“What happened?”

Song Wan furrowed her brows, her heart suddenly alarmed.

Today was the Mid-Autumn Grand Banquet—all the princes would be attending. For chaos to erupt, something major must have occurred.

Song Wan looked anxiously at Lin Jiayue, only to hear her say: “I have a maid in my room named Qing Hong. She, well…”

Slowly raising her eyes to look at Heng Zhi and Heng Wu, Lin Jiayue felt a sourness in her heart.

She considered herself to have treated Qian Bi and Qing Hong rather well, but compared to Heng Zhi and Heng Wu by Song Wan’s side, she fell far short.

Those two maids—not one of them turned traitor.

“She’s habitually lazy and shirks work. Today being a festival, her brother who serves in the outer courtyard went out to see the lanterns. Her thoughts became active. Seeing how anxiously impatient she looked annoyed me, so I let her go out and enjoy herself. But who knew that shortly after, she came running back saying people had died outside.”

“Her brother said Dengtian Tower somehow caught fire, and then a stampede occurred. He arrived late and couldn’t get close to look, which is how he managed to save his life.”

Dengtian Tower!

Song Wan suddenly stood up.

Qianbai was lighting lanterns today—he must have been atop Dengtian Tower.

“Thank you for telling me this.”

Taking out her outer robe and draping it over herself, Song Wan said: “I’m going to find Jiang Xingjian. Shall I escort you back to Xiuyan Pavilion?”

“I can return by myself.”

Lin Jiayue looked at Song Wan’s composed expression and suddenly spoke with a choked voice: “You mistakenly ingested something today—he definitely did it deliberately to protect you. So no matter what happened, he knew about it beforehand.”

Song Wan said: “I know.”

“Then do you know that he was originally going to take me to view the lanterns today? He even sent me a set of alarmingly green clothing.”

Lin Jiayue cried and laughed: “The kind of green you could spot with one glance even at night.”

Song Wan pressed her lips together: “What do you intend to do?”

Reaching into her bosom to feel around, Lin Jiayue pulled out a dagger. Seeing this, Heng Zhi and Heng Wu instantly shielded Song Wan behind them.

“This thing is for you. Some outcomes are what he deserves.”

With reddened eyes, she handed the dagger to Song Wan. Lin Jiayue said: “For your protection. If possible, stab him a couple extra times for me.”

“You…”

Taking the dagger, Song Wan suddenly felt unable to bear it: “Do you know that he and Huai Su…”

“I know.”

She lived in the same courtyard as Huai Su—how could she not know what had transpired between them? It was just that previously she had deceived herself and refused to believe it. Now she simply no longer cared.

Lin Jiayue gathered her hair and turned to climb out the window again. Song Wan hesitated briefly before speaking: “If you wish to leave the marquis manor, I can help you restore your commoner status.”

“That won’t be necessary.”

Her movements were awkward as she lay sprawled on the embroidered daybed, just like her circumstances since entering the marquis manor.

“I cannot leave, nor can I leave.”

“Here are sins I’ve committed and debts others owe me. Until crimes are atoned for and karmic fruits obtained, I cannot go, nor will I go.”

Lin Jiayue left. Song Wan gripped the dagger and said to Heng Zhi and Heng Wu: “Go change clothes. I’m going to ask Jiang Xingjian exactly what he did to Qianbai.”

The master and two servants carried lanterns as they walked out of Lanting Courtyard.

Just as they exited the courtyard gate, a matron came to stop them and ask what business they had. Seeing this, Heng Wu without a word swung a club at the matron’s head.

“Aiyo…”

“Scram! Don’t block my young lady’s path.”

“Someone’s hitting people! Come quick!”

The matron shouted loudly, but Song Wan said: “You need not waste your energy. I have matters to discuss with Jiang Xingjian. You cannot stop me.”

She stepped forward. The matron tried to grab her legs but was kicked aside by Heng Zhi.

“All of you stand down. Since you dare not harm me, why suffer beatings for nothing?”

After Song Wan finished speaking, she strode toward Jiang Xingjian’s study.

A group of matrons looked at each other in confusion and stopped.

They indeed dared not truly harm Song Wan.

The Marquis had only said not to let Madam leave Lanting Courtyard but hadn’t specified how to stop her. If they injured Madam, they feared they would be held fully accountable.

Everyone dared not act rashly and could only watch Song Wan leave.

Walking to Jiang Xingjian’s study, Song Wan gently pushed open the door.

Inside, Jiang Xingjian was bare-chested, his body covered with bone-setting medicinal plasters. Seeing her enter, the man hastily reached for clothing beside him, but with just one movement, he furrowed his brows deeply in pain.

The Fifth Prince slept on the inner daybed, both legs bound with wooden splints. Song Wan’s gaze swept past Shen Qianshu as she said in a cold voice: “What did you do to Qianbai?”

Jiang Xingjian pressed his lips together and said nothing.

“How is Qianbai now?”

“I don’t know.”

Jiang Xingjian said: “Today there was great chaos outside. The First Prince, Third Prince, and Fifth Prince were all severely injured. I don’t know the Third Prince’s current condition.”

“Who was responsible for the First Prince’s injury?”

“I don’t know.”

Song Wan lowered her eyes: “I’ve always known the Third and Fifth Princes would inevitably compete, but what’s laughable is that I always took you for an upright gentleman. Yet who would have thought your conduct would become increasingly disgraceful?”

“Setting aside those absurd things you’ve done in the manor, just speaking of today—how could you strike at Qianbai?”

“He’s barely ten years old!”

Jiang Xingjian bit his teeth, his tone urgent: “Then what about Shu’er? Do you think your Song family’s conduct is so honorable? Didn’t Song Yuning have someone carry Shu’er and jump from a high platform? If not for me today, Shu’er would have been trampled into a pulp. Why don’t you say that Shu’er is barely six years old?”

Song Wan’s expression was icy: “Aunt and Imperial Consort Jiang must compete—this cannot be avoided. When Imperial Consort Jiang suppressed me to seize the heir apparent position, did I ever take my resentment out on you because of this? Have I ever harbored any malice toward the Fifth Prince?”

“Husband and wife are one body. Even if the Third and Fifth must compete, I have always kept the marquis manor in my heart. But what has Chengyang Marquis Manor done?”

“How Imperial Consort Jiang and Aunt scheme against each other, I don’t interfere. But Jiang Xingjian, you should always know that the day you strike at Qianbai is the day you and I sever all ties.”

Song Wan threw the white jade plum blossom hairpin before Jiang Xingjian and turned to leave.

The jade hairpin shattered with a crisp sound. Jiang Xingjian looked at Song Wan’s resolute departing figure and suddenly panicked.

“Wan’er…”

Having just stood up, Jiang Xingjian suddenly fell forward from a bout of intense pain. Song Wan couldn’t dodge in time and was caught in his full embrace.

Jiang Xingjian was about to explain when he let out a muffled groan.

“You…”

Song Wan gripped the dagger in her hand, her eyes revealing faint panic.

Though she was afraid, her hand was extremely steady and firm. Jiang Xingjian looked down at his abdomen—she had shown not the slightest mercy, driving the entire dagger deeply into his belly.

“You want me dead? You hate me this much?”

Jiang Xingjian’s eyes were bloodshot, full of disbelief.

His wife, the young lady he had accompanied and watched grow up since childhood, wished him dead?

Warm blood dripped along the dagger onto the ground. Song Wan released her grip and retreated in panic. Seeing this, Heng Zhi and Heng Wu hurried to support her. The master and two servants stood in the corner, quietly watching Jiang Xingjian lying on the ground with his piercing gaze.

“Jiang Xingjian, today you and I sever all ties. I only wish we never meet again in this lifetime.”

She was going to leave the marquis manor. She would never forgive anyone who had harmed Aunt or Elder Brother.

“Someone come!”

Jiang Xingjian shouted explosively. Song Yan hurried inside and, seeing her master lying in a pool of blood, was nearly frightened out of her wits.

Jiang Xingjian bit his teeth and said in a deep voice: “Stop Madam. Absolutely do not let her take even half a step out of the marquis manor.”