Embarrassing in public
If Qiu Qing wanted to embarrass someone in public, she would not give that person any face whatsoever. If that person was Zhan Xian, she would not only show no mercy, but would also deliberately pick on her sore spots. The female lead's sore spot was the old case of the Zhan family from many years ago.
General Zhan Qihong led his army to a crushing defeat in a battle against the border barbarians, losing three cities in the northwest. Rumors circulated that someone in the army had secretly colluded with the enemy. Emperor Zhaowen was furious and ordered a thorough investigation, which led to the discovery of letters of treason in a secret room in Zhan's residence.
Zhan Qihong was unable to defend himself and committed suicide in front of the palace to prove his innocence. The emperor wanted to execute his entire family, but due to the strong pleas of the Crown Prince's faction, the women of the Zhan family were spared the death penalty and instead exiled.
Zhan Xian is Zhan Qihong's daughter.
When Lin Yi saw this part of the plot, she complained that it was too melodramatic. The male lead's father had a blood feud with the female lead, who had killed his father and exterminated her clan, yet the two of them were still entangled and ended up having a happy ending. This was the second point in the whole book that she couldn't accept, besides the character Qiu Qingye.
If she were to bring up this painful old story now, the two would inevitably break off their relationship and come to blows. Qiu Qing was no match for Zhan Xian either, but they outnumbered each other, and Zhan Xian, being a convict, would likely be more restrained in her actions in Mingzhou, so the outcome was uncertain.
However, if we really pick on the sore spots, then this grudge will be impossible to untie.
After a moment's thought, Lin Yi suddenly had an idea. "Waiter, this young lady's wontons are cold, please get her a new bowl."
"Okay, please wait a moment, sir."
After the bowl of steaming wontons was served, Lin Yi pushed it to Zhan Xian's side.
Everyone saw her hand linger on the edge of the bowl for a long time; if she wanted to poison someone, she could have done it ten times over.
Lin Yi lowered the corner of her eye, her smile a mix of sincerity and deliberate effort: "It doesn't taste good when it's cold, let's change to this bowl."
Zhan Xian looked at the bowl of steaming wontons, remained silent for a moment, and then actually brought it to her, stirred it with a spoon, scooped up a wonton, and put it to her mouth.
Seeing her open her mouth to bite, Lin Yiqi asked, "Aren't you afraid I'll poison you?"
"You wouldn't dare in front of everyone." After saying that, he gently blew on it a few times and put it in his mouth.
As expected of the female lead, her spirit and courage are truly admirable. If there weren't so many people watching, she would have applauded.
"You really don't remember who I am?" Lin Yi casually straightened her skirt, her demeanor so relaxed that it seemed she could chat with her all day long.
“Qiu Qingye, how could I not remember?” Zhan Xian said indifferently.
"Then you don't hate me?"
Zhan Xian ate politely, but quickly. The bowl of wontons was almost empty. She put down her spoon, the spoon and bowl clinking together with a crisp sound. "Why should I hate you? Isn't it you who hates me?"
Lin Yi didn't answer, but called over the waiter: "Bring another bowl."
"The journey has been long and arduous, and Miss Zhan has lost weight. She should eat more."
Zhan Xian looked at the bowl of wontons in front of her expressionlessly, but in the end she still picked up the spoon and ate it all.
"Waiter, another bowl, please."
After the third bowl, Zhan Xian's complexion clearly changed, and she silently pressed her hand against her abdomen under the table.
This is the fourth bowl already.
I thought she wouldn't eat anymore, but to my surprise, she picked up her chopsticks again.
Lin's eyelids twitched; if he ate any more, something really bad would happen.
Before the next wonton could be put into his mouth, Lin Yi suddenly flipped the table over without warning.
"Is this wonton delicious?" Lin Yi stood up and stared down at her, his eyes blazing with anger, his lips taut, forcing a look of overwhelming fury.
Zhan Xian looked up and stared straight at her, her voice flat and even: "It's alright."
"What I want to tell you today is that even the best things require an appetite to eat. If it's not yours, don't touch it."
After saying this, Lin Yi felt it wasn't harsh enough, so she reached out and pushed her. Although Qiu Qing was also pampered and weak, and she was willing to hold back, Zhan Xian had been exiled for several years. Even though she had learned martial arts since childhood, her skills from living in the open and exposed to the elements were no longer what they used to be. Since one of them was standing and the other was sitting, Lin Yi's push actually knocked her and the chair over.
Zhan Xian could have steadied herself, but in that moment of surprise, she keenly sensed that Qiu Qing had also slipped something into her bodice during their contact. Could it be the message Qiu Qing was using to blackmail her family?
Lin Yi never expected that she had become so strong. She stood there dumbfounded, not knowing what to do. Fortunately, she quickly came to her senses, turned and left, clapping her hands in disgust before she left.
As soon as Lin turned around, the noble ladies stared at her in astonishment, as if they were looking at some kind of tyrannical monster.
She glanced at me dismissively, her tone perfectly controlled: "Why are you all staring at me? Go do what you're supposed to be doing."
It was unclear whether Qiu Qingye's words lacked weight or if those people had misunderstood. Lin Yi's intention was to have these idle young ladies disperse and go home. However, as soon as she spoke, not a single one left; instead, they surrounded Zhan Xian, who was still sitting on the ground.
Most people just gathered around to watch the spectacle, and a few made sarcastic remarks. But Lin Yi didn't expect that some people would actually follow suit and start fighting.
How come... she looks like the ringleader of the bullying!
Lin Yi screamed inwardly: "Female lead, please don't hold a grudge against me! I didn't make them do it!"
Despite the turmoil raging within her, she maintained a composed demeanor. Lin Yi turned around and said with considerable disdain, "That's enough. In broad daylight, you don't act like a proper young lady at all."
What she said made perfect sense. Qiu Qing was the kind of person who was strict with others but lenient with herself, a hypocrite.
She could throw a tantrum and act recklessly even when she was angry with Qing, but others couldn't.
After she said that, the others didn't know what to do. They were all noble ladies from Mingzhou and still had their pride.
Only the woman in the bright yellow dress who had greeted her first tried to tug at her again, but Zhan Xian deftly dodged her with ease.
Lin Yi left after saying that, and the other noble ladies also dispersed, discussing and speculating about the punishment Zhan Xian would face upon returning to the capital.
After everyone had left, Zhan Xian took out the small note that Qiu Qing had also given her. The handwriting on the paper was crooked and messy, but the content was novel: "Take one mace each of hawthorn, medicated leaven, and chicken gizzard lining to make a soup, which can aid digestion and relieve stagnation."
What does she mean by that?
Zhan Xian's heroic eyebrows furrowed slightly as she subconsciously reached for the pendant at her waist while thinking, but her expression suddenly changed.
Her ornament is gone!
---
[Host, you are cheating.]
"What do you know? I call this taking things slowly and methodically."
She made Zhan Xian eat four bowls of wontons in a row—this was putting her in an awkward position in front of everyone.
He pushed her down in front of a group of noble ladies and made harsh remarks—making her look bad in front of everyone.
"Just tell me, is the mission complete?"
"...Whatever you say. But host, don't think the system didn't see you secretly slipping the note."
"I didn't mean to hide it from you; it was just to keep it from them."
"The mission is complete, how many goodwill points are you going to deduct from me?" That was the question Lin Yi was really concerned about.
The system calculated: [Publicly assaulting and verbally insulting someone should deduct 5 points of goodwill. Since the person assaulted is the female lead, an additional 2 points will be deducted. Previously, the host had a physical altercation with Zhao Binglin, which should have deducted 3 points of goodwill, but considering the host acted in self-defense, 3 points will be added back.]
"Anything else?"
The system paused briefly. [The host has shown health care to the female lead, increasing her Goodness Points by 1. Current total Goodness Points: -30]
Well, she treated everyone kindly and helped people every day in the Xie and Qiu mansions, and the few points she had painstakingly added were, after going around in circles, back to square one.
However, she had recently read many books, and with the help of the index, curing the sick and saving lives was just around the corner. Lin Yi was in a relatively good mood, so she didn't argue with the system and continued to go to the pharmacy to buy medicinal herbs according to the original plan.
She and Xueya hadn't walked far when a woman's voice came after them.
"Qingye!" The newcomer greeted him warmly; it was the woman in yellow who had been the first among the noble ladies to greet Lin Yi.
Lin gave her a wink, and Xueya bowed to her, saying, "Greetings, Miss Zhenzhen."
Ye Zhenzhen. Lin Yi called her name in his heart. So this was the original owner's best friend. Judging from her appearance, she was quite intelligent, unlike the stupid character described in the book. She would do whatever the original owner pointed at.
"Qingye, look what I got!"
Ye Zhenzhen smiled and unfolded her hand, which had been behind her back, to show her. On her open palm lay a small wooden pendant, on which the character "Xian" was faintly visible. The carving was mediocre, but it was clear that the owner of the pendant valued it, as the edges of the character had been smoothed out.
Lin Yitong's eyes widened slightly. This isn't...
Seeing that she didn't answer, Ye Zhenzhen thought she had forgotten. "Didn't you tell me a long time ago that Zhan Xian has a treasure that she never takes off? I just took advantage of the chaos to tear it off and gave it to you. Aren't you going to praise me?"
How should I praise her? Should I say, "That was a good story, keep it up next time?"
Lin Yi pressed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. "Zhenzhen, you are a young lady, a noblewoman, you don't need to do this kind of... this kind of thing."
Two words came to her lips: petty theft and thievery, but it seemed she couldn't say either, so she just mumbled them over.
Ye Zhenzhen misunderstood. "I know you said that these kinds of things should be done by servants so as not to dirty our hands. But isn't this a perfect opportunity? Why are you blaming me?"
"I don't blame you, thank you, but in the future, don't mess with Zhan Xian, we can't afford to offend her."
"She's a criminal, what's there to be afraid of? Qingye, you're acting strange, I'm not talking to you anymore." She picked up the pendant and was about to leave.
Lin Yi hurriedly called out to her, "Give me the pendant."
Ye Zhenzhen snorted, "Didn't you say you didn't want it?"
"Yes, I want it." This person is quite hard to appease. "I misspoke, can you give me the pendant?"
"That's more like it. I'm leaving now. Don't forget to call me next time you're up to something bad."
This girl might not be very bright; who would willingly do bad things?
The system notification sounded again: [Congratulations, host, for completing the extra task and obtaining the key item—the War Family Token, which can be used in subsequent story missions.]
Is this little wooden plaque the Zhan family's keepsake? Lin Yi remembered that Qiu Qing also used it to frame the female lead, but his attempt to steal the chicken backfired, leading to his exposure and death in prison. So, the framing had already begun at this point?
Lin Yi gently stroked the smooth texture on it with his fingers. Putting aside the token itself, this must be something Zhan Xian cherished greatly. He should find an opportunity to return it to her. Framing the female lead was destined to fail; returning it would be better to gain her some favor and delay his death.
Having made up her mind, she carefully placed the wooden plaque close to her body, intending to store it for the female protagonist for a while.
The clinic was almost in sight. Lin Yi looked at the sign and said softly to Xueya, "Let's go, it's getting late."
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