With such a major incident occurring, the Su family misses had no authority to take charge, and First Young Master Su couldn’t stabilize the frightened young ladies. First Madam Su soon arrived on the scene with Second Madam Su at great speed.

When Miss Chen was pulled from the water, she had already lost consciousness, collapsed on the ground with more breath going in than coming out, clearly on the verge of death.

Ye Yunyi took a step intending to walk over there, but was held back by Ye Yunxiu.

“Elder Sister!” She looked at Ye Yunxiu with some disbelief and said in a low voice, “Miss Chen helped us!” By the end of this, her face already carried some pleading expression, her eyes brimming with tears.

Song Chuyi suddenly remembered who this Miss Chen really was.

Chen Jinxin—Old Madam Su’s granddaughter, the only daughter of the former Fuzhou Changle Brigade Vice-Commander Chen Jun’an. A few years ago, Chen Jun’an had sacrificed his life in the resistance against pirates. His wife Su Yunxi had brought her orphaned daughter to seek refuge with her maternal family.

First Madam Su’s expression was extremely poor, almost unable to maintain her usually kind face. She sharply ordered the group of already trembling maids and servants, “Quickly carry her away!”

Yet when facing the frightened noble young ladies, she wore a benevolent appearance again. She even pulled Ye Yunxiu into her arms, smiling bitterly at everyone with an expression of both guilt and seeming helplessness, “This girl, I don’t know what’s been wrong with her these past few days—making trouble with all her might every day. I don’t know how she ran out again today, offending all you precious guests…”

The young ladies simply couldn’t listen. Even Ye Yunxiu’s complexion had turned ashen.

Chen Jinxin might very well not even survive. First Madam Su’s indifferent attitude truly frightened these usually pampered daughters of wealthy families to the core.

Song Chumi held Song Chuyi’s hand with one hand and gripped Song Chubin with the other. Barely stabilizing her composure, she made a request to First Madam Su, “Aunt Su, we want to find our grandmother.”

Hearing Song Chumi’s words, the other young ladies also erupted, all beginning to tell First Madam Su they wanted to find their respective elders.

First Madam Su was utterly frazzled trying to calm them down. She had barely managed to somewhat stabilize these young mistresses when Second Madam Su came over with a rather unpleasant expression and said, “The Old Madam has come out.”

Old Madam Song and the Princess Consort of Zhennan had said upon arrival that they wanted to pay their respects to Old Madam Su, but First Madam Su had declined on the grounds that Old Madam Su was recuperating from illness.

Now Old Madam Su had actually come out, which meant the Old Madam wasn’t ill at all.

First Madam Su almost frantically exclaimed, “What?!” She immediately led people to turn around and head deeper into the rock formation area. She knew in her heart that if Old Madam Su appeared before everyone at this moment, what enormous waves it would stir up.

If that old stubborn woman Old Madam Su, who loved her daughter as dearly as life itself, found out Chen Jinxin had jumped into the lake… The more she thought about it, the more irritated she became, unable even to spare attention for those prestigious family daughters clustering together and whispering.

But she had only walked halfway when Third Madam Su came forward with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes, “Oh my, Elder Sister-in-law is looking for the Old Madam? How unfortunate—the Old Madam has gone to the front hall.”

The front hall?!

First Madam Su felt dizzy and light-headed, nearly collapsing to the ground unable to support herself. She glared fiercely at Third Madam Su, so angry she laughed instead, “Something happened in the Su Manor—what good does it do you?! Do you think you can escape unscathed?”

Third Madam Su sneered at her continuously, leisurely smoothing her hair. When she looked at First Madam Su again, her eyes were full of hatred, “Who cares about escaping from the Su Manor unscathed?! Don’t you feel guilty saying this? Don’t you know in your heart how we’ve been living?! Anyway, living is just dragging out a miserable existence worse than death. Might as well make a big scene—let no one have peace!”

“Madwoman!” First Madam Su cursed through heavy breathing, momentarily feeling nothing but panic and bewilderment beyond her alarm.

Perhaps because Old Madam Su had gone to the front hall, the adults outside had also heard some wind of the situation and were successively sending capable servants to fetch people.

First Madam Su dared not and couldn’t keep them any longer. Clutching her chest, she escorted this crowd of noble young ladies to the flower hall.

At this time, the opera stage was still performing, but no one had the mind to watch anymore. As soon as First Madam Su entered the front hall, she saw Old Madam Su sitting at the head position.

Old Madam Song pulled the young girls over and examined each one. Taking Song Chuyi’s hand, she never let go. Seeing that the children were all fine, she stood up and took leave of Old Madam Su.

Everyone could see that the atmosphere in the Su family was somewhat off. What would follow next probably belonged to their family affairs, so naturally these outsiders shouldn’t listen.

However, everyone inevitably had some criticism of the Su family in their hearts. A perfectly good banquet turned upside down, and right at this important festival time—it truly made people uncomfortable.

The Princess Consort of Zhennan also immediately stood up afterward. Perhaps seeing Ye Yunxiu’s paper-white face, her own expression wasn’t very pleasant either, and her speech wasn’t as gentle as before, “Since your manor has no leisure to receive guests, we won’t disturb you further. Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve, and there are still many matters at home. I’ll take my leave first.”

Once these two ladies spoke up, the others naturally all echoed that they wanted to leave.

First Madam Su sat and stood uneasily, looking at Old Madam Su while forcing a smile, “It’s still early. We had originally arranged fireworks for the evening…”

Old Madam Su snorted coldly, glanced at everyone around, and smiled with sarcasm and sharpness, “You want all the ladies to stay and watch us set off fireworks to celebrate someone dying in our manor?!”

Old people who had lived many years were very taboo about the word “death,” especially on such an important day as the twenty-ninth of the twelfth month.

“What nonsense are you spouting?” Old Madam Song couldn’t help herself and looked at Old Madam Su, “I heard your manor’s First Young Master is getting married soon, and today is such an auspicious day. Why aren’t you being more careful about what you say?”

Old Madam Su pressed her lips together. Her slightly clouded eyes showed tears when she looked at Old Madam Song. Swaying as she stood up, she took Old Madam Song’s hand, “Elder Sister, I’m useless… The family property the old man left behind, I couldn’t protect it. Even the ancestral sacrifice fields—they’ve squandered them all…”

First Madam Su could no longer hold back. She rushed forward and grabbed Old Madam Su, feeling both hands trembling uncontrollably.

“Mother, have you gone mad?!” She looked at Old Madam Su with pleading eyes, almost about to cry, “Stop talking. With so many people here, please stop talking.”

Old Madam Su laughed dryly. Her face, densely covered with wrinkles, was full of distress. She held and squeezed Old Madam Song’s hand, sighing, “Elder Sister, when you have time in the future, come visit me often… Though looking at things now, there probably won’t be another chance.”

This speech nearly brought Old Madam Song to tears. In front of so many people, Old Madam Song couldn’t inquire in detail. She could only squeeze her hand in return and chided, “What are you saying?! What kind of talk is this? You’re going to live to be nine hundred ninety-nine…”