“Old lady, I’m warning you—if you keep making trouble like this, we won’t be polite anymore!”
More and more onlookers gathered. Several Jinlin Guards who heard the commotion came out, glaring fiercely and driving people away.
The common people, knowing their place, stood further back but continued craning their necks to watch the excitement.
Old Madam Deng sneered: “I wasn’t raised to be frightened. If I’m to be arrested by you Jinlin Guards, just for demanding an apology, then you might as well arrest my entire family, old and young, and throw us all in prison.”
This old lady was like a dead pig, unafraid of boiling water!
“Old lady, since you hold a noble title, won’t you think of your children and grandchildren?” a Jinlin Guard warned in a low voice.
Just as he finished speaking, someone suddenly rushed in, furious: “Who dares touch my mother?”
The man appeared to be in his early thirties, carrying a food box. His anger made his handsome features appear more vivid—he was truly elegant and extraordinarily handsome.
Eh, this person looked somewhat familiar. Two Jinlin Guards thought silently.
Li Guangwen protected Old Madam Deng, handing the food box to a nearby servant: “Mother, your son brought you food. I came late and let you suffer!”
Li Guangwen turned and stepped forward: “Officers want to arrest us? This official was the third-place scholar in the final year of Kui and has been a Hanlin Compiler for over ten years. Originally, I was quite bored, so staying somewhere else wouldn’t matter. But there’s one thing I must tell you all—unless I die in prison, as long as I come out, I will still seek justice for my daughter!”
Li Guangwen finished speaking with full vigor, then cupped his hands toward the sky: “Heaven bears witness—standing here today is not some Hanlin Compiler, and the person we want to see is not some Grand Commander Jiang. I am just a father who loves his daughter, wanting to meet the father of the person who harmed my daughter, to ask him personally how he educates his children!”
Old Madam Deng’s eyes welled up with tears.
Today, her eldest son truly performed beyond expectations!
This was too much, truly too much! Though the watching commoners didn’t dare voice their support loudly due to the Jinlin Guards’ fearsome reputation, their expressions of shared indignation said everything.
The tense atmosphere was about to explode.
This situation wasn’t created by Old Madam Deng’s family alone, but by countless onlookers whose feelings of righteous anger were ignited at this moment, becoming an invisible yet formidable support that prevented others from acting recklessly.
The will of the people.
Many servants from various households who had been secretly investigating Third Miss Li’s injuries quickly spread this news back to their homes.
Almost in the time it takes for wind to blow, the entire capital knew that Third Miss Li had been disfigured by an arrow from the daughter of the Jinlin Guards’ Commander, and that the Li family elders had gone to the Jinlin Guards’ headquarters.
“What? Such a major incident happened at the West Residence?” Old Madam Jiang of the East Residence received this news, her face turning black as a pot bottom, leaning on her cane: “Outrageous, truly outrageous! How has Lady Deng become more foolish with age!”
Lady Wu at her side secretly curved her lips.
Though she felt the West Residence’s old lady acted somewhat impulsively, in any case, the West Residence’s old lady truly protected her descendants, unlike her mother-in-law who, when encountering any trouble, would first extricate herself and let her granddaughter take the blame.
Thinking of her daughter Li Jiāo’s current awkward situation, Lady Wu’s hatred for Old Madam Jiang deepened another layer.
Originally, her daughter, while not outstanding among the capital’s noble ladies, was certainly not inferior, and marrying a well-matched, good young man would be no problem at all. But now, everything had been ruined by her mother-in-law’s selfish vanity!
“Lady Wu, accompany me to the Jinlin Guards’ headquarters to bring Lady Deng and the others back!” Old Madam Jiang stood up, barely able to see the path, walked a few steps outside, then stopped again. “No, though the East and West residences share blood ties, today’s matter is the West Residence’s business. We were originally uninvolved. Even if the Jinlin Guards wanted to take action, they wouldn’t involve the East Residence over such a small matter. If we go, we might not be able to stay clear of it. Lady Wu, you send someone to quietly observe and report any developments immediately.”
“Understood.” Lady Wu curtsied slightly.
Marquis Guchang’s Residence.
After Du Feixue was chased out by Lady He with a feather duster, losing both dignity and face, she threw herself into the arms of Marquis Guchang’s wife, Lady Zhu, crying: “Mother, your daughter will never be able to face people again. To think I was chased out with a feather duster…”
Lady Zhu was furious and said to her mother-in-law: “Old Madam, my cousin’s stepmother simply doesn’t know proper etiquette. One can imagine what kind of life my cousin usually leads. We can’t let this matter rest like this. Not only for Feixue’s sake, but for my cousin’s sake too—we must make the Li family explain. At the very least, my cousin’s stepmother should receive some punishment.”
Her precious daughter had been beaten out—how outrageous!
Just then, a servant came in to report: “Old Madam, Madam, the Li family’s old madam has gone to sit in protest at the Jinlin Guards’ entrance…”
After hearing the servant’s full report, the old madam was dumbstruck and asked: “Has the Li family’s old madam lost her mind? Where are their men? Are they letting the old lady make trouble?”
The servant wiped away sweat: “More than that! That Hanlin Compiler Li carried a food box to bring the Li family’s old madam’s food. Now, Compiler Li is confronting the Jinlin Guards, and many households have quietly sent people to watch the excitement.”
“Keep investigating!” The old madam waved for the servant to withdraw, looking at Lady Zhu in mutual bewilderment.
The mother and daughter-in-law shared the same thought—neither mentioned going to settle accounts with the Li family anymore.
Don’t be ridiculous—the Li family dared to go make trouble at the Jinlin Guards’ headquarters. Going to their door now would just be asking for trouble.
Chunfeng Tavern’s business was inexplicably much quieter than usual today. Chen Guang, knowing that Qiao Zhao was injured and wouldn’t be going out anytime soon, quietly ran over to find Shao Mingyuan.
“General, Miss Li has had an accident.”
Shao Mingyuan’s dark eyes flashed with a cold, sharp light as he asked gravely: “What happened to Miss Li?”
Chen Guang quickly explained the whole sequence of events.
“How serious is Miss Li’s facial injury?”
Chen Guang nodded repeatedly: “From what this subordinate saw, quite serious. The wound is quite deep—scarring is certain. Generally, it’s this subordinate’s fault for not protecting Miss Li well. Please punish this subordinate!”
Chen Guang knelt on one knee.
Shao Mingyuan was silent for a moment, then helped him up: “It was my oversight. As a man, there are many places inconvenient to follow. You first return to the residence and bring several boxes of the imperially bestowed premium Yunshuang Ointment to Miss Li.”
“Yes, sir.”
Shao Mingyuan’s gaze swept across the brilliant rose flowers outside the window as he asked: “What was the Li family’s reaction?”
“This subordinate doesn’t know yet. Upon learning what happened, this subordinate came immediately to report to you.”
“Mm, go quickly and return quickly. Your task is to protect Miss Li from further harm. As for other matters, I will handle them myself. Chen Guang, since this involves the Jinlin Guards’ Commander, don’t act on your initiative.”
He understood Chen Guang’s temperament—usually a bit rash, which was harmless in small matters, but acting recklessly in such situations would instead put their side at a disadvantage.
After Chen Guang left, Shao Mingyuan pushed open the door and headed toward the Jinlin Guards’ headquarters.