"That Wu is truly despicable. The forged letter he brought even used Father's name to demand that Sister marry him. It makes my blood boil!" Mo Caihuan's voice was sharp with hatred. She clearly despised Wu Jianming with every fiber of her being.
"Still, we are fortunate it was your elder sister he targeted. If he had demanded either you or Fengwu, I honestly don't know what I would have done. With your temperaments, you could never have endured playing along with such a man. Poor Yuzhu bears this burden alone—though I wonder whether your father will blame me for it when he returns." Yan Shi sighed softly.
"Mother, how could Father blame you? It was Sister who volunteered to deal with this Wu in the first place," Mo Caihuan said quickly, trying to comfort her.
"Foolish child. Yuzhu is doing this for the sake of the Mo Residence and the Jingzhao Society—she had no choice. But I will only allow this charade to continue to a certain point. I will never truly give your sister to that impostor. If we can stall no longer, we will simply turn on him and capture him outright." Yan Shi's voice turned cold on the final words.
A heavy silence settled over the room. Both mother and daughter understood what a direct confrontation would mean.
"When will Father finally return?" After a long pause, Mo Caihuan's voice came again, soft and melancholic.
"When he left, he said it would be two or three years at the shortest, five or six at the longest," Yan Shi replied, her tone somber.
"Nearly ten years have passed now. I can barely remember what Father looks like anymore," Mo Caihuan murmured.
"Have no fear. Your father is a great man of extraordinary talent, and he possesses techniques beyond ordinary measure. Nothing could have happened to him. He must simply have been detained by some pressing matter. He will return to the Mo Residence soon." Yan Shi spoke as much to reassure herself as to comfort her daughter.
"Oh—before I forget. Second Sister Fengwu has prepared a rejuvenating elixir for you, Mother. She asked me to bring it along. You should try it—I hear it works wonderfully." The girl abruptly shifted the topic, clearly eager to break the oppressive mood.
"You child..."
The mother and daughter continued with small talk, but Han Li could extract nothing more of use from their conversation.
What he had overheard was more than enough. The bond between Yan Shi and Doctor Mo ran deep—she could be trusted. And after weighing his options, Han Li concluded that despite the household's awareness of Wu Jianming's imposture, he should still make his approach. The yin poison lurking in his body could flare at any moment. Securing the Warm-Sun Jade had to be his first priority.
Reaching into his robe, Han Li produced Doctor Mo's token—a dragon-shaped ring. He crept silently to the window and, with a flick of his wrist, tossed the ring through the paper-covered lattice.
The ring struck the floor with a clear, sharp chime. An eruption of startled cries followed from within.
After a moment, Yan Shi's voice rang out, composed and dignified.
"Which honored guest has graced our humble home? Yan Shi failed to greet you at the gate—please forgive the discourtesy."
Han Li smiled faintly and was about to answer when another voice broke in—sharp with surprise.
"How strange! The person threw in a ring! And it looks so familiar—it's very like the one you wear, Mother!"
"Mother, come look!" Mo Caihuan had evidently picked up the ring and was holding it out.
"The Dragon-Ring!" Yan Shi gasped.
Hearing that she had recognized the token, Han Li gave the door two light knocks and announced in a clear voice: "Disciple Han Li, sent by Doctor Mo's orders, requests an audience with his master's wife!"
Silence crashed over the room like a physical thing. His words had struck the occupants like a thunderbolt.
After what felt like an eternity, Yan Shi's voice finally came through the door. "Come in."
Han Li pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The first thing he saw was a stunningly beautiful woman of approximately thirty years, seated in a wooden chair. Behind her stood a girl of fifteen or sixteen—lovely in her own right, with features that bore a striking resemblance to the woman. They were clearly mother and daughter.
Yan Shi held the dragon-shaped ring Han Li had just thrown in, turning it idly over in her fingers. Her expression was calm, betraying no emotion as she regarded the young man before her.
Mo Caihuan, standing behind her mother, fixed Han Li with curious dark eyes. Her lips were curved in the ghost of a smile, and there was something mischievous about her whole bearing—the look of a clever, spirited girl who found the world endlessly entertaining.
After sizing them both up, Han Li stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
"Greetings, Fourth Mistress."
Surprise flickered in Yan Shi's eyes. The young man standing before her was remarkably unassuming in appearance—far from what she had expected.
She did not immediately respond. Instead, she raised her left hand, revealing another dragon-patterned ring on her finger. Carefully, she pressed the two rings together. The dragon engravings on each ring matched with perfect precision, fitting together as though they were two halves of a whole, with not the slightest gap between them.
"The token is genuine," Yan Shi said, a trace of warmth finally entering her voice. "But do you also carry my husband's personal letter?"
Without a word, Han Li produced the letter he had prepared and presented it with both hands.
Seeing the young man's respectful manner, Yan Shi nodded with satisfaction. She accepted the letter and began to read it carefully.
Han Li stepped back and quietly studied his master's wife, reading her expression for any shift in her attitude toward this unexpected disciple-turned-future-son-in-law who had appeared at her doorstep.