"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern. Qingqing is quite well!"
Two imperial physicians approached Qingqing one after another.
"Miss Qingqing, please take a seat. I shall check your pulse."
Seeing the situation, Qingqing realized she had no choice but to cooperate.
The first imperial physician began to examine Qingqing's pulse.
The second physician observed and inquired.
The conclusion they both reached was that Qingqing's condition was a result of Leng Feng's excessive indulgence, with too many encounters, causing significant injury to her body.
With a few days of rest, she would recover.
...
Upon hearing this news, Xie Qianmo inwardly despised Leng Feng.
Truly unrestrained, as if he hadn't encountered a woman in lifetimes!
No wonder Leng Feng had been on standby these past few days; he had injured his concubine's body!
"Your Majesty, when I examined Miss Qingqing's pulse, I discovered she has not yet come of age," the imperial physician stated respectfully.
Not yet of age?
Xie Qianmo's gaze deepened slightly.
He then seemed to recall something and paid it no further mind.
"I am aware. You may withdraw."
"Yes, Your Majesty." The two imperial physicians withdrew from the imperial study as ordered.
Two days later!
The moment Qin Yun received the portrait, her heart was filled with immense excitement.
She immediately set off for the capital with the tax ledger and Steward Wei's portrait.
The journey back to the capital was a long one.
The happiest person to learn of Qin Yun's return to the capital was Xie Qianmo.
This young man had only been gone for a few days, yet it felt like years since he had last seen her.
With anticipation in his heart, Xie Qianmo could no longer sit still.
He decided to go and meet Qin Yun.
As Qin Yun was nearing the capital, she encountered Young Master Zheng on the road.
"Young Master Zheng? Are you...?" Qin Yun looked surprised at the sudden appearance of the convoy.
At this moment, Xie Qianmo was still dressed in white and wearing a mask.
"Young Master Qin, what a coincidence, meeting you here!" His lips curled, and the joy in his eyes could not be concealed.
"Indeed! What a coincidence!" Qin Yun casually agreed. She lowered the carriage curtain and urged her attendant to hurry.
Unexpectedly!
The next moment!
Xie Qianmo alighted from his carriage, and without asking for Qin Yun's consent, approached her directly. He lifted the curtain and entered the carriage on his own accord.
Qing Shan, who was in front, intended to stop him but was intercepted by Leng Ye, who was in disguise.
Seeing the other party boldly enter the carriage.
Qin Yun's lips twitched.
This person was truly thick-skinned!
"Young Master Zheng, my place is small; I fear you may not be comfortable sitting."
Xie Qianmo paid no heed.
He said to the little maid beside him, "Get out!"
Xiao Ju opened her mouth, wanting to object, but upon seeing the coldness in Xie Qianmo's eyes, she instantly became frightened.
She glanced at Qin Yun and, seeing her young master nod, Xiao Ju, without a word, obediently exited the carriage.
The carriage proceeded cautiously.
Inside the carriage.
Qin Yun remained silent, and Xie Qianmo also said nothing.
They sat in a tense standoff.
After a short while,
Xie Qianmo could no longer bear it and broke the silence.
"Young Master Qin, did you go on a trip a few days ago? Are you returning to the capital today?"
"Young Master Zheng, you can see that, so why ask? It's redundant!" Since the matter of the refugees was settled, the spies were caught, and the necessary evidence was secured, why should she be polite to this Young Master Zheng?
She had no reason to ask him for anything now!
Xie Qianmo was not annoyed by Qin Yun's less-than-pleasant attitude.
"Young Master Qin seems to dislike me?"
Xie Qianmo's direct gaze made Qin Yun feel very uneasy.
"Young Master Zheng clearly has his own carriage, why come to mine to squeeze in?"
"I thought we were acquainted, Young Master Qin, and we had reached a consensus before. You wouldn't be so stingy, would you?" As he spoke, Xie Qianmo moved closer to Qin Yun.
Initially, they were seated facing each other, with a meter's distance between them.
With Xie Qianmo moving so close,
the distance instantly became zero.
Qin Yun gasped and stammered, "Why... why are you so close to me?"
Xie Qianmo narrowed his eyes and chuckled softly. "Young Master Qin, you seem to be very afraid of me? Is it because of the transaction I proposed earlier?"
Though her heart was uneasy, she maintained her composure. "What transaction? I've almost forgotten. Besides... why would I be afraid of you?"
"Forgotten?" Xie Qianmo, wearing his mask, leaned closer to Qin Yun.
"It wasn't a big deal, why would I remember it so clearly?"
Qin Yun shifted slightly to the side.
But the next moment, Xie Qianmo stopped her waist.
With a strong pull,
Qin Yun found herself in Xie Qianmo's arms.
"Young Master Zheng, what are you doing? Let go of me!" Qin Yun began to struggle.
Xie Qianmo not only refused to let go but also held her tighter.
His sensual lips moved closer to Qin Yun's ear. "If you don't want outsiders to discover anything amiss, you'd best keep your voice down!"
"Didn't you just say you'd forgotten? Shall I help Young Master Qin recall it properly, how about that?"
Xie Qianmo's voice was extremely seductive and charming, causing Qin Yun to blush furiously.
"Young Master Zheng, I feel unwell, put me down!" Qin Yun's voice was much softer this time.
Why was this person holding her so tightly, making it difficult for her to breathe!
"The transaction I mentioned last time is not yet over. Young Master Qin... do you intend to go back on your word?"
Speaking of this, Qin Yun became angry. "I did ask for your help before, but weren't the refugees fine afterwards? You weren't troubled at all!"
In Qin Yun's opinion, she had lost out in this matter.
She regretted agreeing to this person's unreasonable demands without reason.
"In short, Young Master Qin agreed to this matter. As the current top scholar, do you intend to... break your promise?"
"We didn't set a time limit for the transaction back then! So many days have passed, isn't the transaction long over?"
Xie Qianmo extended his index finger, stroking Qin Yun's chin and lips.
His lips curved slightly. "As long as the matter of the refugees is not resolved, our transaction will continue!"
"Only when those refugees can live and work in peace like normal citizens will our transaction end!"
Qin Yun calculated the time in her mind.
Qingshui Town, Furong Town, Suyun Town – for these three small towns to recover to their former state would take at least half a year.
And during this half-year period, she had to appease the refugees and expose the corrupt officials behind the scenes.
Thinking carefully, she would be quite busy during this time, with no opportunity to deal with him.
"Young Master Zheng, you are too overbearing, even setting the deadline for the transaction."
"Initially, our connection deepened precisely because of the refugees. Now, the deadline for this transaction is in Young Master Qin's hands!"
Xie Qianmo caressed Qin Yun's face and gave a devilish smile. "Young Master Qin, do you think I am correct?"
After saying that!
Xie Qianmo leaned in.
Seeing this!
Qin Yun quickly covered her entire face with both hands.
No matter what he intended to do, she would cover herself first to prevent him from succeeding!
Looking at Qin Yun's small movements, Xie Qianmo's smile deepened.
Did she think this would be enough?
He leaned forward slightly, and his warm lips pressed against the back of Qin Yun's hand.