These words struck like lightning into the crowd, stirring up thousand-foot waves. Even Shao Mingyuan and the others in the teahouse couldn’t help but stand up.

“Let’s go. It’s still too far from here—we’d have to wait for these spectators to relay what Miss Li says before we’d know. Let’s just watch without going out to cause trouble for Miss Li.” Yang Houcheng made up an excuse and hurriedly squeezed into the crowd.

Chi Can was the second to follow, leaving only Shao Mingyuan and Zhu Yàn sitting across from each other without moving.

“Not going to take a look?” Zhu Yàn asked.

Shao Mingyuan chuckled softly: “No need. It’s enough to do what should be done. Miss Li is a young lady after all—it wouldn’t be proper for us to meddle too much.”

“I think the same way.” Zhu Yàn raised his teacup. “This teahouse’s flower tea tastes quite good.”

“Mm.” Shao Mingyuan caressed his teacup, but his thoughts drifted somewhat far.

Physician Li probably tricked him…

Or perhaps all young ladies have so many troublesome matters?

He wondered when Physician Li would return to the capital.

Under the blazing sun, Lady Changchun’s face was covered in sweat, her eyes burning with fury: “Restore his sanity? You little slut, you’re still spouting nonsense at this point, stabbing knives into our hearts—what are your intentions!”

Lady Changchun lunged forward with claws extended, wanting to slap Qiao Zhao’s face, but Qiao Zhao froze her in place with one sentence: “When I said your son would wake up, Madam also thought I was spouting nonsense.”

“You, you, you—what do you mean?”

Qiao Zhao smiled: “Just the surface meaning—I said your son can restore his sanity.”

Earl Changchun and his wife couldn’t help but look at their drooling son.

Lies—he hasn’t recovered!

Earl Changchun looked at Qiao Zhao with a grave expression: “Does Third Miss truly mean this?”

The crowd of onlookers wasn’t so serious; each one was extremely curious.

“A fool can restore his sanity? Third Miss Li must be joking, right?”

“When Earl Changchun’s residence came to make trouble this morning, Third Miss Li said their young master could wake up, and just as her words fell, someone came to report that he had indeed awakened.”

…

Qiao Zhao helplessly held her forehead.

That morning was just a coincidence!

She looked toward Earl Changchun, her tone calm: “Naturally, I mean it. I’ll say it again—if your son restores his sanity and clarifies that he mistook someone else for me, what does your residence plan to do?”

Lady Changchun sneered: “That still has an inseparable connection to you. Otherwise, why wouldn’t my son mention others but keep calling your name?”

“You two don’t think that just because I say your son can restore his sanity, he’ll directly restore it, do you?”

“Then what do you mean?” Lady Changchun couldn’t help asking.

Qiao Zhao laughed: “Of course, I’ll make him restore his sanity.”

Earl Changchun’s heart stirred, and he decided immediately: “As long as you can make my son restore his sanity, and it turns out he mistook someone else, we will publicly apologize to Third Miss and the Li residence.”

Qiao Zhao shook her head.

“What does Third Miss mean by shaking her head?”

“A public apology isn’t enough.” Qiao Zhao’s expression remained calm as she surveyed the circle of spectators, saying coolly: “Three people make a tiger, accumulated slander destroys bones. A person’s reputation is hard to build but too easy to destroy. Especially for young ladies—countless have been killed by reputation.”

Well, this naturally didn’t include her. Reputation couldn’t be eaten as food, and she didn’t need to marry.

“Then what does Third Miss want?”

“Your residence sends people to beat gongs and drums, circling the capital once to apologize to me. You must state clearly that someone who found me disagreeable deliberately implicated me.”

“Beat gongs and drums to apologize to you?” Lady Changchun looked at Qiao Zhao incredulously.

Was this girl’s brain damaged? Even if they proved she didn’t do it, what good would making such a big fuss do for a young lady?

“Fine. As long as Third Miss Li can make my son restore his sanity and prove the Bichun Tower incident has nothing to do with you, we, Earl Changchun’s residence, are willing to do as you say.” Earl Changchun decided immediately.

“Please wait a moment.” After saying this, Qiao Zhao turned and returned to the residence.

“What is Miss Li going to do? How can she make a fool restore his sanity?” Yang Houcheng stroked his chin and shook his head.

Chi Can said nothing, staring at the West Residence’s main gate.

Before long, a handsome young man walked out from the West Residence’s main gate and came before Earl Changchun and his wife: “Please have someone hold your son steady.”

“You are—Third Miss?”

Qiao Zhao, dressed in men’s clothing, smiled: “It’s me. Lest your son claim after awakening that he didn’t recognize me in women’s clothing for a moment—wouldn’t that leave me unable to clear my name even if I jumped into the Yellow River?”

Earl Changchun withdrew his gaze and instructed his servants: “Hold the young master steady.”

Fools have great strength—it took four or five servants to hold Jia Shu down.

Qiao Zhao circled behind Jia Shu and pulled several silver needles from her pouch.

The silver needles gleamed in the sunlight. Lady Changchun’s face changed dramatically: “What do you want to do?”

“Naturally, to restore your son’s sanity.”

“I won’t let you act recklessly!” Lady Changchun reached out to push Qiao Zhao.

Qiao Zhao glanced coolly at Earl Changchun: “Or would you prefer to let your son remain foolish?”

“Restrain Madam.”

“My lord, she wants to stab Shu’er with needles!”

“This is called acupuncture.” Miss Qiao corrected expressionlessly.

Lady Changchun was so angry her eyes rolled back: “Of course I know about acupuncture, but what are you? Do you even know acupuncture?”

Qiao Zhao said nothing and inserted a long silver needle into the top of Jia Shu’s head.

Lady Changchun’s eyes rolled back, and she fainted.

Countless gazes followed Qiao Zhao’s hand movements. Under the blazing sun, everything was visible, yet it seemed impossible to see exactly what she did before she quickly stopped.

“I’m beginning to remove the needles. Please remain quiet.” Qiao Zhao glanced at Earl Changchun.

Earl Changchun nodded unconsciously.

Yang Houcheng, mixed in the crowd, worried: “I’ve never heard that Miss Li knows medicine.”

“There’s plenty you haven’t heard of.” Chi Can stared intently at the young woman who had become everyone’s focus.

The silver needles were removed one by one.

Earl Changchun couldn’t help but move closer to look, seeing black drops of blood slowly seeping from the needle holes left behind.

“Shu’er—” Earl Changchun’s heart rose high.

Only one silver needle remained on Jia Shu’s head.

Qiao Zhao circled to his front and raised her hand to remove the last silver needle.

At this moment, it seemed all people lost their words, holding their breath as they stared at the figures in the scene. It was so quiet only the sound of wind could be heard. Even Shao Mingyuan and Zhu Yàn, who had been sitting in the teahouse, couldn’t help but walk out.

Old Madam Deng’s face remained composed, but her palms were full of sweat.

She knew this moment of calm was only temporary. Whether what followed would be a violent storm or a turn from danger to safety was no longer something anyone could control—except for her third granddaughter.

Under the gaze of ten thousand people, the vacant-eyed Jia Shu suddenly shuddered, his eyes slowly regaining clarity.

“Who am I?”

Jia Shu’s gaze gained focus as he instinctively said, “How would I know who you are?”

“What about the Third Miss of the Li residence?”

Jia Shu’s expression shook, the final impression quickly flashing through his mind as he raged: “That little slut dared to hit me—quickly, someone come—”