“Zhaozhao, come to Grandmother.” Old Madam Deng’s heart tightened as she called out.

Qiao Zhao gave Old Madam Deng a reassuring look.

“Why doesn’t the young lady speak?” Jiang Tang appeared very amiable on the surface, but his heart was ice-cold.

A little girl who could stand before him without changing expression—that courage alone was remarkable. No wonder Thirteen would look upon this Miss Li with special regard.

Jiang Tang’s gaze lingered on Qiao Zhao’s disfigured right cheek, his murderous intent undiminished.

He understood Thirteen. Thirteen didn’t place much importance on feminine beauty. Even if Miss Li was disfigured, as long as she had other qualities that Thirteen admired, she would still pose a threat to Ran Ran.

Therefore, this little girl could not be allowed to live.

Disfigured? Heh, wasn’t it perfectly normal for a girl to despair over her ruined appearance and take her own life?

Qiao Zhao was someone who had walked the line of death and was particularly sensitive to murderous intent. No matter how well Jiang Tang concealed it, a chill ran down her back in that instant.

Jiang Tang wanted to… eliminate her?

Why?

She had considered that Jiang Tang, unwilling to lose face to the Li family, might seek revenge later, but she couldn’t understand why Jiang Tang would harbor murderous intent toward a young girl like her.

Even if Jiang Tang treated human lives like grass, there should be a reason.

The position of Jinlin Guard Commander was not as unrestrained as common people imagined. He was a blade in the emperor’s hand—ruthless when cutting, but he wouldn’t waste energy on unrelated people.

So, did her existence somehow threaten this Commander’s interests?

Qiao Zhao temporarily suppressed this doubt, unafraid of Jiang Tang’s killing intent.

She reached into her sleeve and grasped the note she had written at home.

The content of the note was her guarantee that the Li family wouldn’t face future retaliation, and now it was also her lifeline.

Qiao Zhao could already anticipate that when Jiang Tang saw the note’s contents, he would likely be greatly shaken.

She couldn’t help but tighten her grip on the note, preparing to hand it over.

Just then, a Jinlin Guard entered and reported: “Grand Commander, Marquis Guanjun requests an audience.”

“Marquis Guanjun?” Jiang Tang was somewhat surprised. In an instant, he set the Li family aside and said to Jiang Yuanchao: “Thirteen, escort Old Madam and the others out.”

After speaking, he nodded to Old Madam Deng and personally went to greet Shao Mingyuan.

Why was Marquis Guanjun coming to see Foster Father at this time? Jiang Yuanchao unconsciously looked toward Qiao Zhao.

Could it be related to Miss Li?

Qiao Zhao was equally surprised.

Had Shao Mingyuan come to find Jiang Tang because he heard about her situation?

No, when Chen Guang returned with the Frost Cloud Balm, he was unaware of Grandmother and the others coming to the Jinlin Guards’ office, so Shao Mingyuan shouldn’t know either.

So she was overthinking—it wasn’t strange for Marquis Guanjun to have business with Jiang Tang.

Qiao Zhao squeezed the note in her hand and sighed.

It was just unfortunate that she couldn’t deliver this. She would have to find another opportunity.

Jiang Tang strode out to greet him, laughing heartily: “What wind has blown Your Lordship to our Jinlin Guards? Please, come inside.”

Shao Mingyuan still wore simple white robes. Being summer, the light fabric outlined his tall, lean figure, making him look less like a battlefield general and more like a gentle, jade-like young nobleman.

Jiang Tang sighed inwardly: Who could tell that this young man before him was the iron-blooded Yama who struck terror into Northern Qi hearts?

Facing the current Grand Secretary Lan Shan, Jiang Tang held his ground, but facing Shao Mingyuan, he dared not be presumptuous.

Lan Shan was already old—even standing in a position below one person but above ten thousand others, how many more years could he maintain it?

But Marquis Guanjun was different.

In peaceful times, such a person would inevitably meet the fate of being eliminated once his usefulness ended. But now, with unrest in both south and north—Xing Wuyang resisting pirates in the south and relying on Marquis Guanjun’s deterrence in the north—the Emperor, obsessed with seeking immortality, most hated instability. As long as these two men didn’t commit actual treason, the Emperor wouldn’t move against them.

This general who had sent Northern Qi forces into chaotic retreat was simply too young—young enough that when a new emperor ascended, he would only be in his prime, precisely when he would be most useful.

Even without considering other factors, just thinking of his daughter, he wouldn’t easily offend such a promising young man.

The two entered the reception hall and sat down, with Jinlin Guards serving tea.

Jiang Tang waved his hand, indicating that all Jinlin Guards should withdraw from the hall.

In an instant, only the two of them remained in the hall.

Jiang Tang smiled: “Our office doesn’t have any fine tea—please don’t take offense, Your Lordship.”

“Grand Commander Jiang is too polite. I’ve come today with an unreasonable request.”

“Please speak, Your Lordship.” Jiang Tang leaned forward, assuming an attitude of serious attention.

“I heard that your daughter injured a young lady today.”

Jiang Tang was startled, unable to determine Shao Mingyuan’s meaning. He nodded: “Yes, it’s all due to my poor discipline, raising my daughter to be too willful. Today, my daughter accidentally injured the daughter of Hanlin Scholar Li during play. Just now, their family came to our door.”

“Oh?” Shao Mingyuan was somewhat surprised.

The Li family had already come to the Jinlin Guards’ office so quickly?

Shao Mingyuan’s mind involuntarily flashed with Qiao Zhao’s image.

The young lady’s profile was quietly beautiful, lovely as a painting.

What state had she been injured in?

Regardless, having a family willing to stand up for her was fortunate amid misfortune.

“Is Miss Li’s family still here?”

“I just had them escorted out. Later, I plan to have my disappointing daughter personally visit to apologize.” Jiang Tang observed Shao Mingyuan’s expression, growing increasingly puzzled.

Could this Marquis Guanjun have some connection to the Li family?

“Did Your Lordship come for this matter?”

“Yes.” Shao Mingyuan answered without hesitation.

Jiang Tang smiled: “To be honest, I don’t quite understand Your Lordship’s meaning.”

At their level, some things absolutely couldn’t be mentioned, while others were better stated clearly.

Shao Mingyuan said calmly, “Miss Li is someone I intend to protect.”

He paused, looking at Jiang Tang: “So please don’t touch Miss Li or her family, Grand Commander.”

He wasn’t convenient to interfere in disputes between young ladies—having parents properly discipline the troublemaking daughter was proper, following the same principle as capturing the leader first on the battlefield. He believed Jiang Tang could understand his meaning.

Jiang Tang took quite a while to recover.

What kind of cursed day was this? First, a minor Hanlin Scholar crashed into him, bruising his belly, and now the mighty Northern Campaign General was making an unprecedented visit just to ensure he properly educated his daughter?

The implication being that if his daughter was bullied by this Miss Li in the future, he as a father couldn’t intervene?

He had just been contemplating killing that little girl, and now this dramatic reversal!

“Am I putting the Grand Commander in a difficult position?”

Jiang Tang snapped back to reality: “Oh, no, not difficult at all.”