Tie Ci stood frozen in place, unsure whether this was a coincidence or one of Feiyu’s romantic gestures.

However, since she had specifically called her to look, it was naturally meant for her.

She also didn’t know how Feiyu had learned the meaning of making a heart with her hands—perhaps Second Senior Brother had explained it to her.

Star flowers scattered from the flower canopy, and Feiyu stood among them, ethereal and graceful like a fairy.

In the distance, Xiao Jing and the others craned their necks like geese, gazing up in fascination, yet she only smiled at Tie Ci.

Tie Ci also began to smile slowly, and the burning pain in her finger seemed to ease considerably.

Xiao Wenliu rushed over, lifting her finger to examine it, her voice carrying a sob: “Your hand… your hand… Thank you for saving me…”

Tie Ci turned to look at her, her expression complex.

She truly hadn’t expected Xiao Wenliu to rush forward to save her at that moment.

Of course, Xiao Wenliu didn’t know it was molten iron at the time—everything was an instinctive reaction. But precisely because it was instinctive, it was all the more precious.

Tie Ci didn’t have a compassionate heart; those born into the imperial family weren’t allowed such luxury. Just as she had earlier felt that the younger generation of the Xiao family weren’t all detestable and had experienced faint pity—that was only due to her master’s long influence, giving her initial respect for life. But this didn’t prevent her from continuing to pay homage to heads rolling all over the ground after her moment of pity.

Deep in her bones, she remained a self-defender who feared neither blood nor death.

She withdrew her hand, saying coolly: “It’s nothing. Consider it repayment for Miss Xiao’s earlier protection.”

After speaking, she looked at the several iron flower performers and spectators who had been restrained. Those people looked panicked and insisted they knew nothing about what had just happened—they were merely performing iron flowers and watching the show. Wasn’t the furnace overturned by your own people?

When questioned about Second Senior Brother, he said coldly: “I saw that the fighting arena over there was full of inferior breeds. They stuck fancy feathers on them and oiled them to pass as famous varieties, then fed those chickens and crickets some unknown drugs. On stage they fought like mad warriors, off stage they immediately collapsed dead stiff. Then those drugged chickens could be sent to the neighboring tavern, plucked and slaughtered for customers to eat. What a completely profitable business. I just don’t know who those chicken-eaters will turn to when they go home and go mad later. So I smashed that fighting arena, and those people actually dared to chase me. Under Great Qian’s rule, is there truly no law?”

As soon as he said this, the onlookers’ faces changed. Naturally there were also people from taverns and gambling houses around, who immediately cried out in protest. The troupe leader of the Sheng Yu Troupe stepped forward and said: “One matter is one matter. If this is how you tell it, then your own people overturned the furnace. Even if we trace it to its source, we need only ask those from the tavern and gambling house who chased you. What are you doing with my people?”

At this moment, a group of constables arrived, shouting from afar for everyone to disperse. Drawing near, the leader listened to everyone’s accounts, pointed at those being restrained, and said: “Since it has nothing to do with these people, release them!”

Then pointing at Second Senior Brother, he said: “You ran around recklessly, overturned the furnace, and nearly injured someone. Considering it was unintentional, we won’t pursue the matter further. Take out one hundred taels of silver to compensate the victim for medical treatment!”

Second Senior Brother said with a cold face: “What about those who chased me? Those who cheated and deceived people? You’re not dealing with them?”

“The Sheng Yi Tavern and Tianping House have been operating here for ten years. If there really were such things as you describe, how could they have remained safe and sound until today?” The constable sneered, pointing his staff toward the gambling house and tavern. “If you’re not satisfied, come with us to take another look. If you can produce evidence, we’ll naturally arrest people. If you can’t produce evidence, then you lot,” he pointed at Tie Ci and Feiyu as well, “gathering to cause trouble and beating innocents—you’ll all go to jail!”

Tie Ci had remained silent throughout, watching with a smile, understanding in her heart that if they went to look for evidence now, they naturally wouldn’t find any.

If they truly had such methods, they would naturally be extremely secretive. How could Second Senior Brother have happened to see them?

This was a trap from the beginning—letting Second Senior Brother see that setup, provoking him to act, then chasing and driving him away, luring him to step on the furnace. Meanwhile, there were their people in the crowd who, taking advantage of the surging masses, pushed and shoved their group toward the furnace. Once something happened, it would merely be their own people harming their own people, unrelated to anyone else.

She hadn’t originally been certain which faction was moving against them, but as soon as she saw the constables appear, she understood.

This was Xiao family territory, and the government was also the Xiao family’s government. The attitude of the official intervention was the Xiao family’s attitude.

To seek proof now would only trap them in deeper mud and give the other party better excuses to deal with them.

The Xiao family, was it…

Scheming to have her attack herself?

Then it would be rude not to reciprocate.

She suddenly hissed and her face went pale.

Sure enough, Xiao Wenliu looked over with concern, and seeing her complexion, felt both heartbroken and angry.

Feiyu promptly supported Tie Ci, saying softly: “Forget it. We’re outsiders, and with the government’s attitude, if we insist on confronting them, we won’t get anywhere good. Let’s hurry and find a doctor to bandage the wound. Look at your hand—you can see the bone.”

Tie Ci said: “Clearly those people were sneaky and schemed against my senior brother. Look, they’re laughing!”

Feiyu advised: “A strong dragon cannot suppress a local snake. Let’s make peace.”

Xiao Wenliu wanted to speak but held back.

Tie Ci sighed and said: “I just feel indignant. How dangerous it was—Miss Xiao nearly lost her life!”

Feiyu: “Didn’t Miss Xiao turn out fine? As long as no one was hurt, just bow your head and it’ll pass.”

Xiao Wenliu’s face slowly flushed red.

Tie Ci said: “Senior Brother, you should pay the money.”

Second Senior Brother: “Why should I pay? I won’t…” Before he finished speaking, Feiyu viciously pinched his waist flesh from behind, twisting once, then again. Second Senior Brother cried “Ow!” then said, “…I can’t not pay!”

With a cold face, he reluctantly pulled out a hundred-tael banknote and handed it to the constable. The constable took the money, and seeing that everyone was being reasonable, nodded with a stern face, casually handing the banknote to the tavern owner beside him. The tavern owner accepted the banknote with a triumphant smile, waved it, and said: “I’ll spare you!”

He was satisfied, but the gambling house owner next to him wasn’t having it. Seeing that the crowd could be bullied, he shouted loudly: “Our gambling house also has losses! Why don’t you compensate me! Our property was damaged, our reputation harmed, and several chickens and crickets died. You must pay two hundred taels!”

As soon as he started shouting, those who had been restrained also became unruly. The iron flower performer also raised his head and yelled: “They injured me too, they must compensate me!”

“Pay up!”

Several gambling house thugs rushed forward. In the pushing and shoving crowd, somehow Tie Ci stepped back and her wound was bumped, making her cry out in pain.

Suddenly a figure darted out and slapped the gambling house owner who was charging at the front. The crisp, loud slap rang out.

All around suddenly fell silent.

The constable looked carefully at the person who had rushed out, and his expression changed drastically.

The gambling house owner was still dazed, covering his face. Without thinking, he was about to retaliate when someone said: “Stop.”

The constable had already bowed deeply: “Eleventh Young Master.”

He bowed even deeper with another salute: “Ninth Miss.”

The one who had rushed out to hit someone was Xiao Wenliu, and the one who had quickly come out to protect Xiao Wenliu was Xiao Jing.

Xiao Wenliu, her face flushed, pointed at the gambling house owner: “Pushing for more and more, going too far!”

Then pointing at those who had been restrained, she said: “Making underhanded moves to harm people, yet you dare demand compensation here. Who indulged your arrogance! The government won’t investigate, is that it? Take them back, I’ll investigate! I want to ask who pushed me toward that furnace earlier, and who drove people to overturn the furnace to burn me to death!”

When she was in danger earlier, Xiao Jing and the others were on the other side and hadn’t seen that scene. Hearing this now, they couldn’t help but change color.

The group of constables also panicked. They had received arrangements from someone in the Xiao family to handle the matter this way, but they hadn’t expected that Ninth Miss, who held the highest position among the Xiao family’s younger generation, would step forward saying she was the victim. This wasn’t something that could be handled with favoritism or glossed over.

One constable whispered to his superior: “This doesn’t look right. Could it be the Xiao family having internal strife? When immortals fight, little devils suffer—we can’t wade into these murky waters!”

The constable captain nodded and made a quick decision: “Since Miss Xiao has been disturbed, let Miss Xiao handle it herself.” He retrieved the hundred taels from the tavern owner and returned it to Second Senior Brother, then left with his men without another word.

Tie Ci observed coldly, gaining a clearer understanding of the Xiao family’s power in this place. Such matters should be brought to court for proper handling, not dealt with through private punishment. Yet with one word from Xiao Wenliu, whatever she wanted could be done.

Xiao Wenliu felt she had been wronged and stood there with great authority giving orders: “This one, this one, and this one—tie them all up! Send them back to the old residence and ask Fourth Great-Uncle to help me deal with them! Tell Fourth Great-Uncle that these people tried to kill me, and no matter what, I must have an explanation!”

Her attendants naturally obeyed. Xiao Wenliu was about to point at the gambling house and tavern owners when Xiao Jing quietly tugged her sleeve and whispered: “Those are our family’s businesses… family reputation…”

“How embarrassing…” Xiao Wenliu muttered, “But I still have to tell Fourth Great-Uncle! Our family has always had a good reputation! Don’t let these people ruin our face!”

After glaring at the two trembling men, she turned to Tie Ci with a radiant smile: “Let’s go to the medical clinic!”

Tie Ci smiled as she watched those people being led away by her attendants, noticing someone hurriedly coming downstairs from a distant tavern and leaving, very satisfied with how events were developing.

The Xiao family was said to be very united, but she didn’t believe that a great clan could truly be as solid as iron.

If she hadn’t guessed wrong, today’s iron flower incident should be related to that unlucky Eighth Master Xiao.

Let the Xiao family people deal with their own.

Whether it was the second branch of the Xiao family harboring resentment toward Assistant Minister Xiao from now on, or conflicts intensifying with Fourth Master Xiao, both were things she was happy to see.

The group went to the medical clinic, also called the Medicine Dispensary. The resident physician at the Xiao family’s Medicine Dispensary was extremely attentive. Tie Ci’s finger injury was serious—when the molten iron splashed over, she had to touch something solid to use her restoration ability, and the iron liquid was scalding hot. Even just a bit at the edge had burned her skin and flesh to char, with white bone visible.

Tie Ci herself wasn’t particularly concerned, but Xiao Wenliu kept gasping at the sight, tears in her eyes, circling around her like a puppy, repeatedly instructing the doctor to bandage carefully. She forced the doctor to wrap Tie Ci’s finger in layer after layer, turning it into something like a club.

When they finished and came out, next door was an orphanage. Xiao Wenliu looked at it longingly but very sensibly suggested they should return early to rest. Seeing her puppy-like expression, Tie Ci smiled and patted her head, saying gently: “Since we’re right here, let’s go in and take a look.”

Xiao Wenliu’s eyes immediately brightened. She grabbed Tie Ci’s sleeve and said softly: “Brother Ye, you’re so good!”

Feiyu beside them shot a sinister glance over.

Tie Ci smiled and withdrew her sleeve. Realizing she had impulsively given a head pat and fearing it might cause misunderstandings, she said gently: “Miss Xiao, you’re almost of age. As an outside man, I must be respectful toward you.”

Xiao Wenliu said with an innocent expression: “But I really do see you as a brother.”

Tie Ci was stunned.

Her male disguise was exceptionally outstanding, and attracting admirers was common. She was used to women occasionally falling for her, and had assumed this beloved eldest daughter of the Xiao family was the same, attracted by her appearance. She hadn’t expected her heart to be so pure, untouched by romantic feelings.

Xiao Wenliu counted on her fingers: “In the past, I most admired my Uncle Xueya and also liked Seventh Brother and Eleventh Brother, but Uncle Xueya is too cold, Seventh Brother too simple, and Eleventh Brother too soft—each had something that didn’t suit my heart. Only today, meeting Brother Ye, did I know there could be someone in this world both proud-spirited and gentle and understanding. The moment I saw you, I felt happy. No matter who you are, no matter what you’re like, this must be what they call affinity.”

Tie Ci’s heart stirred slightly.

She turned to look at Xiao Wenliu.

She hadn’t expected the Xiao family to have such a crystal-pure person.

Surrounded by pearls and jewels, cherished and protected in every way, never experiencing wind and rain, never stained by worldly dust—only such conditions could create such pure white heaven and earth.

What good fortune indeed.

These years in the palace, constantly beaten by her great-aunt every few days, though Tie Ci’s expression remained unmoved, in her heart she had long regarded the Xiao family as a great enemy. When the day came for sword cuts and horse trampling, she would show no mercy.

Therefore she didn’t mind being false and agreeable with the Xiao family.

However, killing people was acceptable, and acting was acceptable, but trampling on sincere hearts—that was better avoided.

Therefore, faced with this earnest confession, she merely smiled faintly, said “How can I compare to your brothers?” and walked away.

Since this was a spontaneous decision, when they stepped into the neighboring orphanage, they were stopped.

The gatekeeper looked suspicious and tried to dismiss them with “We don’t receive outside visitors.” Xiao Wenliu was about to reveal her identity but was stopped by Tie Ci.

She smiled and said: “We’ve come from far away. Hearing there’s an orphanage here, we want to adopt a child.”

The gatekeeper looked her up and down, then at the men and women beside her, pointing at her and Feiyu: “You two are young—are you afraid you can’t have children? Why adopt some brat who didn’t crawl out of your own belly so early? Go on, go back and diligently cultivate!”

Tie Ci was confused, not understanding why, among all the possible male-female combinations present, he had specifically pointed at her and Feiyu. Could it be that the two of them looked like husband and wife?

Over there, Feiyu was already beaming with joy. She stepped forward, took Tie Ci’s sleeve, and said coquettishly: “Since that’s the case, husband, let’s hurry back home and cultivate!”