"Mother... what about Qiu Rong? We can't let her remain mute!" Chen said, wiping away her tears.
"Old man!" Liu Shi lifted the carriage curtain and shouted to Jiang Fuyi in the back, "Qiu Rong has been muteed by that damned girl Ye Xianya. When we get to the next county town, we'll settle down there and find a doctor to take a look at Qiu Rong."
"He's mute!" Jiang Fuyi's eyes widened upon hearing this.
Jiang Minghe, who was standing nearby, was so angry when he heard that his daughter had been rendered mute by Ye Xianya that he swung his fist and pounded it hard on the oxcart.
"Sir, please don't smash it! This oxcart plank is several years old. If you keep smashing it, it'll break. Not to mention, you'll still have to pay fifty coins in compensation," the oxcart driver said loudly as he turned around.
"Father, I will never let that wretched girl get away with this!" Jiang Minghe withdrew his hand, his face full of resentment.
"Don't worry, once we get to the capital, I'll have your elder brother send someone to teach those two women a lesson," Jiang Fuyi said in a deep voice.
"Father, Qiu Rong is my only daughter. She can't become mute. Please, Father, take her to see a doctor," Jiang Minghe said, his eyes red.
“Alright, once we reach Weishui County, we’ll find a place to stay, then find a clinic and a doctor to properly treat Qiu Rong.” Jiang Fuyi agreed without hesitation.
Although he was stingy, he was also protective of his own.
However, the people he protected never included Ye Xianya and her daughter.
He used to think that his son's promising future but untimely death was all because of the mother and daughter, so he hated them very much.
When he learned that his son had faked his death and had married a noblewoman in the capital and become an official, he felt that Ye Xianya and her daughter had become stumbling blocks to his son's promotion, and wished they were dead.
From beginning to end, he never truly treated the mother and daughter as family.
Just as the Jiang family was traveling under the scorching sun, Ye Xianya and her group had just finished lunch and entered the room that Qi Chengshuo had prepared for them to rest.
It was too hot outside, and to avoid heatstroke, everyone agreed to set off again in two hours. They could take a nap now and travel more at night.
Ye Xianya lay down on the couch, yawned a few times, and then felt drowsy.
Ye Miaoyun smiled as she looked at her daughter's pretty face.
She loves her daughter more and more now, and feels a sense of satisfaction, like a mother watching her daughter grow up.
Just as Ye Miaoyun was feeling a bit sleepy and wanted to close her eyes, there was a gentle knock on the door.
"Who is it?" Ye Miaoyun put on her shoes, walked to the door, and asked in a low voice.
"My wife, it's me!" Qi Jiu said in a low voice.
Upon hearing this, Ye Miaoyun glanced at the bed and saw that Ye Xianya was fast asleep. She then went back to put on her clothes, casually tidied her hair, opened the door, and went out.
Ye Xianya, who was already "sound asleep," suddenly opened her eyes.
Mother and Qi Jiu have been getting along very well these days. Sometimes they even sneak out to sit by the Willow River or go hiking.
She didn't know exactly what they did, but her mother said there was nothing between them.
Judging from her mother's reaction, she has definitely fallen for Qi Jiu, but because of Qi Jiu's special status, her mother is hesitant.
Ye Xianya didn't think there was anything wrong with it, and she didn't think Ye Miaoyun was unworthy of Qi Jiu.
Those worldly views are all bullshit to her.
Anyway, with her around, so what if her mother becomes a real princess?
Anyone who dares to lay a finger on her mother is doomed.
As she pondered, Ye Xianya slowly closed her eyes and truly fell asleep.
When she woke up again, Ye Miaoyun was sitting by the window, combing her hair in front of the mirror.
"Xianya, you're awake. Quickly put your clothes on and come here so I can help you comb your hair," Ye Miaoyun said with a smile, turning to look at her daughter.
"Okay." Ye Xianya nodded and quickly stood up.
In the next room, Ye Jinghuai handed Qi Chengshuo a hundred-tael silver note, saying somewhat awkwardly, "Young Master Qi, I don't know how much money we'll need along the way. Please take this hundred taels first. If it's not enough, we'll pay you back slowly later."
This is all the silver Ye Jinghuai could offer.
Before leaving, they sold their fields, land, and houses, raising a total of 250 taels of silver. They rented two carriages for 100 taels and left 50 taels of silver for their eldest grandson, Ye Qingze, because the boy was going to the prefectural city to take the imperial examination, and they had to leave him some money.
He gave Qi Chengshuo the remaining hundred taels.
They've arranged all the accommodations and food for us today, and said they'll take care of everything along the way so we don't have to worry.
But Ye Jinghuai just felt uneasy; they couldn't just take advantage of others for nothing.
Ye Jinghuai also heard the guards sometimes call Qi Chengshuo "Young Master" and sometimes "Young Master".
This is enough to prove that Qi Chengshuo has a very high status.
What about Qi Jiu?
Don't let his past as an exiled prisoner fool you; he's Qi Chengshuo's ninth uncle. Qi Chengshuo is the heir apparent, and Qi Jiu's status makes him even more unapproachable to them.
Following them, we'll surely reach the capital safely, but once we arrive, we'll all have to go our separate ways.
They are just ordinary people; it's best for them to avoid getting involved with these high-ranking officials and nobles.
"Father-in-law, what are you doing? Take the silver notes back quickly!" Qi Jiu hurriedly stuffed the hundred-tael silver notes into Ye Jinghuai's hand.
“Yanchang, I know you have been pardoned. Although Miaoyun did not tell me the truth, I know that you are no ordinary person. You were desperate before, which is why you became our son-in-law.”
"However... I said when you got married that everyone got what they needed, and if you want to separate in the future, you should part amicably. I asked Miaoyun, and she and you did not have a marital relationship, so... after you get to the prefectural city, go to the yamen and get a divorce."
“My father-in-law knew that I was no ordinary person, yet he still insisted that Miaoyun divorce me. He had no desire to curry favor with the powerful and wealthy. Such integrity truly earns my admiration!”
Qi Jiu bowed to Ye Jinghuai and said sincerely, "When I was desperate, it was you, my father-in-law, who took me in. You didn't mind my status as an exiled criminal and even married your daughter to me. If it weren't for that, I would have starved to death long ago. Now that I have been exonerated, I will do my best to ensure that you, my father-in-law, can live a good life. If you still consider me family, please don't mention divorce in the future."
"But..." Ye Jinghuai was still very worried after hearing his words.
Even Jiang Mingtao was willing to abandon everything for advancement, not only faking his death and not contacting his family for many years, but also killing his wife and daughter for his future. How much more so for these powerful and wealthy people.
He worried that Qi Jiu would regret it later, and then it would be his daughter who would be heartbroken.
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