A group of matrons from the marquis manor suddenly surrounded Song Wan, yet they dared not lay hands on her.

After all, she was the Marquis’s wife. Though matters had deteriorated to such an unseemly state with the Marquis, no one knew how Jiang Xingjian intended to deal with her. Moreover, even if the marquis manor couldn’t tolerate her, the Song family behind her was not something a group of servants could afford to offend.

For a time, Song Wan’s trio and the marquis manor’s servants remained in a stalemate. Song Wan simply strode toward the outer courtyard while the matrons formed a circle, following and advising her from neither too close nor too far.

“Madam, think thrice—ahead lies the outer courtyard.”

Walking to the decorative gate, Song Wan looked at the wall separating inner from outer and stopped in her tracks.

Just a wall, yet it had isolated her entire eighteen years of life. Whether in her maiden chamber or after marrying into the marquis manor, she had never once crossed this gate alone.

Song Wan subconsciously tightened her grip on her skirt, her heart suddenly clear.

“Madam, don’t quarrel with the Marquis anymore. The outer courtyard is not a place you can go. Outside are all male servants and attendants. If you were to encounter outside men, what would Madam do?”

“Miss…”

Heng Zhi also pressed her lips together, unable to make a decision.

“Let’s go.”

Song Wan gripped her skirt tightly and finally took her first step forward.

If she dared not even leave the inner courtyard of the marquis manor today, how could she speak of not burdening Aunt and Elder Brother in the future?

“Madam has left the courtyard—male servants, stand aside.”

Seeing that she had truly left the inner courtyard, the matrons either blocked or cleared the area. Some even ran frantically to the inner residence to fetch a veiled hat for Song Wan.

Heng Zhi and Heng Wu held washing clubs used by laundry maids, trembling as they guarded Song Wan’s sides.

Just as everyone remained locked in confrontation, four bell tolls suddenly rang through the manor.

Song Wan’s steps halted as she looked toward Fuhe Hall.

Someone shouted that Old Madam had passed, and several matrons suddenly began wailing.

Song Wan was also somewhat surprised. Though she knew Old Madam’s health had long been failing, she hadn’t expected her to pass today.

She pressed her lips slightly and finally bit out the word “go.”

The servants surrounding her exchanged glances, with half running toward Fuhe Hall.

“Madam, please return with this old servant. The outer courtyard truly isn’t a place you can go. Where could you go today anyway? The manor has no carriage or horses, and outside is in complete chaos. Once you leave this gate, it will be dangerous.”

“That’s right, Madam, please return with this old servant.”

Matron Liang and Qi Shun’s wife had always respected her. She had shown them kindness, and now they couldn’t bear to see Song Wan create an unmanageable situation.

While they continued their earnest persuasion, sounds of fighting suddenly rang out at the marquis manor’s main gate.

Though the two groups entangled fiercely, neither side dared truly injure anyone. Thus, though the shouting was loud and the cursing spirited, it was merely thunder with little rain.

After nearly an hour of struggle, Song Manor’s servants and matrons finally fought their way to the marquis manor’s gate.

The commotion on Song Wan’s side was also intense. Several matrons’ noisy quarreling was heard by the Song Manor people. Everyone saw a stout-bodied woman suddenly push aside the gatekeeper and rush crying into the marquis manor.

“Young Miss, this old servant has come to rescue you!”

Hearing this, the Song Manor people seemed to draw courage from their hearts. Only then did they let loose their hands and feet, wielding wooden clubs, rakes, and other implements, striking hard at the marquis manor’s people.

“Strike back! The Marquis said absolutely do not let Madam leave the marquis manor even half a step!”

As soon as these words fell, the two groups that had previously seemed to be playing suddenly drew blood and showed red.

Song Wan was surrounded in the middle by Heng Zhi, Heng Wu, and five or six Song family matrons. One matron placed a veiled hat on her, carefully protecting her. However, the marquis manor ultimately had more people. Before long, Song Wan and the Song Manor servants were forced to retreat back to the inner courtyard.

Jiang Xingjian was carried out by several servants. Seeing this situation, his eyes darkened deeply.

“Wan’er, come back.”

He regretted it. He didn’t want to let her go.

“Jiang Xingjian, don’t forget the Fifth Prince is still in the room.”

Song Wan wore a veiled hat. Jiang Xingjian couldn’t see the expression on her face, but he could hear the resolute determination in Song Wan’s words.

He lowered his eyes to conceal the darkness within them, forcefully suppressing the ruthlessness in his heart.

“Qianbai’s life or death is uncertain. If you forcibly stop me today, I will perish together with the Fifth Prince. I just wonder if you can bear Imperial Consort Jiang’s wrath.”

Song Wan lifted her veiled hat and casually pulled down a flower lantern from under the corridor eaves, tossing it onto the white silk hanging everywhere.

The just-hung white silk instantly ignited. Song Wan continued pulling down flower lanterns and tossing them around.

Jiang Xingjian pressed his abdominal wound, his lip color abnormally pale from blood loss.

The fire grew fiercer and fiercer. The marquis manor’s servants alternated between fighting the fire and guarding Song Wan, until Jiang Xingjian spoke and they dispersed one by one.

“Do you think that by leaving the marquis manor today, you’ve left forever?”

Song Wan said lightly: “At least I’m leaving today. Let’s go.”

The moment she walked out of Chengyang Marquis Manor’s main gate, Song Wan only felt a faint sense of dizziness.

She swayed slightly and was supported by the equally red-eyed Heng Zhi and Heng Wu.

The stout-bodied matron from earlier also wiped away tears: “Young Miss, this old servant will escort you back to the manor.”

“That won’t do.”

Song Wan shook her head: “Today’s matters are chaotic, and Qianbai is also at the manor. Father and Elder Brother surely have other plans. At this critical moment, I cannot add to the manor’s troubles.”

“Go to the estate in the suburbs.”

Boarding the carriage, Song Wan let out a long breath.

Though she worried about Qianbai, now was not the time to return to the manor and add to the chaos. She could only wait—wait for Qianbai to be safe, wait for the manor to decide how to handle her situation.

Tightly gripping her skirt, Song Wan’s nose tingled slightly.

She would trouble Elder Brother to worry about her again…

“Who goes there?”

Upon reaching the city gate, Song Manor’s carriage was suddenly stopped. After the matron negotiated with the city guard commander for a moment, she returned and said: “Miss, the city gate has been closed. They say enemy spies infiltrated the city tonight. For seven days, no one may enter or exit.”

“Seven days?”

The matron wore a worried expression and nodded helplessly.

Song Wan was wondering what to do when she heard someone approaching outside.

“Is the person in the carriage Song Fu, Lord Song’s younger sister?”

“Indeed, it is our young miss.”

The soldier looked up and down at the matron before him: “You may leave.”

Song Wan was puzzled. She hadn’t expected that with the city gate closed, they could still depart. For a moment, she was at a loss. She dared not easily leave the city, fearing it was someone’s trick, yet worried that remaining in the city would bring trouble to her family.

After hesitating for a moment, she finally spoke gently: “May I ask which lord gave the order to open the gate?”

“Superintendent Wan, Director of the Eastern Depot.”

After the soldier finished speaking, he went to open the gate for Song Wan.

Seeing this, Heng Zhi said: “Miss, shall we leave the city?”

“Yes.”

Song Wan removed the veiled hat from her head and said softly: “No one would dare act falsely in the Eastern Depot’s name.”

Though she didn’t know when Song Fu had become entangled with the Eastern Depot, today she must leave the city.

The carriage quickly drove out the city gate. Wan Xiao stood atop a high building, rather puzzled as to why his master was meddling in others’ affairs today.

“Master, Chengyang Marquis’s wife…”

Xiao Jiye waved his hand, unconcerned about Song Wan’s situation.

“Today the First Prince has been废 废 废 废 废 disabled. The Third and Fifth Princes are even more injured and crippled. Once Master returns to the palace, you can restore your Crown Prince status. This subordinate is truly happy for Master.”

Hearing this, Xiao Jiye said: “The time is not yet right.”

Not to mention that these few days he couldn’t return to the Eastern Palace and didn’t know if Ji Rong could hold on. If he ‘recovered from illness’ at this time, it would certainly arouse suspicion from multiple parties that he was the mastermind behind today’s events.

Jiang, Song, and the Empress—these three would surely join forces to pin the responsibility for the three princes’ injuries on him.

It would be better to continue lying low and reaping the benefits as the fisherman.

He had waited over twenty years—why would he care about these few days?

Shen Qianyu leaned lazily by the window, expressionlessly tossing the fish-scale tally engraved with Xiao Jiye’s name into the chamber pot in the room.