The elderly man helped his wife settle beneath the tree before turning to draw water from the well, pouring it into the barrels on their cart. After hauling two or three buckets, he began to struggle. Just as Chu Chu moved to assist him, a kitchen attendant approached and said, "Imperial Concubine, the tofu has been delivered."
"Oh... alright. Just set aside a small portion for me. I’ll go help that elderly gentleman with the water first."
"That won’t do, it won’t do..."
Having frequently visited the kitchen to brew medicine over the past few days, Chu Chu was known to the staff as an unpretentious and gentle Imperial Concubine. The attendant stepped directly in her path, blocking her. "Your kindness is appreciated, and I thank you on behalf of Qin Daye. But you mustn’t help him, or the old couple won’t be able to survive..."
"Why is that?"
The attendant ushered Chu Chu into the kitchen and lowered his voice. "They’ve worked at the Imperial Examination Hall for nearly twenty years. Even in their eighties, they persist—all to find their son... If they lose this job, they’ll resent you for it."
Chu Chu pressed her lips together, peering discreetly out the window at the laboring Qin Daye. "Is their son at the Imperial Examination Hall?"
"That’s what they believe... They’re from a rural village in Tanzhou. Granny Qin was too frail to bear children, and the family was destitute. They had only one son, picked up from the fields, whom they cherished beyond measure. They provided for his needs and education. Thirty years ago, the young man came to the capital for the imperial exams, vowing not to return unless he passed. But he vanished without a trace for years. The couple sold everything they had to search for him in the capital. Unable to find him, they took jobs at the Examination Hall—cleaning the courtyards and delivering water to the exam cells during tests—hoping to locate their son. They’ve searched to this day without success, and it’s worn them down to the brink..."
The attendant spoke with evident pity, glancing outside. "Everyone here pities them, but no one dares to help, fearing they might cost the couple their jobs. That would truly be the end of them."
Chu Chu stuck out her tongue in understanding. "I see... Thank you!"
"You’re too kind, too kind... I’ll fetch your tofu now."
"Alright!"
When Chu Chu returned carrying the food box, Xiao Jin Yu was leaning against the headboard, reviewing a stack of case files. He seemed much improved, his striking eyes now bright with vitality.
Whenever Xiao Jin Yu immersed himself in case files like this, Chu Chu felt an inexplicable pang of jealousy. She envied those papers he held so carefully, devoting his full attention to them for hours on end, forgetting meals and sleep altogether.
She knew such pettiness was unbecoming, yet she couldn’t help it. The moment Xiao Jin Yu set the papers aside, she burrowed into his embrace, nestling her head against his chest with contented nuzzles.
Xiao Jin Yu chuckled softly, stroking her hair with a mix of amusement and exasperation. "Are you jealous of the case files again?"
This wasn’t the first time. When Chu Chu had first confessed this with a blush, even the typically reserved Xiao Jin Yu had laughed aloud.
Chu Chu looked up, her expression downcast. "Wang Ye, do you ever get jealous when I perform corpse examinations?"
Xiao Jin Yu frowned slightly, pondering earnestly. "Sometimes I do... and sometimes I don’t."
Her eyes sparkled instantly. "When do you?"
He replied gently, "When you examine them from head to toe."Chu Chu beamed with delight. "Then when won't it be?"
Xiao Jin Yu sighed softly. "When you dissect them..."
"Wang Ye, you're so amusing!"
"Satisfied now..." Xiao Jin Yu breathed in the enticing rich aroma filling the room and patted the giggling person in his arms with mixed amusement and exasperation. "Could you spare me a bite to eat?"
"Of course!"
Chu Chu served him a full bowl. Xiao Jin Yu picked up a spoon and took a sip. His taste buds, numbed by days of plain congee and bitter medicine, suddenly awakened to the rich fragrance. "It's delicious."
"Then eat more! I'll stew another soup for you tonight!"
"Thank you..."
Xiao Jin Yu bent his head and slowly drank the soup. The warm broth heated his body that had been feeling chilly since his fever broke. After half a bowl, his entire body warmed up, and a faint color returned to his face.
Only when she saw he was half-full did Chu Chu purse her lips and say, "Wang Ye, I want to ask you for a favor."
Xiao Jin Yu's spoon paused. He clearly remembered the last time she had made such a serious request. "...Another autopsy?"
"No, no!" Chu Chu waved her hands repeatedly. "Not a corpse, it's about living people!"
"Go on..."
"Wang Ye, could you help me find someone?"
Xiao Jin Yu was slightly taken aback. "What person?"
"I don't know either..."
"Chu Chu... why are you looking for this person?"
Chu Chu bit her lip. "His parents have been searching for him for many years, and they're almost too tired to continue... I just want to help them reunite their family sooner."
"Who are his parents?"
"They're Qin Daye and Granny Qin who deliver water to the examination cells in the Imperial Examination Hall. I heard from the kitchen staff that their son was taking the exam in the Imperial Examination Hall... Wang Ye, they're so pitiful, please help them."
Xiao Jin Yu's brow furrowed slightly. "Hmm... Go talk to Wu Jiang in detail. If he can't find out, I'll think of another way."
"Thank you, Wang Ye!"
After eating and taking his medicine, Xiao Jin Yu went out to thoroughly examine the rooms where the two incidents had occurred, both inside and out. When he returned to his room, Wu Jiang was already waiting there with Wang Xiaohua and the two soldiers whom Xiao Jin Yu and Chu Chu had rescued last time.
"Wang Ye, the physician from the Imperial Examination Hall has already gone to the barracks... Those two are seriously injured, it's uncertain whether they can be saved."
As he spoke, Wu Jiang shot a fierce glare at Wang Xiaohua. Having come from the military himself and served on the battlefield before entering Prince An Manor, he had been both a soldier and a commander, but he had never seen a general who treated his own soldiers so brutally.
Wang Xiaohua merely snorted coldly, standing with his large blade planted firmly, looking arrogantly at Xiao Jin Yu.
Xiao Jin Yu gave a slight nod to Wu Jiang, his gaze drifting past Wang Xiaohua to directly address the two soldiers who still appeared unwell. "Are your injuries improving?"
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