Chapter 107: Twists and Turns (Part 1)
Qingyan lay still in bed, but the man who was supposed to be sound asleep beside him woke up. He lifted his head and gently touched Qingyan’s forehead, then lightly traced his eye sockets.
Qingyan silently calmed himself and cleared his throat, asking, “What’s wrong?”
In the dim light, Qiu Henian shook his head and spoke in a low, hoarse voice, “I think I just had a dream.”
“What did you dream about?” Qingyan asked.
Qiu Henian fell silent for a moment before saying, “I dreamt that you were crying.”
Qingyan’s heart trembled. He turned over, facing away from Qiu Henian. His eyes stung, and he quietly started to cry.
Qiu Henian sat up and pulled him into his lap. Qingyan automatically buried his face in Qiu Henian’s neck.
Qiu Henian’s large hand stroked the back of his neck, his thigh gently moved, and these familiar actions comforted Qingyan.
After crying for a while, Qiu Henian lowered his head to look at him. Qingyan also lifted his head, and their faces were close.
With red-rimmed eyes, Qingyan said softly, “I’m afraid that everything in front of me is just an illusion. Maybe you’re not real either. Perhaps I’m just dreaming right now.”
Qiu Henian smiled faintly, touched his face, then held his hand. Their palms stacked together on Qingyan’s abdomen.
Qiu Henian’s voice was low as he looked into Qingyan’s eyes and said, “Did I dream of making you pregnant?”
Qingyan was taken aback, his cheeks blushing lightly as he lowered his head.
Qiu Henian leaned over to kiss his brows and eyes, saying, “It’s because of your pregnancy, changes in your body, and the impact on your emotions that you feel unsettled.”
Qingyan looked up at him. Qiu Henian shifted his gaze to his lips, kissed them lightly, and said, “It’s okay. Cry when you want to cry, tell me when you feel uneasy. With me here, nothing will happen to you.”
Qingyan tightly gripped the clothes on his waist and said, “But nothing must happen to you either.”
Qiu Henian nodded and promised, “Neither of us will encounter any trouble.”
Gradually, Qingyan’s emotions stabilized.
Before dawn, the two embraced each other and slept for a while longer.
When they woke up in the morning, Qiu Henian helped Qingyan bring the warm robes from the wall to the bed. After Qingyan put them on, Qiu Henian used a warm cloth to help him wash his face without him having to get out of bed.
They rinsed their mouths by the bedside without needing to go downstairs.
After breakfast, Qingyan thought several times about not going to the shop today, wanting instead to go to the blacksmith’s shop with Qiu Henian. However, considering that Feng Lao San would soon make another trip to the capital to restock, he needed to check the stock in the shop these days, so he didn’t say anything.
When they got off the carriage, Aunt Li and Qiuniang went into the shop first, while Qingyan hesitated and didn’t go in.
Qiu Henian patted his head and smiled, saying, “Tonight, I’ll make your favorite chicken drumsticks. Go on in.”
Qingyan obediently nodded, turned around, and went into the shop.
Qiu Henian was about to get on the carriage to leave, but Qingyan suddenly turned back, quickly walked a few steps to the side of the carriage.
Qiu Henian was puzzled and asked, “What’s wrong?”
For some reason, Qingyan wanted to hug Qiu Henian at this moment. There weren’t many pedestrians on the street at this time, but it wasn’t completely empty either, and Aunt Li and the others were busy in the shop behind him.
Helpless, Qingyan could only put his hand into Qiu Henian’s palm. Qiu Henian instinctively held it tightly.
Qingyan withdrew his hand and said, “I’m going in.”
Qiu Henian’s gaze followed him into the shop, then withdrew it, raised the reins, and drove the carriage away.
…
Because they needed to restock today, all four people in the shop were present.
Huani arrived late again today. She rushed in and hurriedly apologized as soon as she entered the door. Qingyan looked her over and noticed her red eyes and a strand of hair out of place.
He asked, “What’s wrong? Is something happening at home?”
Aunt Li and Qiuniang also heard the commotion and peeked out from the shelves. Seeing Huani’s appearance, they were also surprised. Qiuniang asked, “What’s wrong? Why do you look so flustered?”
Hearing this, Huani’s face changed. She avoided their gaze, nervously adjusting the hair hanging in front of her forehead. She forced a smile and said, “It’s nothing. I just didn’t sleep well last night.”
Qingyan said, “If you’re not feeling well, don’t force yourself. Go back and rest. Come back when you’re better.”
Huani turned her face to the side, shook her head, and said, “It’s okay. I’m fine. There’s a lot of work to do in the shop today. I’ll finish it before I leave.”
Seeing her insistence, Qingyan didn’t persuade her further.
Huani walked past Qingyan with her head down and started working.
…
Qingyan thought that being busy would keep him from overthinking, but he found that the unease from last night had intensified throughout the morning. Normally clear-headed and rarely making mistakes, today he kept miscalculating.
By noon, when it was time for lunch, Qingyan’s unease reached its peak. He couldn’t even sit down properly to eat. He forced himself to take a few bites but couldn’t continue.
Aunt Li thought it was because of acid reflux caused by pregnancy and went to the neighboring shop to buy some sweet and sour preserved fruits. She let Qingyan eat them to stimulate his appetite.
Qingyan, afraid of worrying them, ate a few bites of preserved fruits and forced down a few more bites of rice before giving up.
In the afternoon, they almost finished counting the stock in the shop. Qingyan began to estimate the types and quantities needed for this round of restocking. The round trip from the local area to the capital would take more than ten days, and the weather was gradually becoming hot as they returned. He needed to prepare more in advance.
Qingyan was deep in thought when hurried footsteps suddenly ran into the shop entrance, heavy and urgent.
For some reason, Qingyan’s mind went blank. The word “here” flashed through his mind instantly, a sense of despair as if a sharp sword had finally fallen, and his hand holding the ledger trembling slightly.
A buzzing sound echoed in his ears, and Aunt Li’s voice sounded muffled, filled with concern.
She said, “Isn’t this Xiao Zhuang? What’s wrong with this child? Why do you look so pale?”
Xiao Zhuang gasped for breath, almost unable to speak, “I… I… Master… Master…”
Aunt Li realized something was wrong and hurriedly asked, “He’s in the back counting stock. What happened? Tell us!”
Xiao Zhuang’s voice trembled with great fear. He stuttered, “My master… my master was taken away by the yamen’s officers!”
Clang!
The ledger in Qingyan’s hand fell to the ground.
“What?” Aunt Li exclaimed in horror.
Footsteps approached from the shelves, and Qingyan, with his thin figure, walked step by step in front of Xiao Zhuang. He patted his trembling shoulder and said, “Don’t be afraid. Take your time to explain.”
Seeing him, Xiao Zhuang finally relaxed a bit, tears streaming down his face as he wiped them with his sleeve, choking, “Master, those yamen officers said they found Liu Xiang’s embroidered shoes in your house and suspected that his death was related to my master. So they took him away for questioning!”
Qingyan swayed and almost fell to the ground, supported by Aunt Li on his shoulder.
Footsteps came from upstairs, and Qiuniang rushed downstairs in a hurry.
Behind her, Huani followed with her head down. No one noticed how tightly she clenched her hands in front of her, her face paler and more frightened than it was earlier in the morning.
Qiuniang and Aunt Li helped Qingyan sit down on a chair.
Qingyan looked at Xiao Zhuang, his voice feeling as if it could hardly come out due to exhaustion.
He asked with a breathy voice, “Before he left… did he leave any message for me?”
Only then did Xiao Zhuang remember something. He hurriedly handed over a letter that had been kept close to him, “Before the yamen officers entered the house, my master secretly asked me to tell you to send this letter out as soon as possible.”
Qingyan hurriedly took the letter, bowed his head and carefully examined it. He saw the words “Qiu Yan, delivered personally” written on the envelope.
Standing beside him, Aunt Li also saw it and suddenly exclaimed, “Oh!”
Qingyan looked up at her, and Aunt Li said, “Isn’t this Qiu Yan, the official who saved Qin Liangchuan’s life and later promoted him?”
“Is he the former county magistrate of Nan Sheng County who passed through Muling County and was heading south for his assignment?” Qingyan asked.
Aunt Li nodded, “He was promoted to the capital later on. The address matches too. It’s almost certainly him!”
Qingyan’s gaze returned to the envelope in his hand. He noticed that it hadn’t been sealed yet. He hesitated for a moment, then opened the envelope and took out the letter inside, unfolding it.
Everyone stared at the paper inside the envelope, their expressions filled with surprise.
Qiuniang gently pointed at it and said, “Why isn’t there any writing on it? It’s blank.”
Qingyan also didn’t understand what was going on. He looked at Xiao Zhuang.
Xiao Zhuang’s face also showed a puzzled and uncertain expression.
He nervously waved his hands and said, “Master, I swear no one touched it. After my master gave it to me, I never let it leave my side. I came straight here from the shop.”
Qingyan withdrew his gaze and once again looked at the name on the envelope. Suddenly, he had a realization.
He asked Xiao Zhuang, “Do you know when your master wrote this envelope?”
At first, Xiao Zhuang shook his head, but then hesitated, “Yesterday, I saw Master take out pen and ink, but I didn’t pay attention to what he was writing. Now that I think about it, he hesitated a lot before starting to write, and didn’t seem to write much. He must have been writing this envelope.”
Qingyan stood up and paced back and forth on the floor. After a while, he made up his mind, took the envelope and the blank paper to the counter, found pen and ink, and quickly wrote a sentence on the paper.
Afterward, he sealed the envelope, said, “I’m going to the relay station,” and hurriedly left the shop.
The others couldn’t rest assured with him going out alone. Aunt Li wanted to accompany him, but after chasing a few steps, she almost tripped in anxiety. Qiuniang quickly helped her up, saying, “Auntie, you stay here with Huani. I’ll go with Qingyan.” With that, she chased after him.
Aunt Li stomped her foot and cried out, “What kind of world is this, where good people don’t get good fortune?!”
Xiao Zhuang also cried beside her.
Huani’s head hung even lower, her lips already bitten and bleeding, yet she seemed unaware.
…
After returning from the relay station, Qingyan took some silver from the silver shop, packed it up, and went straight to the county.
Although Xiao Zhuang had just driven the carriage, Qingyan stillet him drive. Aunt Li and Qiuniang both wanted to go with him, but the shop was too busy for Huani to handle alone. Aunt Li asked Qiuniang to stay.
Aunt Li wanted to ask if she could ask the county office’s registrar for help. So, the three of them set off.
The carriage galloped all the way, and Xiaozao was exhaustedl , finally arriving in the county town before dark.
However, after arriving at the county office, Qingyan found that the main gate was tightly closed.
He knocked on the door for a long time. A lazy gatekeeper finally stuck his head out to look. Qingyan said, “Excuse me, can I see the prisoner who was brought in today?”
The gatekeeper scrutinized him for a moment. Qingyan hurriedly handed him a piece of silver.
The gatekeeper immediately smiled and asked, “Which one do you want to see?”
Qingyan replied, “Qiu Henian from Liuxi Village.”
The gatekeeper’s face darkened, and he threw the silver back at Qingyan, saying, “You can’t see him,” before slamming the door shut with a bang.
No matter how hard Qingyan knocked on the door after that, there was no response from inside.
Aunt Li hugged Qingyan with a worried expression, gently pulling him back, urging, “Don’t forget, you still have your body to take care of!”
Only then did Qingyan stop knocking on the door.
Aunt Li said, “Come on, let’s go find Ah Xiao and see if he can help.”
The group got back in the carriage and rushed to Renhe Tang.
After learning about the situation, Ah Xiao immediately put on his outer robe and went out. Qinlan instructed him to handle this matter well and not to be lax.
It was getting late, and Qinlan arranged for several people to have dinner in the back hall.
Qingyan had no appetite, but for the sake of the child in his belly, he had to force himself to eat. However, he hadn’t eaten much before suddenly rushing out and throwing up everything.
Qinlan hurriedly poured him water and brought it over. Qingyan rinsed his mouth, apologizing with guilt, “Sorry, Lan Jie.”
Qinlan touched his cheek and said, “My poor little brother, you make your sister worry so much.”
They waited until late at night before Ah Xiao returned.
He walked heavily, his face ugly. When he entered the back hall, he shook his head at Qinlan, who had come up to greet him.
Qinlan’s face changed, and she looked back at Qingyan.
Qingyan gritted his teeth and widened his eyes, hearing Ah Xiao say, “I begged the registrar for a long time, but he refused to accept money or gifts.”
“He said, this matter is almost certainly not going to be resolved. Prepare your family for it.”
Aunt Li and Qinlan looked at each other with pale faces, understanding clearly from each other’s eyes what needed to be prepared.
Spoiler for the Next Chapter:
Huani’s face was full of tears as she said, “Shopkeeper Qingyan, you must not go to the Yang family. This whole matter with Brother Qiu was caused by Yang Huai. If you go, it will be of no use. He’s determined to take revenge on Brother Qiu!”
Qingyan was stunned and looked at her, asking, “What do you know?”
