Chen Guang suffered another critical hit and returned to the Li residence.

Qiao Zhao asked: “What did General Shao say?”

Chen Guang: “The general said Third Miss’s medicine is very effective, he’s very grateful and very touched. If Third Miss has any matters, she can always find our general, and he will spare no effort to help.”

Qiao Zhao frowned as she listened: “General Shao said this?”

Just because of Grandfather Li’s request, he would spare no effort? Did this person have any principles left?

Chen Guang was completely confused.

Why did Third Miss look not only unmoved but also somewhat angry?

Seeing Chen Guang hesitate, Qiao Zhao said coolly: “Forget it. In the future, if there’s nothing important, there’s no need to trouble General Shao, and even less need for him to spare no effort.”

Chen Guang was stunned and couldn’t help but blur out: “Third Miss, you’re saying the same thing as our general!”

Qiao Zhao was startled, then quickly understood what Chen Guang meant.

First, she was annoyed. Was Shao Mingyuan finding her bothersome?

Then, inexplicably, she felt a bit pleased.

It seemed that person wasn’t someone who couldn’t move his legs when he saw young ladies—he knew how to avoid suspicion.

Chen Guang suddenly noticed Third Miss’s mood had improved again.

The little coachman thought for a moment and decided not to speak carelessly anymore.

“Did General Shao say it would rain today?”

“Yes, yes.” Chen Guang nodded repeatedly.

He had said it—Third Miss and General had a telepathic connection!

“That’s good.” Qiao Zhao nodded with relief, then suddenly smiled at Chen Guang.

Chen Guang looked wary.

Why did he have an ominous feeling again?

“Chen Guang, there’s another matter I need to trouble you with tonight.”

After a long silence, Chen Guang suggested with a look of despair: “Third Miss, I’m just a little coachman. Everything you handle is are big matter. Is it really good to keep troubling me like this? Why not have our general come instead?”

“But the coachman is mine. Your general has nothing to do with me.”

Chen Guang’s eyes filled with tears.

Don’t say that! The general could also be yours…

Qiao Zhao handed Chen Guang a scroll that had been beside her.

Chen Guang took it with uncertain suspicion as he looked at Qiao Zhao.

Qiao Zhao smiled gently: “Open it and look.”

Chen Guang nervously unrolled the scroll bit by bit.

Surprisingly, the scroll’s background was painted black, and gradually revealed a woman’s ivory-colored dress.

The contrast between black and white was somehow startling to the eye.

Chen Guang’s heart jumped.

Was this the Third Miss’s self-portrait? How strange—why was the background black?

The scroll was finally completely unrolled, revealing the woman’s pure and elegant face.

Chen Guang’s hand trembled, and the scroll fell to the ground.

Qiao Zhao quickly picked up the scroll, frowning: “What’s wrong?”

Chen Guang’s complexion was rather ugly, his gaze fixed unblinkingly on Qiao Zhao, even his voice unstable: “Does Third Miss know the person in the painting?”

Third Miss’s painting skills were excellent—with just one glance, he recognized that the woman in the painting was their late general’s wife!

Qiao Zhao was equally surprised.

Among the people Shao Mingyuan had sent to meet her initially, Chen Guang wasn’t included. Yet Chen Guang had recognized her?

Logically, Chen Guang’s only chance to see her would have been when she was pushed onto the city wall by the Tartars.

But she had been so disheveled then, and at such a distance—yet Chen Guang had remembered her after just seeing her once?

“Does Chen Guang know the person in the painting?” Qiao Zhao asked the same question back.

“Of course I know her. This is our late general’s wife! I’ve seen her in the general’s study—” Chen Guang suddenly stopped.

Damn, how had he said that? If Third Miss knew the general kept his wife’s portrait in his room, what if she ignored the general in the future?

Qiao Zhao’s heart jumped.

Shao Mingyuan had painted her portrait?

Could Shao Mingyuan paint?

She really couldn’t tell—with his cold and unfeeling appearance, he would keep a woman’s portrait in his study.

Qiao Zhao felt complex emotions that she couldn’t even describe to herself.

Although her death couldn’t be redeemed by however many portraits that man painted, still, being remembered felt different from being cast aside and forgotten.

Qiao Zhao couldn’t help but show a faint smile.

“Third Miss, when did you meet the general’s wife?” Chen Guang was scratching his heart with curiosity.

“What’s strange about that? Your general’s wife used to live in the capital too.”

“So that’s how it was. I was startled just now. But why are you painting this?”

“Chen Guang, last time I had you disguise yourself as a tiger to scare people—that must have been difficult for you, right? After all, sneaking into someone else’s residence at night is quite troublesome.”

“What’s troublesome about that? For me, it’s like walking on flat ground. Third Miss, you don’t know, back in the Northern Territories…”

Chen Guang spoke with great animation, and Qiao Zhao listened patiently.

After he finished, Qiao Zhao smiled: “In that case, I’ll trouble you to make another trip and use this painting to scare someone.”

Chen Guang: “…” Where were the scissors? He wanted to cut off this troublesome tongue!

The sky had been overcast all day without a breath of wind, making the entire capital feel like it was trapped in a steamer. Minister Kou’s residence was naturally no exception.

The two maids serving Madam Mao were drenched in sweat as if they’d been pulled from water, and could only quietly move near the open window to catch their breath.

Such weather was truly torturous. Their mistress was ill, so they couldn’t place ice basins in the room, and with the medicinal smell filling the space, even they suffered along with her.

“Chunzhi, help me get up and walk around.” Madam Mao called in a hoarse voice.

The two maids hurried to help Madam Mao get out of bed, thinking that inviting the Taoist masters from Xuanqing Temple to perform rituals was quite effective—their mistress, who had been unconscious most of the time, was much more alert today.

Only when their mistress recovered early could their days be easier.

Having been bedridden for days, Madam Mao’s legs were somewhat weak. She moved to sit by the window and caught her breath: “With weather like this today, there will be heavy rain.”

“Heavy rain would be good. Our residence just had rituals performed, and with another heavy rain, all the bad luck will be washed clean, and Madam will recover completely.”

Madam Mao smiled and looked at the low, dark clouds outside the window.

Xuanqing Temple was a famous Taoist temple, and the Taoist masters all had great abilities. Having invited them to perform rituals, all evil spirits would be driven away completely. What was that short-lived ghost compared to that?

Thinking this way, Madam Mao immediately felt much lighter.

A cool breeze blew in through the window.

Madam Mao sighed comfortably.

“Madam, it might rain soon. You’ve just improved, so you shouldn’t be in the wind. Let this servant help you back to lie down.”

Having been through an illness, Madam Mao cherished her health even more. Hearing the maid say this, she nodded and let the maid help her walk back, instructing: “Don’t close the window yet. The room is like a steamer. We’ll talk about it after the rain falls.”

The summer night rain came suddenly. Not long after Madam Mao said this, strong winds began howling outside, making the windows rattle. Chunzhi hurried to close the window.

She came to the window and instinctively glanced outside.

A woman in white clothes and a white dress stood outside the window, her long hair loose, emanating ghostly energy.

“Ah—” Chunzhi screamed and ran back, rolling and crawling. “Madam, there’s a ghost, there’s a ghost!”