The Han family acted cleanly and decisively without any hesitation. The families in the capital probably didn’t even hear any news. The two sides hadn’t exchanged horoscopes or engaged a matchmaker—it was merely an exchange of betrothal tokens. Now that the tokens had been retrieved, there was no longer any connection between them.

Old Madam Song half-lowered her eyes and thought for a while, then let out a heavy sigh. “Forget it. After all, everyone has their own destiny.”

But both she and Old Master Song were clear as mirrors in their hearts—the Crown Prince’s side still had brothers tearing at each other unclearly, while here the Crown Prince’s son and Zhou Weiqi were in this state. In the future, troubles would likely come one after another.

Since Old Master Song had returned, everyone in the household became busy. Song Chuyi took her leave from Old Madam and had a carriage prepared to go out—it had been quite a while since she’d been to the area near the Yellow Immortal Temple, and she really should go check on things.

With Song Yan soon to return to the capital from Shu, and having learned the lesson from Song Jue’s experience, Song Chuyi felt increasingly uneasy—although Song Chuning was dead, Han Zhi still stood in between. Who knew whether he would be as deranged in this lifetime as in the last? Even if not, judging by his heartless and unrighteous treatment of the Zhang family’s young lady to whom he’d already been betrothed, he wouldn’t do anything good.

After repeatedly instructing Ma San and Ma Yongfu to go to Shu and safely escort Song Yan back, Song Chuyi brought up the matter of their sons’ education. “The teachers at the school all say they’ve now completed their initial education and are reading the Thousand Character Classic and Hundred Family Surnames.”

Ma San and Ma Yongfu didn’t understand such matters at all. They only knew that Song Chuyi had truly taken excellent care of their sons. Their hearts first relaxed with relief. Over these years, they had also learned that this Sixth Miss of the Song family was not only different from other noble daughters in her background, but her intelligence was also a hundred times stronger than ordinary girls. Moreover, she knew how to manage subordinates—soft when she should be soft, hard when she should be hard, yet her fingers were also generous, and the benefits that leaked through were enough to compensate them for risking their lives for her.

Ma San immediately laughed. “We rough fellows don’t understand these things, but I know the young lady won’t shortchange us.” His eldest daughter was twelve and already betrothed. Song Chuyi had specially given a hundred taels as dowry silver. Just this alone would allow his daughter to stand straight-backed in her husband’s family.

Ma Yongfu wasn’t as quick-witted as Ma San, but he was honest. If he hadn’t been truly desperate back then, he wouldn’t have become a mountain bandit. Now that Song Chuyi had settled his parents and wife, he lived far more comfortably and securely than before. Naturally, he developed some loyalty. He resolutely guaranteed he would protect Song Yan and bring him back safely, then worried about Song Chuyi. “But once we leave, the young lady will only have Wangkun and Changjiang and a few others around. If anything else happens…”

Song Chuyi appreciated this genuine concern. Smiling, she said she already had a plan and told them not to worry. She also had Qing Ying keep three hundred taels of silver for them as travel expenses, then prepared to go out.

But Ma Changjiang, who was keeping watch at the door, came running in unusually flustered, his face pale with urgency as he called for Song Chuyi not to go out. “Outside, a few people first arrived sneaking around to watch us, then somehow more and more people gathered. Now even the back door has been blocked!”

Qing Ying was startled. She silently leaped up into a tree, using the branches as cover to look outside for a while, then jumped down and nodded at Song Chuyi. “Indeed many people have come. I’m afraid we can’t get out now.”

The reason they had chosen this location in an alley next to the Yellow Immortal Temple was naturally because this area was a mixed place with all sorts of people, and wouldn’t attract attention.

But seeing how this group had specifically chosen the day she came to block the door, they had clearly been watching this residence for a long time.

The door outside was already being pounded loudly. After a while, the pounding stopped, and it seemed someone had taken a saw and was sawing away at it bit by bit outside.

Ma San spat forcefully on the ground and stamped his foot viciously. “Damn it! In broad daylight, can he eat me alive?!”

That’s what he said, but after all, there was still a jade bottle here. It didn’t matter for these rough men, but if they implicated Song Chuyi, that would be the most fatal thing.

Just when they were at a loss, a wall away, the locked bright red wooden door of the always-closed neighboring house creaked open. Qing Zhuo stuck out her face, coughing a few times from the dust, and beckoned to Song Chuyi. “Sixth Miss, quickly come this way!”

Qing Ying had come from the palace—how could she not recognize Little Daoist Qing Zhuo who served the always unconventional Crown Prince’s son? She immediately breathed a sigh of relief and supported Song Chuyi as they headed that way.

If Qing Zhuo hadn’t shown her face and pointed out this path, there would truly be nowhere to hide. That deranged Han Zhi would probably bury them all here on the spot.

But Song Chuyi glanced at the saw already protruding through the door and hesitated as she looked at Ma Yongfu, Ma San, and the others.

Ma San understood and quickly waved his hands at Song Chuyi. “We won’t follow you over there. Too many people would make it harder to hide. Besides, we all have some skills. If we didn’t have to worry about the young lady, we would have scattered cleanly by now.”

He wasn’t stupid. He knew that if they had chosen to come when Song Chuyi was there, they had already been watching them for a while. And the most likely person to spend such great effort watching them and trying to find the master behind them—wasn’t it the party involved in that incident two years ago?

Song Chuyi stopped hesitating. She glanced outside and nodded lightly. “Scatter in different directions. Get out of the city before dark. If no one follows you, wait in the old residence for news from Qing Ying. If someone follows you to a deserted place with no one around, kill them. As long as you’re not caught by them, use whatever methods necessary.”

Ma San and the others responded in unison. Seeing her go next door, they finally breathed out lightly, nodded to each other, and those who climbed walls climbed walls, those who went through dog holes went through dog holes—they slipped away like mice. Having lived here for a long time, they knew clearly in their hearts which direction to run to avoid being tracked. Without a moment’s hesitation, they soon melted into the crowd.

Just as the bright red wooden door was barely closed, Song Chuyi heard a thunderous crash from next door. She knew the door next door had been smashed open. She pressed her lips together, her brows knitting lightly.

Qing Zhuo led them quickly through the corridor into the main hall, then swiftly moved aside the bookcase in the central room. Song Chuyi and Qing Ying saw that behind the bookcase was an open secret door.

“Sixth Miss, quickly come inside with me. His Highness is inside.” Qing Zhuo nodded at her. “That side isn’t easy to deal with—they’ll be able to track here immediately. Fortunately, we prepared early. The people living here have lived for over ten years and are familiar with all the neighbors. No matter how suspicious he is, if he can’t find anyone, there’s nothing he can do.”