As Tao Qizhong had anticipated, two burly men entered the room, one after the other.

The attendant struck swiftly, catching the man at the back off guard and knocking him unconscious. The front man turned at the sound, only to receive a punch to the face, groaning as he fell to the ground.

The attendant quickly hoisted Tao Qizhong onto his back and dashed outside.

The night sky was filled with stars.

Tao Qizhong’s eyes brimmed with tears.

“Sir,” the attendant said breathlessly, “it seems we are in the back garden of some wealthy household!”

“It must be the Dou residence!” Tao Qizhong replied, glancing back at the small stone building they had just escaped from.

The two small stone houses stood alone in the corner of the yard, looking neglected and cluttered as if they hadn’t been cleaned in years. They were gray and unremarkable.

“Very clever!” he murmured, unable to contain his admiration. “The safest places are often those that seem ordinary and go unnoticed!” He urged his attendant, “We must hurry to the nearest garrison!”

The attendant nodded, carrying Tao Qizhong as they jogged through a patch of withered flower beds.

Behind them, a commotion erupted.

“Quick! Stop them!”

The attendant stiffened at the sound and ran even faster.

Seven or eight figures rushed after them.

From the woods behind the stone houses emerged two men—one tall and robust, the other shorter and lean.

“Isn’t there a bit too many of them chasing?” the lean man remarked.

The moonlight illuminated their faces. One had a clear gaze and a refined demeanor; it was Chen Qushui, the man the burly one had mentioned would “return early tomorrow.” The other, strong and spirited, was none other than Duan Gongyi.

Duan Gongyi chuckled, “Rest assured, I’ve already given orders. Anyone who catches them will have a month’s salary deducted; anyone who doesn’t put in effort to chase will also lose a month’s pay.”

Chen Qushui found this amusing and asked, “So are you encouraging them to chase or not?”

Duan Gongyi laughed, “That’s for them to figure out!”

Chen Qushui shook his head.

The sudden marriage of Dou Zhao had caught them off guard. They had never anticipated that their trip to the capital would lead to settling there. Many matters had gone unaddressed, and after sending Dou Zhao off, Chen Qushui and Duan Gongyi had set out for Zhending.

Perhaps lacking Tao Qizhong’s urgency, they had left the capital before him but had fallen behind.

On the road, they received news that someone was inquiring about Dou Zhao. Upon hearing a description of the person, Chen Qushui immediately recognized Tao Qizhong, having met him a few times.

He planned to send someone to keep an eye on Tao Qizhong. Once they returned, they would invite him over to intimidate and entice him, making sure he understood Dou Zhao’s significance. Although Tao Qizhong would never ally with Dou Zhao or Song Mo, they wanted to ensure he would think twice before speaking ill of Dou Zhao in front of Duke Ying, clearing some obstacles for Dou Zhao to gain control over the household affairs of the Duke’s residence.

However, before he could discuss this thoroughly with Duan Gongyi, Duan had already rushed back, indignant, saying, “If the tiger doesn’t show its power, they might think we’re sick cats. I’m heading back to Zhending to find a way to keep that Tao fellow in check until you return to make a decision.”

With Duan Gongyi taking charge, Chen Qushui felt reassured.

But who would have thought…

With this thought, Chen Qushui couldn’t help but sigh.

It was his fault for not saying something earlier. Duan Gongyi had struck Tao Qizhong with a surprise blow and set a trap to scare him… But what was done was done; would he need to apologize to Tao Qizhong?

He consoled himself.

Perhaps this was for the best! As the saying goes, “When a scholar meets a soldier, reason cannot be made clear.” Maybe Duan Gongyi’s punch would be more effective than his words.

Still, this wasn’t Chen Qushui’s nature, and he sighed again.

The burly man who should have been knocked out in the stone house emerged, one hand clutching his back and the other covering his face.

“Duan Guard, Mr. Chen,” the two men grinned, showing their teeth as they greeted Duan Gongyi and Chen Qushui.

Duan Gongyi and Chen Qushui nodded in acknowledgment.

The pursuers returned one by one.

After exchanging pleasantries, someone suggested, “We should only send one person to follow from a distance. What if that Tao fellow gets scared and runs back home?”

One of the burly men slapped the speaker on the head and said, “Isn’t it obvious why the Fourth Miss always sends Uncle Duan? With your brain, it’s clear you’re not up to the task. If we scare him, he won’t be afraid of being silenced halfway, right? He’ll look for a safe place to hide—the safest place is the garrison. He’s just an aide, without the Duke’s name behind him. Who in the garrison would know him? If he goes there, those people will report him to Duke Ying to curry favor. Where could he possibly escape to?” He turned to Chen Qushui and asked, “Mr. Chen, do you think I’m right?”

Chen Qushui laughed heartily, “Absolutely!”

The earlier questioner couldn’t help but smile awkwardly.

The burly man leaned closer to Chen Qushui and Duan Gongyi, grinning, “Mr. Chen, Uncle Duan, I heard the Fourth Miss is taking some people to the capital. Do you think I would be suitable?”

Chen Qushui and Duan Gongyi exchanged surprised glances, then looked at the burly man in unison.

The burly man instinctively puffed out his chest, as if preparing for inspection.

Chen Qushui and Duan Gongyi couldn’t help but laugh.

“Have you thought this through?” Chen Qushui asked. “Once you go, you might have to settle in the capital. At the very least, you’ll be there for five or six months.”

“I’ve already thought it through,” the burly man replied. “My wife’s aunt and Tian Fugui’s wife, who is following the Fourth Miss, are from the same village. Tian Fugui has not only bought fifty acres of good land back home but has also built a big house with blue bricks and tiles… As soon as I heard the Fourth Miss was going to the capital, I told my family that if Mr. Chen and Uncle Duan think I’m suitable, I’ll pack my bags and leave without a second thought.”

Others chimed in, “Mr. Chen, Uncle Duan, we also want to go to the capital!”

Chen Qushui scanned the crowd and noticed that most of those speaking were young men who were not yet married.

He couldn’t help but smile slightly.

With Song Mo’s current unstable position, he needed this kind of passionate young blood.

“Alright!” Chen Qushui said with a grin. “If anyone else wants to go, just let Uncle Duan know, and I’ll discuss it with him later.”

Everyone rushed over to Duan Gongyi.

The person responsible for tracking Tao Qizhong returned.

“Mr. Chen, Uncle Duan, that Tao fellow has entered the Zhending garrison.”

Tao Qizhong and Duan Gongyi exchanged amused glances.

Just then, a young servant rushed over, panting.

“Mr. Chen, Mr. Chen,” he waved a letter in his hand, “Mr. Yan from the capital sent a letter to you, delivered with six hundred li of urgency!”

Chen Qushui’s expression changed slightly as he hurried forward to take the letter. Turning his back, he began to read. When he turned back around, his expression was quite peculiar.

Duan Gongyi couldn’t help but ask, “What happened?”

“Nothing major,” Chen Qushui replied, his expression growing even stranger. “He wants me to return to the capital immediately; he has something to discuss with me.” He then instructed the young servant, “Quick, saddle my horse. I’m heading back to the capital right now.” He pulled Duan Gongyi along, saying, “While I’m away, please take care of things at home with Xiaofeng. We need to discuss how to proceed and come up with a plan as soon as possible…”

Duan Gongyi was left puzzled. As he followed Chen Qushui to his study, he wondered why, if it wasn’t a big deal, Mr. Chen was so eager to rush back to the capital.

Meanwhile, Tao Qizhong, who had entered the Zhending garrison, was still shaken.

If the garrison clashed with local officials and gentry, it would be a serious matter, usually requiring higher authorities to intervene.

Tao Qizhong explained to the garrison commander that he was merely passing through Zhending when he encountered bandits who robbed him, losing his money and belongings and asked for help contacting Duke Ying to send someone to escort him back to the capital.

The garrison commander looked puzzled.

Zhending was a crucial route to Baoding, frequented by many wealthy merchants, high officials, and even royal relatives, and the area was known for its good order. How could there be bandits?

However, he was still unsure of Tao Qizhong’s identity. After a few polite exchanges, he offered to host a banquet to ease Tao Qizhong’s nerves.

Tao Qizhong could tell that the commander still doubted his identity and would not take the other’s hospitality seriously!

He politely declined.

The commander did not insist, exchanged a few more pleasantries, and had someone escort him to a guest room to rest.

Tao Qizhong found himself pacing in the guest room.

Now that his life was saved, how would he explain himself to Duke Ying?

Their luggage was still at the inn, and they didn’t even have a change of clothes. An attendant who had been sent to arrange for their belongings returned, brought in a food box.

“Mr. Tao, please eat something!” The attendant felt guilty for not protecting Tao Qizhong and, while setting the table, comforted him, “Once we return to Duke Ying’s residence, everything will be fine!”

Tao Qizhong sat cross-legged on the large kang by the window, staring blankly at the spread of dishes on the table.

This attendant had been with him for over a decade and knew his temperament well, so he dared not disturb him and poured a cup of hot tea for Tao Qizhong.

If only this marriage had not been his doing!

Tao Qizhong looked up, seeing the attendant’s worried expression.

A thought surged in his mind, and he hesitated.

The attendant, perceptive to his mood, proactively asked, “Sir, do you have any instructions?”

“Not exactly instructions,” Tao Qizhong pondered. “I was just thinking about the new daughter-in-law… If Duke Ying asks, how should we respond?”

The attendant, understanding the implications, replied, “I’m just a simple man, so I will follow your lead, sir.”

Tao Qizhong felt a bit more settled. “Regardless, the daughter-in-law has already entered the family, which concerns the Duke’s reputation… Some things absolutely cannot be spoken of, do you understand?”

“I understand,” the attendant said solemnly. “I won’t say a word.”

Tao Qizhong nodded.

By the time news reached Dou Zhao four days later, she couldn’t help but chuckle and ask Su Xin, “Do you know when Mr. Tao will return?”

Su Xin smiled and replied, “I’ve already had someone keep an eye out; he should be back in the next couple of days!”

Dou Zhao felt that while Duan Gongyi’s actions were a bit underhanded, given their respective positions, it was not entirely unjustifiable.