MCSCPM -Chapter 258 Speculations

“Rest well. I’ll go out myself. Otherwise…”

Chu Jingcheng caught the worry in her voice, and the thought of her concern made him feel a pleasant warmth all over. He immediately smiled and replied, “As you wish.”

Yin Qingyue left the room and went again to the herbal shop she had visited earlier. Doctor Liang recognized her—a celestial-like young lady like her was hard to forget.

“Ah, it’s the young lady again. Here for more herbs?”

“No,” Yin Qingyue handed over the prescription list for Ding Ying. “These herbs are quite ordinary today.”

Doctor Liang looked over it. Indeed, they were simple tonics and healing medicines, clearly meant for Ding Ying.

“Young lady, please have a seat. I’ll prepare the herbs for you right away.”

Yin Qingyue nodded, planning to sit and wait. But as she turned, she accidentally bumped into another young woman entering the shop. The collision almost made them both fall, though luckily it wasn’t too hard.

“I’m sorry! Are you alright?” the newcomer quickly apologized.

Yin Qingyue looked up and met her eyes—it was the same Cui’er girl she had met before. Fate seemed to play a hand, bringing them together again.

“I’m fine,” Yin Qingyue said.

Cui’er looked at her and smiled. “Ah, it’s you! I saw you the last time I came for herbs. Do you remember?”

“Yes, what a coincidence,” Yin Qingyue replied politely.

Then Yin Qingyue noticed a piece of paper on the floor, a prescription. She picked it up quickly and glanced over it.

The herbs were for treating sword wounds and reducing inflammation.

“This belongs to me,” Cui’er said, smiling.

“I’ll return it,” Yin Qingyue handed it back.

Cui’er took it and handed it to Doctor Liang. “Doctor Liang, my lady needs new herbs today. Please follow the prescription.”

“Oh? Why the sudden change?” Doctor Liang asked, looking curious. “Cui’er, what’s wrong with your lady?”

“That’s none of your concern. She ordered the herbs, and she’ll pay you. Why ask so much? Just prepare them quickly—she’s in a hurry,” Cui’er replied briskly.

“All right, I’ll get them ready,” Doctor Liang said. He quickly prepared the herbs, wrapped them, and handed them to Cui’er. “Cui’er, boil two bowls of these daily, and don’t forget to apply the anti-inflammatory medicine.”

“I understand. You’ve said it,” Cui’er replied, taking the herbs and leaving, politely nodding at Yin Qingyue.

Once she was gone, Yin Qingyue asked Doctor Liang, “Doctor Liang, this girl is from the Yan household, right?”

“Exactly,” he replied.

“The last time I saw her, she was picking up medicine for injuries, sword wounds specifically. And today it’s anti-inflammatory herbs. Could someone in their house be hurt?”

“I’m not sure, but it is odd,” Doctor Liang said thoughtfully, then turned back to prepare Yin Qingyue’s herbs.

“Odd? What do you mean?”

“You’re an outsider, so of course you wouldn’t know. That young lady from the Yan household is the daughter of the richest family in Tuoshui County. After Master Yan passed away, she inherited the fortune. She’s clever, but also a little reckless and very diligent. Almost every day she inspects her taverns, tea houses, and grain shops. Recently, though, she hasn’t been leaving her house. A while ago, she sent Cui’er to fetch medicine—mostly for injuries, as you said. Who knows what’s happened to her?”

Yin Qingyue found it strange too, but she didn’t know the Yan young lady well, so it wasn’t her place to pry.

Still, she had a bold thought.

If Leng Feng had been rescued, could it have been this Yan young lady who saved him? The timing of Cui’er coming for medicine also coincided with the time Leng Feng went missing.

However, it was only speculation. She couldn’t be certain.

After finishing the herbs, Yin Qingyue returned to the magistrate’s residence and asked the maidservants to prepare the medicine for Ding Ying. Just as they were about to leave, she pulled them back.

“I have a question—do you know anything about the Yan household?”

“The Yan household?” The maidservants exchanged glances, hesitant to speak. “Miss Yin, why do you suddenly want to ask about the Yan household?”

“Just asking. What kind of person is their young lady? What has she been up to lately?”

“We’re just maidservants. We don’t know much about the Yan household or their young lady. All we know is that she’s the daughter of the wealthiest family in Tuoshui County and is very clever.”

“Clever?” Yin Qingyue pondered. “In what way?” She smiled faintly at the maids. “All right, go prepare the medicine.”

“Yes, Miss Yin,” they replied obediently.

Yin Qingyue was now very curious about the Yan young lady. She had suddenly stopped leaving the house, needed medicine, and it all seemed suspicious. She decided to tell Chu Jingcheng her suspicions.

“I went to get herbs twice before, and both times that Yan household maid was also there for injury medicine. Today, she came for anti-inflammatory herbs. The doctor also said that the young lady usually goes out every day but recently hasn’t, and the timing coincides with Leng Feng’s disappearance.”

Chu Jingcheng thought about her analysis. Though the likelihood was small, they didn’t want to ignore it.

“If that’s the case, we must first find out whether the herbs are for her young lady or for Leng Feng. Think about it—if the young lady hasn’t left the house, maybe it’s her who’s injured,” Chu Jingcheng said.

“Impossible,” Yin Qingyue immediately said.

“Why impossible?”

“Because the way the maid came for herbs doesn’t look like it’s for herself. She even said her young lady urgently needed them. Think about it—if the young lady were injured, a rich heiress like her would have brought all the best doctors to her house, not come out herself to get medicine. The most likely scenario is that she’s hiding someone and doesn’t want anyone to know, so she sent her maid to get the medicine.” Yin Qingyue explained her reasoning clearly, and it made sense.

“Maybe you’re right, but it has to be confirmed. A mistake could waste time and cause problems.”

“And if Leng Feng really is involved?”

“Then we investigate before taking action,” Chu Jingcheng replied.

Yin Qingyue was determined to figure it out. “I’ll investigate discreetly. If we can get into the Yan household, that would be ideal. But their security is strict. If we go in under your name, we might alert them.”

“Then I’ll go with you to inquire,” Chu Jingcheng said.

“You? With me?” Yin Qingyue was surprised.

Chu Jingcheng stood up, took her hand, and started toward the door. “Of course I go with you. Who else would?”

Yin Qingyue worried, “But your injury—”

“It’s fine,” he said, waving her concern away. Ignoring her objections, he dragged her into the streets. Yin Qingyue barely had time to speak before he led her into a restaurant. He ordered a table full of dishes.

“What are you doing? Are we here to work or to feast?” she asked, surprised.

“You’ve taken care of me all these days. Consider this a reward from me,” he said.

“You’re suddenly so generous,” she said.

“Yin Qingyue, when have I ever treated you badly?”

Seeing the table full of food, Yin Qingyue was speechless. Was this really the reward? She didn’t understand why Chu Jingcheng had brought her here—wasn’t the magistrate’s table enough?

“Fine, since you’ve ordered all this, let’s eat,” she said, picking up her chopsticks. These days, she had been too busy searching for Leng Feng to eat properly.

Chu Jingcheng watched her with a smile but said nothing. Yin Qingyue felt uncomfortable under his gaze and asked, “Why are you staring at me? Do I have something on my face?”

“No, I just like looking at you,” he said.

“Rogue,” she muttered.

Yin Qingyue thought to herself: Chu Jingcheng is still so frivolous. If that Peony girl knew, would she still be so captivated by him?

“What are you thinking?” he asked.

“Nothing,” she replied, averting her eyes.

Chu Jingcheng was about to speak when a few well-dressed young men entered the upper floor. Each carried a folded fan. They sat at a table and started talking.

“Did you hear? Miss Yan Ling, the richest young lady in Tuoshui County, might be getting married.”

“Yeah, I heard too. Not sure if it’s true, though.”

“I saw her maid collect red silk from a tailor a few days ago. Probably for a wedding dress. Imagine, is the maid getting married herself?”

“Also, people say the young lady hasn’t left the house for a while. Maybe she’s hiding someone.”

“No way, a hidden… handsome man!”

Laughter followed immediately.

One even slapped the table, laughing loudly. “No kidding, the Yan young lady is beautiful and rich. Even if her temper is fierce, I’d be lucky to marry her!”

“Why not say you’re marrying her money, not her?”

“That’s exactly what I mean.”

“But if she didn’t have money, I wouldn’t dare marry her.”

Of course, this chatter reached Chu Jingcheng and Yin Qingyue.

Yin Qingyue leaned toward him and whispered, “So you didn’t really bring me here to eat. You came to gather information. But how did you know you’d hear this today?”

“I just waited patiently—and luck was on my side,” Chu Jingcheng said smugly.

Yin Qingyue rolled her eyes. Such confidence—it was the first time she’d seen someone like this.

It seemed the Yan young lady wasn’t injured. She was preparing for marriage, and someone might be hidden in her house.

Yin Qingyue asked Chu Jingcheng, “Now, what do you plan to do? They said it all very clearly.”