Standing at the fork in the road, Li Yue Shu was bewildered.
Which direction had the old man come from when he was carrying her?
Li Yue Shu felt a pang of regret.
Except for the trip to Hong Ning City, she usually stuck to a single route and was completely unfamiliar with these places.
The reason she could send the old man to the authorities just now was because she happened to meet someone on the road and paid them to show her the way.
If she had known, she would have paid more and asked them to lead the way.
Just as Li Yue Shu was deciding to use the most scientific method of drawing straws, she suddenly saw four men hurrying towards her from one of the intersections.
Seeing Li Yue Shu, they were momentarily stunned.
Li Yue Shu felt a glimmer of hope and quickly stepped forward, "Excuse me, sirs, could you please tell me how to get to the Tong Mu County magistrate's office?"
The leader looked her up and down, seemingly relieved.
"We are also heading to Tong Mu County. Madam, if you don't mind, you can come with us."
Li Yue Shu's expression faltered for a moment. She looked at the four men and then nodded, "That would be good. Thank you, sirs."
As she turned away, a flicker of deep thought crossed Li Yue Shu's eyes.
And so, Li Yue Shu followed the four men down another fork in the road.
The men remained silent, but Li Yue Shu subtly observed them.
Their steps were steady, their figures agile, and they all appeared to be skilled martial artists.
They had clearly been surprised to see her earlier, as if they knew her, and their steps had been hurried, but now they were composed.
It was clear they were here for her.
Li Yue Shu glanced at the person beside her and suddenly spoke, "Sir, what should I call you?"
The man paused and then slowly replied, "Madam can call me Chai Yang."
"Chai Yang? That's a nice name." Li Yue Shu smiled gently, but then her tone shifted, "Brother Chai, how do you know I'm married?"
Chai Yang faltered and glanced at her hair. "I saw Madam wearing her hair in a married woman's bun."
Li Yue Shu touched her hair and teased, "Half of my hair has come undone, it's kind of you to still notice."
Chai Yang was a serious person and didn't say anything, but he became vigilant.
He had specifically chosen another route to detour back to Tong Mu County, had she already become suspicious?
This Li Yue Shu was always smart; she wouldn't ask such questions without reason. He needed to be careful.
Chai Yang prepared himself to be interrogated, but Li Yue Shu didn't speak again until they reached the county magistrate's office.
Li Yue Shu looked at the gate of the magistrate's office and bowed to Chai Yang, "Thank you, sirs, for showing me the way. I..."
"Madam Shen?"
Before she could finish, a questioning and surprised voice suddenly came from behind.
Li Yue Shu turned around and saw a bailiff running towards her with a look of pleasant surprise. "It's really you! Madam Shen, are you alright? We heard you were in trouble, and the magistrate sent many people to look for you. They haven't returned yet!"
Li Yue Shu hadn't expected that she would cause such a commotion in just half a day of being abducted.
She quickly said, "Please ask the bailiff to inform the magistrate that the kidnapper has been handed over to the authorities and I am fine."
The bailiff naturally did not refuse. "Then Madam Shen, please go back first. I will go and inform the magistrate immediately. The village head of your village has organized many people to help search, and I need to notify them as well!"
Li Yue Shu was taken aback. She hadn't expected everyone to be so concerned about her.
She thanked the bailiff and prepared to return directly to the village.
But as soon as she turned around, she saw that Chai Yang and the other three men who had guided her were gone.
Li Yue Shu looked around thoughtfully.
Were they genuinely on their way to Tong Mu County, or had they deliberately led her here?
...
When Li Yue Shu appeared at her doorstep, everyone felt as though they might be dreaming.
Aunt Liu excitedly rushed over, pulling Li Yue Shu and examining her, tears streaming down her face. "You're back... It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back..."
Everyone gathered around, even the guards from the Wei family looked at her with concern.
Li Yue Shu felt a little helpless, but her heart was warm.
She quickly calmed everyone down and then, turning her head, met a pair of eyes as dark as ink.
Li Yue Shu blinked, and for some reason, she thought of Shen Wei's frightened eyes when she had been abducted by the old man.
This man...
Wasn't it possible that Chai Yang was sent by him?
Li Yue Shu's heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly felt an urge to clarify things.
As soon as she opened her mouth, someone spoke first, "Madam Shen, let me take your pulse."
Hearing this, Aunt Liu quickly wiped away her tears. "Yes, yes, let him take your pulse. His medical skills are excellent. When Shen Wei and the others were unconscious, even Doctor Chen couldn't help, but he cured them with just a few needles!"
Li Yue Shu naturally knew that Ji Mo Bai's medical skills were superb, and she also knew he had a compassionate heart. She didn't refuse.
They sat down in the courtyard, while the others gathered around, instinctively holding their breath.
Fair, slender fingers rested on her wrist, and everyone's eyes were fixed on his hands.
Feeling the pulse beating beneath his fingertips, Ji Mo Bai's heart gradually sank.
After a long while, he released Li Yue Shu's wrist and, under everyone's anxious gaze, slowly said, "Madam Shen has some residual poison in her body. I'll write a prescription for you to take for a few days. You'll be fine with proper rest."
This small amount of poison either meant that Li Yue Shu had cleared it herself, or she hadn't ingested much in the first place.
But either way, it proved that she had been poisoned at some point.
"What? How could Madam be poisoned?" Mother Mo exclaimed, her eyes filled with anxiety and concern.
Suddenly, everyone looked at Li Yue Shu.
Hong Dai frowned deeply. "Little Yue Shu, do you have any enemies with that old man?"
Li Yue Shu shook her head and couldn't help but frown. "I don't even know his name. I only know that he kidnapped me because he wanted me as his disciple."
Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned, clearly having never heard of anyone taking disciples in such a manner.
"Then what about your poisoning?" Wei Zi Miao suddenly asked.
Li Yue Shu pouted and didn't hide anything. "He said that if I survived the poison he gave me, he would take me as his disciple."
Hearing such a ridiculous thing, everyone was momentarily at a loss for what expression to show.
Only Ji Mo Bai, sitting opposite, turned slightly pale.
It was him. It was really that person!
Why would he come to Tong Mu County?
Ji Mo Bai took a deep breath, suppressing his emotions.
He had lingered here for so long; perhaps it was time for him to leave.
Everyone's attention was on Li Yue Shu, but one person noticed Ji Mo Bai's unusual behavior.
Wei Zi Miao glanced sideways, a look of confusion on his face.
Judging by this Young Master Bai's demeanor, did he know that old man?
Hong Dai, despite her vast experience, had never heard of such an outrageous thing. "Did you deal with that old man?"
Those simple words were filled with killing intent.
Li Yue Shu's lips twitched, and she quickly looked at Ah Yi.
A Min and the others were at the academy and likely didn't know she had been in trouble yet. So, the only children at home were Ah Yi and Man Xing.
But these two, upon hearing Hong Dai's murderous words, looked indignant, as if strongly agreeing with her.
Hearing this, Ji Mo Bai also subconsciously looked up, his heart tightening.