Once outside the house, Yu Tingwan’s steps felt unsteady.
It wasn’t that she was easily coaxed, but rather that Wei Zhao’s charm was overwhelming.
Her dark hair was loose, still with a sense of disarray, yet a smile played at the corners of her mouth. A simple touch of lips on lips, and he held her tightly, as if he could ld her into his very being.
Clearly, they hadn’t done anything improper, yet it was utterly beguiling.
It seed...
It seed he was indeed quite handso.
"Wan Niang."
Hui Niang erged from the kitchen, looking a bit surprised to see her.
"Weren’t you next door?"
She speculated, "Are you back to check on Lang because you were worried? You don’t have to worry about the house with here."
No, I ca back to straighten him out.
In Hui Niang’s mind, she was really seen as a sensible daughter-in-law.
After leaving, Yu Tingwan ran into Liu Yan, who was also just leaving the Zhao Family.
Liu Yan saw her and a look of surprise flashed in her eyes.
She thought Yu Tingwan had co back to settle an account.
But Yu Tingwan’s eyes were smiling, exuding an undeniable joy.
Seeing her in a good mood, Liu Yan couldn’t help but be intrigued. She looked around and then pulled Yu Tingwan into a corner to chat.
"He..."
Liu Yan asked, "Do you think I have a chance?"
"My reputation isn’t the best."
Always out eting people, doing business.
"I’m three years older than him."
"He’s a scholar, and it seems all I can do is work an abacus and have so money, but nothing else."
Yu Tingwan was taken aback.
In her impression, these weren’t the kind of words Liu Yan would normally say. Before, when she had her eyes set on Lu, she showed neither fear nor hesitation.
Liu Yan felt self-conscious under Yu Tingwan’s gaze.
"What are you looking at? There’s nothing blooming on my face."
Yu Tingwan asked, "Are you serious?"
Liu Yan whispered, "I used to be a bit indifferent, and didn’t take matters of marriage seriously."
"I thought since I have money, there’d always be soone willing to co with open arms. I sought looks, they sought money, mutually beneficial."
Yu Tingwan wondered, "Aren’t you still seeking looks now?"
"It’s different."
Liu Yan didn’t quite know how to explain.
Yu Tingwan said, "Matters of the heart, you shouldn’t ask ."
She herself was confused.
However...
"If you want to marry, you both need to be willing, and both families need to have no objections."
"Ah Yu is the only son in his family, and his uncle and aunt will not let him marry into another family."
Yu Tingwan made her stance clear.
"If you’re just curious, don’t bother him."
"Ah Yu has experienced so things and avoids won. If he were to marry, it would have to be soone who could truly live a good life with him. He’s timid and can’t handle being toyed with. If you’re like today, I won’t say anything. But if you disturb him and worsen his situation, I won’t hesitate to break ties with you."
Liu Yan was lost in thought.
Hearing about the past incident made her furrow her brow tightly.
Who was it!
To harm soone as protective as Zhao Yu!
But hearing the last sentence, she was displeased.
She complained, "We’ve known each other for a long ti after all."
For a man...
No, he was a very important man.
Yu Tingwan remained expressionless, "Look at ."
"Look at what."
"See if my head’s been smashed flat with a stone, filled with water."
Liu Yan: ...
Yu Tingwan spoke calmly, "Since he calls cousin-in-law, would I be soone who can’t differentiate between close and distant?"
---------
The street was wide and bustling with people.
Teahouses, taverns, pharmacies... various shops stood in rows.
Ze County had changed significantly; it was no longer as lifeless as before.
The tall Constable Zhu followed behind Yang Weiweng, feeling anxious.
"Sir."
"Do you know why He Yushi wants to see ?"
He had only been working by Yang Weiweng’s side for a short ti, and eting soone important made him nervous.
Yang Weiweng led Constable Zhu into the teahouse and up the stairs.
"The official specifically wanted to see you."
"I guess it’s because you’ve been in Ze County for many years, and he might have sothing to ask."
"If you know, just speak directly, don’t hide anything. If you don’t know, don’t make things up. Just reply honestly, no need to be nervous. The official won’t make things difficult for you."
This gave Constable Zhu a sense of reassurance.
With a creak.
Yang Weiweng opened the door and entered.
"Sir, Constable Zhu is here."
He Xuran was wearing regular clothes, brewing tea.
Behind him stood a loyal confidant from Grand Tutor Gu, ensuring his safety.
He Xuran didn’t look up, focusing on the task at hand.
"Let him in."
Yang Weiweng: "Yes."
Constable Zhu lowered his head, not daring to let his eyes wander.
He knelt down, "Greetings, Sir."
As he entered, He Xuran’s tea was ready.
The tea from Ze County wasn’t as good as that from the Capital.
After one sip, he didn’t drink any more.
"Everyone, leave."
This was directed at Grand Tutor Gu’s confidant and Yang Weiweng.
As the two left and closed the door behind them, Constable Zhu lowered his head even more.
He heard He Xuran ask.
"Were you present at the Yu Family fire incident seven years ago?"
Constable Zhu: "Yes."
"I was incompetent. By the ti I got the report and arrived, it was already too late. The fire was too intense."
"Tell everything you know."
Constable Zhu didn’t hesitate, recalling the past.
He said, "Back then, the smoke was so thick that no one dared to get close."
"The deceased, Yu Jingcheng, was the one who ca out holding his daughter."
At this point, he couldn’t help but sigh.
"Half of his body was burned beyond recognition, but the child in his arms was perfectly protected, not a single hair singed."
"Honestly, Sir, Ze County is such a small place. Yu Jingcheng was a highly skilled leader at the Escort Agency. Though he seed fierce, he was known for doting on his wife and daughter."
"He handed the crying child to and rushed back in to save his wife, but sadly... he never ca out again."
At this point, Constable Zhu carefully observed He Xuran.
He Xuran seed lost in thought.
As if he was listening, and yet not.
Wanting to hear, but fearing to.
He’d cleaned up Gu Wu’s sses many tis.
Every ti Gu Wu called him uncle, he couldn’t harden his heart.
The Gu Family’s Daughter, privileged in stature.
She could enter the Imperial Palace, and Cining Palace cherished her deeply.
Yet her true lineage had seen nothing but struggle.
He Xuran, voice hoarse, "And then?"
Constable Zhu had no choice but to continue. The events of those years were etched deep in his mory.
"That little girl from the Yu Family fainted right then. With no relatives in the Yu Family, I couldn’t bear to leave her at the Governnt Office, so I took her ho."
"My wife pitied her, grumbling about my decision to bring her back, but she had a soft heart and held the girl close to comfort her."
"But she wouldn’t eat or drink after waking up. Initially crying for her parents, but then she stopped speaking altogether."
"At night, when we weren’t watching, she ran out."
Which made everyone in the Zhu household frantic, fearing for her safety.
"Eventually... we found her at the ruins of the Yu Family."
He couldn’t help but feel heavy-hearted at this point.
"The child sohow got her hands on so paper money and was burning it there."
"She couldn’t light her fire striker, and whether it was out of urgency or sorrow, she knelt on the ground, shedding tears."
"She was sobbing so heartbreakingly."
"It didn’t feel right just standing there, so I went over and helped her light it, and we burned the paper money together."
"The little girl, her eyes red, asked if it was because she was bad and always caused trouble that her parents didn’t want her."
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