Near noon, Wu Shan emerged from the prison, his face ashen, followed by Wang Qingchun’s family members supporting each other and crying.

“Dying like this is better than being sentenced and executed,” Wu Shan said irritably, turning back to speak quietly.

Only then did Wang Qingchun’s family reduce their crying.

“But you can’t blame my husband for this. The plague was bound to kill people anyway,” Wang Qingchun’s wife cried. “Look, he’s so sick now, he must have caught the plague… How can they still judge us guilty? They should compensate us!”

Wu Shan hurriedly interrupted her.

“Master’s wife, stop talking about this. The people at the Imperial Medical Academy aren’t fools—how could they not tell what disease he caught!” he whispered urgently.

It was good enough that nine generations weren’t executed—what compensation were they asking for? Did they really think the court ran a charity?

After sending away the long-winded Wang Qingchun family, Wu Shan frowned and sighed, feeling somewhat fortunate.

Fortunately, he had been assigned to manual labor at the medicinal storehouse back then and hadn’t had the chance to return home in glory with his master. Now it seemed this wasn’t returning home in glory—it was going to die!

Who would have expected to encounter a plague, and even more unexpected that that woman could actually prevent and treat the plague!

My heavens, was this woman really an immortal descended from heaven? How did everything go her way?

He hoped he would never encounter her again…

Wu Shan couldn’t help but clasp his hands and chant Buddha’s name, also making up his mind that no matter what, he wouldn’t return to Yongqing Prefecture. This way he wouldn’t meet that woman, right…

At this moment he was walking past a gold and silver shop when a carriage stopped. He was about to avoid it when he saw a woman lift the curtain and step down, looking up at the shop’s signboard.

In the sunlight, the woman’s skin was like jade, glowing with luster. A pearl earring by her ear made her even more radiant and captivating.

This profile alone was enough to mesmerize anyone.

Wu Shan was naturally mesmerized too, gasping.

“My mother,” he cried out involuntarily.

His words drew countless gazes.

A nearby idler laughingly responded, “Ay, my son.”

This caused another burst of laughter.

Qi Yue also turned to look, but before she could see clearly, the servant women came to support her and the second wife, blocking her view.

Wu Shan covered his face with his hands and turned his head away for a while. Feeling that the people nearby had passed and the carriage had been led away, he dared to carefully lower his hands. His forehead was already covered with a dense layer of sweat from fright.

He gasped for breath, carefully looking toward the gold and silver shop again.

That woman had already been led into a private room and nothing could be seen.

Qi Yue had originally planned to personally find an escort agency, but the second wife insisted on personally accompanying her shopping and touring. Qi Yue had no choice but to send Hu San and A’Ru, naturally also bringing two guards—those who practiced martial arts would have good judgment in selecting escort agencies.

“How about this collar?” Chen Shi picked up a golden silver collar and asked.

Qi Yue smiled.

“Aunt, I’m already in my twenties,” she said.

“Save it for your child to wear,” Chen Shi laughed, putting the collar aside and saying to the attending clerk, “Pack this one up too.”

Qi Yue looked at the several jewelry boxes already packed.

“Aunt, it won’t be too late to give them when I have children,” she laughed.

Chen Shi looked at her and smiled, seeming to have tears glistening.

At that time…

“I’ll give them when the time comes,” she said.

“I have money, and I have all these jewelry too. I haven’t even touched what the old madam left me,” Qi Yue said helplessly.

“Those were hers, these are mine,” Chen Shi said, selecting another gold-pendanted flat hairpin before reluctantly standing up.

Qi Yue breathed a sigh of relief.

Watching the shop clerks carry large and small boxes, with the jewelry shop manager personally seeing the two women to their carriage, he watched the carriage disappear before happily turning back.

Wu Shan, who had been hiding under the eaves nearby with his hat covering half his face, only then stood up and lowered his hat, revealing a horrified expression.

My mother… this woman… has come looking!

This was to eliminate all traces!

Wu Shan felt chilled to the bone, took to his heels and ran, stumbling and bumping, drawing a chorus of curses.

“Sir, sir, this is terrible…” He finally managed to be let in, and as soon as he entered the room, he prostrated himself and shouted.

Dong Lin sat at his desk, flipping through a book, not even glancing at him.

“I’ve said this is his own doing. Not only did he err first, but even if he hadn’t, things are settled now and can’t be overturned. So many officials up and down—overturning his case would affect a whole chain of people. No one would allow such a thing,” he said indifferently. “If he’s smart, he’ll end himself quickly to avoid implicating his family.”

Wu Shan nodded repeatedly.

“Yes, master won’t last much longer, just a matter of days,” he said.

Dong Lin grunted and continued reading.

“Sir, sir, but that woman has come,” Wu Shan raised his head and crawled forward a few steps on his knees, saying in a trembling voice.

“What?” Dong Lin glanced at him sideways, frowning.

“Qi Yueniang, Qi Yueniang has come!” Wu Shan shouted.

Qi Yueniang?

Dong Lin put down his book and leaned forward.

“She’s come? How could she come?” he asked in surprise, looking at Wu Shan’s terrified appearance. “Are you seeing things?”

“No,” Wu Shan said hurriedly. “At Shengxin Building, bought many things. If you don’t believe me, sir, go ask—it was just now.”

That woman actually came to the capital?

Dong Lin leaned back in his chair with some disbelief.

What was she here for?

“Just herself? Did Liu Pucheng come?” he leaned forward again to ask.

Wu Shan shook his head.

“I don’t know, sir. I only saw that woman and was scared to death…” he said tremblingly, his face still showing terror even now.

Dong Lin looked at him with some contempt.

“What do you have to be afraid of?” he frowned. “What about her? Is she a man-eating tiger?”

More formidable than a man-eating tiger! Look at what happened to master who offended her—even as an official, he was still cursed to death by her…

Looking at Wu Shan kneeling below, Dong Lin was annoyed.

“Enough, go down. Go take a good look, find where this woman is staying, and come tell me,” he said.

Ah, still had to go find this woman?

“Sir, what do you want with her?” Wu Shan asked tremblingly.

Dong Lin picked up his book again and straightened his clothes.

“What for? She’s no longer the young marchioness of Marquis Dingxi, but an ordinary citizen. She was close to senior brother and is half the master of Qianjin Hall, calling my senior brother ‘master.’ So since she’s come, naturally I, as her martial uncle, should take care of her,” he said indifferently.

The next day, Chen Shi went back to that home again. Qi Yue was able to meet with the escort agency manager that Hu San had found.

Qi Yue had no objections to the escort agency Hu San had selected. In the restaurant, she met with the agency’s manager, received the itinerary and pricing, paid a deposit, and the deal was basically done. After seeing off the escort agency people, Qi Yue had just gone downstairs when she encountered Fan Yilin, who was entering with several young gentlemen, talking and laughing.

“We meet again!” Fan Yilin was overjoyed and hurried to bow.

“The capital isn’t very big,” Qi Yue smiled.

Fan Yilin knew why he was so happy to see this Lady Qi. Her good looks were naturally one aspect, but importantly, she was very interesting to talk to.

Fan Yilin prided himself on having seen all kinds of women, but this was the first time he’d met someone like Lady Qi.

Cheerful without losing elegance, serene yet open and generous.

Especially her speech—Fan Yilin found it delightful to hear. She wouldn’t find his words annoying, but instead would say things that made him happy, as if she were a master of romance and he was a little maiden whose heart was blooming with joy…

“This is fate between the lady and me,” Fan Yilin said with beaming eyes.

The young gentlemen behind him immediately stepped back several paces, acting as if they didn’t know this person, lest this young lady become angry and they suffer collateral damage.

“Of course there’s fate—please give my regards to little aunt,” Qi Yue smiled and stepped forward.

Little aunt was naturally Fan Yilin’s wife, Wang Tongye’s younger daughter, Wang Qian’s little aunt. By seniority, it would be more appropriate for her to address Wang Qian this way.

She truly respected the Wang family from the bottom of her heart.

Fan Yilin hurriedly nodded in agreement. The young gentlemen behind him also returned to normal—so they were relatives, and she was a junior.

“The letter has been sent out. It will arrive in ten days at most,” Fan Yilin hurried to detain Qi Yue again, walking a few steps closer to speak quietly.

Qi Yue’s smile immediately bloomed. Not only was Fan Yilin stunned, but the others also stared straight.

Ah, this young lady looked even more beautiful when she smiled.

“Thank you very much,” Qi Yue said, curtsying slightly.

By the time Fan Yilin came to his senses, Qi Yue had already disappeared from sight, leaving him quite regretful. Before he could sigh, he was grabbed by four or five people.

“Who is she?”

“Where’s she from?”

“What’s your relationship?”

“How old is she?”

“Are you blind asking that? She’s obviously only seventeen or eighteen. Don’t waste words on trivial things…”

Fan Yilin finally struggled free from these people’s clutches and sat down with some smugness.

The fact that such a beauty was known only to me while you could only stare dry-eyed was truly one of life’s great pleasures.

Of course, Fan Yilin wasn’t stupid enough to show off about Qi Yue. No matter how much these people questioned him, he wouldn’t reveal half a piece of information about her.

These young masters stopped asking too, knowing she must be a Wang family relative—either a Wang family daughter or daughter-in-law. The group made sour jokes for a while before changing the topic.

Among them was a man around twenty who looked different from the others. Though he was talking and laughing, his expression was melancholy.

“Li Tong, your grandfather’s illness is still…” someone asked quietly.

“Still the same, no improvement,” Li Tong replied, drinking a cup of wine.

Everyone didn’t know what to say to comfort him, and the atmosphere became somewhat somber.

“Drink up, I’m fine. There are so many people at home, and I’m just a fourth branch bastard son—it’s not my turn to attend to him,” Li Tong laughed, urging everyone on. “I’ve already spoiled the mood at home, so don’t let me spoil yours too when I come out—that would be my sin. Who knows where I’ll end up, but it’s rare that you don’t despise me and are willing to play with me for so long…”

These words had no effect on livening the atmosphere and made it even more somber.

Li Tong was Elder Li’s grandson, but from the fourth branch and an unloved bastard son. With Elder Li, the family’s pillar, fallen, there would inevitably be changes in the family. For Li Tong, who had no status even when his grandfather was alive, once his grandfather died, he would have even less standing. Staying in the capital would mean living by looking at other brothers’ and elders’ faces, while going out to make his own way might lead to some achievement.

This wasn’t difficult for Fan Yilin and others, who also came from wealthy families, to understand, and they naturally comprehended his feelings.

Everyone hurried to speak words of comfort.

“If you could cure your grandfather, wouldn’t that be a great achievement?” Fan Yilin hesitated for a long time before speaking first.

This remark drew a chorus of eye-rolls.

“Go away,” everyone waved at him. Was this comfort? This was bringing up the very thing that shouldn’t be mentioned!

At other times everyone spoke without restraint and joked around without consequence, but joking at this moment was inappropriate.