Chapter 45

Chapter 45

"In the past few days, none of you should go out casually. The thief now has the ability to climb walls and roofs. Yesterday, the daughter of the magistrate of Xiangfu County was harmed by this rapist." Prefect Jie looked at his beautiful granddaughter with lingering fear.

Yao Niang was incredulous. "A rapist?"

Prefect Jie nodded and added, "Not just a rapist, there are also bandits breaking into other government offices. It's all because of that flood. Everyone is living in fear now. If you need anything, just tell the steward."

Mrs. Jie looked at her daughter with concern. She had impulsively brought her daughter out, and if something happened on the way, she wouldn't be able to live with herself.

"Yao Niang, why don't I write to your father? Let him send someone to pick us up," Mrs. Jie suggested as they walked back to their room.

Yao Niang waved her hand. "Mother, if it were only me, I would be restless. But since we are together, I'm not afraid of anything. We left decisively, and going back now would mean what? Even with the rapist around, we can prepare knives and sticks, set traps, and make sure he regrets encountering us."

Hearing her daughter's words, Mrs. Jie felt a surge of strength.

Yao Niang spent her free time playing on the swing or painting and reading. Reading when idle was always the best.

When inspired, Yao Niang helped Old Aunt paint a picture. Old Aunt loved Yao Niang dearly, not through compliments or constant conversation, but by feeding her delicious treats.

The layered cake on the table was still unfinished when Old Aunt brought in fish soup.

"Grandmother, I'm not even hungry. Mother said I shouldn't eat too much," Yao Niang complained quietly.

Old Aunt said, "Your mother, she loves beauty. When she was young, her nose was flat, so she pinched it every day. Surprisingly, it really did become a high nose. You don't need to learn from her. For a young girl, being healthy is more important than anything else."

Yao Niang smiled. "Actually, my mother is trying to help me change my habit of eating too many snacks. In the past, I ate as much sugar as others gave me, which always caused toothaches."

While Yao Niang was carefree, the Ye and Chen families were busy. Mrs. Chen was known for her decisive actions. She recognized that Ye Tinggao was no ordinary youth, and his marriage was controlled by Old Lady Ye. Mrs. Chen heard that Old Lady Ye suffered from chronic coughs and often sent her unobtrusive gifts like cough remedies.

Upon hearing that Old Lady Ye had eczema, she brought several remedies.

Ye Tinggao had his eye on another person. He asked his sister Ye Jingwan, "Who was the girl in purple I met at the gate the other day?"

Ye Jingwan, who might not praise people openly but often praised friends behind their backs, thought for a moment and said, "That's Prefect Jie's granddaughter, Sister Yan. Not only does she play the zither beautifully, but she is also skilled in poetry and painting."

Though it was only a fleeting glimpse, Ye Tinggao couldn't stop thinking about her. He was of marrying age and hoped to find a wife who was both beautiful and talented.

He acted on his feelings and spoke to Old Lady Ye, who had seen Yao Niang once. Her beauty was unforgettable, but Old Lady Ye had her own considerations. Her grandson had only seen her once; such impulsive behavior was unbecoming.

Women like Daji and Meihui could bring disaster to a nation?

Moreover, she had met Chen Shuyi several times. Mrs. Chen was warm-hearted, and if her son married a Chen family girl, the girl would be gentle and shy, and Mrs. Chen would treat her grandson as her own.

And that Yan girl, with her noble demeanor and aristocratic bearing, whose father and brother were both officials—wouldn't her grandson suffer?

Thinking this, Old Lady Ye discussed it with Ye Tinggao's father.

Ye Tinggao's father, experienced in politics, knew that Prefect Jie had ties to the Jin Ling Jie family. Perhaps the Yan girl mentioned by his wife came from the Jin Ling Yan family? They were a prominent family.

But he feared his wife, who was three years older and always strict. The governor had no choice but to comply.

The news of Chen Shuyi and Ye Tinggao's engagement spread. Those jealous of Mrs. Chen whispered to Mrs. Jie, "We heard that Master Ye preferred Miss Yan. It was all due to Mrs. Chen's persistence."

Mrs. Jie ignored them. "Even if that's true, it's their skill."

Privately, Mrs. Jie reflected with Yao Niang, "Mrs. Chen is a mother who fights for her daughter. Even the governor's grandson sought to marry her. I didn't do enough."

"Mother, everyone has their own destiny. If it weren't for Elder Sister's elopement, our family wouldn't have been affected," Yao Niang said with a smile.

Mrs. Jie admired Mrs. Chen but understood Yao Niang's analysis. "Since ancient times, low-ranking families marry daughters to high-ranking families. My grandfather was the river commissioner, and my father is the vice minister of appointments. Finding an equal match is already good enough. Don't worry too much about my affairs. As the saying goes, haste makes waste."

Mrs. Jie was under great pressure, so Yao Niang continued to comfort her until she finally understood, and they returned to normal.

Because the prefectural office was close to the sub-prefectural office, Yao Niang personally delivered a pair of heart-shaped knots to Chen Shuyi and congratulated her, "Congratulations, Sister Chen, on finding a suitable husband."

Chen Shuyi blushed and pulled Yao Niang to sit down. "They can say whatever they want, but you're joining in the fun."

"I genuinely wish you happiness, Sister," Yao Niang said, hoping Chen Shuyi would marry well. She was soft-spoken and kind, and the Ye family had a good reputation. If her father rose higher in office, it would be a good match.

Chen Shuyi, touched by Yao Niang's sincerity, held her hand and said, "Thank you."

After a few more words, Yao Niang saw that the Chen family was busy preparing for the engagement and left. Mrs. Chen glanced at Yao Niang's departing figure. She noticed Ye Tinggao's interest in Yao Niang during the visit to the temple.

But Mrs. Chen didn't care. Her husband had once had a village sweetheart, but after marriage, he forgot about her completely.

She decided not to let Yan Yao Niang visit anymore. If the Ye family saw her, it would be troublesome. She told her attendant, "I remember the daughter of Instructor Lu returned from the capital?"

"Yes, she's quite capable, making pastries and small dishes, keeping Instructor Lu and his wife happy every day."

Mrs. Chen nodded. "Invite her over. If my daughter keeps befriending Miss Yan, others will overlook her. Anyway, Shuyi has become more cheerful lately."

Instructor Lu's daughter, naturally, was Lu Shaner. With a letter from Guan Shi, she quickly went to Henan Kaifeng before Guan Shi's burial. The Lu couple, seeing the letter and her filial nature, adopted her as a goddaughter.

Mrs. Lu was old and disliked socializing, preferring quietness. Lu Shaner, experiencing parental love for the first time, cherished it deeply but couldn't forget Guan Shi's death. Guan Shi died in despair, neglected by her husband and bullied by her in-laws.

Guan Shi treated Lu Shaner well, and she vowed revenge against the Yan family. However, the Yan family was too powerful. She had mentioned the Yan family inadvertently and learned that she couldn't touch them yet.

Initially, she interacted only with the Guan family servants. After Guan Shi's death, the servants were sent back to the Guan family.

She found out that Yan Yingqi, the head of the Yan family, was the vice minister of appointments, and Yan Jingzhao, Guan Shi's husband, was a scholar in the Imperial Academy. Even Yan Jingzhao's grandfather was the river commissioner. Only such a powerful family could be so cold-hearted, driving Guan Shi to suicide.

So, she needed to strengthen herself first.

During Chen Shuyi's engagement, no invitation was sent to Yao Niang. Mrs. Chen sent a message saying that the rapist was active and advised Yao Niang not to come, nor did she invite anyone else.

Yao Niang heard that Yu Qinger and the others hadn't been invited, so she didn't go either, even though she lived quite close to Chen Shuyi.

"Just a few steps away? Lady Chen is too cautious if she's still worried about something happening." Yao Niang laughed and shook her head.

Prefect Jie patted her daughter's head. "It's good not to go out. Once they catch this flower thief, we'll be more at ease."

"That's what I thought too," Yao Niang sighed in relief.

She stayed home with Prefect Jie and did embroidery together until after Chen Shuyi was engaged. Then, there was a break-in at the local Lu family's residence. Fortunately, Miss Lu was quick-witted, and the family guards arrived in time to prevent the thief from succeeding. Miss Lu even saw the thief face-to-face, which made Prefect Jie even more anxious because of this flower thief.

He had someone bring the flower thief's portrait for Yao Niang and Prefect Jie to see, so they could be alert.

Yao Niang said, "This portrait looks like any other. Honestly, Grandfather, I don't think anyone can recognize him from this."

Prefect Jie scratched his head. "But this is probably the best we can do."

Yao Niang thought, _You damned flower thief, you're keeping me from going out. I need to deal with you._ So she said, "Grandfather, is there anyone who has seen this flower thief? I want to draw based on their descriptions, which would be more accurate."

"Will that work?" Prefect Jie asked.

Yao Niang nodded. "Of course it will. If we have an accurate portrait, the constables can easily identify him by showing it around."

Prefect Jie agreed it was a good idea. He had seen Yao Niang's paintings before; while he couldn't say much else, she was excellent at capturing people's features, making them instantly recognizable.

Seeing that her grandfather agreed, Yao Niang made a request. "Grandfather, if my portrait helps catch the thief, will the government reward me?"

"Hmm," Prefect Jie pondered for a moment. "The main issue is that it's a flower thief. If your name is involved, people might suspect a connection."

"Grandfather, I'm not afraid of rumors."

Prefect Jie, seeing her determination, said, "Good girl, why do you want these rewards? It's just a few taels of silver, and you're not part of the government."

Yao Niang glanced at Prefect Jie. "I want to earn more merit to get a title for my mother."

"I see," Prefect Jie looked at his daughter, knowing she had always felt bitter about her mother's status as a concubine.

But Prefect Jie added, "What about your brother?"

Yao Niang replied, "You know he's only a scholar now, and we don't know what position he'll get in the future. Grandfather, I heard that catching one thief earns twenty taels of silver, and catching five thieves earns a hundred-household position. I believe there are many major cases here. If I help catch five people, I can get a sixth-rank official title, but I don't want the title. I just want it for my mother."

"But there's no precedent for this," Prefect Jie hesitated.

Yao Niang said, "Grandfather, I won't make things difficult for you. If it's not possible, I'll take the reward money. But if it is, please help me speak well of it in the province."

How can we know without trying?

Thus, Prefect Jie agreed.

Yao Niang prepared her brushes and paints. Luckily, her father had bought enough supplies, so she didn't need to buy more. These weren't available in ordinary shops. However, she couldn't dress normally anymore. Usually, when she went out, she dressed up properly to maintain the family's reputation. Now, she needed to dress more practically.

Yao Niang initially wanted to dress as a man, but since she was dealing with women, it wouldn't be appropriate.

So she wore a simple hairstyle and chose a plain white jacket with minimal patterns. She looked in the mirror and nodded in satisfaction.

Prefect Jie was deeply moved. She never expected her daughter to be so determined. Before, she thought it was just a childish whim.

In fact, her daughter was very smart. She had even mentioned herself that doing this could attract the attention of the thief's accomplices, but she was resolute, wanting to seize the opportunity.

"Yao Niang, are you sure about this?"

"Mother, I'm not afraid. You always said I was born with blessings and wisdom. Don't worry. This is our chance. We didn't have it before, but now we do." Yao Niang said.

Prefect Jie sighed. "You're just like your father. I thought you'd forgotten your childhood words, but you've remembered them all along. Whenever you decide to do something, you always see it through."

Yao Niang hugged Prefect Jie's arm playfully. "Mother~"

**

Lu Shaner's adoptive father was the instructor in Kaifeng, and they lived in the official residence. She arrived quickly, still shaken by the recent incident. Hearing that Prefect Jie wanted her to describe the flower thief, Lu Shaner came over.

To her surprise, she saw a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old girl. Despite her own confidence in her appearance, she found this girl naturally beautiful without makeup.

"Miss Lu, please sit down. I'm the official painter. Please describe the person's height, face shape, clothing, and any distinctive features," Yao Niang said.

Lu Shaner was always quick-witted and had seen the thief clearly that day. "He's of medium height, around late twenties, with small eyes and a hooked nose..."

As she spoke, Yao Niang kept drawing and asked Lu Shaner to confirm the details.

Lu Shaner leaned closer, noticing Yao Niang's subtle fragrance and blushed slightly. Seeing Yao Niang's focused and silent demeanor, she was impressed by her skill.

"Is this how he looks?" Yao Niang showed her the finished portrait.

Lu Shaner took the portrait and looked at it in disbelief. "You're amazing. That's exactly him."

Yao Niang had trained for over five years, and finally, her skills were put to use. She looked at Lu Shaner. "Thank you for your detailed observations, Miss Lu. Rest assured, we'll catch the criminal soon."

"Have you drawn many criminals before, Miss Jie?" Lu Shaner asked in amazement.

Yao Niang shook her head. "This is my first time."

"To draw so well on your first try is incredible."

Indeed, it was incredible. From the moment her brother and father talked about portrait techniques, she had practiced every day, regardless of weather or circumstances. Sometimes she drew so much she felt sick, but she persisted, especially in capturing people's essence.

However, Yao Niang didn't like to complain or talk about her efforts.

Prefect Jie was also a lover of art and had known Yao Niang was skilled, but he never imagined her portraits would be so lifelike.

"Yao Niang, this person looks like he's standing right in front of me. Excellent, excellent," Prefect Jie said.

Yao Niang smiled. "Grandfather, it's good to be able to help you."

Such a clear and detailed portrait led to almost the entire officialdom mobilizing, and they managed to catch the culprit quickly. Everyone had assumed that the flower thief would be some lecherous lord, but it turned out to be the most honest-looking grocery store owner.

Those around him only realized there was something wrong with him when he was caught. Everyone described him as dull and honest, someone who wouldn't even complain if bullied.

Prefect Jie captured the notorious thief within three days and received praise from his superiors. Even Governor Shen Linfeng complimented him.

Thinking of his granddaughter's request, Prefect Jie couldn't help but say, "Your Excellency, may I ask you something?"

Governor Shen Linfeng remembered that Prefect Jie came from a background of considerable influence. Although he hadn't been appointed to a prefecture like Suzhou or Hangzhou, Kaifeng was still the capital of Henan. Looking at his resume, it seemed rather ordinary except for his marriage alliance with the Yan family in Jin Ling.

Seeing that he had something to say, Governor Shen Linfeng put his hands behind his back and looked at him. "Speak."

"It's like this. We were able to find the flower thief so quickly thanks to my granddaughter. Her painting skills are exceptional; she drew the portrait based on descriptions alone, which helped us locate him. My granddaughter doesn't need money; she only wishes to earn a title for her mother through her merits. I hope you will allow it." With these words, Prefect Jie knelt on the ground.

Governor Shen Linfeng was surprised. Scholars who passed the preliminary exams didn't have to kneel in court, let alone an old official like Prefect Jie, who had served for twenty years. He hurriedly helped Prefect Jie up. "Prefect Jie, you're making things difficult for me."

Although Prefect Jie wasn't a seasoned politician, he could tell that Governor Shen Linfeng's words left room for negotiation. He said, "Perhaps my granddaughter can solve a few more cases. If she succeeds again, I hope Your Excellency will grant her wish."

Governor Shen Linfeng nodded in approval. "Since ancient times, women have never been inferior to men, but the court has its rules. I'll give it a try."

Prefect Jie finally showed a pleased expression and continued, "My granddaughter's biography is on this note. I'll leave it to Your Excellency."

In fact, Prefect Jie had a backup plan, fearing that Governor Shen Linfeng might interfere. He also sent a letter to the Third Elder.

Governor Shen Linfeng opened the note and read: Miss Yan San, mother is Lady Jie, grandfather is Yan Mai. Yan Mai? That name sounds familiar—it's the same as our Chief River Commissioner.

This girl doesn't mention her father, which likely means he died early. Governor Shen Linfeng had six sons; the eldest and second were already married, while the third, Lin Yun, was not yet wed. He was fifteen and studying at the academy, somewhat dull. As the saying goes, a capable wife complements a clumsy husband. If he could marry a remarkable woman like Miss Yan San, he wouldn't mind her being a widow.

The supposedly deceased Yan Yingqi was currently having dinner with Yan Jingzhao. Father and son were eating dishes prepared by Lady Jie's kitchen.

"I wonder how your mother and the others are doing in Henan?"

"At my maternal grandmother's house, they should be fine."

"Jingzhao, I've come to a decision. As long as your mother returns, I'll let go of the matter with the Shens. You often socialize; help find a suitable match for your sister."

Yan Jingzhao nodded. "Alright, Father. But finding someone worthy of my sister is quite challenging. Either their family background isn't right, or their appearance doesn't match, or they are just playboys. It's really difficult."

Yan Yingqi couldn't say much more. After finishing his meal, he washed up and lay on Lady Jie's bed. For a moment, he wondered whether Yao Niang and Shen Linfeng were meant to be together, and then he worried about Lady Jie and Yao Niang's safety.

Without Lan You by his side, he couldn't eat well or sleep soundly.

Thinking about it, he couldn't fall asleep. He got dressed and walked into the garden. At this late hour, most people were asleep, but he heard intermittent sounds of someone playing the zither.

"Zhou Da, who is playing the zither?"

After checking with the old lady guarding the garden gate, Zhou Da returned and said, "Master, it's Cousin Zhen from the Zhen family playing the zither."

Yan Yingqi grumbled, "Why isn't she sleeping at this hour? Is she trying to summon spirits?"

Zhou Da thought to himself that last time, Master had blown a flute to lull the Second Lady to sleep when she couldn't sleep.