was abducted and her reputation ruined, what would they do?

Old Lady Guan watched the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law fight this round, their faces flushed, and deeply felt she shouldn’t have meddled in this matter. But it was too late to withdraw now, so she could only patiently console Old Madam Li and then console Jiang Shi.

Cheng Lu listened to Grandmother Guo’s handling of this matter at her quarters, thanked her repeatedly, and only then came to see his mother.

Old Madam Li inevitably criticized Jiang Shi thoroughly, saying if Jiang Shi hadn’t driven Cheng Jia until she couldn’t have peace at home, how would they have come to Ganquan Temple? If they hadn’t come to Ganquan Temple, how could Cheng Jia have been abducted?

Jiang Shi didn’t say a single word in her defense, but cried like a person made of tears.

After all, they were husband and wife married young. Cheng Lu found it somewhat unbearable to watch.

With his mother on one side and his wife on the other, he was on pins and needles, wrong either way.

He could only muddle through in the middle. As the sky had already darkened, lanterns were lit at Ganquan Temple, and Cheng Jia still had no trace, Cheng Lu began growing impatient. He didn’t want to hear his mother complain or watch Jiang Shi weep. He simply found an excuse and went to Grandmother Guo’s quarters.

Grandmother Guo’s side was quite peaceful.

Zhou Shaojin sat by the bed reading scriptures to the dozing Grandmother Guo.

Her soft voice was sweet and mellow as wine, her peaceful expression serene and composed.

Cheng Lu shook his head secretly.

Both were young ladies. Cheng Jia couldn’t sit still for a moment, yet the Zhou family’s second daughter was gentle and tranquil… If his daughter could be like the Zhou family’s second daughter, she wouldn’t have gone missing!

Thinking this, the words Old Madam Li said earlier floated into his mind, making him somewhat dissatisfied with Jiang Shi’s forcefulness regarding their daughter’s marriage.

Zhou Shaojin, seeing Cheng Lu arrive, obediently withdrew to the side room.

Cheng Lu sat down and analyzed the situation with Grandmother Guo for a long time without reaching any conclusion. Cheng Lu couldn’t help saying: “If only Cousin Chi were home! I’d have someone to help me!”

But Grandmother Guo had no intention of letting her son get involved in this matter.

“Exactly!” She sighed. “The only problem is he left too hastily—even if I sent someone to deliver a message to him, they couldn’t catch up.”

Cheng Lu also sighed.

Grandmother Guo then said: “It’s getting late. We’ve tried every method we could think of. That girl Jia looks blessed—she’ll surely turn misfortune into fortune. Don’t worry too much. Right now everyone below is watching us. We people can’t collapse. Let’s have our meal first! After the servants eat, they can serve with peace of mind.”

Cheng Lu had long run out of ideas and said respectfully: “Everything is at Great Aunt’s command.”

Grandmother Guo had the meal served.

Everyone ate dinner in silence.

Steward Bai came in and quietly told Grandmother Guo: “The person still hasn’t been found!”

By this time, the second watch had already been struck.

Grandmother Guo instead calmed down, saying impassively like a mountain: “If alive, I want to see the person; if dead, I want to see the corpse. Reward each person one tael of silver. Continue searching!”

Steward Bai lowered his head in acknowledgment and withdrew.

Everyone just watched helplessly as the sky grew darker bit by bit.

Zhou Shaojin brewed fresh tea for Grandmother Guo and said warmly: “You should rest a while! I’ll keep watch here. If anything happens, I’ll call you! If you collapse, what will Cousin Jia do?”

She felt that relying on the several people from the Third Branch probably wouldn’t work.

Grandmother Guo also understood this principle. She let Zhou Shaojin attend to her as she rested.

Zhou Shaojin divided the people serving Grandmother Guo into two teams—one team accompanied her to wait, while the other went to rest first.

Through the long night, whenever Zhou Shaojin thought about how Cheng Jia might suffer humiliation like she had in her previous life, she felt afraid.

If retribution truly existed in this world, it should fall on Cheng Lu.

How could something happen to Cheng Jia?

Zhou Shaojin couldn’t understand.

She missed Cheng Chi even more.

If Uncle Chi were here, he would surely give her an answer.

Zhou Shaojin hugged herself.

Biyu, waiting nearby, quickly said: “Second Miss Biao, I’ll go get you a cloak.”

“No need,” Zhou Shaojin said. “I’m just worried about Cousin Jia…”

Biyu turned her face away with tears in her eyes.

A commotion arose outside, along with the brightness of torches.

Zhou Shaojin stood up abruptly.

Biyu didn’t even need her instruction and strode outside: “Second Miss Biao, I’ll go see what happened!”

Zhou Shaojin nodded.

The courtyard gate was pushed open, and a servant woman called out loudly: “Miss Jia is found! Miss Jia is found!”

Zhou Shaojin wept with joy, lifting her skirt and running out.

Indistinct male figures stood at a distance. Steward Bai held a lantern, accompanying two sturdy women carrying a door plank.

Cui Huan supported the door plank, her appearance disheveled, while Cheng Jia lying on the plank had loose, disheveled hair and a face like gold paper.

“What happened?” Zhou Shaojin looked up.

Steward Bai quickly said: “Found in the back mountain. She was bitten by something unknown and has been unconscious for nearly an hour. We’ve already sent for a physician. Master Shi Hui will also come shortly.”

Since she was bitten in Ganquan Temple’s back mountain, Master Shi Hui might know what medicine could treat it.

Zhou Shaojin nodded. Without caring about propriety, she took Cheng Jia’s hand and protected her as they walked inside.

But at the entrance, a crowd of people surged forward, completely surrounding Cheng Jia, crying out “my child” and “my girl Jia,” squeezing Zhou Shaojin to the side.

Zhou Shaojin released her hand, watching as Old Madam Li and others clustered around Cheng Jia into the side room, then went to report the good news to Grandmother Guo.

Grandmother Guo leaned against the large pillow in silence for a moment, then said: “As long as the person is alright and found, that’s good! There should be about an hour until dawn. You’re tired too—go sleep quickly! Tomorrow morning will be the hard battle.”

Indeed!

With the person found, why did Cheng Jia run to the back mountain? Did that maid Cui Huan know or not? What exactly bit her? Was her life in danger? These were the key questions!

Zhou Shaojin smiled and nodded, returning to her own room.

She thought she wouldn’t be able to sleep, but unexpectedly, she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. It was only when Chun Wan came to call her that she woke up.

Chun Wan told her: “Master Shi Hui suspects Miss Jia was bitten by a small insect unique to Ganquan Temple’s back mountain and gave her medicine. Miss Jia woke up once at dawn and has fallen asleep again. Master Shi Hui says that since Miss Jia could wake up, she’ll be fine. After two more doses of medicine, she’ll completely recover. Cui Huan refuses to say anything. She was locked in the woodshed, and they say they’ll find a slave trader to sell her off…” At this point, she shivered.

Zhou Shaojin had already vaguely anticipated this.

Though Cui Huan had been disrespectful to her in her previous life, she was utterly loyal to Cheng Jia.

Just like in her previous life, Fan Liushi was a wicked servant to the Cheng family but a savior to her.

The Third Branch wanting to sell her off should at least wait until Cheng Jia woke up.

She quietly instructed Chun Wan: “Go tell Ma Fushan’s wife that if the Cheng family intends to sell her, have him buy Cui Huan first.”

In families like theirs, head maids were more respectable than young ladies from ordinary families. As both were head maids serving young ladies, seeing Cui Huan fall to such an end, Chun Wan couldn’t help but feel sympathetic. Hearing this, she was overjoyed and quickly had someone relay the message to Ma Fushan’s wife.

At noon, they gave Cheng Jia another bowl of medicine.

After drinking the medicine, she continued in drowsy unconsciousness.

When they gave her medicine in the evening, Cheng Jia finally woke.

Though somewhat confused, she still had a conscience—her first words asked about Cui Huan.

Not immediately selling Cui Huan off was precisely to prevent Cheng Jia from being overcome with rage upon waking.

Old Madam Li had someone bring Cui Huan before Cheng Jia.

Cheng Jia saw the properly dressed Cui Huan, smiled, then fell back into drowsy sleep.

Old Madam Li and the others breathed a sigh of relief.

A young maid came to report: “Young Master Li has arrived!”

Young Master Li was Li Jing.