Tang Yuan and Yuan Bao knelt in the dark chamber of Ningde Courtyard, trembling all over. They knew all too clearly what awaited them if Fifth Madam fell into misfortune.

However, when they saw that the person entering was actually Song Chuyi, who wasn’t even half as tall as Fifth Madam, both simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief.

The Old Master and Old Madam must have grown confused with age to actually send a little girl. After their exhaustion throughout the entire night, they felt they had finally welcomed hope for survival, and their faces regained some spirit.

Who would have thought that this little girl wouldn’t even glance at them from start to finish, only drinking tea at her seat on her own.

This tea-drinking went on for half a double-hour. Tang Yuan and Yuan Bao watched helplessly as Song Chuyi’s maid meticulously sifted out the tea foam, going through procedure after procedure. They finally realized things weren’t so simple.

Both of them had once been palace maids and were naturally no strangers to this routine. Whenever palace masters interrogated palace servants, they would usually start with this same show of authority, making people carefully consider whether to tell the truth.

The little girl before them had delicate features and a pleasant smile. She sat quietly and motionlessly in her seat, yet made people feel the pressure mounting.

Time passed bit by bit. The chiming clock in the room rang out ding-dong, startling the two until they nearly jumped. They felt all their inner restlessness surge up at once.

Song Chuyi finally put down the teacup in her hand. She carefully scrutinized them for a while, then smiled to reveal two small dimples: “Will you speak on your own, or shall I ask?”

Tang Yuan stiffened, her expression complex as she lowered her head. Her two hands hanging at her sides clenched into fists, gripping tightly.

Yuan Bao looked at her, then at Song Chuyi seated above, and also bit her teeth, determined not to speak.

“It seems I must ask personally.” Song Chuyi sighed softly, the smile fading from her face: “Aren’t your real names Linglong and Feicui?”

Both looked up at her in disbelief, finally panicking and unconsciously retreating several steps.

After Song Chuyi withdrew her smile, her entire being emanated an intense aura of solemnity and severity. She didn’t resemble an unmarried young lady at all, but rather Song Chengru, who had accumulated authority over many years in official circles—clearly not someone who could be easily fooled.

“Perhaps you’ve stayed in the palace too long and have lived too smoothly in the Song household these ten-some years, almost forgetting the duties of servants.” Song Chuyi laughed coldly: “Are you still hoping Fifth Madam will save you? I advise you to dispel this notion early. She herself is like a clay Buddha crossing a river, unable to guarantee her own safety—where would she have the energy to care about you?”

Fifth Madam couldn’t help them, but there were still other people behind them.

Tang Yuan and Yuan Bao exchanged glances and finally spoke: “Sixth Miss need not trouble herself. We have nothing to say.”

“Really nothing to say?” Song Chuyi was unperturbed. She casually took something from Yulan’s hand and tossed it before them: “Then if I follow this address to find your families, you also have nothing to say?”

This was a pawn ticket from Huitong Bank, clearly recording the name and address of the person who pawned the items.

Tang Yuan still bit her teeth pretending indifference, but Yuan Bao finally panicked. She crawled up from the ground, emotionally agitated: “Whatever it is, come at me—don’t go looking for my grandfather…”

“Who handled your addresses and who is responsible—I believe you’re clear about it yourselves.” Song Chuyi still looked at them both expressionlessly, finally settling her gaze on Yuan Bao: “Since I can obtain these, it means she’s already confessed. Your stubborn resistance is useless. Right now it’s me asking. If Grandfather or Grandmother takes over later, you know yourselves what the outcome will be. Don’t think you can look down on everything just because you have someone backing you. You should know that if Grandfather does something to you or even your entire families, even the Empress Dowager cannot do anything about it.”

Yuan Bao’s face turned ashen as she stood dazed for a while, then immediately made her decision. With a thud she knelt on the ground and said loudly: “Sixth Miss, I’ll tell…”

Tang Yuan darkened her face and suddenly yanked her sleeve, nearly pulling her over in a somersault. Only then did she look at Song Chuyi with a strange expression: “Sixth Miss is so young—how do we know if you can make decisions?”

Tang Yuan was clearly much more calculating than Yuan Bao. Song Chuyi looked at her deeply, too impatient to continue entangling with her. With a cold smile she nodded: “Whether I can make decisions or not, you can tell by looking at Sister Yulan serving beside me, can’t you? I won’t beat around the bush with you either. Tang Yuan, your family of seven, and Yuan Bao’s grandfather and younger brother are all already in our hands. If you speak, so be it. If you don’t speak, you know yourselves what the consequences will be.”

Having said this much, even Tang Yuan’s face finally fell. In an instant, as if someone had drained her spirit and energy, she collapsed to the ground.

Yuan Bao could no longer care about Tang Yuan’s threats. She stepped forward several paces, grabbing Song Chuyi’s skirt hem, urgently pleading: “Sixth Miss, I’ll tell you everything. Please spare my younger brother and my grandfather…”

“Very well.” Song Chuyi retreated a step and sat in the chair, composed and calm: “Then I’ll ask, and you answer.”

Yuan Bao nodded blankly.

“Through whom does Fifth Madam usually pass letters with people outside?”

Her gaze was too clear, making people almost unable to hide. Yuan Bao instinctively looked away, replying in a low voice: “Jiang Er at the gate house.”

“Where do they meet, what secret signal do they use? About how often do they meet?”

Yuan Bao was somewhat dazed by her questions. She carefully shook her head before turning back to look at Tang Yuan, saying with some difficulty: “Only Sister Tang Yuan knows all these…”

Song Chuyi then looked at the motionless Tang Yuan, then lightly shifted her gaze away, instead turning back to instruct Yulan: “Sister Yulan, please trouble yourself to tell Grandmother that Tang Yuan’s mouth is too stubborn—I can’t get anything out of her. Tell her there’s no need to keep those seven people from her family.”

Yulan curtsied and walked outside without any hesitation.

Tang Yuan watched her go and finally relented. Seeing Song Chuyi had absolutely no intention of calling her back, her eyelashes trembled and she loudly answered Song Chuyi’s questions: “They meet at Zhiyuan Escort Agency in Badeng Lane in the city. The street signal is ‘Tomorrow after tomorrow.’ They meet on the first, fifteenth, and thirtieth of each month.”

Song Chuyi smiled and waved to stop Yulan, turning to look at Qing Tao: “Did you note it clearly?”

Qing Tao nodded. Song Chuyi looked at the two of them in silence for a while, instructing Yulan to have people take them away again, then turned to report to Song Chengru.

Song Chengru looked over the information Qing Tao had recorded and asked Song Chuyi: “What are your thoughts?”

“We cannot fight a battle we’re unsure of winning.” Song Chuyi pondered for a while, looking at Song Chengru: “We must first capture the person who meets with them. When this matter comes to light later, this will be evidence.”

Song Chengru looked at her with a smile: “Would you like to go out once to probe the situation?”

Song Chuyi was slightly stunned, looking at Song Chengru as if she found it somewhat unbelievable: “Grandfather, you mean you want me to go?”

“Why not?” Song Chengru nodded: “Didn’t I also entrust you with interrogating people?”