The one who injured Wei Shoutou was Qi Jiu, who had stayed in Qi Biao’s room. The weapon used was the iron soup spoon used to feed Qi Biao. It pierced through the clothing, and the spoon handle directly stabbed into Wei Shoutou’s thigh. However, it didn’t damage the bones or tendons—it was merely meant to scare him.
Mrs. He grew increasingly resentful and complained to Wei Zhongqi, “Old man, are we just going to let this go? Ya’er has already agreed to marry Shoutou. How can we break our word like this?”
Wei Zhongqi scolded her in a low voice, “Do you think things aren’t chaotic enough? When did Ya’er ever agree to marry Shoutou? That was all your wishful thinking. Don’t forget, we are servants. Our children’s marriages are decided by our masters. Never bring this up again.”
Mrs. He was full of grievances. “Shoutou is long past marriageable age. We’ve begged for the master’s favor several times, but he has never agreed. Are we supposed to let Shoutou remain single for life? We live in this isolated place. Even if Shoutou married, as long as we don’t talk about it and Shoutai doesn’t say anything, who would know?”
“And that Ya’er—we saved her life, yet she hid the fact that she could write. Her face never showed any expression either. If I hadn’t seen her crying today, I would’ve thought her face was truly ruined. How can someone be so ungrateful?”
Her eldest son was just a bit straightforward, but the master insisted he was mentally impaired, fearing that his descendants would inherit the same condition, tainting the Qi family’s servants. Thus, he refused to arrange a marriage, condemning the boy to a solitary life, left to fend for himself.
After Li Yinwei was brought back, the Wei family didn’t report it to the master, hoping to resolve their eldest son’s marriage this way. But then this large group of people appeared—not only was the marriage impossible, but they were also now under their control. Now, their son was injured. If she hadn’t reacted quickly and knocked him unconscious before he could reveal the truth, who knows what would have happened?
Wei Zhongqi sighed. “Let’s not mention these things anymore. Once Shoutai wakes up, send him out to contact the master. Once we receive orders, we’ll send Second Master and the others away as soon as possible. From now on, let’s act as if Ya’er never existed.”
Mentioning their younger son, Mrs. He grew worried. “Every time Shoutai takes the medicine, he falls into a deep sleep for days. And for ten years, he hasn’t grown at all. He’s sixteen now but still looks like a six-year-old child. Are you sure this medicine isn’t harmful?”
Wei Zhongqi reassured his wife. “It was the same for me when I was a child. Once the medicine stops, he’ll grow. He’ll just have to endure some suffering.”
“What kind of suffering?” Mrs. He was deeply concerned for her son.
“Pain. If Shoutai can endure the pain, the Rebirth Valley will become his domain.”
Thanks to Li Yinwei’s modifications to the Rebirth Valley, Wei Zhongqi felt fortunate. His younger son had been chosen by the master to take the medicine. As long as there was no war, the Rebirth Valley would be of little use to the master, leaving it for their own use. Unlike other servants who had to serve and please others, his family could live comfortably and prosperously.
Unbeknownst to him, however, Li Yinwei’s modifications to the Rebirth Valley were far more complex than he imagined.
“But what if he can’t endure the pain?” A mother’s first concern was always her child’s safety.
Wei Zhongqi’s expression darkened. “Back then, ten brothers from the Wei clan took the medicine with me. Only I endured it. The other ten either died or went mad from the pain. They were all taken away by the master, and we never heard from them again.”
Mrs. He was horrified. “What if Shoutai can’t endure it?”
Wei Zhongqi comforted her. “Don’t worry. I’ve been through it. I’ll teach him how to survive.”
As servants, they had no choice but to obey the master’s decisions. Though still heartbroken for her son, Mrs. He could only sigh. She then asked Wei Zhongqi, “This place is far from the capital. How do you know the master will definitely send Second Master away?”
“Second Master is the master’s nephew. The master won’t make things difficult for him.” Wei Zhongqi warned his wife, “The master has no children and is getting older. Aside from the princess consort, he has no other siblings. Once he passes, his estate will naturally go to his nephew. These next few days, don’t mention useless things in front of Shoutou. Who knows—Second Master might become our true master in the future.”
Though still resentful, Mrs. He understood the gravity of the situation and nodded in agreement.
In the eastern master bedroom, Lin Fang’s quarters, Li Yinwei ate extremely slowly. Nanny Liu, worried the food would get cold and upset her stomach, tried to feed her, but Li Yinwei stubbornly refused. Left with no choice, Nanny Liu let her be, occasionally touching the bowl to check the temperature. If it cooled, she would fetch a fresh bowl from the kitchen.
When Li Yinwei finally shook her head, signaling she was done, Nanny Liu had Tan San bring in hot water for the bath. After mixing it with cold water to the right temperature, she prepared to help Li Yinwei bathe.
But when Nanny Liu reached to undress her, Li Yinwei clutched her clothes tightly, shaking her head and shrinking back. After much coaxing, Nanny Liu managed to remove her outer robe, but Li Yinwei refused to let her take off the inner garments. Giving up, Nanny Liu stepped outside, leaving Li Yinwei to undress and bathe alone.
Exhausted from the long journey and the emotional turmoil of reuniting with her family, Li Yinwei’s guard dropped as she bathed. Despite her usual caution, fatigue overwhelmed her, and she soon dozed off in the tub. When Nanny Liu sensed something was wrong and entered, she found Li Yinwei struggling to get out, her eyes barely open.
The scars on Li Yinwei’s body shocked Nanny Liu. What should have been a smooth, youthful form was instead marred by uneven patches. Perhaps due to improperly treated bone misalignment or lingering pain, her body appeared slightly deformed.
Ignoring Li Yinwei’s resistance, Nanny Liu dried her. With each wipe, dirt came off on the towel—proof she hadn’t bathed at all. Li Yinwei must have feared falling asleep in the tub and tried to rush out. Heartbroken, Nanny Liu wondered what horrors Fifth Miss had endured to make her so guarded.
Meanwhile, in the Lin residence’s Diecui Courtyard, Li Cuimei was lost in thought.
Every New Year, Li Cuimei painted a family portrait of the five of them. This year, her daughter was in another world. She wondered what she looked like now—did she still remember her family here?
“Amitabha, Cuimei. The New Year is approaching, yet the mansion is so somber. Are you trying to emulate this old monk in asceticism?”
A Buddhist chant from the courtyard gate snapped Li Cuimei out of her reverie. Setting down her brush, she went to greet the old monk, sighing, “With Fang’er gone, nothing excites me anymore. Whether it’s lively or quiet, life goes on.”
The monk smiled. “If Fang’er knew you felt this way, she wouldn’t approve.”
“How is Fang’er?” Li Cuimei’s heart clenched at the mention of her daughter.
The monk replied solemnly, “If you are well, she is well. If you are not, she is not.”
“Master, what do you mean?” Li Cuimei grew anxious.
“It’s simple. A mother and daughter share a bond. If you are happy, Fang’er is happy. If you remain despondent, how can her spirits lift? Even across worlds, this remains unchanged.”
“Master, is Fang’er truly back with her other parents? Is she well?”
The monk chuckled. “Fang’er is doing well, and she hasn’t forgotten her past here. If you don’t believe me, come with me to her room.”
Could she see her daughter in her own room? Li Cuimei hurried after him.
Though Lin Fang had been missing for months, her Caixing Courtyard was kept spotless. The maid who had accompanied her to the magistrate’s residence had been drugged by Liang Feng and was now useless. Li Cuimei had arranged for rotating caretakers and personally trained two new maids and two matrons to guard her daughter’s courtyard.
After the shadow guard assigned to Lin Fang was crippled by Qi Biao, the replacement guards became even more vigilant. Even without their mistress present, they took turns watching, never slacking.
Entering Caixing Courtyard, Li Cuimei dismissed the servants and followed the monk into her daughter’s room. He went straight to the fish tank by the sunny window—the crystal tank Qi Biao had gifted Lin Fang.
From his sleeve, he produced a small porcelain vial and let a single drop fall into the tank. “Look,” he said.
Li Cuimei peered inside and saw an image form.
In the night, a child in strange attire rolled a snowball across a snow-covered field. The ball grew larger, leaving a dark trail in its wake. After forming a large base, the child placed a smaller snowball atop it—building a snowman. But instead of carving features, the child simply stood there, lost in thought.
The child removed her hat, revealing a red scarf loosely draped around her neck. Though the night obscured details, Li Cuimei felt she could see clearly—the girl’s cheeks flushed from exertion, her large eyes contemplative.
Her height and age matched Lin Fang’s. Her square face was ordinary, with wispy bangs curling like Fang’s. A cowlick parted her bangs, revealing a smooth forehead. Her hair was tied in a high ponytail, secured with a red ribbon and two bows—unlike Fang’s usual loose style.
The girl’s forehead and nose bore a yellowish, slightly bluish tint, reminiscent of Fang’s complexion during her heart episodes.
Just as Li Cuimei leaned closer, the image shifted to another scene.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage