Shi Ting made a show of pondering this for a moment, then said with great solemnity: “Then let me hazard a guess.”

He toyed with her soft little hand and murmured close to her ear: “Xu Shiyong and the Yang sisters did not actually have that disease. My lady used some kind of substance to make them believe they had fallen ill.”

Yan Qing had known she couldn’t hide it from him, so she smiled and said: “Dihuai mixed an allergen into Xu Shiyong’s opium, causing his entire body to break out in red rashes. Then he arranged for Xu Shiyong to overhear a particular conversation—one that naturally concerned Yangliu and Yangzhi. Since Xu Shiyong had piled up enormous debts from gambling and opium and had no way to repay them, and since he also knew that Yangliu and Yangzhi were employed at the Marshal’s Mansion, he decided there was no turning back and came looking for them here, intending to extort money.”

Yan Qing made it sound simple, but in truth each step had been carefully orchestrated through Dihuai’s meticulous luring and guidance. Only through all of this had Xu Shiyong taken the bait and willingly served as their instrument.

“As for Yangliu and Yangzhi—all it took was sprinkling an allergen onto their bedding to give them a rash all over their bodies. This kind of disease makes everyone recoil in fear of contagion. No one would think to examine them closely, and even a real doctor called in would reach the same conclusion.”

Shi Ting watched her lips moving as she spoke, a smile slowly spreading across his face. Unable to help himself, he bent down and captured her lips in a long, savoring kiss.

As for him spontaneously kissing her at the slightest pretext, Yan Qing had grown accustomed to it. And as for the fact that she invariably responded without thinking—well, she had grown accustomed to that too.

The long, lingering kiss quickened both their heartbeats, and the air around them seemed to rise by several degrees.

He raised one long finger and gently tapped the moist curve of her lips. “Now that those bothersome flies are gone, is my lady pleased?”

After today’s events, Madam Shi would not so easily place anyone else in his courtyard again. And even if she wished to, she would have to get past the Marshal and the Old Madam first. With this scheme, Yan Qing had achieved a lasting solution in one stroke.

“The Marshal said he wants a doctor to examine you,” Yan Qing said, deliberately teasing him.

In the eyes of outsiders, those two maids had been graceful, talented, and attractive—presented as household servants on the surface, but in truth placed there to amuse the master of the house.

In a grand household like this, every maid dreamed of catching the master’s eye and rising in status. Even if the master made no move himself, maids would scramble to find ways to insinuate themselves into his favor. Once they earned his affection, they might be elevated to the rank of concubine. Within the Shi Mansion, Qiu Cao was the object of everyone’s admiration and imitation.

Qiu Cao, of lowly maid origins, had won the favor of Second Young Master Shi Guang before he had even taken a wife, and he had elevated her to the rank of concubine. When Shi Guang eventually assumed command, Qiu Cao’s standing would be little different from the other concubines in this household.

And so Yan Qing had deliberately arranged for Yangliu and Yangzhi to serve as personal attendants—precisely to create that impression in the eyes of the outside world. Even if no one knew for certain whether the Yang sisters had ever been intimate with the master of the house, the mere thought of such women living in close proximity to him would cause others to find the situation unsavory and view Madam Shi’s actions with even greater disapproval.

Shi Ting drew close to her face, warm breath enveloping her. “Then perhaps… my lady should examine me first. This husband of yours is really quite frightened.”

Yan Qing laughed and scolded him for being indecent, yet still couldn’t help wrapping her arms around his lean waist. “Tell me—do you think Madam will suspect it was me?”

“Even if she does, what can she do? I trust my lady has left no evidence for her to find.”

From beginning to end, Dihuai had never once appeared directly. Everything had been done through the hands of others to stoke Xu Shiyong into action. Even if Madam Shi investigated Xu Shiyong, there was no possible trail leading back to Yan Qing. And Yan Qing’s conduct today had given Madam Shi nothing to find fault with. Even if Madam Shi knew in her heart that Yan Qing was behind it, she could produce no concrete evidence and would have no way to touch her.

“If my lady ever became my opponent, she would be rather difficult to deal with,” Shi Ting said with a sigh. “Which is why I must keep my lady close and well-cultivated.”

“How do you intend to cultivate me?” Yan Qing looked up at him from within the circle of his arms, her eyes like clear pools.

The arm around her waist tightened, and a deep, burning darkness surfaced in his gaze. “Why not make my lady unable to be without me in that particular way—forever? How does that sound?”

Yan Qing: “……”

This man who descended into impropriety every three sentences was absolutely not the dignified Director Shi.

“I need to go and decoct Mother’s medicine.” Yan Qing hastily extricated herself from his embrace.

He immediately caught her hand. “I’ll go with you.”

In the small kitchen, Yan Qing placed the medicine pot on the stove and fanned the flames gently with a small hand-fan.

“Let me do that.” Shi Ting took the fan from her hand. “I’ve never once decocted medicine for Mother. You, as her daughter-in-law, have done far better than I have.”

Yan Qing shook her head. “I cannot cure Mother’s heart condition. This is the only thing I can do.”

“You’re a forensic doctor, not a miracle worker. There’s no need to reproach yourself.” Shi Ting understood: the reason Yan Qing attended so carefully to Luo Huaimeng’s every need was because of him. She didn’t want him to be caught in the middle, and so she worked diligently to win Luo Huaimeng over. She was not a proud person, but he had never seen her work so hard to please anyone—only when it concerned him would she set aside her pride and dignity and lower herself to the very dust.

“Why do you keep staring at me?” Yan Qing felt the heat of those two burning eyes and looked up with a soft murmur.

He suddenly leaned over the small stove and pressed his lips to her forehead. “Thank you, my lady.”

“Kindness without purpose is never without motive,” Yan Qing said with a smile, looking up at him.

“If you weren’t currently decocting medicine, you would already be in my—” He felt that the only way he could express his gratitude and love in this moment was to press her into himself with all his strength.

Yan Qing raised the fan in his hand and held it between them. “There you go again talking nonsense.”

Shi Ting smiled and nuzzled against her cheek. “These days I’ve been so busy I haven’t had time to keep you company. I’ve let my lady feel lonely.”

Otherwise he would have taken these matters on himself—why should he let her exhaust herself scheming and planning alone?

“Shi Ting, do you know what a honeymoon is?”

“A honeymoon? What is that?”

Yan Qing propped her chin in her hand, her expression wistful and yearning. “Newlyweds go on a trip together after the wedding to enjoy time just for the two of them. That’s called a honeymoon.”

Shi Ting clasped her hand. “If this becomes a custom, my lady should have told me sooner.”

“It’s not really a custom—I only thought of it on a whim.” She pointed at the small stove. “Fan it quickly—the flame is dying down.”

Shi Ting heard her and immediately began waving the fan.

Once the medicine was ready, Shi Ting said: “I’ll come with you.”

Yan Qing knew he wanted to lend her his presence as support. Her heart warmed. “All right.”

Because Shi Ting had come as well, Luo Huaimeng did not again turn Yan Qing away at the door—though her eyes did not fall on Yan Qing either. She only instructed Chunxiu to bring tea.

Shi Ting sat down and inquired after Luo Huaimeng’s health. Before Luo Huaimeng could speak, Chunxiu at her side could not resist saying: “Ever since the Seventh Young Master provided the new prescription, Er Yitai’s health has been improving day by day. And now that the weather has been warm these past few days, I’ve even accompanied Er Yitai on walks through the bamboo grove in the back.”

Luo Huaimeng’s illness had always required quiet recuperation—ordinarily she was virtually housebound. The time she had knelt in the rain had worsened her condition, and after recovering she had been even more reluctant to go outside.

Hearing that Luo Huaimeng could now walk in the bamboo grove, Shi Ting was naturally pleased. He glanced at Yan Qing without drawing notice, his eyes full of gratitude.

Yan Qing was at that moment spearing a small piece of preserved fruit with a pick, and Luo Huaimeng—having finished her medicine—did not refuse it. She opened her mouth and ate it.

The method Yan Qing used to make the preserved fruit had been taught to her by her second aunt. Prepared this way, the preserved fruit was sweet without being cloying, light and refreshing on the palate. She often brought batches of her finished preserved fruit to share with colleagues at the office, always to warm reception.

At this moment, Jing Zhi spoke softly from the doorway: “Young Mistress, Murong says Erdan has run off and asks you to come back and look.”

Yan Qing knew Erdan had most likely wandered off in playful mischief and wouldn’t have gone far—but the Shi Mansion was large, with no shortage of water in various places, and she still worried something might happen to it.

“You go on. I’ll sit here with Mother a little longer.” Shi Ting gently patted the back of her hand and said softly.

Yan Qing bid farewell to Luo Huaimeng with a bow and hurried away.

Once Yan Qing had left, Shi Ting said: “Mother, do you know who gave me the prescription you’ve been taking each day?”

“Wasn’t it a doctor friend of yours?” Luo Huaimeng had never questioned this before. Now that Shi Ting raised it again, her voice paused involuntarily. “Could it be…”

“The prescription was written for me by Yan Qing before she had even married into this house. She searched through many ancient medical texts before she arrived at the formula. For safety, she also brought it to my doctor friend for review. Only after he confirmed it was suitable did I switch Mother to this prescription.”

Luo Huaimeng’s heart became complicated with feeling. She picked up the teacup on the table and raised it to her lips.

“I feared Mother might refuse to use it if she knew, and so I never told you the truth until now.”

Luo Huaimeng let out a soft hum. “Now you tell me—and you’re not afraid I’ll refuse to drink it anymore?”

“The medicine these past days has all been personally decocted by Yan Qing. When she cannot find the time, she carefully instructs her maids. Mother may underestimate what goes into decocting medicine. How long each herb must be soaked, how long it must be simmered—these things must all be precisely observed. Throwing all the herbs into the pot at once is certainly more convenient, but many herbs cannot reach their full potency that way. In order to get the most from every ingredient, Yan Qing took this task on herself and has attended to each step personally.”

Luo Huaimeng had known that Yan Qing came daily to deliver medicine, but had not known that even the decocting had been done by her own hand.

Decocting medicine—wasn’t that the work of kitchen maids?

A young mistress had absolutely no need to do such a thing herself.

Seeing Luo Huaimeng’s expression beginning to soften, Shi Ting said gently: “Whatever portion of Yan Qing’s care for Mother may be on account of me—Mother should feel glad of it nonetheless. In this world, those who think wholeheartedly of nothing but your son’s wellbeing: beyond yourself, there is now one more.”

Long after Shi Ting had taken his leave, Luo Huaimeng was still turning over that sentence in her mind: “In this world, those who think wholeheartedly of nothing but your son’s wellbeing—there is now one more.”

She had endured so much humiliation and hardship—and in the end, had it not all been for her son? Even Yan Qing understood enough not to put Shi Ting in a difficult position. Why, then, had she herself been so unyielding?

—