The Lin family was raided. Scholar Lin was dismissed from his post and imprisoned for embezzlement, bribery, and forcibly seizing commoners’ daughters.
As soon as this news broke, the court was in an uproar.
The reason was simple—Lin Youde’s crimes were too minor.
If you picked any official from the entire court, which one hadn’t embezzled tens of thousands of taels of silver? Yet it was Lin Youde, an old man on the verge of death, who ended up in prison.
The ministers, unaware of the grudge between Xiao Jing and Lin Youde, assumed it was the Emperor’s dissatisfaction with them, using Xiao Jing to raid the Lin family as a warning to others.
For a time, the capital was filled with tension, and court officials became much more restrained.
The one most terrified by Lin Youde’s imprisonment was Master Jiang. He had originally planned to offer Jiang Fu as a concubine to Lin Youde in exchange for a promotion and transfer. Little did he expect that the day after he hosted the banquet, Lin Youde would end up in prison.
“Thank goodness, thank goodness…”
In the main branch of the Jiang family, Master Jiang repeatedly expressed his relief.
“Thank goodness we didn’t send A’Fu over. Otherwise, our Jiang family would have been implicated too.”
“Exactly. Who knows why the Imperial Guard targeted the Lin family?” Madam Yan echoed, still shaken by the close call.
“…Could they also be targeting you, Master?”
Master Jiang’s hair stood on end. “That can’t be…”
He hadn’t done anything wrong, let alone embezzlement. As a lowly seventh-rank official in the capital, he was a dime a dozen. He was the one trying to curry favor with others, not the other way around.
But just because he hadn’t been targeted before didn’t mean he wouldn’t be in the future. Master Jiang decided to take precautions and tighten his belt.
“Regardless, keep the servants in the household under control recently and make sure they all stay cautious.”
“Yes, but what about A’Fu’s marriage?”
Scholar Lin was imprisoned, but there were still other candidates. Madam Yan was still eager to marry Jiang Fu off as soon as possible.
Master Jiang hesitated for a moment before waving his hand. “Let’s keep things quiet for now. After all, it was the Xiao family who wronged us by breaking off the engagement. If we marry A’Fu off carelessly and offend the Xiao family, it could cause trouble.”
Madam Yan wanted to say the Xiao family wouldn’t care, but recalling how Xiao Yuzhang had stood up for Jiang Fu at Yujing Tower that day, she wasn’t so sure.
“Fine.”
Though dissatisfied, Madam Yan had no choice but to agree. No matter how strong-willed she was, Master Jiang was still the one in charge of the Jiang family.
However, she wouldn’t let Jiang Fu off easily either.
An orphan girl like her shouldn’t think of outshining her own Yao’er.
News of Scholar Lin’s imprisonment spread throughout the Jiang household, and Jiang Fu also heard about it.
Bai Xing was overjoyed, closing the door and lavishing praise on the Imperial Guard.
“This servant used to think the Imperial Guard was cold-blooded and ruthless, just the Emperor’s hunting dogs. But now it seems they’re like righteous officials! Scholar Lin had just set his sights on you, Miss, and he was thrown into prison. How satisfying! That old man will probably die in there!”
Bai Xing felt even more refreshed than if she had eaten ice. Ever since hearing the news, the smile hadn’t left her face.
Jiang Fu held a medical book in her hands, not even noticing it was upside down.
All she could hear were Bai Xing’s words. How could it be such a coincidence?
Last night, she had complained to Xiao Jing in her dream, and today he had thrown Lin Youde into prison.
“Don’t cry. You won’t marry him. Don’t worry.”
“…”
“Miss?”
Bai Xing had been talking for a while without getting a response. She leaned in slightly and called out to Jiang Fu, startling her.
“Wh-what is it?”
“Nothing. I was just worried you might still be afraid. Don’t worry, Miss. With Lord Xiao around, Scholar Lin won’t be getting out.”
“Mm.”
Jiang Fu lowered her head and hummed in response. In a place Bai Xing didn’t notice, the tips of her ears quietly turned red.
Whether it was a coincidence or not, Xiao Jing had saved her once again.
She didn’t seem to fear him as much anymore.
Due to the matter with Academician Lin, the main branch had quieted down for a few days.
Recently, Xu Yun had been busy accompanying her brothers and hadn’t sent Jiang Fu any invitations. So, she and Bai Xing stayed in the second branch, reading medical books and making incense.
Speaking of their previous outings, Jiang Fu had asked Bai Xing to buy a set of silver needles and several medicinal herbs from the pharmacy. She had begun practicing acupuncture and medicine-making.
“I wonder if Madam knew medicine. Could she have been the descendant of some miraculous doctor?”
Jiang Fu’s father and Qiu Niang had passed away early, and Bai Xing was only a year older than Jiang Fu, so her memories of them were vague.
In her recollection, Qiu Niang was a gentle and serene woman. Though Madam Jiang disliked her, she never forced her presence and lived quietly with Jiang Fu’s father in the second branch, keeping to themselves.
If not for Jiang Fu discovering medical books and incense recipes among their belongings after their passing, these items might have remained hidden forever.
“Perhaps.”
Jiang Fu didn’t dwell on it, already immersed in the mysteries of acupuncture. If only she had the chance to treat someone in person.
Days passed, and one day Bai Xing suddenly brought her news.
“It seems someone has moved in next door. I heard voices while passing by the wall earlier.”
“Is that so?”
Jiang Fu was practicing acupuncture for detoxification, her entire being focused and holding her breath. She responded casually to Bai Xing’s words.
Bai Xing didn’t mind, knowing her young lady was engrossed in medicine. She shrugged and quietly slipped out.
Next door, Xiao Jing stood beneath an apricot tree, looking up at the golden apricots overhead, as if he could still see the little girl’s greedy expression through the fruit.
A faint smile unconsciously touched his lips.
“Master? Should I pick some and send them to Fourth Miss Jiang?”
A servant seized the opportunity to offer flattery, but Xiao Jing shot him a cold glance, and the servant obediently fell silent.
Xiao Jing naturally wanted to send them openly, but his current identity would only bring her trouble.
Just a little longer…
“Pick a basket of ripe ones and deliver them quietly. Don’t let her maid notice.”
“Yes.”
When Bai Xing returned with a meal, she was carrying a basket of apricots. Jiang Fu’s eyes widened.
“Did you pick these?”
Bai Xing nearly dropped the basket in fright at her young lady’s words. “Oh, my lady! You wrong me! After being scolded by those people last time, how would I dare steal again? I found this by the wall. I suspect it might be a gift from our neighbor next door?”
Jiang Fu frowned. “But I don’t even know them.”
She still had no idea who lived next door.
Bai Xing scratched her head, thinking the same. “But why would they send us apricots? Maybe it’s a greeting gift for the neighbors. Speaking of which, our neighbor is the Princess’s estate. There’s only one princess in the capital, right? I just don’t know who she is. Why don’t you ask Miss Xu? Perhaps she met you before and that’s why she sent something?”
Having ventured out twice, Jiang Fu had gained some experience. It was possible she had met someone before without realizing it.
Hearing Bai Xing’s words, she nodded, took out a sheet of letter paper, and began writing.
Unaware that his cover was about to be blown, Xiao Jing was only concerned with whether the little girl liked apricots.
That night, Jiang Fu dreamed again—this time, she was in a tree.
Lying on the trunk, suspended in mid-air, her fear of heights made her cling tightly to the tree, her eyes reddening.
But suddenly, the trunk transformed into Xiao Jing’s form.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs encircling his waist.
A breeze blew by, and the ends of Xiao Jing’s hair brushed against her cheek, tickling her so much that her body trembled slightly.
“Be good, don’t be afraid.”