Qi Yue had long prepared her story, and when she told it, it was as vivid as if it was happening right then and there.
“That day, I had just been helped through the door by the maid when I heard outside it sounded like someone was passing by. I thought it was just a servant walking past, so I didn’t pay much attention. Little did I know the maid suddenly screamed out for help, scaring me so much that I quickly hid under the bed.”
“Then someone entered the room, and of course, I didn’t dare to look. I just heard the tables and chairs being moved around, and I couldn’t help myself, I sneaked a peek. Just that one glance nearly scared me to death.”
Qian Faliang listened with growing concentration, his beady eyes shining in the dim light, and he didn’t even notice when he dropped the handkerchief he was holding.
“Quick, what did you see?”
Qi Yue feigned nervousness and quickly recounted the events.
“I saw that all the items in the room were gone, and then the person inside disappeared as well. Later, the officials came to confiscate property, saying that everything from the Treasure Pavilion was missing. Then I heard that the Treasure Pavilion in the streets had also been burgled, and these past few days the more I think about it, the more I feel like it’s related to the scene I witnessed.”
No sooner had she finished than Qian Faliang suddenly stood up, his face flushed with excitement as he turned around twice, looking as if he had just won a great prize.
“Indeed, it’s the work of the Guyang Grand Thief!! I am going to be rich! Quick, somebody!”
When he looked up and saw Qi Yue was still there, he waved his hands impatiently for her to leave, as if shooing away a fly.
The next morning, Guan Yidao quietly came to see her, saying Qian Faliang was preparing to return to the Capital City.
Qi Yue hadn’t expected things to go so smoothly.
A lie made up on the fly had become a real Guyang Grand Thief?
She couldn’t be bothered to think any more about it; as long as Zhao Xiyan was safe, that was all that mattered to her.
The Zhao Family was very happy to hear that the issue had been resolved.
Zhao Yonglian and several young ladies all praised her for being brave and resourceful, saying she truly was the daughter of Qi Yunzhang.
Shen Yu even went so far as to compliment her, saying she was beautiful, kind, and capable in every way.
If it weren’t for knowing that this mother-in-law was a decent person, Qi Yue would have wondered if she was being sarcastic.
Only Zhao Xiyan kept his head down, lost in thought.
That night, as usual, Qi Yue waited for Zhao Xiyan to take his medicine and fall asleep, then she applied the medicine to both him and Zhao Yongzhe.
She also filled their water bottles with spring water from her space.
The next day after treating the two of them, she had noticed that this spring water seemed to have a particularly good effect, just like the legendary Spiritual Spring Water.
Not only could it accelerate the healing of wounds, but using it for cooking was absolutely amazing.
Porridge made with it was fragrant, sweet, and soft, as if honey had been added.
The fish soup cooked with it was also exceptionally textured and tasted incredibly delicious.
From then on, Qi Yue took on the task of filling the water bottles.
Indeed, after the Zhao Family drank this spring water, they all seemed particularly energized.
The most noticeable comparison was that by afternoon, when everyone else was already lagging behind, the Zhao Family members could still keep walking at an unhurried pace.
Especially Zhao Yonglian, who was pulling the cart; even after several days of this, he showed no signs of fatigue.
With the Spiritual Spring Water, coupled with her exclusive Trauma Medicine, the father and son’s injuries had improved greatly, and they no longer needed to lie down while traveling during the day.
All these factors, along with the solution to the Qian Faliang issue, swept away the fear the Zhao Family felt after their home had been raided and they were exiled, filling them with confidence about the future.
The next two days passed rather well.
With Guan Yidao taking care of the travel and Qi Yue handling the food, the Zhao Family, despite having two sick members, was actually living more comfortably than the other exiles.
On the third day, just as everyone had started on their way, they heard the sound of horse hooves catching up from behind.
The official road was narrow, so people hurriedly stood to the sides to clear the middle of the road.
Qi Yue also helped Zhao Yonglian move the cart to the side of the road and, worried about it tipping over, she specifically held onto the shaft.
Seven or eight horses galloped up, kicking up a pungent odor of horse dung, causing everyone to involuntarily hold their breath, waiting for the horses to pass.
“Hahaha… Zhao Xiyan… are your wounds better?”
Qian Faliang’s voice, a mix of the effeminate and the brutal, exploded above Qi Yue’s head, and the high-raised hooves of his horse stopped in front of the cart, with the huge horse head blowing foul breath in her face.
Why was he here? Qi Yue was shocked.
As she looked up, her unease only intensified.
The smile on Qian Faliang’s face stretched from the corner of his mouth to his temples.
His beady eyes fixed unblinkingly on Zhao Xiyan.
What kind of gaze was this?
Greedy, filthy, lascivious, depraved…
And there was the nearness of the breathing and panting, like a cold wind from hell, even the whispers of evil spirits…
Qi Yue’s heartbeat pounded like a drum; she knew Zhao Xiyan felt it too.
Seeing the hand by his knee clenched tightly, gradually turning a powerless pale, anger rose in Qi Yue’s heart.
Shameless Qian Faliang!
The celestial-like Zhao Xiyan should have been high above, standing at the pinnacle of clouds.
Yet having fallen to the dust, he had to endure such strange and immense humiliation!
She stepped forward and cut off Qian Faliang’s line of sight.
No matter what, Zhao Xiyan was her husband in name.
Anyone who defiled him was rubbing her face on the ground.
She would never allow such a thing to happen!
She reached into her bosom and pulled out a mask, quickly placing it on Zhao Xiyan’s face.
This mask, with its green face and fangs, was a souvenir from Halloween in her previous life.
These past few days, there had been many women sneaking glances at Zhao Xiyan, so she had specifically found this mask in her space.
She had wanted to give it to him a long time ago, but worried he might not accept it or it would be self-embarrassing, she had not taken it out until now.
“Husband, I told you to wear this mask a long time ago to avoid being targeted by certain rabid dogs!” she glared fiercely at Qian Faliang, skillfully tying the straps of the mask behind him.
In an instant, she felt Zhao Xiyan’s tensed body relax, as if he had let out a big sigh of relief.
“Good, I should have listened to you earlier,” said Zhao Xiyan, lifting his chin slightly as their eyes met through the mask.
This was the first time they had looked each other in the eye.
Qi Yue distinctly heard the thin membrane around her heart “hiss” as it tore open, revealing the pulsating red heart within.
Pounding uncontrollably, filled with excitement and restlessness.
It was not until she touched Zhao Xiyan’s slightly cool ears that she snapped back to reality.
At that moment, she wanted to pull out another mask for herself.
Behind her, Qian Faliang’s voice came through sardonically, “Miss Qi, whom did you just call a rabid dog?”
Qi Yue slowly turned around, meeting Qian Faliang’s nauseating gaze and offered a cold smile.
“Vice Commander Qian, why not take a look in the mirror?”
“You…”
Just as Qian Faliang raised his whip to lash at Qi Yue, Guan Yiliang, who had quickly arrived, intercepted it.
Despite his rough appearance, his emotional intelligence was not to be underestimated, as he managed to divert Qian Faliang away with just a few words.
The Zhao family members all breathed a sigh of relief, but the cloud over their heads did not allow them to rest easy.
An hour later, Guan Yidao sent a minor government official to inform Qi Yue that Qian Faliang would not be leaving and would be accompanying them to Longnan Ridge, seemingly with even greater matters at hand.
Qi Yue felt even more uneasy.
Upon arrival at the post station that evening, she inadvertently saw several noblemen from the deportation convoy being called into Qian Faliang’s room.
When they emerged, every one of them was as pale as the white steamed bun in their arms.
That night, she distinctly heard low sobs emanating from the deportees, cries of sorrow like bleeding hearts.
This continued for three more days, with the situation unchanging.
Qian Faliang, as if drugged, brutally mistreated the once noble sons of the Capital City.
The deportees were panic-stricken and heavy-hearted.
Although Qi Yue found these events unbearable, she was powerless to change anything.
Her own strength was only enough to protect the Zhao family members.
Until the evening of the fourth day—