Chapter 61 Chapter 61 If the man isn't capable, then no one else is...

It's not uncommon for someone to be interested in Fu Huaiqing.

Her status and looks are both exceptional in the capital, so if no one's interested, then it's cause for suspicion. Biezhi's knuckles scratched at the nearby bushes. "Does he know?"

He?

Hua Chao hesitated for a moment before realizing who she was referring to. "I heard he knows." If she herself had heard, how could His Highness not know? "I heard he explicitly refused Miss Lin, but because Your Highness has always been a solitary person, Miss Lin has never given up. Over the past three years, she's occasionally accompanied the princess to the palace when she returns to the capital."

Biezhi nodded, then a soft hiss escaped her lips. She lowered her eyes, and a thorn pierced her fingertip, spilling a small drop of blood. The drop of blood pooled on the fingertip for a moment before fluttering around and falling into the soil.

She looked at the nearly healed wound with mixed feelings.

It's all Fu Huaiqing's fault! He distracted her, otherwise she wouldn't have been stabbed.

After a moment's silence, Biezhi snorted softly and waved her hand, "Let's go and mess with him."

Hua Chao stared in astonishment at the girl's unwavering presence. Just as she was about to follow, Cheng Jin approached, carrying a food box. Biezhi, naturally noticing it, paused in confusion.

"Young lady," Cheng Jin handed the food box to Hua Chao, saying, "Your Highness asked me to bring this for you."

Biezhi's eyes followed the food box's path, glancing at Cheng Jin. "What's this?"

Cheng Jin smiled mysteriously. "It's something you like."

Biezhi's curiosity was piqued, reaching its peak.

The food box was opened, revealing curls of smoke and a waft of fragrance. Seeing the bowls and chopsticks Hua Chao had brought out, her eyelids fluttered, and she looked at Cheng Jin in surprise. "What do you mean?"

Dumplings the size of ingots floated in the steaming broth.

Biezhi recognized them instantly.

They were soup dumplings from Wuweipu.

Cheng Jin was confused, what else could it mean?

He scratched his head, remembering what Jiang Yue had just said, and said, "Remind the young lady to remember the past?"

Bie Zhi: "..."

The corner of her mouth twitched, and she pretended to be ignorant and asked, "What in the past?"

Cheng Jin was also asked.

He thought about it, and felt that the master should not want to bring up the past, so there was only one thing left, "Remind the young lady not to forget to kiss secretly-"

As she listened, Bie Zhi's eyes suddenly widened, and she wanted to find a shovel to dig a hole and bury herself in it. She quickly raised her hand to stop him: "Don't say anymore, it's impolite to say anything more."

What is a kiss secretly?

She kissed openly and honestly.

Besides, he didn't suffer any loss, okay?

Others wanted to kiss but couldn't, so he should be glad.

Looking at her expression that changed from time to time, Cheng Jin silently closed his mouth and stood quietly aside.

After finally calming down, seeing that he showed no sign of leaving, Bie Zhi felt something was amiss. Curiosity got the better of her: "Anything else?"

"Yes," Cheng Jin nodded. Fearing another interruption, he spoke rapidly: "His Highness told me to tell you, young lady, not to forget your responsibility to him."

Bie Zhi gasped for air.

Her almond-shaped eyes widened slightly, her lips moving as she glanced at Cheng Jin, hesitantly. Then, lowering her gaze to the still steaming dumplings, she couldn't help but ask: "How will he expect me to be held responsible? Will he be welcomed in a sedan chair?"

Cheng Jin's bright eyes reflected the girl's exuberant expression, as if if her master were here, she would pounce on him and have a proper 'conversation' with him.

He was silent for a moment, then asked: "When?"

"What?" Bie Zhi was stunned.

Cheng Jin felt that he had to wait a while before returning to report to his master. It would be disastrous if he couldn't answer the question if he asked. Thinking this way, he hesitated for a moment before asking, "When does the young lady plan to have the sedan chair carried by eight men escort His Highness to come in?"

Bie Zhi: "..."

She stared at him silently, realizing he truly intended to report his "decision" to Fu Huaiqing. A breath caught in her throat, nearly choking her.

After a moment, Bie Zhi took a deep breath and said, "In my lifetime."

Cheng Jin opened his mouth and nodded thoughtfully.

Bie Zhi knew he would definitely return to report his answer to Fu Huaiqing, so she wasn't surprised at all when she saw the man enter Qinghe Courtyard. Calculating the time, she even thought he was a little late.

The steam had dissipated from the soup dumplings on the table, and the small, delicate dumplings floated on the surface.

The young girl lay on one side, her gaze tinged with a hint of resentment.

Fu Huaiqing's eyes flickered slightly, a faint smile etched across them.

He calmly stepped forward and said, "I heard someone was planning to bring me home in a sedan chair."

Bie Zhi sat up silently, glaring at Cheng Jin, whose eyes were wandering. Without hesitation, she said, "You must have heard wrongly. Fake news,

just a rumor." "Fake news can be true." Fu Huaiqing had already guessed what she would say. He picked up the spoon on the table and swung it over the dumplings in the soup. "Someone seemed to say that the money they earned was more than enough to support me."

Bie Zhi suddenly raised her head.

Not only was he targeting her, but he was also coveting her money.

"Swindler!"

Fu Huaiqing's expression froze for a moment.

"A truly ruthless profiteer." Biezhi didn't know where she got the courage from. The worst that could happen was that she would close her eyes. She just couldn't stand this humiliation. "Others who go to the mountain retreat to buy news don't pay more than two hundred taels, but what about me?"

She got angry just thinking about it. Her round eyes, the size of grapes, were like torches, and she was still brooding over the fact that she was ripped off. "You paid five hundred taels for the news both times. You made a net profit of my money. I finally got the money, but I have to pay half of it back. It would be better if you didn't give me so much in the first place." Biezhi glared at Fu Huaiqing, who raised his thin lips slightly, and said, "Pay me back quickly!" 

The righteous words echoed above the quiet courtyard. The guards around couldn't help but glance sideways at her. Even Hua Chao couldn't help but open his mouth in astonishment. Some of the secret guards who had followed Fu Huaiqing, who was disguised as Ji Ran, in and out didn't think it was strange at all. They just felt that it was not easy for Biezhi to endure until now with her temper. 

After days of suppressing their frustration, they finally vented their frustration. On a normal day, they'd have gotten mad at their master half an hour ago, and half an hour later, they'd be in front of 'Ji Ran' and venting bitterly about him. Their words were so sharp, their tone so indignant, it made their eyelids twitch. 

"It's clearly your fault," Bie Zhi said, growing increasingly excited. No matter how she thought about it, she felt she was innocent, yet she was still frightened by him. "If you weren't pretending to be Ji Ran, would you have heard me scolding you?" Glancing at Fu Huaiqing's slightly parted lips, she didn't give him a chance to speak, saying, "Of course not." 

If Ji Ran had actually heard her complaints, wouldn't everything have been resolved?

"Besides, if you hadn't gone too far, would I have scolded you?" Not only was he hearing her, but she also had to endure his 'threat'. Just thinking about it made her feel a little wronged. It wasn't nice to mutter about her master behind his back, so she found Ji Ran, who couldn't hear or speak. How could she have imagined that this would be discovered? "Everything has a cause. I scolded you, so you should reflect on yourself."

Fu Huaiqing: "..."

He spoke with conviction, as if everything was his fault.

Fu Huaiqing's lips curved up, and he looked at her with a smile. "It's all my fault?"

"Of course!" Bie Zhi glared at him, pondered for a moment, then steeled his resolve. "It's you who made me trade my life for mine, it's you who cheated me out of money, it's you who tormented me. Everyone else's voice is fine, but yours is a water buffalo voice. It wasn't me who said you were inhumane. You should be thankful I told you. You still have time to ask the imperial physician if you're really not okay."

Instantly, veins popped up on Fu Huaiqing's forehead, and he looked at her with a complicated expression.

Mentioning this, the fire in Biezhi's heart subsided a little. After wanting to say something for a long time, the light in her eyes slowly turned into reluctance. Her eyes seemed to droop a little, and fell on the man for a moment, then raised it again, and said earnestly: "If it doesn't work, you have to treat it."

Fu Huaiqing's face was dark, "I don't have--"

"You can't avoid seeking medical treatment for this matter." Biezhi had heard that no man would admit that he couldn't do it, but he really couldn't delay it, so she thought of an idea for him, "If you are embarrassed to come forward, it's not impossible to disguise yourself as someone else and ask the imperial physician to take a look." Afraid that he would not be willing, she paused and added: "If a man is not capable, no one will want him."

Fu Huaiqing: "..."

He clenched his teeth slightly, "Did you do it on purpose?"

Biezhi was wronged!

She almost swore to the sky, "Heaven and earth can bear witness, I am giving you advice sincerely."

Her eyes dropped half an inch, glanced secretly a few times, and then raised them again.

The girl's face showed no trace of regret, as if he was truly inhumane as the rumors said. The spot between Fu Huaiqing's eyebrows throbbed violently, almost popping out. He stared at her silently for a long moment, his voice deep, "You haven't tried it, how do you know it won't work?"

Biezhi, who had been quietly wondering where a miracle doctor could cure this hidden ailment, blinked upon hearing this. Without even a moment's thought, she understood what he meant, her cheeks flushing. 

She pursed her lips and glanced at the man, whose gaze was filled with danger, like a leopard stalking its prey. She silently turned sideways, swallowed, and said, "Let's not do it." 

"Why not?" Fu Huaiqing raised his eyebrows slightly, staring at her. "Didn't you say I'm inhumane?" 

"Not me." Biezhi waved her hand slightly. She had heard it from others, so it wasn't her fault. Besides— 

she was quiet for a moment, muttering softly, "That's why I can't try it." 

What if it really didn't work? Wouldn't her life be ruined? 

Biezhi spoke very quietly, but Qinghe Courtyard was so quiet that Jiang Yue and the others dared not utter a word, and even their breathing was very light. Fu Huaiqing could not help but hear her muttering. 

Veins on his forehead throbbed wildly, and he said, "You have to try." 

Biezhi: "..." 

As expected, no man would accept the fact that he couldn't do it, not even the powerful regent. 

At this time, Biezhi realized belatedly that she was the one questioning him, so why did she become threatened by him? She coughed lightly, knocked on the table, and said righteously and confidently, "Don't deny other people's advice, you should learn to reflect on yourself." 

Fu Huaiqing laughed angrily. 

His dark and deep eyes flashed with a different light and shadow, and he pursed his lips tightly. 

He should reflect on himself. 

Reflect on which step went wrong. 

Fu Huaiqing breathed a sigh of relief, and his expression gradually calmed down. 

"Your Highness." Having heard the entire story, Jiang Yue bravely stepped forward, his head lowered even more than usual. He bowed and said, "Xiang Lin requests an audience." 

Hearing Xiang Lin's request, Fu Huaiqing's eyes darkened. 

Not long ago, Xiang Lin had personally led a team out of Beijing to investigate the murders of families in Suzhou and Hezhou. Only five days had passed, and now he had suddenly returned to Beijing— 

his face slightly stern. "Announcement." 

Xiang Lin, who had been waiting at the gate of Qinghe Courtyard, hurried inside. Before he even approached, he spotted two figures seated in the courtyard. His thoughts faltered as he took in the young women's faces. He had tracked Jing Qing before, so naturally, he had also met Biezhi. 

He caught a glimpse of Jiang Yue's slight nod, and Xiang Lin finally understood why his master hadn't agreed to his proposal to use Biezhi to extricate Jing Qing. His master had already shown mercy by not sending someone to drag him away. 

Xiang Lin walked forward quickly, "Master." 

Fu Huaiqing glanced at him sideways, picked up the teapot on the table with his palm, and poured a cup of tea slowly, "What's the matter?" 

Xiang Lin raised her eyes slightly and saw that her master pushed the teacup in his hand to another branch. It seemed that he didn't think of avoiding her. After a pause, she said, "I was ordered to go to Suzhou. I heard that the Bian family had found a wet nurse for their young daughter within half a day of entering Suzhou. The reason why there were rumors in Suzhou was precisely because of the considerable discussion that Master Qin had stirred up when he investigated the Bian family a few days ago." 

Qin Xiao had mentioned the Bian family's wet nurse just now. Fu Huaiqing nodded lightly, "The Bian family's wet nurse escaped." 

"Yes." Xiang Lin knew Qin Xiao had already reported the incident, but he had brought accurate information. "To be precise, there were indeed only 127 members of the Bian family, and all of them met with tragic death. However, according to the recollections of some elders in Suzhou who still remember the Bian family, the young girl's wet nurse was also in the courtyard at the time of the incident." 

Fu Huaiqing held the teacup in his hand mid-air, then slowly lowered it, motioning for him to continue. 

"I've reviewed the files at the prefecture, and no fewer than ten children were massacred that night, including a six-month-old girl. The wet nurse's name was even recorded." Xiang Lin's eyes froze for a moment. He had witnessed countless tragedies, and his hands were stained with blood, yet his breathing remained unsteady as he flipped through the prefecture's files. "Even including the wet nurse, the casualties only totaled 127, and one of them is missing." 

"Is there any news about the wet nurse's husband?" Fu Huaiqing stroked the branch patterns on the teacup with his fingertips. Being able to be a wet nurse in the Bian family, her child should be about the same age as the little girl of the Bian family. "Where is her child?" 

Xiang Lin had also checked. "The wet nurse's husband hurriedly moved his family away from Suzhou the day after hearing about the accident in the Bian family. He never came back since then. My subordinates ordered people to check along the way, and finally found out the news in Xiyun Town, which is only a hundred miles away from Suzhou. On the fourth day after the Bian family was wiped out, the wet nurse's husband and his family were tragically killed outside Xiyun Town. Their bodies were found by a butcher who went hunting." He was silent and said, "There is no record of children aged six months to two years old in the file."