day, please forgive her for Fourth Young Lady’s sake." Due to her pregnancy, Madam Zhao was seated and immediately stood up and pleaded with the matriarch as well. The old madame did not feel like dea...8. Cloud傾 Yun Song (7)

Hearing the Guangling Prefect's words, everyone from the Huang family was momentarily stunned. Not only because the Huang family had a significant presence in Guangling with almost no one daring to interfere with them. More importantly, the incidents the Guangling Prefect mentioned should have happened at least two or three years ago; by then, the Huang family had already suppressed any related matters. A newly appointed Guangling Prefect who had been on duty for only a few months could hardly be expected to know about these events, let alone investigate them.

However, what the Guangling Prefect mentioned now was spot-on; he even knew how many people had died. Huang Laoye looked at the white-robed young master seated above him in astonishment and couldn't quite figure out who this person truly was.

Although Qingchen Young Master didn't scold them, the Guangling Prefect felt deeply ashamed. Seeing that Huang Laoye still had a suspicious gaze towards Xu Qingchen made him even more furious. He wasn't unwilling to deal with these old aristocratic families after his appointment but now, when the country was just stabilizing, he needed to focus on restoring peace and prosperity for the people. These gentry families in Guangling were entrenched for years; any slight provocation could upset them beyond control. If that happened, it would be a mistake for him to destabilize the newly settled region again. But now that he had Qingchen Young Master's backing, he felt no hesitation and was eager to take decisive action to restore peace to Guangling.

"Huang Shiliang, I am asking you a question: what are you looking at" The Guangling Prefect said sternly.

Huang Laoye's heart skipped a beat; he intuitively felt that things were not going well today. But even if he knew it wasn't good, he couldn't just let this go since his son Huang Yaozu was the only heir of the Huang family.

"Li大人, there might be some misunderstanding here. My son... my son is always law-abiding; how could he commit such evil deeds It must be a false accusation against our Huang family. Please look into it carefully."

Guangling Prefect Li immediately laughed out of anger and pointed at the bound Huang Yaozu on the ground: "Law-abiding Then why is he in this state"

Huang Laoye glanced at the calm, tea-drinking white-robed young master and whispered, "Who knows... could it be that they set a trap to frame my son"

"Xu Qingchen, what are you doing" A clear and pleasant voice interrupted from the doorway. Everyone was taken aback as they turned around to see a cute yellow-robed girl standing there with an odd look on her face. She had blushing cheeks and a hint of redness, obviously just waking up.

Most importantly... Huang Laoye's expression froze when he looked back at the white-robed young master sitting in the highest seat, his features twisted. He stammered, "Qingchen Young Master!"

Huang Laoye nearly fainted on the spot, seeing his son tangled up and bound by Qingchen Young Master's hand. How could he be unaware of his son's behavior From this rare sight of beauty, Huang Laoye could guess what happened. But who would have thought that his son could offend Qingchen Young Master in Guangling In the territory under Prince Ding’s jurisdiction, Qingchen Young Master held supreme authority; even Prince Ding himself respected him. Was it truly fate against them

Xu Qingchen gave Yun Ge a disapproving look and waved her over, "Didn't I tell you to rest properly Why are you out again"

Yun Ge curiously looked at everyone in the hall before stepping into it and walking up to Xu Qingchen. "I can't sleep." Xu Qingchen patted the chair beside him and said, "Since you can't sleep, why don't you sit here for a while"

Yun Ge nodded and casually sat down next to Xu Qingchen, blinking her eyes at the bound person below and asked, "Xu Qingchen, what are you doing"

Xu Qingchen smiled and said, "Viceroy Li is handling a case. I'll just watch from here. Why don't you sit down and have a look too."

Yun Ge glared at the person on the ground and nodded vigorously. "Yes! That guy's a bad man! Viceroy Li, please give him severe punishment!" Xu Qingchen affectionately ruffled her hair and said with a smile, "Viceroy Li is fair in his judgment. He will definitely punish that fellow severely."

Below, Li the Prefect’s mouth twitched inwardly. Did he have to mete out severe punishment for Huang Yaozu to be considered just Since Young Master Qingchen had already said so much, what could he, as a subordinate, say

"Viceroy Li" Xu Qingchen calmly swept his gaze over Li the Prefect.

Li the Prefect’s heart was startled. He quickly put aside his inner grievances and said with a solemn face, "Huang Shiliang, is there anything else you want to say"

The Yellow Master's legs went limp as he finally knelt down on the ground. There were hardly any people in this world who had not heard of Young Master Qingchen’s name. And those with power could naturally know more than ordinary folks. Hence, they understood that the title of ‘Young Master Qingchen’ represented not just a man of extraordinary talent and intelligence from the Xu family but also an authority figure whose influence was enough to awe the entire world.

"Qing… Young Master Qingchen, I acknowledge my mistake. Please spare my son’s life."

Upon learning the identity of those seated on high, the Yellow Master knew that there would be no use in denying his guilt. Hence, he could only pray and beg for his son's life to be spared.

Xu Qingchen calmly said when he saw Li the Prefect’s questioning gaze, "Viceroy Li is handling a case. Why are you looking at me"

He was saying that Huang Yaozu would face legal punishment. Li the Prefect understood and his expression turned serious as he said in a deep voice, "Since you admit your guilt, bring him out! Huang Yaozu has oppressed the people and committed murder by raping an innocent girl! Arrest him now and hold him for trial!"

With that one sentence, Huang Yaozu’s life was already over. Everyone in the hall turned pale, including members of the Yellow family. And Huang Yaozu, bound to the ground, struggled with all his might. He cast pleading looks towards Yun Ge's direction; when Yun Ge saw this and furrowed her brows as she looked at Xu Qingchen, he softly said calmly, "I happened to save you because it was your good luck. But if another girl had met him, would she have been so lucky Moreover, he has killed a whole family."

Yun Ge’s eyes widened and she glared fiercely at Huang Yaozu before turning her face away with an indignant snort. He's such a bad man! She wouldn’t save him!

Xu Qingchen smiled faintly when he saw Yun Ge’s expression.

Li the Prefect waved his hand and ordered someone to quickly take Huang Yaozu down.

The Yellow Master wailed as he fell onto the ground. "Young Master Qingchen, please spare me! My son acknowledges his mistake. Please spare him! I only have this one child; please leave a bloodline for our family."

Yun Ge frowned when she looked at the Yellow Master and said in a clear voice, "Your family has only your son while another whole family was killed." The Yellow Master fell silent. Back then, how could his son have foreseen such retribution

"Wuuu... If it's all right for a lesser person to teach, please have mercy and show leniency, Mr. Qingchen. This lesser person... this lesser person is willing to give away everything in my household, just as long as you spare the life of my son."

When Xu Qingchen heard this, his eyes flickered slightly, and he said coolly, "Give away everything Are you serious"

The Yellow Family Patriarch was stunned for a moment before he finally realized what had happened. He hurriedly replied, "Of course I am serious. Please have mercy."

After a brief silence, Xu Qingchen turned to Li Taishou and said, "Send people to confiscate all the property of the Yellow Family. Give every servant ten taels of silver; nothing else is allowed to be left behind."

No one had expected such an unexpected turn of events. For a moment, Li Taishou was also at a loss for words. "This... well, yes. I'll go take care of it right away. What about Huang Yaozu" Xu Qingchen looked down and said with a smile, "Since the Yellow Family Patriarch is willing to use all his wealth to save his son's life, he should be sentenced to exile at the border. He must never return, even if he receives amnesty."

The Yellow Family Patriarch turned pale; what was the difference between this and death Usually, a criminal sentence would still leave room for redemption as long as one had a life to live. There were also several times when there might be an imperial pardon that could bring hope of restoration. However, with Qingchen's additional condition of "no amnesty," everything was over.

"No! Father... our Yellow Family can't end up like this."

The other members of the Yellow Family who had been following behind and pleading suddenly refused to accept it. They wouldn’t agree to give up all their wealth for Huang Yaozu’s exile forever. It wasn’t worth it at all. Instead, they would rather try again to have another son or adopt one.

"Father, please think carefully."

Not only did the Yellow Family Patriarch himself hesitate, but no one else was willing to accept such a result either. They wanted their sons to continue the family line properly; how could they be willing to give up everything for this

Sensing the hesitation in his expression, Qingchen smiled mockingly and said coolly to Li Taishou, "It looks like he doesn’t want to accept it after all. Since that’s the case, let's follow protocol and issue a sentence."

The Yellow Family Patriarch was now speechless, only able to watch helplessly as his son was taken away, breaking out into loud sobs.

In such a bustling scene in the main hall, things were also tense outside. The local bullies and their families, who had been arrested by the constables, waited anxiously outside without knowing what had happened inside. When they heard the Yellow Family Patriarch’s wailing from within, they exchanged uneasy glances.

Even though the Yellow Family Patriarch did not end up giving away all his property in the end, several days later, the Yellow Family would no longer be able to stand on its feet. The literati and wealthy merchants of Guangling would hate him to death. No family was without some wayward sons, and these large households had certainly committed their share of scandalous deeds over the years. Huang Yaozu just happened to run into Mr. Qingchen at the wrong time. If he hadn’t been caught by Qingchen, perhaps Qingchen wouldn’t even have paid Guangling any mind. So now, all those who were倒黴的人們都把怒氣發到黃家身上。

That day, in this inconspicuous inn in Guangling, several wealthy and influential families’ wayward sons, who had been terrorizing the city for a long time, were arrested one by one. Their fates awaited them might be execution, exile, or imprisonment. As they emerged from the inn, everyone was disheveled and trembling, drawing curious crowds of onlookers.

"Xu Qingchen, you’re amazing!" In the empty main hall, only Xu Qingchen and Yun Ge remained. Sitting in her chair, Yun Ge looked at the snow-white-clad Mr. Qingchen with admiration written all over her face. She had seen how Xu Qingchen made these people confess their crimes; even those who seemed powerful were terrified into begging for mercy just by sitting here quietly. However, Yun Ge wouldn’t plead on behalf of any of them. Although it was sad to see the old men in white mourning clothes weeping bitterly, she had also witnessed many instances where wealthy families bullied ordinary folk along her journey. The victims of such bullying were even more pitiful. Each time, all she could do was teach those bullies a lesson and give some silver coins to their victims. But Xu Qingchen managed effortlessly to lock up these villains, ensuring they would never again harm ordinary people!

The admiring glances from people like the Dust-Dispelling Nobleman were not uncommon, but he suddenly realized that Cloud Song's gaze made him feel even more at ease. With a smile and raised eyebrows, he asked, "What’s so great about me"

"You punished lots of bad guys," Cloud Song said.

"That was Judge Li's verdict," Xu Qingchen said with a laugh.

"But those pieces of evidence were all given to Judge Li by you," Cloud Song pointed out.

"Those were collected by the secret guards," Xu Qingchen replied with a mild smile. Tipping her head, she continued: "But... I feel that everyone was really scared of you but not at all afraid of Judge Li." Although it had always been Judge Li speaking, she could clearly sense that no one dared move an inch because of Xu Qingchen sitting above them, rather than the stern-looking Judge Li.

"Your eyes are sharp," Xu Qingchen said with a smile.

Cloud Song happily replied: "Of course."

Xu Qingchen raised his eyebrows and looked at her with a half-smile: "If your eyes are so good, how come you couldn’t tell that those people were frauds Come on, tell me, how many times did you get cheated on the way"

Cloud Song's face instantly turned red. "I... I wasn't fooled many times!"

"Oh What was it then" Xu Qingchen asked with a smile as he took out several items from his sleeve and placed them on the table, asking: "What are these"

“Ah This is my hairpin, and this is my jade pendant… and that's also my money pouch. How did they end up... in your possession…" As she met Xu Qingchen’s half-smiling gaze, Cloud Song gradually ran out of words.

Xu Qingchen looked at her helplessly and sighed softly: "You're such a silly girl; you didn’t even realize that someone had taken advantage of you. That person who claimed to bury his father yesterday—did you know how valuable your jade pendant is It could support an ordinary family for a lifetime."

"But... her father really did die. And I didn't have any small change left at the time," Cloud Song argued softly. She was still a doctor, wasn’t she Could anyone tell life from death better than Xu Qingchen

Xu Qingchen said: "He may be dead, but is he her father"

“Eh” Cloud Song was dumbfounded.

Xu Qingchen picked up the hairpin on the table and gently reinserted it for her. Then he took out a jade pendant and hung it around her neck, saying, "Look at how you've been struggling this whole time. If I had found you even a few days later, would you have even had money to eat"

Yun Ge felt embarrassed and lowered her head, counting on her fingers in a small voice: "I can practice medicine, and I'm also good at gathering herbs."

Hence, she wouldn't starve.

The Young Master Qingchen nodded approvingly. "That's right, but you have to pay for your own medical fees when treating patients, and all the herbs you gather are given away to others."

"Well… I needed help," Yun Ge said dejectedly. Her father might not be a doctor, but he had left behind a lot of treasures. Her adopted father was also very wealthy. Yet only she ended up bringing money when she ran away from home and became increasingly poor.

The Young Master Qingchen smiled as he patted her head. "Now do you know how foolish you are"

Yun Ge pouted, indignant: "I'm not stupid! My adopted father said I was very smart."

Xu Qingchen shot her a skeptical glance, and Yun Ge immediately deflated, grumbling unhappily: "Why would they do this… I helped them with good intentions. Why did they have to trick me"

Xu Qingchen said gently, "There are many wicked people in the world. Don't think no one will bully you like in Li City Who told you to run away from home"

Upon hearing this, Yun Ge immediately looked at Xu Qingchen with suspicion and recalled what he had said about her being his fiancée on the night before she ran away. She felt a chill down her spine, "You… why are you here!"

Xu Qingchen smiled calmly: "What do you think Did you realize how worried your family was when you left without saying anything What if something dangerous happened to you How would the Xu Family explain this to Mr. Shen"

"I… I didn't run away from home! I'm just… going around to practice medicine and help people." Yun Ge tried her best to look innocent as she said so, but seeing that Xu Qingchen was still smiling calmly at her, she felt more uneasy with each passing second: "Well, it's not my fault anyway. It's all your doing! I don't want to be your fiancée!"

The Young Master Qingchen’s eyes darkened slightly as he lowered his gaze and asked: "Oh Why"

Yun Ge bit her cherry lips, looking at Xu Qingchen with a slight pout. "Well… I just don't want to."

She wouldn’t tell him that she didn’t like studying.

The Young Master Qingchen chuckled after a moment and pulled her closer: "I know you don't like writing or memorizing books, right"

Hearing this, Yun Ge felt somewhat embarrassed. She muttered in a small voice: "So what if I do I just hate studying."

The Young Master Qingchen laughed inwardly at how he had bullied the little girl too much. In reality, Yun Ge was not stupid at all; her progress within less than a year earned praises from Qin Zheng and his mother Lady Ersun. She could not possibly be stupid. It was just that she wasn't very interested in music, chess, calligraphy, or painting, focusing most of her efforts on medicine instead.

"But... what if I don't let you copy books or memorize them in the future" Xu Qingchen asked softly.

"Huh" Yun Ge's eyes lit up with surprise as she looked at Xu Qingchen. Xu Qingchen’s smile was gentle and courteous, making one involuntarily fall into it: "If I don’t make you copy or memorize books in the future, would you be willing to be my fiancée"

"This…" Yun Ge hesitated.

Young Master Qingchen said coolly, “Look at yourself; as soon as you go out, people deceive you. If you go out with me in the future, no one would dare to trick you. Even if you save many people, you won’t run out of money and can save anyone you want. The herbs and medical skills that you cannot find, I can also have the Dark Guards of Prince Ding help you find them. Such things as what happened today wouldn’t happen again. What do you think"

Yun Ge blinked her eyes, feeling a bit confused in her mind. However, what Xu Qingchen said seemed to make a lot of sense: "Then… we can go out together now."

Young Master Qingchen shook his head and smiled, “Men and women should not be too familiar with each other if they’re not related by marriage; going out without any relationship would cause misunderstandings among others. It’s bad for your reputation. Of course… it’s also bad for mine. Look at Li’er and Zheng’er; they only go out together with Prince Ding and my second brother."

“Mmm-hmm…” Qin Zheng Sister, besides playing in Li City, went out only with Xu’s Second Brother.

"Have you made up your mind If you don’t want to, we can head back to Li City right away. But if you’re my fiancée, we could wander around and it wouldn’t matter even if we do so for a year or two," Young Master Qingchen said with a smile like the spring breeze.

"Sure." Yun Ge answered casually while she was deep in thought.

“…” Is this how a gentleman deceives young girls, Young Master Qingchen The dark guards outside exchanged glances at each other.

Interlude:

Feng Qiong’s recommendation: I recommend my friend Jian Zheng’s new work "Matriarchal Medical Saint."

In one day, Qin Zheng became the disfavored eldest daughter of a minister in the capital.

Hated by her father, plotted against by her stepmother and sisters, she was maliciously framed.

My life is controlled by me, not heaven. I will make the best out of my circumstances. With an inscribed medical book, Qin Zheng thrived in the Western Ling Dynasty.府; Director Mo asked, "Your Highness Consort, should we increase the number of covert guards inside" In these days, Dingguo王府 was under continuous attacks, and both the guardsmen and covert guards wer...