Some young master, whose origins none in the street recognized, yet from his attire and the servants' arrogant behavior, it was clear he was no ordinary person.

Qi Yue was anxiously pacing back and forth.

"Haven't seen him, truly haven't seen him," was the consistent reply from the shops she questioned.

Seeing Qi Yue about to post a reward again, several shopkeepers quickly intervened.

"We really haven't seen him; judging by his accent, he's not from our Yongqing Prefecture," an elder said.

Qi Yue calmed herself.

"It's the middle of the first lunar month, many people are visiting relatives," she reasoned. "So, he must be a relative visiting someone."

If they tried to investigate this way, it would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.

"A'ru, go home and fetch people," she commanded, waving her hand, then instructed her disciples, "We will ask as we go. As long as we follow the direction they went, we'll eventually find something."

Huang Ziqiao rushed down from the tavern. This action greatly surprised the group of young lords still deeply engaged in drinking, who assumed a major incident had occurred. They followed him in a rush, only to see Huang Ziqiao standing at the tavern entrance, staring up at the sky.

What was so interesting up there?

The group followed his gaze.

That woman was already approaching. Should he actively go over and greet her, or pretend not to see her?

Huang Ziqiao was so conflicted his heart felt ready to leap out of his throat. Approaching her felt too much like losing face...

Of course, if she were to stop him and greet him first, this young master might deign to exchange a few words with her.

Having made up his mind, Huang Ziqiao straightened his robes, took a deep breath, and stepped out, only to stop again at the doorway.

Should he walk toward her or walk past her?

"Young Master, what on earth are you doing?" someone finally couldn't help but ask.

Another person quietly went to question Huang Ziqiao's attendant, wondering if their young master's mind was sound, considering only the time his stomach had been cut open.

"Get lost," Huang Ziqiao glared at them irritably. "I need to buy something."

Without paying them any mind, he strode out.

He walked along casually, but other than the chattering, nonsensical babble of his rowdy friends trailing behind, no female voice called out to him.

"Go away, go away, you’re blocking the way," Huang Ziqiao turned and waved them off.

His friends glanced down at themselves.

"Blocking what?" they asked in confusion, turning to look around randomly.

"Blocking the path!" Huang Ziqiao snapped, his gaze catching the woman who had stopped, talking animatedly to a few passersby, her expression somewhat anxious...

After asking a few questions, she quickly hurried in their direction.

Huang Ziqiao abruptly turned his head, then lifted his foot and started walking.

The woman whisked past him like a gust of wind...

Hey...

Huang Ziqiao stared wide-eyed, only to see the woman stop a few steps away and beckon to a shop assistant.

"Have you seen a few people binding someone, Hu San from Qianjin Hall, pass this way?" Qi Yue asked, demonstrating the height and appearance of Hu San to the assistant.

Qianjin Hall was quite famous now. The shop assistant shook his head, then quickly turned to ask others.

"There are too many people on the street; we really didn't notice." The final result was disappointing.

Qi Yue let out a breath of worry. After pursuing them this far, perhaps because the street was too crowded, or perhaps because those people had already bound Hu San tightly and he was no longer struggling or shouting, no one had noticed this group pass through.

Had they taken a wrong turn? Or was the location where these people lived nearby?

She turned around, and suddenly her eyes lit up.

"Xiao Qiao," she called out.

With that call, the group of friends realized that Huang Ziqiao, who they had been preparing to carry off to a doctor, had finally moved.

Huang Ziqiao froze entirely. Looking at the woman standing just a few steps away, he felt his earlobes flush hot.

He managed some mumbles and ahs, displaying an air that suggested, Who is this woman? I don't know her.

Qi Yue paid no mind to the boy's awkward demeanor.

"Do you know if any household has received out-of-town relatives recently, a young gentleman?" she asked urgently, gesturing as she described the noble young man based on the onlookers' descriptions.

Huang Ziqiao dropped his awkwardness and listened intently as she finished explaining.

"Many people come for the New Year," he frowned.

"They just grabbed Hu San," Qi Yue said. "Because he was treating an emergency on the street—Hu San gave him CPR and resuscitation—it might have been misunderstood."

Hu San? Huang Ziqiao remembered him, that obsequious man. With his shifty appearance, this day was bound to come sooner or later.

"Quickly think, which families have relatives visiting these past few days?" He quickly turned back and asked his group of friends.

The resulting discussion among the friends was a chaotic mix of suggestions that didn't pinpoint anyone specific.

"Forget it, stop asking randomly. I'll go back and send people from the Yamen—we'll search house by house!" Huang Ziqiao commanded with a small wave of his hand. "This is sheer rebellion! The lesson for assaulting a doctor hasn't even faded from a few days ago, and now they dare to kidnap a doctor again! Find this wretch and throw him out of Yongqing Prefecture!"

With the Prefect's son speaking, his influence was even greater than his father's. The other young lords naturally wouldn't pass up this chance to demonstrate brotherhood and curry favor with the divine physician. Thus, they each started rallying their own men.

In a flurry, streams of household retainers, armed with clubs, ran across the streets.

The seasoned common folk, seeing the display, knew immediately that some young master's entourage was going out for a fight. There had been fights before, but those were small matters. They had never seen so many people running around like this, and nearly every prominent family had sent men out. Good heavens, this was going to be a massive brawl!

They wondered who the opposing sides were and what the cause was. They hadn't heard of any new popular courtesan arriving from a brothel recently.

But whatever the reason, fights were always a spectacle the populace enjoyed, especially during the first lunar month when there were more idle hands. Before long, crowds of onlookers gathered, following these groups from east to west and west to east. The numbers swelled, and at first glance, it looked as if a public riot had broken out.

The local county yamen heard the commotion and dispatched constables to disperse the crowd. However, upon seeing the Prefect's own sons among the groups, the constables were not only ordered to stop dispersing the crowd but were also berated and commanded to join in.

The rationale was that dangerous ruffians had entered the city, and if they didn't quickly investigate to ensure the safety of the people and their property, how could they even claim to be on duty? How could they dare wear those uniforms? They might as well go home and sell tofu!

Instantly, shops began closing their shutters, and pedestrians hurried to get out of the way. The atmosphere in Yongqing Prefecture during the New Year suddenly became heavy with tension.

Fan Yilin had no idea that the roughly handled, clearly impoverished lout his servants had grabbed would trigger such a massive disturbance.

Hu San awoke as he was being thrown into the woodshed.

When he was first pinned down by the servants on the street, he had been furious.

How long had it been since Hu San had been subjected to such treatment!

Ever since he defeated that Wang Qinchun last time, Qianjin Hall had achieved sudden fame. With the backing of the Marquis of Dingxi's manor, they could practically walk sideways through Yongqing Prefecture. His disciples never encountered beatings or abuse, not even a harsh word. Especially him, Hu San, responsible for forging the mechanical tools assigned by his Master; the blacksmiths and carpenters regarded him as a god of wealth, and he couldn't even finish the banquets during the New Year celebration.

Hu San angrily argued with these dull-witted servants for a few words. The response he received was even fiercer blows from their fists. Because he had been busy with work and neglected his exercise, Hu San was beaten unconscious. Consequently, he was dragged along the road, missing any opportunity to call for help.

"I am a physician!" He scrambled to the door, shouting to the servants who were leaving, "I was treating your young master—an emergency!"

The servants turned back and spat at him.

"You rogue, wait until our young master calms down, and we'll castrate you," they said viciously.

Hu San instinctively felt a cold sensation between his legs and involuntarily clamped them together, breaking out in a cold sweat.

"Tell your young master, I am from Qianjin Hall, the very first disciple of the young mistress of the Marquis of Dingxi's manor. If you dare touch me, my Master will not let you off!" he shouted, realizing that pleading would be useless now, so he resorted to threats.

"Bah, not only a rogue, but a lunatic too."

The servants chuckled in unison, and no one else spared him a glance as they walked away, chatting merrily.

Hu San desperately clutched the woodshed door, all his earlier spirit gone, his nose running and tears streaming.

"Master, please hurry and save me..."

Then he realized that he had been unconscious when captured, so likely no one knew to send a message. Furthermore, he often visited the craftsmen's shops, and if he didn't return for a while, none of the Qianjin Hall disciples would think much of it. Even if they sensed something was amiss, it would probably be tomorrow. By then, he would likely have already been castrated...

Castrated—even if his Master helped him seek revenge afterward, it would be meaningless!

Heavens, was this the end of Hu San's life?

Hu San slumped against the door and collapsed inside the woodshed.

Master!

Meanwhile, Fan Yilin was also venting his complaints.

"...And he said Yongqing Prefecture has outstanding talent and nurtured what kind of people—there are people like that right on the street..." He paused here, spat, and fell silent.

"...Little brother-in-law, what is it right on the street?" a young man of similar age asked curiously.

"Robbed on the street," Fan Yilin said with a dark expression.

He knew he was dashingly handsome, elegant, and beloved by all pretty young women. But being manhandled on the street by another man was certainly not something to boast about!

He resolved to bury that humiliating incident deep within his heart and never speak of it again. Naturally, he had also imposed a gag order on those servants.

"Damn it, it hurts everywhere," Fan Yilin rubbed his chest, saying. After the shame subsided, he realized his whole body ached. Could it be from being pressed down by that rogue...?

Pah! Fan Yilin shook his head fiercely, throwing off the terrifying image.

"What mischief have you been getting into again?" A stern, elderly voice came from outside the door.

Seeing his father-in-law, Wang Tongye, enter, everyone in the room quickly stood up, their expressions respectful.

Wang Tongye, the former Minister of Personnel, had moved back to his hometown of Yongqing Prefecture after retiring, living a low-profile life, enjoying tending flowers and fishing most days. He only came to the city for the New Year. Accustomed to the relaxed life in the countryside, he had become even more like a rustic farmer, but no one truly dared to treat him as such. Wang Tongye had served as an official for many years, boasting countless disciples and holding important positions among the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers.

"Father, it's... nothing. Just encountered a petty thief on the road who nearly robbed me," Fan Yilin said respectfully, all traces of his usual flippancy gone.

Wang Tongye glanced at his young son-in-law, a hint of dissatisfaction in his eyes.

"You are quite old now, haven't you thought about what you want to do?" he inquired.

Here it comes again...

Fan Yilin inwardly wailed. This father-in-law was just like his own grandfather, similar in age and similar in what he said.

"I..." he started to speak when he heard someone rushing in from outside the door.

"Master, this is bad! Many people have surrounded the gate outside, and the steward was beaten!" the servant burst in, looking panicked.

This news startled Wang Tongye.

"What did you say?" he asked, thinking he had misheard.