As noon approached, Wu Shan emerged from the prison, his face grim, followed by the weeping family of Wang Qingchun, who were leaning on each other for support.

"Dying like this is better than being condemned and beheaded," Wu Shan muttered impatiently, turning back to say in a low voice.

Only then did Wang Qingchun's family quiet their wails.

"But you can't blame my husband for this; people were bound to die from the plague anyway," sobbed Wang Qingchun’s wife. "Look how sick he is now; he must have caught the plague... Why sentence us when he’s like this? We deserve compensation!"

Wu Shan hastily cut her off.

"Shimu, please stop talking about that; the Imperial Physicians aren't fools. How could they not tell what disease he has!" he urged quietly.

It was a blessing they weren't being executed along with their entire clan; what compensation did they think they were entitled to? Did they imagine the Imperial Court was some charity house!

After seeing off the garrulous Wang Qingchun family, Wu Shan exhaled with a frown, tinged with relief.

Thank heavens he had been conscripted to work in the raw medicine depot and missed the chance to return home in glory with his Master. Now, it looked like returning home in glory would have been a death march.

He hadn't anticipated a plague, nor had he expected that woman to be capable of preventing it!

Good heavens, was this woman truly an immortal descended to the mortal realm? How could everything go her way?

He prayed he would never encounter her again...

Wu Shan involuntarily clasped his hands in prayer, firmly resolving never to return to Yongqing Prefecture, believing that way he could avoid seeing that woman.

At that moment, he was walking past a gold and silver shop when a carriage stopped. Just as he was about to sidestep it, a woman lifted the curtain and stepped down. She looked up at the plaque above the jewelry store.

In the sunlight, the woman’s skin was like fine jade, radiating a subtle luminescence. A single pearl earring at her ear only emphasized her radiant splendor.

That brief profile was enough to make one stare, momentarily transfixed.

Wu Shan certainly stared, sucking in a sharp breath.

"My heavens," he cried out unintentionally.

The exclamation drew countless eyes.

A bystander chuckled and chimed in.

"Oh, my dear."

This elicited another wave of laughter.

Qi Yue also turned her head, but before she could get a clear look, her servants rushed forward to assist her and the Second Madam, blocking the view.

Wu Shan covered his face with his hand and looked away for a moment. Feeling that people had passed by and the carriage had moved on, he cautiously lowered his hand. His forehead was slick with a dense layer of sweat; he was terrified.

He gasped for air and cautiously peered back towards the gold and silver shop.

The woman had already been ushered into a private room; nothing more was visible.

Qi Yue had originally intended to visit the escort agencies herself, but the Second Madam insisted on accompanying her for a day of shopping and sightseeing. Qi Yue had no choice but to send Hu San and Aru, naturally taking along two guards, as their martial arts training would give them an eye for selecting a reputable agency.

"What about this collar?" Madam Chen asked, holding up a shiny gold and silver circle.

Qi Yue smiled.

"Auntie, I’m already in my twenties," she replied.

"Save it for your children to wear," Madam Chen laughed, setting the collar aside. She then instructed the attendant, "Pack this one away too."

Qi Yue watched as several jewelry boxes were already being filled nearby.

"Auntie, it’s not too late to send gifts when I have children," she said with a smile.

Madam Chen looked at her and smiled, a hint of tears shimmering in her eyes.

Back in those days....

"I’ll send them when the time comes," she said.

"I have money. I have all the jewelry I need. I haven't even touched what the Old Madam left me," Qi Yue said helplessly.

"That was hers; this is mine," Madam Chen countered, selecting a flat hairpin adorned with a gold pendant. Only then did she reluctantly rise.

Qi Yue breathed a sigh of relief.

She watched as the shop assistants carried out large and small boxes, and the manager of the silver house personally escorted the two women into their carriage. Only when the carriage had driven away did she happily turn to leave.

Wu Shan, who had been hiding under an eave, obscuring half his face with his hat, finally stood up and lowered it, revealing a face etched with horror.

My heavens... that woman... she had tracked him down!

This meant she intended to finish him off completely!

Wu Shan felt a chill run through his entire body, and he bolted, stumbling wildly, drawing a string of curses.

"My Lord, My Lord, this is terrible..." He finally gained entry, and as soon as he crossed the threshold, he fell to his knees shouting.

Dong Lin sat at his desk, flipping through a book, not sparing him a glance.

"I told you, he brought this upon himself. Even if he were blameless, the verdict is set now. There's no turning back the case. If we overturn the decision for one official, it will affect a whole chain of them; no one will allow that," he stated calmly. "If he were smart, he would have ended it himself early on to avoid implicating his family."

Wu Shan nodded repeatedly.

"Yes, Master is no longer well; it will only be a matter of days now," he reported.

Dong Lin grunted and continued reading.

"My Lord, My Lord, but that woman has arrived," Wu Shan said, looking up and crawling forward a few steps, his voice trembling.

"What?" Dong Lin glanced sideways, frowning.

"Qi Yueniang, Qi Yueniang is here!" Wu Shan cried out.

Qi Yueniang?

Dong Lin put down his book and leaned forward.

"She’s here? How could she be here?" he asked in surprise, looking at Wu Shan’s panic-stricken expression. "Are you mistaken?"

"No," Wu Shan hurried to say. "She was just at Shengxin Tower, buying quite a few things. If you don't believe me, My Lord, go ask; it was just now."

That woman had actually come to the capital?

Dong Lin leaned back in his chair, disbelief etched on his face.

What was she here for?

"Was she alone? Did Liu Pucheng come with her?" he asked, sitting up again and leaning forward.

Wu Shan shook his head.

"I don't know, My Lord. I only saw that woman, and it terrified me..." he stammered, his face still pale with fright.

Dong Lin looked at him with a measure of contempt.

"What is there to be afraid of?" he frowned. "What is she? A man-eating tiger?"

More terrifying than a man-eating tiger! Look at the fate of his Master who had offended her; even as an official, he was ruined by her...

Seeing the kneeling Wu Shan below, Dong Lin spoke with irritation.

"Enough, you can go. Go find out where this woman is staying, and then come tell me."

What? He wanted him to search for this woman?

"My Lord, why are you looking for her?" Wu Shan asked, his voice still shaky.

Dong Lin picked up his book again and smoothed his robes.

"What for? She is no longer the young mistress of the Dingxi Marquisate; she’s a commoner now. She’s acquainted with my senior brother and is half-owner of the Qianjin Hall. She even calls my senior brother 'Master.' Since she’s come to the capital, I, as her martial uncle, must naturally look after her," he stated coolly.

The next day, Madam Chen returned to that home, giving Qi Yue the opportunity to meet with the head of the escort agency Hu San had found.

Qi Yue had no objections to the agency Hu San selected. In the restaurant, she met the agency head, secured the travel itinerary and the quotation, and paid the deposit, effectively concluding the deal. After seeing the escort agency staff out, Qi Yue was just stepping out of the building when she ran into Fan Yilin, who was entering while joking with a few young noblemen.

"We meet again!" Fan Yilin exclaimed happily, quickly bowing.

"The capital isn't that big, is it?" Qi Yue replied with a smile.

Fan Yilin knew exactly why he was so fond of meeting Madam Qi. Her beauty was certainly one part of it, but more importantly, her conversation was fascinating.

Fan Yilin considered himself well-versed in the company of women, but he had never encountered anyone like Madam Qi. She was frank yet refined, serene yet perfectly poised. Especially her way of speaking—Fan Yilin found it delightfully engaging. She never seemed annoyed by his attempts at engaging conversation; instead, she said things that pleased him, making him feel as though she were a seasoned mistress of romance, and he, a young gentleman utterly charmed and overjoyed...

"It must be fate that brings me to meet Madam Qi," Fan Yilin said, beaming.

The young noblemen behind him immediately retreated a few steps, adopting an air of not knowing him, lest this young lady become offended and they suffer collateral damage.

"Of course, we have fate. Please send my regards to little Auntie," Qi Yue said, taking a step forward.

Little Auntie was naturally Fan Yilin’s wife, the younger daughter of Wang Tongye and the paternal aunt of Wang Qian. By seniority, she was more suited to call Wang Qian 'Little Auntie.' Qi Yue held the Wang family in deep respect from the bottom of her heart.

Fan Yilin nodded quickly in agreement. The young noblemen behind him relaxed; ah, she was a relative, and a junior one at that.

"The letter has been sent out; it should arrive within ten days at the latest," Fan Yilin quickly said, stopping Qi Yue again, walking a few steps closer to speak softly.

Qi Yue’s smile instantly vanished. Her expression change stunned Fan Yilin and made everyone else stare.

Oh dear, this young lady is even more beautiful when she smiles.

"Thank you," Qi Yue said, offering a slight bow.

By the time Fan Yilin recovered his senses, Qi Yue was gone, leaving him deeply regretful. Before he could sigh, four or five hands grabbed him.

"Who was that?"

"Where is she from?"

"What is your connection to her?"

"How old is she?"

"Are you blind? She looks barely seventeen or eighteen. Don't waste time asking trivialities—ask what matters..."

Fan Yilin finally managed to break free from the grasping hands, feeling a sense of satisfaction as he settled into the room. The private acquaintance with such a beauty, while others could only look on enviously, was truly one of life's great pleasures.

Of course, Fan Yilin wasn't foolish enough to brag about knowing Qi Yue. Despite their incessant questioning, he wouldn't divulge a single piece of information about her.

The young men soon gave up, concluding she must be a Wang family relative—either a daughter or a daughter-in-law. They laughed enviously for a moment before changing the subject.

Among them, a man around twenty looked different from the rest. Though engaged in conversation, his expression was melancholy.

"Li Tong, how is your grandfather’s illness..." one asked quietly.

"Still the same, no improvement," Li Tong replied, taking a drink.

No one knew how to offer comfort, and the atmosphere grew slightly subdued.

"Cheers, it’s fine with me. There are so many people at home; as a concubine’s son from the fourth branch, it's not my turn to attend to him," Li Tong said with a weak smile, urging them on. "I'm already dejected at home, so I won't spoil your fun out here. That would be my fault. Who knows where I'll end up later? It’s rare enough that you don't mind playing with me for so long..."

This only worsened the mood instead of cheering them up.

Li Tong was the grandson of Elder Li, but as the son of the fourth branch and an unfavored concubine’s son, a major upheaval was inevitable once the family pillar, Elder Li, passed away. For Li Tong, who already held little standing when his grandfather was healthy, his status would plummet after his grandfather's death. Staying in the capital meant depending on the goodwill of his other uncles and elders. Perhaps venturing out might lead to some success.

This situation was easily understood by Fan Yilin and the others, who came from similar prominent families; they naturally grasped his state of mind.

They all quickly prepared to offer words of encouragement.

"If you could cure your grandfather, wouldn't that be a huge accomplishment?" Fan Yilin said after a moment of hesitation.

This statement drew a flurry of eye-rolls.

"Go, go," everyone waved at him. Was this consolation? This was tactless and painful! Joking around when they were usually unrestrained was one thing, but this topic was entirely inappropriate.

(Note: I have revised the honorifics in the previous chapters. The living are called Grand Empress Dowager; the deceased are called Empress Xiaoci of the Founding Ancestor~ Hehe, I got carried away writing xiao bai wen and forgot common sense, my apologies~) No Pop-up Novel Network www.RT