The Wang family’s main gate slowly opened, and the noisy crowd became even more boisterous.

More than a dozen household servants dressed in black silk short jackets, with protective wristbands and leather boots all properly equipped, surrounded a man with a solemn expression wrapped in a large fur coat as he walked out.

“It’s Young Master Wang,” someone exclaimed.

The commotion outside instantly quieted down.

Young Master Wang, Wang Tongye’s legitimate eldest grandson, named Qian with the courtesy name Yixiu, twenty-seven years old. At twenty, he had achieved the rank of third place in the imperial examinations, a renowned prodigy from far and wide. Now serving as a deputy prefect in Qingzhou Prefecture, Huguang, he deeply inherited his grandfather’s manner and would surely have important responsibilities in the future.

Even though these youngsters were making a ruckus, they knew what kind of person had emerged before them. In fact, even if Young Master Wang hadn’t come out, they knew what place they had come to. It was just that their heads had gotten hot for a moment and they had rushed over to fight. Since they had already fought, they might as well go all out.

Wang Qian’s gaze swept over the noisy crowd at the gate. Indeed, most were half-grown children. When his gaze passed over them, he saw several adults dressed as constables, who hurriedly slipped behind the crowd when they saw him looking.

Wang Qian’s expression remained unmoved as he continued to watch until the noisy children quieted down.

An adult who had already been tempered in the official world, Young Master Wang’s imposing presence indeed had a deterrent effect.

After the area in front of the gate had quieted down, Young Master Wang slowly conveyed his grandfather’s words without changing a single character. The crowd stirred, and though these young masters usually caused trouble, they also knew their limits.

“Hey, are you someone who can speak with authority?”

Young Master Wang felt no sense of accomplishment in intimidating these children. After speaking, he turned to leave, but a female voice called out from behind. He turned back to see a woman wrapped in a red cloak walk out, covering half her face with her hand.

Still holding a pipa, half-concealing her face.

Young Master Wang, who only read the classics of sages, suddenly had a line of poetry pop into his mind.

“This young master?” Qi Yue called out again, having learned to be clever this time by not daring to get too close.

Young Master Wang slowly nodded, making those half-grown children who yearned to become adults look on with boundless envy. This was what bearing looked like—look at every gesture and movement…

Huang Ziqiao spat. Young Master Wang’s expression and movements looked very familiar to him.

He was clearly stunned by the beauty!

Hypocrite!

Huang Ziqiao cursed angrily in his heart, even planning that when the fighting resumed, he would definitely find a chance to smash mud in this old boy’s face.

“I won’t say anything more now. Things have already escalated to this point, and I’ve startled Master Wang. As long as you hand over the person, we can settle accounts however you want afterward. If apologies are needed, I’ll apologize; if礼 is needed, I’ll provide it,” Qi Yue said.

This was all her fault. If she hadn’t taught artificial respiration, how would Hu San have gotten into such trouble? Artificial respiration, as an emergency rescue method, was truly shocking for ancient times that had great taboos about physical contact between men and women. It was no wonder people would misunderstand, but she hoped Hu San wouldn’t be injured.

Throughout, her hand never left her face, because speaking made her face hurt, and her eyes couldn’t help but be covered with a layer of moisture.

Seductive beauty!

Young Master Wang withdrew his gaze.

“Are you the one who incited these people to come?” he slowly asked.

“It was me,” Qi Yue nodded. “It has nothing to do with them. These children don’t understand and just came to watch the excitement.”

She actually took all the responsibility upon herself.

Young Master Wang said nothing more and turned to go inside.

“Hey, wait,” Qi Yue had thought she could say a few more words, but unexpectedly this person only said two sentences before leaving. What about the matter? It needed to be resolved! She hurried to follow.

More than a dozen household servants immediately stepped forward, making threatening shouts to block the gate.

“You woman, where did you come from? What are you making a fuss about? Hand over someone? Hand over what person? What right do you have to demand someone?” a steward said unpleasantly, his face very ugly.

This was understandable. This was the most embarrassing scene the Wang family had ever experienced. Even if the various families came to apologize afterward, it would still be a great loss of face.

He meant there was no such person, so naturally they wouldn’t hand anyone over, but these words, when they reached Qi Yue’s ears, seemed to mean the person was in their hands, but they wouldn’t hand him over.

Qi Yue became truly anxious.

Now it seemed that dropping names was useless—hadn’t she just given her name and a drunken steward came out? This clearly showed they didn’t take her seriously.

She could only try to reason with them.

“Hey, this is really a misunderstanding. Listen to my explanation. He didn’t do it on purpose; he was saving someone. Just let the person out, and I’ll personally explain to your young master,” she said urgently.

Before she could finish speaking, the man who had been holding back his irritation slapped her.

“You woman, don’t you see what place this is? How dare you act so recklessly!” he shouted sternly.

Obviously, this woman was the ringleader. Looking at her clothing and appearance, she seemed wealthy enough, but which wealthy family would let a woman walk around so late at night? Looking so seductive, she was probably some courtesan from a brothel.

Who knew what intentions she had in coming to make trouble? The young masters in the household naturally couldn’t avoid going to such places for entertainment, and inevitably some thoughtless women would get inappropriate ideas…

This woman had good methods, actually managing to get so many young masters to stand up for her…

So Qi Yue was unlucky again, being heavily swung aside by this arm that carried anger and intended to teach a lesson.

The Wang family’s gate had high steps, and it was dark now. Qi Yue staggered backward, her foot slipping into empty space as she fell backward. A’Ru and A’Hao, who were following close behind, hurried to support her, but couldn’t withstand the fierce fall and were also pulled down with her.

Huang Ziqiao was being secretly persuaded by the head constable who had sneaked over. Though he was very spoiled, he was still a child from an official family and knew what could and couldn’t be done. He was struggling between face and reality when he saw Qi Yue being struck and falling down the steps. In that instant, all his struggles disappeared, and he felt his head explode with a roar.

“The bastards are hitting people again!” he shouted, jumping down from his horse himself. “Get your weapons ready…”

His voice hadn’t finished when urgent horse hooves were heard from behind.

“Make way,” came a loud, urgent shout.

This shout was intimidating, and upon hearing it, the crowd involuntarily made way.

The man who had struck someone showed no panic at seeing the woman fall, and even spat behind him as he turned back.

Panic? What was there to panic about? After today passed, there would be even more panic-inducing things waiting for these little brats who didn’t know their place.

His spitting had just hit the ground when he saw someone stride up the steps swift as wind.

“Who are you…” The man opened his mouth to scold, but before the words came out, he felt pain in his stomach and was knocked backward, crashing into the household servants blocking the door.

“How dare you! Do you know what place this is…” The others were greatly alarmed and shouted sternly in unison, only then clearly seeing that standing before them was a tall man wearing a large black and gold cloak.

“Lord…” The three maids and guards below couldn’t help but call out.

Chang Yuncheng paid no attention to them, but raised his foot again, kicking toward the servants who had surrounded him.

With two or three kicks, the servants were scattered. Chang Yuncheng ignored them and kicked open half the door, striding inside with large steps.

Seeing him enter, Huang Ziqiao, who was following close behind, also kicked open the other half of the door.

Soon, following Huang Ziqiao’s entry, more people also surged forward. The Wang family’s servants were pushed aside by the crowd, unable to withstand the rush of people.

The servants inside who were standing ready in strict formation looked at these people pouring in and this time drew their weapons with a swish.

Not sticks and clubs, but blades and spears.

“Everyone out,” Chang Yuncheng shouted coldly.

The people following close behind him all froze.

“Everyone out. Who told you to come in?” Chang Yuncheng shouted again.

With his rebuke, the people who had surged in retreated in disorder again. Only Chang Yuncheng, Huang Ziqiao, and Qi Yue, who had also run in, remained at the Wang family’s gate.

“Let me explain to them,” she shouted loudly, this time removing the hand that had been covering her face. Under the bright torchlight, her half-swollen face was revealed.

Seeing her face, Chang Yuncheng was stunned for a moment, then his expression became furious.

Qi Yue was startled by his expression.

“I know I’ve caused trouble again…” she said hurriedly, with some apologetic tone. “So I said I’d come explain…”

As they spoke, an aged voice came from inside.

“So it’s Lord visiting. I failed to welcome you properly… I wonder what Lord needs to explain to this old man, visiting so late at night and kicking down doors?” Wang Tongye walked out leisurely with his hands behind his back, wearing a smile on his face but no hint of mirth in his eyes. He looked coldly at the several people standing at the gate, his eyes slightly narrowed. He had long stopped coming out to socialize and wasn’t someone just anyone could see. Therefore, aside from Chang Yuncheng, he didn’t recognize the others. Moreover, a woman and a half-grown child weren’t worth his recognition.

Chang Yuncheng withdrew his gaze from Qi Yue’s face and turned to look at him, without any smile and too lazy to maintain superficial politeness.

“Hand over the person, and I’ll naturally give Master Wang an explanation,” he said flatly.

A person again? Wang Tongye could barely contain his anger.

“I don’t know what person in my Wang family is so precious as to cause Lord to make such a grand spectacle of surrounding our gate?” he asked.

“The person your young master brought back from the street today,” Qi Yue said hurriedly. “Master, this is a misunderstanding. That’s my disciple. Perhaps seeing your young master suddenly having an emergency, he performed artificial respiration for emergency rescue. He hasn’t completed his training and is still an apprentice. If there was any impropriety, please be tolerant, but he truly wasn’t being presumptuous toward your young master—he was genuinely focused on saving someone. I can guarantee this with my life.”

Wang Tongye looked at the injured woman before him, and after hearing her words, suddenly froze.

Though he was old, having experienced the official world for so long, he had seen every kind of situation. Even if Mount Tai collapsed before his eyes, his expression wouldn’t change. This woman’s words, spoken clearly and without any bias or emotion, immediately allowed him to determine the general situation.

Not intentionally causing trouble?

Not targeting the wrong person?

But truly… there was such a person…

Fan Yilin, who had come out ready to fight and show off in front of his old father-in-law, also heard what this woman said.

A layer of sweat suddenly appeared on his head.

On the street… providing aid… doctor… artificial respiration… the person brought back… Several words connected together outlined a person.

No… it couldn’t be, could it?

“San’er,” he turned his head somewhat stiffly to look at the servant beside him, asking in a trembling voice, “The person who was brought back—did he say he was a doctor?”

After asking this question, he looked at the servant with such expectation he could almost melt him.

Please say no, please say he didn’t…

But the servant squeezed out a smile uglier than crying.

“Young Master, he… did say… and also said he was the first disciple of the Marquis Dingxi’s young madam…” the servant stammered.

Fan Yilin felt sweat pouring down like rain.

He must be dreaming, right? He must be, right?

And at this moment, his old father-in-law’s shout rang out from ahead.

“Fan! Yi! Lin!” Wang Tongye’s mind flashed with insight, and he suddenly turned around, shouting each word distinctly and sternly.

Fan Yilin’s legs went weak from this shout.

Mother… I want to go home… this place is too scary…