Ning Yuchan watched as Huo Changsheng leaped across the roofs and walls. A strong and sturdy man moved as agilely as a gecko, disappearing from the inner residence in the blink of an eye.
At this moment, the young man lay back weakly on the bed.
After a brief hesitation, Ning Yuchan asked, “Are you hungry? I will go get you something to eat.”
The young man lay there with a pale face, quietly staring at her, but his gaze seemed distant, as if he had sunk into some deep thoughts.
Ning Yuchan did not hear a reply, so she planned to quietly withdraw.
If he’s hungry, he would naturally ask her for food.
However, just as she reached the doorway, she was called back.
“Come here.”
Ning Yuchan had a gentle temperament. She rarely argued with others and seldom went against people.
Especially now that she was facing someone who held the power of life and death.
She obediently walked over, her voice soft and gentle. “Is there something you need?”
The young man half sat up, staring at the jade pendant at his waist. After a long moment, he asked, “You are also from Huojia Village?”
Ning Yuchan nodded. “Yes.”
The young man seemed to want to say something more, but he had lost too much blood. His mind was clouded, and suddenly his head tilted to one side as he fell asleep.
Ning Yuchan worried that he might have died. She cautiously stretched out her hand and placed it in front of his nose.
She let out a quiet breath of relief.
He was still breathing.
Ning Yuchan helped him lie down properly and covered him with a blanket, then left the room.
Her room and Taohua’s were next door to his. If anything happened, they would be able to hear it.
But she could not remain in the inner residence all the time. There was still much to do in the front courtyard. Having just become a disciple, if she did not work, the senior brothers would certainly be displeased.
Just as she was feeling conflicted, Doctor Cui and Taohua returned.
“Master…”
Doctor Cui seemed to know what she was about to say and did not give her the chance to finish. “You and Taohua go to the front courtyard and help Qingcheng sort the medicinal herbs.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Sister-in-law,” Taohua glanced keenly toward the upper floor as she followed Ning Yuchan toward the front courtyard. “Has someone come?”
Ning Yuchan nodded. “There is a patient, but his identity is special and cannot be spoken of.”
She emphasized, “You cannot tell even Senior Brother or Third Senior Brother.”
Taohua understood. “Do not worry, I will definitely not say anything.”
Ning Yuchan felt a bit guilty. Huo Changsheng had returned, but he had told her not to inform Taohua.
She did not know what had happened.
Her heart was full of questions, yet he had gone out to handle matters, and she did not know when he would return.
The news that Doctor Cui had taken in disciples spread quickly.
It was said that the test he had set yesterday was to identify medicinal herbs. Some people who wished to become Doctor Cui’s disciples memorized common herbs at home. By evening, more than a dozen groups had already come to inquire about becoming apprentices.
Cui Qingcheng was overwhelmed by the disturbance and wrote a large notice refusing to take in more disciples, posting it at the entrance.
Only then did Cui Shantang quiet down.
After Ning Yuqiao returned home, the more she thought about it, the more uneasy she became. Her younger sister had entered Cui Shantang to learn medicine, while she remained in the village, becoming a worn-out housewife.
Liang Yunxian had never favored her. On their wedding day, they had not even consummated the marriage.
When her younger sister grew strong and capable, would he still look at her?
Moreover, the two of them had stayed overnight together at Cui Shantang last night. Who knew how they had interacted?
If they rekindled their old feelings behind her back, and with Huo Changsheng dead, once Liang Yunxian passed the provincial-level examination and became a juren, would he not bring her back?
She did not object to sisters serving one husband, but would Liang Yunxian be willing to let her remain the principal wife?
Her father had raised Ning Yuchan for eighteen years. Why should Ning Yuchan be the principal wife while she became a concubine?
The more Ning Yuqiao thought, the more anxious she became. She went to discuss with Mother Liang, saying that she also wanted to go to Cui Shantang to study medicine.
Mother Liang was naturally unwilling.
She had lived her whole life in the village. A woman should prioritize her husband. How could she show her face outside?
But her daughter-in-law insisted. She said that Liang Yunxian had always been diligently studying and would surely become an official in the future.
As the wife of an official, how could she know nothing?
If she went to Cui Shantang to broaden her horizons, she could help Liang Yunxian rise step by step in the future.
When Mother Liang heard that it was for her son’s sake, how could she still refuse?
“As long as Doctor Cui is willing to accept you, I will let you go.”
Ning Yuqiao was delighted. “Mother, I will work hard. I will definitely be a good wife to Liang Yunxian.”
After Huo Changsheng finished handling his affairs, he planned to return to Huojia Village.
He had been a soldier for five years and had not returned home even once.
In the earlier years, he could still send letters home, but in the past two years, his missions had been arduous, and he could not even write letters anymore.
He had recently been delayed in Qinzhou City for many days and had not originally planned to return. But after seeing Ning Yuchan today, his longing for his family suddenly became uncontrollable. He wished he could grow wings and fly back to the Huo family.
To avoid being recognized, he wore a bamboo hat and did not dare ride a horse, fearing it would attract too much attention. He walked all the way to the city gate.
Liu Hansheng was conducting strict inspections. All passing pedestrians and merchants had to be checked at least twice before being allowed through.
As the city gate was about to close, there were fewer travelers. He stood on the city wall, sipping flower tea.
When he noticed Huo Changsheng walking briskly, he instinctively felt he was not an ordinary person.
He quickly went down from the wall and personally inspected him.
“Where are you from? What do you do? Where are you going?”
Huo Changsheng let himself be inspected openly. “I am a local. I have been away doing business these past years and have not returned for a long time. My immediate family has already moved away. This time I am passing through Qinzhou to visit my maternal relatives.”
Liu Hansheng circled around Huo Changsheng, examining him carefully several times.
“What business do you do?”
Huo Changsheng replied, “I do a bit of everything. Selling tea, trading cloth, transporting goods. I do whatever makes money.”
He took out a large silver ingot from his clothes and stuffed it into Liu Hansheng’s hand. “Officer, have a cup of tea. I am in a hurry to continue my journey. Please make it convenient for me.”
Liu Hansheng weighed the silver.
They were looking for a child of fourteen or fifteen.
The person in front of him, wearing a hat, was at least in his twenties. He was definitely not the person they were searching for.
With a wave of his hand, he said, “Go on.”
Huo Changsheng took two steps forward when he suddenly saw two familiar faces, both from Huojia Village.
He quickly lowered the brim of his hat so they would not see his face.
The two indeed did not notice him.
While being searched by the guards, they chatted casually.
“The Huo eldest branch has gone too far. They keep everything for themselves. Even if they do not give anything to the second branch, when their children go out to apprentice, they still spread rumors that they sold their daughter.”
“We were also at fault for not figuring things out. My old face has been completely disgraced today.”
“When we return to the village, let us first go to the second branch to apologize. The second brother is generous. He will let it pass.”
Liu Hansheng was on duty today. In the morning, he had seen villagers from Huojia Village and Dayang Village enter the city to look for someone.
He just did not know who they were searching for.
Now that he heard they were from Huojia Village, he could not help but ask a few more questions.
The two villagers were talkative. Even without being asked, they would share gossip, and now that they were asked, they eagerly recounted the village stories.
“…Officer, let me tell you, the son of the second branch of the Huo family has been dead for two years. Recently, his daughter-in-law entered the family and performed the wedding ceremony holding a rooster…”
Huo Changsheng’s heart sank. His father was known as Second Brother Huo.
The son who had been dead for two years could only refer to him.
The daughter-in-law marrying in with a rooster, did that not mean Ning Yuqiao had married into the family?
Liu Hansheng had also heard about Huojia Village these past few days. “Is she Old Man Ning’s daughter?”
The two villagers nodded repeatedly. “Officer, you are truly well-informed. You even know these small matters of common folk.”
Liu Hansheng thought of Ning Yuchan’s delicate and gentle appearance, and his heart stirred slightly.
Huo Changsheng’s heart, however, grew colder and colder.
No wonder Ning Yuchan had kept her distance from him. It turned out that Ning Yuqiao had married into the family.
No matter what the situation at home was, Huo Changsheng should have returned to take a look.
But at that moment, he saw an officer approach Liu Hansheng and whisper something. Liu Hansheng immediately left the city gate and rode back into the city on a fast horse.
A bad feeling arose in his heart.
Worried about the young man hiding in Cui Shantang, he could no longer think about returning home and quickly headed back into the city.
Doctor Cui assigned Ning Yuchan to take care of the young man, including changing his medicine and providing three meals a day.
However, it must not be known by the people in the front courtyard.
Ning Yuchan obediently agreed.
Since moving into the medical hall, she had been eating together with the senior brothers and workers.
Whether she made excuses to bring food back to the inner residence or secretly hid some, it would easily be discovered.
After thinking it over, she decided to set up her own small stove in the inner residence. Only then could she avoid drawing attention.
In the afternoon, she spoke with Dazhuang and asked for some rice, flour, oil, eggs, and other ingredients.
Cui Shitou saw this and asked what she intended to do.
She said a bit shyly, “I get hungry in the middle of the night. It is not convenient to trouble Brother Dazhuang, so I will prepare something myself.”
Cui Shitou teased her. “Be careful. If Master finds out, he will punish you.”
Ning Yuchan said nervously, “Then I will share some with Master. Maybe he will not punish me.”
Cui Shitou wanted to help Ning Yuchan carry the things over, but as soon as he passed through the hanging flower gate, he was stopped by Master.
“Yuchan and Taohua are female members of the household. From today on, without my permission, you should not come here casually.”
Cui Shitou froze for a moment, then quickly set down the items and withdrew.
Ning Yuchan carried the things herself to the inner residence.
Not knowing what the young man could eat, she rolled out a bowl of noodles and also fried two eggs.
The young man only woke up at dusk.
After eating, he seemed very satisfied with Ning Yuchan’s cooking and stared at her for quite a while.
Ning Yuchan felt somewhat uncomfortable. Although he was only fourteen or fifteen, he was still a boy. Why was he staring at her like that?
It was too improper.
The young man noticed her displeased expression, but instead of restraining himself, he became even more direct.
Ning Yuchan also had a bit of a temper. She picked up the bowl and walked out.
“I will come tomorrow morning to change your medicine. Rest early.”
In the middle of the night, there was suddenly a great commotion. People from nowhere burst in, directly crashing open the medical hall gates and surrounding Cui Shantang completely.
Ning Yuchan lived in the inner residence. At first, she did not hear anything, but when the torchlight lit up outside the window, she quickly shook Taohua.
“Taohua, wake up. Something has happened.”
She grabbed Taohua’s clothes and threw them onto her. “Hurry and get dressed.”
Taohua, still half asleep, did not know what had happened. In her panic, she hastily put on her clothes, even fastening two buttons incorrectly.
Ning Yuchan finished dressing first and went downstairs to find Doctor Cui.
Doctor Cui’s room was empty. She returned upstairs to find the injured young man.
Cui Shantang had always kept to itself and avoided worldly affairs. With so many people suddenly arriving, it was most likely because of the injured young man.
At that moment, several men in official uniforms rushed into the room.
Their gazes were fierce, each holding a torch, looking menacing.
Ning Yuchan felt afraid. Seeing Taohua come over, she quickly pulled her to her side.
“You… what are you doing?”
The injured young man could not be seen by others. He must be someone important.
With so many officials suddenly rushing in, how could their purpose be unclear?
If this implicated Cui Shantang, she and Taohua would likely face a terrible outcome.
At this moment, she stood in front of the injured young man’s room, wishing she could block them with her frail body and prevent them from entering.
“Have you seen this child?” The leading officer walked up to Ning Yuchan with a portrait in hand.
Ning Yuchan recognized at a glance that the person in the portrait was the injured young man.
“No, no, I do not know him. I have not seen him.”
Seeing her stammering and clearly guilty expression, and noticing how she was shielding the room behind her, the officer immediately formed a suspicion. He pushed her aside and kicked the door open.