Shi Guang had grown accustomed to her cold indifference and detachment, so naturally he had not expected her to give him a warm reception.

“I just wanted to see if there was anything you needed.”

“I am feeling a little unwell. Have my maid go out and buy medicine for me,” Yan Qing said. “I would not feel at ease sending anyone else.”

Shi Guang immediately asked with concern, “What is the matter? Where does it hurt?”

Facing his gaze, Yan Qing simply looked away, her voice dropping lower. “It is a certain kind of illness. You do not need to know about it.”

Shi Guang was momentarily taken aback. Noticing a faint flush on her cheeks, he said, “Very well.”

Yan Qing had not expected him to agree so readily, and a look of surprise flashed involuntarily across her face.

“Am I really so harsh? That when you fall ill I would not even let you take medicine?” Shi Guang said with a laugh. “Is that the image you have of me — that I am heartless and utterly wicked?”

Yan Qing gave a cold laugh. “Are you not?”

“I know you have your misgivings about me, but it does not matter. Given time, you will come to understand me.”

Shi Guang’s gaze fell to the shoes on her feet. “Go back inside. How can you come out wearing only thin-soled shoes?”

He waved his hand toward the squad leader standing behind him. “You and Jing Zhi go and buy the medicine. Jing Zhi is the young mistress’s most capable maid — you are not to make things difficult for her.”

“Yes, Second Young Master,” the squad leader said, casting a wary look at Jing Zhi.

Jing Zhi understood that Shi Guang would never allow her to go alone to buy the medicine. This Squad Leader An would certainly keep a close watch on her.

Even so, this was a rare opportunity to venture outside.

Jing Zhi glanced at Yan Qing, and Yan Qing said, “I will write out a list of medicines for you.”

Shortly afterward, Yan Qing produced a slip of paper and held it out to Jing Zhi — but before it could reach Jing Zhi’s hands, Shi Guang had already taken it.

“Though you are a physician, there are certain medicines that should not be taken carelessly,” he said matter-of-factly.

He scanned the list. Seeing only the names of a few common herbs with nothing unusual, he handed it to Jing Zhi.

Jing Zhi received it, carefully folded it, and tucked it into her pocket.

Just as she had expected, Squad Leader An followed her every step of the way, his eyes practically glued to her.

“Where are you going to buy the medicine?” Squad Leader An asked.

“Naturally, to our young mistress’s own pharmacy,” Jing Zhi replied.

“Your mistress has a pharmacy?” Squad Leader An was curious.

“Of course. And it is a chain pharmacy at that.” Jing Zhi pointed ahead. “Right there — that is the main branch.”

“So this pharmacy belongs to your mistress. It is quite well-known.” Squad Leader An paused, then said with a suspicious air, “Do not try any tricks. The Second Young Master made an exception letting you out to buy medicine. If you dare pull any stunts, I will not be easy on you.”

“What tricks could I possibly pull? You have been watching me every second without pause. If you still let me get away with something, that is a failure on your part, not mine.”

“Sharp tongue, little maid. Move it,” Squad Leader An said, narrowing his eyes in warning.

Jing Zhi paid him no mind and walked straight into the pharmacy.

She had come and gone with Yan Qing so often that the staff all recognized her. When they saw her enter, everyone assumed Yan Qing had sent her over.

And so, very quickly, one of the assistants went to inform Manager Lu Shi.

When Lu Shi came out, he saw only Jing Zhi — Yan Qing was nowhere in sight. To make matters more puzzling, there was a man standing beside Jing Zhi, looking around the moment he stepped through the door, his expression conspicuously guarded.

Lu Shi had already heard about what was happening at the Shi household. Though the official story claimed that a spy had been uncovered inside the Shi Mansion, Shi Guang had openly raised the banner of avenging his father and launched an assault against Shi Ting. Shun Cheng was rife with conflict, and clashes between the two factions had been breaking out without stop.

And so at this moment, the Shi Mansion was not being protected — it was being placed under house arrest. After all, everyone inside had close ties to Shi Ting.

“Manager Lu, our young mistress wishes to purchase these medicines.” Jing Zhi passed him the list, while Squad Leader An’s eyes darted back and forth between Jing Zhi and Lu Shi.

Lu Shi took the list, glanced at it, and handed it back to Jing Zhi. As he turned to pull medicines from the densely packed shelves, he said, “Your mistress is suffering from blood deficiency. Let me add one more herb for her.”

“Thank you, Manager Lu,” Jing Zhi quickly replied.

Lu Shi gathered all the medicines, and the assistant beside him deftly wrapped the packet with practiced hands.

Jing Zhi accepted it and thanked him again.

“Let’s go,” said Squad Leader An, anxious that lingering might cause trouble, and hurried her along.

Lu Shi gave Jing Zhi a nod; Jing Zhi smiled back, then turned and followed Squad Leader An out the door.

The moment the two of them left, Lu Shi hurried back to his office. He picked up a sheet of paper from his desk and carefully copied out the prescription Yan Qing had written.

Each medicine Yan Qing had listed had its own “nickname,” and when he strung those nicknames together, they formed a sentence: Qiao is in trouble!

Lu Shi knew that Yan Qing and Qiao Yiran, eldest daughter of the Qiao family, were close friends. This “Qiao is in trouble” most likely referred to the Qiao family.

And so, after burning the note, Lu Shi set off immediately for the newspaper office.

The newspaper office at that hour was in a state of frenzied chaos. The political situation was volatile, and with it came widespread hardship — the common people were living day to day under the shadow of imminent warfare.

Qiao Yiran was told that someone had come to see her, and she came downstairs at once.

She did not recognize Lu Shi. When she saw him, she paused for a moment, her mind instinctively sifting through everything she knew, searching for any connection to this stranger.

“Miss Qiao, may I have a word in private,” Lu Shi said, his voice quiet, his expression composed.

Qiao Yiran led him to a meeting room off to one side. Lu Shi’s appearance was such that it was difficult to feel on guard around him, and besides, this was the newspaper office — people were coming and going all the time. Even if he meant harm, she had nothing to fear.

“Miss Qiao, I am here on behalf of Miss Yan Qing.”

“Yan Qing?” Qiao Yiran was visibly moved. “Is she free to move about now?”

“She is still inside the Shi Mansion. She found a way to pass word through her maid.” Lu Shi said, “She says the Qiao family is in trouble.”

“The Qiao family is in trouble?” Qiao Yiran murmured to herself.

“She was not able to say specifically why — she is most likely under surveillance right now, and there are things she cannot easily convey.” Lu Shi said, “Miss Qiao, I have delivered the message. I will take my leave now.”

“Safe travels,” Qiao Yiran said politely with a nod. “Thank you.”

After Lu Shi departed, Qiao Yiran stood gazing out the window, lost in thought.

She should have seen this coming. Shi Guang now wanted to rebel, and to do that, he needed substantial funds — which meant the wealth accumulated over generations by their family would naturally catch his eye.

Zuo Liang had two of the maps in his possession, and the last map was in the hands of the Qiao family. Shi Guang would certainly try to wrest it away from them.

The moment this thought struck Qiao Yiran, she turned and left the newspaper office without a second glance.

For now, Shi Guang had not yet made a move against the Qiao family — because he simply had not had the time to spare.

~

“Go into hiding?” Old Master Qiao was stunned by what Qiao Yiran told him. “But where would we go?”

“Shi Guang wants the map. He will not let the Qiao family be,” Qiao Yiran said with grave seriousness. “If we stay here, we will be at his mercy.”

“But there are so many people in this household — where could we possibly hide?” Old Master Qiao could tell without needing further explanation that the situation was dire.

In the past, Shi Ting had been here in Shun Cheng to keep Shi Guang in check. But now that Shi Ting was gone, and Shi Guang had raised troops in the name of avenging their father, even if the Qiao Mansion were razed to the ground, no one would bother with a family as small as theirs.

“Yiran, where do you think we should go? Getting out of the city is out of the question now — there are soldiers everywhere.” Old Master Qiao said anxiously. “And our household has so many mouths to feed. We cannot abandon your uncles’ families either.”

“Shi Guang wants the map. He is not interested in your brothers’ families — his only targets are Father and the two older brothers.” Qiao Yiran said. “The only person I can think of to turn to is Long Yunxiao of the Long Yun Brotherhood.”

“The Brotherhood?”

“Yan Qing and Long Yunxiao are on good terms personally. At this point, we have no choice but to swallow our pride and ask him for help.”

“Will he help us?”

“We have to at least try.” Qiao Yiran said. “We will not ask Long to help for nothing.”

“That goes without saying.” Matters had come to this, and Old Master Qiao could think of no better sanctuary. He had little choice but to follow Qiao Yiran’s arrangements.

When Qiao Yiran found Long Yunxiao, she was surprised to find that he agreed almost immediately.

“I do happen to have a reliable hideout, but it is underground — I am afraid your family will have to endure living in a damp and cold environment for some time.”

Qiao Yiran expressed her gratitude. “Thank you, Long. As long as we can survive this ordeal, no conditions are too difficult.”

She placed a small chest on the table. “Long, this is a token of goodwill from our family. I know it may be beneath your notice, but please accept it.”

Long Yunxiao’s gaze swept across the chest. He did not need to open it to sense how valuable its contents were.

The Qiao family was enormously wealthy, and in coming to ask for Long Yunxiao’s help, they had surely prepared to pay a heavy price. What was inside very likely amounted to half the family’s fortune.

“Miss Qiao, there is no need for such formalities.”

“Long, you are saving our family’s lives. This small gesture is nothing in comparison.” Qiao Yiran bowed to Long Yunxiao once more. “Please, you must accept it.”

Long Yunxiao thought for a moment, then finally gave a nod. “In that case, I humbly accept.”

He had someone take the chest away. Qiao Yiran immediately let out a breath of visible relief.

The Qiao family now cared only for their lives — money was nothing more than an earthly possession. She had been bold enough to come to Long Yunxiao on such short notice, and had already overstepped herself in doing so. If Long Yunxiao had refused to accept the money, she would have felt deeply uneasy even if he still offered them shelter.

“Miss Qiao, go home and prepare. I will send someone back with you.”

Qiao Yiran thanked Long Yunxiao again, and as she left, her mood was noticeably lighter.

She knew that Long Yunxiao had helped her purely as a favor to Yan Qing. Even if the chest held half of the Qiao family’s fortune, he would not truly take it to heart.

Shi Ting had originally said he would retrieve the other two maps and help the Qiao family recover their assets. But now that war had broken out without warning, who could say whether those two maps could ever be found again.

*

Hmm, the author switched to a different symbol today — why? Could it carry some other meaning? Could it be hinting at something? Could it have something to do with human nature and morality?

Author’s note: The key on my keyboard that types the “money symbol” has fallen off…