Ye Yizhen was nearly losing her mind. After all her effort, the child had vanished right under her nose! Had all her work been for nothing? How could she continue the act now? How was she supposed to connect with the Ghost Doctor?
“Has anyone seen the child?”
One bystander hesitated. “I think someone took him away.”
Ye Yizhen grew frantic, both angry and anxious. Who had stolen her prize? “Who took him? Speak!”
The man thought carefully. “It looked like a young fellow, with a dark face.”
Ye Yizhen’s expression changed drastically. “Could be an accomplice of the kidnapper. Quickly, find him!”
She turned to Jiang Wenzhou, her voice trembling with compassion. “Brother Jiang, have the authorities send men to search. We must rescue the child. Just thinking of an innocent child suffering breaks my heart.”
Jiang Wenzhou gazed at her with even greater tenderness. Truly, the woman he loved was so kind. “Don’t worry. The boy looked clever enough. He’ll be fine.”
Meanwhile, Yun Zheng was sprinting along a prearranged route, one hand clamped over the boy’s mouth. She darted into the maple grove beside the elegant courtyard.
It was a scenic spot, but at this hour everyone was crowded in the main hall. The grove was deserted, quiet.
She dropped the struggling child onto the ground, exhausted. “Now you’re safe. Hurry and run.”
The boy, who had been desperate to escape, froze. He stared at her blankly, suspicion filling his eyes. “You’re not one of the kidnappers’ accomplices?”
Yun Zheng sat down, wiping sweat from her brow. Her deliberately darkened face revealed her true complexion—fair, delicate, beautiful.
“The woman you called sister is the accomplice. Little one, you’ve been tricked.”
At his age, he was half naïve, half perceptive.
The boy felt as though a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head. Rage surged. “Impossible! She’s a good person! She saved me!”
Yun Zheng looked at him with pity. It was clear he had been well protected by his family—innocent, sincere. But in her past life, he had been Ye Yizhen’s blade, used to do her dirty work, only to be silenced in the end.
“Today’s rescue was staged by her. A public display of heroism—earning her a reputation for kindness, while winning your family’s gratitude. She wants your family to serve her. You, child, are merely her tool.”
The boy’s face drained of color. “How could she possibly know who my family is?”
Yun Zheng spread her hands. “She knows. And I know too. Your grandfather is none other than the famed Ghost Doctor.”
“And you—you are the Ghost Doctor’s only grandson, his only family. As long as she controls you, your grandfather will have no choice but to obey her. If she orders him to poison, he will poison. If she orders him to kill, he will kill.”
Each word made the boy’s heart pound with dread. At first he didn’t believe her, but his identity had been exposed so clearly, the conspiracy laid bare—he couldn’t help but believe. He grew frantic, angry, and afraid. “No, no, no! That can’t happen!”
Yun Zheng’s lips curved faintly. Ye Yizhen would never become his savior now. Instead, she would face the Ghost Doctor’s wrath and reap the backlash.
“Enough talk. Hurry and find your grandfather.”
The boy’s eyes brimmed with suspicion. He trusted no one now. “You’re clearly a woman. Why disguise yourself as a man? And why are you helping me?”
Yun Zheng gave a cold snort. “Because I have a grudge against her. If she gains your grandfather’s support, I’ll die. So I must sabotage her.”
The reasoning was flawless. The boy thought hard, his eyes shifting. “Who are you? And who is she?”
He sensed no malice from Yun Zheng. She was just a weak woman, unarmed, seemingly harmless.
Yun Zheng looked at the earnest little boy, exasperated. “Why do you ask so many questions? Run! She’s powerful. If she catches you, both you and I are finished.”
The boy hesitated no longer. He stood and ran off. “Thank you.”
“No need. I did it to save myself.” Yun Zheng watched his small figure disappear into the distance, her gaze steady and resolute.
Sure enough, before long, the boy came running back in a panic.
Yun Zheng’s lips lifted. This was the most crucial step in her plan—she needed him. “Why did you come back?”
The boy’s face was full of fear and wariness. “The temple is sealed. Both front and back gates are shut. No one is allowed in or out. They’re all searching for me. I don’t dare leave.”
“She’s with the authorities?”
Yun Zheng nodded openly. “She is the eldest daughter-in-law of the Pingxi Marquis household—Ye Yizhen.”
The boy’s jaw dropped in shock. “From the marquisate? Then what about you?”
Yun Zheng did not hide it. “I am the second daughter-in-law of the Pingxi household, heiress of the Yun family business—Yun Zheng.”
The boy’s eyes widened even more. “Then you’re family! Why are you fighting to the death?”
Yun Zheng didn’t treat him like a child, but as an equal. “Let me tell you what happened yesterday…”
Her words rose and fell with emotion, vividly painting the shameless behavior of that man and woman. The boy’s feelings were stirred, and he raised his little fists in fury. “You’re so pitiful—running into a pair of adulterers who even tried to rob and kill you. So vile! Kill them!”
Yun Zheng: …this child curses even filthier than she does!
“So, will you help me? Or rather, help yourself?”
The boy’s eyes darted. “How?”
Yun Zheng pinched his chubby cheeks with a smile. “Expose her true face in public. Don’t let your grandfather or the world be deceived. Stop her claws from reaching you two again—cut off the danger forever.”
The boy thought for a moment. “Then… how will you guarantee my safety?”
Well, the brat was clever. Yun Zheng chuckled. “If I can save you once, I can save you twice.”
The boy was half-convinced, half-doubtful. “Can I trust you?”
“Here.” Yun Zheng pulled out a stack of silver notes from her sleeve and handed them to him.
The boy counted and recounted, eyes wide, hands trembling. “Ten thousand taels!”
Yun Zheng smiled faintly. “You don’t have to trust my character. But you can always trust silver.”
It made perfect sense. The boy was persuaded. He wasn’t doing it for money—absolutely not!
“Let’s go. Let’s destroy them!”
Hidden in the trees, Li Wuyang’s lips twitched. She really did like to throw money at people. Yet somehow, she spoke with such sincerity that it didn’t feel offensive. Every step she took was carefully planned.
Snatching the boy—waiting for the right moment.
Letting him go—so she could earn his trust.
Exposing Ye Yizhen’s scheme—so she could ignite the boy’s fury and cut off Ye Yizhen’s path completely. Revealing her identity was meant to make the boy feel they were both victims, on the same side. Finally, tossing out a stack of silver sealed the deal and completed the circle. Every step was tightly connected, all under her control. She had calculated human nature to the extreme! Yet her intentions were upright—an open, honest scheme that harmed no innocents.
Unexpectedly, Li Wuyang found himself anticipating what would happen next.
At that moment, Ye Yizhen was personally leading her servants in a frantic search. Exhausted and breathless, she still persevered, winning endless praise from the crowd. But the brighter her glory now, the harsher her fall would be later!