Due to Qiao Zhao’s injury, the Fushan Society gathering naturally couldn’t continue. The young ladies dispersed with various feelings in their hearts, and the carriages parked in front of Earl Guchang’s mansion gradually departed.

Jiang Shiran was still reminiscing about that final arrow, walking quite slowly, when suddenly someone rushed over: “Miss Jiang—”

The person who suddenly rushed forward was blocked by another figure that appeared just as suddenly.

Jiang He’s face was stern as he warned: “Don’t come any closer!”

The few noble ladies who hadn’t yet left couldn’t help but freeze.

Where had this man emerged from?

They instinctively looked around and belatedly realized they hadn’t yet walked out of Earl Guchang’s mansion gate. So this man—could he have been hiding near Jiang Shiran all along?

The young ladies’ expressions changed instantly.

Didn’t this mean that while they were playing, there had been a grown man nearby watching them intently?

This realization made the noble ladies’ faces change color immediately.

Xu Jinghong asked Jiang Shiran coldly, “Miss Jiang, could you explain who this person is?”

Jiang Shiran felt somewhat embarrassed by the question and asked Jiang He with a dark expression: “What are you doing here?”

Jiang He secretly rolled his eyes.

This young lady was something. He was ordered to protect her—where else would he be? Did she think he was so bored that he enjoyed hiding in bushes watching a bunch of young girls play?

It was all the master’s fault for assigning him to protect Miss Jiang. If he had known it would be like this, he would have preferred to continue monitoring Miss Li.

Poor Miss Li, having her face injured by Miss Jiang’s arrow—even the Jinlin Guards wouldn’t be so ruthless as to shoot a young girl’s face.

He couldn’t think about this anymore. If he continued, he’d lose all motivation to protect Miss Jiang.

“Speak up! Where did you pop out from?” Seeing Jiang He remain silent, Jiang Shiran became angry from embarrassment and kicked him.

“This subordinate was ordered to protect the young lady.” Jiang He secretly took a breath.

He was the master’s capable subordinate. Everything was prioritized according to the master’s orders, and he would never act on emotion.

“Get lost! Don’t follow me anymore!” Jiang Shiran was furious. Seeing Jiang He standing motionless with lowered eyes, she kicked him again: “Are you deaf? Get lost! No one protected me before, and wasn’t I just fine?”

Endure it!

Jiang He took a deep breath.

Forget it. When endurance reaches its limit, there’s no need to endure further. He might as well tell the truth!

“Miss Jiang, it’s not that no one protected you before. The previous Jinlin Guard responsible for protecting you died in the line of duty, but you just didn’t know about it.”

Otherwise, how would he have been unlucky enough to take over? With Miss Jiang’s temperament, without protection, she would have been beaten into a pig’s head long ago, okay?

“You, you dare to argue back?” Jiang Shiran had truly never seen a Jinlin Guard be so insolent in front of her. He had also embarrassed her in public. She drew the soft whip from her waist, about to lash out.

“Miss Jiang—” Ouyang Weiyu seized the opportunity to speak: “Could we have a private word?”

Only then did Jiang Shiran spare some attention for Ouyang Weiyu, lifting her chin with a cold laugh: “Who are you? Why should I have a private word with you?”

After speaking, Jiang Shiran raised her whip and lashed Jiang He once, then lifted her foot to walk outside.

Today at Earl Guchang’s mansion had been frustrating at every turn. She would never come to this damned place again.

Seeing this, Ouyang Weiyu chased after her to the main gate. Jiang He blocked her: “Miss, please don’t pester Miss Jiang anymore.”

Good heavens, hiding in the bushes, he had seen everything. This delicate little miss had put something random in the tea water. Although he hadn’t gone to take a closer look to protect Miss Jiang, he absolutely couldn’t let such a dangerous person approach Miss Jiang. If something happened to Miss Jiang, he wouldn’t expect to live either.

Sigh, his personal life and death weren’t important, but if the master lost such a capable subordinate as him, how sad he would be. He couldn’t make the master grieve.

“Miss Jiang, Miss Jiang—” Ouyang Weiyu struggled desperately but still couldn’t break free from Jiang He’s obstruction. Seeing Jiang Shiran about to board the carriage, inspiration struck her and she blurted out: “Does Miss Jiang still remember Miss Li San’s second line?”

Jiang Shiran’s body paused. She turned around and looked at Ouyang Weiyu with an impatient expression: “What?”

Seeing there was a chance, Ouyang Weiyu’s eyes filled with tears as she said word by word: “Seeking help is difficult, difficult to seek help—”

Speaking to this point, she nearly choked with emotion but forced herself not to lose composure and finished: “Everyone faces difficulty when seeking help from others.”

She opened her eyes wide, staring fixedly at Ouyang Weiyu, despair mixed with hope.

That thread of hope was tiny, but like a beam of light, it illuminated her eyes.

“Miss Jiang, living in this world, who hasn’t encountered difficulties? Your small effort would be a matter of life and death for me. Please listen to what I have to say. Whether you’re willing to help or not, I’ll be grateful to you for a lifetime.” Speaking to this point, Ouyang Weiyu covered her face and trembled, finally shedding tears.

The couplet Miss Li San had composed—others only thought it was a retort to Du Feixue’s standing by and watching, but wasn’t it also an admonition to everyone and a reminder to her?

These words might be her only hope of moving Miss Jiang.

Jiang Shiran had one foot on the carriage step and the other still on solid ground. She coldly watched Ouyang Weiyu cry, her expression shifting unpredictably.

Finally, she let out a soft breath and said impatiently, “Enough, stop crying. What exactly do you want from me? Come into the carriage to talk.”

Ouyang Weiyu was overjoyed.

But Jiang He blocked her firmly: “No, who knows if you’re carrying any weapons—”

“I don’t have any! I don’t!” Summer clothes were already thin, so Ouyang Weiyu shook her garments and pulled off her pouch. Fearing the opportunity would slip away, she unhesitatingly pulled out all the sharp objects like hairpins from her hair, letting her long hair fall in disarray, and asked Jiang Shiran, “Miss Jiang, is this acceptable now?”

“But—” But you still know how to use drugs! Jiang He muttered in his heart.

Jiang Shiran glared at Jiang He: “Enough! She’s as weak as a chicken—how could she hurt me?”

No one could afford to offend the young lady’s temper. Jiang He finally stepped aside and let Ouyang Weiyu board the carriage.

The carriage interior was extremely spacious, covered with carpets woven from ice silkworm silk. Entering the heat of June, not only did not feel stuffy at all, but it was refreshingly cool.

Jiang Shiran leaned against the soft pillows and said indifferently: “Speak. What’s the matter?”

Ouyang Weiyu knelt with a thud: “My father recently incurred the Emperor’s wrath for impeaching Chief Minister Lan Shan. The Jinlin Guards took him away, and to this day we don’t know if he’s alive or dead—”

“Wait—” Jiang Shiran interrupted Ouyang Weiyu’s words: “You want me to save your father?”

Ouyang Weiyu quickly explained: “I wouldn’t dare have such delusions. Court matters are beyond the reach of us boudoir girls. I only want to ask Miss Jiang to help me inquire about my father’s current situation, so our family can have some peace of mind.”

Hearing Ouyang Weiyu’s words, Jiang Shiran frowned.

What about boudoir girls? Could they only compose poetry, write couplets, and play with rouge and powder?

This person looked down on people.