Series: ЧУ ЧЖАО

Inspector Qi once again eagerly invited Deng Yi to rest inside the Relay Station. Deng Yi declined politely, explaining that he needed to continue his investigation in the next town. “You truly have endured great hardship,” Inspector Qi said with a mix of admiration and a low grumble. “That Gongzi of the Chu family, meanwhile

The county office hall was filled with people kneeling, yet the magistrate and his guards stood outside. One guard curiously peered inside. “Master,” he asked, “what major case is being tried? Even officials from the capital have come.” The magistrate shot him a stern look. “Mind your own business. Don’t pry into matters that don’t

Li-niang gave an awkward smile and continued, “The young girl tossed three pouches of money at me and said she wanted to book me for three days to pretend to be her mother.” She pointed to the moneybags in front of her. Compared to the physician’s, hers were far more numerous, with scattered gold, silver

The situation was now clear. Deng Yi saw no need for further questioning and did not press the matter, allowing them to leave. “Ignorance is no excuse for wrongdoing,” he said. The three of them kowtowed gratefully, overjoyed. Li-niang even mustered the courage to ask, “What about this money—” The Gongzi of the Chu family

After resting overnight at the Relay Station, Deng Yi and his party made arrangements to send a messenger pigeon to Zhongshan Wang before setting out again. Although Zhongshan Wang had intervened to stop them, it wouldn’t be appropriate for him to escort the captives all the way to the capital. Instead, Deng Yi’s group continued

Was Chu -xiaojie truly arrogant? The Relay Station Chief patted his round belly. Judging by appearances, well, it doesn’t matter. He wasn’t in any position to judge her now. After all, he’d been completely taken in by her act. This time, all his efforts had come to nothing—leaving him empty-handed and nearly costing him his

A Fu woke up shivering from the cold. She had spent days on the road, yet still couldn’t get used to the hardship. It was rough. In both her lifetimes, she’d never endured suffering like this. A Le had laid down everything they could use as padding, but the hard, wild ground still left her

But almost as soon as they stepped through the gate, A Le—who had never been a proper xiaojie’s maid—made a humiliating mistake: she mistook the powdered beans meant for handwashing as a snack and ate them, sending the other servants into fits of laughter. Embarrassed and irritated by the incident, and now exposed to the

The couriers moved with relentless speed, their horses and men alike driving forward as if possessed, scarcely pausing from dawn ’till dusk. A-Fu clenched her teeth as the horse lurched. Sleep was scarce, meals were rushed, and the wounds on her thighs and hips—scraped raw by the saddle—would scab over only to break open again.

How A Le wished she had been there! If she had been by her xiaojie’s side, there would have been no need for the xiaojie to lift a finger—A Le would have kicked that Liang-xiaojie flying herself. Let them bind her, let them punish her—she would have borne it all gladly. A Fu could guess