He brought the bamboo basket into the kitchen and placed it there, then drank a ladle of water from the water tank using a wooden ladle. He walked over to the high pile of firewood in the yard, removed his coat, and picked up an ax to chop firewood.

Yan Shuixin felt that if she and Xiao Yeheng appeared together, as a man and a woman, it would be too eye-catching, and there was no guarantee that they would not think of the two 'outlaw robbers'. It's best if Xiao Yeheng stays hidden in the room and does not appear.

It's time for her to put on a show.

She walked out the door, onto the yard, cleared her throat, and cried out, "Brother Li!"

Li Youzhu only heard a soft female voice behind him. When he looked back, he spotted an extremely young woman standing in the courtyard with an elegant figure. Her eyes were incredibly sharp, but her face was so dirty that her appearance could not be seen clearly. Her waist-length hair was tied behind her back, with a few strands scattered messily on her chest. She has an elegant and delicate temperament, and does not look like a bad person at first glance.

However, the other person took his sister's clothes and wore them without asking. She also broke into the room where his sister lived before she married.

Suddenly, he felt annoyed and asked somewhat unkindly, "Who are you? Why are you wearing my sister's clothes?"

"Huang Yueniang." Yan Shuixin uttered that name from her lips, and she understood that Li Youzhu was angry. In fact, she didn't want to mess with people's clothes. But she couldn't go out wearing prison clothes or the same black clothes worn by those evildoers, right?

No, she can't scare people.

Along the way, she pretended to be another person. She wanted to lead Xiao Yeheng out of prison, but she could only use Wan Niang's identity to her advantage and act as the sole survivor.

Even so, it was still discovered that King An had not died.

Secondly, if she informed Li Youzhu that she is a wanted thief, he will most likely drive her away even if he does not report her.

"Why are you in my house?" Li Youzhu was shocked. Huang Yueniang's story had spread from the city to the village.

Seeing that the courtyard door was still open, he quickly closed the door for fear of being discovered.

Yan Shuixin could tell from his behavior that he was a kind farmer who had no plans to report Huang Yueniang. After some thought, she took the initiative to say, "Youyun asked me to come to you."

Li Youzhu returned the long ax to the pile of firewood, walked over to her, and stopped again. Confusion appeared on his honest and handsome face, "Do you know my sister?"

"I didn't know her before. But, while I was escaping two days ago, Youyun went shopping in Duanji City. I was chased by the Zhao family and hid in an alley, and Youyun was standing at the entrance to that alley, so the Zhao family approached her and inquired if she had seen me. Youyun knew where I was hiding, but she pointed in another direction. When I thanked her, she felt pity for me after learning about my situation, and told me that if I couldn't find a way out, I could go locate her brother Li Youzhu and hide in her natal house for a few days." Yan Shuixin said, her eyes filled with sadness, as if she was about to cry, "Brother Li, I'm really desperate, and my clothes are too torn to wear, so I had to change into Youyun's clothes. Please, brother Li, don't be offended, and take me in for a few days."

After saying that, she offered a five-tael silver ingot, saying, "Yueniang will not live and eat for free, please accept it, Brother Li."

Li Youzhu looked at the silver ingot. His family was really strapped for cash, so he was keen to accept it. However, when he considered Huang Yueniang's situation, he felt quite sympathetic, "Miss Huang, since it was my sister who asked you to come to me, then her promise is equivalent to mine. If you don't mind her few old clothes, just wear them. You can also stay here if you don't mind our shabby and rough house."

Yan Shuixin didn't know Li Youyun at all, so she made it all up and claimed that she was the one who invited her here. Otherwise, it's likely that Li Youzhu would be less willing to accept her.

Therefore, telling white lies are not harmful to others.

Furthermore, she felt that if she and King An stayed here for a few days, she could send someone to give money to help Li Youzhu when King An returned to Beijing, and he would not suffer any loss.

When Yan Shuixin heard what Li Youzhu said, she put the money back into her sleeve pocket.

Frankly speaking, she and King An were short of money for the time being.

Xiao Yeheng had previously told her that his power prior to being imprisoned was not within the scope of Duanji City. Yang De, the father of one of King Jin's concubines, was the county magistrate of this area.

He had initially wondered how a county magistrate's daughter from a rural place could become King Jin's concubine. In terms of social standing, she was a poor fit.

Now after being released from prison, he understands that the prison was purposely built in a location where the local government is strong and the emperor is far away, thus the county magistrate here is equal to their own local monarch.

If King Jin wanted to win over Yang De, of course he had to promote his daughter's status.

As a result, King Jin has taken control over Duanji City, and if King A wishes to be rescued, he must leave this zone of jurisdiction.

But first, money is needed.

Li Youzhu saw that Huang Yueniang had collected the money back, but he didn't regret it. She was an orphan girl who had fled away, so she was clearly short of money.

Xiao Yeheng stood by the window in the room on the right, witnessing Yan Shuixin's "acting" through the gap in the window. With just a few words, she was able to trick the other party into accepting a stranger. It was truly a remarkable ability. His Xin'er is so smart!

"Zhu'er, are you talking to someone? I can't hear you clearly." A middle-aged female voice came from the middle room.

Yan Shuixin looked at Li Youzhu, with confusion in her eyes that said: Can she not hear us after we talked so loudly?

He explained, "My mother was born deaf in one ear, and her hearing in the other ear is also poor. I have to stand in front of her and speak really loudly before she can hear. If I'm a little further away, it's not possible."

"I see." She nodded

Li Youzhu pushed open the hidden room in the center and revealed a rough mud floor, a bed, and a table against the wall. There were no cabinets inside, just a few boxes to keep stuff in. A middle-aged woman in her forties was lying on the bed and moaning softly, "Hey...oh, it hurts..."

The middle-aged woman saw her son bringing a girl into the room and asked, "Zhu'er, who is she?"

"Hello, Aunt Li." Yan Shuixin greeted politely, deliberately amplifying her voice.

She learned from eavesdropping on the villagers that Li Youzhu's mother's surname was also Li, and her full name was Li Cui. They addressed Li Cui by name and said it was pitiful that she had broken her leg and had no money for treatment.

Li Cui nodded slightly.

Li Youzhu walked to her side and told his mother what Huang Yueniang had just said.

"Since you have agreed to take her in for a few days, then I don't have any objections to it." Li Cui began to think about how her leg was broken and how she needed to save money for medical treatment. She also came upon those men in black stealing food from their fields. The food ration was really tight now and she couldn't afford to feed an extra mouth. But this was just a promise made by her children, and as a mother, she would never let her children break their promise.

Yan Shuixin could see that Li Cui was not a bad person. She was just worried about the extra burden. Although she was in a bad situation right now, she would not let others suffer, so she asked, "Aunt Li, are you injured in your leg?"

Li Cui hissed softly, and her brows furrowed in pain, "I went to work in the fields and fell from a field stalk, breaking my leg. It's been ten days, and the pain is getting worse. There is no doctor in the village, and the nearest one is in Duanji City. Going to town to invite him will cost half a tael of silver, as well as money for treatment. If we don't have three taels, I'm afraid I'll only have to watch my leg become crippled. It's a shame I only have one tael of silver at home."

She just heard that this girl had offered up five taels silver ingot to take her in. But her family was in such dire straits, it won't be a problem if they borrow two taels, right?

Of course, Yan Shuixin understood what she meant, but before she could reply, Li Youzhu spoke first, "Mom, today I met two men in black, who grabbed two corns and eight cucumbers, and they gave me ten copper coins." Then he pulled out a bunch of copper coins.

"Those evil gangsters only know how to rob, how can they still give you money?"

"The man pretended that I had dropped some money. In fact, when I went out, I didn't carry any money with me. Furthermore, I had already seen the place he pointed to, and there was no money there before. He just ate the food and paid for it."

Li Cui pondered, "It seems like you've met someone with a good heart, but you can't tell anyone about this. Otherwise, if others rob you while he pays. I'm afraid he will be ostracized by his colleagues."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Yan Shuixin listened from the sidelines, and felt that the mother and son were understanding people.

Seeing that her son was talking about various things but not about borrowing money, Li Cui asked Huang Yueniang, "Miss Huang, can I borrow..."

It's not that Yan Shuixin doesn't want to lend money, but rather that she can treat Aunt Li's condition herself. "Auntie, I have some medical knowledge. Can you show me your leg injury?"

When Li Cui heard this, her face wrinkled up, she obviously didn't believe it, "How can you, a girl, know medical skills?"

Yan Shuixin knew that the real Huang Yueniang's family was poor, it was impossible for her to learn medicine, so she started to talk nonsense, "I have a fiancé who grew up with me. His parents sent him to study medicine, and he taught me personally when he came back. Unexpectedly, I was actually snatched away by Zhao Yuanwai, and now, even my parents are gone too. Woo hoo hoo..."

She pretended to cry as she talked, but there were no tears.

When she thought of Xiao Yeheng's injury, she felt so distressed that she cried naturally.

Li Cui hurriedly advised, "Miss Huang, don't be sad. I really can't bear to see you cry."

"I heard that some generous people in the city have pooled their money in order to bury the bones of your parents. Miss Huang, please accept my condolences," Li Youzhu added

Yan Shuixin sniffed, "My parents have always loved me. No matter how difficult it is, I will definitely live a good life." This is the truth. Her modern parents do love her very much.

Li Cui admired her very much, "You're a good girl. Well, I'm sorry to bother you about my leg injury." She rolled up her trousers to her knees, revealing a section of calf that had dry and loose skin yet was red and inflamed.

Yan Shuixin looked at it and said, "If your injury is not cured, your leg may have to be amputated."

Li Cui and her son were so frightened that their faces turned pale, and they asked fearfully one after another, "What should we do?"

"Can my mother be saved?" Li Youzhu clenched his fists, "It's all because of my incompetence. I can't even pay for a doctor."

Yan Shuixin reassured, "Brother Li, don't panic. It's not too late for treatment. I'll reattach aunt's broken bones first, but first you have to find something hard for aunt to bite on."

Li Youzhu went to fetch a smooth, thin wooden board the size of a palm and gave it to his mother to bite on.

Yan Shuixin put her hand on Li Cui's leg bone, and grasped it skillfully with both hands. There was only a "click" sound, and the latter's broken bone was reset.

"Ugh!" Li Cui's face turned pale in pain as she bit the piece of wood. Li Youzhu was a little worried when he saw his mother was sweating in pain, fearing that Huang Yueniang's medical skills were not good.

Unexpectedly, Li Cui took off the wooden block from her mouth, looked at Yan Shuixin with a pair of cloudy eyes in surprise. She stretched out her connected right leg and said, "Huang girl, you are really amazing. My leg doesn't hurt anymore. It's just swollen and uncomfortable."

Based on how the other party addressed her, from Miss Huang to Huang girl, Yan Shuixin knew that the other party liked her more, "Auntie, your leg has been injured and swollen for a long time. I'll write a prescription, go to the city to get medicine, and then apply it to you."

"How much will it cost?" Li Cui was afraid of spending money. "Can I avoid applying medicine?"

"Medicine must be used, otherwise, if it's left untreated... it will be troublesome if your legs continue to hurt in the future. I will prepare some cost-effective medicinal materials, which will cost less than a tael of silver." Yan Shuixin insisted, and Li Youzhu also said, "Mother, we can't avoid spending this little money on medicine. Our family has money on hand."

"Okay then." Li Cui nodded.

Yan Shuixin asked knowingly, "Auntie, what did you ask to borrow from me earlier?"

"Nothing." The other party diagnosed her and prescribed medication, which saved them a lot of money. Li Cui is not an unscrupulous person.

Li Youzhu remembered something, "Miss Huang, um... no one in my family can read or write. Can you tell me the prescription and I will memorize it..."

Yan Shuixin also had to go to the city to get medicine for Xiao Yeheng's injury, so naturally she couldn't say, "The prescription I want to prescribe is a bit complicated, with many words and meanings. I'm afraid you'll get it wrong. Besides, I also want to go to the city to buy something." She looked at the darkening sky outside and said, "Let's go together tomorrow morning."

"Thank you, Miss Huang." Li Youzhu and his mother were full of gratitude.

Li Cui's leg was no longer aching, and she was eager to get down to the ground, "I'm going to make dinner..."

"Aunt Li, your leg bones will take several days to recover. You must not stand up within ten days. Otherwise, if the healing is not good, you will suffer in the future." Yan Shuixin explained, and the other party quickly said yes. Li Youzhu told his mother to lie down before going to the kitchen to cook.

Xiao Yeheng was in the next room. With his deep inner strength, he could naturally hear clearly what the people in the room just said.

She thought that if she stayed here for a few days, she would be kind to the Li family's mother and son, and they would be much more polite.

Li Youzhu went into the kitchen to wash the rice. Yan Shuixin looked at the amount of rice he had placed in the pot. It was enough for three people, but there was also Xiao Yeheng, whom Li family's mother and son were unaware of.

So, she said awkwardly, "Brother Li, can you cook more rice and fry more vegetables? I've had a big appetite since I was a child. If I don't eat three bowls, I won't be full."

"It's okay." Li Youzhu was a little confused. She looked so thin, could she eat three bowls? He felt relieved when he remembered Ye Hua, a chubby girl in the village who weighs more than 200 pounds, can eat four bowls.

Yan Shuixin didn't want to be a beggar either. One bowl is enough for her, but the other two bowls are for Xiao Yeheng.

If the Li family's mother and son learned that Xiao Yeheng was also hiding at home, even if the other side promised to conceal it, they would still be too afraid of being exposed. After all, those men in black are smart.

Huang Yueniang's circumstance is different. The county magistrate has dropped the arrest warrant against Huang Yueniang due to public outcry. Only the Zhao family remains on the lookout for her.

The Zhao family is not very capable, so as long as they hide her, the Li family will not be afraid of the outside world.

Yan Shuixin didn't want to be an idle person. When she saw Li Youzhu washing the rice, she took the initiative to help, "Brother Li, let me fry the vegetables."

"Can you do it?" He looked at her outstanding temperament, she really didn't look like a girl from a poor family.

"My family is poor. I have done housework since I was a child, so naturally I know how to do it." She replied, "What are you going to cook tonight?"

Li Youzhu took off a piece of cured rabbit meat hanging on the wall and said, "Let's make this. I got this rabbit meat from the mountains last time, but I couldn't finish it, so I dried it. Let's stir-fry a pot of corn and cucumbers. I'll go to the garden again, and pick some vegetable."

"Okay." She washed the dried meat and started cutting it.

When Li Youzhu returned from washing the vegetables at the courtyard well, he witnessed Huang Yueniang cooking skillfully, and he realized she was an expert at housework. It appeared that even in poor families, it's not impossible for women to have temperament.

Yan Shuixin didn't use chili pepper in her cooking because Xiao Yeheng and Aunt Li were both injured and couldn't consume spicy food till they healed. She also instructed Li Youzhu not to serve any spicy foods for the time being.

The other party agreed wholeheartedly.

Li Youzhu observed her while she worked, lifting up her sleeves to wipe her sweat from time to time. Her expression was quite charming.

He had lived for twenty-three years and had not yet married a wife. Looking at such a unmarried woman in his own home, he was stunned for a while.

Yan Shuixin sensed an observing gaze and turned to face him.

2

Li Youzhu stared at the girl who had not yet left the boudoir. A girl who was snatched away was not considered married, so he immediately turned red and said, "Miss Huang, your face is very dirty. I will get a basin of water to wash it for you..."

"Oh, there's no need." She said, "I won't bother Brother Li." It was very clear that in ancient times, only people who were very close could assist an unmarried woman in washing her face.

Li Youzhu also understood this, "Okay then."

Xiao Yeheng stood by the window of the wing room near the kitchen. The room was less than ten meters from the kitchen door. He heard what the two people were talking about, and he didn't like Li Youzhu's enthusiasm.

In the kitchen, there is a table and two chairs, most likely for the Li family's mother and son.

The dishes were served, which consisted of a platter of stir-fried rabbit meat, stir-fried green corn kernels, stir-fried cucumbers with green onions, and a bowl of green vegetables.

Yan Shuixin recognized this food without having to ask. It was considered a good meal in ancient rural areas.

Moreover, she hadn't eaten in a long time. She only ate wild fruits and raw mushrooms these days, and she was starving for food.

The one raw corn and four cucumbers she ate at noon have already been digested.

At this moment, she was starving to death.

The owner of the house didn't start, so she couldn't eat first.

"Miss Huang, you eat first." Li Youzhu said, grabbing a large bowl from the kitchen cabinet on the wall, first filling it with rice and then picking up the dishes on the table with two chopsticks, "I'll bring food to my mother."

"Okay." Yan Shuixin did not hesitate. Seeing that there were many old bowls in the cupboard, she took two bowls to serve rice. One bowl was filled with a large bowl of rice, which was compacted and weighted the same as two regular rice bowls. She also put one chopstick on each plate.

The other bowl, which has regular-sized portions of rice, is put on the table first.

When Li Youzhu entered his mother's room with the bowl, she instantly picked up the bowl of food, took a pair of chopsticks, walked out of the kitchen, and slipped into the room where Xiao Yeheng was.

She placed the rice bowl and chopsticks in the hands of Xiao Yeheng and motioned for him to eat. She went out again, closed the door behind her, and entered the kitchen.

When Li Youzhu came back, he saw that there were fewer dishes on each plate, and Huang Yueniang was sitting at the table, eating with chopsticks.

Her mouth was bulging with food, and she appeared to be devouring it like a hungry wolf.

Li Youzhu's rice was also placed on the table, "Miss Huang, eat slowly, don't choke, there's enough to eat."

She nodded, pretending to eat quickly, and then slowed down to normal speed.

Li Youzhu took a piece of bacon with chopsticks, chewed it, and immediately praised it, "It's so delicious, Miss Huang, your cooking skills are on par, if not better, than those chefs in Duanji City. I once had dinner at a restaurant, and the food there was not as delicious as your cooking."

Her expression was neutral, and she said, "It's okay." She wouldn't say something like, "As long as you like it, that's fine." This is what she would have told Xiao Yeheng.

"It's really delicious." Li Youzhu went on to say, "The food I cook is hard to swallow, but the vegetables and corn you stir-fried are very fragrant."

"Thank you for the compliment." After the dinner, Li Youzhu and his mother each added another bowl of rice.

However, there is a lot of rice prepared for this dinner, so there is plenty to go around.

But, judging by the amount, she really ate three bowls. Li Youzhu was shocked that she could eat so well despite her small body.

After dinner, Yan Shuixin prepared to wash the dishes, and Li Youzhu ran to do it, "Miss Huang, I will do all these things."

She was not a diligent person, so she delegated the task to him, but she asked awkwardly, "Brother Li, can I boil water for a bath? I need to burn some wood." She hadn't washed in several days, and her body was very sticky and uncomfortable.

"Of course." Li Youzhu said, "Miss Huang saved my mother and is the benefactor of my family. Don't even talk about firewood, as long as the Li family has it, you can take it. You can sleep in Youyun's room, next to the kitchen. There is only one room, and there is a bedding in the closet."

Then he said, "You also have some of the old clothes that Youyun had worn, and I feel sorry for you having to change into them."

"It doesn't matter, I'm already satisfied." She carried the bucket to fetch water from the well in the yard.

Li Youzhu quickly pointed to the large water tank in the corner of the kitchen, "The water in the tank is full. Carrying water is a hard job, so I can do it for you."

"Thank you very much." She stopped being polite and boiled a pot of hot water.

Li Youzhu got a large bathtub half a person's height from somewhere and placed it in the yard. "Miss Huang, this is what my sister used before she got married. You can make do with it. At home, there is no designated bathing area. Everyone in the family usually bathes in their own room." As he said that, he carried a bucket of well water and washed the bucket, and used the water to water the veggies in the yard.

"Thank you so much." Yan Shuixin said. Most people don't want things like bathtubs that others have used. But because she and Xiao Yeheng had survived such a harsh environment in prison, so they didn't have the conditions to be picky for the time being.

"You are not allowed to talk like an outsider anymore. You are the benefactor of my Li family." Li Youzhu was afraid that she would have difficulty carrying the bath bucket, so he carried the big bucket to Li Youyun's room.

Yan Shuixin hurriedly raised her voice, "Move it into my room, but be careful not to drop it!"

In fact, it was to remind Xiao Yeheng in the room to hide in advance.

Li Youzhu's ears turned red after hearing this. No woman had ever told him to be careful. Could it be that Miss Huang was interested in him? Upon second thought, he thought about how she had a fiancé, and she was probably just being kind.

After opening the door, Yan Shuixin breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that no one was in the room.

Li Youzhu put the bath bucket in. He originally wanted to help her carry a few buckets of bath water, but thought that this matter was too intimate and there were differences between men and women, so he had to let her do it on her own.

So he just went out.

Yan Shuixin carried a few buckets of water into the room, put them into the large bathtub, left a bucket of boiling water and slowly mixed it in, then brought a wooden washbasin into the room and bolted the door.

She looked around the room and looked up to see if there was anyone on the beam. She didn't know where Xiao Yeheng was hiding?

He bent over and saw that there was no one under the bed, except for a toilet bucket with lid.

When she walked to the closet and opened the door, she discovered Xiao Yeheng sitting half-crouched within. His legs were unable to squat completely due to his left prosthetic leg. She suddenly felt sad and tears welled up in her eyes.

Xiao Yeheng emerged from the closet, got up, looked down at her, and asked softly, "Xin'er, what's wrong?"

"I'm fine." She sniffed, "I just feel uncomfortable. I can walk around in this courtyard, but you can only hide in this room."

He sighed softly, "I've previously been in a hole beneath a toilet, so this cabinet is pretty good. For me, being able to see you alive is a gift from heaven."

If it weren't for her, he would definitely have died in prison.

"King An is capable of adapting to any circumstances, and this quality is very valuable." She snuggled into his arms.

Their voices were both very hushed, so no one outside could hear them.

A ruthless light flashed in Xiao Yeheng's eye, "After returning to the capital, I will definitely kill King Jin with a thousand knives!"

Seeing that he did not mention the Empress Dowager, his adoptive mother, she did not ask further, "So, it's important to protect your life."

He raised his hand to wipe away the dirt on her face, looked at her beautiful face, and reminded her, "Xin'er, have you ever thought about it, that the people wanted by the officials are only Wan Niang and me. The woman in the portrait resembles Wan Niang, and not you. In fact, you are free to leave me and head back to the capital on your own. When you return to the capital, don't go alone. Find a caravan to join you, so that you can be safe."

She shook her head, "You have been poisoned and now have major internal injuries. You may faint at any time and need someone to take care of you. I don't want to leave, nor do I want to be separated from you."

He embraced her into his arms and said, "My beloved consort!"

"My lord, it's not like I have to go back." Yan Shuixin thought for a moment, "Let's find someone to go back to the capital and report that you are in Duanji City, so that they can send a large force to rescue you."

"The tokens I carried with me disappeared long before I entered the prison." Xiao Yeheng frowned, "It seems that I can only write a handwritten letter. Moreover, to hide the fact that someone is bringing letters for King An, the letter can only be worded in a different way."

"The Li family is illiterate. I took a quick look and found that this family has no pen and ink. I will go to the city to buy some in the morning."

He nodded, "The water is getting cold. You should hurry up and take a bath."

She stretched out her hand to untie his shirt and whispered, "Let's wash together."

Xiao Yeheng stared at her with fiery eyes, "Xin'er, don't tempt me. You know, I can't..."

If she insisted, he'd probably rather be a madman and touch her.

"What are you thinking about?" She gave him a shy look, "We're just taking a bath together and doing nothing else."

She took a few soap pods from her sleeve pocket and placed them in the bathtub. In ancient times, poor people used to squeeze honey locust juice and use it as soap. The wealthy use fragrant soap, which the Li family cannot afford with their situation.

She tore off a piece of cloth from her old prison clothes, washed it with some water, and used it as a bath cloth.

She brought a chair next to the bathtub, sat Xiao Yeheng down, and then removed his prosthetic limb. She couldn't help but feel particularly distressed when she saw that the stump of his left leg had been worn and swollen.

Xiao Yeheng looked at her loving eyes and whispered, "I don't feel any pain."

He had already suffered the pain of having his leg severed, so this minor swelling was nothing.

Yan Shuixin took off his clothes, helped him off the chair and into the tub that was mostly filled with hot water.

Xiao Yeheng soaked in the water. It had been a long time since he had taken a hot bath. He breathed a sigh of comfort.

Yan Shuixin stood outside the bathtub, poured hot water over his neck and back, placed her delicate little hands on his head and shoulders, and gently massaged him.

The water vapor was thick and mist drifted in the room.

These days, Xiao Yeheng has relied solely on perseverance to walk steep mountain roads in the forest. For ordinary people, it may not be much, but he wears a prosthetic limb on his left leg, so it's very difficult. Even though he used a wooden stick as a crutch, he has also fallen multiple times, which is really exhausting.

Soaking in the warm water, Xin'er was still massaging and soothing him. He really felt very relaxed. He opened his lips and said, "Xin'er, come in too. Otherwise, the water will get cold."

"I'll massage you for a while first." Yan Shuixin glanced at the bucket of boiling water next to her, "When it cools down, I'll just put some boiling water in it and it'll be fine."

Boiling water always cools slowly.

He urged her a few more times, but she didn't listen, so he had to leave it to her.

Xiao Yeheng considered himself lucky to have such a wife.

With her, he couldn't even protect their lives, and he felt extremely guilty. He had no idea how to compensate her?

Yan Shuixin massaged him for a while, then slowly added half of the hot water, maintaining the water temperature.

She noticed that his whole body was no longer stiff, he became much more relaxed.

She just took off her clothes and stepped into the bucket.

He turned around, put his hands on her shoulders and squeezed, "Xin'er, I will also help you relax."

"Yeah." She was soaking in comfortable hot water, feeling quite satisfied.

It's been almost half a year since she last took a bath, right?

In modern times, she rarely takes a bath and only takes showers instead. In ancient times, during these five months, there were no such conditions.

When she returns to Beijing in the future, with King A protecting her, she will probably be able to take a royal bath every day.

Those big hands massaged her body, and she felt her nerves were relaxed.

It was secretly satisfying to think that Yan Shuixin, a modern person, could actually be served by the prince.

Xiao Yeheng added some warm water in the bucket, then squeezed the honey locust juice and applied it on her body.

The two of them washed each other's hair together.

They waited until the water was completely cold before properly washing their bodies.

Yan Shuixin changed into Li Youyun's clean old clothing that she had taken from the cabinet.

Xiao Yeheng could only wear the dirty clothes from before. It was a hot day, so he stopped wearing the black outer shirt and only wore the inner shirt of the prison uniform.

Yan Shuixin knew that it was uncomfortable to wear dirty clothes after taking a shower. She couldn't get Li Youzhu's clothes for him to wear because she didn't want to expose the fact that there was a man hiding in the room where she lived.

She was thinking that when she goes to the city tomorrow morning, she must make sure to buy him two pairs of clean clothes.

The stump of his left leg was swollen, so Yan Shuixin did not let him wear the prosthesis for the time being. Instead, she hid the prosthesis under the wardrobe.

The tall wardrobe is supported on the floor by four wooden corners. The bottom is more than ten centimeters above the floor, and no one can see what's hidden there.

Just as Yan Shuixin was about to help Xiao Yeheng sit down on the bed, he hugged her body, lowered his head and kissed her tender red lips.

God knows how much he desired her when he was taking a shower just now!

He can hardly control it.

Yan Shuixin didn't respond to his kiss. He was still poisoned and could never have sex. So, she nudged him and said, "My lord, traveling in the mountains and forests these days has been too hard. Please go to bed and rest for a while."

He could only nod.

She supported him, and he walked on one leg, with the other side of his body supported by her. He walked with difficulty to the bed before sitting down.

Yan Shuixin took the bedding from the cupboard and spread it on the bed. She moved the place where he sat slightly so that the quilt and cover would not be affected.

There was also a mosquito net in the cabinet. She found the wood for the tent and leaned it against the corner.

Li Youzhu was the one who said that if the Li family had something she needed, she could use it. She isn't a bad person, and she will not steal anyone's treasure, if this family has any.

Ordinary things can always be borrowed.

There were a lot of mosquitoes on summer nights. She and Xiao Yeheng had been bitten by mosquitoes in the mountains. They didn't want to feed the mosquitoes anymore, so they put up the mosquito nets with wooden sticks.

The mosquito net is the most common rectangular one with fine threads. When the curtain is drawn, even Yan Shuixin, who is standing near the bed, wouldn't be able to see the people inside clearly.

She asked him to pull the quilt up over himself so she could have another look, but it became even more difficult to see clearly.

She didn't want Xiao Yeheng to be so wronged by hiding in the cupboard again, just under the bed tent.

She hid Xiao Yeheng's shoes and black coat before opening the door.

Li Youzhu, who was weaving bamboo baskets in the yard, heard her open the door. He thought to himself that she had been taking this bath for half an hour, but he hadn't given it any more attention.

Because his sister Li Youyun used to take baths for a long time.

Li Youzhu looked in the direction of the door and saw an extremely slim woman carrying a bucket of water. Her eyebrows were particularly beautiful and her skin was whiter than snow. He, a rough man, didn't know how to describe her. He just thought she looked like a fairy walking out of a painting.

Her face was dirty before, and he couldn't see her appearance clearly. Unexpectedly, after she washed it off, he couldn't even look away.

Yan Shuixin saw Li Youzhu staring at her stupidly, and thought to herself that it was lucky that Xiao Yeheng was lying on the bed and didn't see it, otherwise he would have been jealous.

She cast an unhappy look at him, and Li Youzhu came back to his senses. He knew that staring at people was too rude, so he came over with an apology on his face, "Miss Huang, let me pour out the water for you."

Yan Shuixin waved her hand and said, "No need, I'll do it myself." Her and Xiao Yeheng's bathwater were very dirty, and she was too embarrassed to bother him with it.

She went to the corner of the courtyard where Li Youzhu pointed to.

Li Youzhu stood outside the door and glanced into the room. He saw that the bed covered with a mosquito net seemed to have long bedding spread out, and he didn't pay much attention to it.

After all, he, a farmer, would never have imagined that a living man would be hiding in the room where a grown-up girl lived.

He seemed to have thought of something and turned around and went to the utility room.

Yan Shuixin went back and forth several times, and after pouring water, she even washed the bathtub.

On the other hand, Xiao Yeheng, while she was in the room, explained in a voice that only she could hear, "Let Li Youzhu do the rough work."

She nodded.

The sky was completely dark, there was no moonlight tonight, and it started to rain lightly.

Yan Shuixin brought a bowl of water into the room for Xiao Yeheng to drink, and just as she was about to close the door behind her.

Li Youzhu came back from the utility room, brought an oil lamp, and stood outside the door, "Miss Huang, this oil lamp is for you."

When he saw the water bowl in her hand, he just thought she wanted to drink from it.

She took it and said, "Brother Li, go to bed early. We will go to the city before dawn tomorrow morning."

He responded, turned around and went to his room.

Yan Shuixin bolted the door, held the lamp, put the oil lamp on the table and blew it out. She walked to the bed in the dark and was hugged by the man on the bed.

With the familiar embrace and familiar masculine scent, Yan Shuixin knew it was Xiao Yeheng without even looking.

He put his arms around her, pressed her down, stretched out his hand to caress her beautiful face, and called out affectionately in a low voice, "Xin'er, my Xin'er..."

She hugged his waist and sighed in her heart, 'This man really loves her so much!'

There was even a feeling that if she died, he would not be able to survive.

In the next room lived Aunt Li, who was half-deaf, and beyond that was Li Youzhu's room.

No matter what happens in this room, Aunt Li next door will not hear it. Li Youzhu was far away and couldn't hear them.

The light was dim, the quilt was warm, and the night was exceptionally quiet. His and her breathing could be heard clearly.

The two of them finally took a bath and felt refreshed again. At this time, it is really suitable to do something enjoyable.

Xiao Yeheng's kisses fell like raindrops on her eyebrows, her straight nose, her tender lips, her smooth neck...

After a long while, he turned over and lay beside her, unable to go any further.

He was afraid of becoming one of those depraved inmates in prison, who didn't even have self-awareness, but were only bloodthirsty enough to kill people crazily.

At this moment, Yan Shuixin really hated Wan Niang for putting poison on the arrow.

Damn it, they can only chat while covering themselves with quilts.

Poor Xiao Yeheng, after that night of entanglement with her, he couldn't have sex with her again.

So angry!

Yan Shuixin had no choice but to lie quietly in Xiao Yeheng's arms, listening to his heavy breathing slowly become steady.

"My lord, you better not kiss me again." She said softly.

Otherwise, if a fire breaks out, his reasoning will not be able to continue.

He frowned in the darkness and stroked her long black hair with his big hand, "You don't like it?"

"No." She said dullly, "I'm afraid you'll feel uncomfortable."

"I can no longer make love with you. If I can't even kiss you, I will be in even more pain." He closed his eyes in pain and soreness, his voice extremely low.

Yan Shuixin softened upon hearing this, "That's up to you. I'm just worried about your health."

"Xin'er, you're so kind." He hugged her tightly and promised himself he would never let go.

Even though he knew that a cripple like him was not worthy of this beautiful woman. However, if he loses her, he will definitely die. He has no choice.

A crude wooden bed and an old quilt.

The environment was not great, but it was the most comfortable sleep the two of them had had in months.

The two of them hugged each other under the quilt, and their hearts were likewise pressed close together.

Maybe it was because the long walks in the mountains during the last several days were too much for them, so after a time, the two of them slipped into a deep sleep together.

As dawn approached, Yan Shuixin was awakened by the crow of a rooster. When she opened her eyes, she noticed that the sky outside was dim, most likely around five o'clock in the morning.

She went to bed early last night and probably slept for ten hours.

That was a good night's sleep.

In the dimness, a single, scorching eye stared at her constantly, seemingly never getting enough. She raised her head from a warm and hard embrace and met Xiao Yeheng's scorching gaze.

Her heart felt warm. She sat up slightly and pressed a kiss on his scarred left cheek, "Good morning, husband."

"Good morning." Xiao Yeheng's eyes were full of love, and his nose deeply smelled the natural fragrance emanating from her skin. He always felt that she was fragrant and delicious, "Xin'er, did you sleep well last night?"

"Yes." She asked, "What about you?"

"It was probably the most peaceful night of sleep I've had in a long time." He looked very good, and the fatigue and sleepiness of the past few days were gone.

Yan Shuixin felt something poking her. She feared that the fire would start again and it would never be extinguished, so she quickly got out of bed, "Husband, I have to go to the city. You should take good care of yourself. Although the government officials and the gang of black-clad thugs don't know you are here, you still have to be careful."

"You should also pay attention to your safety." Xiao Yeheng stared at her worriedly, "Remember, your safety is more important than my life."

His unabashed love overwhelmed Yan Shuixin's calm heart with emotion, "Okay, we both have to be safe."

At this time, the sound of footsteps came from the kitchen, and the two of them immediately fell silent.

Soon, there was a knock on the door, and Li Youzhu's voice came, "Miss Huang, are you awake?"

Yan Shuixin put on her clothes, drew down the bed curtain, and then went to open the door, "Brother Li, you got up so early."

"I'm really sorry for disturbing you so early in the morning." Li Youzhu said, "It takes half an hour to go to Duanji City by bullock cart, and if you walk, it will take an hour or two. I want to go to the city early to buy medicine for my mother, and come back early. Her injuries have been delayed for too long."

"Brother Li is filial." She praised him sincerely.

The sky is gray and foggy in the east, with only the white color of the fish belly exposed. It is early in the morning, and the light is still a bit dark.

Li Youzhu stood at the door of the room. He saw the mosquito net draped over the bed, but he couldn't see anyone inside. He just said, "Miss Huang, I've already made breakfast. I've cooked some porridge with pickles. Let's eat a few bites quickly and then go out."

She nodded and followed him into the kitchen. She noticed he had prepared water for her to wash her face, she said sheepishly, "Brother Li, don't be so polite."

"I just wanted to save time." Even so, he wanted to do something for her, but he didn't want her to refuse.

Yan Shuixin didn't say much either. After calculating the time, she seemed worried and asked, "Brother Li, when we go to the city, we won't be able to get back until evening at the earliest, right? What will Auntie eat for lunch?"

Li Youzhu said, "There are six steamed buns in the utility room. They were made by our neighbor Goudan's mother yesterday and brought to us. Goudan's father goes to work in the town and only comes back once every ten days. So, when he's not here, I sometimes help his family cut firewood and so on. They will also give me some small gifts in return. I'll bring two steamed buns to my mother for lunch."

After hearing this, Yan Shuixin did not forget Xiao Yeheng's share, "Then can I have two of them too?"

"Of course." Li Youzhu went to the utility room, brought six steamed buns, and gave four to Yan Shuixin, "My mother only eats two, and I'll give the rest to you. If it's not enough, we can buy some in town later."

She thanked him, and while he was delivering breakfast to Aunt Li, she brought four steamed buns and two bowls of porridge into Xiao Yeheng's room.

In this way, Xiao Yeheng could handle it even if he drank two bowls of porridge in the morning and four steamed buns for lunch.

She also put away yesterday's water bowl and rice bowl, washed them, and returned them to the cupboard before Li Youzhu came back.

This reminded her that she needs to buy some flour and prepare some pancakes or something. If she needs to go out again, King An won't have to be hungry while he's hiding.

Yan Shuixin ate her breakfast quickly, went back to her room, and wrapped an old scarf around her head and neck, covering her head and face. She gazed in the dressing table's bronze mirror and saw she looked like an ordinary village girl clothed in shabby clothes.

Xiao Yeheng lifted the bed curtain and waved to her silently. He no longer wears prosthetic limb or crutches now, and he doesn't want to use his lightness skills casually to avoid aggravating his injuries.

It was too ugly to jump in front of her on one foot. He can only let her come over.

When Yan Shuixin arrived at the bed, he sat up straight, hugged her fiercely, and held her tightly. Yan Shuixin kept looking at the open door of the room, fearing that Li Youzhu in the yard would see it.

"Husband, I will be back soon," she said to soothe the man who held her in his arms and refused to let go. Making it appear to be a moment of separation in life and death.

His deep single eye was filled with deep reluctance, "I'll go too."

"No." She lowered her voice. If he goes out, he'll be too noticeable, so it's best if he recovers quietly in someone else's home for his own safety.

"Miss Huang, I'm ready, can we go now?" Li Youzhu called from outside the courtyard

"I'm coming!" She responded, leaned over, and kissed Xiao Yeheng deeply on the lips, "I'll leave early and come back early."

He sucked her lips hard again before reluctantly letting go, "I'll be waiting for you here."

Li Youzhu saw that 'Huang Yueniang' was struggling to get a scarf and still didn't come out, so he walked towards her room.

Before he reached the door of the room, Yan Shuixin quickly went out and locked the door, "Let's go." If something really happened, Xiao Yeheng could leave the room through the back window.

Li Youzhu had no suspicions, because his sister Youyun also used to take her time before going out.

He walked slowly with her towards the outside of the courtyard.

When Yan Shuixin passed by the yard, she took a bamboo basket placed next to the firewood pile. It was empty and could hold a lot of things. "I want to buy some things."

Li Youzhu took the initiative to hold the basket, "I'll do it."

She didn't compete with him either.

Li Youzhu said goodbye to his mother, and then he went out with 'Yueniang'.

Xiao Yeheng stood firmly with his right foot, while looking at the two of them leaving through the bedroom window. Although he knew she wouldn't look at other men, he still felt a sense of sadness in his heart.

He lowered his head and glanced at his missing left leg, hating his inability to move.

He raised his left hand and touched his scarred left cheek, hating the ugly left cheek. He even hated his left eye that looks real but is actually fake.

He stared intently at the closed courtyard door, his sharp gaze seeming to be able to look through the courtyard door to see Yan Shuixin's leaving figure.

His heart felt sore.

Xiao Yeheng's heart seemed to be missing a piece, and he murmured in a low and sour voice, "Xin'er, when will you come back? Why did you just go out, but it seems like I have been separated from you for so long?"

He's become accustomed to being inseparable from her, to her company.

This feeling made him extremely attached and madly in love. He couldn't bear the pain of being separated from her for a moment.

...

The Li family is at the east end of the village, so there is no need to pass by the other cottages where villagers live when going to Duanji City.

This is also the reason why Yan Shuixin chose to stay at his house temporarily.

After leaving the door, there are two roads around the corner. One is a large road that can accommodate carriages, and the other is a winding small road that can only be walked by people.

Li Youzhu stood at the fork in the road and pointed to a ginkgo tree beside the road. "Old Man Ye will wait with his ox cart there for a while, leaving in the morning and returning home in the evening. People in the village can take an ox cart to and from the city, which costs four copper coins per trip. The main road doesn't go over the mountain, but rather follows its base and takes a slight detour a bit farther away."

He glanced at another small road and said, "This road to Duanji City requires climbing two mountains and walking on a very long trail. It is closer than the main road, but we can only walk on two legs."

Li Youzhu looked at 'Huang Yueniang' apologetically, "Miss Huang, there will be trouble if you let the villagers discover your identity. I'm afraid it will be inconvenient to travel by ox cart."

"It's okay, let's walk." She didn't care at all and took the lead on the small road.

It was getting brighter, and all around them was farmland full of crops. It was only summer, not autumn harvest, so there was no one in the fields.

The road does not fork, and Yan Shuixin walked in front, not afraid of going the wrong way.

Li Youzhu followed behind with a bamboo basket on his back. Looking at her graceful back, he couldn't help but feel admiration in his heart when he thought of her beautiful face.

After walking for a while, they reached the fork in the mountain. A woodcutter in his forties was carrying a load of firewood down the mountain and happened to bump into the two of them. He saw that Yan Shuixin was wearing Li Youyun's clothes and had a scarf wrapped around her head and face, he greeted them and said, "Youyun is back. It's so early, are you going to the city to buy goods?"

Yan Shuixin immediately realized that the other party had recognized the wrong person and only nodded slightly.

Li Youzhu said, "Uncle Ye Shi, my mother broke her leg, so my sister Youyun came back to see us. We're going to the city to buy medicine for my mother." In fact, it had been more than ten days since he had brought a letter to Youyun's husband's family. But, his sister hasn't come back. His brother-in-law dragged him along and said he shouldn't try to borrow money. In a fit of anger, he stopped interacting with his brother-in-law.

The woodcutter, known as Ye Shi, urged the two of them to go quickly, then walked away carrying firewood.

Li Youzhu took 'Huang Yueniang' over two mountains and wanted to take a rest. He was a rough guy, and this journey was nothing for him, but she, a girl, might not be able to bear it.

Yan Shuixin didn't rest either. From the moment she entered the prison to now, she has experienced hellish hardships, and she has become a hard-working person. This mountain road is really nothing.

Besides, she couldn't help but worry about Xiao Yeheng, who was still at someone else's house, so she had to go and come back quickly.

Their pace was fast, so Yan Shuixin estimated that in an hour and a half, she would arrive outside the gate of Duanji City.

It was probably seven o'clock in the morning, and people of all kinds who wanted to go into the city to sell or buy goods lined up and entered the city in an orderly manner.

The city gate guards checked people entering the city from time to time. When they saw a middle-aged man walking with a slight limp, they immediately shouted loudly, "You, come out!"

"Master, what's going on?" The man nervously moved out of the queue and stood aside with a look of fear on his face.

The guard picked up a male portrait and compared it, then waved his hand and said, "Let's go."

That man just walked into the city with a frightened expression on his face.

The guard pointed at a young woman with a white veil over her face and said, "Come here, take off the veil."

The woman took the initiative to walk over, took off her veil, revealing a pockmarked face with large yellow buck teeth. She took the initiative to wink and said, "Have you fallen in love with this slave? Don't tell me to just come over here, I can even go back with you."

The guard got goosebumps all over because of this extremely ugly woman, and pushed her away, "Go away!"

On the way, Yan Shuixin applied some mud and water mixed with loess to her face, and spread it evenly. Although her face didn't look dirty, it turned yellow.

Coupled with the fact that she was dressed in a village girl's old clothes, she didn't attract any attention at all.

They specifically pick out men with leg and face abnormalities, as well as women who look slightly like Wan Niang. It's obvious who they want to arrest.

Yan Shuixin and Li Youzhu followed the team into the city, but like most people, no one was called out to be searched, thus they were lucky.

People are coming and going on the streets of Douji City, there are numerous shops, most of the buildings are two or three stories high, and there are constant shouts from various vendors.

From time to time, some tall men and women with deep facial features passed through the streets.

Yan Shuixin remembered that the original book had mentioned that this area is close to the border, and many foreign tribes from outside the border will travel to Jicheng for business.

That's probably it.

"Miss Huang, I know of a pharmacy in the east of the city with reasonable prices. Let's go there to buy medicine." Li Youzhu suggested.

She nodded and followed.

After a while, the two came to the door of a medicine shop called Tongshengtang. One hundred meters ahead was the East City Gate.

The east city gate was closed tightly, and people of all colors gathered in front of it, clamoring to leave the city. The officers and soldiers gave stern orders not to let anyone out.

Yan Shuixin and Li Youzhu walked into Tongshengtang Pharmacy.

A middle-aged male shopkeeper stood at the counter of the medicine store. Behind him was a wall cabinet the same height as the wall, all of which were loaded with drawers of the same size, and were obviously filled with medicine.

When the shopkeeper saw that the two of them were wearing coarse linen clothes with patches on their clothes, he didn't bother looking at them any more and simply said, "What do you want to buy?"

Li Youzhu looked at 'Huang Yueniang', and she opened her mouth to report the medicinal materials needed for Aunt Li's leg injury, "Panax notoginseng, frankincense, Chuanqiong... Do you have all these medicinal materials?"

"Our store has a complete range of medicines. All the medicines you mentioned are for treating bruises, activating blood circulation and reducing swelling. All of which are available"

Yan Shuixin found several medical books in the prison's medical supervision room, most of which were about medical practice. One of them had various medicinal materials drawn on it. As a result, she learned that the names of medicines in this era were not entirely the same as those in modern times. She had a basic understanding of which modern Chinese medicines are relevant to this era.

As for getting a more comprehensive understanding, it is better to wait until Xiao Yeheng has money to buy medical books after returning to Beijing.

Now she's too poor to spend a single penny indiscriminately.

She needs to prepare the medicine that could treat Xiao Yeheng's internal injuries. More importantly, she still has to get medicine that can suppress the poison he's been exposed to.

Yan Shuixin intended to buy it in four parts, with the first quarter purchased here.

Aunt Li's medicine was bought all at once.

When paying the bill, the shopkeeper packed medicines into one large package and one small package.

"How much?" Li Youzhu asked.

The shopkeeper quickly adjusted the abacus, added the total weight of various medicines, and said, "One tael and a half silver."

Li Youzhu's family had a total of four hundred cents, as well as ten cents given by the person in black to buy cucumber and corn. He brought all the money out with him, but he was still short of ninety cents. He was just about to shamelessly ask if it could be cheaper, but he knew that there was no bargaining when buying medicine.

Yan Shuixin took out an ingot of five taels of silver and handed it over, "When you make the change, please divide the money up a little bit."

"Okay." The shopkeeper gave her three taels of silver and five strings of copper coins tied in a circle with red rope.

Yan Shuixin knew that one tael of silver was equivalent to a thousand copper coins. After receiving three ingots and one tael of silver, she counted the copper coins one by one.

She's too poor to be shortchanged by others. Regardless of whether other people think she is stingy or not, keeping record of her money and belongings is the best foundation.

"Little girl, the two packs of medicine you bought are not for the same use." The shopkeeper kindly pointed to the big pack, "That one is for external use for bruises on broken legs, and the other pack is for internal use."

"I know." She nodded and said deliberately, "What are the prices of the two packages of medicine?"

"One tael of silver for the big package and four hundred coins for the small package."

She also bought a pestle for pounding medicine and a roll of bandages, which cost a hundred cents. She put everything into Li Youzhu's basket and asked casually, "Shopkeeper, what happened at the East Gate? So many people have gathered there."

The shopkeeper sighed, "Since two gangsters, a man and a woman, appeared a few days ago, the East City Gate has immediately started to strictly check out the people in East City one by one. Yesterday, the city was suddenly closed down, and many people who do business inside and outside the city cannot enter or leave. Those that sell food are the ones who lose the most money. It's really a sin."

She pretended to be curious, "Why are the east gates closed?"

"Most people are unaware, but those of us who work in pharmacies are well-informed." The shopkeeper said mysteriously, "According to my brother-in-law who works in the Yamen, the East Gate is the only way to leave here and go to the capital. The higher-ups estimated that the two thieves would flee towards the capital, so they sealed the East Gate. It has been so many days, maybe they have escaped long ago."

"I see, thank you, shopkeeper." She pretended to be stunned by the information.

She also thought about buying pen and ink so that Xiao Yeheng could write a letter. After that they could pay someone to deliver it to the capital, and then wait for rescue in Duanji City.

But now, even others can't go. Money on pen and ink is also saved.

However, it's June now. The east city gate won't be sealed for long. The ancients paid special attention to imperial examination. September is the beginning of autumn and the time for examination. This place is far away from the capital.

It may be thousands of miles away, but some poor people have to walk all the way.

No matter how arrogant the county magistrate here is, he would not dare to delay the local imperial examination. He would still have to open the east gate obediently.

When the two of them left the medicine store, Li Youzhu asked worriedly, "Miss Huang, are you injured?" Otherwise, there is no need to buy additional medicine.

She nodded slightly. In fact, she was fine. Xiao Yeheng's medicine could be regarded as hers, simply because his injuries had caused her heart to hurt.

"Brother Li, you are in a hurry to treat your mother's leg injury. Why don't you go back first?" She didn't forget that he got up before dawn because he was worried about his mother.

"What about you?"

"I'm going to buy some more stuff."

"I'll go with you." Li Youzhu didn't feel at ease at all.

"I can just go by myself. I may be gone for a long time, and Aunt Li's treatment can't be delayed. Don't move my packet of medicine, and just take Auntie's medicine back. There are ten small packets of medicine in it. You can take one packet, mash it up and apply it on the injured area of your mother's leg." She explained.

Li Youzhu hesitated, "But how are you going to go home?"

Yan Shuixin wouldn't let him follow, so Li Youzhu could only forcefully give her one or two silver coins of the money he had left. He was still worried about his mother's injury, so he turned back and walked away.

Yan Shuixin went to three more pharmacies and spent five taels of silver in three installments to purchase the remaining medicine.

She didn't dare to buy them all at once in a drugstore, because she feared that the medicinal materials she buys will attract attention.

After all, the poison of Qihuan Powder was originally given to Xia Chuxue by King Jin. What she wants to buy is medicine to suppress this poison. If she buys everything at once, she will be in big trouble if she is discovered. She also deliberately bought one or two more cheap medicinal materials to confuse the outsiders.

Unfortunately, the medicine to suppress the poison was still short of seven-star grass. This medicine grows on cliffs in extremely cold places and is not easy to find.

It's not that it's out of stock, there is a drug store that has it in the back warehouse, but the medicine is so expensive that it costs one hundred and fifty taels of silver per plant.

Yan Shuixin collected four ingots, five taels of silver and ten copper coins from the black-clothed corpses. But now, she already spent a total of thirteen taels and more than 350 copper coins. Where can she get the one hundred and fifty taels from?

While buying medicine, she borrowed the hut and went into the backyard of that pharmacy to check.

She originally wanted to steal the medicine. There were four clerks guarding the door of the medicine warehouse, and it was not that she couldn't knock those people out, but she overheard one of the workers say that they must keep an eye on the medicine warehouse, otherwise if the medicine is lost, the boss will make them pay for it. None of the workers can afford to pay.

Yan Shuixin was not a holy mother, so she had no choice but to steal it for Xiao Yeheng's sake.

However, it seemed troublesome to knock four people unconscious. She tried to find another way.

Since ancient times, there has been a place where there is a lot of money.

Yan Shuixin had just spent a tael of silver on medicinal powder when she overheard passers-by discussing the many brothels that had opened on Willow Street, and the number one prostitute girl in Yihongyuan was called a national beauty and heavenly fragrance.

She asked passers-by about the location of Willow Street, walked around, and then quietly climbed over the wall from the back alley and sneaked into Yihongyuan Courtyard.

It was broad daylight, the backyard was full of colorful flowers and green willows, the environment was good, and there were six guard yawning in front of a room.

The three-story building in front has an elegant shape. It is probably the main building of the brothel. You can guess from the appearance that it is well decorated inside.

There were many girls' clothes and embroidered handkerchiefs hanging out in the yard.

Yan Shuixin was not in the mood to stroll around the main building. She just felt that since there were six people guarding one of the rooms in the backyard, and then there was probably a large amount of treasures inside.

She used a big tree next to the house and quietly climbed to the roof. She lay on the edge of the roof, and while there was no wind, she sprinkled the medicinal powder from the roof above the heads of the six guards.

She waited until all six people had passed out.

She immediately jumped from the roof and climbed to a nearby tree, then slid down to the ground. After gaining a meager internal power, climbing something requires half effort and preparation. The level of jumping is also much higher than that of ordinary people.

Gently pushing the door open and entering the room, Yan Shuixin noticed that the room was very luxuriously decorated. Several tall vases were placed in the corners. The wooden tables, chairs and furniture looked very valuable at first glance.

She looked around and saw a good-looking middle-aged woman lying on the bed who was sleeping after taking off her makeup.

Looking at the bright red and black clothes hanging on the wooden coat rack. There was no need to guess, this woman is the madam of this brothel. (aka a Pimp 👀)

Yan Shuixin flicked some medicinal powder into the woman's nasal cavity to make her sleep deeper.

She began to rummage around the room quickly and found a lot of valuable jewelry in the cabinet. She opened a drawer, which contained gold ingots, silver coins, banknotes, pearls, jade... all of which add up to a messy drawer.

It appears that this brothel made money yesterday and hasn't had time to count it yet.

Why does she have the impression that even if she takes away a small part, the madam may not find out?

Yan Shuixin didn't want to make the matter a big deal, so she quickly took a few banknotes, ingots of gold, and silver coins.

She hid them separately in her sleeve pockets and in her arms.

The effect of the medicine was not severe, and the guards and the Madam would soon wake up. Without any delay, she immediately climbed out the window and left.

Almost at the same time, the door of the madam's bedroom was forcefully pushed open, and a guard exclaimed, "Qin Mama, it's not good! Please check if you've lost any belongings!"

Yan Shuixin, who had run away, jumped over the wall and back onto the road she came from.

It was broad daylight, the brothel was a nightlife, and most of the people were sleeping, so their vigilance was low, and they certainly didn't expect the thieves to come during the day.

Even if the other party runs a brothel and the money comes quickly, Yan Shuixin doesn't really want to steal it. At worst, she would let Xiao Yeheng return the money to others in the future?

Yan Shuixin couldn't help but sigh in her heart: Xiao Yeheng, because of you, I, a highly educated medical talent from modern times, have turned into a real bandit.

She emerged from the back alley and proceeded to a dumpling shop diagonally opposite Yihongyuan's main entrance on Willow Street.

It could be because this street is full of brothels, hence there are many shops where young women can afford to spend money.

There are many stalls selling candied haws, rouge, gouache, and snacks.

Although brothels are not open during the day, the stalls require monthly rent, so all the vendors still operate their stalls.

There is an endless stream of pedestrians coming and going on the road.

Yan Shuixin chose a seat at the table and chair set up next to the dumpling stall and ordered a bowl of pork dumplings.

The vendor was a young man in his twenties, with average appearance and dark skin. He glanced at the patches on Yan Shuixin's body and reminded her loudly, "Girl, it's twenty cents for a bowl."

Yan Shuixin smiled, "Brother, do you think I'm someone who can't afford food?"

The young vendor smiled apologetically, "I worry too much. Businessmen can't live without customers. I am a small business owner, and I have no intention of looking down on others. However, these dumplings are usually only ten cents per bowl. Normally, vegetables and grains are sent to the capital, and most of them are shipped from Yuecheng in Dingzhou. Yesterday, the county magistrate ordered the east gate to be closed to catch the gangsters, so the grains and supplies shipped from Dingzhou could not enter the city. Other things are not urgent, so the price has not been increased yet, but food is the first to bear the brunt. I went shopping today and found that flour and pork has increased in price, as a result, the price of the dumplings I make had to rise accordingly."

Yan Shuixin just bought some medicine previously, but nothing else. She didn't expect that food prices would rise so fast. "In this case, those of us with ordinary backgrounds and surnames will only suffer more. Just bring me the dumplings. I'll eat a bowl given that you've patiently explained the matter to me."

"Alright!" Said the young vendor as he cooked dumplings from the pot. "Customers from Yihong Courtyard across the street are coming like clouds. Madam Qin Xiu, the old madam, makes money quickly. I heard that yesterday, the top lady in the brothel received a customer for the first time, which earned three hundred taels of silver. With so many girls helping her make money, as well as money for drinks, the madam's daily income shouldn't be less than seven or eight hundred taels of silver in one day."

Yan Shuixin didn't mention the income of Yihong Courtyard should have been doubled this time. She saw the money in Qin Xiu's drawer with her own eyes. Suddenly she felt that this society was very real, and it didn't feel like she was walking through a book at all. It was like she had arrived in another unknown dynasty in history. In the novels that she had read before, It was not uncommon for brothel singers to earn a thousand or ten thousand taels of gold or whatever in a single night.

According to this young man, Yihong Courtyard is already the largest, best, and most expensive brothel in several neighboring cities. On the first night, when three hundred taels of silver bought the first-class lady, the price was almost astronomical.

She wants to inquire more about prices, wages, and other expenses in order to better integrate into ancient society. "Brother, how much do you earn in a month by setting up a stall?"

"I'm lucky and have some connections. I own a good stall and can make a net profit of five or six taels a month. Occasionally, the girls from Yihong Courtyard will give a few rewards, and I can make about nine to ten taels a month." He said with a bit of pride on his face, "Other vendors can only make two taels a month."

"What about the wages for other jobs?"

"A cousin of mine is helping the Liu family carry heavy goods, and he only earns one and a half taels a month. The maids who have signed a contract to sell themselves to Liu family does not get a regular salary, and their life and death are determined by the master. Those who work as an ordinary maid and servant have a monthly salary of six or seven hundred copper coins, and one or two taels for a high-level servants. The same is true for other wealthy families. Why are you asking about this?" The young vendor looked at her clothes with several patches and asked, "Are you looking for a job?"

Yan Shuixin smiled lightly. Although her face was dirty, her eyes were as bright as the sun in the sky. The young vendor was stunned for a moment. Why does he feel that the most beautiful brothel girl in Yihong Courtyard is not as good-looking as her?

At this moment, a middle-aged woman dressed in bright red embroidered attire and a group of thugs stormed out of the gate of the Yihong Courtyard.

The young vendor pointed and whispered to Yan Shuixin, "That's Aunt Qin Xiu from Yihong Courtyard."

Of course, Yan Shuixin recognized her. She had just stolen the other party's banknotes and gold and silver, which totaled four hundred and eighty taels. How could she not recognize her?

If you just take a few dozen taels, the other party may not be able to notice that the money is missing. But after taking so much, it would be strange if they didn't realize.

She is not afraid of these people either.

No one would have thought that she, who looked inconspicuous and had no military value, was the thief and even dared to eat dumplings in front of them.

The guards in the brothel, are not government officials and have no right to search civilians.

Qin Xiu went out in a hurry and didn't even have time to apply makeup. She walked a few steps and then stopped.

"Mammy?" A thug almost bumped into her. About four hundred taels of silver were stolen from the boss. The entire Yihongyuan was searched, but no suspicious person was found. They were planning to report it to the official.

Qin Xiu walked back with a serious look on her face.

"Aren't you going to report to the official?" Another thug couldn't understand what the boss meant.

Qin Xiu was so angry that she had two more wrinkles. "Let's just pretend that the theft didn't happen today, and no one is allowed to talk too much about it. I'll hire some more guards with good martial arts skills later. What happened today will never happen again!"

"Yes!"

Qin Xiu led a group of people back to Yihongyuan in a hurry.

Of course, Yan Shuixin knew why Qin Xiu didn't report to the official. It was because the county magistrate here was very corrupt. Once she reported to the official, Yihongyuan's daily income would be exposed. After all, the money she stole was just around one-third of the other party's daily income. Then deduct one-third of the cost of drinks, and the net profit of this brothel will be more than 500 taels a day.

This is a very enviable profit at the moment. Five hundred taels of silver is probably something many people will never be able to earn in their lifetime.

By then, I'm afraid that the money given to the county magistrate by bribing will be much more than the 480 taels stolen.

Qin Xiu weighed the pros and cons, and in the end, she could only bottle up her anger and swallow it in her stomach.

Yan Shuixin silently ate the dumplings, which tasted good.

The young man at the stall felt his heart skip a beat when he saw her eating movements were particularly graceful. Although her face was dirty, it was difficult to conceal the beautiful features. Thinking of his unanswered question, he hurriedly said, "Girl, if you want to find a job, why don't you help me keep an eye on the stall? How about I give you one or two silver a month?" If she could work for him, then there is definitely a chance to marry her as a wife. The premise is that she is not married yet.

"Thank you for your kindness." Yan Shuixin drank up the dumpling soup, put down the bowl, and said casually, "I have to go home and help my parents farm."

When Qin Xiu stepped into the brothel gate, she suddenly turned back and walked over to Yan Shuixin, squinting her eyes and looking at her, "The girl looks very well, where are you from and what are you doing here?"

Yan Shuixin just wanted to see if without Qin Xiu's large fortune, would the other party suppress the theft as she had expected, so she sat here to eat.

There was no way that someone could suspect that she was a thief. Otherwise, someone would have caught her long ago. "I'm from Yejia Village, and I'm just eating dumplings."

She took out a bunch of copper coins from her sleeve pocket, counted twenty of them one by one and placed them on the table.

Qin Xiu has sharp eyes and can always dig out a diamond in the rough. This girl's clothes are shabby and her face is dirty. Once washed clean, she is definitely a beautiful girl. "What's so delicious about these dumplings? Why don't you come in with me and sit down? I'll have the chef make you delicious delicacies. In the future, there will be countless wealth." She pointed to the door of the Yihong Courtyard.

The more she looks at her, the more satisfied she becomes. If this girl is sold, she can definitely help her make a lot of money.

The young guy who set up the stall was very smart. How could he not understand Qin Xiu's intention? While collecting the coins, bowls and chopsticks, he reminded Yan Shuixin, "Sister, didn't you say that your two elder brothers are waiting for you in front? Go quickly."

Qin Xiu was clearly abducting a young girl from a good family, so it was inconvenient for him to go against her, so this was the only way he could help.

As smart as Yan Shuixin was, she also heard what Qin Xiu meant from her words. This old woman actually wanted to trick her into selling her?

How despicable!

Yan Shuixin didn't have two brothers waiting for her. The kind-hearted stall owner told her to escape Qin Xiu's deception. She pretended to be afraid as she looked at Qin Xiu and said, "I know Yihongyuan is not a good place, so I won't go." She left in a hurry.

"It's a pity that she doesn't want to." Qin Xiu looked regretfully at her back as she ran away, "Looking at her shabby clothes, I just wanted to show her a way to make money quickly."

Yan Shuixin ran away and after hearing the other person's words, she ran even faster. 'Borrowing' from someone a sum of money without asking, made her feel guilty.

She had inquired about Qin Xiu's character in the surrounding area.

In this era, this madam cannot be considered a bad person. She will not force a decent woman into prostitution, but she will use some tricks to those who are sold into a brothel by her family.

She didn't care that the other party wanted to deceive her. In the future, she will ask Xiao Yeheng to repay the money.

Because after returning to Beijing, she, the concubine daughter of the Shangshu Mansion, had no money, but he did.

Looking up at the sky. The sun was scorching hot. It was probably around two o'clock in the afternoon.

Now that she had money, she went to buy two new ready-made clothes of ordinary material for herself and Xiao Yeheng, as well as a pair of shoes each.

She also picked a few boxes of rouge and water powder. Her appearance is really beautiful, and she doesn't like to keep smearing mud on her face. So, she should make it look ugly to avoid being too conspicuous.

She also bought a new set of clothes for Li Cui, and went to the market to buy fifty kilograms of rice, ten kilograms of flour, and three kilograms of pork.

The price of food has doubled compared to usual, and the rest has not increased, so Yan Shuixin still saves money and chooses the cheaper and more usable items.

Fortunately, she bought a sheepskin map in a bookstore.

According to the markings on the map, the distance between Duanji City and the capital is over 1300 kilometers, as she estimated.

If you go to the capital, you will have to spend a lot of money on food and accommodation on the way.

In the evening, Yan Shuixin went to pick up several packets of medicine that had been temporarily stored at a pharmacy, and even bought 150 taels of seven-star grass. Then she gathered all the things she needed temporarily and headed to Yejia Village.

The west city gate ahead was closing. Yan Shuixin ran over with a burden on her back and two cloth bags in her hands, shouting, "Wait a minute, I want to leave the city!"

"I have received a notice from the county magistrate that the entire city will be closed every evening from today onwards, and no one is allowed to enter or exit. The time has arrived!" A government official impatiently waved her away. "Get out of here, if you block the official's execution of official duties, be careful or you will be arrested as a thief!"

Yan Shuixin felt that she was a good citizen, "Master, I come from Yejia Village. I went to the city to buy rice this morning, since there's nothing to eat at home. My mother is also sick, so please let me go out. Otherwise, my whole family will go hungry."

As she spoke, she wisely took out a bunch of coins and stuffed them into his hand.

The other party weighed the money and saw that it was as much as a hundred copper coins, which was enough to make up for several days' wages. He waved his hand impatiently and said, "Hurry up!"

She quickly ran out carrying the bag.

There were several people behind who were crying and begging, but the official was unmoved.

Yan Shuixin felt that money really could make the world go round. The local county magistrate is greedy, and his servants are also unclean.

The west city gate was closed. Some people lived outside the city and could not go home. Through the thick city gate, the cries of the people trapped inside could be heard.

Yan Shuixin felt that it was very close call, but fortunately she came out. Otherwise, what would Xiao Yeheng do without her delivering meals and bringing medicine back?

It's hard for her to take care of her husband now, and she has no extra sympathy to give to others.

Watching the sunset all over the sky, the glow was immense, and the evening sky was beautiful.

Yan Shuixin was carrying something weighing more than sixty kilograms, but she was worried.

It takes one and a half to two hours to walk the mountain road to reach Yejia Village. Moreover, she has been wandering in the city almost all day today and has to carry such heavy things. She will definitely be exhausted to death.

At first there were some people walking on the road outside the city, but as she walked onto the path that branched back to Yejia Village, she saw no one at all.

After walking for a while with a heavy load, she was exhausted.

She couldn't walk anymore and sat alone under a big tree to rest.

As the sky darkened and the road beneath her couldn't be seen clearly, Yan Shuixin suddenly regretted not buying a lantern.

If you go back in the dark, you might end up tumbling.

Moreover, the cries of several unknown birds in the mountain forest made people feel terrified at night. Yan Shuixin looked around the path along the foot of the mountain and saw that the trees on the roadside were just black shadows in the dark, standing like ghosts. It was so scary!

Even after walking the mountain road for several days after leaving the prison and spending the night in the deep mountains and old forests, she was not afraid. That was because Xiao Yeheng was by her side, and she felt strangely at peace.

Now she was alone, and she was very scared. Especially when she passed a lonely grave on the roadside, with blue and white phosphorus fire dancing on the grave. She vaguely saw a ghost floating on the grave, and her face turned pale.

There are two mountains to climb to get to Yejia Village, and she must go down the mountain for quite some time to get there, which is still rather far away.

It would be much quicker for her to return to the city. If you can't enter the city, you can stay in an inn outside the city.

Thinking of Xiao Yeheng's explanation in the morning, asking her to leave early and come back early, he might still be waited for her.

After closing her eyes, Yan Shuixin boldly continued walking towards Yejia Village. Passing by the grave, she found that what was floating on the grave was not a ghost, but a few long white papers tied to wooden sticks.

After turning a corner and walking forward for less than ten meters, Yan Shuixin saw a tall black shadow standing thirty meters ahead.

It's hard to see clearly in the darkness, but it's definitely a human figure.

A dark shadow suddenly appeared on the eerie deserted mountain road. Could it be that she was really seeing a ghost this time? The cold air blew away her last ounce of courage.

Her scalp was numb, and she was just thinking about running away when a deep, sweet, but longing male voice called out hoarsely, "Xin'er!"

It was Xiao Yeheng!

On such a dark night, on such a difficult mountain road, and his left stump was still swollen from wearing a prosthetic limb. How dare he come so far to pick her up!

It's so touching.

Yan Shuixin burst into tears in an instant and ran towards Xiao Yeheng.

He also took a few steps forward and hugged her tightly, as if he had found a lost treasure. He felt relieved and murmured with satisfaction, "Xin'er, my Xin'er..."

Yan Shuixin leaned in Xiao Yeheng's arms and asked distressedly, "Why are you here? You are still seriously injured."

"I'm fine." He lowered his head and stared at her intently, "Li Youzhu returned at noon, but you didn't come back. I was restless and worried, so I came out to look for you. Some villagers happened to be walking towards Duanji City, and I followed them quietly, so I wouldn't go the wrong way."

With his pace, starting from Li Youzhu's house at noon, it takes two hours to reach the west gate of the city. It is now seven or eight o'clock in the evening. Her delicate eyebrows were almost wrinkled with distress, "So, you've been waiting for me for almost two hours."

He nodded, "I was waiting at the fork in the road from the west of the city. But there were men in black searching in front, so I had to find a place to hide and wait for you. I didn't want to go far," he pointed to the bushes next to him, "I just waited here."

She raised her hand to detect his pulse with three fingers, she felt extremely distressed and said, "You said you were fine, but your internal injuries has worsened. And..."

The poison in him has spread throughout his body, and she is afraid that...

A faint mist came over her eyes. Xiao Yeheng thought she felt sorry for his injury, so he smiled nonchalantly and said, "If you're fine, then I will not die." He started to take the baggage on her back and picked up the two cloth bags in her hands, "I'll carry them."

Yan Shuixin, who was carrying a heavy mental load, suddenly became light-hearted. She tried her best to control her inner emotions and pretended to be relaxed, "How about I carry some too?"

He refused, so she had no choice but to go empty-handed. She thought that he must not have had dinner, so she quickly took out an oil paper bag from her sleeve pocket and opened it. Inside were two cold pork buns, "Your Highness, these are the snacks I brought for you. Eat them quickly."

Yan Shuixin held the bun to his mouth, he took a bite and asked, "What about you?"

"I've eaten." She stroked her slightly bulging belly, "I had a bowl of egg fried rice for dinner in Duanji City." This was true, "I'm not hungry at all now."

Xiao Yeheng freed up a hand and stroked her abdomen. She had indeed eaten. But he, after eating four steamed buns at noon, had not yet eaten. He was really hungry, so he wolfed down the bun in her hand in a few big mouthfuls.

She took out a packet of rice cakes wrapped in oil paper from her other sleeve pocket and shared them with him.

In fact, she saw a lot of snacks today and wanted to buy some of them. But she didn't dare to spend money recklessly, so she didn't buy more.

They two of them made their way together to Yejia Village.

There was a bright moon in the sky tonight, the moonlight soaked the land, everything was silent, and the shadows of the two people walking side by side stretched long on the mountain road.

With him by her side, Yan Shuixin is no longer afraid of the dark at night.

Xiao Yeheng had always been afraid that something would happen to her, and when he was with her, his suspended heart fell to the ground.

In ancient rural areas, there was no nightlife. The villagers slept early and stopped roaming around. After two or three hours, Yan Shuixin and Xiao Yeheng returned to Yejia Village without encountering anyone on the way.

Li Youzhu's house is at the east end of the village, the first home in the village. It is still more than a hundred meters away from where the villagers live. Unless they are farming during the day, no one usually comes here to go to the fields.

Xiao Yeheng placed the bundle and two cloth bags outside the courtyard of Li Youzhu's house. He nodded slightly to Yan Shuixin, walked around to the back of the courtyard wall, and used lightness skills to jump over the wall.

Yan Shuixin stood outside the courtyard door. When she knocked on the door, she found that the door was unlocked.

"Is Miss Huang back?" Li Youzhu heard the sound and quickly walked over to open the door. Sure enough, he saw her.

"It's me." Yan Shuixin smiled slightly, "Brother Li is not asleep yet?"

Li Youzhu's slightly handsome face showed an apology, "Miss Huang, I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have left you alone this morning. What if you don't know the way, or something happens to you... I would feel guilty for the rest of my life."

"Brother Li, you're being too serious. Haven't I come back safely?" Yan Shuixin picked up her bag and pointed to two cloth bags on the ground, "Brother Li, could you please take them to the kitchen? There are fifty catties of rice and seven catties of noodles in them. There are also three catties of pork. So, please marinate the pork with salt to prevent it from spoiling."

"Miss Huang, what are you doing?" Li Youzhu was shocked and said with a look of disapproval, "It's too expensive for you to buy these."

She shook her head indifferently, "I can't live and eat in your house for free."

"This..." He didn't know how to answer, so he just said, "It's too rude to call you Miss Huang all the time. Can I call you Yueniang?"

"Of course." Yan Shuixin thought to herself, no matter what, it's not her name. It's a pity that Yan Shuixin's name should have been crossed out after she was declared dead in prison. Telling him would only bring danger.

Li Youzhu closed the courtyard door and carried things to the kitchen. Although he didn't know what was in the baggage that Yueniang brought into the room, it must be her own belongings.

After Yan Shuixin entered the wing, Xiao Yeheng, who had sneaked into the room through the back window, hugged her and kissed her passionately on her neck, all the way down...

"Husband..." she refused, "I've been sweating all over and haven't even taken a bath."

"The sweat from Xin'er is sweet." His kisses continued to wash over her white skin.

"..." Yan Shuixin felt helpless and had no choice but to let him kiss her.

There was a sound of footsteps, and Li Youzhu knocked on the door, "Yueniang, are you asleep?"

The other side of the door, Xiao Yeheng kissed Yan Shuixin's mouth. She wanted to reply, but her mouth was blocked and she couldn't make a sound.

"Yueniang..." Outside of the door, Li Youzhu seemed to be worried about something.

Yan Shuixin took a gentle bite of Xiao Yeheng's tongue, which he had inserted into her mouth, but she couldn't bear to hurt him. He sucked back fiercely, and forcing her to entangle with his lips and tongue.

When Li Youzhu saw that Yueniang was silent in the room, he thought she was asleep, so he left.

After a while, Yan Shuixin was almost baptized by Xiao Yeheng, and he just needed one moment before he let go of her.

Yan Shuixin walked to the table, took a fire switch, lit the oil lamp, and asked Xiao Yeheng to sit on the chair next to the table. She untied his outer jacket, then untied the straps, and took off his prosthetic limb.

His outer shirt was still the black one that hadn't been washed for many days, and his inner shirt was a sweaty prison uniform.

She put the baggage in her hand on the table, first took away a set of middle-aged women's blouses, and then handed him two new clothes, "My lord, I bought these for you."

Xiao Yeheng glanced at the middle-aged women's shirts, and guessed that those were probably bought for Li Cui. She gave him a gift, so he might as well show surprise on his face. He reached out and took it. They were two men's shirts made of ordinary materials. He stood firmly on one foot and said, "Xin'er, the clothes you bought look good. However, I haven't taken a shower and have been sweating, so I can't bear to wear them."

In the past, some women in the capital wanted to give him things or clothes, but he refused directly.

Yan Shuixin felt helpless and said, "It's just that the material is too poor. I hope the prince doesn't dislike it."

Xiao Yeheng fiddled with his two new clothes, including underwear and shorts. His Xin'er was really thoughtful, "Why would I dislike it? Xin'er bought it for me, and in my eyes, everything you give me is the best in the world." Then he immediately asked, "Xin'er, what about yours?"

"I have some too." Yan Shuixin took out two women's shirts with another cloth bag and two pairs of cloth shoes, one large and one small. She handed the big pair to him with sweetness, "My lord, your new shoes." The smaller pair belonged to her, "We now have new clothes and shoes."

Xiao Yeheng looked at the material of her new shirt and felt that it was not as good as his. In an instant, he knew that she really loved him so much, "Xin'er, from now on, the clothes you buy for yourself must not be of worse quality than my own."

He wanted to say that her clothes should be better quality than his, but he was afraid that she would refuse.

Yan Shuixin didn't respond either. She squatted in front of him, pulled up his pants, and reached out to caress the stump of his left leg, which was much swollen than yesterday.

It was all because he wore the prosthetic leg to pick her up and walked too much.

Her distressed expression made Xiao Yeheng feel pity in his heart, "If my Xin'er doesn't cry, I won't feel any pain."

"My lord, I'm going to get you some medicine." There were four packets of medicine in the bag, which are used to treat internal injuries and suppress the poison. Yan Shuixin opened the four paper bags, took some of the medicine inside, filled them with the water bowl in the room, and went out to the kitchen.

Xiao Yeheng saw that the paper packaging of the four packages of medicine were not from the same drug store, so he knew that she bought them from four different pharmacies.

She was probably afraid that since he was poisoned by Qihuan Powder, and if she went to a store to dispense the medicine, it would cause trouble if she was discovered. But if you buy them separately, no one will know.

What a smart woman! She is his wife, a wife worthy of the name.

As long as he thought of this, he felt a strong sense of satisfaction welled up in his heart.

Yan Shuixin found an earthen pot in the kitchen, washed it, filled it with medicine, and added water. She also found a stove and put firewood on it to light a fire. She put the earthen pot on top and decocted the medicine.

She set the stove on fire again, scooped half of the water in the water tank into the large pot with a wooden ladle, and boiled a pot of hot water.

Li Youzhu couldn't sleep, so he got up and saw that there was light in the kitchen. He walked over and said, "Yueniang, are you still not asleep? I went to look for you just now, why didn't you answer?"

"Sorry, Brother Li." She couldn't say that she couldn't make a sound after being kissed by Xiao Yeheng just now, "I was too tired, so I accidentally dozed off and didn't hear."

"It doesn't matter." Li Youzhu's face was full of sadness, "Yueniang, don't blame me. I didn't intentionally abandon you this morning..."

"Brother Li, why are you still mentioning this? I don't blame you." He is not her, so he has no obligation to wait for her. She waved her hand, "It's late at night, you should go to bed quickly."

"Are you boiling water for a bath?" He changed the subject and looked at the water in the pot. "I'll help you carry the water. You go and take a bath, and I'll look after the medicine stove for you."

Yan Shuixin let him go. She went back to the room first, let Xiao Yeheng hide on the bed, and put away what shouldn't been seen by Li Youzhu.

Yan Shuixin and Xiao Yeheng took another mandarin duck bath in the room.

This time, both of them put on new clothes and new shoes. No longer having the need to wear someone else's clothes again.

Yan Shuixin was wearing a new yellow dress, with a graceful figure and bright eyes and white teeth. Xiao Yeheng was stunned for a moment.

She also watched him put on a new men's blue shirt. He had a tall and strong figure, which added to his charm.

Xiao Yeheng saw his clothes in the bronze mirror on the dressing table, "Xin'er is really discerning. They fit well and look good."

The two hugged each other, filled with emotions in their hearts.

Even a new shirt is so precious and hard to come by.

Yan Shuixin balled up the black clothes, prison shirt, and shoes that she and Xiao Yeheng had worn before, and took them into the kitchen stove and burned them when Li Youzhu wasn't paying attention.

If these things are found by the men in black, it will be very troublesome. Burning them is the safest option.

The only things brought out from the prison were two swords, a sheepskin water bottle and a bamboo vest.

She had already quietly hidden the swords in the mountains, dug a hole and buried them, but the rest were unmoved.

Yan Shuixin took Li Youyun's old shirt to the kitchen, washed it with the remaining hot water, and hung it to dry on a long bamboo drying pole in the yard.

Li Youzhu looked at her in a new dress from the open kitchen door. She was so beautiful that he couldn't take his eyes away from her.

The fairies in the sky are not as beautiful as her.

Moreover, she was kind enough to buy food while living in his house.

Yan Shuixin returned to the room and wanted to carry a bucket to pour the bath water, but found that Xiao Yeheng had picked up the bucket first and poured the bath water out of the back window.

It's good that she doesn't have to do heavy work anymore because she has a considerate husband.

"Yueniang, the medicine is ready." Li Youzhu looked at the fire and when he said it, four bowls of water boiled into one bowl of water. Then he carefully filled the medicine bowl and sent it to the door of her room.

Yan Shuixin saw that Xiao Yeheng hadn't lied back on the bed yet. She walked to the door and opened the door just a crack. She took the medicine bowl from Li Youzhu's hand and said, "Thank you, Brother Li."

Fortunately, where he was standing, Xiao Yeheng could not be seen through the crack of the door.

Li Youzhu asked with concern, "Yueniang, is your injury serious?"

"I was beaten at Zhao's house when I refused to marry Zhao Yuanwai. Fortunately, I killed Zhao Yuanwai and ran away. These days, I have been running for my life and had no chance to treat my injuries. But now I can rest for a few days." Yan Shuixin came up with an excuse based on Huang Yueniang's experience.

She was not injured, but was rather giving medicine to Xiao Yeheng for his internal injuries.

"Will you be okay if you take this medicine?" Li Youzhu was very anxious.

"Thank you, Brother Li. I will be taking medicine for five days, and only then will I recover from my internal injuries." Indeed, after five days, Xiao Yeheng would be recovered from his internal injuries. Yan Shuixin couldn't hide her exhaustion.

Li Youzhu also knew that she was extremely tired from commuting back and forth to Duanji City today, so he told her to have a good rest.

Yan Shuixin closed the door of the room, held the medicine bowl with a towel to avoid scalding her hands, put it on the table, smelled it. After confirming that the medicine was fine, she waved to Xiao Yeheng and said, "Husband, come and drink the medicine."

Xiao Yeheng was moved when he saw her meticulous actions. He walked over to the medicine bowl and took a sip before frowning and saying, "It's hot."

She quickly took the bowl, pursed her mouth, and blew on the thick black concoction to cool it down, "It should be better now."

Xiao Yeheng took another sip and put it aside, "It's too bitter."

"Good medicine tastes bitter. You have serious internal injuries, so you must drink it." Yan Shuixin wanted to warn him that medicine is hard to come by and he cannot be willful. But then she remembered how he dragged his seriously injured body along the mountain road for several hours to pick her up, her heart softened and she couldn't bear to blame him at all, "Husband, what do you want me to do so that you are willing to drink it?"

"If you let me kiss you, I'll drink it."

"That's not a big deal." She felt that she had been kissed by him countless times, "I'll kiss you after you finish drinking."

A deep look flashed across his eyes, "You are not allowed to go back on your words."

"I won't regret it."

Xiao Yeheng picked up the medicine bowl, no longer afraid of the pain. He raised his head up and drank it all in one gulp. How could he not know that it would be very difficult to get the medicine now that she and he were being hunted desperately?

He just wanted a kiss.

Just as he was about to come over and hug her, Yan Shuixin pushed him away. He was displeased and said, "Xin'er, are you regretting it?"

"You just drank the medicine to treat internal injuries." She took out a dozen more medicines from the four open medicine bags, put them in the medicine pestle she bought for Li Youzhu to bring back today, and mashed them into a paste, "I had to get some medicine to suppress the poison in you."

He waited quietly, "Thank you for your hard work, Xin'er."

She shook her head, "Husband, I just want you to be well."

"As long as you are here, I will naturally be fine."

Yan Shuixin looked at his half-mutilated, half-beautiful face. When she thought of the result after checking his pulse on the road earlier, she suddenly burst into tears.

She was sitting at the table making medicine, but suddenly she cried. Xiao Yeheng pulled up a chair and sat beside her, feeling heartbroken, "Xin'er, have you been wronged in any way?" Because he knew that one of the herbs she brewed, Seven Star Grass, cost one hundred and fifty taels of silver. She only had twenty taels of one plant in total, so it was impossible to afford it.

There was cruelty in his eye suddenly, and he gritted his teeth and said, "If anyone dares to bully you, I will definitely kill them!"

Yan Shuixin's tears flowed even more fiercely. He always thought of her first. But how could she say that his injury would heal, but the poison had already spread throughout his body. Even if the poison was detoxified in the future, he would no longer be able to have children!

2

The ancients believed that there were three types of unfilial piety, the greatest of which was not having offspring.

Even ordinary men can't accept not being a father, let alone a noble prince.

If he knew this, how sad would he be?

Xiao Yeheng raised his hand to wipe away the tears on her face, but she shed more and more tears, "Xin'er, my heart, tell me, what's wrong with you? I get so scared when you're like this. Have you been harmed?"

He was even thinking that maybe, in order to get money to buy medicine, could she have done something stupid for him?

Yan Shuixin shook her head, looked at him with a painful expression, and opened her lips with difficulty, "I'm fine, you're the one who's in trouble."

"Isn't it just that I was poisoned? What can happen to me?"