When Xue Shi sat down, his fury had yet to subside. He could not fathom how anyone could harbor such malice toward a young girl — what had she done wrong? She had only just come to live in Wu Jing.

Even if she had a sharp tongue and poor manner of speech, that was no reason for people to attack her in such a way. To curse her with the face of one fated to die young — what kind of decent person would say such a thing?

“This old man never imagined that these scholars would slander a child like a gossiping woman. I noticed two of them were wearing the uniforms of the Imperial Academy.” Xue Shi glanced sidelong at Su Junma beside him. “Su Bohong, if I recall correctly, your uncle on your family’s side serves as an official of the Imperial Academy? Is this the caliber of students the Imperial Academy produces these days? What use are such good-for-nothing wastrels to the nation? Every last one of them would sooner crawl into a woman’s skirts — they would do better to vacate their seats and let those who truly wish to study take their place.”

The Imperial Academy students who had risen to leave from the adjacent area heard this and flushed crimson with shame, quickening their steps considerably.

What foul language!

Su Junma hastily said, “I will certainly report this to my uncle and ensure that the Imperial Academy’s academic discipline and students’ moral conduct are strictly upheld.”

Xue Shi let out a cold snort. “Rumors are not to be believed, yet they don’t even realize it. And what nonsense about the Zhao Family harboring hatred for that child — utterly absurd.”

“Xue Shi is absolutely right. Whoever spread this talk is clearly targeting that child. She has only just returned to Wu Jing and has barely set foot outside her door. As for who she could have offended…” Shen Qinghe, always quick to feel emotions, grew more distressed with each word, his eyes reddening visibly. “It’s not that she offended no one — she did offend a County Princess, but that was the other party’s fault to begin with, and now they’re turning around and striking back. Truly hateful!”

Su Junma observed Shen Qinghe’s righteous indignation and reddening eyes, and blinked. Something was off — had Old Shen become overly soft-hearted lately? He was tearing up at the drop of a hat. Whatever happened to his old reputation as an iron-blooded man who shed blood but never tears?

Xue Shi also found Shen Qinghe peculiar, but what he said aligned perfectly with his own sentiments, so he said coldly, “It is nothing more than the underhanded schemes of women from the inner quarters, using slander and gossip to ruin a young girl.”

The two men suddenly exchanged a glance. How coincidental that they were both so indignant over the same matter — could it be that each of them had come to know her through that very same affair?

Their eyes confirmed it. Yes.

Both lifted their teacups and toasted each other across the table in silent understanding.

Su Junma found himself quite unable to follow the direction these two men were headed.

The three continued to converse. When the friend Xue Shi had been awaiting arrived, he bid the two farewell and moved to a separate private room to speak.

Only then did Shen Qinghe bring up the matter of the Lang Family’s young lord inheriting the title. To have it settled before the year’s end would naturally require enlisting the support of those who could speak on their behalf — such as the person before him now, who was the Emperor’s nephew by marriage.

Su Junma suddenly understood. “In the past, I never saw any particular connection between you, Old Shen, and the Marquis Kaiping’s household. Yet now I hear that you actually know the young lady who is at the center of these rumors? And because of her, you’re helping Lang Jiuchuan?”

He was now genuinely curious about Lang Jiuchuan. What kind of charm did this woman possess, that she could make both the incorruptible Judge Shen and the great scholar Xue Shi willing to argue on her behalf?

Truly curious!

Shen Qinghe cleared his throat lightly and said, “It was she who helped me from the middle — that matter involving the son of the Prince of Kangle — which enabled me to crack the case. I owe her a great debt of gratitude.”

Su Junma was quite astonished. “Is she not still under the coming-of-age ceremony age?”

“Indeed she is, but she will come of age after the new year turns. However, she is still in mourning, so it likely won’t be celebrated in grand fashion.” Shen Qinghe sighed. That girl, Lang Jiu, had truly been dealt an unfortunate hand — she had lost her father since childhood, and never knew a mother’s love. Now that her coming-of-age was approaching, she would not even have a grand ceremony to mark it. Aside from one’s wedding day, this was the most important occasion in a woman’s life.

Su Junma was thinking otherwise — if she had not yet come of age and had already rendered Shen Qinghe such a significant service, was that not an exaggeration?

Then he thought of Shen Qinghe’s eldest son, who had not yet been betrothed, and his gaze toward Shen Qinghe took on a rather meaningful quality. Was this old fox not here simply for the wine, but for something else entirely?

Shen Qinghe: “?”

What was that look supposed to mean?

“The Lang Family title will certainly be inherited — the only question is whether it will be reduced in rank starting from his generation, and that is harder to say.” Su Junma said. “After all, the Lang Family has no one who has rendered distinguished service recently. Inheriting the title smoothly would already be a fortunate outcome.”

Shen Qinghe sighed. “It is also because back then, the ninth young lady’s father — that is, the Lang Family’s second son, the late General Anbei — died too early. Otherwise, how would the Lang Family have come to this state?”

“That is why the education of sons and nephews must be strictly managed. Without successors to carry on, there will be a gap in capable talent, just as with the Lang Family.” Su Junma also sighed.

The two seemed to share a remarkably aligned perspective.

Su Junma took a sip of tea, then leaned in with an expression full of curiosity. “That girl helped you solve a case, but do you know what favor Xue Shi owes her? That old rigid fellow does have a habit of protecting those close to him, but I have never seen him protect a young girl before.”

Shen Qinghe said vaguely, “I’d like to know myself. Perhaps they simply found a kindred connection?”

Su Junma saw that he was not going to say more, and let out a soft scoff. Sly old fox.

Meanwhile, in another private room in the teahouse, Xue Shi looked at his old friend sitting before him with furrowed brows, and asked, “Why did you arrive so late? Did something happen? Is there anything I can help with?”

“Nothing too serious. I only just went to collect some information from Tongtian Pavilion.” Ou Luozhong said with a bitter smile. “As you know, my youngest daughter’s constitution… but you have never believed in such things, so let us not speak of it.”

Xue Shi’s heart gave a sudden jolt. He lowered his voice. “Are you speaking of the matter of the Lan girl being able to see malevolent spirits?”

Ou Luozhong was surprised. “You are actually bringing this up yourself?”

Had this old rigid fellow not spent every day with the saying ‘the gentleman does not speak of the strange, the mighty, the disordered, or the spiritual’ constantly on his lips?

Had he changed?

Xue Shi’s aged face flushed red, and he glared at him. “Just answer me — what has happened to the child?”

Ou Luozhong shook his head, his eyes reddening. “She can no longer leave the house now.”

Xue Shi was alarmed. “Is she ill? Or has she been possessed by a malevolent spirit?”

“Possessed yourself — my daughter carries a protective talisman given by the Xuan Clan. What wicked thing would dare possess her?” Ou Luozhong snapped.

“If the Xuan Clan were truly capable enough to help the Lan girl, you would not be wearing that expression.” Xue Shi said with cold disdain.

Ou Luozhong was furious but held his tongue, for Xue Shi had spoken the truth. The spiritual talismans obtained from the Xuan Clan only prevented malevolent spirits from drawing near — they could not free Lan’er entirely from these shadowy things. And after a period of time, they would lose their effectiveness. The Xuan Clan was difficult to deal with, and obtaining talismans required owing them favors. And because she dared not encounter those shadowy things, she had confined herself entirely to her room without stepping outside, until she had grown so thin and frail that she could barely rise from her bed.

His poor grown daughter, in the bloom of her youth, was withering away. It was as if someone were carving out this old father’s heart.

Xue Shi asked further, “Then what information did you go to Tongtian Pavilion to purchase? I have heard the information there is staggeringly expensive — did you get anything useful?”

Ou Luozhong said, “They claimed that today I would encounter someone who could save my daughter. So, Old Xue, I shall not keep you longer. We can meet again another day.”

He intended to walk from this teahouse all the way back to his residence to see exactly which distinguished person would be the one to save his daughter.

Xue Shi was momentarily stunned. Seeing that he meant to leave, he slapped his knee and exclaimed, “Old Ou! Tongtian Pavilion was not wrong — you really have encountered her!”