Taking her into his tent, he incurred the wrath of a powerful and mad minister, from which he could

Upon seeing Xie Huaiyu, Mingyi knew that everything was settled and breathed a sigh of relief.

But she was still a little nervous. She propped herself up and quickly grabbed Xie Huaiyu's wrist, asking, "Have we already left Kyoto?"

Seeing her so frightened, Xie Huaiyu's clear eyes were filled with heartache, wondering how she had managed all this time.

He looked at her with utmost tenderness and said, "Yes, we'll be leaving Jizhou tomorrow. Don't worry, sister, he won't bother you anymore. You're free."

free.

These past three months have felt like an eternity for Mingyi. She has been dreaming of this day, and finally, her wish has come true.

She finally smiled, tears welling in her eyes, weeping with joy.

Xie Huaiyu could no longer restrain himself and tenderly embraced her, gently comforting her, "It's alright, it's alright, you're safe now, I will definitely protect you."

His clothes were always scented with styrax, which had a refreshing and pleasant aroma and a calming effect, giving him a sense of security.

Mingyi inhaled the familiar and pleasant scent, and her tense mind completely relaxed.

The two lovers embraced tenderly for a moment, then Mingyi seemed to remember something and gently pushed him away.

"By the way, where are A-Zhe and Yuegui?"

Xie Huaiyu said, "They are all well and waiting for you in Lin'an Town."

When Mingyi made a private deal with Madam Yu, those so-called pirates were arranged by Madam Yu.

To be honest, she was not really at ease with Madam Yu, but fortunately Madam Yu was trustworthy and reliable, and did not disappoint her.

To outsiders, she is now "dead".

With her gone, Zong Xian probably wouldn't bother investigating A Zhe and the others' whereabouts; he's never cared about the lives of others.

Thinking of this, Mingyi pulled her thoughts away from Zongxian and stopped thinking about that person.

The boats cut through the river, leaving behind the bustling capital and its prison.

...

This time, we chose to leave Beijing by water, which is slower, but much safer than by land.

Mingyi stayed on the ship for three whole days, and Xie Huaiyu never left the cabin the entire way. Xie Huaiyu also dressed very modestly.

The two shared a cabin and told others that they were a newlywed couple who had come from Suzhou to visit relatives and were on their way back to Suzhou.

It's currently the end of the year, and many young couples are traveling to visit relatives, so this reason is quite normal and no one suspects anything.

However, he developed a bit of curiosity about his beautiful wife, who had never shown herself.

For the past three days, although the two lived together, Xie Huaiyu always kept to himself, leaving the only bed for Mingyi while he slept on the floor.

On this day, the ship docked at Liangzhou, the closest city to Qingzhou.

Mingyi, dressed in a simple dress and wearing a veiled hat throughout, stood quietly beside the man.

Even with her face covered, her slender and graceful figure clearly indicates that she is a rare beauty.

Mingyi sensed those subtle glances and covetousness, and the fear deep within her heart was stirred up again.

She instinctively moved closer to Xie Huaiyu, clutching the hem of his clothes, feeling very uneasy.

Xie Huaiyu gently patted the back of her hand reassuringly and said tenderly, "Don't be afraid, little sister, I'm here."

He inadvertently revealed his magistrate's badge, and the servant behind him greeted him with a "Sir."

The law of the jungle, murder and theft of wives are not uncommon in this world.

Those hiding in the shadows were shocked to discover that this frail scholar was actually an official. They immediately withdrew their malicious gazes.

Even a minor official is still an official, and can be quite intimidating to ordinary people.

Xie Huaiyu had already prepared a carriage in Liangzhou.

He came to Liangzhou on a business trip and took the opportunity to bring Mingyi back.

The carriage successfully departed Liangzhou and headed towards Qingzhou.

Even though they were out of that person's control, the two remained extremely cautious and dared not be careless.

...

After returning home, Zong Xian claimed to be ill and refused to attend court. He spent his days locked in Tingshui Pavilion, drowning his sorrows in wine and refusing to see anyone.

Songhe Garden was already deserted, and now it was even more lifeless. Everyone seemed to be shrouded in a thick gloom, and no one dared to breathe loudly.

Madam Zong came to visit twice, but was turned away both times.

"Madam, what should we do about the Second Master's despondency?"

Mrs. Cui watched Zong Xian grow up, and even she never expected that Ji Mingyi's death would bring such a huge blow to Zong Xian.

Zong Xian was usually very imposing and never changed his expression even when Mount Tai collapsed in front of him. When had he ever been so dejected and depressed?

When she recalled the servant saying that he had held the woman's corpse for two days and two nights, a story she had never heard of before, Cui Mama felt a chill run down her spine.

Madam Zong was at a loss, but she wasn't too worried. "Let him be. He needs to vent. He'll be fine after a while."

She knows her son.

Zong Xian may not have been deeply in love with Ji Mingyi; it's just that the person suddenly passed away when their love was at its peak, and he couldn't accept it for a while, which is why he was so grief-stricken.

It will be fine in a while. Does he really have to give up the family business for someone who can never come back?

It's obviously impossible if you just think about it.

Madam Cui continued, "But what a coincidence! The Second Master had only been gone a short while when Songhe Garden caught fire. A fire that big should have woken even the soundest sleeper. How could it be gone?"

Ji Mingyi's death was suspicious and could not withstand scrutiny.

Furthermore, Ji Mingzhe and her personal maid also disappeared after her death. How could there be such a coincidence in the world?

But Ji Mingyi had already been buried, and even if there were doubts, Madam Zong was unwilling to investigate further, because it was pointless.

"The person is already dead; let's not mention this matter again."

Madam Zong then gave another order: "Tell all the servants to keep their mouths shut. Anyone who dares to gossip will be sold off!"

...

Ah Qing arrived at the door and knocked cautiously: "Second Master, the young lady's belongings have been inventoried. What should be done with them?"

After a long while, a man's hoarse voice came from inside the house: "Burn what should be burned, keep what should be kept."

So what should be burned and what should be kept?

Aqing sighed. She couldn't make up her mind and didn't dare to bother him, so she silently returned to Shuangxu Garden.

"Miss Aqing, what did the Second Master say?" Granny Feng, whose injuries had healed, asked with red and swollen eyes.

Without Zong Xian's instructions, no one dared to act rashly.

Ah Qing thought for a moment and said, "Except for the clothes, put everything else away properly, so that Second Master won't blame us if he can't find it later."

Granny Feng said, "Miss is so thoughtful. This old servant will take care of it right away."

Unexpectedly, the next day, a woman claiming to be Ji Mingyi's aunt came to the door, saying that she wanted to visit her niece.

This woman was dressed in jewels and silks, as if afraid others wouldn't notice she was a nouveau riche, and quite vulgar.

During the six months that Ji Mingyi lived under the roof of the Zong family, he didn't see a single one of the distant relatives of the Ji family in Jiangzhou.

She suddenly reappeared right after becoming a concubine of a powerful figure, her wicked intentions obvious.

Ah Qing had always despised such sycophants, but since a guest had come to visit, she couldn't neglect etiquette, and the woman was a relative of Mingyi, so she had no choice but to invite her into the courtyard.

As the woman entered, she looked around, examining the pavilions and furnishings with amazement, her eyes gleaming with greed.

A servant brought fragrant tea, and the woman picked up the cup, took a sip, and before she could even put it down, she impatiently asked, "Where is that girl? Tell her to come see me right away!"