The young lady is delicate and soft, yet she criticizes the powerful minister for bowing and scrapin

Tingyue thought that after Qi Yunli and Wei Jun returned from the border, they would stay there quietly for a long time and not have any other thoughts.

So she specially prepared a lot of food, dried it in the sun, and prepared dried fruit and nuts for them to eat when they came home.

Unexpectedly, they stayed for less than a month, and before they had even finished eating the dried fruit, they left the capital again. But this time, they didn't travel by carriage; they took a waterway to return to their hometown in Jiangnan.

Qi Yunsi was unhappy when the topic of returning to Jiangnan came up.

"Why didn't you take me with you, sister? You favor your husband over your brother. I wanted to go with you back to your hometown."

Qi Yunli flicked him on the forehead.

"I would like to take you with me, but important officials in the capital cannot leave the capital at will. If you want to go, you should quickly ask the Emperor for permission to return to Jiangnan."

"But I'm not an inspector, how can I return to Jiangnan? If I report to the Emperor, he'll definitely think I'm trying to run away."

Qi Yunsi now works in the Ministry of Revenue and is so busy that he can only visit his sister and his godson, Tingyue's baby, during his days off.

"That's settled then. I'll go back to Jiangnan first and visit an old friend while I'm there."

"On the way to Jiangnan, well, as for old friends, we are all alone now, with only Brother Shen by our side."

Qi Yun's face darkened as he thought about this:

"Does your brother-in-law agree? You're not going to secretly go see Brother Shen behind his back, are you? If you do, wouldn't your relationship become very strange?"

"You're so young and you're always thinking about all sorts of things. Your brother-in-law and I had already planned to go. Your brother Shen and I are completely innocent; we just almost got married, but it didn't happen."

Qi Yunsi scratched his head: "Isn't it strange that we almost got married? Besides, I'm not young anymore. In two more years, when my career is stable, I'll get married and have children."

Qi Yunli clicked her tongue twice. "Sometimes I really want to crack open your head and take a look. Everyone says you're smart, but I feel like you're always going against me. I don't know when it started, but you've turned from a well-behaved and sensible younger brother into a little devil."

"My parents passed away a long time ago, and my older sister raised me single-handedly. It seems that my personality can only be inherited from my sister."

Qi Yunsi, dressed in a red official robe, stood tall in the courtyard, speaking with an air of conviction and righteous indignation.

Qi Yunli casually picked up a broom from the side of the yard and raised it to hit the person in red.

"Brother-in-law, save me! Brother-in-law! Brother-in-law!"

Tingyue's son had just learned to crawl. He sneaked to the corner, looked at them, and giggled.

The day they set off was cloudless and sunny. Their ship was large and very comfortable.

Qi Yunli had never been on a boat before, and she peeked around curiously as she went inside. But upon lifting the inner layer, she found familiar dried fruit and nuts.

"I really have no choice." Ru Feng was packing dried fruit inside. "My husband said that if I don't let you eat some delicious dried fruit, he'll chop me up with a knife."

Qi Yunli was both amused and exasperated.

Dried fruit is delicious, but Tingyue has just given birth and her body hasn't fully recovered yet, plus she still has a baby to take care of.

Qi Yunli didn't want her to overwork, so she didn't show too much enthusiasm.

She discovered that once she showed even a slight liking for a dish or thing, Tingyue would frantically write it down and bring that dish or thing to her again and again.

"She's so kind. Please tell her that I'll eat the dried fruit properly, but I won't let her overwork herself."

Ru Feng smiled and nodded, then left the cabin, waving goodbye to his two masters.

After arriving at the first dock, they disembarked. The two rented a carriage and walked slowly to the front of the government office, where they waited for a while.

The guards outside the county government office saw that the carriage was quite luxurious, so they went up to ask the person's identity and told him not to block the way if he was not there on business.

"My name is Nian'an, and I've come to find your Magistrate Shen."

"Alright, I'll go and inform them. If the magistrate refuses to see you, there's nothing I can do."

Before long, the guards hurriedly ushered them inside and had another guard pull the carriage to an open space.

Shen Junshan hadn't heard this familiar name for many years.

He did not inquire about any further news about his former lover.

He was merely a minor county magistrate, and his only wish was to serve as a good local official and bring prosperity to the people. As for vying for power with the powerful figures in the capital and winning over his beloved…

He struggled, he tried, but he failed; the woman was eventually taken away.

Shen Junshan's affection for that woman had gradually faded with time, but he still harbored a deep obsession. He didn't know how she was doing, nor did he dare to inquire, fearing that if he learned of her misfortune, he would feel ashamed and guilty.

He couldn't forgive himself. If he had dared to fight to the death back then, would things have been different? Would that woman's life have been peaceful and happy?

Shen Junshan never dared to tell his wife about these struggles, as he was unsure if she would understand.

He loves and respects his wife.

When Shen Junshan looked up, he saw the woman he was obsessed with, with a handsome and extraordinary man beside her. The two walked hand in hand towards him.

"Miss Qi!"

Shen Junshan's voice and his presence arrived in front of Qi Yunli at the same time.

"Brother Shen." As soon as Qi Yunli saw him, she first curtsied and gave him a deep bow.

"No, no, what are you doing?"

"Fortunately, Brother Shen was there for Asi back then, helping him with his studies. Asi's current achievements are all thanks to Brother Shen."

Shen Junshan was deeply moved.

His gaze swept back and forth between the two of them, and seeing how affectionate they seemed, a heavy weight was finally lifted from his heart.

"Ah Li said you helped her a lot."

Shen Junshan thought to himself, "I'm disgusted."

Yes, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been able to help so many people. It was you who created difficulties for them that gave me the opportunity to help.

Qi Yunli tried to ease the awkward atmosphere.

A little boy came stumbling over from a distance and hugged Shen Junshan's leg.

"Father, who is this?"

"This is Father's friend," Shen Junshan said with a loving expression.

"Daddy's friend is so beautiful," the child said innocently.

"Yes, but your mother is the most beautiful." Shen Junshan kissed him before noticing his wife standing at the door not far away.

His wife slowly smiled and looked at him as well.

Shen Junshan seemed to understand something. "That's my wife, A Ning."

His wife had known about Qi Yunli's existence for a long time.

I just never mentioned it to him, pretending not to know.

Today, no explanation is needed; the hearts of husband and wife are already in sync.