Help! The cunning and treacherous minister and I were reborn together!

Chu Fengchen's injuries were too severe to move.

Yuan Zhi hurriedly sent his servants to fetch a doctor, but fearing the assassins might return, he instructed them to gather all the people who hadn't left the riverbank.

When people heard that the grandson of the Marquis of Changping had been stabbed, they rushed over, and the clearing in the woods was soon crowded with people.

Yuan Zhi anxiously scanned the faces, "Does anyone here know medicine? If you can cure Young Master Chu, the Marquis of Changping's mansion will surely offer a generous reward!"

A young man stepped forward and whispered, "I'm an apprentice at the clinic. I've seen my master do it, but I haven't done it myself yet."

"If the bleeding continues like this, even Hua Tuo couldn't save him! Give it a try, even if it's a last resort!"

Yuan Zhi pulled Chu Xia aside to make it easier for the man to receive treatment.

At this moment, she was very close to Chu Xia and heard him murmur, "Don't push me."

It wasn't "Don't kill me," it was "Don't push me!"

Yuan Zhi's pupils constricted sharply. Lan Yin had said that her uncle had fallen into the water and gone missing. Was it possible that Chu Xia hadn't accidentally fallen in, but had been pushed into the floodwaters?

Her heart pounded and her body went cold. Who had the audacity to kill an official of the imperial court?

Someone nearby pointed at Chu Xia and whispered to their companion, "Could this idiot be the eldest son of the Marquis of Changping?"

"There's no mistake! On the day Chu Xia returned to his residence, Marquis Changping summoned doctors from all over Shengjing, but none of them could do anything about it. It's said that he suffered brain damage from drowning, and it's very difficult for him to recover!"

A woman sighed, "Young Master Chu was dashing and talented in his youth, captivating countless women. Who would have thought he would end up like this? How can one not feel sorry for him!"

"You women, all you look at is his face. If Chu Xia were an ugly monster, would you still be so upset?"

The woman spat at him: "My sadness is none of your business! You're a toad's father and a short, ugly mother, and you're such a deformed creature. You never strive for anything, you just find amusement in belittling others. You're like rotten mud in a pit; stepping on you is considered bad luck, and even if you walk around you, you'll still come back and spit on you, saying: 'You can't even tell where you're going!'"

Yuan Zhi's thoughts were disrupted by them. He wanted to step forward and say a few words to intimidate them, but when he heard the woman's barrage of insults, he held back his words.

That mouth of hers is even more formidable!

……

After the man finished bandaging himself, he wiped the blood off his body and said timidly, "Madam, I...I'm done."

Yuan Zhi lowered her eyes. Although the bandage looked a bit messy, the bleeding had stopped for the time being.

"Thank you for your trouble. When the people from the Marquis's residence arrive in a while, I will tell them that you saved Young Master Chu. The Marquis's residence will repay any kindness and will not treat you unfairly."

The man scratched the back of his head. "I didn't come here for the reward."

"Saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-story pagoda; one should repay the debt of gratitude."

"Ok."

The man smiled shyly and stood guard beside Chu Fengchen.

Shortly after, the Marquis of Changping's household and a doctor arrived, gave Chu Fengchen some life-saving pills, and led them back. The Third Madam, her eyes red and swollen, gave the young man three thousand taels of silver to thank him for saving her son.

Yuan Zhi handed Chu Xia over to the servants to take care of, and returned to the Marquis's residence with the Chu family, where he relayed Chu Xia's words to the old man.

Marquis Changping, nearing the age of death, was so shocked upon hearing this that he jumped up from his chair.

He asked seriously, "Is this true?"

"Absolutely no lies!"

Marquis Changping's tears streamed down his face as he gritted his teeth and said, "You harmed my son and injured my grandson! This is an irreconcilable enmity! Guards, bring me my court robes! I want to go to the palace to see the Emperor!"

Yuan Zhi got up to take his leave, and when he arrived at the courtyard gate, he met the Third Master and the Third Madam.

The couple knelt down before her, thanking her for remaining calm in the face of danger and saving Chu Fengchen's life.

"Master Chu, Madam Chu, how can I, as a junior, accept your kneeling? If you don't want to shorten my lifespan, please get up!"

Yuan Zhi bent down to help the two of them up. Madam Chu invited her to sit inside, but she politely declined.

Chu Fengchen has just been rescued, how could she cause trouble at this time? Let's leave this time for their family!

That evening, Xiao Zong returned home after his shift and said that His Majesty had sent him to Shuozhou to investigate the incident of Chu Xia's drowning and disappearance years ago.

Yuan Zhi was making the bed when she asked, "When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow," he said, putting one arm around her waist, "aren't you going to pack your bags for me?"

Yuan Zhi straightened up, her tone resentful, "It's not enough that I help you fold the quilt and make the bed; you also need me to help you pack your luggage. Lord Xiao, are your maids just for show?"

He tightened his arms. "I have many quirks. I don't want my maids to touch the clothes I wear next to my skin."

"Don't give me that!" Yuan Zhi slapped his hand. "Before I married you, who took care of your clothes? Jingzhe and Guyu, your two head maids, were in charge of your daily life. What are you pretending to be a virgin for?"

Xiao Zong didn't quite grasp the situation and straightened her posture. "What does this have to do with virgin boys?"

Yuan Zhi sat on the bed, head down, and whispered, "If you hadn't done that before, how could you be so... skilled?"

"Oh~" The man squatted down. "I knew it. You've been acting strange ever since the wedding night. It turns out you're bothered by this! Silly girl, who told you that all men have to be clueless? You can learn this stuff just by looking at a book. And you, didn't anyone show you a fire-avoidance chart before you got married?"

Yuan Zhi covered her face, "Stop talking."

"You were so assertive when you confronted me, and now you're embarrassed?" He pried her hand away and said sternly, "From now on, if you have any questions, just ask me directly. Don't let your imagination run wild, do you hear me!"

"Oh."

Seeing her blush with embarrassment, Xiao Zong pinched her cheek, stood up, and sat beside her. He patted her lower back and urged her on.

Go help me pack my things!

Yuan Zhi felt a tingling sensation in her tailbone and quickly jumped up, like a kitten whose fur had been ruffled. She put her hands behind her back and shook her head tentatively.

"You've been hugging and coaxing me all day. Are you afraid I'll run away while you're away on business?"

Xiao Zong looked up and said, "You're half right."

"I can guess who my other half is!" the woman said slyly. "Is it because you can't bear to part with me?"

The man was captivated by her lively appearance; his Adam's apple bobbed, and desire surged through his body like a tidal wave, unstoppable.

This parting will last for countless days and nights!

That heartless Yuan Zhi! He'll leave the moment he does, and she'll probably move away right away. You can't force her to leave, you can't stop her—it's so agonizing, so hard to let go!

Absolutely abominable!

His voice was hoarse: "You're asking questions you already know the answer to, and you're getting bolder and bolder!"

"Don't be angry!" Yuan Zhi's eyes lit up. "How about this, I'll help you think of a solution, okay?"

"explain."

Xiao Zong glanced at her, wanting to see what tricks she was up to this time.

"I can... go to Shuozhou with you!"

Xiao Zong had considered taking her along, but fearing she might worry about his lucrative business, he didn't mention it. Unexpectedly, she offered to accompany him to Shuozhou, a truly delightful surprise.

"What about the restaurant and winery business? Are you just going to ignore them?"

Yuan Zhi said, "The shop assistants and maids are already capable of handling things on their own, and with Manager Li keeping things in check, nothing serious will happen. Luo Mei previously learned to manage a household and gained experience at the winery for a while, so she's quite adept at everything and I don't need to worry about her. Now, it's up to you whether you agree or not?"

Xiao Zong raised an eyebrow. "Is that even a question?"

The woman smiled brightly, took out two bundles, and stuffed them into them one by one.

She wrapped her mother's jade pendant inside her snow-white nightgown and placed it there discreetly.

Shuozhou is my mother's hometown. I hope we can find clues about the jade pendant there.