Li Yinwei had difficulty walking and moved slowly. Qi Biao ordered Qi Jiu to carry her, but she resisted fiercely. It was only after Granny Liu pleaded that Qi Biao relented. From Li Yinwei’s avoidance of the Wei family over the past two days and her evident fear of Wei Shoutou just now, it was clear she had endured untold suffering in the Wei household, making her extremely resistant to being touched by men.
When they reached the spot where Qi Biao had first entered the formation and discovered Lin Fang, he paused briefly, instructing his attendants to pick some “mouse fruit” before continuing their journey.
From this point onward, the group began to feel as though Li Yinwei was leading them in circles. After an unknown number of turns, they came upon a vast field of unharvested cotton plants. Li Yinwei walked straight into the middle of the cotton field.
Tan Si exclaimed in surprise, “Huh? We’ve been in this ravine for so long—how have we never seen this place before?” Upon closer inspection, he grew even more astonished. “Why are the calyxes here different from elsewhere? And why are there small sticks tied between the sepals? How bizarre.”
Hearing this, the others also stepped forward to examine the calyxes. Those with small sticks tied to them all had five sepals, with two of them connected by a grass stem. A thin, short wooden stick was twisted into the middle of the stem. Gently flicking one end of the stick caused the other end near the center of the calyx to tap against it, producing a faint “click-clack” sound. Moving closer, they realized that the calyxes with sticks made a different sound when the wind blew compared to those without.
One attendant suddenly understood: “No wonder we kept hearing strange noises on our way here—it must have been these calyxes rustling in the wind.”
Another remarked, “Why are these cotton plants different from the others? The shorter, sturdier ones have no tops, while the taller ones do.”
Though they discussed these observations, they didn’t dare delay and continued following Li Yinwei while keeping an eye on their surroundings.
The cotton plants made Li Yinwei’s progress even slower than before. Though Qi Biao was anxious, he knew better than to interfere. Li Yinwei had brought them this far for a reason, and since she couldn’t speak, he feared any misstep might disrupt her plans.
They wandered through the cotton field for what felt like an eternity. The sky gradually brightened, revealing a distant grove of trees in the dim light. Li Yinwei stopped circling and headed straight for the woods.
At the edge of the grove, dawn had fully broken. Li Yinwei didn’t enter immediately but instead paced back and forth, seemingly searching for something. The group followed her movements until the sun rose fully in the sky. Only then did Li Yinwei exhale in relief, choosing a spot to enter the woods, with the others close behind.
She paused frequently, changing directions as she sought her target. Someone noticed something unusual about the trees: “Huh? Why is the undergrowth so dense around the roots here?”
Everywhere they passed, the tree roots were covered in thick, dry grass—a type of plant that typically thrived in sunlight and struggled to survive in shade.
Granny Liu asked Li Yinwei, “Fifth Young Miss, is this grass the ‘Colorful Stars’?”
Li Yinwei nodded and pointed to the small bag slung over Granny Liu’s shoulder.
This bag was one of Lin Fang’s favorite accessories, embroidered with the floral pattern she had named “Colorful Stars.” The same grass was also the primary greenery in the Lin Family Academy. Its slender, dense leaves bore tiny, multicolored flowers. Though each bloom lasted only a few days before withering, the plant flowered continuously from spring through autumn, only dying off in the harsh winter cold.
Li Yinwei pointed to the sun in the sky, then to the dry grass at the tree roots. The group suddenly understood—perhaps the original creator of the formation had intentionally arranged the trees with varying density, allowing sunlight to filter through and illuminate the patches of dry grass.
“Did you plant these ‘Colorful Stars,’ Fifth Young Miss?” Granny Liu seemed to grasp something.
Li Yinwei nodded.
“Was that cotton field also planted by you?” Granny Liu pressed.
Li Yinwei nodded, then shook her head.
“So, you requested the cotton be planted, and the Wei family agreed. You pinched the tops off the shorter plants, and you tied those sticks to the calyxes?” Granny Liu continued.
When Lin Fang was six, she had accompanied her mother to her aunt Li Cuilan’s house. While playing in the cotton fields, she explained the benefits of pinching off the tops and removing side shoots. Li Cuilan experimented with her method and found that the pruned plants indeed yielded better harvests. From then on, Li Cuilan never failed to praise Lin Fang during cotton-picking season—a fact many knew.
Li Yinwei, then eight years old, had also been present when Lin Fang shared this knowledge. Moreover, Li Yinwei had always enjoyed farming, something well-known among both the Lin and Li families. Granny Liu surmised that Li Yinwei had used the contrast between pruned and unpruned cotton plants to mark the maze. As for the calyxes, that might have been her own innovation.
Li Yinwei nodded again. Granny Liu embraced her, tears streaming down her face. “Fifth Young Miss, you’ve suffered so much.”
Given Li Yinwei’s physical condition, creating these markers must have required immense effort.
Even Qi Biao was moved. Ignoring Li Yinwei’s resistance, he took her wrist to check her pulse, then ordered Tan Si, “Once we’re out of the formation, take Miss Li straight to General Li’s residence in the capital for treatment.”
Tan Si acknowledged the order. Granny Liu, puzzled, asked, “Young Master Qi, our Second Elder Madam is a renowned physician. Why send her so far?”
Qi Biao explained, “Miss Li’s injuries were caused by external force. Military physicians are better suited to treat such wounds. Sixth Young Miss’s condition will require long-term care. Once her bones are reset, the finer work of recuperation can be left to Second Elder Madam.”
Granny Liu, having served as Lin Fang’s wet nurse and being fiercely loyal, commanded Qi Biao’s respect, so he took the time to clarify.
Seeing Li Yinwei on the verge of exhaustion, Qi Biao ordered a short rest. But Li Yinwei shook her head, pointing to the sunlight filtering through the trees and then to her legs before staggering forward.
No one needed Granny Liu to translate this time—they all understood. Li Yinwei meant that if they missed this window, escaping the formation would become difficult, and her slow pace might delay them.
Apart from Granny Liu and Li Yinwei, the rest were seasoned soldiers, so the journey wasn’t overly taxing. They followed Li Yinwei closely as she led them slowly out.
From the moment they left the Wei residence until now, Qi Biao had fed Lin Fang several times. Given the circumstances, he couldn’t afford to ask others to step aside and resorted to mouth-to-mouth feeding. He carried a pouch of warm porridge against his chest, keeping it at body temperature.
Each time he fed Lin Fang, Li Yinwei trembled violently, her face deathly pale. Granny Liu would hold and comfort her.
Gradually, they began to hear voices—the five Qi retainers who had stayed behind at the formation’s entrance. The group relaxed.
Once they exited, the five retainers rejoiced at seeing their master.
After reuniting with Lei Dongzhu and hearing his report on the covert workshop’s recent months, Qi Biao had little time to spare. He instructed Lei Dongzhu to deliver the mouse fruit to Physician Gao for discretion.
He then ordered Tan Yi to arrange for Wei Shoutou to be sent to the capital’s Marquis Residence—Qi Biao’s uncle’s estate—once the remaining three Qi retainers arrived. They were to explain the situation and inform the Marquis that Qi Biao had claimed the formation, leaving further decisions to him.
Granny Liu, elderly and exhausted from the journey, had reached her limit. Qi Biao assigned Tan San to escort her at a slower pace.
Li Yinwei collapsed into sleep upon exiting the formation. Qi Biao instructed Tan Si to take her directly to the capital, ensuring two maids were hired to care for her along the way to avoid impropriety. This wasn’t out of concern for Li Yinwei but to prevent alienating Li Ziyi.
After ordering Lei Dongzhu to maintain strict vigilance and promising to recommend him for promotion to the Emperor—along with a personal reward—Qi Biao carried Lin Fang ahead, with Tan Er following.
It was daytime, and to avoid alerting the covert workshop, Qi Biao moved cautiously. By the time he returned to Shi Liaoliang’s abandoned house in the Shi residence via the secret passage, it was already late at night.
Since waking, Qi Biao had felt significantly weaker than before his soul transmigration. He had pushed himself relentlessly and was now utterly exhausted. Back in the hidden courtyard, ignoring Steward Qi’s tearful relief, he fed Lin Fang another portion of porridge, then held her and fell asleep.
At dawn, Qi Biao awoke. Today marked the seventh day—the deadline set by the old monk. He had to find him. Since Self-Cultivation Temple was where the monk had first gained prominence, Qi Biao believed that no matter where the now-immortal monk wandered, sincere prayers at the temple would reach him.
He ordered Steward Qi to dispose of Liang Feng without leaving a trace. As for Guo Mian, though his filial piety had made him a model official, his failure to discipline his wife had led to this disaster. Qi Biao demoted him to commoner status, with Wang Hongwen temporarily assuming the Duoling County magistrate’s duties.
Had Guo Mian not been lauded by the Emperor for his filial devotion—making him untouchable—Qi Biao’s temper would have ensured a fate no better than his wife’s.
Due to Qi Biao’s outstanding military achievements, the Emperor had placed his home province under his jurisdiction, granting him authority over official appointments, with the power to act first and report later.
With these matters settled, Qi Biao secured Lin Fang on his back and rode swiftly to Lin Town.
By early afternoon, he arrived but didn’t take Lin Fang to the Lin residence. Instead, he headed straight for Teacher Shen on the mountain. After entrusting Lin Fang to him for detoxification, Qi Biao rushed to Self-Cultivation Temple.
Upon arrival, the monks informed him that the old monk had just left for the Lin residence. Qi Biao immediately turned back.
That day, Sima Rusu had awoken. Though she only recognized her father, Sima Xin, and remembered no one else, her revival was cause for celebration. The old monk assured them that with time, she would recall her current life while forgetting her past one.
Lin Wu escorted Sima Xin and his daughter home, while the rest of the Lin family hurried back. Eldest Lin and his wife anxiously checked the crystal fish tank for updates on Lin Fang. With only one drop of snow essence remaining, they didn’t know what the future held but refused to delay today’s task.
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