Chapter 1746: Worried Granny Fang

 Chapter 1745: Notice Released

 Chapter 1744: Granny Fang and Granny Li are Worried

 Chapter 932: Big Trouble (1)  

Cui Ping’an bypassed Da Hongzhao and walked up to the carriage, looking at Mo Yan as he spoke confidently, “Take me to Yuan City. Once we get there, I’ll reward you handsomely.”  

Mo Yan didn’t recognize Cui Ping’an, nor did she know that this rather childish-looking fellow was actually the Seventh Young Master of the Cui family—the very one the matchmaker had just been praising to the skies.  

Seeing his slightly pale complexion and frail body that looked like it could be blown over by the wind, Mo Yan immediately knew that he had been born weak and had poor health. Although she felt a bit sympathetic, she wasn’t the kind of person who would offer help just to accumulate good karma without considering the situation.  

This young man had just been tricked, yet now he was making such a request to a complete stranger. Clearly, he wasn’t thinking straight. Mo Yan had no reason to entertain such a ridiculous request.  

So, she simply ignored the overconfident young man and, despite his panicked expression, urged Da Hongzhao forward.  

“Hey, wait! Wait a minute!” Seeing that Mo Yan didn’t even acknowledge him and was about to leave, Cui Ping’an panicked. He shouted loudly and hurriedly ran a few steps forward to block Da Hongzhao’s path.  

Most people wouldn’t be as bold as Cui Ping’an—demanding help so righteously from a stranger, nor would they trust someone so easily and hop onto an unfamiliar person’s carriage without a second thought. But Cui Ping’an had grown up on a southern manor as its young master. The tenant farmers there had always flattered him, never daring to do anything that might harm or upset him.  

Moreover, all the servants around him had been personally selected by Old Madam Cui, and they took meticulous care of him. However, there was always a clear distinction between master and servant—no one had ever taught him about the dangers of the world. Since there were no ill-intentioned people on the manor, even though he was now living a second life, he still remained naive and easy to deceive.  

When he left the Cui residence, his original plan had been to hire a carriage to Yuan City in Jiangnan. But the coachmen were outright exploitative—asking for 200 taels of silver right off the bat.  

Although naive, he wasn’t stupid. He immediately realized he was being treated like a fat sheep ready for slaughter. So, he tried asking several other coachmen, hoping to find an honest one willing to take him south.  

Unfortunately, his clueless demeanor made him look like an easy target. The coachmen, who took great risks traveling long distances, kept raising their prices—one even demanded 500 taels! The sheer audacity of it infuriated Cui Ping’an.  

After being repeatedly rejected and swindled, Cui Ping’an began to deeply doubt human nature, convinced that the people here were utterly wicked. He temporarily gave up on going to Yuan City and decided to return to the Cui residence to discuss the situation with his grandmother—only to tragically realize that he was lost. He had no idea how to get back.  

For over two hours, he wandered the streets, but he didn’t dare ask for directions. He was terrified of encountering the kind of human traffickers his old servants had warned him about in his youth—who might kidnap and sell him. Ironically, while he didn’t run into any human traffickers, he did come across a girl trying to sell herself to bury her father, and she almost tricked him instead.  

This experience shattered Cui Ping’an’s worldview. Even in a bustling city, danger seemed to lurk everywhere. It made him even more hesitant to ask for help.  

The reason he stopped Mo Yan’s carriage was because, during his encounter with the girl selling herself, he had accidentally seen Mo Yan speaking kindly to a little beggar and even giving the child something. Seeing that she didn’t mind even a filthy beggar, he instinctively thought she must be a kindhearted person who would surely help him out of his predicament.  

However, despite just learning how cruel people could be, Cui Ping’an still didn’t know how to properly ask for help. Instead, he boldly demanded that a young lady take him all the way to the south.  

No matter how kind-hearted a girl might be, no one would agree to escort a stranger thousands of miles away to Yuan City!    

And the way he made his request—so self-assured and entitled—only made it all the more off-putting.  

(End of Chapter)

 Chapter 931: Sinister Intentions and a Chance Encounter on the Street (4)  

The girl selling herself to bury her father was about fifteen or sixteen years old. She wasn't exceptionally beautiful, but with a white flower in her hair and dressed in plain mourning clothes, her tear-streaked face made her look pitiful, stirring sympathy in those who saw her.  

Hearing Cui Ping'an's words, the girl clung tightly to his sleeve, refusing to let go, and sobbed, “Young master, if you are willing to give money to help me bury my father, you are my benefactor. I have nothing to repay you with, so I only wish to stay by your side as a servant. Please, young master, take me in, wuu wuu!”  

Cui Ping'an had been frail since childhood, but his temper was even worse than his health. Seeing the girl refuse to let go, he immediately grew furious. Ignoring propriety, he grabbed her wrist with one hand and pulled his clothes away with the other. “I already said my household doesn't lack maids. This money is enough for you to arrange a burial and return home. Why would you willingly degrade yourself to become someone’s servant?”  

The girl cried even harder, clutching his clothes with all her strength. To onlookers, it seemed as if Cui Ping'an had done something terrible, forcing her to such desperation.  

“Oh, young man, look at how pitiful this girl is! You don't seem to be short of money. Why not just take her in as a servant? It won’t harm you!”  

“Exactly! Look how miserable she is. Can’t you show some kindness and take her in? Rich people really do have cold hearts.”  

“He’s probably afraid of his wife! If he takes her home, he might not be able to explain it to the missus!”  

“Hmph! She’s just a servant, not a concubine. What’s there to be afraid of? If that's the case, this young man is utterly useless.”  

“……”  

The crowd, eager for drama, started egging him on. A "selling oneself to bury a father" scene like this was rare, happening only once every few years. If things developed further—perhaps leading to the two developing feelings over time—it would make for an even better story!  

Hearing these remarks, Cui Ping'an was enraged. He struggled to break free, but whether due to his own weakness or the girl’s surprising strength, he couldn't shake off her grip.  

Mo Yan, watching from the sidelines, quickly grasped the situation. A sense of familiarity struck her. After thinking for a moment, she recalled a recent conversation where someone had casually mentioned a gang in the capital using the "selling oneself to bury a father" ruse to infiltrate kindhearted people's homes and steal from them.  

This scam had already occurred twice in the past few days—once in the Western Market and once in the Southern Market. The perpetrators were extremely cunning, leaving no evidence behind, making it impossible for the victims to seek justice.  

The capital was large, and without newspapers or the internet, information spread only through word of mouth, often leading to rumors. Over time, people became desensitized, assuming most things they heard were false. This was why the Western Market incident hadn't raised alarms, allowing the same crime to repeat in the Southern Market so quickly.  

Mo Yan wasn’t sure if this particular girl was truly selling herself to bury her father or just part of the scam. It was easy to verify, but she didn’t want to intervene personally. However, she was worried that by the time she fetched the authorities, the girl might have already succeeded in getting taken in by the young man.  

So, she discreetly took a few pieces of homemade nougat from her space and handed them to a little beggar squatting by the wall. She instructed him to run to the authorities and call for officers.  

Since the thefts related to this scam involved significant sums, the government had classified it as a major case. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have reached Xiao Ruiyuan’s ears. Any lead provided would prompt officials to send people to investigate.  

The little beggar, delighted by the sweets, eagerly agreed. Upon hearing that he would get even more treats after fetching the officers, he forgot his fear, tossed aside his broken bowl, and sprinted toward the yamen.  

The capital’s administrative office was in the Eastern Market, not far from here. Before long, the beggar returned, bringing four officers with him.  

Keeping her promise, Mo Yan gave him a large handful of nougat and some copper coins, advising him to hide them well so other beggars wouldn’t snatch them away.  

The beggar carefully tucked away his sweets and money, thanked her profusely, and left. Meanwhile, Mo Yan remained where she was, calmly observing the situation.  

As expected, when the officers arrived, the girl immediately stopped clinging to Cui Ping'an. She grabbed the money he had given her and attempted to leave.  

Seeing this, the officers became even more suspicious. They intercepted her and questioned her. When asked where her father’s body was, she hesitated and gave vague, evasive answers, refusing to specify a location. Without hesitation, the officers pulled out shackles and restrained her.  

Regardless of her innocence, the authorities had finally caught someone suspicious and wouldn't let her go without thorough questioning. If she was truly innocent, they wouldn't wrongly accuse her.  

The crowd, shocked by this turn of events, erupted into murmurs. Watching the girl cry and plead for justice, they began questioning whether the officers were being too harsh. But once they heard about the recent thefts in the Western and Southern Markets, a chill ran down their spines. No one dared to defend the seemingly pitiful girl anymore.  

As for what happened next, Mo Yan no longer cared. Once the crowd dispersed and the road cleared, she returned to her carriage. Just as she was about to instruct Da Hongzhao to move forward, the young man who had been entangled with the "selling herself to bury her father" girl suddenly stepped in front of her carriage...  

(End of Chapter)  

 Chapter 930: Malicious Intent and a Chance Encounter on the Streets (3)

As it turned out, Cui Qingrou’s concerns were not misplaced. Just after she left Old Madam Cui’s courtyard, the maidservant she had sent to follow Cui Ping'an rushed toward her in a hurry.

The maidservant knelt down with a thud, apologizing, "Miss, Seventh Master has run out on his own and even injured the doorman who tried to stop him. I couldn’t persuade him. Please punish me!"

"What? Xiao Qi ran out?" Cui Qingrou’s face changed, and she no longer had time to reprimand the maidservant. "Quickly, send someone to find him. We must locate Xiao Qi."

"Yes, Miss!" The maidservant quickly got up and rushed toward the front courtyard to gather people.

Worried that her nephew was unfamiliar with the area and had left alone, Cui Qingrou felt even more anxious. She rubbed her forehead and instructed another maidservant, "Go gather everyone from my courtyard. We’re going out to find him."

The maidservant quickly left and soon returned with a dozen or more women who served Cui Qingrou.

Cui Qingrou ordered everyone to split up and search while she, accompanied by two personal maidservants, headed in a different direction, hoping to find him soon.

Meanwhile, Mo Yan had just exited from the Du family’s medical clinic, and the sun was already starting to set. She had delivered the prepared medicines and, at Old Physician Du’s request, had checked the pulses of the patients visiting the clinic. To maintain her reputation, Old Physician Du had arranged for only women and children to come for consultations.

There were many patients that day, and before she knew it, she had become too absorbed in her work. Fortunately, the results were good. Not only had her pulse diagnosis improved, but she could now prescribe remedies for common illnesses like headaches and fevers with great precision, making Old Physician Du even more certain that his disciple was talented and a promising future physician.

What Old Physician Du didn’t know was that Mo Yan had been using the space-time difference provided by her special abilities to lock herself in a different dimension to study medicine for years. The summer had passed, and much of it had been spent in this manner, aided by her companion, Xue Tuanzi, who used spiritual power to create "patients" for her to practice on. If she hadn’t improved by now, she would have considered herself hopeless.

As she sat in the driver’s seat of the cart, Mo Yan leisurely headed toward the city gate but encountered a traffic jam halfway. More specifically, a group of people had gathered in the street, blocking the way, and the cart couldn’t pass.

Mo Yan had no interest in the spectacle and didn’t get off the cart. But as she moved forward, the congestion grew worse. Eventually, her horse, Da Hongzhao, was completely blocked, and it was too late to retreat or take another route.

With no other choice, Mo Yan got off the cart, leading Da Hongzhao and gently asking the people blocking the road to make way as she slowly maneuvered through.

"Ah, this kid is really stupid, giving away so many good things but not enjoying them. If I had his status, I’d have taken that little beauty who sold herself to bury her father home with me."

"Tch, with your family’s old battle-axe of a wife, if you dared bring that beauty home, your wife would probably eat you alive! Hahaha!"

"Hahaha, I’m just joking! Don’t tell my wife or you won’t have a drinking buddy anymore!"

Upon hearing the conversation of two men, Mo Yan instinctively looked toward the crowd. However, as she wasn’t tall enough, all she could see were heads, so she gave up and continued squeezing through.

"This lady, I... I really don’t have anything valuable left. These things are enough for you to bury your father. Please, don’t cling to me. My family doesn’t need any more maidservants."

Cui Ping'an, surrounded by the crowd, looked down at the girl kneeling in front of him, clutching his sleeve and crying like a tearful mess. He regretted his impulsive decision. In a moment of weakness, he had thought she resembled the woman he loved, and he had acted on impulse to intervene. Now, he couldn’t escape from the situation.   

(End of Chapter)

 Chapter 929: Malicious Intent and a Chance Encounter on the Streets (2)

After hearing that the granddaughter-in-law she had chosen was given in marriage by the Emperor to the renowned young heir of the Weiyuan Marquis, Old Madam Cui was in a foul mood for quite some time. After the initial shock, she had no choice but to begin looking for other potential brides for her grandson.

However, Cui Ping'an was unwilling to follow his grandmother’s arrangements. His heart was set on the girl from the south who had been by his side for over ten years. Despite her humble origins, he had already made up his mind. In his rebirth, he had no other wish than to grow old with the woman he loved.

One day, the disagreement between the two escalated into an unprecedented argument.

Seeing his grandmother panting heavily from the anger, Cui Ping'an felt both heartbroken and unwilling to compromise. At a loss for what to do, he saw his little aunt arrive, and it was as though he had found a savior. He quickly said, "Little aunt, please help me persuade grandmother. Don't let her get too angry and hurt her health."

Cui Qingrou had heard about the quarrel between her mother and nephew, and upon seeing how upset her mother was, she hurried forward and gently patted Old Madam Cui's chest. "Mother, Xiao Qi doesn’t understand your good intentions. He will come to his senses when he grows older. Please take care of your health."

Cui Ping'an wanted to step forward to comfort his grandmother, but he didn’t dare, fearing that the sight of him might make her even more upset.

With Cui Qingrou's comforting words, Old Madam Cui finally calmed down. Her trembling finger pointed at Cui Ping'an and she said, "You... you go out, I don't want to see you right now."

Seeing his grandmother turn her head away, unwilling to look at him, Cui Ping'an's eyes darkened, and after bowing silently, he slowly walked out of the room under his little aunt’s worried gaze.

Cui Qingrou, knowing her nephew’s temperament very well, saw that although he had grown up, his maturity was lacking. She was worried he would become stubborn, so she quickly told a nearby maidservant, "Go after Seventh Master and make sure he doesn’t leave the manor."

The maidservant quickly acknowledged and rushed to follow.

At that moment, Old Madam Cui pushed her daughter away, her breath uneven as she said, "Mother is fine, but please go and persuade Xiao Qi. He needs to meet the granddaughter of his uncle’s family first and see if he likes her."

Cui Qingrou furrowed her brow, wanting to dissuade her mother from this idea. She knew her nephew wouldn’t listen to her arrangements, but given their similar temperaments, she knew convincing her mother would be unlikely. Not wanting to upset her mother further, she gently comforted her, "Mother, Xiao Qi is also troubled right now. He’s probably not in the mood to listen. After a few days, when his mood settles, I’ll try to persuade him. Please don’t worry too much. Take care of your health first."

Old Madam Cui thought about it and realized her daughter had a point, so she didn’t press further. She smiled bitterly, "This child, since he was little, didn’t have a proper elder to guide him. He’s grown up so stubborn. If your brother hears about this, how would he ever agree to marry his most beloved granddaughter to him?"

Cui Qingrou was unsure if she could persuade her nephew and didn’t want her mother to be so distressed at her age. She spoke softly, "Mother, when Xiao Qi was born, even the palace physicians said he wouldn’t survive. But look at him now. Apart from his weaker health, where is he worse than others? Xiao Qi is a fortunate child. Even if his future wife isn’t the daughter of your brother’s family, he will still find another good woman to accompany him. As long as Xiao Qi is healthy and happy, what does it matter who she is?"

Old Madam Cui fell silent, clearly understanding the deeper meaning behind her daughter’s words. However, when it came to her grandson’s love for a lowly tenant’s daughter, she still couldn’t accept it, despite weighing the situation from all angles.

Cui Qingrou understood her mother’s feelings and knew that she needed time to come to terms with it. She didn’t push any further. After a quiet sigh, she left the room, still worried that her nephew might do something foolish.

(End of Chapter)