Jiang Zhiyi didn’t understand what Shen Yuance meant, but his figure had already disappeared among the dense array of tents.

The north wind howled, snowflakes flying everywhere, chilling half of one’s heart.

Jiang Zhiyi’s delicate eyebrows furrowed tightly as she sighed in frustration and slowly walked forward.

When she reached Shen Yuance’s main tent, she saw that the entrance was tightly closed, with soldiers standing guard in an impenetrable circle around it.

…She wasn’t some wild tiger or beast that could tear an opening to break in—wasn’t guarding the door a bit excessive!

Jiang Zhiyi kicked the powdery snow on the ground with force.

The tent flap was lifted from inside, and Mu Xinhong found himself facing a spray of snow. He lowered his head nervously and hurriedly came forward with a roll of official document paper: “Princess, this is what the General ordered me to deliver to you.”

Jiang Zhiyi frowned as she glanced at it: “What is this?”

“His Majesty was furious when he learned about your encounter with bandits in the suburbs. Considering your reputation, he deemed it inappropriate to publicize the matter and entrusted the case to the General for private investigation. The prisoner the General was just interrogating was one of the detained bandits, and this is the prisoner’s confession—a copy the General just finished making.”

Jiang Zhiyi’s brows relaxed, and she blinked: “…So he was being so harsh in the torture chamber because he was avenging me?”

“Uh…” Mu Xinhong’s eyes slid sideways toward the tent, feeling a chilly gaze through the thick tent flap, and he continued without pause, “According to the prisoner’s confession, they weren’t mountain bandits but hired thugs. That day, someone paid them handsomely to disguise themselves as bandits and capture you alive to take you to the mountains…”

Jiang Zhiyi was stunned for a moment, then looked toward the tent with sudden enlightenment, joy slowly creeping up to her brow.

No wonder he had been so furious on behalf of his beauty, lashing out with such force…

“So the General means,” Mu Xinhong carefully raised his eyelids slightly, “that since the mastermind behind this hasn’t been identified yet, the Princess should stay at home for now to avoid further danger…”

“All right, all right, I understand,” Jiang Zhiyi waved her hand, smiling at the tent with pursed lips, “He’s still worried about me even while angry. Go and advise him that excessive anger harms the body. I’ll return to the mansion now, so he needn’t worry.”

“Y-yes, of course.” Mu Xinhong nodded hesitantly and retreated.

Jiang Zhiyi lowered her head to unfold the confession, glancing at the vigorous handwriting on the paper, each stroke revealing anger, and left the camp contentedly, as if carrying a love letter.

The sun gradually climbed higher, and the post-snow chill melted in the golden sunlight. By noon, Jiang Zhiyi, having read the confession countless times along the way, returned to Yaoguang Pavilion with joy and excitement.

As she was walking into the courtyard with light steps, she suddenly heard a trembling female voice from inside the courtyard wall: “Madam, please calm your anger. This servant truly doesn’t know where the Princess went…”

Jiang Zhiyi’s smile froze as she stood outside the courtyard gate, slowly folding the confession in her hand and tucking it into her sleeve.

Inside the courtyard was a clamor that sounded like many men and women gathered together.

Amid the chaotic voices, Madam Zhong’s sharp, oppressive voice rose: “You’re all newcomers, yet so loyal to your mistress… Take them all away and slap their mouths! Let’s see how long these lowly maids can remain stubborn!”

“Aunt, who are you planning to slap in my courtyard?” Jiang Zhiyi stepped through the courtyard gate.

The maids kneeling on the ground suddenly raised their eyes.

Madam Zhong turned around with a start, her gaze flickering for a moment before she approached, feigning anxiety as she clutched her chest: “Zhiyi, where have you been? Your injuries haven’t fully healed, and it’s not safe outside. You nearly worried your aunt to…”

Jiang Zhiyi leisurely raised her palm: “Aunt, mind your words. Elder Cousin is still ill. Speaking of ‘death’ is most inauspicious.”

Madam Zhong’s smile stiffened at the corners of her mouth.

“Besides, I’ve returned perfectly safe. The outside world seems quite peaceful to me, but my courtyard—” Jiang Zhiyi turned her gaze, slowly scanning the large group of guards and servants behind Madam Zhong, “—is in complete disarray.”

Madam Zhong forced a smile: “Your aunt was just disciplining the servants for you. I’ve said before that we should assign a matron to manage your courtyard, but you refused. You’ve indulged these servants until they’ve become useless—they don’t even know where their mistress has gone! How can they serve properly?”

“Yes, they do need to be disciplined—” Jiang Zhiyi lowered her eyes to look at the maids kneeling on the ground, “Who taught you your manners? How dare you kneel before an outsider who presumes to give orders in my Yaoguang Pavilion?”

Madam Zhong’s smile froze as she looked over with surprised eyes, raising her eyebrows in disbelief, as if thinking she had misheard.

The cold wind blew sharply, shaking the remaining snow from the plum blossoms, and the entire courtyard suddenly became so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.

The kneeling maids lowered their heads, exchanging uncertain glances.

Gu Yu and Xiaoman, at the front, exchanged a look and were about to rise to their feet—

“Who said you could get up?!” Nanny Chai beside Madam Zhong suddenly shouted harshly, secretly patting Madam Zhong’s hand as if reminding her of something, “Know who truly runs this marquis’s mansion! If Madam hasn’t said to rise, who dares to move?”

Gu Yu and Xiaoman trembled as they knelt back down.

Madam Zhong took a deep breath, slowly straightened her back, and narrowed her eyes at Jiang Zhiyi.

Indeed, this girl currently had no capable servants around her and had to sneak out. What right did she have to be so arrogant?

After treating this girl like a precious ancestor for so many years, she turned out to be nothing but an ungrateful little wolf…

If only this ungrateful wolf had agreed to marry her son, would he now be lying on his sickbed, hovering between life and death?

She should never have believed in those witchcraft methods. She should have simply bound this girl and sent her to her son’s bed. No matter how proud her bones were, she would have had to bear children for her son, wash his feet, and dress him!

Today she would make her see her true situation and teach her what it meant to bow her head when under someone else’s roof!

Madam Zhong adopted a stern posture, frowning as she pointed at the heads of Jiang Zhiyi’s maids: “Look at these ill-bred creatures—see how they’ve corrupted their mistress! Disregarding all propriety for young ladies, jumping out of windows, climbing over walls, running wild outside all day!”

Madam Zhong paced back and forth slowly, glancing at Jiang Zhiyi after each sentence: “I pitied you as an orphaned girl and showed you much leniency, but I never expected you to become so unruly. If outsiders were to learn of this, they would say I failed as your aunt… For the sake of the Princess’s future reputation, from today onwards, I have no choice but to discipline you properly!”

Jiang Zhiyi raised her eyebrows as she looked at Madam Zhong.

This aunt of hers had worked so hard for so many years, finally earning the reputation of “treating her niece like her own daughter.” Now that her son was dying, she had become so anxious that she had dropped all pretense.

Madam Zhong took a long, satisfied breath: “Take these lowly creatures away and send the Princess back to her room for reflection! Without my order, not even the Jade Emperor himself can let her out!”

Gu Yu, kneeling on the ground, listened with a pounding heart, secretly raising her eyes to look at Jiang Zhiyi, tugging at her skirt.

Madam had brought many guards and strong servants today. They were now outnumbered and without support. Wouldn’t it be better to yield for now?

Jiang Zhiyi lowered her eyes to look at Gu Yu, giving her a signal to indicate she understood, then sighed and looked up to ask Madam Zhong: “Aunt, do you want to do this?”

Madam Zhong curled her lips into a smile: “Zhiyi, you can’t blame your aunt for this. If I don’t discipline you properly, you’ll be the one to blame me in the future.”

“Aunt, have you forgotten that my grandmother was the Princess Imperial of Ding’an? If you imprison me of your own accord, aren’t you afraid of being charged with disrespect to the imperial family?”

“Precisely because the Princess is the Princess Imperial’s granddaughter, I must discipline you strictly and teach you what propriety and filial piety mean, to comfort the Princess Imperial—” Madam Zhong smiled, emphasizing her words, “—in heaven.”

Gu Yu secretly clenched her fists.

This Madam Zhong was relying on the fact that the Princess Imperial had passed away long ago—her name carried authority, but it couldn’t harm her now!

Jiang Zhiyi lightly brushed her sleeve and turned to sit on a stone bench nearby, looking at Madam Zhong: “Then, Aunt, please proceed.”

At such a critical moment, this girl remained so calm. Madam Zhong hesitated, surveying Jiang Zhiyi’s empty surroundings, and gave a cold laugh.

…Anyone can put on a brave front, but what waves could this weak girl possibly make?

Madam Zhong composed herself and put on a stern face again: “Come forward!”

Jiang Zhiyi: “Come forward!”

The two voices fell one after another.

Madam Zhong glanced at Jiang Zhiyi with amusement: “Where would the Princess get any—”

Before she could finish, the sound of armor rang out, and dozens of golden-armored imperial guards with swords entered from outside the courtyard gate, rushing in like a storm.

Two servants hadn’t even touched Jiang Zhiyi when they screamed in pain, their arms twisted as they were pressed to the ground.

Madam Zhong was stunned as she turned around, staggering back two steps, her eyes widening at the guards surrounding them.

What was happening? Wasn’t this girl supposed to be without support?

This golden armor, these swords—these were the Emperor’s guards, the Jinwu Guard…

When had they arrived? When had these guards, symbols of imperial authority, been waiting outside the courtyard?

And what she had said earlier…

Madam Zhong clutched her handkerchief to her mouth.

Jiang Zhiyi raised her eyelids slightly: “Aunt, you might want to think more clearly. Are you truly not afraid of being charged with disrespect to the imperial family?”

Madam Zhong’s legs gave way beneath her, and she suddenly fell backward, barely caught by Nanny Chai.

Jiang Zhiyi sighed softly.

She had encountered this group of Jinwu Guards on her way back from the suburbs. They said the Emperor Uncle had heard that her guards had suffered heavy casualties and sent some men to assist her. She had brought them back to the mansion, never expecting that Madam Zhong, who had restrained herself for so many years, would choose this moment to act.

Now, this family scandal would have to be made public.

Jiang Zhiyi: “Why are you standing there? Don’t miss anyone in this courtyard.”

In an instant, all the guards and servants in the courtyard were pinned to the ground. Nanny Chai was also dragged away: “Madam, Madam—!”

Madam Zhong’s face turned deathly pale as she swayed, seeing that she was now alone. She retreated repeatedly, her mouth trembling: “Zhi-Zhiyi, you misunderstand your aunt… Your aunt didn’t mean it earlier. It was all for your well-being that I didn’t let you go out…”

“Zhiyi knows Aunt’s intentions, but last night, when I was unwell, Aunt’s people prevented mine from calling a physician. It seems they took a chicken feather for an imperial edict, trying to drive a wedge between Aunt and me. Today, I will deal with these creatures.”

“Princess, how shall we deal with these people?”

Jiang Zhiyi signaled for Gu Yu, Xiaoman, and the others to rise: “How long were you kneeling?”

“In reply to the Princess, about, about half an hour…”

Jiang Zhiyi raised her hand and waved it lightly: “Then give all these people half an hour of the paddle.”

Madam Zhong felt dizzy and leaned against the wall for support.

Half an hour… how many people in this courtyard would still be alive after half an hour of paddling!

All the guards and servants were forced onto the punishment benches. The entire courtyard was so quiet that no one dared to breathe loudly, until the first paddle fell and a wail broke the silence.

Madam Zhong’s whole body trembled as she tightly closed her eyes.

In an instant, the courtyard was filled with the heart-wrenching sound of paddles falling one after another, with miserable screams rising and falling.

“Princess, have mercy… Princess, have mercy…”

“This lowly one knows his mistake, this lowly one will never dare again! Princess, have mercy…”

“Madam, quick… quickly find Lord Zhong. Lord Zhong will surely plead with His Majesty for you…” Amid the pleas for mercy, Nanny Chai’s voice stood out particularly conspicuously.

“I wondered who was trying to drive a wedge between me and my aunt. So it was this creature,” Jiang Zhiyi glanced over, raising a finger to point lightly, “This one, gag her mouth, and after the beating, throw her out to be sold.”

Madam Zhong’s chest heaved up and down as she gasped for breath, and finally her eyes rolled back as she fainted.

Jiang Zhiyi blinked, looking at the person who had fallen to the ground.

“All of Aunt’s people are injured, and now she has no one to care for her. This Princess is not ungrateful. Send a squad to take good care of the Marchioness, just as the Marchioness previously cared for this Princess.”

“Yes!”

The unconscious Madam Zhong was carried out of the courtyard by the guards.

With a gust of wind, the smell of blood spread. Jiang Zhiyi couldn’t bear such a stench twice in one day—earlier at the military camp was entirely for A-Ce Brother’s sake. She frowned, covered her nose, and walked toward the house.

A Jinwu Guard quickly followed: “Princess, as you instructed, we examined the Marchioness’s guards during the punishment. One of them indeed has a black mole on the back of his neck, with the shape, position, and build all matching your description.”

Jiang Zhiyi, not particularly surprised, simply said, “I know.”

The confession she had received today stated that the buyer who had contacted the thugs appeared masked, with an unknown identity. However, this wasn’t the first time the buyer had hired them. Previously, they had been paid to “deal with” some pregnant women.

These women were mostly from brothels, with a few who seemed to be maids from wealthy households.

Because this business was harmful and could bring trouble, the thugs had left themselves an escape route by noting some distinctive features of the buyer.

“Keep this person secure,” Jiang Zhiyi commanded lightly, then yawned lazily as she returned to the warm chamber.

Gu Yu and Xiaoman followed closely, still immersed in the day’s thrilling events: “Princess, did you successfully meet with General Shen during your outing today?”

At the mention of this name, Jiang Zhiyi’s cold eyes rekindled with spirit, and she pursed her lips in a smile.

Judging from her expression, the meeting must have been very successful and sweet.

“That’s wonderful! Then our kneeling today wasn’t in vain!”

Jiang Zhiyi’s lips curved as she thought of something and nodded: “Go to the military camp and tell A-Ce Brother that thanks to his confession today, his clever Princess has caught the mastermind behind this. From now on, no one can separate us!”