Warm medicine emits fragrance

"Master, these are letters that the eldest master and Qi Weiming sent to Lichuan, but I stopped them."

In the study in the North Courtyard, Li Qiuping placed two letters on Li Chenbi's desk.

Li Chenbi opened the first document; the handwriting was familiar—it was Li Chenxin's.

The letter instructed someone to investigate Qi Weiming's background.

Li Chenbi glanced at the letter, tossed it aside, and picked up the second one.

The second envelope looked no different from a regular envelope at first glance, but it felt slightly different to the touch.

He rubbed it a few times, then picked up the envelope and placed it above the candlelight.

As the paper heats up, a pattern the size of a fingernail appears at the end of the envelope.

"This is... a swallow?" Li Qiuping leaned closer to the envelope, looked at the pattern, and asked in confusion.

Li Chenbi seemed to be deep in thought, and after a moment he handed the letter to Li Qiuping.

Both letters were sent back the way they came.

Li Qiuping asked, puzzled, "Isn't Qi Weiming going to read this letter?"

Li Chenbi glanced at the seal on the envelope. "This envelope is sealed with a unique mark. Once it's opened, it can't be restored. The person who receives the letter will know that it has been read."

"If I don't look, I'm not afraid of him..."

"He won't, he's Yan Qi's man."

Li Qiuping immediately understood when he recalled the swallow pattern he had seen on the envelope earlier.

Yan Qi is from the Yan family on the border. The Yan family was considered one of the most prominent families several decades ago. However, in recent years, no outstanding talents have emerged from the family, and the family has not prospered. Just as the Yan family was gradually declining, a talented scholar suddenly appeared in the Yan family twenty years ago and won the top spot in the imperial examination that year.

This person was Yan Qi.

The Yan family originally thought that Yan Qi could lead the Yan family to rise again among the aristocratic families, but what they got in return was an even faster decline of the Yan family.

Yan Qi served as an official in the capital for ten years. At first, he was in the limelight and his career was going smoothly. However, because he was too outstanding, he attracted the help of other powerful officials who joined forces to suppress him. They plotted against him and made him commit a serious mistake, so he was punished by being sent to guard the library. As a top scholar, he could only organize documents and texts every day, and wasted ten years of his life.

The Yan family was completely removed from the ranks of aristocratic families, and their lives became comparable to those of ordinary, impoverished people.

Yan Qi spent ten years in the capital, witnessing the darkness and corruption of the court. He believed that the Great Yan Dynasty would one day fall into the hands of these scheming and despicable people, so he resigned in anger and returned to his hometown on the border.

For many years after that, there was no news of him until two years ago, when a batch of goods belonging to Li Chenbi was robbed at the border. The goods were very valuable, and he asked someone to pull strings to get them back.

The man he had entrusted told him, after drinking, that there was a large underground organization in the four large cities that were connected on the border.

They lay in wait, waiting for the day they would rise up in rebellion.

The leader of this underground organization was Yan Qi.

Li Chenbi remembered seeing this swallow symbol at the border; it was used by that underground organization to transmit information.

Li Qiuping did not accompany Li Chenbi to the border that time and had not seen the swallow symbol, but she was not unfamiliar with the name Yan Qi.

For the past two years, Li Chenbi has been keeping a close eye on this person's movements.

"So, he approached the old man not to oppose us, but because of Prince Rong," Li Qiuping said.

Li Chenbi tapped the table with his finger, his gaze fixed on the flickering candlelight, and said in a low voice, "It seems that Yan Qi has already begun to take action."

"We also need to speed things up and sever ties with Prince Rong before Yan Qi invades Xingzhou."

After saying this, Li Chenbi waved to Li Qiuping, "Go down."

Li Qiuping suddenly remembered something and said, "Oh, right, sir, when I came back, I saw Miss Yuhe's carriage at the gate."

Li Chenbi frowned. "Yuhe? Isn't she supposed to be back in three months?"

Li Qiuping also found it strange. "Yes, you told the Huo family that the person would not be sent back until three months had passed, but I am sure I did not see wrong, that was Miss Yuhe's carriage."

Thinking of something, Li Qiuping asked, "Do you think the master and mistress are up to something again?"

Li Chenbi frowned, a hint of impatience flashing in his eyes. "Keep a closer eye on the East Courtyard."

"yes!"

East Courtyard.

Li Yuhe stood in the hall, looking at Li Chenxin sitting in the seat of honor, her face showing some fear.

"I wonder why Father is in such a hurry to call his daughter back?"

Li Chenxin held his teacup, blew on the tea foam, and then said, "Your mother has arranged a marriage for you. Go and take a look tomorrow."

Li Yuhe's expression changed instantly, and she blurted out, "I'm not going. I don't want to get married right now."

Li Chenxin glanced at her, "Whether you marry him or not is not up to you. Don't say any more, this is settled, you can leave now."

"Father!" Li Yuhe wanted to argue for herself, but was interrupted by a look from Li Chenxin.

"go out!"

Li Yuhe knew she couldn't persuade him, so she gritted her teeth, turned around, and left angrily.

She had to go to the west courtyard to ask the old lady for help. If the old lady couldn't help her, she would go to the north courtyard.

As soon as he reached the entrance of the East Courtyard, he was stopped by someone.

"Miss, the master said that you cannot leave the East Courtyard without his order."

Li Yuhe glared at the two tall guards, tears welling up in her eyes, but there was nothing she could do. In the end, she could only return to her room.

"Miss..." the maid Shimo tried to comfort her, but Li Yuhe waved her hand and said, "You can go out now. I want to be alone."

Shi Mo sighed and turned to leave the bedroom.

She had just closed the door and hadn't even turned around when someone covered her mouth from behind and dragged her away.

After calming down in the room for a while, Li Yuhe realized she was thirsty.

"Shimo, go and brew a pot of tea."

After waiting for a while and receiving no response, she got up and walked towards the door, puzzled.

I opened the door, and there was no one outside.

"Do you recognize ink?"

"Do you recognize ink?"

In the front yard, Siqing was carrying a bunch of newly bought trinkets toward the gate. She had just returned from the market and brought Fan Liuer a lot of novelties, as well as a bag of roasted chestnuts.

Before I even reached the North Campus, I bumped into a somewhat familiar face.

The other person was clearly waiting for her, and came up to her as soon as they saw her, saying, "Sister Siqing."

Siqing thought for a moment before remembering who she was.

Li Yuhe's head maid.

"Shimo? Didn't you go to the Huo family mansion to study with Miss Yuhe? Why are you back so soon?"

Shi Mo looked anxious. "Master has called Miss back. He said he wants to find her a husband tomorrow."

"Miss couldn't persuade him, and now she's crying alone in the back garden."

Shi Mo sighed, "My young lady is just too soft-hearted. She can't bear to see others worry about her, and she won't confide in anyone even when she's heartbroken."

"But I really feel sorry for her. She has no one to talk to in this mansion, so I was thinking of asking Sister Siqing to pass on a message to Madam Fan and ask her to go and check on Miss."

"My young lady adores Lady Fan; her mood improves whenever she's around."