Inside the small inn room, the young man carefully supported his sister as he fed her the dark herbal medicine Yue Zilan had prepared. Only a few hours had passed since she had first drunk it, yet her condition had already improved. Her breathing was steadier, her face less pale, and her tightly clenched fists had loosened slightly.
Liu Feng sighed in relief, eyes softening as he whispered, "Ruyan, just hold on a little longer…"
Before long, a knock sounded at the door.
"Come in," Yue Zilan's cold voice answered.
The door creaked open. Wang Shun and Lu Rong stepped inside but immediately stopped in their tracks. They had only left for a few hours, and now there were two strangers in the room. A young man and a sickly girl, Where had they come from?
Yue Zilan only gave them a brief glance.
Wang Shun quickly lowered his head and stepped forward to report. "Miss, we have returned the carriage we borrowed. As ordered, we also purchased two new carriages and horses, and the supplies you listed. Everything has been delivered."
After his report, he bowed and respectfully stood aside.
Meanwhile, Liu Feng finished feeding his sister and carefully laid her back down on the bed. Yue Zilan moved closer and placed her fingers lightly on Liu Ruyan's wrist and took her pulse. She concentrated for a moment, then gave a small nod, looked at liu feng and said
"She will wake up tomorrow"
Liu Feng's lips trembled with relief. He quickly bowed his head, gratitude shining in his eyes.
Yue Zilan, however, showed no reaction. Her gaze sharpened as it turned to him. Now, introduce yourself. Tell me everything about your situation.
The young man straightened, his voice steady but tinged with bitterness. "My name is Liu Feng, eighteen years old. This is my younger sister, Liu Ruyan. She is fourteen."
He paused for a brief moment, then continued with a heavy tone.
My father was a merchant. He did not offend any official directly. In this town, the brother-in-law of the Assistant Magistrate holds great influence. That man is narrow-minded and greedy. He coveted my father's business and tried to force him to sell. But my father refused.
His hands clenched into fists. "So they framed him. They accused him of murdering a man, when in truth it was nothing but a scheme. The yamen officers dragged him away, and in prison he was beaten, tortured, and finally killed. They claimed he committed suicide, but I know… it was their doing."
His voice grew heavier. "After Father's death, our family's property was seized. Our so-called relatives abandoned us, some even bullied us, just to gain favor with the relative of that official. In the end, we were left with nothing."
As his words filled the room, Yue Zilan suddenly let out a soft yawn. Liu Feng stopped abruptly, startled. He raised his head to find her eyes fixed on him.
"That's enough," she said lightly. "I've already saved your sister. Now tell me, how will you repay me?"
Liu Feng froze. Repay? What could he possibly give? His family's property was long gone, his father was dead, and his relatives treated him like dirt. They had nothing left—only their lives.
After a long silence, he lowered his head and whispered, We have nothing but our lives.
Yue Zilan's eyes glimmered, unreadable. "Since you have nothing else, then from today onward, your lives belong to me. You and your sister will serve me as my people."
The young man's heart trembled. He was unwilling at first, but reality was cruel. He had no way to repay her, and without her, his sister would have already died. After a long pause, he lowered his head to the ground and bowed deeply.
"Liu Feng greets Miss. From now on, my sister and I will follow you."
From the side, Wang Shun and Lu Rong exchanged glances. At last, they understood what was happening. They wisely kept their mouths shut, saying nothing.
Yue Zilan's expression did not change. She turned calmly toward her wooden chest and opened it. Inside lay the last of her savings—less than a thousand taels of silver. Her face darkened slightly at the sight.
But then, her gaze flickered back toward Liu Feng, and a spark lit in her eyes.