"Do you know any girls around you who are from decent families in Shengjing, around fifteen or sixteen years old and still unmarried?" Jiang Ling asked.

Magistrate Duan was somewhat bewildered by these words. He frowned and looked at Jiang, seemingly having thought about it for a long time, before hesitantly replying, "This... how could a seventh-rank county official like me possibly be acquainted with those people in Shengjing? The prefect of Qingzhou, however, should know some of them. What's wrong? Has something happened?"

Jiang Ling hesitated for a moment before telling the whole story about Jiang Zhishan. Magistrate Duan breathed a sigh of relief after hearing it. As long as Jiang Ling was safe, everything else was a minor matter.

He thought for a moment and said, "The prefect of Qingzhou should know him, and you have a good relationship with him. Why don't you go to Qingzhou?"

Jiang Ling thought about it for a moment, and decided that this might be a solution, so she nodded and agreed.

The next morning, after briefly explaining a few things, Jiang Ling and Jiang Shan went to Qingzhou alone.

When the prefect of Qingzhou saw that the person who came was Jiang Ling, he hurriedly came out to greet her. After all, Jiang Ling was now a fifth-rank Anren, while he was only a sixth-rank prefect.

"Oh my, Jiang, no, you should be from An'an. What brings you here?" Prefect Chen Qiyu of Qingzhou had a good relationship with Jiang Ling and couldn't help but tease her when he saw her.

Jiang Ling smiled faintly at Chen Qiyu and said, "Your Excellency, you're exaggerating!"

"Oh dear, I dare not address you as 'sir'! Come on! Come on! Let's go inside and talk!" Chen Qiyu said with a smile as he welcomed Jiang Ling inside.

"Brother Qiyu, there's something I'd like to ask you!" Jiang Ling said, looking at Chen Qiyu.

Chen Qiyu sized up Jiang Ling, his eyes darting around in their sockets as he tentatively asked, "For your brother? Jiang Zhishan?"