Chapter 85

The weather in May was gradually getting warmer, the sun shining brightly on the earth. A gust of wind blew, and the smell of the kang blew in my face.

Zhou Jingchen's sleeves shielded him from the heat as he slowly, guided by the reins, made his way to his temporary residence in Luntai. He had come to Luntai at the behest of Suletu, to escort Selik back to Jizhou. But before the escort, he needed to meet Suletu, and that was why he was now stranded. Ye Jia leaned against his chest, listening to his unhurried recounting of these events, able to discern the entire situation.

Suletu wanted Sailek to pay with his life, and he didn't want to obey the imperial court's orders at all. Although he couldn't touch Sailek openly, Suletu made a deal with Zhou Jingchen in private.

Suletu hoped that Zhou Jingchen would eliminate Sailik and inflict heavy damage on the Turks later on. In return, he would help Zhou Jingchen reform himself and regain his position in the army. In other words, if the deal went through, Suletu would conceal whatever Zhou Jingchen did in the northwest, as long as it didn't endanger the interests of the Protectorate.

Zhou Jingchen hadn't concealed any of this from Ye Jia, and whenever Ye Jia asked, he would speak frankly. Ever since their last candid conversation, Zhou Jingchen had promised not to hide anything from Ye Jia. Ye Jia didn't know the depth of that trust, but Zhou Jingchen's equal and honest attitude made her feel safe and at home. Perhaps this was Zhou Jingchen's way of keeping Ye Jia, but it was undoubtedly effective.

"Since you were assigned to escort him, then if something happened to Sailik on his way back to the city, as the main escort, you can't be free of responsibility, right?" Ye Jia frowned after hearing this. Suletu's words sounded nice, but his actions contradicted his promise. This clearly showed ill intentions.

Zhou Jingchen's position was sensitive, and his actions were indeed subject to various constraints. While his smooth climb to the rank of captain was certainly due to his superiors' willingness to make things difficult for him, his success stemmed from his numerous achievements. He captured key figures, eliminated bandits, and thus nipped the war and danger in the bud. Such achievements would have been a legitimate promotion for anyone.

Because Zhou Jingchen's status was special and King Jing's crimes were still unsolved, he was in an inferior position compared to ordinary people. The fact that his promotion was legitimate and not hindered by malicious intent was a form of care.

Suletu clearly did not offer any help, but he blatantly used Zhou Jingchen's promotion as a bargaining chip.

Anyone could have been sent back to Selik, but Suletu had ordered Zhou Jingchen to go. He also ordered someone to die en route, essentially forcing Zhou Jingchen to bear the brunt of the court's censure. Now that he had already put someone on the spot, his promises were no longer credible.

Zhou Jingchen stretched out a hand and touched Ye Jia's furrowed brow.

His fingers were warm, and when they touched Ye Jia's brow, she froze. Slowly, they smoothed the knot between her brows. Zhou Jingchen smiled faintly, "If it had been a small lieutenant who had failed in his duty, and not 'Zhou Jingchen,' I wouldn't have been in serious trouble. But with Selik's death, this matter would have culminated in the lieutenant dying as an apology, and the Turkic king declaring war on Dayan for the death of his third son."

"It would be best if Selik didn't die, right?" Unless absolutely necessary, it would be best not to go to war. Once a war breaks out, only the local people will suffer.

Zhou Jingchen slowly retracted his arms to hold Ye Jia in his arms, resting his chin on Ye Jia's shoulder.

Ye Jia's heartbeat lurched, and her cheeks grew hot. Zhou Jingchen leaned close to her, sighing almost inaudibly in her ear. "No, it's not that. The Turks have coveted Dayan territory for a long time. They've wanted to go to war with Dayan for a long time. Whether Selik is alive or dead, it won't affect the Turks' ambition to take Dayan. Any reason could justify a war."

"Is that so..." The heat on Ye Jia's cheeks subsided, and he lowered his eyes, feeling a little heavy.

Zhou Jingchen's intention in telling her about this matter was not to make Ye Jia worry, but just to let her be mentally prepared.

He embraced the person in his arms, letting his imagination run wild. Taking advantage of no one's attention, he gently pecked the skin on the side of Ye Jia's neck. Feeling the person in his arms stiffen, he lowered his eyes and calmed down. He whispered softly, "Don't be afraid, Jia Niang. I'm here. I dare not be arrogant, but I am confident that I won't put you and mother in danger."

Ye Jia had long been mentally prepared for the chaos in the northwest, so he wasn't afraid. "I understand. So when will you be back? When will you leave?"

"Leave in ten days. I'll be back in at least a month. Just wait for me at home."

The horse slowly stopped in front of a small courtyard. Just as they reached the gate, they saw two people sitting at a stone table in the courtyard. One was naturally Liu Yuan, and the other was a stranger.

Zhou Jingchen dismounted, then grabbed Ye Jia's waist and carried her off the horse. "We're here."

Ye Jia glanced up at the courtyard. It was a simple, five-room courtyard. Although it was a small courtyard, it wasn't too small. There were several large Scots pine trees planted in the yard, rustling in the wind.

Zhou Jingchen pushed the door of the yard and walked in, and Liu Yuan stood up to greet him.

Liu Yuan and the man walked over and first bowed to Ye Jia, then looked at Zhou Jingchen hesitantly, as if they had something to discuss.

"Business is important, so go ahead."

Ye Jia glanced around the courtyard. Since this was a temporary residence, there was nothing in the yard except a few trees, a stone table, and a few stone benches. Zhou Jingchen tucked Ye Jia's hair behind her ear, nodded, and led the group through the easternmost room. Ye Jia walked around the courtyard and sighed. As expected, the temporary residence was completely deserted.

No fire has ever been burned in the kitchen of this yard, not even firewood.

She was staying for a few days, so she had to cook for herself. In ancient times, unlike modern times, there was no takeout service. Furthermore, she couldn't afford to show off her travel expenses, so eating out every day was out of the question. If she wanted to avoid starvation, she had to cook.

Ye Jia searched the yard for a long time and only found a very small stove, which was even smaller than the one he used to decoct medicine for Zhou Jingchen.

Ye Jia: “…”

...It is indeed more convenient to stay in an inn.

After waiting for a while, the mule cart finally arrived outside the yard under the guidance of Ye Qingshan.

Ye Wumei was in the car and jumped out holding Ye Qingshan's arm. Following behind her was Xilai holding Ye Jia's bag in her arms.

Ye Jia had come out to open a shop and to discuss the bath beans with Su Lun. Naturally, he had brought a few decent sets of clothes. Besides the clothes, there were also some matching accessories. The bundle contained a lot of valuables, and Xilai didn't dare let go of it the entire way. Diandian jumped off the mule cart and darted into the yard.

Ye Jiajie took the luggage that Xilai handed to him, and intuitively pushed open a room and put the things in.

Ye Wumei lived in the Duwei Mansion, and the old man of the Yang family took her in as his apprentice. She was the kind of apprentice who kowtowed and offered tea, truly becoming his apprentice. She wasn't treated like a legitimate daughter in the Yang family, but she was treated just like any other young member of the family.

She came to pick up Ye Jia because she had received the news in advance, not because she wanted to live with her. She came to pick up Ye Jia specifically to encourage Ye Jia to live with her: "Sister, if my brother-in-law is busy here, he won't be able to take care of you. Why don't you come and live with me at the Yang family? I see that this courtyard is very shabby and there are many things missing. If you come with me to the Yang family, you can also try my cooking skills. I have learned many dishes from my master!"

Ye Qingshan also pushed the door open and came in. He subconsciously glanced around and didn't see anyone who saw Zhou Jingchen. Hearing Ye Wumei's words, he laughed: "Your third sister is married now. Her husband is here. How could she leave him and go to the Yang family with you? What nonsense is that, kid!"

"Ah~ Why not?" Ye Wumei's temperament gradually became more cheerful. Hearing this, she stuck out her tongue and said, "Third sister is different from others."

Ye Jia didn't say anything, just smiled.

Ye Jia wasn't familiar with Ye Qingshan, and the original owner's memories of him weren't particularly close. Ye Jia's current aloofness was understandable. After all, the age difference between the siblings was significant, and Ye Qingshan had been away from home for so long. If Ye Jia hadn't reminiscent of her younger self, he wouldn't have recognized her at first glance. The three of them sat in the main hall for a while, and seeing that it was almost dinnertime, Ye Jia suggested going out to get some food.

Xilai went to the kitchen to clean up and followed. Ye Jia looked around and saw that everyone was there except Diandian. Diandian had jumped down and rushed into the yard, and now she didn't know where she was. So she called out.

The grass rustled and Diandian popped out from the bushes. She felt relieved and said, "Diandian, you stay here to look after the house."

After saying that, he turned to look at Ye Wumei: "Wumei, do you know how to get to Caishikou?"

This Ye Wumei looks familiar!

She has been learning cooking from the old man of the Yang family for some time and has visited all the vegetable markets, big and small, in the city.

Unlike smaller towns like Dongxiang Town, Luntai boasts only two east-west streets and a tile market. With so many people living throughout the city, there are several streets stretching east, west, south, and north. There's also a tile market, located on the eastern edge of the city, covering a vast area. On clear days, it can stay open until curfew. Besides the bustling tile market, Luntai also boasts a dedicated vegetable market, where farmers from many of the surrounding villages come to sell their produce.

"Sister, you've asked the right person. I know exactly where the best and most affordable food is in Luntai City."

Ye Wumei couldn't help talking as she sat on the mule cart. She hadn't seen her family in so long. When Ye Jia came over, she was genuinely happy. "Today, I'll show you my skills, so you know that my studies were not in vain!"

Seeing Ye Wumei so happy, Ye Jia couldn't help but feel cheerful as well, "Then I'll be waiting."

The group went to the largest market in Luntai and bought a lot of food. Ye Jia noticed that Zhou Jingchen's place only had food besides oil and salt, and no other seasonings. Ye Jia seriously suspected that he had been eating at other people's houses or eating porridge recently. She definitely wouldn't spend the next few days eating porridge, so Ye Jia bought some of the seasonings she needed.

Ye Qingshan followed behind the two of them, while Sinan and Zhan Lin followed Ye Jia to help carry things.

After wandering around for a long time, Ye Jia and his group got in the car and returned to Zhou Jingchen's residence.

When they came back, it seemed like they had finished their discussion. The stranger stayed with Liu Yuan, waiting to have dinner at the Zhou family's house.

Although Liu Yuan said the food had improved significantly since being transferred to Luntai, the same thing still stuck. A richer food supply didn't necessarily mean it tasted better. A military canteen serving pig food still served pig food. Having not eaten good food in ages, Liu Yuan would have stayed for dinner today unless something serious was happening. As for the other stranger, if Liu Yuan didn't leave, he wouldn't leave either.

Ye Jia came back with a bunch of food, and Liu Yuan's eyes lit up when he saw them from afar.

Zhou Jingchen glanced at him and said to Ye Jia in front of a stranger: "Jia Niang, this is General Li, Li Wenzhu."

Li Wenzhu and Ye Jia exchanged greetings before seriously sizing up the man. He was about thirty years old, with a broad, square face, a full beard, and a pair of piercing, fierce eyes. He was a very strong man, a stark contrast to his name. He looked like a military commander, yet spoke in a rather refined manner. He addressed Ye Jia respectfully and humbly, "Young Madam."

"The general is also an old man from Prince Jing's Mansion."

In reality, Li Wenzhu had originally intended to address Ye Jia as Crown Prince Consort. However, Zhou Jingchen was no longer the Crown Prince of King Jing, and his title had long been abolished by the imperial court. Therefore, he changed her title to Young Madam. Zhou Jingchen's attitude towards Li Wenzhu became much more respectful.

Seeing Zhou Jingchen's attitude, Ye Jia immediately understood what he meant and politely replied, "Mr. Li."

Ye Jia didn't cook dinner, but Fifth Sister Ye insisted she show him how to cook. Ye Jia readily agreed. After chatting with the two sisters for a while, Ye Qingshan went back to the study. Xilai cleaned up the kitchen, but found nothing. Finally, thanks to Fifth Sister Ye's familiarity with the area, they were able to start a fire. It turned out that firewood wasn't as readily available in Luntai City as it was in Dongxiang Town; here, you had to buy it.

The dinner lasted until dark, when Liu Yuan and Li Wenzhu finally left, slightly tipsy. Ye Qinghe and Zhou Jingchen finished their meal and went back to the study, discussing something. Ye Jia asked Sinan to drive Ye Wumei back to the Yang residence.

It was already 10 p.m. when Ye Qinghe left. Ye Jia had already washed up in an empty room and was lying down in Zhou Jingchen's bedroom.

She'd traveled all the way from Dongxiang Town to Luntai these past few days, her bones brittle with fatigue. Ancient roads weren't as smooth as the cement paved roads of later times; they were almost as bumpy, if not potholed. The wheels of a car were already bumpy, and running on them could break bones. Ye Jia lay down, unable to think about anything else, and soon fell into a deep sleep.

Zhou Jingchen sat in the courtyard for a long time, the bright moonlight draped around the yard like a veil. He looked up at the bright moon for a long time, thinking back to Li Wenzhu's words, his expression obscure.

Li Wenzhu was considered an old associate of King Jing, though he had no ties to the King's lineage. In reality, he was the son of the wet nurse of King Jing's eldest son, Zhou Jingchen, and thus a close friend. He had escaped death because his master had already recognized him and freed him from his lowly status, leaving the King's mansion and traveling to the northwest. He had started out as a soldier there, and had worked his way up to his current position.

He hadn't been back to Yanjing for over a decade. During the time Prince Jing was in trouble, he was on the battlefield fighting the Turks. No one had investigated his past, so naturally, they didn't know he was from Prince Jing's mansion. A year ago, Zhou Jingchen approached him, testing his will.

Needless to say, Li Wenzhu is loyal to Prince Jing's Mansion, so he will definitely support Zhou Jingchen's lineage of Prince Jing.

In reality, Li Wenzhu had been in the Beiting Protectorate for over a decade, following Suletu through thick dangers and becoming his right-hand man. His foundation was strong, commanding a hundred thousand troops. Zhou Jingchen sat in the moonlight, its rays filtering through thick lashes, casting a deep shadow over his eyes. The time was not yet ripe; it was too early to initiate.

Zhou Jingchen tapped the stone table with his slender white fingers, then stood up and went back to the house.

The door creaked open, and moonlight streamed into the room through the gaping doorway. The lights in the room were still on, dimly illuminating the figure sleeping soundly on the bed. The figure's sleeping posture remained awkward, one foot kicked out of the thin quilt, revealing a skin as white as jade. Zhou Jingchen chuckled, walked over, tucked Ye Jia's foot under the quilt, fetched two sets of clothes, and washed up in the study with cold water.

When I returned to the room and climbed onto the bed, the person on the bed had already tilted over. What was exposed was not their feet, but their clothes that had been torn open.

Zhou Jingchen stood in front of the bed holding an oil lamp, staring at her for a long time, then tiptoed onto the bed.

The person on the bed, feeling too warm, had thrown back the covers. The collar of their undershirt was ripped open, revealing a thin, plain white dress underneath. Ye Jia had prepared this dress specifically for summer; it was made of cotton and so thin it was almost see-through. While it was naturally cool and comfortable to wear, the undershirt's openness made it clear what was underneath.

Bending down and sucking on Ye Jia's collarbone, Zhou Jingchen slowly exhaled: "I'm too tired tonight, so I'll let you go."

After saying that, he fell into a deep sleep holding the person in his arms.

The next morning, Ye Jia opened his eyes at daybreak.

When she woke up, no one was around. Outside, she heard the whirring of weapons piercing the air. Ye Jia, her hair loose, pushed open the door. Zhou Jingchen was practicing with his sword. This was the first time Ye Jia had seen him practice. His movements were as swift as a startled swan, as graceful as a swimming dragon. Wherever the blade touched, a sharp whistle echoed. Honestly, Ye Jia was a little amazed, but more than that, astonished. She had always thought this kind of swordsmanship was made up in novels, but it actually existed.

On a May morning, the forest was filled with mist, and the grass was covered with dew from the previous night. Ye Jia watched Zhou Jingchen practice swordplay for an hour without blinking, then went to make breakfast without blinking.

They had knife-cut noodles for breakfast. The boiler in this yard was not very convenient, and Ye Jia was too lazy to make anything too complicated.

Xilai woke up early to clean. She wanted to cook, but she wasn't a good cook. She had to wait for Ye Jia to come. The soup was made from half a chicken stew from the previous night. Xilai had gotten up early to see it, and it was already rich and delicious. Ye Jia kneaded the dough, cracked an egg, and cut out two large bowls. She didn't eat much in the morning; half a bowl was enough, leaving the rest to Zhou Jingchen.

The two of them didn't need to follow the rules and had breakfast on the stone table in the yard.

Zhou Jingchen ate quickly and elegantly. When Ye Jia finished half of the bowl, he was already wiping the corner of his mouth slowly. Ye Jia watched him put down his bowl and chopsticks with a mouthful of soup in her mouth, silently thinking about where to go to look at the shop later. With a glance from the corner of her eye, Zhou Jingchen just raised his hand, and his wide sleeves slowly slid down. Ye Jia found that there seemed to be something familiar in Zhou Jingchen's sleeve. She was so quick-eyed and quick-handed that she reached out and grabbed the hand holding the handkerchief: "...Wait, what's stuffed in your sleeve? It looks very familiar."

"Hmm?" Zhou Jingchen remained calm even though she grabbed his wrist. He lowered his eyes to glance at his sleeve, then raised his eyes to look at Ye Jia again. "Look familiar?"

This bright red fabric, this bright red fabric… Ye Jia’s cheeks gradually turned red, and as she stared at the bright red fabric, flames gradually appeared in her eyes. She gripped Zhou Jingchen’s wrist tightly, as if she wanted to dig three holes into his hand. Her other hand reached into Zhou Jingchen’s sleeve, grabbing something, and pulled it out with a fierce tug. She flung it away with a loud noise, and the rest of her words were muffled in her throat.

Ye Jia: “…”

Zhou Jingchen seemed stunned and looked down.

Ye Jia folded the cloth expressionlessly, took his hand and put it into his sleeve: "...No, I was mistaken."

Zhou Jingchen glanced down, then slowly tucked his hands into his sleeves. He pulled out the red cloth Ye Jia had folded, and with a slow flick of his hand, the handkerchief unfolded. He then looked up at Ye Jia, who was standing directly across from him. Their eyes met briefly, and Ye Jia silently looked away. He blinked, frowning in thought for a moment, and suddenly, realization dawned on him.

Ye Jia: “…”

Like a defeated rooster, Ye Jia silently lowered his head.

A faint smile appeared in Zhou Jingchen's eyes, but it disappeared in an instant. He stared at Ye Jia quietly, looking at her with a hurt expression: "Jia Niang, what do you think a grown man like me would carry with me?"

"...Why would a grown man like you use a red handkerchief?" Ye Jia argued. At first glance at the familiar color, she'd mistakenly thought it was the little dress Wu Long had sent him. After all, Zhou Jingchen hadn't shown any interest in returning it since it came into his possession. Later, Ye Jia searched for it at home, but couldn't find it. So, seeing the same color, she'd mistakenly assumed the man had it with him.

"Isn't this the color of Xiang Fei that Jia Niang praised as the best suiting for me?" Zhou Jingchen's eyes drooped up like a fox.

Ye Jia: "...I mean, the Xiangfei-colored clothes are the best for your skin tone."

Zhou Jingchen stared at Ye Jia for a long time, then suddenly covered his face and laughed out loud.

Ye Jia: “…”

Losing a person for no apparent reason is simply incomprehensible.

Ye Jia didn't know if she was crazy or what, but seeing the red cloth in Zhou Jingchen's sleeve made her mind wander, as if her mind was full of color waste. The embarrassed Ye Jia was a little angry. She put down the dishes, went to the house to get some money, turned around and left: "Tell Xilai to wash the pots and dishes, I'm leaving first."

"Are you going to check out the shop?" Zhou Jingchen glanced at Xilai, who quickly put down the work in his hands and followed him.

"Well, hurry up."

Before Ye Jia could finish his words, he had already left the yard and disappeared.

Zhou Jingchen's courtyard was on East Street, not far from Luntai's busiest streets. When Ye Jia emerged, Si Nan and Zhan Lin were already waiting outside. Ye Jia had gone to bed early the previous night, presumably because Zhou Jingchen had arranged for them to be there. He had no idea when they woke up that morning, and hadn't seen them since early in the morning. Seeing them waiting silently at the door was indeed a bit scary.

Ye Jia patted his chest and swallowed the shock that was about to come out of his mouth: "When did you wait here?"

"We'll be waiting at noon." Si Nan drove the mule cart over. "Madam, are you going to the market?"

"Go to the block."

If you want to see a shop, you naturally go to the neighborhood.

Ye Jia had inquired on a previous visit that the busiest street in Luntai was East Street. It was home to Luntai's most prosperous shops and fine goods. Luntai's powerful and influential people shopped on East Street, where even the food was more than half the price of West Street, North Street, and South Street. Ye Jia's planned pear blossom paste was targeted at high-end consumers, so it made sense to locate his shop in a prosperous area.

The market in Luntai was much more established than in Dongxiang Town. Whether doing business or renting a shop, the pawnbrokers followed a lot of rules. Ye Jia's first step was to find a reliable pawnbroker and ask someone about the shop's situation.

There were several brokerages in Luntai. Besides those run by merchants, there were also those established by the government. The largest brokerage was naturally founded by the local government. They offered affordable prices and took on all the work that merchants could muster. They had many brokers, all skilled and well-spoken. Most importantly, they had ample resources. But there was one downside: they were expensive. Merchant-run brokerages were inferior, offering prices half as cheap.

Since Ye Jia wanted to open a shop, he naturally didn't care about the small amount of money he had to pay. He found a broker who was said to be very experienced. After listening to Ye Jia's detailed requirements for the shop, the broker pulled out a thick book.

After searching for a long time, he decided on a few places to take Ye Jia and his group to see.

"The shops on Luntai's East Street are extremely popular. It's almost as if every inch of land is worth a fortune. The families of local high-ranking officials and wealthy merchants all come here to buy goods. Most of the items sold here are brushes, inkstones, paper, books, jade, antiques, calligraphy and paintings, gold, silver, pearls, and hairpins... Generally, good things from the Central Plains are sold out on East Street before they even make it to West Street. It's really hard to get a shop here; they're usually gone within half a month of being listed."

The man, a man in his forties, spoke rapidly, one sentence after another. He not only introduced the shops on each street in Luntai to Ye Jia, but also emphasized the main consumer groups in each street. "The shops on West Street are actually quite good. They have more goods from the Western Regions. West Street sells mainly food, spices unique to the Western Regions, some rouge and powder, cloth shops, and ready-made clothing shops. There's also a large willow alley over there, which is crowded with women, and most of them use these things."

"Here, East Street is the most expensive, West Street is second," the trafficker said without interruption. "South Street is next, and the ones on the northernmost side are a little worse. But if you're looking for a cheaper rental, there are some good shops on North Street as well."

Ye Jia listened as he went to East Street. He and the trafficker looked at two shops, and honestly, neither was particularly good. One was too remote, hidden in an alley of shops, impossible to find at a glance. The other, while in a good location, was too expensive and too small. He wanted thirty taels of silver per month for a shop that was barely a dozen square meters.

She hesitated, thinking she might as well go to West Street. Just as she emerged from the shop and prepared to board her mule cart, she encountered a luxurious horse-drawn carriage. The two were stuck in the street, unable to advance or retreat.

Ye Jia was just about to tell Si Nan to drive the mule cart to the corner and let the horse carriage pass when he saw the curtain of the carriage on Ye Jia's side of the carriage open at a corner. Inside sat a young girl in gorgeous clothes and bright makeup.

The girl's gaze passed through the crowd and fell directly on Ye Jia, her eyes suddenly becoming sharp.

Ye Jia felt the gaze, turning his head, his eyes meeting the girl's. Even the sight of Ye Jia in his coarse linen clothes couldn't conceal her strange expression. Her face went from calm to slightly stiff, then gradually to ashen. Her gaze locked onto Ye Jia, and in a flash, she dropped the car window curtain. Then, not a moment later, a figure jumped out of the car.

The figure approached Ye Jia, dressed like a maid from a wealthy family. She raised her chin slightly and said, "Young lady, my daughter invites you."

Ye Jia felt a vague sense of strangeness, yet it seemed unlikely. After all, she knew firsthand how far Yanjing was from Luntai, and how inconvenient transportation was in ancient times. It was unlikely that a noblewoman from a prominent family would run away and come here. Ye Jia blinked, ignoring the man's words. She simply spoke to the waiting trafficker beside her, then boarded the mule cart.

"Let's go to West Street. East Street might not be very convenient."

The trafficker's eyes fell on the maid who was dressed very respectably, and he turned around and responded quickly.

"Sinan, Zhanlin, let's go."

After saying that, Zhan Lin flicked his whip, pulled the trafficker onto the rafters, and then turned around and drove away with a creaking sound.

Only after Ye Jia's mule cart drove away did the maid return to the carriage with a sullen face.

In the carriage, Gu Mingxi's eyes were already bloodshot, and tears fell like pearls from a broken string. Her fingers dug into her flesh, and she muttered for a long time, "No, no. Brother Yun'an doesn't have a wife. Brother Yun'an wouldn't fall in love with anyone. How could he have a wife? How could it be, how could it be..."