Chapter 155
"Aunt, Eldest Sister-in-law, Second Sister-in-law, I shall take my leave for today. I will come to see you again tomorrow." Huo Yunzhi stood up, bowed, and walked out.
The several women watched Huo Yunzhi's retreating figure and finally let out a sigh of relief.
"Ouch, this old woman is scalded to death! Why aren't you going to fetch a physician?" Old Madam Chen covered her mouth, howling in pain.
She thought to herself that this plague god, Huo Yunzhi, must absolutely not enter the Chen family.
Otherwise, in the future, the only one suffering misfortune would likely be herself.
"Eldest Sister-in-law, this was all your brilliant idea," Fang Shi said, looking at Niu Shi with some reproach.
"Mother, I'm sorry. I also don't know why Huo Yunzhi..." Niu Shi was also suffering in silence, especially since this method was her suggestion, leaving her with no way to escape blame.
"Enough, go fetch a physician quickly." Old Madam Chen had no mind to argue with them. Right now, she only wanted to hide far away.
Li Residence
"Beautiful sister, I'm sorry, I've caused you trouble again."
The moment Xu Qingshi thought of Huo Yunlan's fierce demeanor that day, her heart filled with guilt.
"Qingshi, this matter is not your fault. However, from now on, when you go out, bring more people with you. The Huo family members are all mad; there's a chance they might still target you." Li Zhiwei sighed, patted Xu Qingshi's head, and comforted her.
In her heart, she was genuinely worried about the Huo sisters' behavior. After all, there were those who had suffered at the hands of the Huo sisters before.
Considering the three Huo sisters, apart from the impulsive and hot-tempered eldest sister, the other two were no easy opponents.
If it were just the eldest sister, it would be one thing, but now with the second sister involved, Li Zhiwei feared they might resort to underhanded tricks.
"Beautiful sister, don't worry about me. With Moyu here, I'll be fine," Xu Qingshi quickly said.
"Wei'er, are you alright?" Upon hearing that the Huo sisters had come to the residence to cause a scene, Lady Yao was worried sick.
It was just that these past few days, Lady Yao had been in poor spirits due to what her nephew had done to her daughter, so she had been resting in her courtyard.
If she hadn't heard about the Huo family causing trouble, she wouldn't have come out.
"Mother, why have you come out? Your daughter is fine," Li Zhiwei quickly stood up and helped Lady Yao sit down.
"Grandmother, Qingshi is also fine," Xu Qingshi quickly added, meeting Lady Yao's gaze.
"It's good that you're fine. Hearing that the Huo family came to the door picking a fight scared me to death," Lady Yao said, patting her chest.
"Mother, this matter was a misunderstanding. Please don't worry anymore," Li Zhiwei said hastily, afraid Lady Yao would dwell on it.
"Ah, who knows when your father will return. With no man at home to hold things up, anyone dares to bully their way to our door," Lady Yao said with a face full of melancholy.
"Mother, don't worry. Once Father handles his affairs, he will come to fetch us to the capital," Li Zhiwei quickly reassured her.
"These past few days, I keep having nightmares. Do you think... something might have happened to your father in the capital?" Lady Yao fixed her gaze on Li Zhiwei.
Li Zhiwei's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this. She hadn't told anyone about her father drinking the counterfeit wine.
Her mother couldn't possibly know.
It must all be a coincidence.
"Mother, what are you thinking? Father is an official in the capital, not fighting on a battlefield. He's fine." Although Li Zhiwei knew the capital was perilous, she couldn't say such things.
Moreover, her father would definitely be alright.
"This talk of becoming an official... it feels unreal. My heart is always uneasy, as if it's all a dream." Lady Yao also felt somewhat unsettled. After all, Yao Shuheng had returned to Qujing without receiving a single letter from her elder brother.
She still held some affection for her elder brother.
However, her nephew should never have taken such a drastic, misguided step.
If something truly unexpected happened, she would never forgive him.
Therefore, after Yao Shuheng left, she also wrote a letter to her elder brother, truthfully explaining the whole situation.
She also mentioned that Li Zhiwei had already been betrothed by imperial decree.
Capital
Ministry of Justice Prison
The cell door creaked open from the outside.
Cao Yunpeng used his hand to block the light streaming in.
Squinting, he looked at the person outside.
Upon recognizing Li Tianyou, his heart swelled with joy.
Li Tianyou! That was his old acquaintance.
Li Tianyou would surely help him, right?
Thinking this, Cao Yunpeng scrambled to his feet, hurried to the area near the door, and called out excitedly, "Brother Li, over here!"
Seeing Cao Yunpeng, Li Tianyou's eyes were filled with mockery.
This scoundrel Cao Yunpeng still dared to call out to him?
Did he really think Li Tianyou was a spineless pushover?
"Well, if it isn't Magistrate Cao? How did you end up locked up here?" Li Tianyou asked, feigning confusion.
Hearing this, Cao Yunpeng's heart leapt with joy. So Li Tianyou really didn't know what had happened in Li'an County.
"Brother Li, you must save me!" Cao Yunpeng cried with such pitifulness. If he hadn't first inquired with his colleagues at the Ministry of Justice, he would have thought this man was here because he coveted his own daughter!
That was why he had been arrested and brought back by people sent by Prince An.
Of course, his deeds in Li'an County far exceeded just wanting to take his daughter as a concubine.
Li Tianyou was originally from Li'an County. Not to mention anything else, the number of times Cao Yunpeng had 'borrowed' silver from him was not small.
"Oh? Magistrate Cao, if you don't tell me why you were sent to the capital and locked up, how can I save you?" Li Tianyou spread his hands, wearing a look of difficulty.
"Aren't you a third-rank official?" Cao Yunpeng asked through gritted teeth.
"You said it yourself, a third-rank official. But I'm not from the Ministry of Justice. Even if I were, I don't have the authority to release you," Li Tianyou said, his face full of feigned helplessness.
"Brother Li, you must think of a way for me! As long as you get me out, from now on, I'll be at your command!" Cao Yunpeng pleaded, looking at Li Tianyou with entreaty.
"Cao Yunpeng, do you really think I'm easy to fool?" Li Tianyou no longer wanted to play charades with Cao Yunpeng and asked directly.
The expression on Cao Yunpeng's face changed rapidly through a spectrum of colors. So Li Tianyou knew?
Then how could Li Tianyou possibly save him?
"Brother Li... it was all a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding!" Cao Yunpeng was now filled with regret. How could he have been bewitched by that vile woman, Mrs. Tang, back then?
How could he have dared to aspire to Li Zhiwei?
Now, not only was his official hat likely gone, but probably his life was in jeopardy too?
He thought of the notoriously ruthless and violent Prince An.
"Whether it's a misunderstanding or not, Cao Yunpeng, you know perfectly well in your heart. Who gave you the audacity to dare covet my, Li Tianyou's, daughter?" Li Tianyou spat lightly.
"Brother Li... Master Li, I was wrong. I was also led astray. How would I dare harbor such designs for your daughter? Master Li, please be magnanimous and spare me!" At this moment, Cao Yunpeng dared not entertain any other thoughts.
"Who are you?" Shen An'an frowned, looking at the man sitting at her table with vigilance.
"Miss Shen, stop waiting. The person you're waiting for won't come." The man picked up the teacup beside him and drank it all in one go.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Hearing this, Shen An'an stood up, intending to walk out.
"Someone wants Li Zhiwei dead!" The man swirled the teacup in his hand. After saying this, he vanished.
"Hey!" Shen An'an chased after him, but the man had already vanished without a trace.
