The moment Ziqing said this, the whole scene erupted into an uproar. A Jiang family waystation?

The Jiang family wasn’t even worthy of being called a proper “family” — at best, they were minor landowners scraping by on a few rented fields. Where would they possibly find the wealth and status to set up a waystation at the only harbor on Liuxian Island?

If word got out, surely the entire island, high and low, would laugh themselves silly!

The crowd was already bursting into peals of laughter. No one knew who this joking woman was, but everyone found her thoroughly delightful.

She even went on to ask Jiang Chen, with perfect seriousness, “Where’s your Jiang family waystation? Don’t you need to tend to it? Are you so free that you’ve come to meddle in the Gu family’s affairs instead?”

Jiang Chen’s face didn’t just turn pale — it went livid, and amid the roaring laughter of the crowd, he couldn’t manage a single word in reply, wishing desperately there were a crack in the ground he could crawl into.

Seeing him still say nothing, Ziqing glanced around suspiciously, her gaze landing on Commander Xu. “What’s wrong, Commander Xu? Did I say something incorrect?”

Commander Xu had been fighting back laughter the whole time, and at this question, he couldn’t hold it in any longer, letting out a burst of laughter that set off the other Gu family guards nearby as well.

Just then, someone in the crowd shouted, “Miss, you must be new here! The Jiang family is nothing at all — for a man like that to marry into the Gu family is like his ancestors accumulating three generations’ worth of good fortune. Setting up a waystation at the harbor? I doubt even thirty generations of his ancestors could’ve earned that much merit!”

“Oh… I see, so I misunderstood,” Ziqing said, as though only now realizing, though her expression remained perfectly earnest. “The Jiang family has no waystation, and you have nothing better to do, yet you still come here to interfere with the Gu family’s waystation? Isn’t that what the commander’s for?”

At this, murmurs of speculation rippled through the crowd. Thanks to Madam Gu’s personal handling of household affairs, and her considerable skill at it, Gu Meiting and Jiang Chen’s long-term residence with the Gu family, Gu Meiting’s meddling in the household’s affairs, and Jiang Chen’s involvement in the family business had all gone entirely unnoticed by outsiders — all anyone knew was that Jiang Chen was dutiful, close with his father- and mother-in-law, visiting the Gu residence daily!

Now, with Ziqing’s pointed question, there were plenty of sharp minds in the crowd, and no shortage of speculation followed.

Jiang Chen’s face had nearly gone black. Not only could he find no words to counter Ziqing, he had no way to stop the murmurs spreading around him either. Without a word, he shot Ziqing a cold, warning glare and turned to leave!

But Ziqing remained perfectly composed, deliberately drawing out her words. “Stand… still.”

If the man had simply argued back or gotten angry with her, she wouldn’t have thought so little of him — but to think he’d just walk away without a single word!

If Jiang Chen stopped now, wouldn’t that mean losing even more face? But if he didn’t stop, wouldn’t that be admitting he was afraid of this woman?

Caught between a rock and a hard place, he had no choice but to turn back, saying coldly, “My father-in-law has been unwell these past few days, so he sent me to inspect the waystation in his stead. What right do you have to interfere in the Gu family’s affairs like this?”

Ziqing naturally wasn’t foolish enough to reveal her identity publicly, and only smiled. “Inspecting in his stead — is this the kind of attitude the Gu family shows toward its distinguished guests?”

This left Jiang Chen at another loss. He took a deep breath and said coldly, “Commander Xu, hurry and escort our guest up to Liuxian Mountain!”

Commander Xu didn’t dare delay, but just as he stepped forward, Ziqing spoke again. “Just now, how many people here heard this young master tell me to get lost?”

The moment she finished, Shiliang and the others behind her answered in unison, “We all heard it!”

“Young Master Jiang, is this how you inspect the waystation on the family head’s behalf?” Ziqing asked again, nearly getting Jiang Chen to apologize outright — yet deliberately refrained from demanding it herself.

Jiang Chen clenched his fists, taking another deep breath. He knew perfectly well that if this wasn’t resolved quickly, he would only lose more and more face. Who knew why this woman had suddenly turned up on Liuxian Island, or what Physician Gu might have written to her in that letter!

With Madam Gu and the family head both absent, this woman clearly had no regard for the Gu family’s dignity. If she let something slip, how would he ever hold his position on Liuxian Island?

Ziqing stood with her arms crossed, waiting patiently for him to come apologize.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Jiang Chen endured it as long as he could bear, then finally walked over to Ziqing and bowed politely. “Miss Han, just now was this humble one’s oversight. My apo—”

But before he could finish, Ziqing, who had appeared so patient just moments ago, suddenly turned away with a flourish of her sleeve, not even sparing him a glance, saying coldly, “Never mind — you’re not really part of the Gu family after all, no wonder you don’t understand proper etiquette. I won’t hold it against you.”

With that, she shot Commander Xu a cold glance. Not daring to offend her, he hurried forward to lead the way.

The whole crowd fell silent. Jiang Chen’s hand froze midair, the word “apo—” stuck in his throat, nearly choking him on his own blood. His outstretched hand curled into a fist — he nearly wanted to punch the woman right then and there — but under everyone’s watchful, strange looks, he had no choice but to sheepishly withdraw his hand, head lowered, and slink away in humiliation.

Han Ziqing, you’ve gone too far. As long as I, Jiang Chen, remain in this Gu household, I will absolutely make sure you never have a peaceful day!

“If I don’t put him in his place now, will he ever treat me well later?” In the carriage, Ziqing answered Shiliang’s earlier concerns coldly.

If she could help it, she wouldn’t have wanted to make such a splashy entrance onto Liuxian Island right away. Failing to present a token earlier had been an honest misunderstanding, but this so-called son-in-law, knowing full well who she was, hadn’t shown her the slightest courtesy — no welcome, no apology, not even a simple greeting, not even a self-introduction, just turning to leave right away. What kind of attitude was that to show her!

“Master, didn’t you say this son-in-law and the eldest young lady are staying with the Gu family for now — won’t it be awkward when you see them again?” Shiliang asked.

Ziqing didn’t answer. Physician Gu’s letter hadn’t mentioned much about the Gu family’s household matters, and she wasn’t particularly concerned with them either. Jun Beiyue might not even want the Gu family in the end — why should she trouble herself with all that?

It had been so long since she’d had any news — all she wanted to know was how Jun Beiyue was doing.

She held to one principle only: if no one crossed her, she wouldn’t cross them. But if anyone did cross her, she wouldn’t show mercy even to the Heavenly Emperor himself.

The carriage rolled slowly toward Liuxian Mountain, the tallest peak on Liuxian Island. Meanwhile, at that very moment, up on the mountain, Yingzi had just returned and, before even reaching the great hall, could already see from a distance Gu Meiting seated high on the main seat in the great hall, striking the pose of the lady of the house, with several women of similar age seated around her — apparently friends of Gu Meiting’s — chatting and laughing together, gossiping about household matters, having a lively time!

The low table before them was piled with tea and snacks, as though they intended to chat for quite a while.

Yingzi froze in his tracks, a surge of anger immediately rising from deep within him. This woman was truly shameless — staying temporarily in the west wing, and yet already treating the entire main residence as her own. She’d stopped just short of walking into the bedchamber itself. Every single day, her child’s crying and her scolding of servants had turned the main residence into something resembling a marketplace.

And now, she was even treating the great hall of the main residence as her own personal parlor for entertaining friends. Did she not realize there was a sick person recovering in the very next room?

Did this woman have no shame at all?

“This place really is lovely — even more spacious than my family’s own main residence. Ting’er, out of all of us, you really are the luckiest one.”

“Isn’t that the truth. Look around — which other eldest young lady on Liuxian Island gets to live in a main residence? You’re the very first!”

“Where’s your little young master? Bring him out, let us have a look.”

Flattery, fawning — Gu Meiting listened, feeling as sweet inside as if she’d tipped over a jar of honey.

Yet she still played modest. “My parents dote on me — the west wing needed renovating, and our little young master couldn’t get used to the guest quarters, so we came here instead.”

“Heh, aren’t you worried that once you’re used to living here, you won’t be able to adjust back to the west wing?”

“Heh, once the west wing’s rebuilt, it might not be any shabbier than this place.” Gu Meiting answered dismissively, not even pausing to consider that the west wing wasn’t hers either.

She turned to a servant. “Why hasn’t Madam come yet? Go remind her again — my guests are waiting to see the little young master!”

But just as she finished speaking, a sharp cry suddenly rang out from the west entrance of the great hall. “Neigh… neigh… neigh…!”

There was Jiang Yuan, riding on a long, pointed bamboo pole as though it were a horse, charging in recklessly!

The moment he entered, the bamboo pole struck a wooden pillar, punching a large hole into it, and Jiang Yuan, thrown off balance, staggered back a few steps and fell flat on his bottom!

Yingzi couldn’t help but rub his forehead at the sight. In just a few days, without even knowing what state the west wing had been in, this child had already reduced the great hall and study to ruins — the glazed windows were nearly all shattered.

The moment Jiang Yuan fell, before he even had the chance to cry, Madam Gu, who had been hurrying after him, panicked at once. “Oh dear, Yuan’er, are you all right? How did you fall? I told you to be careful, and you wouldn’t listen!”

Jiang Yuan, who had been perfectly fine, immediately began wailing at his grandmother’s words, grabbing the bamboo pole and jabbing it wildly at the pillar. “I don’t want this pillar, this stupid thing, it’s all its fault, tear it down!”

Gu Meiting rushed over quickly, scooping Jiang Yuan up, gently rubbing his bottom in sympathy. “Does it hurt a lot? Don’t cry, don’t cry, look, so many aunties have come to see you. If you cry, your face won’t look handsome anymore.”

Jiang Yuan, still crying, snuck a glance at the aunties nearby, but instead of holding back, cried even louder, thrashing and kicking in Gu Meiting’s arms. “Tear down the pillar, I don’t want the pillar!”

“All right, all right, someone go fetch a craftsman, tear this cursed pillar down!” Gu Meiting declared imperiously.

Seeing Madam Gu only fussing over her grandson without saying a word, Yingzi could no longer hold back his anger and strode forward. “This pillar cannot be torn down!”

At those words, everyone turned to look at once. Even Jiang Yuan froze for a moment, then quickly resumed his loud wailing. “Tear it down! Tear it down!”

“Madam, if this pillar is torn down, the entire great hall will collapse!” Yingzi said seriously, unwilling to tolerate such nonsense. The great hall connected directly to the bedchamber — if repairs became necessary, they would have to move out entirely!

Madam Gu glanced at Gu Meiting’s already-murmuring circle of friends, a flicker of impatience crossing her eyes, and said coldly, “Guard Yingzi, this isn’t your concern. Please step outside.”

Yingzi choked with anger, ready to argue his case regardless of the consequences. But just then, a guard came hurrying in. “Madam! Madam! A distinguished guest has arrived! The master wants you to come to the east wing at once!”