When Marquis Dingxi lifted the carriage curtain and saw so many people before him, he drew in a sharp breath.

He had heard the commotion was quite large, but he hadn’t taken to heart just how large it actually was.

It was just the death of a farmer—how could there be so many idle people gathering to watch the excitement?

Only when he truly arrived did he realize there really were that many idle people!

If he went down there, forget about fists—even if each person spat once, they could drown him!

That damn boy had never caused him trouble from childhood to adulthood, but when he finally did cause trouble, it was of this magnitude!

This was going to be the death of him!

In an instant, he decided to sit in the carriage and not get out. Just as he was about to lower the curtain, the steward jumped out.

“Marquis Dingxi has arrived!” he shouted at the top of his voice.

This shout attracted the attention of the nearby crowd, and then more and more gazes turned their way.

Marquis Dingxi froze with his hand holding the curtain.

To retreat under the watchful eyes of everyone required great courage…

Marquis Dingxi slowly climbed down, fortunately the steward was smart enough to support him in time, preventing him from falling and becoming a laughingstock.

Actually, he was already a laughingstock now…

The crowd parted, and Chang Yuncheng also saw Marquis Dingxi. His footsteps paused slightly.

Qi Yue caught up from behind, moving past Chang Yuncheng.

Chang Yuncheng promptly reached out to grab this woman, pulling her behind him.

“You!” Marquis Dingxi looked at his son, his son with that indifferent expression, and couldn’t help but point at him and shout, “Look at the fine thing you’ve done!”

Chang Yuncheng said nothing, showing no reaction whatsoever.

Qi Yue struggled behind the man, punching and kicking but unable to break free.

After Marquis Dingxi shouted this sentence, he suddenly turned away. He searched for and found the deceased’s family members who were also surrounded by the crowd, and walked quickly toward them.

The crowd automatically parted, but their expressions toward Marquis Dingxi were also very unkind.

What was he trying to do? Even in this situation, did he still want to bully people?

Thinking this way, someone couldn’t help but shout out.

The angry voice that suddenly rang out beside him made Marquis Dingxi stumble, involuntarily gripping the steward’s hand tightly.

The scene became tense for a moment.

“You people…” Marquis Dingxi looked at this family, his voice trembling slightly as he began to speak, “This Marquis…”

That family looked over, gazing at this man dressed in luxurious and solemn clothing, their faces showing barely concealed fear and anxiety.

Marquis Dingxi had only opened his mouth to say these few words when he suddenly bowed low to them in salute.

“Failure to teach one’s son is the father’s fault. In this matter, our Marquis Dingxi’s residence has wronged you! This Marquis apologizes to you!” he said.

His voice was still trembling, and he spoke quickly, revealing the speaker’s inner panic and unease.

But after saying these words, Marquis Dingxi suddenly felt as if he had unloaded a heavy burden, instantly feeling lighter.

Actually, this wasn’t so difficult, and there was nothing to be afraid of…

Marquis Dingxi straightened his body and withdrew his hand from the steward’s arm.

“This Marquis apologizes to you,” he said again, this time with a loud, clear voice.

Now everyone heard clearly. The people nearby were all stunned. The unusual situation here quickly spread, and the chaotic scene quieted down.

The deceased’s family also looked shocked.

What?

“My unfilial son acted improperly, doing such an absurd thing as competing for medical treatment, causing your relative’s delayed treatment and death. This matter is my unfilial son’s fault, and also our Marquis residence’s fault.” Marquis Dingxi continued, bowing again to the deceased’s family. “Since things have come to this, please accept my condolences. Besides my apologies, this Marquis must certainly provide compensation.”

Apologies… compensation…

Chang Yuncheng and Qi Yue were also stunned.

What was Marquis Dingxi saying?

Shouldn’t he be saying that this unfilial son had nothing to do with their Marquis residence, that he should bear the consequences of his own actions, and that their Marquis residence would righteously destroy their own kin?

These apologies? Compensation? What was this about?

And… compensation?

A flash of wild joy crossed the young woman’s face.

It seemed that this time… she really had struck it rich!

“The person, the person is already dead, how can there be compensation!” she covered her face and wept.

The crowd also came to their senses.

The Marquis Dingxi residence had actually backed down! The Marquis Dingxi residence had actually admitted fault! The Marquis Dingxi residence was actually going to pay compensation!

Everyone became excited—this was their victory!

“That’s right! The person is already dead! How can there be compensation!”

“Exactly, can a life be compensated for?”

Many people began shouting, filled with righteous indignation, the scene becoming boisterous and noisy.

Marquis Dingxi suddenly felt like a small boat in a storm, liable to be capsized at any moment.

Meanwhile, the pressure on Chang Yuncheng’s side was completely relieved.

He looked at this man, this man who had been called father for over twenty years, the person closest to him yet most distant, this man he despised and looked down upon, who was now carefully nodding to the angry crowd, his face showing undisguised terror, like a frightened rabbit ready to flee at any moment, but who, nevertheless, never actually fled.

“…Yes, the life cannot be returned, but the living still have to go on, don’t they?”

“…Right, right, exactly, give, whatever you want is fine…”

“…No problem, this Marquis’s word is as good as gold…”

“…No problem, everyone is witness…”

“…Good, good, you must accept my condolences, this time it’s our fault…”

“…Alright, alright, farmland? Of course no problem… money… money is also good, more convenient to handle… no problem, no problem… all no problem…”

“…Right, right, this old gentleman speaks correctly, even if this man had lived his body would have been ruined… of course, of course, I don’t mean it that way… cough cough… we just want to provide some compensation, you’ve lost this person, but life must go on as if this person were still here… no, even better than that…”

Chang Yuncheng watched and watched, feeling his nose grow sour.

“Go to hell with your compensation!” Qi Yue, whose wrist was being held behind him, erupted in fury again, shouting loudly. “Go to hell with compensation! You put your hands on your hearts and say, how can you have the nerve to accept it!”

She shouted and jumped, kicking and hitting Chang Yuncheng.

“Let me go, I’m not finished with them! You two idiots stop being so presumptuous! You two idiots stop being so presumptuous!” she shouted.

Chang Yuncheng just gripped her hand tightly, refusing to let go.

The shouting here couldn’t drown out the discussion over there.

That side finally reached an agreement, with the steward personally leading the deceased’s family to handle the compensation. The crowd naturally wanted to witness this, and the angry atmosphere had been replaced by the joy of victory, with everyone following along in high spirits.

The crowd in front of the government office dispersed like flowing water, leaving behind Marquis Dingxi and his son, Qi Yue, and the people from Qianjin Hall who were still standing on the steps.

Marquis Dingxi’s usually refined appearance was slightly disheveled. He exhaled and reached up to wipe the sweat from his forehead.

He hadn’t expected to actually manage it…

Actually, it wasn’t that frightening after all…

“Father.” Chang Yuncheng moved his lips, calling out somewhat hoarsely.

Only then did Marquis Dingxi look over. Although he felt quite elated inside, he still had to maintain his image as a stern father.

“You unfilial son! Look at the fine thing you’ve done!” He put on a stern face and shouted harshly. “You make me…”

Before he could finish his words, Chang Yuncheng lifted his robes and knelt before him.

“I have caused Father to suffer on my behalf!” he said, then kowtowed heavily.

Marquis Dingxi was actually startled by him.

From childhood to adulthood, this damn boy had never been willing to submit in front of him. Every time he knelt to be beaten, he would definitely kneel bolt upright. This time he hadn’t even started hitting him, so why was he bending over?

Marquis Dingxi was a refined man, and when faced with someone showing weakness, no matter how great his anger, he couldn’t let it out—this was a matter of propriety, and there was no way around it.

“If you had known it would come to this, why did you do it in the first place!” He flicked his sleeves and shouted with a stern face. “Get up, we’ll settle accounts with you when we get back!”

But Chang Yuncheng didn’t immediately get up, instead kowtowing heavily again before standing.

However, before he could stand up completely, Qi Yue beside him gave him a vicious kick. Chang Yuncheng, who was in the midst of rising, lost his balance and swayed, ending up kneeling on one knee again. He turned back to look at Qi Yue.

“You people!” Qi Yue looked at this father and son pair. Her face was flushed red, her breathing uneven. “What are you doing!”

She shouted loudly, her voice hoarse.

Marquis Dingxi felt somewhat uneasy and fearful.

“Yueniang, it’s nothing. This has nothing to do with you…” he said hurriedly.

“What does this matter have to do with you people!” Qi Yue shouted loudly, her expression furious and agitated. “I killed someone with my treatment, what does that have to do with you people! What does it have to do with you people!”

This was the first time they had seen this woman display such intense emotions. Since they had known her, she had always been cheerful and smiling. Even when angry, it was that kind of cold anger without emotion. This time, how come…

Marquis Dingxi, Chang Yuncheng, and even the people from Qianjin Hall were all stunned, looking with surprise and concern at this woman who seemed to have gone mad.

What was wrong with her?

“Yueniang, if it weren’t for his mother’s matter, this incident wouldn’t have turned out this way…” Marquis Dingxi said, wringing his hands with some guilt and unease. “Look, we can’t let you be innocently implicated…”

“I’m implicated! I’m implicated!” Qi Yue pointed at her own nose and shouted. “There’s no bullying people like this! You’re bullying people too much!”

How was this bullying?

Everyone looked at each other in confusion, Marquis Dingxi becoming even more uneasy, glaring at Chang Yuncheng.

Chang Yuncheng looked at Qi Yue as she slowly stood up.

“What do you take me for!” Qi Yue looked at them. “Huh? Are you afraid I can’t cure people and will be beaten to death? Huh? Am I that kind of person? What does this matter have to do with you people? Huh? Who are you people? Is it your turn to jump out? What? Very great, are you? Very heroic, are you? Very satisfying, is it? Very proud of self-sacrifice, are you? Are you sick!”

Marquis Dingxi was scolded until his face turned awkward. This matter… wasn’t it right?

“Yueniang, it’s not like that. I didn’t mean anything else. I just meant that as an elder, no matter what, I can’t just abandon you and not care…” he said awkwardly, wringing his hands. “There’s a saying that goes, ‘one family shares both glory and loss.’ When there’s glory, we share it together, but when there’s loss, how can I not care…”

“Who’s family with you people! Is there anyone who looks down on people like this?” Qi Yue shouted, tears already forming in her eyes.

Who’s family with you people! She had no family! Her family was all in another world! Who’s family with you people!

“What business is it of yours that I couldn’t cure that patient! Couldn’t cure him! Whether you came or not, I still couldn’t cure him! What’s wrong with you people, desperately trying to take responsibility! What for? Is it fun? Is there anyone who looks down on people like this? Oh, does this mean I can never fail to cure anyone in the future? Every time I fail to cure someone, you’ll jump out to take the blame? Is there anyone who looks down on people like this? Do I have some grudge against you? What are you trying to do!” Qi Yue waved her hands and shouted.

“Yueniang, you know he couldn’t be cured, but we don’t know, and these people don’t know either. They only know that you saved that man, they only know that I brought my mother to stop you, they only know that you saved my mother, they only know that man wasn’t saved. Yueniang, you know this, but they don’t know, and what they don’t know, you can’t explain clearly.” Chang Yuncheng looked at her and said in a heavy voice. “If my mother hadn’t appeared, you would have been able to explain very well, but now with my mother’s situation, I can’t let you face these people’s questioning, argue and explain to them, endure their accusations and clamor! Yueniang, this isn’t fair! This shouldn’t be!”

Qi Yue looked at him and laughed coldly.

“Not fair, shouldn’t be—what business is it of yours! What business is it of yours!” she said, her voice gradually growing louder. “There’s no bullying people like this! There’s no bullying people like this!”

After saying this, tears finally burst from her eyes, and she turned and ran away.

“Master…” the disciples of Qianjin Hall called out uneasily.

Liu Pucheng watched the woman’s retreating figure and sighed softly.