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Shen Zi’an emerged from the back door holding a boy in his arms and another child following closely behind. Upon seeing him, Su Zhi hurried over to them.
The child in Shen Zi’an’s arms was a young boy, softly calling out to his sister. Hearing this, the girl in Su Zhi’s arms excitedly responded, calling out to her brother and nearly slipping from Su Zhi’s embrace. Su Zhi quickly held her tight.
“Don’t move. You might fall.”
Upon Su Zhi’s warning, the little girl obediently stayed still, continuously calling for her brother. Su Zhi felt a pang of empathy, realizing how attached the little girl was to her brother in Shen Zi’an’s arms, understanding that the boy must have taken good care of her, leading to her strong bond. It was heart-wrenching to see such young children in this situation.
The young boy following Shen Zi’an raised his hand to hold onto the little girl’s clothes and said, “Sister, don’t be afraid. We are safe now. No one will hurt you again.”
Su Zhi marveled at the boy’s calm and reassuring tone despite his tender age, recognizing a sense of maturity beyond his years. She briefly pondered how well-cared for he must have been at home before refocusing her concern on Shen Zi’an.
“Zi’an, are you okay? What happened inside to start a fight? Are you injured?” Su Zhi inquired, relieved to hear he was unharmed.
Shen Zi’an replied, “I’m fine. I had no choice but to go inside, which led to the scuffle, but you arrived just in time.”
Su Zhi breathed a sigh of relief, expressing her worry about his safety. Shen Ziju, witnessing Su Zhi’s tender care for Shen Zi’an, approached and also expressed his concern. He greatly admired his Fourth Brother’s actions that day, selflessly risking his own safety to help others in need, a noble deed that Shen Ziju, as a scholar, found difficult to emulate.
Qian Guang and his group, numbering around twenty to thirty people, charged into the courtyard like a pack of wolves. They swiftly apprehended anyone who showed resistance, resorting to force if necessary. The kidnappers, not accustomed to physical altercations, were easily overwhelmed, particularly after Shen Zi’an had already given them a beating. Faced with the overwhelming numbers, some attempted to flee but were caught, while others surrendered, pleading for mercy. A few of the stronger ones engaged in scuffles with Qian’s guards and were quickly subdued and restrained.
Surveying the captured individuals in the courtyard, Qian Guang counted seven – five men and two women. Pleased with the successful capture, he contemplated the potential recognition and praise this achievement would bring if reported to the county authorities. He couldn’t help but attribute their success to the fortunate presence of Shen Zi’an and his wife.
As his subordinate reported the presence of more women and children inside the building, Qian Guang wasted no time in investigating. Inside, he found separate rooms containing young women and children. The women were all relatively young and attractive, while the children, both boys and girls of a few years old, appeared well-behaved but visibly shaken and tear-stained, trembling as Qian Guang and his group entered.
Among the women, two had torn clothing and appeared to be defensively clutching their collars, indicating they may have faced threats of violence.
Emerging from a corner was a slender young woman, once beautiful with delicate features and powdered face, now marred by tears, making her appearance less appealing. If Su Zhi and the others were present, they would have recognized her as Zhao Xiaohua!
Zhao Xiaohua had come to enjoy the lantern festival with her family, but they were separated in the crowd. Unperturbed, she wandered alone, admiring the lanterns while discreetly scanning the crowd for wealthy young men, hoping for a romantic encounter. Instead of a wealthy suitor, she encountered the kidnappers, fearing the worst until Shen Zi’an came to the rescue. Now, with the arrival of another gentleman, she felt a sense of relief.
“Many thanks for your rescue, kind sir. I will never forget this great favor,” Zhao Xiaohua expressed gratefully, bowing gracefully with a pitiable expression. However, her tear-stained face detracted from the intended sentiment, rendering any expression on her face rather unattractive.
Qian Guang glanced at Zhao Xiaohua, impressed by her boldness; while others were still crying, she had already come to express gratitude. However, he couldn’t help but think that her heavily powdered face seemed unnatural compared to Su Zhi’s natural beauty. He realized that women were more appealing when they embraced their natural appearance.
“No need to thank me. Stay with the group; your families will come to collect you soon. Try not to cry,” Qian Guang spoke before turning and leaving, feeling stifled by the atmosphere inside the building.
Disappointed to see the gentleman walk away, Zhao Xiaohua recognized Qian Guang. She had encountered him in town before and knew he was the only son of the wealthy Qian family, destined to inherit their vast fortune. She had once fancied the idea of marrying him, viewing him as a wealthy and talented potential husband. However, aware of the vast social gap between their families, she had merely entertained these thoughts as daydreams before redirecting her attention elsewhere.
Encountering Qian Guang again today, this time as her rescuer, reignited Zhao Xiaohua’s lively imagination.
After leaving the building, a servant hurried to Qian Guang, relaying a message from Shen’s wife that there might be kidnappers still at large outside. They were instructed to thoroughly investigate to ensure none escaped. If any were found, they were to be captured and detained.
Realizing the importance of this task, Qian Guang promptly ordered his men to interrogate the captured kidnappers about any accomplices still at large. He inquired about Shen Zi’an and Su Zhi’s whereabouts.
“The elder brother of Master Shen is carrying a boy who has a fever. They have gone to see a physician, and Master Shen accompanied them,” the servant reported.
Acknowledging this information, Qian Guang learned from his men that two kidnappers were indeed still on the streets, attempting to abduct more victims. He ordered the captured kidnappers to be bound, gagged, and confined indoors. He then instructed the women and children to remain silent indoors while he waited for the opportunity to catch any remaining criminals.
Shen Zi’an carried the sick boy, while Su Zhi held onto the girl tightly, refusing to let go despite Shen Ziju’s attempts to take her. Eventually, Shen Ziju had to give up and instead held the hand of the boy walking beside them. The group left the alley and headed towards the apothecary.
The local apothecary in town also served as a clinic, where patients could receive treatment and prescriptions. Despite the festival, the physician and his assistants were attending to the injured individuals from a recent stampede caused by a minor fire incident.
Upon the group’s arrival, the physician examined the boy in Shen Zi’an’s arms and diagnosed him with a fever induced by shock and cold. He prescribed medication and advised rest for a speedy recovery.
After paying for the treatment and collecting the medicine, Shen Zi’an and Su Zhi hurried back to the Qian residence, intending to prepare the medicine. Since the children were all victims of abduction, they planned to entrust them to the Qian family to help locate their families.
Upon reaching the Qian household, they were warmly received by the wealthy host, who provided them with a room to settle in. The children were placed in comfortable beds, and a maid was sent to start preparing the medicine.
Upon learning about the successful capture of multiple kidnappers and the rescue of numerous abducted women and children, Qian, the wealthy host, understood the significance of this achievement. Recognizing the potential for great recognition, he warmly greeted Shen Zi’an and his wife, appreciating their efforts.
Shen Zhu, upon hearing of Shen Zi’an’s return, rushed over to ensure everyone was safe. After confirming Shen Ziju was unharmed, she approached Shen Zi’an to express her concern. Shen Ziju, eager to highlight Shen Zi’an’s bravery to Qian, mentioned how he had engaged in combat with the kidnappers. Shen Zhu inspected Shen Zi’an closely but found no visible injuries. Nevertheless, to show her care, she forced out a few tears.
Impressed by Shen Zi’an’s courage, Qian praised him once more, acknowledging his valor.
For Shen Ziju, emphasizing Shen Zi’an’s bravery was not only to earn him recognition but also to strengthen their relationship. Shen Zi’an, his elder brother, had always been supportive, and now that they had separated their households, Shen Ziju sought to maintain a good rapport. Additionally, as he aimed to participate in the imperial examinations, having a close relationship with Shen Zi’an, as well as his knowledgeable wife, could prove beneficial for his academic pursuits. Their insights and guidance could potentially aid him in his future examinations.
Su Zhi, observing the feverish boy lying in bed, with cheeks flushed red, frowned slightly and approached Qian, requesting a supply of strong alcohol. She explained her intention to use it to reduce the child’s fever by rubbing his body with it.
Surprised by this unconventional method, Qian remarked, “Using alcohol to reduce fever? That’s unheard of.”
Su Zhi clarified, “While this method may not work for everyone and alcohol may not be suitable for all skin types, for those whose skin tolerates it well, rubbing alcohol all over the body vigorously can help reduce fever.”
Upon hearing this explanation, Qian immediately instructed a servant to fetch the alcohol.
Shen Zhu and Shen Ziju watched curiously as Su Zhi explained her approach. While Shen Zhu wondered about Su Zhi’s intentions, she trusted her expertise in medicinal matters and refrained from questioning her methods.
Shen Ziju, observing Su Zhi’s actions, marveled at her ability to consistently surprise others with her innovative approaches.