Actually, things didn’t start out this way.

Through systematic inquiries, someone finally said they had seen Hu San being dragged into this house. Qi Yue was the first to arrive here, bringing only seven or eight guards.

She looked up at the high-hanging gate plaque with its simple, bold characters: Wang Residence.

“The Wang family!” The head guard’s expression changed slightly.

“What kind of family is the Wang family?” Qi Yue asked.

“It’s… it’s the former Minister of Personnel…” the guard’s voice trembled a little.

If the genuine imperial relatives and nobles from the capital encountered these court ministers, it might not matter much, but for someone like Marquis Dingxi who was already marginalized, such court ministers – even former ones – could not be easily provoked.

After A’Ru went back to call for people, the steward immediately assembled eight guards according to official protocol. Thinking that the main purpose of fighting was intimidation rather than causing deaths, he thoughtfully had them remove their swords and spears, still equipping them with clubs and sticks.

“Be clever when you go out, don’t disgrace Marquis Dingxi’s mansion,” the steward repeatedly instructed before departure. After all, such incidents were rare, and the household guards lacked experience. “Of course, don’t go too far either, or it’ll be hard to explain later.”

The guards came over with some ease and excitement, only now realizing the situation was much bigger than they had imagined.

This wasn’t a quarrel and fight between young masters – the other party had such a distinguished status!

Since they had such high position, Qi Yue quickly straightened her clothes and politely knocked on the door, explaining her purpose.

Because of Marquis Dingxi’s reputation, the gatekeeper didn’t dare delay and immediately reported to the steward.

“A woman?” Because it was New Year and because it was getting dark, the steward, who was more leisurely than usual, had drunk a few extra cups and was somewhat intoxicated. “Our family has never had much contact with Marquis Dingxi’s mansion. How could there be women coming to the door at night? I’ll go see.”

He wrapped himself in a large fur coat and hat and walked out, looking at the woman standing under the lantern light, and couldn’t help but stare.

Burp… the steward couldn’t help but hiccup from the alcohol… a beauty.

Que Zhi and A’Ru flashed their hands to protect Qi Yue and stepped back a few paces, frowning at the intoxicated man before them.

“Who are you people?” the steward asked with bleary eyes.

“We’re from Marquis Dingxi’s mansion,” Que Zhi spoke up, covering her nose with her hand. “You arrested a doctor today. Quickly release him and this matter will be dropped…”

The steward was completely confused, but seeing this little maid’s unfriendly attitude, he felt annoyed.

Although he was just a steward, as the saying goes, even a minister’s servant is a seventh-rank official. With the Wang family’s status, when he went out, he carried himself with more authority than a county magistrate. To be shouted at by this little maid was simply too insulting.

Little maid…

The steward thought of a tenant farmer’s daughter he had taken a fancy to a few days ago, about the same age, not particularly beautiful, but he liked her fresh vitality. He had intended to take her as a third concubine, but was actually refused.

Really ungrateful – wasn’t it just because she disliked his age?

What was wrong with being older? Really didn’t know what was good for her!

“Ungrateful stinking little maid!” The steward’s anger rose from his heart. He glared and cursed, “Get lost!”

Que Zhi’s eyes widened at being scolded.

My heavens, how long had it been since she heard anyone dare scold her?

Good gracious, and it was an old man. Never mind that he was a steward of the high-ranking Wang family – no matter how high-ranking the household, pointing at her and cursing was cursing Marquis Dingxi’s mansion.

“You rotten old man, didn’t you hear what I said? We’re from Marquis Dingxi’s mansion. Go report quickly and hand over the person…” Que Zhi stood with arms akimbo and shouted.

Qi Yue frowned and reached out to pull Que Zhi back.

“Que Zhi, how can you speak like that? Uncle, I apologize. Please listen to me…” she said, pushing Que Zhi back while stepping forward herself. Just as she turned and opened her mouth, she saw a slap coming at her face.

A crisp slap echoed in front of the gate, followed by instant silence.

Rotten old man! These words completely provoked the steward. This stinking little maid!

The steward struck hard with his slap, feeling the pent-up frustration of several days finally released.

“Young Madam!” Que Zhi screamed, and A’Ru and A’Hao frantically gathered around.

This rotten old man was quite strong…

Qi Yue only felt stars before her eyes, her left ear ringing, her nose warming as something flowed down.

She raised her hand to touch it and looked in the lantern light.

“Blood!” Que Zhi screamed again, seeing the rotten old man standing there with his head raised proudly, and lunged at him with clawed hands.

The steward cried out in pain, his face burning from several scratches.

“Little hussy!” Though he was old, he was still a man after all. He kicked away the maid clawing at him and shouted angrily.

Que Zhi was kicked away. Since they were standing on steps, this kick sent Que Zhi tumbling down.

A’Ru’s face went white with fear as she called out to Que Zhi and ran down.

“Dare to cause trouble at my Wang family’s gate! Don’t want to live!” the steward shouted loudly and spat heavily. “Close the gate! If you dare come cause trouble again, we’ll break your legs!”

Qi Yue held her face with one hand, still somewhat dazed from being hit.

This was the first time she’d been struck since coming here…

“Your grandmother…” she murmured, then lifted her foot and kicked hard at the man who was turning away.

Screw your high-ranking family…

Even if you were the emperor himself, this sister won’t swallow this insult…

Bullying me – even if I die, I have to vent this anger!

The steward hadn’t expected these people would actually dare to fight back. Combined with his unsteady footing from drinking, he was actually kicked to the ground.

“Where did these madmen come from, daring to…” he was both ashamed and angry. Without bothering to get up, he shouted loudly, “Arrest them!”

Just as he shouted, the Marquis Dingxi’s guards who had been quietly waiting by the gate finally snapped out of it.

Heavens, the Young Madam had been beaten and was bleeding, and the maid had been kicked down. Regardless of what high-ranking household couldn’t be provoked, being guards who performed this poorly – if they didn’t regain face today, they’d have no face to see anyone.

“They’re hitting people!” they shouted in unison, swinging clubs and charging forward. To regain face, each struck with maximum force.

But the Wang family’s gatekeepers weren’t pushovers either, especially since this was their territory. After an initial moment of confusion, the household guards also rushed over. At this moment, they couldn’t ask clearly who was doing what for what reason – in any case, people had come to fight at their door, so they had to fight back.

Thus, the area in front of the Wang family gate descended into chaos.

Meanwhile, Huang Ziqiao and the others who had been causing uproar throughout the city also received news and rushed over, hearing the chaotic fighting from far away.

“A fight’s broken out!” the young masters shouted in voices cracking with puberty.

“Charge!” Huang Ziqiao felt his whole body heating up as he shouted in his adolescent voice. “What the hell are you standing around for!”

Fighting was always the most thrilling sport for young men. They all clamored and rushed forward.

“No, no, we can’t go – this is the Wang family, the Wang family!”

The household servants and guards of each family came to their senses and frantically tried to stop their respective masters.

Those who played with Huang Ziqiao were all children of similar age, at the stage where they were disliked by everyone and would tear tiles off roofs. Daily fights outside were common. But those were all squabbles between a few children who saw each other regularly, so the families didn’t interfere – children’s matters were for children to resolve. If adults got involved, that would be a different story.

The household servants these half-grown children could mobilize were just those specifically assigned to them – also around their age, essentially playmates rather than real household guards used for protection. So seeing this high-ranking Wang family household, and seeing real fighting at the gate, they were somewhat scared.

There were also constables who had come with Huang Ziqiao, now desperately holding onto Huang Ziqiao’s horse.

“Young Master, this is no joke. You can’t go, you can’t go,” the head constable said with a face full of sweat.

Huang Ziqiao kicked him away.

“Go to hell – didn’t you see Miss Qi was beaten?” he cursed, spurring his horse and charging forward with his club raised.

With him leading, the other young men naturally didn’t dare fall behind and charged forward with strange cries.

Since their masters had charged forward, and seeing the heated fighting over there where clubs had no eyes, offending the Wang family would be their masters’ responsibility to handle, but if the young masters were injured, it would fall on them servants. So the household servants gritted their teeth and didn’t dare delay, all surging forward together.

The Wang family people didn’t know why so many more people had suddenly arrived. Although they were basically all half-grown children, even a good dog couldn’t handle a pack of wild ones, and random punches could beat a master to death. Seeing they couldn’t hold out, they all retreated inside and closed the gate. By this time, the commotion had grown large enough to be reported to the inner courtyard.

Others who heard the news also rushed over, all with expressions of disbelief.

What kind of joke was this? Perhaps someone might dare surround the government offices, but how could anyone dare attack their Wang family compound?

Several masters still home on holiday all thought they had misheard. Only after going to see for themselves at the gate did they confirm it was real.

“Really, quite a few people – there are government officials and many household servants…” one of them said, wiping sweat.

By now it was getting dark, and the household was gradually lighting lamps. The torches in the courtyard crackled and burned, making the atmosphere even more tense.

“There are people from the prefect’s office, people from the Liu family on East Street, people from General Wang’s house on Cross Lane…”

Hearing several masters list so many famous households in succession, everyone in the room’s expressions changed.

These people weren’t ordinary commoners – they were all wealthy and noble. Though they couldn’t be said to be on equal footing with the Wang family, they were the type who would exchange polite greetings when meeting.

“What do they want?” Wang Tongye asked.

“They said, they said for us to hand over the person…” a household member said.

This left everyone even more confused.

“What person?” Wang Tongye asked.

“Don’t know – it was chaotic, and I didn’t dare show my face,” the Second Master said quietly.

Such a big commotion was no small matter.

“Which of you caused trouble outside?” Wang Tongye asked sternly.

With a large family and great wealth, having spoiled children was inevitable.

The younger generation in the room looked at each other.

“Grandfather, we wouldn’t dare. These past few days we’ve either been visiting relatives or receiving guests at home – we haven’t gone out at all,” one of the younger generation stepped forward to say. “Much less arrested anyone.”

That was true. His family had strict discipline, and the children were all proper and well-behaved, never causing trouble or being so foolish as to openly abuse their power.

Wang Tongye nodded, his gaze falling on Fan Yilin.

Fan Yilin was startled.

“Father-in-law, I’ve been at home the whole time since coming here,” he quickly said. “Besides, this is Yongqing Prefecture, not the capital…”

He wasn’t so foolish as to cause trouble on someone else’s territory.

When a tiger falls to the plains, it must pretend to be a dog – he understood this principle.

“None of you went out to cause trouble or arrested anyone you shouldn’t have?” Wang Tongye asked again.

Everyone in the room nodded solemnly.

Fan Yilin naturally nodded along, but halfway through nodding he hesitated, somehow thinking of that pervert…

Speaking of arresting people, it seemed they had only arrested him.

Could it be? From his clothing and appearance, he was clearly just a poor wretch…

How could anyone possibly cause such a scene for him?

“No,” Fan Yilin continued nodding emphatically.

Wang Tongye’s expression darkened. Regardless of who these people were or what the matter was, daring to come with weapons to surround the Wang family gate was going too far!

“Go tell them that for the sake of being fellow townsmen, if they withdraw quickly, I’ll just consider it children’s New Year games and won’t take it to heart. Otherwise, don’t blame us for being impolite,” he said slowly.