Ye Yunniang's cries and struggles went ignored.

She was carried and placed into a coffin, forced to face a decaying corpse.

Ye Yunniang shut her eyes tightly, cursing Tong Mo silently in her heart.

"Huang Youguang, as an official appointed by the court, how dare you treat human life so carelessly? Is this how you repay the court's trust in you?" Bao Min's voice rang out, a group of armed men standing behind him.

"Bao Min! What are you doing here?" Huang Youguang was shocked. He hadn’t received any news about Bao Min’s arrival in Lincheng.

"I’ve been ordered to investigate your corruption, abuse of power, and crimes against the people. The evidence is clear—surrender now, Huang Youguang!" Bao Min’s tone was authoritative.

"Slander! The Ye woman agreed to the ghost marriage willingly!" Landlord Huang produced a marriage contract with a clear red seal.

But the fingerprint that had been there earlier had now turned into a cat’s paw print.

"What’s going on?" Landlord Huang shouted in disbelief.

"How did my son’s ghost bride turn into a cat?" Madam Huang shrieked, staring at the coffin.

Two burly men were lowering Ye Yunniang into the coffin.

"Hurry, put her inside!"

The two servants, initially frozen by the chaos, loosened their grip at Madam Huang’s command.

Ye Yunniang fell downward, clenching her teeth.

Just as her hands touched something, the back of her clothes were suddenly grabbed. "Ah—!" She was yanked out of the coffin.

"Miss Ye, I promise to keep you safe," came Tong Mo’s infuriating voice.

Ye Yunniang responded by sinking her teeth into Tong Mo’s wrist.

"Ow—!"

"Why the hell are you biting me?" Tong Mo shoved her away in pain.

Ye Yunniang fell to the ground.

"Ah—!" She clutched her stomach as a sharp pain tore through her. "My baby!"

Tong Mo realized—she was pregnant. His push might have harmed her. He quickly scooped her up.

The pain in her lower body intensified. Ye Yunniang gripped Tong Mo’s arm with all her strength.

"Save... my... child," she whispered before losing consciousness.

"Ye Yunniang! Wake up! Don’t you dare close your eyes!" Seeing the blood staining her clothes, Tong Mo carried her away.

"Stop them! Don’t let them leave!" Madam Huang screamed. Nothing would stand in the way of her son’s journey to the afterlife.

The Huang family servants drew their blades and charged at Tong Mo.

"Hold them back!" Bao Min ordered with a wave of his hand.

His men intercepted the servants, cutting them down without hesitation.

"Brother, run!" Landlord Huang yelled, snatching a sword from a guard. "Fight! A hundred taels of silver for every man you kill!"

The terrified Huang servants, enticed by the reward, roared and threw themselves into battle, momentarily overwhelming Bao Min’s elite forces.

Huang Youguang seized the chance to escape.

Meanwhile, Tong Mo rushed toward town with Ye Yunniang in his arms.

"Ye Yunniang, don’t you dare die on me."

"If anything happens to you, my uncle will skin me alive."

Bao Min had finally gotten the upper hand over Jiang Mingzhe, only for Tong Mo to ruin it.

Given Bao Min’s vindictive nature, he’d make Tong Mo’s life a living hell.

Regret gnawed at Tong Mo—why hadn’t he controlled his temper?

He kicked open the door of the town clinic.

"Doctor! Save her!"

---

Ye Yunniang opened her eyes to daylight. For a moment, she was disoriented—where was she?

Then it all came rushing back. Her hands flew to her belly.

The curve was still there. Her baby was safe.

"My child... I almost lost you." Tears slid down her cheeks.

"You nearly scared me to death," came that annoying voice again.

Ye Yunniang ignored him, focusing on the faint movements in her womb.

Tong Mo raised an eyebrow at her silence.

"Don’t you want to know about your two sons?"

"Where are Pan'er and An'er?" Ye Yunniang demanded.

"Oh, now you’ll talk to me?" Tong Mo smirked. "Beg me."

"Please, tell me—are my children and my mother safe?" She didn’t hesitate.

Tong Mo’s playful expression faded.

"Li Pan and Li An have been taken from the village chief’s house. They’re on their way here."

"And my mother? How is she?"

"Your mother..." Tong Mo hesitated.

"What happened to her?" Ye Yunniang threw off the blankets, trying to stand.

"You can’t move! The doctor said you must rest—the baby’s at risk!" Tong Mo blocked her, careful not to use force.

Ye Yunniang seized his hand. "Tell me the truth!"

"Fine." Tong Mo sighed. "Your mother fell down a mountain and hit her head. She’s... unconscious."

Ye Yunniang’s legs gave out. She collapsed backward.

"Hey! Don’t faint on me! Doctor Tong—!"

Doctor Tong rushed in, swiftly inserting acupuncture needles.

"Young Master Mo, I warned you—Miss Ye must not be agitated."

"She wouldn’t listen! What was I supposed to do?" Tong Mo grumbled, then muttered under his breath, "Stubborn mule."

"I need to see my mother." Ye Yunniang ignored him, struggling to rise.

After Li Min and Li Jun’s deaths, Cai Damei had been her rock.

Now, with her mother unconscious, Ye Yunniang’s world crumbled. Even her fear of the corpse vanished—all she could think of was her mother’s still form.

"See? She’s doing this to herself," Tong Mo said helplessly to Doctor Tong.

"Miss Ye must not exert herself," the doctor said, shooting Tong Mo a meaningful look.

Scooping ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‍her up, Tong Mo carried her to the neighboring courtyard.

Cai Damei, usually full of vigor, lay motionless in bed.

Ye Yunniang clutched her mother’s hand. "Mother... wake up! It’s me, Yunniang! Pan'er is waiting for you..."

No matter how she pleaded, Cai Damei didn’t stir.

"Doctor, what’s wrong with her?"

Doctor Tong explained, "Her head injury, combined with the fall... The physical wounds are treated, but the head..." He paused. "If she wakes by tomorrow, she’ll recover."

"And if she doesn’t?" Tong Mo blurted.

"Shut up! She will wake up!" Ye Yunniang snapped.

Tong Mo wanted to argue, but seeing her distress and Doctor Tong’s warning glare, he backtracked.

"Right, of course she will. Tonight—no, right now!"

Just then, Cai Damei’s eyelids fluttered.

"She moved!" Tong Mo shouted.

Doctor Tong checked her pulse.

"Yun... niang..." Cai Damei’s weak voice came.

"Mother!" Ye Yunniang squeezed her hand.

"Are you hurt? Tell me the truth."

"I’m fine."

"Don’t lie to me."