Although Ji Yun didn’t know which school Mu Jinghu belonged to, she had already witnessed his ability to subdue assassins in the blink of an eye. Moreover, she had seen this person when she was previously by Pang Xiao’s side, which further confirmed his trustworthiness. She stood up and said: “Thank you, Young Master. Please wait at the door for a moment—I need to report to my marquis first.”

Though Mu Jinghu was somewhat simple and had little experience with worldly affairs, he wasn’t stupid. Thinking that men and women should maintain proper distance, he should indeed wait at the door. He grabbed two assassins by their collars, one in each hand, and dragged them out to the courtyard like wooden logs, then went back for the third one, arranging all three in a row before standing with hands behind his back in front of the study door.

Seeing this, Ji Yun smiled gratefully and went to find Qin Huaiyuan with the medicine packet.

Qin Huaiyuan had just seen off the Five Cities Military Commissioner’s men. Seeing Ji Yun, who had been perfectly fine earlier, now approaching covered in injuries, he was frightened pale and rushed out to meet her: “What happened? Weren’t you told to properly attend to the miss?”

Ji Yun bowed and led Qin Huaiyuan aside, whispering: “Three assassins came just now, with much better martial skills than the earlier group. I couldn’t resist them and was injured, but fortunately a swordsman sent by the prince to protect the miss arrived in time and captured all three. This is wound medicine the swordsman gave—please have a doctor examine whether it’s safe to use.”

Qin Huaiyuan took the medicine and gripped it in his hand. With his sharp mind, how could he not understand the key points?

That group had clearly planned everything in advance—first arranging large numbers of people to attempt complete extermination, then arranging a feint attack on the palace to prevent the Five Cities Military Commissioner from providing rescue. If all else failed, they could identify their target and have someone secretly strike at Qin Yining when their guard was down.

And these people must have been arranged by the Great Zhou Emperor.

After all, those who ascend to the throne have some faith in matters of heavenly mandate.

Just as the Great Yan Emperor, regardless of whether he believed Qin Yining’s existence could ensure the stability of the Great Yan dynasty, would never harm Qin Yining and risk bad luck.

The Zhou dynasty emperor also thought that regardless of whether it worked, he should kill Qin Yining first to eliminate this “protective talisman.”

Qin Huaiyuan clenched his teeth and called over an imperial physician to examine the medicine first.

The imperial physician examined it carefully and marveled at the medicine: “Marquis, this medicine is excellent. Although this old physician cannot understand the formula, I know the methods are skillful.”

Qin Huaiyuan nodded, thanked him, and ordered a doctor to treat Ji Yun’s injuries while he hurried to the outer courtyard study.

Ji Yun was worried about Qin Yining and said she only needed to apply some medicine and would be fine, so she followed Qin Huaiyuan out.

By now the sky was beginning to show a fish-belly white. The three black-clothed assassins lying horizontally in the outer courtyard study still maintained the positions they were in when their pressure points were struck.

A tall, thin man in a light gray patched robe stood with hands behind his back under the covered walkway, behind him a tightly closed door and a window with a hole broken through it.

When Qin Huaiyuan and Ji Yun entered the courtyard gate, they first examined Mu Jinghu.

Mu Jinghu also looked at Qin Huaiyuan with calm, wooden eyes. After a long moment, as if suddenly understanding something, he descended the steps and bowed: “Uncle, how do you do.”

Qin Huaiyuan was very surprised, feeling this young master seemed rather unworldly. To use the term “uncle” as the very first greeting upon meeting was rather presumptuous—it might make people think he was being overly familiar or trying to claim connections.

But Qin Huaiyuan still formally returned the bow: “This knight-errant, you saved my daughter today. This old man has no way to repay you. In future, wherever this old man might be of use, I will certainly exert every effort to repay this great kindness!”

“Uncle, please don’t be so formal. My surname is Mu, and many people call me Mutou. If Uncle doesn’t mind, please also call me Mutou.” Mu Jinghu frantically helped him up. Glancing at the three people lying on the ground, he said: “These three should be tied up first. Do you need me to help interrogate them? I can make them wish they were dead without them suffering a single physical injury.”

As he spoke, he seemed quite proud and wiggled his finger.

Qin Huaiyuan felt no ill will toward this overly familiar young man. On the contrary, having experienced countless situations, his ability to judge people was first-rate. Though this young master was shabbily dressed, he was clean from head to toe, and he had a pair of calm yet clear eyes. People with such eyes must be kind-hearted.

Perhaps he was a disciple of some reclusive master, which would explain his unworldly manner.

“Thank you, Young Master Mu.” Qin Huaiyuan turned and instructed Ji Yun: “Go find rope to tie them up. The household is in chaos now with insufficient staff—please excuse us, miss.”

Ji Yun was flattered and repeatedly said: “Marquis, you’re too kind. This servant wouldn’t dare.”

“Not at all. I should thank you for saving Yining.” Due to the presence of the three people on the ground, Qin Huaiyuan couldn’t mention Pang Xiao by name, so he said: “Shall Young Master Mu go rest?”

“Mm… that would be good. I’ll rest nearby then. Having accepted someone’s trust to be loyal to their cause, having promised to protect someone completely, I should do my utmost.”

“Very well, please make yourself comfortable, Young Master. The mansion has suffered disaster and everything is chaotic—please forgive any lack of proper hospitality.” Qin Huaiyuan said politely.

Mu Jinghu waved his hands repeatedly, smiling: “Uncle needn’t be polite. We’re all family.”

Qin Huaiyuan was worried about Qin Yining, so he stopped exchanging pleasantries with this sincere person and went inside to see Qin Yining first.

Though the room was messy, Qin Yining’s area had been well protected. She had a cloth on her head, and because of her fever, the cool cloth had long since become warm.

Qin Huaiyuan personally soaked the cloth in cool water and placed it on her forehead, sighing melancholically.

At this time Ji Yun had finished tying up the prisoners and came inside: “Marquis, let this servant attend to the miss.”

“Very well. When it’s fully light, I’ll find a way to bring more people over.”

Qin Huaiyuan indeed had many things to do. The chaotic household needed him to take charge—funerals for the deceased had to be arranged, family emotions had to be comforted, officials had to be managed, and now that it was getting light, relatives and friends would come to pay condolences. All these matters had to be handled by him alone. Though he very much wanted to care for Qin Yining more, he truly had no choice.

Qin Huaiyuan touched Qin Yining’s head again, sighed, and then got up to leave.

Overnight, news of the palace fire and the attempted extermination of the Qin family spread like wildfire.

Bingtang, who was still helping at Prince Ning’s mansion, received the news and was terrified out of her wits. Unable to wait to travel together with Prince Ning, she hurried back immediately.

Riding her horse around the street corner and seeing the Qin family’s wide-open gate, the bloodstains covering the ground, and the charred buildings inside, Bingtang nearly fainted from fright.

Bingtang quickly dismounted, grabbed her medical kit, and rushed into the mansion. Because she was walking too hastily and not watching where she was going, she collided with Shopkeeper Zhong, who was also running into the mansion.

“Shopkeeper Zhong?”

“Miss Bingtang! Is the master all right?”

“I don’t know—I just returned from the prince’s mansion.”

“Aiya! What should we do!”

The two ran into the mansion like headless flies until they encountered a servant wearing a white mourning band around his waist, from whom they finally learned the mansion’s condition.

“The mourning hall is set up in the main hall.”

Hearing “mourning hall,” Bingtang was so frightened she grabbed the servant’s arm: “Who exactly died?”

The servant covered his face and cried: “So many people died—my brother died too! Third Madam, the eldest daughter-in-law, Ninth Master, several young misses, and many sisters and nannies from the inner residence—all dead!”

“What about Fourth Miss!” Shopkeeper Zhong roared.

The servant choked up: “Fourth Miss was struck by a blade. We don’t know if she’ll survive—she’s in the inner residence now.”

Hearing this, Bingtang and Shopkeeper Zhong immediately flew toward the hanging flower gate.

Mini Theater: Mu Jinghu 😐: Fox = friend. Qin Huaiyuan = friend’s father-in-law. 【Ding!】 Uncle, how do you do!