People in the Qin Dynasty sought good fortune and avoided misfortune.

Chapter 210, Nongyu: Do you want me to leave? (4.7k views, please vote!)
After leaving the Han Palace, Xu Qing first went home to change her clothes before heading to Zi Lan Xuan.

When he arrived at Zilan Pavilion, it was already getting dark. Zi Nu and Nong Yu were waiting for him in the backyard.

"Why are there only two of you? Have Wei Zhuang and the others already set off?" Xu Qing asked, looking at the two of them.

"Wei Zhuang and Han Fei have gone to cause trouble for Ji Wuye. I'm going to hold a banquet outside the city to wait for them. I'm leaving Nongyu in your care," Zi Nu said to Xu Qing.

Standing behind Zi Nu, Nong Yu nodded slightly to Xu Qing, revealing a gentle smile.

"Don't worry about Nongyu! I won't let anyone bully her!"

Xu Qing patted his chest and assured Zi Nu.

Zi Nu looked at Xu Qing speechlessly, walked to his side, and whispered in his ear.
"You better behave yourself and don't even think about bullying Nongyu."

For Nongyu, the greatest danger was not the covetousness of outsiders, but the dishonest fellow Xu Qing.

"Hehehe, how could I? Nongyu is my good sister, how could I bully her?" Xu Qing said with a sheepish laugh.

Zi Nu stared at Xu Qing suspiciously, her pretty face full of doubt, clearly not believing Xu Qing's nonsense at all.

"I swear, I will never bully Nongyu," Xu Qing assured him again.

"Sister Zi Nu, how could the Imperial Physician possibly bully me? Don't worry," Nong Yu said, also helping Xu Qing.

Seeing how Nongyu was protecting Xu Qing, Zi Nu felt like a wild boar had entered her own vegetable garden. However, seeing Xu Qing's serious expression, she ultimately said nothing more.

Smelling the scent of tangerines on Xu Qing, Zi Nu asked curiously.
"You ate tangerines again?"

"My subordinates brought me a few, and I ate them this afternoon because I was bored. Let's get going and get going so we don't waste any time," Xu Qing said.

While listening to Xu Qing and Zi Nu's conversation, Nong Yu silently remembered that Xu Qing liked to eat green tangerines.

"it is good."

Zi Nu held Nong Yu's hand and followed Xu Qing through the back door of Zi Lan Xuan to the Qianlong Hall's carriage.

The coachman drove the carriage out of the city, and no one stopped them along the way; even the guards at the city gate let them pass. Situ Wanli had already made arrangements for everything, and no one checked the Qianlong Hall's carriages, which is why Xu Qing was able to drive the Qianlong Hall's carriages out of the city.

As Xu Qing's carriage left Xinzheng, Han Fei and Wei Zhuang also entered Ji Wuye's General's Mansion.

Han Fei's whereabouts could not be kept secret from those in Xinzheng. The case of the ghost soldiers robbing the military pay had developed to this point, resulting in the deaths of five court officials and two royal uncles. Anyone with a modicum of sense could see some clues.

Many people realized that the ghost soldiers' robbery of the supplies was related to Ji Wuye, and Han Fei's current actions naturally aroused their suspicions.

For a time, the General's Mansion became the focus of everyone's attention, and many people were speculating whether Han Fei could leave alive.

At the same time, Xu Qing and Nongyu also arrived at the Mo family stronghold outside Xinzheng City.

Han Laoda and his group were already waiting at the village entrance. When they saw Xu Qing get off the carriage, they all stepped forward to pay their respects.

"Imperial Physician."

"Brother Han, brothers," Xu Qing said, bowing in return.

"Madam Hu is in the third room ahead. As for Liu Yi, he is currently being held in prison. Should we bring him out?" Boss Han asked.

“No rush. I’ll take Nongyu to meet her parents first. As for Liu Yi, I’ll bring him over later,” Xu Qing said.

"it is good."

Han Laoda waved his hand, and the Mo family disciples dispersed.

Xu Qing lifted the carriage curtain, placed Nongyu's hand in his, and jumped down from the carriage.

The moment Xu Qing touched Nongyu's soft, boneless hand, he didn't want to let go and pulled her towards Madam Hu's room.

Holding Xu Qing's hand, Nongyu lowered her head shyly, not daring to look up.

She and Xu Qing had a close relationship, so it was perfectly fine for them to do something intimate. With that in mind, Nongyu didn't pull her hand away and let Xu Qing hold it.

“Nongyu, your parents are in the house up ahead,” Xu Qing said, looking at the small courtyard in front of him.

Nongyu snapped out of her daze and looked at the small courtyard in front of her. Her starry eyes flashed with tension, and she couldn't help but tighten her grip on Xu Qing's hand.

When she reunited with Madam Hu earlier, she wasn't very afraid because it was at Zilan Pavilion and Zi Nu was with her.

But now she was in an unfamiliar place, and she was about to meet her father whom she had never met before. After a brief meeting, the two of them had to leave, which made Nongyu feel both nervous and scared.

"Don't be afraid. Your father is a good man. Letting them leave now is just a temporary measure. You can bring them both back after things calm down in Xinzheng."

Xu Qing held Nongyu's small hand and gently comforted her.

"Actually, Sister Zi Nu told me that if I didn't want to be separated from my parents, I could leave Zi Lan Xuan and go with them."

As Nongyu spoke, she turned to look at Xu Qing, gazing intently at his face as if trying to memorize his features.

"So what do you think? Do you want to leave with your parents, or stay at Zilan Pavilion?" Xu Qing asked Nongyu.

Nongyu answered directly, reaching out to tuck two strands of her hair behind her ears, and smiled gently at Xu Qing. Her starry eyes sparkled with a soft light, as captivating as the starry night sky.

"Does the Imperial Physician want me to stay or leave?" Nongyu asked in return.

At this moment, Nongyu no longer had the hesitant demeanor of the past. Her eyes and brows were full of smiles and expectations, like a blooming magnolia flower, gentle and elegant, bright and cheerful.

Meeting Nongyu's gaze, which held a hint of nervousness beneath her smile, Xu Qing remained silent for a moment before speaking.

“Actually, leaving Xinzheng is better for you. Unlike Zi Nu and the others, you are pure and untainted by the mud and unblemished by the clear water. You have other choices. Going to Taiyi Mountain with your parents is far better than staying in Xinzheng.”

Although he really wanted Nongyu to stay, after all, such a lovely sister-in-law was a rare find, the greatest selflessness in a person is selfishness, and the greatest selfishness is also selflessness.

In the original story, Nongyu's life was extremely tragic, and the source of it all was the power vortex in Xinzheng. Leaving Xinzheng might be the best way to eradicate all the tragedy.

Even if Nongyu leaves, it will only be temporary. After all, his agreement with the celestial beings at Guanmiao Terrace still has two months left, and he can leave with Nongyu then.

"Rising from the mud yet remaining unstained, cleansed by the clear ripples yet not becoming seductive—does the Imperial Physician really hold such a high opinion of me?"

Nongyu tilted her head to look at Xu Qing, her smile deepening, and her gaze towards Xu Qing carrying an indescribable and enigmatic meaning.

"That's right, you are Nongyu. Go see your father, isn't this the family reunion you've always longed for?" Xu Qing said with a smile, stroking Nongyu's head.

Although the art of playing the zither is a minor art, only Kuang Xiu of Zhao and Gao Jianli, a famous zither player from Yan, could reach the level of Nongyu.

"it is good."

Nongyu nodded to Xu Qing, withdrew her hand from Xu Qing's grasp, and walked into the house.

Xu Qing watched Nongyu's departing figure in silence.

When Nongyu knocked on the door, Madam Hu and Li Kai were overjoyed to see her, and then burst into tears, pulling her into the room.

"Imperial Physician, would you like to go see Liu Yi now?" Han Laoda asked.

"Take me to see him. I have some questions to ask him," Xu Qing said in a deep voice. "Okay."

Boss Han led Xu Qing toward the prison. After exchanging a few words with the two disciples guarding the prison, the two opened the gate, and Xu Qing walked down into the prison alone.

The dungeon built by the Mo family was not particularly deep or terrifying; rather, it was as bright and clean as an ordinary person's basement.

Hearing footsteps, Liu Yi, who was sleeping in the cell, was suddenly awakened. He rushed to the bars and stretched his hands out.

"Who are you? Why are you arresting me? I am the Right Sima of Han. Do you know what crime you are committing?" Liu Yi shouted at the figures at the entrance of the passage.

As the figure drew closer, the lights on both sides allowed Liu Yi to see the person clearly. Upon seeing that it was Xu Qing, Liu Yi's face immediately lit up with surprise and joy.

"How could it be you, Imperial Physician? It must be that Madam learned of my disappearance and asked Consort Hu to ask you to come and find me, right? Please let me out!" Liu Yi shouted excitedly, gripping the fence with both hands.

Looking at Liu Yi, who was treating him like a lifeline, Xu Qing remained calm. Now that things had come to this, he no longer needed to feign politeness with Liu Yi, so he naturally wouldn't give him a smile.

"Right Sima, I can let you out, but I have a question I'd like to ask you first," Xu Qing said calmly.

At this moment, Liu Yi was filled with the joy of being rescued and did not doubt how Xu Qing found him so quickly, nor did he notice anything unusual about Xu Qing.

"You said I would tell you the truth no matter what the problem is, you must get me out of here," Liu Yi said.

"I'd like to ask where the treasure of Fire Rain Manor went back then? It's said that this treasure is quite amazing, you couldn't have spent it all, could you?"

Xu Qing sized up Liu Yi with a calm expression, giving off an air of authority without anger.

In the original story, the chest in the secret room of Liu Yi's house was empty, indicating that the other party had squandered all the Fire Rain Agate inside. If that were the case, the other party shouldn't have left only an empty chest, which wasn't anything valuable.

Therefore, Xu Qing guessed that the other party might have hidden some treasure elsewhere. Since Liu Yi was going to die anyway, as one of the heirs of Huoyu Manor, he should rightfully reclaim this wealth.

Upon hearing this, Liu Yi was taken aback at first, then nervously took a step back, a sense of fear and unease welling up inside her.

"What are you talking about? What treasure of Fire Rain Manor?" Liu Yi looked at him uneasily.

"It seems the Right Sima has forgotten why he came here. Now that I'm here, there's no need to say more," Xu Qing said calmly.

For someone like Liu Yi, who is guilty of thievery, the best approach is to bluff him. If he wants to live, he will naturally confess the truth.

Liu Yi looked at Xu Qing with a gloomy expression, his hands gripping the fence tightly. Based on the words left by the people who had kidnapped him, he vaguely guessed their identities.

It's highly likely that they are remnants of the Fire Rain Manor from back then, coming to seek revenge. Since Xu Qing was able to get here, he must have subdued the people outside and learned about what happened back then from them.

Thinking about this, Liu Yi felt that there was no need to hide anything anymore, since Xu Qing already knew.

Although Xu Qing had an excellent reputation, he knew that the other party was even more greedy than him, and if he didn't reveal the whereabouts of the treasure, he would basically have no chance of leaving alive. Anyway, with Hu Meiren's connections, he and Xu Qing were also on the same side, so handing over a portion of the treasure to save his life wouldn't be difficult.

"It seems you already know. I was indeed the one who did what happened at Huoyu Manor back then. As for that treasure, I handed over 20% to Ji Wuye, 10% to the then Crown Prince, and 30% along with all the craftsmen near Huoyu Manor to Xueyi Hou Bai Yifei."

"As for the remaining 40%, I did keep it all for myself, but I have spent countless amounts of money over the years, and most of it has been squandered. However, there is still a small box of Fire Rain Agate left, which was originally hidden in a secret room in my house."

"Later, for a while, I felt that someone was watching me. In order to protect this treasure, I hid it in a secret room under the pool in my house."

Liu Yi revealed all the treasures he had hidden, hoping that Xu Qing would release him after receiving the money.

"Now that I've revealed the location of the treasure, you should be able to release me, right?" Liu Yi said.

Xu Qing's ears twitched slightly as he heard footsteps approaching the prison entrance. He smiled slightly at Liu Yi and said...

"Of course we'll let you leave, but before that, I think it would be good for you to see some old friends."

"An old friend?" Liu Yi looked at Xu Qing with a puzzled expression.

Xu Qing looked towards the entrance, and Liu Yi followed suit, only to see three figures approaching them.

As the three drew closer, Liu Yi finally saw their faces clearly and was filled with astonishment.

"My dear husband, what brings you here? Did you hear what was said just now?"

Liu Yi looked at Madam Hu uneasily, then turned to look at the other two. He recognized the other woman as Nongyu from Zilan Pavilion. As for the man on the far side, Liu Yi was first stunned, then his face was filled with horror, and he quickly took a few steps back.

"Li Kai!? Are you a human or a ghost!?" Liu Yi pointed at Li Kai and said in horror.

There are two people he can never forget in his life: one is Madam Hu, and the other is Li Kai, who was framed and killed by him.

Now that Li Kai has reappeared in front of him, he immediately assumes that the other party is a ghost seeking revenge.

Li Kai looked at the terrified Liu Yi, a mocking smile on his face, and said to Liu Yi...
"Hahaha, Liu Yi, you've finally met your match. Of course I'm human. You framed me back then, but you probably never imagined I'd survive and come back to take revenge on you."

"No way, no way! How could you still be alive!"

Liu Yi looked at Li Kai in horror, then at Madam Hu who was standing to the side with an angry expression, and then at Xu Qing. He immediately understood everything.

"This is all your conspiracy. You teamed up to kidnap me here, didn't you?" Liu Yi shouted loudly.

"Liu Yi, you framed Li Lang back then, and ordered the Three Wolves with Broken Hair to massacre my home. You also deceived me for many years. I really wish I could eat your flesh and sleep on your skin!" Madam Hu pointed at Liu Yi and cursed angrily.

Nongyu helped Madam Hu up, her eyes filled with anger as she looked at Liu Yi. If it weren't for Liu Yi, her family wouldn't have ended up like this.

Staring at the furious Madam Hu, Liu Yi stood there, dazed, muttering to himself.
"Madam, no, no. I truly love you, and I never intended to lie to you."

Upon hearing Liu Yi's words, Xu Qing turned his head and looked at Liu Yi with some surprise. He hadn't expected that even on the verge of death, Liu Yi would still be thinking of Madam Hu.

Having witnessed Liu Yi's character to this extent, Xu Qing truly didn't know how to evaluate him.

"Imperial Physician, please open the cell door. I want to kill him myself to avenge my family." Li Kai drew his sword and walked towards the cell door.

Xu Qing stepped forward and opened the cell door, and Li Kai walked into the cell without any hesitation.

"You... Li Kai, what happened back then?"

Liu Yi looked at Li Kai approaching him and retreated in fear, his heart filled with dread as he gazed at the sharp sword in Li Kai's hand.

Before Liu Yi could finish speaking, Li Kai plunged his sword straight into the man's heart.

"Liu Yi, we've settled our score from back then!" Li Kai looked at Liu Yi, his eyes seemingly spitting fire.

He had practiced swordsmanship diligently every day for years, hoping to one day kill Liu Yi with his own hands. Now he had finally done it, and his obsession had vanished.

Liu Yi spat out blood, then turned to look at Madam Hu behind him, his eyes filled with resentment. He tremblingly stretched out his hand, his lips moving as if he wanted to say something.

But Li Kai didn't give him a chance. After drawing his sword, he swung it again toward the man's neck.

Liu Yi's body slumped against the wall, his eyes gradually losing their life force, and blood soaked through his clothes.

"I finally got my revenge! I finally got my revenge!"

Li Kai looked at Liu Yi's corpse and shouted excitedly.

Xu Qing, Madam Hu, and Nongyu silently watched Li Kai laugh. At this moment, the feud at Huoyu Manor was finally over, and it was time for Madam Hu and Li Kai to leave.

(End of this chapter)