Chu Dingjiang hurriedly left after receiving a message.

Meanwhile, Sheng Changying, with nothing else to do, spent his days in Mo Sigui’s room. He had become an efficient “medicine boy,” brewing potions for everyone there.

His exceptional memory allowed him to accurately locate any of the hundreds of unmarked medicine boxes after Mo Sigui mentioned them just once.

The room was filled with a strong medicinal scent. Mo Sigui reclined on a couch, her face covered with herbal poultices, while Sheng Changying tended to over ten medicine stoves. He bustled about with a fan, sweat beading on his forehead, but his mind was at peace.

Seeing his enthusiasm, Mo Sigui couldn’t help but remark, “If you die one day, it’ll probably be from overwork.”

While fanning the stoves, Sheng Changying replied, “Dying from hard work is more comforting than dying from idleness. At first, I did this to survive, but now I think, in my one life – be it a hundred years or a few decades – I’ve accomplished what others might take two lifetimes to do. I find that particularly rewarding.”

Mo Sigui, adjusting the herbs on her face, got up from the couch and approached the rightmost stove. As she was about to add a pinch of Coptis chinensis, she heard Sheng Changying let out a long sigh.

“What’s troubling you?” Mo Sigui paused.

Sheng Changying said, “I was thinking about how Xuanren is such a good girl.”

Mo Sigui’s expression darkened. She pursed her lips and asked, “How so?”

“She’s pitiable, having lost her family and being left with a useless meridian. Life in Kongheyuan must be especially difficult for her! Seeing her struggle to survive, I empathize deeply,” Sheng Changying reminisced. “I too once lost everything. I entered Kongheyuan with Azhi, but he was soon picked up and taken away, leaving me alone. I slept in the woodshed for three or four years. Bianjing’s winters were several times colder than here, and I had only one cotton quilt. It was a gift from Azhi when he left. Once, I took it out to the sun, and when I returned in the evening, it was gone. I don’t know who took it. After that, I could only curl up in the firewood pile. With my useless meridian and no inner strength, I couldn’t withstand even the slightest cold. That’s when I developed all these ailments.”

Sheng Changying narrowed his slender eyes and slightly dampened the fire in one of the stoves. “I was useless in Kongheyuan. Once, when Asan, who swept the grounds, was distributing roasted sweet potatoes, I was young and couldn’t resist the temptation. I asked him for one and was mocked by a group of people. Before I became the storekeeper, I was often bullied. If someone gave me half a steamed bun, I’d remember that kindness for life. Divine Physician, whether to offer help in times of need or to add frost to snow is but a thought for you. For people like us, it’s an eternal grace.”

His meaningful gaze fell on Mo Sigui’s hand holding the Coptis chinensis.

After a moment of contemplation, Mo Sigui asked seriously, “Changying, have you ever sought revenge?”

Sheng Changying shook his head.

“Then I’m relieved,” Mo Sigui said, lifting the lid of the medicine pot and tossing in the Coptis chinensis without hesitation.

“Divine Physician,” Sheng Changying looked up and said, “Although Xuanren’s circumstances are similar to mine, I believe her character is quite different from mine.”

Mo Sigui paused, then smiled and said, “I understand her character. She doesn’t usually bother with trivial matters.”

Sheng Changying looked at him calmly. “I may not know Xuanren as well as you do, Divine Physician, but I understand Da Ren Chu better…”

Mo Sigui turned away. “Hmph! Let them come if they dare. Who’s afraid of whom?”

Sheng Changying wore an expression of “May you be blessed,” as he poured the finished medicine into bowls and called for servants to distribute them to various rooms.

“Wait!” Mo Sigui held back An Jiu’s bowl of medicine. “It’s not her who offended me anyway. Let’s brew a new bowl.”

Sheng Changying’s lips curled into a smile as he poured the medicine into a wooden basin and began selecting herbs anew.

At the Yu Mansion.

Chu Dingjiang sat in the place of honor in the warm pavilion. Yu Pianfei personally brewed a pot of tea for him. “Let this tea serve as wine. A toast to Brother Chu.”

“Cheers,” Chu Dingjiang said.

After draining his cup, Yu Pianfei said, “Thank you, Brother Chu, for your help in rescuing my sister and allowing the Yu family to acquire part of the Feng family’s assets.”

“Not everyone dares to pluck a flower growing on a cliff,” Chu Dingjiang smiled faintly. “Master Yu hasn’t disappointed me either.”

In this battle, the Feng family was the victim, but with the Third Master Qin Zheng away on a long voyage, the two Feng family heads were uneasy and quickly sold off several docks along the river. These docks were insignificant to the Feng family but combined with the Yu family’s existing two docks, they could control the throat of the Huainan East Route waterway. With Yu Pianfei in charge, the entire waterway would soon fall into the Yu family’s hands.

Yu Pianfei indeed had courage, risking the entire Yu family in this gamble.

He had won, but the Yu family had also offended the Piaomiao Mountain Villa. This was partly why Yu Pianfei had invited Chu Dingjiang. “We’ll need to rely on Brother Chu’s support in the future. If there’s anything you need, as long as the Yu family can manage it, we won’t refuse.”

Chu Dingjiang’s ability to deal such a heavy blow to the Piaomiao Mountain Villa, regardless of whether he had backing, demonstrated his formidable strength and made him a worthy ally. His presence indicated his willingness to cooperate, but since he had extended a hand to the Yu family, he must have demands.

“In that case, I’ll speak frankly,” Chu Dingjiang said, toying with the jade cup. “I want Zhu Pianzhan.”

Thud! Outside the door, the eavesdropping Zhu Pianzhan grimaced as she got up from the ground. Knowing her presence was exposed, she simply pushed the door open and entered, standing straight. “This lady is a Zhu family wife, no longer a Yu family daughter. How can the Yu family make decisions for me?”

Yu Pianfei remained composed, silent for a moment before speaking, “Brother Chu, my sister is already a fallen flower…”

Zhu Pianzhan rushed to his side like a gust of wind and slapped the back of his head hard. “You scoundrel! Is that how you speak of your sister? You’re the fallen flower!”

Yu Pianfei calmly rubbed the back of his head. “Brother Chu, your tastes are quite peculiar.”

“It’s not my preference,” Chu Dingjiang set down his teacup and looked at Zhu Pianzhan. “My companion admires Madame Zhu greatly. She doesn’t have many friends, so I hope Madame Zhu can return with us to Bianjing to keep her company and chat with her regularly. We won’t interfere with Madame Zhu’s other affairs.”

This was the first time Chu Dingjiang had seen An Jiu tease someone. She must have found it amusing, which was why he decided to bring Zhu Pianzhan back to Bianjing.

“I see…” Zhu Pianzhan immediately changed her demeanor, adopting a gentle manner reminiscent of their first meeting. “Since it’s such a long journey, this humble one needs to think it over carefully.”

Yu Pianfei held his head in his hands. His sister was truly giving him a headache! Had she forgotten that these two had bought her life from the Piaomiao Mountain Villa? How could she treat others’ lives so frivolously? Were such people easy to deal with?

“We’ll depart in seven days. Madame Zhu can take her time to consider,” Chu Dingjiang stood up and looked down slightly at Yu Pianfei. “If you have any news, leave a message at the Fulai Tavern.”

As Yu Pianfei rose to see him off, Chu Dingjiang’s figure had already vanished from the room.

He turned to see Zhu Pianzhan trying to sneak away and shouted, “Stop right there!”