Lin Xueqian kowtowed several times, weeping as he spoke: “Father, I don’t know why I became like that either. It was as if I was possessed. I didn’t even know that Liu Jincui before, yet like a madman, my heart and mind were completely consumed by her. It wasn’t until last night, when a sudden warmth spread through my chest, that I snapped out of it. I can’t bear to face what I did. I’m truly not that kind of person!”
The bystanders pricked up their ears at the commotion. One well-informed onlooker looked at Old Man Lin and said, “Old Man Lin, what your son says might be true. Last night, the Marriage Tree in our town withered out of nowhere. On top of that, several couples in our town who’ve only been married a few years are having massive fallouts right now. Sigh, their situations are just like your son’s—the partners they chose defy all explanation. Who knows, maybe that tree was struck by heavenly retribution, and that’s why your son returned to normal. This is a good thing!”
“That’s right! I always said your daughter-in-law is such a good woman, so how could your son take a liking to a woman years older than him? Turns out he was bewitched by someone! Heavens, your son’s entire life was almost ruined. Hurry and bring him home so your family can be reunited!”
“Exactly. Don’t you know what kind of person your own son is? He’s never been someone who could do something so disgraceful.”
As the crowd chimed in one after another, Old Man Lin felt a deep tremor in his heart. Looking at the expression in his son’s eyes, he could see that his old son had truly returned. Old Man Lin’s heart instantly settled. Helping Lin Xueqian to his feet, he patted him on the shoulder.
“Come, let’s talk inside. Explain everything clearly to your wife. If someone truly harmed you, our family will help you resolve it together.”
...
Gu Qingyun remained in high spirits throughout the night. Having eliminated the tree demon, she kept her deeds to herself, seeking neither fame nor praise.
The next day was bathed in pleasant morning sunlight. The moment Gu Qingyun finished her shift, she gave Bai Fan a quick word and eagerly hurried to the inn to meet Old Lady Zhang and the others.
It wasn’t often that her grandmother and mother visited the county seat, and she wanted to take them around to sample the local delicacies and see the sights.
Unfortunately, as wonderful as her intentions were, Old Lady Zhang and the others were already anxious to return home. Now that the property deed had been secured, they were eager to head back, pack their belongings, and move in as soon as possible. After finishing their morning meal, they hired a relatively cheap ox cart and set off straight for Shiwa Village, leaving Gu Qingyun behind to watch their cheerful, chatting figures disappear into the distance.
Returning to the county yamen, Gu Qingyun had just stepped into the clerks’ quarters when Bai Fan came rushing in, panting for breath.
“Sister Yun, something big happened! The Marriage Tree in our county seat withered! All its leaves fell off, leaving nothing but bare branches and trunk. There are even saber marks on it! Someone must have killed the tree last night.”
“Oh? Really?” Gu Qingyun maintained a completely neutral expression. “I just saw my family off out of town, so I haven’t heard yet. Tell me what happened in detail.”
Seeing no hint of suspicion, Bai Fan leaned in closer and whispered, “You know Constable Liao, right? Early this morning, his son-in-law dragged his daughter to the yamen demanding a divorce! He claimed her daughter bewitched him with an evil technique; otherwise, he never would have married her. The two families are at each other’s throats right now.”
“And she isn’t the only one. More than a dozen families have come seeking divorces! Strange thing is, they all regained their senses last night. However, some of them have been married for too long and couldn’t bear the shock—two have already gone completely mad.”
Hearing this, Gu Qingyun was at a loss for words. Had she not slain the tree demon, those people wouldn’t have lost their minds and would have carried on in their twisted households. But if the tree demon remained alive, who knew how many more innocent victims would fall prey to it? For the sake of future lives, she had to strike. In matters like this, someone was bound to get hurt; she only needed to act with a clear conscience.
Besides, those who had been manipulated would surely rather suffer in painful clarity than live out their days in ignorant delusion.
Once she thought it through, her mind cleared, and the spiritual energy within her circulated even faster. She could feel herself growing slightly stronger than before.
A slight smile appeared on her face. “How is Lord Magistrate handling it?”
Bai Fan spread his hands helplessly. “Lord Magistrate is having a terrible headache over it. He was roaring at Head Constable Liu and the others first thing this morning. I slipped away as fast as I could! Watching the drama unfold is entertaining and all, but getting caught in the crossfire would be disastrous.”
Gu Qingyun chuckled softly. “All right, go get some rest. I need to head back to my room to cultivate and then practice saber forms at the martial training ground. I don’t have time to waste around here.”
Bai Fan gave her a thumbs-up. “Sister Yun, you’re the one person I truly admire. Rain or shine, you spend every single day cultivating. Cultivation is so exhausting—how on earth do you keep at it?”
Gu Qingyun struck a solemn, enigmatic pose. “Perhaps it’s simply because I’m too outstanding?”
...
【Knock, knock, knock】
“Coming.”
Gu Qingyun had just finished her cultivation when a knock sounded at the door. Pulling it open, she was greeted by Eldest Miss Yu, who had arrived with Xiao Huan and several other maidservants, along with the mama who served by the magistrate’s wife.
“Qingyun!” The moment Eldest Miss Yu entered the room, she addressed Gu Qingyun with boundless gratitude written across her face. “Thank you for helping me at the risk of your own safety. I know everything that happened last night. I can’t even begin to imagine what my life would have become without you.”
“Would I have ended up like that person I saw at my father’s place today, desperately insisting on marrying a night-soil collector? Not only bringing disgrace to my parents, but dragging down my brothers and sisters and making them targets of ridicule!”
Recalling that undignified state—being bewitched into loving someone blindly, losing herself completely in recent days, and almost being touched by such a vile, repulsive man—a wave of nausea washed over her.
She hugged Gu Qingyun tightly, her body trembling slightly. “Qingyun, thank you. I know the words ‘thank you’ are far too meager, but they come from the bottom of my heart. You saved my entire life. I’m so fortunate to have met you.”
Gu Qingyun gently patted her back, her voice warm and reassuring. “You’ve always treated me so well. As your friend, isn’t helping you the natural thing to do? Besides, I couldn’t bear to see such a lovely young lady come to harm. I believe anyone else in my position would have stepped forward as well.”
Yu Wanqing shook her head. “You don’t understand. Without you, even if my parents sought help, they couldn’t have saved me in time. Even if they managed to find an extraordinary expert, distant water cannot quench an immediate thirst. You are my savior.”
With that, she gently pulled away from Gu Qingyun’s embrace and signaled to the maidservants behind her to set their items on the table.
“Qingyun, look. This is a fur robe I had specially purchased for you. It’s made of lamb fur, lightweight and warm. And here are earmuffs, a wind hood, thick socks, and leather boots. You’ll definitely look great in them, and you won’t have to suffer the cold during your night patrols.”
“There’s also this hand warmer. When it starts snowing, tuck it into your sleeve pocket and it’ll keep you warm.”
“And this,” Yu Wanqing said, pointing toward a saber. “I figured that you aren’t allowed to carry the yamen’s standard-issue saber off duty, and not having a handy weapon at your side is dangerous. You can take this one anywhere you go. With it, you’ll definitely feel more at ease. I went out of my way to dig it out of my father’s private collection!”
Gu Qingyun looked at the spread, torn between laughter and tears. “Eldest Miss, what is all this? These gifts are far too lavish.”
Yu Wanqing shook her head firmly. “The storybooks always say that individuals of extraordinary talent look down on vulgar gold and silver. Qingyun, you are even more incredible than them—a woman of noble character who treats worldly wealth as fleeting dust! That’s why I prepared all of this instead. You must accept them!”
The corners of Gu Qingyun’s mouth twitched. No, no, no, she loved gold and silver the most; her character wasn’t noble in the least, and she simply adored money.
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