Madam Liang hadn’t expected that in the span of just a few words the situation would instantly reverse, but circumstances were stronger than people. Her grandson was currently in their hands. Even if she wanted not to bow her head, there was no way around it. Gritting her teeth, she asked Song Chuyi exactly what transaction she wanted to discuss.

Song Chuyi was neither rushed nor impatient. Watching as Madam Liang grew so anxious she seemed about to pounce forward, only then did she turn her head to glance at Qing Ying.

This was Qing Ying’s first time seeing the prefect’s wife. Unlike Qing Tao and Ziyun who had seen the prefect’s wife when she came to pay respects the second day after entering the city, even though it was her first time seeing her, it didn’t prevent her from recognizing which one was the prefect’s wife. Smiling, she carried forward a register book and handed it to the prefect’s wife: “Why there was an incident of refugees outside the city causing a disturbance—everyone mutually understands the reason tacitly without speaking of it. Our Lady also has no intention to ask further about it. But since everyone knows our purpose in coming, then what our Lady wishes to do now, presumably you madams also wouldn’t not know?”

When they’d first met, they’d thought this Lady was merely a silver pewter spear tip—shiny but useless. Only now did they know she was someone with hidden depths inside, not easy to fool. Madam Liang had somewhat lost her composure. After a moment she pressed her lips together and shook her head: “Forgive this humble woman’s clumsy tongue and poor speech, but this common woman truly doesn’t know what Your Ladyship actually wishes to do…”

She had originally been stunned by the suddenly arriving news. Now reacting, she thought of how the men outside were still hosting a banquet for the Crown Prince. Since no commotion had been transmitted inside from outside, it meant the children should be fine. If they dropped the ball prematurely on their end here, that would truly harm people.

Song Chuyi also hadn’t expected these people unwilling to hand over silver would believe her with just a few words. Unhurriedly she smoothed the handkerchief Qing Tao passed up: “If Madam feels I’m putting on an empty show of strength, that would be somewhat inappropriate.” She smiled as she looked at Madam Liang’s lowered head, her tone cold: “Because I can wait, I can also afford to drag this out. You madams can also afford to drag it out, but I’m afraid your young masters can’t afford to drag it out. They’re all pampered and sheltered. Right now being surrounded by refugees…”

Qing Ying understood and took over the conversation, speaking vividly: “Indeed. We also just returned from outside. It’s very chaotic outside the city. Everywhere there are refugees running about wildly begging for food. The young masters seemed to be traveling together in a group. That area just happens to have many refugees. And they’re of such noble and precious status—I’m afraid someone will see wealth and conceive evil intentions…”

Compared to Qing Ying’s calm composure, Ziyun’s words were somewhat less polite: “Those refugees even dared to clash with His Highness the Crown Prince and Her Ladyship’s ceremonial procession. Clearly they’re driven by circumstances to desperation with no recourse. Even their lives are gone—would they still care about consequences or not? The young masters have probably all become food on the plate.”

The three words “food on the plate” were truly said somewhat horrifyingly. The madams heard them and changed color.

Song Chuyi observed their expressions and words, and couldn’t help but smile: “Are the madams frightened hearing this? But why don’t the madams put themselves in others’ shoes and think—if His Majesty in the capital heard that His Highness the Crown Prince met with an incident, what would his state of mind be?”

“It’s only that the madams have grown bold, feeling heaven is high and the emperor far away. You also feel that now the court can barely take care of itself with no leisure for other concerns, so you don’t put His Highness the Crown Prince in your eyes, and don’t put His Majesty in your eyes either.”

Madam Liang was frightened into a cold sweat by these words. Only now did she realize this Crown Princess Consort not only had unfathomable thoughts, even her mouth was this terrifying. She pressed her lips together and glanced at Song Chuyi, making every effort to stay calm: “What Your Ladyship is saying, I don’t know.”

Song Chuyi’s patience was finally exhausted: “Don’t know?” She asked once. Seeing Madam Liang wouldn’t open her mouth, she immediately turned her head to instruct Qing Tao: “Since Madam Liang says she doesn’t know, then you go out and tell Commissioner Chen of the Imperial Guard not to be polite anymore. Since people don’t appreciate our sentiment, why must we be the good people? Let those refugees do as they please. In any case, Yangzhou is in such chaos—even if we wanted to manage it, our hearts are willing but strength insufficient.”

Actually, no one heard Song Chuyi’s entire passage clearly, because everyone’s attention was completely attracted by the three words “Imperial Guard,” like a thunderbolt from clear skies. After quite a while, the prefect’s wife came back to her senses and blurted out a question: “Imperial Guard?!”

They hadn’t heard that the Crown Prince’s journey this time had Imperial Guards accompanying him! He had brought people from the Yulin Guard, but they had all, like the people of the ceremonial procession, long been watched. How could there still be Imperial Guards among them?! When entering the city, they also hadn’t seen any other large troops accompanying…

Her mind was in chaos, but she vaguely knew the words Song Chuyi spoke were absolutely not groundless, deliberately meant to frighten people—hadn’t Song Chuyi herself also been in the ceremonial procession before?

The madam who had asked the first question couldn’t help but already cry out in voice. First she sobbed cautiously and carefully, then hearing the three words “Imperial Guard” couldn’t help but wail loudly. After crying, she went to kneel before Song Chuyi, begging her to show mercy.

Her husband had already died. Now she was the one in charge of the household, but above there was a separated-branch uncle by marriage, below there was a newly married younger brother-in-law. Life was very difficult, and her natal family couldn’t be relied upon. She depended on her one son for survival. Now hearing her son might have met with an incident, she immediately couldn’t maintain control: “Your Ladyship! Don’t touch my son, I beg you… However much silver you want, I’ll give it all, I’ll give it all!”

Foolish woman! Madam Liang cursed in her heart through gritted teeth, wishing she could go up and tear Madam Wang’s mouth apart, deeply hating her for ruining things. Facing Song Chuyi, she still gritted her teeth and held on stubbornly: “Your Ladyship must be joking, right? Are the flowers here not beautiful to look at? The flower gathering isn’t finished yet…”

This was a threat. Qing Ying narrowed her eyes to look at her. This glance was ice-cold, making Madam Liang also involuntarily retreat a step. After Madam Liang finished retreating, Qing Ying had already flashed to Madam Liang’s front: “Does Madam feel that because the flower gathering isn’t finished, my Lady can’t leave through this door? We can’t exit through this door? The capabilities of the Imperial Guard—I’m afraid you madams have never experienced them.” She looked at Madam Liang’s eyes that suddenly widened greatly under her hand, smiling without warmth: “You’ve really underestimated the Imperial Guard’s capabilities too much. Not to say one against a hundred—one against ten is still not an exaggeration. Just these guards standing watch, do you all really feel they would be a match for the well-trained Imperial Guards? Moreover…” She meaningfully drew out her tone: “Moreover, it’s not only the Imperial Guard. You madams don’t know, the gentlemen outside probably also don’t know—the garrison eunuch of Jinling transferred three thousand men from Nanjing’s备操军 to protect His Highness the Crown Prince and Her Ladyship’s safety.”

Madam Liang’s fingernails immediately sank into her flesh. She hadn’t expected the fish on the chopping board would in a flash be jumping and splashing water all over people, frightened to the point she could barely stand: “Nonsense…”

Song Chuyi lightly snorted: “Whether it’s nonsense or not, you can gamble on it.”

No one wanted to gamble with her. At least Madam Wang was unwilling. She grabbed her front lapels and shuffled forward on her knees a few steps, fiercely kowtowing to Song Chuyi: “This common woman pledges a donation! This common woman pledges a donation! I’ll donate a hundred thousand taels…”