After bidding farewell to Director Wang, Su Ting took Qin Zhen back to Suzhou.
He had originally intended to escort Wang Zhi further along his journey.
But Wang Zhi was rushing to Nanjing immediately and forbade him from following, insisting he quickly bring Qin Zhen into the Su family.
With no alternative, Su Ting had no choice but to comply.
His initial plan had been to secretly return to the Western Depot to protect Wang Zhi and help him handle some tedious matters.
Little did he expect that the Western Depot was now completely gone.
Emperor Mingxianzong had already expelled the Director from the imperial city and from Shuntian Prefecture.
He and Youen could never return to the Western Depot again.
Qin Zhen spoke very little throughout the journey, but she wasn’t naturally taciturn.
In the carriage, she spent almost the entire time gazing out the window, seemingly fascinated by the scenery along the way.
When they passed street performers doing magic tricks, she would lean out to watch carefully.
When they passed fragrant meat shops, her eyes would light up, and she would immediately ask Su Ting to buy some for her.
When she witnessed couples flirting and bantering, she would laugh along with the amused woman.
Occasionally, they would encounter elderly couples supporting each other arm-in-arm, and she couldn’t help but cast envious glances their way.
Like other young women in the bloom of youth, she was filled with curiosity, love, and anticipation for everything in the world.
Even though she had long seen her own fate clearly.
Even though she had long known her end was to die in someone else’s place.
Even though she understood that her remaining time was short.
None of this could suppress the girl’s innate love for the scenery along the way, nor her anticipation for the world and the future.
She was a woman of few words, but also a girl who loved this human world.
Several days later, Su Ting and Qin Zhen returned to Suzhou.
The moment they entered Suzhou city, he changed her name.
From then on, she would be his daughter, Su Ting’s daughter, Youen’s younger sister—Su Zhenzhen.
He had already thought of how to explain to the two Su sons:
“I was wrong not to have told you about Zhenzhen before. A married daughter is like spilled water.
I sent her to be a child bride in a wealthy family when she was young. Back then, the family was short on money, and marrying her off was to support Youen, our son. This matter isn’t particularly honorable, so I didn’t want to tell you.
But recently I received a letter from her saying she wasn’t doing well in her husband’s family and asked me to bring her home. However, there’s no home left in Shuntian Prefecture now, so I could only bring her back to Suzhou.”
Although the reasoning was full of holes and sounded utterly ridiculous.
He firmly believed that the two Su sons would definitely believe his excuse.
After arriving at Everlasting Light Street, Su Ting decided to first buy Zhenzhen some new clothes.
He found a clothing store and let Zhenzhen choose for herself inside, while he went to the neighboring wine shop to buy alcohol.
Su Ting’s arrangement was absolutely not to give Zhenzhen an opportunity to escape.
Of course he understood that Zhenzhen’s fate was tragic.
But at the same time, he also understood that Qin Zhen was originally someone who had walked out of a death row prison.
Originally, she should have entered the execution ground to have her life ended by an executioner.
Every day she lived now was given to her by Wang Zhi.
From the moment she left prison, her fate became to die in place of the Song family’s daughter, Song Qingqing.
Her mission was to use her own death to resolve the Song family matter and preserve Youen’s life.
Therefore, even though he sympathized with her tragic fate, he would never show her mercy or let her escape to survive.He intentionally created an opportunity for her to be alone, wanting to observe in secret just how loyal this woman who emerged from the death row prison was to the Director.
If she remained loyal to the Director and was prepared to exchange her own death for Youen’s life, she would stay properly in the shop without attempting to escape or send warnings.
He feared Qin Zhen might have been sent by Wang Zhi’s enemies. If that were the case, bringing her back to the Su family would expose Youen’s whereabouts.
This would completely destroy all their plans.
Therefore, he had to test her true identity.
Of course, Su Ting hoped she would remain loyal to Wang Zhi, so that Youen could survive and the Song family matter could be put to rest.
But what happened next made Su Ting unable to avoid suspicion.
That day, Lin Chaoyu grew extremely bored at his residence and sent someone to invite Lu Jing (son of Lu Ting) and Zuo Zhiquan (son of the Suzhou Prefecture deputy inspector).
These three were considered the leaders of Suzhou’s pleasure-seeking youths – incompetent in poetry and etiquette but masters of indulgence and gambling.
Lin Chaoyu had invited them specifically to visit the gambling den for some games.
Having stayed indoors for several days, everything seemed novel to him.
Especially when encountering beautiful women – he simply couldn’t control his eyes, refusing to look away until he’d taken in his fill.
When asked where the most beautiful women on Everlasting Light Street could be found, the answer was undoubtedly Qingshan House.
Qingshan House was the largest brothel in Suzhou city.
Lin Chaoyu often mocked how a mere brothel, unclear of its own purpose, could bear such an elegant name.
Of course, mockery aside.
Though he looked down on this establishment from the bottom of his heart, he couldn’t resist the captivating beauty of its women.
Every time he passed Qingshan House and recalled the alluring charm of those women inside, his legs would grow weak.
Thus, even though he had originally planned to visit the gambling den with these three today, his legs somehow refused to move when they reached Qingshan House.
Zuo Zhiquan took one look at his drooling expression and understood his thoughts.
Right there on the street, he asked loudly: “Has our Young Master Lin started missing the ladies of Qingshan House again?”
His voice was naturally loud, and passersby heard him clearly.
Many turned their gazes toward Lin Chaoyu.
Being quite concerned with face, Lin Chaoyu shot Zuo Zhiquan a glare and said: “Stop talking nonsense, I’ve just been walking too long and my legs are tired.”
Zuo Zhiquan showed no restraint, his expression turning even more lecherous.
“Then why don’t we rest inside Qingshan House?”
Just as Lin Chaoyu, having had his thoughts exposed, was about to enter Qingshan House, Lu Jing suddenly pulled him back.
Lu Jing’s eyes shone with excitement as he pointed at the clothing shop beside Qingshan House, shaking Lin Chaoyu’s arm enthusiastically.
“Chao! There’s a beautiful girl over there!”
A beautiful girl?!!!
Lin Chaoyu’s eyes for spotting beauties were faster than anyone’s, instantly locking onto a green-clad woman selecting clothes in the shop.
At first glance, he could tell she was undoubtedly a beauty.
Her figure was absolutely exquisite, and he had already started imagining how stunning her face must be.
Lin Chaoyu was nearly mesmerized, already fantasizing about the scene of winning this beauty for himself.
Lu Jing understood his thoughts best. He kicked Zuo Zhiquan and pointed at the woman in green, urging, “What are you waiting for? Go!”
The implication was clear: hurry and bring that woman back before Lin Chaoyu dies of longing.
Zuo Zhiquan raised an eyebrow at him with a smile, instantly grasping his meaning. Taking two servants with him, he strode toward the tailor shop.