The early summer breeze carries a hint of sweetness. Locust blossoms, bathed in the morning light, bloom freely in the courtyard, their fragrance drifting in through the cracks in the door and windows, bringing a sweet feeling to one's heart.
Jiang Shan was fast asleep, and even when Fu Qiyuan fed her two bowls of medicine with his lips, she didn't even lift her eyelids.
Jiao's mother sat on the edge of the bed, holding her child, silently and sorrowfully looking at Jiang Shan lying on the bed, wiping away tears incessantly.
The child hasn't even had a drop of milk from its mother since birth, and it's uncertain whether the mother will make it through this difficult time.
Fu Qiyuan sat on the lower chair, looking at the gray hairs sprouting at Jiao's mother's temples, his heart aching. She was clearly exhausted, yet she refused to go back to her room to rest, insisting on staying with the mother and son.
“…Auntie, you should go back to your room and rest. I will take care of Shan’er and the child. The child is so young, and Shan’er is waiting for you to take care of him. If something happens to you, what will happen to them?” Fu Qiyuan tried his best to comfort her.
Jiao's mother glanced indifferently at Fu Qiyuan, then lowered her head again.
One glance sent a chill down Fu Qiyuan's spine.
Mother is blaming him!
Without time to think about the reasons, Fu Qiyuan gripped the hem of his clothes and said bitterly, "Auntie, no matter what you think, Shan'er and the child are the most important right now. I will send a few servants over later. You just need to take care of your health. Shan'er and the child can't do without you."
These words struck a chord with Jiao's mother. She gently shook the swaddled baby in her arms, tenderly touching the child's delicate cheek with lingering affection, and sighed softly.
Fu Qiyuan stood up and extended his hand. "I'll take care of the child. I'll feed him some goat milk in half an hour, and give Shan'er his medicine in two hours. Don't worry."
In the end, Jiao's mother handed the child to Fu Qiyuan, glanced back at Jiang Shan, and walked away slowly.
Fu Qiyuan held the child and looked at the child's mother beside him. At this moment, he felt that the empty space in his heart had finally been filled!
He woke up in a completely unfamiliar place. For over a thousand days and nights, he never felt like himself. The labels bestowed upon him—noble family, talented scholar from the capital, student of the emperor—made him feel even more unreal.
Only at this moment did his heart truly step from the void onto the ground, feeling incredibly satisfied and warm.
The little one in the swaddling clothes kicked its leg unhappily, and Fu Qiyuan felt a slightly warm touch in his palm.
He looked down and saw the little guy pouting and frowning, looking unhappy.
Fu Qiyuan stood up in a panic and took a few steps around the room. Suddenly, he remembered something, carefully placed the child next to Jiang Shan, and opened the swaddling clothes to take a look. Sure enough, it was a baby.
After the diaper was changed, the little guy gave a delicate yawn of pure bliss and fell asleep contentedly.
Fu Qiyuan felt his heart melting. He sat down by the bed and said to Jiang Shan with utmost care, "This child is really beautiful, just like you. His eyebrows look like he has a stubborn temper, just like you! But his mouth and jaw don't look like yours, and his face shape... is like mine..."
Fu Qiyuan spoke the last three words with his breath, and after he finished speaking, his face showed an undisguised joy and pride.
His initial joy and pride vanished when he saw the wooden face standing outside the window.
Qiao Shi was seriously injured. Except for his face, the rest of his body was burned to varying degrees, with his back being the most severely injured.
Although the guards pulled him out of the fire immediately, his skin was still burned to varying degrees.
When Qiao Sheng saw Fu Qiyuan come out, he knelt down with a thud and kowtowed heavily.
"Young Master Fu, please, you must do justice for us! Shan'er's shop has been destroyed, and my father almost died tragically. Please, Young Master Fu, uphold justice for us and bring the murderer to justice!" Qiao Sheng said through gritted teeth.
Fu Qiyuan reached out a hand to help him up and said gently, "Don't worry, those people have been arrested by the government. The magistrate will definitely seek justice for you! Don't worry too much about your father's injuries. I've already asked someone to invite the best imperial physicians to treat your father. He'll be fine!"
Moved, Qiao Sheng bowed deeply, wiped away his tears, and left.
With the shop gone, "Jiang's Private Kitchen" no longer needed to operate. Jiao's mother asked Qiao Sheng to focus on taking care of Qiao Shi, and Wang Si Niang would also come over to help Jiao's mother take care of Jiang Shan and his mother whenever she had time. Xue Zhen took on all the trivial matters for the whole family.
Jiang Shan's successful childbirth should have been a joyous occasion, but now she is unconscious, and the entire Jiao residence is shrouded in gloom and despair, with everyone's face filled with anger and resentment.
The next day, Magistrate Cao visited the family with generous gifts. To be honest, he felt guilty. As a magistrate, he couldn't be a true "upright and just official," allowing thieves to commit heinous crimes right under his nose. He was truly uneasy about this.
I don't know if this will affect my promotion.
In the reception room, Magistrate Cao really didn't know how to look at the truly powerful and influential person in front of him.
Despite being a wealthy young master, he skillfully fed the infant in his arms goat milk with a tiny spoon the size of a thumb, unhurriedly, spoonful after spoonful, as if he had practiced countless times before.
When only a small bowl was left, the baby turned his head away, spitting out bubbles, refusing to eat anymore. Fu Qiyuan smiled and said, "Good boy, just two more bites, just two more bites. After you finish, I'll reward you by letting you sleep with your mother, okay?"
The baby kicked its legs and actually ate two mouthfuls obediently, finishing the bowl of goat milk.
After feeding the child with goat milk, Fu Qiyuan actually put the child back to Jiang Shan's side, letting the mother and child love each other.
Back in the reception room, Magistrate Cao asked with a complicated expression, "Young Master Fu, I wonder how Miss Jiang is? My wife is extremely worried and insists on seeing Miss Jiang and the child safe and sound before she can be at ease."
Fu Qiyuan's eyes darkened, and he said calmly, "Shan'er's vital energy is severely damaged, and her mental state is also seriously depleted. She will recover!"
Magistrate Cao's heart tightened, and he stammered, "It is my incompetence that I failed to protect the people of the county. I am ashamed before you, young master..."
Fu Qiyuan raised an eyebrow slightly, gave a faint smile, and said casually, "Since Lord Cao has such self-awareness, I will leave the rest to him. I wish Lord Cao a successful career and a bright future!"
Magistrate Cao shuddered, nearly slipping off his chair. He wiped the sweat from his brow, bowed slightly, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said bitterly, "Your Honor, please forgive me. I am but a lowly official, and I have no power to extend my influence to Yuzhou!"
"Tell me, what have you found out?" Fu Qiyuan took a sip of tea, a barely perceptible ruthlessness flashing across his handsome face.
Magistrate Cao hunched over, his neck hunched, not daring to look up at Fu Qiyuan. "Following the clues, I found my way to Yuzhou, and then to... the Pei family."
The Pei family!
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