Chapter 286: The Passage of Time

Staring at the images in the crystal fish tank, Lin Zhongsi grew increasingly displeased. He grabbed the old monk who was meditating nearby and angrily demanded,

“Old monk, why have the images these past few days only shown Fang’er talking to a lying man? That man shows no reaction—he must be ill. Who is he? Could he be someone Fang’er fancies? With so many men admiring our Fang’er, why would she choose a sick one? If you don’t explain this clearly today, I don’t care if you’re an immortal or a mortal—I’ll beat you until your soul leaves your body!”

Though Lin Dalang and Li Cuimei were also fixated on the images, their hearts were heavy with worry.

The old monk, unusually patient today, didn’t immediately engage in a fight despite Lin Zhongsi’s provocation. Instead, he chuckled and said, “Who that man is, you’ll soon find out.”

Lin Zhongsi roared, “That man and I are separated by two lifetimes—how could I ever meet him?”

The old monk merely smiled without answering, further fueling Lin Zhongsi’s fury.

Just as Lin Zhongsi was about to drag the old monk outside, a voice suddenly called from beyond the door, “Uncle, Aunt, Yi’er has returned.”

The old monk burst into laughter.

After Qi Biao recounted his life with Lin Fang in the other world, he formally proposed to marry her. Lin Dalang and Li Cuimei discussed it and, with Tong Shi’s approval, agreed to the match.

Li Cuimei sighed, “Fang’er is pure-hearted and kind. Your uncle and I originally wanted to find her a simple family where she could live an uncomplicated life. The intrigues of the imperial nobility were never part of our considerations. But now that you’ve gone to such lengths for her, and she has already agreed to marry you, how could we refuse?”

Lin Zhongsi interjected, “What’s the use of agreeing? You and Fang’er are separated by lifetimes, and her marriage is decided by her parents in that world. Our approval means nothing.”

Qi Biao then pleaded with the old monk, “Master, please send me back into Qin Yi’s body. It’s already been three days since I returned—one day here equals a year there. By now, I’ve been unconscious for three years in that world. How could Fang’er endure that?”

The old monk laughed. “Since your return, time has reversed. One day there now equals one year here. Though you’ve been back for three days, only a brief moment has passed in Fang’er’s world. General, there’s no need to rush back. In your absence, the court has descended into chaos. The emperor grows increasingly ill, and the prince’s time is running short.”

With time now reversed, Qi Biao no longer felt as urgent. He replied, “I’ll return to the capital immediately. Once the turmoil is quelled, I beg you, Master, to send me back into Qin Yi’s body.”

The old monk nodded.

Qi Biao stood and bowed to Lin Dalang and Li Cuimei. “Uncle, Aunt, Fang’er is currently with Master Shen. Due to Yi’er’s mistake, she was poisoned, and Master Shen is treating her. In my absence, I must trouble you to look after her.”

Lin Dalang and Li Cuimei were shocked. “Fang’er isn’t in that world? How is she with Master Shen?”

The old monk explained, “Fang’er’s soul traveled to that world, but her body remained here. Moreover, her attachment to her family in this world was so strong that part of her vitality stayed behind. Thus, she is merely in a deep sleep.”

“I’ll go bring Fang’er home at once!” Lin Dalang, who had thought his daughter lost forever, was overjoyed to learn her body still existed. Even if she remained asleep, being able to see her every day was a comfort.

As Lin Dalang, his wife, and Qi Biao went up the mountain to retrieve Lin Fang, Tong Shi frowned and asked the old monk, “If the soul and body are separated for too long, won’t the body deteriorate? If this body is damaged, will it harm Fang’er in that world?”

The old monk reassured her, “No harm will come. It’s simply a matter of timing. When the time is right, you’ll see Fang’er again.”

“You mean Fang’er will return, with her soul and body reunited?” Tong Shi gasped in delight.

“Ha ha ha ha! I’ve said nothing of the sort!” The old monk laughed heartily as he strode out of the room.

“Old monk, don’t you dare leave! For three days, we’ve been watching the same images. You know the truth but refuse to speak plainly. This must be your doing—playing tricks on us! Today, I won’t let you off!” Lin Zhongsi shouted, chasing after him. Soon, the sounds of their fierce scuffle echoed through the air.

After bringing Lin Fang back to the Lin residence, Qi Biao and his men rode swiftly to the capital.

Liu Ma returned to the Lin residence the next day, recounting in detail how she had been abducted from the county magistrate’s mansion, escaped to the trenches, and survived there. She wept bitterly as she described how Lin Fang, despite her bound feet, had braved the harsh winter to scavenge for food to keep her useless servant alive. Overcome with guilt, Liu Ma kowtowed repeatedly in apology.

Li Cuimei’s heart ached at the thought of her pampered daughter enduring such hardships. Though Lin Fang’s soul was absent, being able to see her face every day was some solace. Seeing Liu Ma exhausted, Li Cuimei instructed her to rest and recover.

Liu Ma suddenly remembered something. “Oh, Madam, Fifth Miss Li has been found! Young Master Qi has arranged for her to be sent to the capital to Second Uncle Li. He said military physicians would be more effective in treating her injuries.”

Li Cuimei exclaimed in delight, “Yinwei’s been found? Tell me, what happened?”

After hearing Liu Ma’s account, Li Cuimei and the others sighed in relief. Li Cuihong personally went to the Li residence to inform her parents. Regardless of Li Yinwei’s condition, her being found was good news.

Five days later, Lei Dongzhu sent Physician Gao to the Lin residence.

Qi Biao had instructed Lei Dongzhu to relay a message to Physician Gao: once the matter of the secret workshop was resolved, he could choose his own path—whether to serve as an official, remain in the Imperial Hospital, or seek advancement. Regardless of his choice, Qi Biao would facilitate it.

After Lei Dongzhu handed the “rat fruit” to Physician Gao, the latter crushed it and mixed it into the meals of the workshop’s leaders. Most died from poisoning, throwing the workshop’s forces into chaos. Lei Dongzhu seized the opportunity to take control. Though Physician Gao had rendered great service, he was weary of the corruption in officialdom and chose instead to become Tong Shi’s disciple, leaving the court to practice as a folk physician.

Tong Shi remembered Physician Gao as the one who had accompanied Eunuch Zheng to deliver the imperial edict years ago. Rather than accepting him as a disciple, she invited him to practice at the Lin Clinic, where they could exchange medical knowledge. Delighted, Physician Gao understood this as her tacit approval.

Two months later, the emperor passed away. With no heir, Qi Biao’s eldest brother ascended the throne.

Marquis Zhenwu rebelled, but the army he had secretly raised had already been covertly absorbed by Qi Biao. His allies in the capital had also been neutralized or scattered. Without support, the marquis was little more than a clown. He was eventually captured and executed by a hail of arrows on Qi Biao’s orders.

A month after the late emperor’s death, the dynasty’s only prince—Qi Biao’s father—succumbed to complications from diabetes after disregarding medical advice and misusing medications.

Qi Biao became the new prince, reverting to his original name, Tan Xuyi, now Prince Yi. He observed three years of mourning for his father.

For his role in quelling the rebellion, Li Ziyi was appointed Grand General, the highest military rank in the dynasty.

Lin Wen, having rendered outstanding service in assisting the prince, was granted a fifth-rank civil position and assigned to a prosperous region in the south.

At Prince Yi’s special request, Lin Dalang was appointed magistrate of Duoling County in recognition of his past efforts in disaster relief and his success in enriching the region as head of Lin Town. Thus, Lin Dalang officially entered the ranks of officials.

After Tan Yi sent Wei Shoutai to Marquis Qi’s residence, the marquis halted all medication for the Wei family’s servant candidates and demoted them to the lowest rank of servants.

The marquis sent word to Prince Yi that the “Rebirth Trench Maze” had long lost its original purpose, serving merely as farmland granted to the marquisate by the late emperor. He had maintained the old customs merely for amusement. Now, he formally gifted the trench to Prince Yi, reasoning that since he had no heirs, everything would eventually belong to his nephew.

Wei Zhongqi, a mere servant, had dared to assault a prince—a crime punishable by death. However, in light of his rescue of Grand General Li’s niece and Miss Li’s plea for mercy, his life was spared. He was conscripted as a military laborer, while his blind wife was left in the care of their youngest son, though they were no longer supported by the marquisate.

After being sent to Li Ziyi’s residence, Li Yinwei’s hands and feet recovered under military physicians’ care, but she remained mute.

Most military physicians were men, and whenever Li Yinwei was lucid, she vehemently resisted their touch. Left with no choice, she was sent back to Lin Town for Tong Shi to continue her treatment.

Tong Shi’s examination revealed no injury to Li Yinwei’s throat. After learning of her ordeal—being beaten by county yamen runners, then harassed and terrorized by Wei Zhongqi and his son—Tong Shi concluded her muteness stemmed from psychological trauma. Recovery would require familial support and psychological therapy.

Though Wei Zhongqi had saved Li Yinwei’s life, he and his son had also harmed her deeply. Were it not for He Shi’s efforts to protect her (hoping to wed her to her eldest son), Li Yinwei would have suffered even worse.

As for the scars on Li Yinwei’s face, Tong Shi prepared a special ointment. With daily application, the scars gradually faded, and her appearance became less frightening.

Da Feng deeply regretted her past vanity, which had driven her to marry all three daughters into noble families. Her eldest daughter now resented her, the second denied their relationship, and the youngest had ended up in such a state. Abandoning her thriving chicken business in the capital, Da Feng moved to the Li residence in Lin Town, devoting herself to Li Yinwei’s care.

With her daughter found, Li Ziyang resigned from his search duties to focus on caring for her. However, he refused to reconcile with Da Feng, despite his parents’ urging. The elderly couple eventually let him be.

Lin Wu visited the Sima residence daily, accompanying Sima Rusu, whose memories remained those of a child. Gradually, Sima Rusu regained her memories of this world, though the unpleasant past—including matters related to Chen Dong—faded entirely. Her personality, however, retained Chen Dong’s fiery spirit.

At eighteen, Sima Rusu married Lin Wu. As Lin Fang had hoped, the couple was deeply devoted to each other, jointly managing the Lin and Sima family businesses, which flourished under their care.

To everyone’s astonishment, three months into their marriage, Sima Rusu was discovered to be pregnant. Lin Wu, who had resigned himself to childlessness, was overjoyed. The Lin and Sima households celebrated extravagantly, though Sima Rusu found the fanfare excessive—pregnancy, after all, was a common experience for married women.

Sima Shiyuan, no longer shunning strangers, left Lin Town to study in Shengcheng, vowing to become a general so his sister would have a brother to rely on and not be bullied by her in-laws. When Lin Wu learned of this, he gave the young man a thorough scolding.