If you were cold and aloof in your past life, why are you crying in this one?

As the sun began to set, Xi Lingxian and her entourage rode back to the city.

She reined in her horse in front of the Xi residence, and the gatekeeper's servant came to lead the horse.

"Miss is back." The servant took the reins, then seemed to remember something. "Miss, a lady named Lu came by this afternoon. She said she was from Liuchun Hall and wanted to see you. When she learned that you weren't home, she waited for a while and then went back."

Xi Lingxian paused as she was about to step across the threshold.

Lu Niangzi?

"Could she say what it was about?"

The servant shook his head: "She didn't look too good. After waiting for half an hour, seeing that the young lady hadn't returned, she left first."

Xi Lingxian had a vague feeling that something was wrong. "I'll go to Liuchun Hall. There's no need to disturb Father."

Taozhi caught up with her, her face full of worry: "Miss, it's getting dark, you're all alone—"

"Zhao Tieshan and Zhou Wu can just follow me."

The Xi residence is located on the banks of the Qingxi River, almost half a city away from Liuchun Hall;

When Lingxian arrived on horseback, the gate of Liuchuntang was tightly closed, and a notice of closure was posted on the door.

A small side door was ajar, revealing a narrow crack through which dim light shone.

Xi Lingxian walked straight toward the half-closed side door.

You can faintly hear people talking in low voices, their voices urgent and suppressed, as if they are arguing about something.

The passageway was narrow, with some miscellaneous items piled on both sides, and a strong smell of herbs filled the air.

Passing the screen, you enter the front hall where Liuchuntang usually receives patients.

The medicine cabinet on the counter had been opened several shelves, and herbs were scattered all over the floor, the smell of medicine in the air was so strong it was bitter.

Two people were sitting in the corner; one of them was Yun Ying, whom she had seen when she bought medicine last time.

Lu Niangzi was standing behind the counter, tidying something up with her head down, when she heard footsteps and looked up.

That usually gentle and composed face now had sunken eyes and a sallow complexion, as if it had aged ten years overnight.

Xi Lingxian's heart skipped a beat.

"Madam Lu, has something happened to you?"

Lu Niangzi looked at her, her lips moved, and she knelt down with a thud.

"Miss Xi—" Tears welled up in her eyes, "Please, save me—"

Xi Lingxian frowned. "What happened? Tell me slowly."

Madam Lu knelt on the ground and refused to get up. "My senior brother... he's been arrested by the government."

"This afternoon, people from the Jingzhao Prefecture rushed in and took him away without saying a word. I asked them why they were arresting him, and they said it was my senior brother... that my senior brother was suspected of poisoning someone."

"That sounds like a slander. My senior brother does enjoy making all sorts of poisons, but he never uses them to harm people. He only uses them for self-defense when he goes out."

Madam Lu's voice was filled with barely suppressed hatred: "It was Ji'an Hall. It must have been someone from Ji'an Hall!"

She gripped Xi Lingxian's hand like a drowning person grasping at the last piece of driftwood: "The other day, Xun Dong, the manager of Ji'an Hall, came to our door, wanting my senior brother to help him develop a medicine recorded in an ancient book from the Southern Frontier. That medicine is extremely toxic and despicable, and is highly despised by doctors; my senior brother refused on the spot; Xun Dong was not giving up and came twice more, begging and pleading. My senior brother chased him away both times."

"Xun Dong looked very unwell when he left. I felt uneasy at the time, but I didn't expect them to make a move so quickly."

Xi Lingxian: "What are the pretexts the government uses to arrest people?"

Madam Lu wiped away her tears. "They said a patient at Ji'an Pharmacy had an accident yesterday, it seemed like poisoning. The symptoms were extremely similar to a poison my senior brother developed. They said the two pharmacies have always been at odds, so it must have been someone from Liuchun Pharmacy—"

"Without any evidence, the government just arrests people like this?"

"They've taken the bribes, why would they need any evidence?" Madam Lu gave a bitter smile. "The master behind Ji'an Hall is incredibly powerful. I've spent money bribing people everywhere, and the officials say my senior brother can't be released until the case is cleared up. But who knows how long they'll investigate? Who knows if my senior brother will even be alive when he gets out?"

"Miss Xi, we are complete strangers, and I know I shouldn't trouble you, but I truly have no other choice. If you could lend a helping hand, I would repay your kindness by doing anything, even sacrificing my life."

Lingxian closed her eyes.

If I remember correctly, Ji'an Hall is owned by the Yu family. The poison that Yu used to harm her selfishness in her previous life came from Ji'an Hall.

Now that they're preparing filthy ingredients again, the sordid affairs of Ji'an Hall must be countless.

She reached out and helped Lu Niangzi up.

Madam Lu raised her head, her lips trembling: "Miss Xi, you—"

"Regarding the Second Master's matter, I will have my father inform the Jingzhao Prefecture. They will never dare to force a confession and disregard human life."

Xi Lingxian: "Don't open the door for the next few days, and don't let anyone know I've been here."

With tears still on her face, Madam Lu bowed deeply in reverence.

Xi Lingxian emerged from the side gate, took a deep breath, and felt a tightness in her chest, a mixture of anger and coldness.

"Sister!"

"Banfan!"

Two voices rang out almost simultaneously.

She looked up and saw a blue-curtained carriage parked at the alley entrance, with two lanterns hanging beside it.

The eldest brother, Xi Rui, dressed in a black outfit with a long sword at his waist, strode towards her.

Xi Song followed behind, jogging to catch up, carrying a cloak in his arms.

"Why did you come here all by yourself?" Xi Rui walked up to him, her tone tinged with reproach. "The gatekeeper said you left without even going inside your house. Father was worried and sent me to pick you up."

Xi Song draped the cloak over her shoulders. "Sister, you don't look well. Has something happened?"

"Big brother, there's something I need to tell you."

She didn't spell it out too clearly, but Xi Rui wasn't stupid. When he heard the words "Ji'an Hall" and "Yu Family," his face darkened.

Xi Rui glanced at her and waved behind him.

The guard immediately stepped forward, took a bronze badge from his waist, and threw it over.

"Take my waist token to the Jingzhao Prefecture and tell them that the owner of Liuchuntang is a friend of my Xi family's eldest daughter and saved her before. If anyone tries to cause trouble or frame me, tell them to think carefully before they act."

The guard took the waist token, mounted his horse, and disappeared into the night in the blink of an eye.

Xi Lingxian followed her brother into the carriage.

The carriage was lined with thick, soft cushions, and a small copper lamp burned in the corner.

Xi Lingxian sat down against the car wall, feeling as if all her strength had been drained away.

Xi Song took out a teapot from the food box next to him, poured half a cup of warm tea, and handed it to her.

"Sister, have some tea."

Xi Lingxian took the teacup and took a sip.

The warm tea soothed my throat and then my tense chest.

Xi Song tilted his head, his gaze sweeping over her face, and couldn't help but ask, "Sister, do you think this matter is related to the Yu family?"

Xi Lingxian reached out and ruffled his hair. "What do you think?"

Xi Song opened her mouth, "She's actually this scary. I almost treated her like my own mother before."

Xi Song wasn't the only one who treated Madam Yu like her own mother; she herself had done the same in her past life.

"She is vicious and cunning. You and I are young, so it's understandable that we were deceived for a while."

"Sister, let's tell Father and ask him to divorce her!"

"The Yu family is still around, Empress Yu and the Crown Prince are still around. If they show such disrespect to the court, what will people say about the Xi family?"

Xi Song asked, puzzled, "But Father didn't even give the Emperor face at the palace banquet, so why would he be afraid of just an Empress and the Crown Prince?"

"We can easily ignore the Emperor's whims, but how can we afford to offend the Yu family and their cronies, as well as the supporters behind the Empress and the Crown Prince? Our Xi family is now too powerful to withstand attacks from behind; who knows who might stab us in the back? What will we do then when we're outnumbered?"

Xi Rui looked up at him, her eyes filled with surprise. "When did you learn all this?"

"Just because I didn't want to think about these things before doesn't mean I was really stupid and didn't understand anything."

Xi Song scratched his head. "But I really don't understand."

"Then learn slowly, let your older brother teach you."

Xi Rui glanced at it.

Xi Song shivered instantly.

Studying and practicing martial arts have almost killed him, and he still wants to learn more?