Lin Qinghe had just emerged from the tea house when she ran into Jiang Jingren again. It was unclear if Jiang Jingren had been keeping tabs on Lin Qinghe, but he somehow knew about You Rong's arrest.
Jiang Jingren blocked Lin Qinghe's path, his brow furrowed. "I told you, if you ever have any difficulties, just ask me. I will definitely help you."
Lin Qinghe's face darkened. She directly exposed Jiang Jingren's ulterior motives. "If I ask you to help save someone, what are your conditions?"
"I..." Jiang Jingren's eyes flickered. "You divorce that person, and I will take you back to the capital this time, okay?"
Lin Qinghe: "..."
He immediately suggested divorce. This Jiang Jingren was truly a perfect match for Xu Yiyi!
Lin Qinghe said coldly without thinking, "I will never divorce my shopkeeper. If this is your intention, then forget about it."
After speaking, Lin Qinghe tried to walk past Jiang Jingren. Jiang Jingren's gaze deepened. Being rejected again and again was something someone of his noble background and outstanding appearance had never experienced, which only made him more determined to have Lin Qinghe.
Fortunately, Lin Qinghe was unaware of Jiang Jingren's thoughts at the moment. Otherwise, she would have cursed him for being a masochist. When the original owner cared about him, he paid no attention. Now that it was her, and she was indifferent to him, he became interested.
Jiang Jingren suddenly spoke, "Don't you want to see your husband? If you want to see him, I can take you to see him now."
Lin Qinghe's steps halted. She turned back, "Are you serious about what you just said?"
"Of course, I am."
"You... if you only agree to take me to see him if I divorce him, I won't agree."
Jiang Jingren said, "I said that I would save him only after you divorced him. Right now, I am only saying I will take you to see him, not that I will save him."
He would take Lin Qinghe to see You Rong, let Lin Qinghe know that he had the ability to save You Rong, and when she was desperate, she would have no choice but to agree to his conditions.
Jiang Jingren thought with great certainty.
Lin Qinghe saw through Jiang Jingren's thoughts and felt disdain, but she did want to see You Rong, so she said, "Fine! You said it, then take me to see him now!"
Jiang Jingren's lips curled into a satisfied smile. "Yes, get in the carriage. I'll take you to see him right away."
Lin Qinghe did not hesitate and got into Jiang Jingren's carriage.
Jiang Jingren took them to the yamen's prison. He took off a jade pendant and handed it to the yamen runner. The runner, whose attitude was completely different from when Lin Qinghe had visited yesterday, said with a fawning smile, "So it's young master Jiang. Please... please come in... Whom do you wish to see? Just say the word, and I'll lead you in!"
Jiang Jingren turned back and smiled slightly at Lin Qinghe. "Come in with me."
Lin Qinghe suppressed her displeasure towards Jiang Jingren, nodded, and followed him and the runner inside.
They walked past cell after cell and stopped at the innermost one. Lin Qinghe saw You Rong sitting in the corner at a glance. Her heart tightened, and she quickly walked over, calling out anxiously through the wooden bars, "You Rong!"
You Rong was startled when he heard the familiar voice. He looked up and saw Lin Qinghe, his expression changing drastically. He quickly walked over, clasped Lin Qinghe's hand, and asked worriedly, "Why are you here? Were you arrested? You..."
"No, I wasn't arrested. I just came to see you. Are you doing well in here? Are you cold at night? Do you have anything to eat? Did they beat you?"
"I'm fine, you don't need to worry," You Rong said.
Lin Qinghe nervously examined You Rong from head to toe. Seeing that he was indeed unharmed, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Just as You Rong was about to ask how Lin Qinghe had gotten in, Jiang Jingren reminded them, "Qinghe, time is limited. Hurry up."
When You Rong saw Jiang Jingren, he knew. He was the one who brought Lin Qinghe here!
Had Lin Qinghe asked him for help?
Although he knew Lin Qinghe was doing it for him, he was still displeased. However, what You Rong resented more was his own uselessness, being arrested and forcing her to seek help everywhere.
Lin Qinghe frowned and irritably told Jiang Jingren, "I know." After that, she didn't look at Jiang Jingren again. She clasped You Rong's large hand tightly and comforted him, "You Rong, don't worry. I will definitely save you. I already know who poisoned us and framed us."
You Rong asked, "Who?"
"The shopkeeper of Zui Xiang Lou. Someone saw his servant instructing those two street ruffians to climb over the wall into the small wine shop late at night. They poured poison into the water vat in the kitchen to frame us!"
You Rong was furious. He never expected the shopkeeper of Zui Xiang Lou to be so cruel. Not only did he fail to buy their recipe, but he was also willing to kill people to achieve his goal.
Jiang Jingren saw that Lin Qinghe was extremely cold to him, but now her eyes were full of You Rong. He was very displeased.
Jiang Jingren's eyes flickered, and he deliberately said, "I heard that the shopkeeper of Zui Xiang Lou is Magistrate Xu's own uncle. There are too many collusions between officials and merchants these days. Otherwise, shopkeeper You would not have been sentenced to death before the trial... Oh, right, shopkeeper You doesn't know about his death sentence yet, does he?"
You Rong's face turned grim. Lin Qinghe could not take it anymore and turned to glare at Jiang Jingren. "If you don't speak, no one will think you're mute!"
The more Lin Qinghe cared about You Rong, the more unhappy Jiang Jingren became.
He chuckled, and the words he spoke, though seemingly directed at Lin Qinghe, were aimed directly at You Rong.
"Am I not speaking the truth? As I said, as long as Qinghe agrees to divorce shopkeeper You and return to the capital with me, I will find a way to save shopkeeper You."
You Rong's eyes turned cold. "How dare you!"
Jiang Jingren smiled. "Shopkeeper You, I am offering my good intentions."
You Rong was furious. "Who needs your good intentions! I'm telling you, I will never agree to a divorce. Stop eyeing Qinghe. She is mine!"
Jiang Jingren smiled without speaking, his eyes mixed with a subtle mockery that made You Rong's veins bulge in anger. If he could, he would rush out and kill this man who dared to covet Lin Qinghe!
Lin Qinghe glared fiercely at Jiang Jingren, gently caressed You Rong's face with her small hand, and whispered, "You Rong, don't listen to his nonsense. Ignore him... Look at me."
You Rong withdrew his gaze, placed his large hand on top of hers, and his handsome face could not hide his anxiety. "Qinghe, I will not divorce you! You are not allowed to do anything foolish to save me!"
Lin Qinghe smiled slightly, caressed You Rong's face, and said, "Don't worry, I will never divorce you either. You married me, and you will be mine forever! No one can take you away!"
"Qinghe..." You Rong was still worried.
Lin Qinghe's gaze was firm. "Don't worry, I will definitely save you. Believe me!"
You Rong's brow furrowed. It wasn't that he didn't trust Lin Qinghe; he was worried she would do something drastic to save him.
Lin Qinghe saw You Rong's concern, her eyes flickered, and she softly called out, "You Rong..."
As You Rong looked up, Lin Qinghe, who had leaned in, kissed him.