Li Yue Shu's heart trembled slightly, and the hand holding the bowl involuntarily shook.
The earliest time for a visit at the county yamen was at Si Shi. He had actually walked all the way from the village to this place by himself, waiting outside before dawn?
For a moment, Li Yue Shu didn't know what to say. It felt as if something had struck her heart.
She put down the bowl and stood up, "Please trouble the jailer to make a trip for me and send my husband to Heng De Pharmacy."
As she spoke, she pretended to take out a few copper coins from her sleeve, but in reality, she took them from her spatial dimension. "Also, please trouble the jailer to give him a message, telling him that if he doesn't listen and runs around by himself again, I will never speak to him again."
The jailer knew her husband had dementia and often felt sorry for this capable young madam.
"It's just a trip. Madam Shen often brings us brothers delicious food. This small matter is on me!"
He didn't take the copper coins and directly went out to deliver the message.
Shen Wei stood at the entrance of the dungeon.
Because he had come out before dawn, he was covered in heavy mist. Coupled with the cold weather, his complexion looked somewhat pale.
Yesterday, he hadn't followed to look for Chai Yang Xing He. When he asked Mother Mo and Aunt Liu, they only said she was fine.
But he knew Li Yue Shu was a clean person. No matter how well the dungeon was cleaned, it would always have a smell.
He wanted to come and see for himself. Unexpectedly, when he arrived here, Li Yue Shu refused to see him at all.
Shen Wei was not truly foolish, and he naturally understood her meaning.
Before things were settled, she didn't want to implicate them.
Shen Wei felt a surge of warmth in his chest.
He took a deep look at the dark dungeon door and followed the jailer to Heng De Pharmacy.
...
That day, everything was peaceful.
As night fell, Li Yue Shu closed her eyes facing the wall, seemingly already asleep.
At the entrance of the dungeon, a figure like a ghost, unnoticed by everyone, suddenly slipped in.
The patrolling and gate-keeping jailers didn't even see a shadow, so naturally, they didn't know anyone had slipped in.
Shen Wei, dressed in dark clothing, blended almost seamlessly with the darkness.
He had intended to search room by room, but unexpectedly, he saw Li Yue Shu's back in the very first cell at the entrance.
Mother Mo had said when she returned that the people in the dungeon were taking good care of Li Yue Shu and hadn't let her suffer. It seemed to be true now.
At this moment, Shen Wei's worried heart finally settled.
Even he himself hadn't realized that seeing Li Yue Shu safe and sound, a hint of relief and joy involuntarily welled up in his heart.
Just as Shen Wei breathed a sigh of relief, Li Yue Shu, who had been pretending to sleep, suddenly opened her eyes and sat up abruptly from the straw mat.
She suddenly turned her head, her gaze accurately landing in Shen Wei's direction.
Shen Wei, hidden in the dark, held his breath and instantly suppressed all his presence.
In the darkness, there seemed to be only some whimpers from the cells and the squeaks of rats.
After an unknown period of time, Li Yue Shu finally withdrew her gaze, frowning slightly.
Could it be her illusion?
Li Yue Shu waited for a while longer, confirmed there was no movement, and then lay down again.
Shen Wei's heart relaxed. He looked thoughtfully at her retreating back, his figure like a ghost, leaving silently.
...
Ever since Li Yue Shu moved into the dungeon, the county magistrate had racked his brains to stall for time.
As long as they could wait for the reply from Chong Zhou, Madam Shen would be safe!
The people from the Li Mansion didn't notice at first, but as time passed, they naturally saw that the county magistrate was deliberately delaying. They thought he intended to disobey the prefect's orders.
"Smack!"
The leader of the men slapped away the wine the county magistrate offered. "Magistrate, are you protecting a village woman because you took her benefits?"
The county magistrate's expression turned somewhat unsightly.
He knew that perhaps he couldn't continue to stall today.
Wiping the wine stains from his hands, the county magistrate calmly looked at the people from the Li Mansion. "I am helping that woman for your own good. Do you know who she is?"
The county magistrate threw his handkerchief aside. "You only know she is the owner of Heng De Pharmacy, but you don't know that with her superb medical skills, she saved the life of the current Grand Tutor, Elder Xu Xing!"
As soon as this was said, the faces of the people from the Li Mansion all changed.
Seeing that they were hesitant, the county magistrate's expression eased slightly.
Elder Xu had specifically instructed before he left that his visit to Tong Mu County should not be mentioned to anyone, not even if the Crown Prince's people asked.
But now, he was truly helpless.
"Nonsense!"
Just as the county magistrate relaxed, the envoy sent by the prefect retorted angrily, "The world knows that Grand Tutor Xu returned to his hometown to recuperate a while ago. His hometown is in the opposite direction of Tong Mu County. How could he have come here and happened to meet someone who offended the Li Mansion?"
"You must have taken benefits from that woman and are deliberately deceiving us!"
Upon hearing this, the people from the Li Mansion also reacted. "Exactly! You know perfectly well that we cannot verify this matter with Grand Tutor Xu. If that woman is indeed Grand Tutor Xu's savior, then we have offended Grand Tutor Xu. If not, we have disturbed Grand Tutor Xu. Both are grave offenses!"
"To think that you, a mere county magistrate, would have such schemes!"
The county magistrate was stunned, completely not expecting their imaginations to be so rich.
The prefect's envoy sneered, giving him no chance to explain. "Stop spouting nonsense here. We have a warrant with the prefect's official seal. Hurry up and take us to see that woman!"
"You..."
The county magistrate's cheeks even turned red, perhaps from anger. Kuaishu Ge.
Madam Shen's medical skills were excellent, and her benevolence was a blessing to the world. She must not fall into the hands of these people!
In an instant, the county magistrate resolved to sacrifice his official career, his gaze becoming firm.
Just then, a servant rushed in from outside. "My Lord, the Prefect has sent an urgent dispatch, stating it is to be delivered to the people from the Li Mansion."
Hearing this, not only the county magistrate was stunned, but the people from the Li Mansion also looked surprised.
Why would the Prefect send them an urgent dispatch?
The leader of the men curiously took the urgent dispatch and opened it.
Upon seeing the contents, his expression changed slightly, and it turned somewhat ugly.
The county magistrate noticed his expression and his heart stirred.
He quietly moved closer to the man and also saw the contents of the letter, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
"The Prefect is indeed wise and righteous!" the county magistrate exclaimed joyfully. "All of this must be a misunderstanding. Madam Shen hasn't even left Tong Mu County, so how could she have offended a prominent family like the Li Mansion!"
Although he didn't know what had happened, the letter indeed instructed these people to return quickly and drop the matter. This was good news!
But the leader of the men was displeased. "Misunderstanding? Are you saying the injuries on my men were self-inflicted?"
The county magistrate's face stiffened, and a bad premonition suddenly arose in his heart.
As expected, he heard the man say coldly, "That woman injured my men, and this cannot be let go just like that!"
After speaking, he ignored the county magistrate's reaction and directly led his men to the dungeon.