Lin Jiayue’s actions were too abrupt, leaving everyone in the room stunned in place.

When Concubine Zhou came to her senses, she subtly covered her lips.

Realizing she wasn’t the only victim harmed by that home-wrecker, the pain in Concubine Zhou’s heart inexplicably eased somewhat.

After the Old Marquis passed away, Concubine Zheng, like Concubine Zhou, had begun living a secluded, reclusive life. Being treated so suddenly by Lin Jiayue now left her momentarily dazed, blinking her eyes dryly.

“What are you doing?”

The first to speak was actually the little maid wearing the silver hairpin.

The little maid knitted her delicate brows and stared with round eyes, looking at Lin Jiayue in confusion: “Why did you tear up my birth certificate for no reason?”

“I’m trying to save you. Are you stupid?”

Lin Jiayue threw the birth certificate in her hand to the ground and furiously berated Song Wan: “What are your intentions? Is harming young girls entertaining to you? She’s only in her teens—why should she become a chamber maid to a ten-year-old boy?”

“Her life hasn’t even begun and you’re going to ruin it. Are you even human?”

Song Wan raised an eyebrow, not knowing why Lin Jiayue was having another fit of madness.

“You get out of the way.”

Lin Jiayue only felt someone grip her shoulders tightly before roughly shoving her aside.

Concubine Zheng steadied the precariously swaying hairpin on her head, her face vicious: “What business is it of yours that I’m taking a chamber maid for the Fourth Young Master of the estate? Besides, Xiang Mei is already my chamber woman. What are you going crazy about? Unless your shameless bones are itching so badly you want to serve in the Fourth Young Master’s chambers too? Ptui! You lowborn thing—take a good look and see if our Fourth Young Master would even want you!”

Concubine Zhou’s eyes had been brimming with tears earlier, but seeing Concubine Zheng curse as viciously and harshly as she had in her youth, the last bit of resentment in her heart vanished completely.

If the timing weren’t so inappropriate, she really wanted to applaud and have Concubine Zheng curse a few more foul words.

“You want to obstruct Third Miss’s marriage, and now you want to obstruct Fourth Young Master from taking a chamber maid. Why don’t you take a piss and look at yourself—what are you to dare meddle in my, Zheng Rujuan’s, affairs? Does Chengyang Marquis Estate—does First Madam’s Lanting Courtyard—allow you to point fingers and lord it over everyone?”

After Concubine Zheng finished speaking, she pulled the silver hairpin from her head and stabbed it toward Lin Jiayue’s arm.

Lin Jiayue cried out, her eyes reddening from the pain.

“Enough! What do you think this place is? Does it permit you all to run wild?”

Nanny Zhao shouted angrily. Concubine Zheng whimpered and collapsed to the ground with the momentum, clutching her chest with tears streaming down as she looked at Song Wan.

Song Wan only felt that ever since Jiang Xingjian returned to the estate, her head had been constantly aching and never getting better.

Silently glancing at Concubine Zheng, Song Wan’s ears grew hot.

In all her years, this was the first time she’d witnessed someone curse so foully in a quarrel and throw such practiced tantrums.

It truly left one… at a complete loss.

After a moment of silence, Song Wan addressed the little maid who was equally panicked about where to look: “Are you willing to be taken into Fourth Young Master’s chambers as a chamber maid?”

The little maid knelt on the ground and said loudly: “Reporting to First Madam, this servant is willing.”

For a servant to be taken into a master’s chambers was already the best possible path. Changing from slave status to half-master status, and if she bore a child or two in the future, her life would be complete. Even when she eventually saw her elderly parents, she would only receive praise. Only a fool would be unwilling.

Not to mention, the sooner she was elevated to chamber maid status, the sooner she could receive a monthly stipend of one tael of silver.

Xiang Mei answered very loudly, showing absolutely no reluctance at being forced. On the contrary, she displayed an eagerness wishing to immediately solidify her chamber maid status.

Lin Jiayue was angered by her lack of self-respect and furiously shouted that she didn’t agree.

“Whether you agree or not is not up to you. You’re not the one who makes decisions in this estate.”

Concubine Zheng spat, then when she turned to look at Song Wan, she once again displayed that sickly appearance of clutching her chest.

Song Wan supported her forehead, using her hand to block Concubine Zheng’s line of sight: “Since Concubine Zheng and Xiang Mei are both willing, this matter is settled. You may all leave now.”

“No one is allowed to leave.”

Lin Jiayue stretched out her arm, blocking everyone’s path: “No one is leaving today. I cannot stand by and watch you commit such unconscionable acts.”

Blood seeped from the arm wounded by the silver hairpin. Summer clothing was already light and thin, and by now blood had dripped onto the ground. Song Wan looked at the bright red on the floor and signaled Xiang Cao to help bandage it.

“In any case, today we must wait for the Marquis to return to the estate. I want to ask if he agrees with you all making a young girl become a chamber maid to some Fourth Young Master!”

Lin Jiayue pushed away Xiang Cao who had brought wound medicine and firmly blocked everyone’s path.

Song Wan was so angry her forehead throbbed, but she was helpless against her.

She truly wasn’t skilled at dealing with this kind of wild, unreasonable troublemaker.

“Fine. Since she wishes to wait, let’s wait for the Marquis to return.”

Returning to sit before her writing desk, Song Wan casually picked up a miscellaneous record to read, though no matter what she did, she couldn’t calm her mind. Even with the roomful of people making not a sound, she felt endlessly vexed.

Concubine Zheng sat on an embroidered stool with Xiang Mei. Lin Jiayue stood by the door with her arms crossed. Concubine Zhou harbored who knows what thoughts—Jiang Jing pulled at her four or five times indicating they should leave first, but she repeatedly refused.

Everyone remained in this standoff until Jiang Xingjian returned to the estate after finishing his duties at Shanglin Garden. As soon as he descended from his sedan chair, he was urged by the matrons to come to Lanting Courtyard.

“What happened?”

Upon entering, Jiang Xingjian saw Song Wan looking utterly relieved. Before he could carefully savor her anticipation of his arrival, Lin Jiayue rushed over.

“Perfect timing. I have something to discuss with you.”

Hearing Lin Jiayue’s voice, Jiang Xingjian’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

“They’ve all gone mad, making a teenage girl become a chamber maid to a ten-year-old boy. Don’t you think this is utterly absurd?”

Jiang Xingjian pressed his brow: “What’s the problem?”

“What’s the problem? The problem is huge!”

Lin Jiayue alternately pointed at Song Wan saying she was an accomplice to tyranny, cursed Concubine Zheng loudly for harming servants, then turned to point at Xiang Mei saying she was blinded by greed. Then she turned her abuse to saying that Jiang Ang, at such a young age, was already obsessed with lust and indulging in debauchery.

As soon as she finished speaking, Song Wan stood up. Concubine Zheng lunged forward to tear at Lin Jiayue’s mouth, while Jiang Xingjian slammed his hand on the table with a loud bang.

The tremendous sound made Lin Jiayue abruptly shut her mouth, looking at him with complete incomprehension.

“If word of today gets out, Jiang Ang will carry the reputation of being obsessed with lust for his entire life. You speak recklessly, but Jiang Ang’s future will be completely ruined. Can you please use your brain before you open your mouth?”

His voice was so severe it startled everyone.

Song Wan had never before seen Jiang Xingjian with bulging veins and bloodshot eyes.

The Jiang Xingjian she knew had always appeared warm, courteous, and bright as wind and moon. He had never lost composure like this before.

Song Wan lowered her eyes without speaking, a wave of bitterness rising in her heart.

Perhaps she and Jiang Xingjian had never truly known each other.

Lin Jiayue continued her pestering, repeatedly claiming the Marquis Estate was harming its servants. Her words made all the masters and servants in Lanting Courtyard look at her with unified disgust.

Jiang Xingjian’s head throbbed with pain.

Chengyang Marquis Estate’s reputation was already foul beyond redemption. If Lin Jiayue continued causing trouble, by tomorrow the estate would become known as a hellish purgatory of rape, plunder, and every evil deed.

“Wan’er, explain to her why we need to arrange a chamber maid for Jiang Ang.”

Jiang Xingjian admitted defeat and helplessly sought Song Wan’s aid.

Song Wan lowered her eyes to hide the disgust within them, thoroughly disappointed in both Jiang Xingjian and the entire Chengyang Marquis Estate.