Lin Yuchan couldn’t understand how this young man, who had seemed decent in Shanghai with his modern ways and apparent respect for women, had revealed his true nature upon returning to Beijing, wallowing in the three great mountains left by his ancestors and refusing to emerge!

If he truly had “love turned to hate” and used his power to give her some trouble, she could accept that. But from his tone, he had planned to let her suffer a bit, then come to comfort and help her, bring quilts and clothes, use money to pull strings, and fish her out, expecting some kind of “true love revealed through adversity”!

It was only because his father had tricked him and things got out of hand, making him realize that Miss Lin had truly committed a serious offense that couldn’t be easily resolved, that he regretted letting something slip and allowed Lin Yuchan to force the truth out of him—that he had dug this pit for her.

Otherwise, with his “fearless defiance of power” and “breaking through family obstacles” to visit her in prison, she might have been moved.

In modern times, there were plenty of brain-dead boys who, to pursue girls, would arrange for their buddies to play thugs so they could “heroically save the beauty” at the crucial moment, hoping to win the girl’s heart.

In dramas and novels throughout history, they also loved depicting lofty “goddesses” who didn’t know how to treasure what they had, only suddenly repenting and throwing themselves into their backup’s arms when they fell from grace and had nothing left.

Many modern writers also wrote wish-fulfillment novels where the male lead takes a fancy to the female lead, then schemes to trip her up, creating opportunities for them to be together in difficult circumstances—those with good writing could even make it sweet.

But encountering such boys in modern times would at most cause some unpleasantness for girls; reading such novels, you could just close them and be done.

But encountering an ancient domineering CEO who thought he had the male lead script—that was life-threatening!

Only when the plot was applied to herself did she discover that when you encountered it, you could only want to curse every minute.

Baoliang was still babbling something, but Lin Yuchan didn’t listen to any of it. Seeing she wasn’t going crazy anymore, the women finally released her.

She suddenly looked up and said seriously:

“Fine, since you’ve already confessed that you wanted me to suffer a bit before cooperating with your father’s scheme, then please go to the Ministry of Justice and testify for me so they can close the case, and I won’t blame you.”

She spoke politely, though Lin Yuchan wished she had a gun to point at his head while going to the Ministry of Justice.

Baoliang protected his face with both hands to avoid another beating and righteously refuted: “You’re wrong! I didn’t want you to suffer this much! It’s because the Empress Dowager’s divine authority is unpredictable—you can’t blame me for that! I feel terrible about you being locked up here, too!”

“Fine, you didn’t mean it, so go to the Ministry of Justice and explain the situation!”

Baoliang hesitated: “Wouldn’t that mean selling out my father! If I get branded as unfilial, my whole life would be ruined! Miss Lin, please be reasonable and consider others too…”

He seemed to suddenly remember his status and slightly raised his head, looking around.

Several official matchmaker women immediately understood, pretending to be deaf and slowly dispersing to the courtyard to sun themselves.

“Miss Lin, I have a plan that could help you escape. I’m not taking advantage of your situation, but right now you’re all alone and the easiest target to be made a scapegoat. If we… well, if we became family, then…”

Lin Yuchan rubbed her swollen knuckles. Having vented enough, she now wanted to laugh.

“Oh, so this is what you were waiting for.”

Baoliang suppressed his grievance and spoke calmly with her: “Things have come to this point. No matter how much you make a fuss or regret it, it’s useless. We need to work together to solve the immediate problem first. Don’t you Shanghai merchants always talk about ‘looking forward’ in business?”

Baoliang’s suggestion was quite rational. As a woman without family, Lin Yuchan was like ownerless “ownerless private property”—while she could bounce around relatively freely without being drowned or imprisoned, she also had no right to protection.

But married women’s personal rights belonged to their husband’s family. If she made mistakes, anyone—even the Empress Dowager or Emperor—would have to consider the husband’s family’s face when dealing with her, unable to overstep and decide how to dispose of someone else’s “private property.”

And Baoliang, as the young master of a first-rank official’s family and a three-dynasty veteran minister, had considerable face.

As long as it wasn’t rebellion or treason that shook the foundation of the state, usually, a “family law punishment” would suffice.

Baoliang looked at her hopefully: “If you marry me, I absolutely won’t mistreat you…”

Lin Yuchan pointed toward the door and said as politely as possible: “Get lost.”

When she first landed in the Qing dynasty, Lin Yuchan’s standards for life were very low, as long as she could survive. Even if she had no choice but to go to the Qi mansion as a concubine, she would have to endure it while holding her nose.

But she had already struggled for so long, seeing her shop flourishing, the business association gaining popularity, making more and more friends, and most importantly, Su Minguan was still waiting for her to return!

Like a tree struggling vigorously in the desert, having finally grown branches and tender leaves, someone insisted on cutting it down to graft peonies and tree peonies onto it…

She’d rather return to the mass grave.

Baoliang became anxious: “Why won’t you believe I’m doing this for your good! I was wrong, but my feelings for you are real! Things have come to this—being angry and hitting me more won’t help. This is the only path now. I know you’re proud, but feelings can be cultivated later. Let’s get through this crisis first…”

“…Take your nonsense and get lost.”

Baoliang finally got proud and said grievedly: “If you’re so high and mighty, then don’t use these quilts and clothes I gave you!”

“Why shouldn’t I use them?” Lin Yuchan sat calmly on the newly changed bedding. “This is your apology to me, and it’s not even one percent of what you owe me. Keep paying slowly! When your conscience finally hurts, go directly to the Ministry of Justice and pay it all off at once! Save yourself the worry!”

Baoliang trembled with anger. He wanted to have all these new furnishings taken away, but seeing the girl’s haggard appearance, he couldn’t bear it. On second thought, how would that be different from a wastrel forcibly seizing a commoner’s daughter?

He wanted to check his pocket watch for the time, then remembered his Western pocket watch had already been confiscated by his father. Baoliang became even more agitated, afraid of returning home late.

He had risked punishment and scolding to come help her strategize, only to get beaten up instead—how wronged he felt!

“Then just suffer here!” he said spitefully. “If the Empress Dowager remembers to inquire, that would be good—at least you’d get a quick end. If the Empress Dowager doesn’t think of it, dragging you along for three to five years is normal. You’ve seen how chaotic this place is—I can’t protect you for three to five years either…”

Too lazy to say more, he steeled his heart and left with a sleeve flip.

Lin Yuchan expressionlessly saw him to the door, planning to take the opportunity to see what it looked like outside the courtyard.

The gate opened a crack. She was disappointed.

It didn’t seem to be a main street, but the back of an even larger government office… there was a stable…

The gate slammed in her face. The official matchmaker mocked maliciously: “Trying to run? Think we’re here for nothing?”

Lin Yuchan turned around with a cold laugh.

If this had been a few years ago, when she first came to the Qing dynasty, she was barefoot and unafraid of those wearing shoes, always thinking “at worst heaven will take me back,” never having any worries when taking risks.

But now it was different. Not to mention that this was deep within the Ministry of Justice and the technical difficulty of escaping was enormous; even if she maxed out her martial virtue and could escape by flying over eaves and walls, she was a “criminal personally named” by the Empress Dowager, with more heinous crimes than Su Minguan, this fugitive rebel—Su Minguan had only commanded a few uprisings in the remote border area of Guangzhou, at most alarming the Guangzhou Governor. Later, Su Minguan mysteriously disappeared with an uncertain life or death, so local officials just let it slide, not bothering to report it, which affected their performance records.

But if she escaped, especially brazenly escaping from the heavily administered center of the capital, that would be directly slapping the Empress Dowager’s face. Not turning her into sliced roast duck wouldn’t be enough to preserve the Qing dynasty’s dignity.

Even if she successfully escaped to hide in deep mountains and forests for a lifetime, the assets under her name, people connected to her, and the orphanage she had worked so hard to save… would all be dragged down by her.

She had also promised Rong Hong to sell Boya refined tea prosperously all over the world.

When a person comes into this world, they’re alone and naked, not knowing life’s value; but after taking root in this turbid world for a long time, there will always be attachments, things that can’t be abandoned.

For a moment, emotions of extreme disappointment surged like a mudslide, hitting her chest painfully.

For the next three days, stagnant as a dead pool.

Objectively speaking, living conditions had improved considerably from when she first arrived. Two meals a day, though thin and watery, were at least not spoiled or stinking. She could even get soap pods to wash clothes and take walks in the courtyard. Daily work was just pasting dozens of lanterns, not tiring.

Needless to say, she had to thank Wenxiang and Baoliang for using silver to preserve her last bit of dignity. Baoliang spent more money. Those guarding women received benefits from both sides and were probably delighted.

But how long could Young Master Bao’s self-moved enthusiasm last?

The entire courtyard was filled with a withered atmosphere, like crops left in fields by fleeing people during wartime. Already rotted through round after round, buried under wildly growing weeds.

Lin Yuchan enjoyed the preferential prison treatment with peace of mind, listening daily to pigeon whistles from the sky, pedestrian voices from outside the walls, and regularly occurring street vendor calls, keeping up her spirits by bouncing around to maintain her strength.

Coming to Beijing with passionate blood to petition for those hundreds of children, only to be sabotaged by villains and lose herself in the process—heaven had a twisted sense of humor.

She thought her crime could be considered big or small. She couldn’t count on Yusheng and Baoliang having moral awakenings, so she had to find ways to send messages outside and mobilize all her connections to fish herself out.

Before leaving, she had already arranged Boya’s work, so everyone wouldn’t fall into chaos just because the boss disappeared—thinking about it, Boya Company really had a rough fate. “Boss disappearing” wasn’t the first time they’d encountered this and should have plenty of experience dealing with it.

The problem was, last time, when Rong Hong was arrested, Lin Yuchan, as a witness, had immediately tried to clarify the case on the spot and could immediately think of targeted solutions.

This time… wouldn’t her friends think she was having too much fun to think about returning?

She had to send a letter out quickly.

But the prison cell was bare, without even a pen. Finally understanding why those wrongly accused characters in TV dramas would tear their clothes to write blood letters—no paper or pen!

But even if she wrote a blood letter, who would deliver it for her?

At Baoliang’s request, the women had changed Lin Yuchan’s room, farther from other female prisoners, more spacious, though the windows were sealed shut with wooden bars and she could only stick her hand out.

The courtyard had front and back doors, both dilapidated from age, creaking loudly when opened or closed.

Across the alley was a courtyard, probably some dignitary’s mansion. Today, they had invited people to perform opera, singing the recently popular “Third Son Returns Home,” warbling all afternoon.

“Even if your father holds high office and noble rank, today he cannot escape strict legal sanctions. Who told you this crow wanted to occupy the phoenix’s nest? Who told him to forcibly seize and violate legal codes?…”

Still that mournful and gentle tune. The guarding women brought stools, listening intently, even opening one leaf of the back door facing the alley to hear more clearly.

Lin Yuchan’s ears felt dry from listening and hid boredly in her room.

Suddenly, she heard scolding at the door.

“…Go, go, go, get lost, no!”

A ten-year-old Manchu girl carrying a basket came every evening to hawk needles, thread, paper and scissors, and was chased away by the women every day.

Now, the Eight Banners population was expanding, while they didn’t engage in production. One person’s salary supported a large family, and quite a few households had fallen into decline. Merit officials who had followed Nurhaci to conquer the world hundreds of years ago, after more than ten generations of survival of the fittest, some still maintained dignity, while others were no different from beggars.

The needle-selling girl belonged to the poor class, with bare, hard soles, ill-fitting cotton clothes patched upon patches, but her hair and face were still relatively clean, showing she had washed them carefully.

The girl sold needles and thread daily to supplement the family’s income. Being scolded was probably routine and didn’t discourage her. Humming a tune, she lowered her head and left along the base.

Lin Yuchan had been watching this girl for several days. Today, hearing her hum as she left again, she got up in three steps and caught up.

She quickly ran to the courtyard gate and called from afar: “Hey, girl! I’ll buy thread!”

Several women were about to pull her back, but seeing she showed no intention of running, they didn’t bother.

They just said: “We have needles and thread here. What do you need to mend?”

Lin Yuchan: “I want that specific color in her basket.”

The needle-selling girl hurried back. Lin Yuchan smiled and had her sit on the threshold, feeling for a piece of broken silver.

The woman quickly said: “Oh my, you don’t need this much! I’ll go change money for you.”

The broken silver was given by Baoliang for her to casually buy daily necessities. The guarding women couldn’t say much, just secretly resented that they hadn’t touched silver for months while the young master gave a whole handful at once, as if he had no copper coins!

So many suffering female prisoners, which one wasn’t born higher than her? Only she was precious!

The woman spat and got up to change money.

Lin Yuchan took the opportunity to rummage through the thread balls in the basket.

While chatting quietly: “What song were you singing just now? I hear you sing it every day.”

The needle girl was shy, or perhaps couldn’t answer, staring at her blankly.

Lin Yuchan glanced at the departing old woman, pulled the girl close, and hummed softly in her ear.

“Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way…”

The needle girl was stunned, then her chapped lips broke into a delighted smile, gently nodding and continuing the song.

But the lyrics were hard to distinguish, sounding like very irregular English.

Lin Yuchan asked quietly: “Are you a student at Bridgman School? Did Mrs. Bridgman teach you this song?”

Mrs. Bridgman was an American missionary’s widow whose girls’ school mostly enrolled daughters of poor families and beggar girls. A few days ago when Lin Yuchan visited, Mrs. Bridgman was leading the girls in singing.

This needle girl probably had connections to Bridgman, otherwise, in the imperial capital of the Tongzhi era, how many children could spontaneously sing the tune of “Jingle Bells”?

Lin Yuchan asked gently: “Can you write your name?”

The needle girl shook her head. Learning to write was much harder than singing—she hadn’t started yet.

“What’s your name? I’ll write it for you.”

The girl said softly: “Er Niu. Surname Suo.”

Lin Yuchan found a piece of tailor’s chalk from her basket, pulled out a thin piece of lantern paper, and began writing rapidly.

“Do you have an English name?”

“Maria.”

The woman returned with several strings of coins, obviously short-changing her, having embezzled at least a third of that broken silver.

Lin Yuchan didn’t mind, took the money, counted out ten wen, calmly wrapped it in the lantern paper, and stuffed it into Suo Er Niu’s thick cotton jacket.

“Take this to Mrs. Bridgman and have her check if I wrote it correctly,” Lin Yuchan instructed. “Make sure to give it to her!”

Suo Er Niu was a bit confused. She couldn’t write, but she recognized the shape of her name somewhat. What this sister had just written looked nothing like it…

But she was shy and didn’t dare ask, only nodding vigorously, putting away the copper coins, hugging her basket, and running off like smoke.

That night, Lin Yuchan’s heart felt somewhat relieved, and she slept well.

But one day passed, two days passed, without any emergencies.

Maybe Suo Er Niu forgot… maybe Mrs. Bridgman didn’t take it seriously… maybe the chalk writing was smudged…

Lin Yuchan suppressed her restless mind, put on an attitude of accepting fate, and spent each day obediently, even chatting with the women.

On the third day, someone did come. Baoliang snuck in like a thief, looking both ways down the alley before slipping inside.

The guarding women tactfully left. A young servant stood guard outside.

“Finally got a chance to leave home,” he said, rubbing his hands excitedly. “Miss Lin, has anyone been bothering you lately?”

As he spoke, he placed a package of preserved fruit, “mixed assortment,” on the small table. This was the sweetest snack that Beijing girls were most fascinated with. Ordinary Manchu families could only afford a small package for holidays. If elders gave them even one piece, they’d have to hide under quilts to secretly eat it at night.

Baoliang figured that Miss Lin, accustomed to comfortable living, having had plain food these past days, would surely treasure preserved fruit when she suddenly saw it.

Lin Yuchan smiled coldly. Taking the risk of being beaten by his father, overcoming all obstacles to sneak out and see his beloved, this moved him.

Baoliang reported to her: “Next month is the Empress Dowager’s birthday. My father is busy with purchasing congratulatory gifts, so your case has been temporarily set aside. You must be bored here, right? Tell me anything you need—oh yes, here are three short poems for your appreciation.”

Previously, Miss Lin didn’t like paying attention to him. When he tried to chat, time was always tight. When he wanted to visit Boya Company for intimate contact, he was politely driven out each time.

Now the girl was trapped in a small courtyard. Whenever he came, she obediently waited there, making Baoliang ecstatic with a sense of redemptive satisfaction.

He finally had a chance to show himself, so he began writing love poems, comprehensively displaying his years of studying by lamplight.

Lin Yuchan held a stack of metrically regular, beautifully imaged classical poems, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

For the first time, she felt Chang Baoluo was truly the world’s best man!

She missed him so much! She’d give him a raise when she got back!

…If she could get back.

“Miss Lin, you need to hurry,” Baoliang suddenly said gloomily. “Next month is the Empress Dowager’s thirtieth birthday, which will be celebrated grandly. If the Empress Dowager is in good spirits, you might be able to ask for a special pardon… if you miss this opportunity, who knows when the next one will be…”

“Young Master Bao,” Lin Yuchan said calmly, “I’ve thought about it again. You don’t need your father to admit he framed me. He just needs to explain to the Empress Dowager that he took the wrong note—it was found in the foreign nun’s bedding who was staying with me at the time. The letter content was ordinary correspondence between the church and trading houses, all a misunderstanding… that should work. At that time, the Empress Dowager will be celebrating her birthday with a benevolent attitude. At most, she’ll scold him for old eyes and have him apologize to Minister Wen. She won’t punish him…”

This time, Baoliang wasn’t beaten, so he was much more relaxed. He patiently listened to her finish, his mouth curving into an arrogant smile.

“Miss Lin, you’ve planned quite well.”

The meaning was obvious. There’s no such thing as a free lunch. If you want to overturn the case, you must marry me.

Lin Yuchan suddenly said seriously: “Aren’t you afraid that after we marry, I’ll give you the ‘husband, take your medicine’ treatment?”

Baoliang was stunned for quite a while before understanding her allusion. Perhaps because the image was too absurd, he didn’t take it seriously and laughed with exaggerated shock: “Unlucky! That’s not how you joke!”

Lin Yuchan was just indulging in verbal satisfaction. Daring to murder one’s husband in the Qing dynasty—she might as well offend Cixi.

She asked again: “How much money do you want?”

Baoliang: “Huh?”

Lin Yuchan said seriously, “If you help overturn my case, I can compensate you.”

Yusheng and Cixi definitely wouldn’t change their minds for nothing. But Baoliang was the breakthrough point in this frame-up case. Whether she was released innocent or languished in prison through the New Year depended entirely on his single thought.

Having come to this point, she could only bleed a little to see if they could negotiate a suitable price.

Who knew Baoliang immediately exploded, even angrier than hearing about “husband, take your medicine.”

“Miss Lin, what kind of person do you think I am! Do I lack those few stinking coins? Didn’t I already tell you I’m not interested in your business savings! I regard you… All I’ve done for you—was it for money? Do you know how much silver I’ve spent to be able to visit you anytime and keep you comfortable here? I’ve never mentioned it because I’m not that kind of petty, calculating person!”

Lin Yuchan’s heart sank, and she quickly shut up. This was Beijing, not the coast. “Talking money hurts feelings.”

“As long as you agree to marry me,” Baoliang said righteously, “even if my father blames me, even if the Empress Dowager blames me, I’ll make them release you. Though my father doesn’t like modern women, he only has me as his son and will listen to me. The prerequisite is that you and I must be family, otherwise he won’t even look at you properly…”

Lin Yuchan suppressed the urge to hit him, spoke calmly, and said for the hundredth time what even she was tired of saying:

“But I don’t fancy you.”

Baoliang immediately said, “That’s normal! Aren’t feelings always cultivated after marriage? My father and mother never even met before marriage, but don’t they still respect each other now? Besides, you’re talking nicely with me now, at least you don’t dislike me, right? You should try! Don’t you Boya people always say attitudes should be open—how do you know without trying?”

He smiled and produced a red paper: “Look, I’ve had someone draft the marriage contract. Miss Lin, what’s your birth date and time? Just fill it in and we’re done.”