The atmosphere within the Jinlin Guards began to become subtle.

Originally, Lord Shisan had been the second-in-command under the Grand Commander, but following Miss Jiang’s death, the Grand Commander had Lord Wu and Lord Shiyi temporarily take over Lord Shisan’s duties. It was clear that Lord Shisan was being sidelined.

Regardless of what others thought, Jiang Yuanchao continued to silently assist Jiang Tang in handling Jiang Shiran’s funeral arrangements.

By rights, since Jiang Shiran was unmarried, as a young lady she shouldn’t have had an elaborate funeral. But Jiang Tang ignored such conventions, choosing the finest coffin and setting up the grandest mourning hall, openly accepting condolences from all walks of life in the capital.

Thus, many people were astonished to discover that Miss Jiang’s memorial tablet read “Wife of Jinlin Guard Deputy Commander Jiang Yuanchao.”

Though people dared not show any sign of strangeness on their faces, their glances toward Jiang Yuanchao carried a few traces of sympathy.

They had merely been an engaged couple, but this way, Miss Jiang had become the young Deputy Commander’s deceased wife.

Most crucially, given Jinlin Guard Commander Jiang Tang’s nature of loving his daughter like his life, he probably couldn’t bear to see this son-in-law remarry.

Tsk tsk, what use was youthful success? With such a powerful father-in-law pressing down on him, Jiang Yuanchao would probably have to dutifully remain a widower.

Dressed in plain mourning clothes, Jiang Yuanchao accepted the scrutiny of people’s various gazes with a completely calm expression.

Did he regret it?

There wasn’t much to regret. Accepting his foster father’s arrangement to become engaged to his foster sister had been his own choice at the time, so now that such a turn of events had occurred, it was the price he should bear.

He only hoped his foster father could get through this ordeal without causing more upheaval.

However, Jiang Yuanchao’s hopes were destined to be dashed. Jiang Shiran’s funeral had barely concluded when Jiang Shiyi arrested Li Guangwen and threw him into the Jinlin Guards’ imperial prison.

The reason the Jinlin Guards struck fear into everyone from imperial relatives and nobility, to civil and military officials, down to common people, was because they possessed the authority to arrest, interrogate, execute, and kill without needing to go through the Three Judicial Offices.

It could be said that anyone arrested by the Jinlin Guards and thrown into the imperial prison lived or died at the Jinlin Guards’ word.

The pretext for throwing Li Guangwen into the imperial prison was simple—nothing more than Master Li having a loose tongue. His complaints about court politics had previously gone unnoticed, but now the Jinlin Guards suspected him of harboring disloyal intentions.

Any perceptive person knew this was the Jinlin Guards settling scores, they just didn’t know why Grand Commander Jiang had turned his blade on the Li family after his daughter’s death.

Others didn’t know, but Qiao Zhao understood.

She knelt and kowtowed to Old Madam Deng and He Shi: “Grandmother, Mother, Father being arrested by the Jinlin Guards is entirely because of the trouble I’ve caused.”

He Shi, with her increasingly large belly, had cried until her eyes were swollen. She struggled to stand and pull Qiao Zhao up: “Zhaozhao, what nonsense are you talking? How could your father’s being taken by the Jinlin Guards be your fault?”

“It truly is the daughter’s fault. On my birthday, I unexpectedly encountered Miss Jiang at Baiwei Pavilion, and we had some unpleasantness. Grand Commander Jiang must have learned of this and harbors resentment.”

“That’s displaced anger!” He Shi gritted her teeth in fury.

Liu Shi supported He Shi and consoled her: “Sister-in-law, please sit down quickly. Though your elder brother was taken by that wretched Grand Commander, you needn’t worry. We have our Third Miss here for everything.”

“Eh?” Liu Shi’s words left He Shi stunned.

Liu Shi didn’t think there was anything wrong with what she’d said, and looked up at Old Madam Deng with a smile: “Old Madam, don’t you agree?”

“Oh, yes.” Old Madam Deng twitched the corner of her mouth.

What could she say at this moment? Should she say that Third Girl was just a young lady after all, and they couldn’t pin their hopes of rescuing the eldest son on her?

If she said that, what if He Shi got so frightened she went into premature labor?

“Zhaozhao, go discuss with Marquis Guanjun and see what methods he might have.”

Since Third Girl was engaged to Marquis Guanjun, they were family, and in the world’s eyes, they were inseparable. Seeking Marquis Guanjun’s help at this time was nothing shameful.

“Mm.” Qiao Zhao stood up, had someone send a message to Shao Mingyuan, and went to wait in the residence next to the Li mansion.

Once Qiao Zhao left, Liu Shi’s expression became even more relaxed as she smiled: “Old Madam, Sister-in-law, you don’t need to worry. Just watch—that wretched Grand Commander arrested elder brother, but in the end it’s uncertain who will be the unlucky one.”

After all, from her cold observation over such a long time, every person who opposed the Third Miss ended up unlucky in the end.

He Shi was broad-minded, and hearing Liu Shi say this, she smiled: “That’s true. Every time we encounter difficulties, Zhaozhao always finds a way.”

“Exactly, so Sister-in-law, just put your mind at ease.”

Watching her two daughters-in-law grinning foolishly at each other, Old Madam Deng quietly rolled her eyes.

What else could she say?

Qiao Zhao waited quite a while in the neighboring residence before seeing Shao Mingyuan.

“The Emperor has gone into seclusion.” Upon seeing Qiao Zhao, Shao Mingyuan first said this, his face showing signs of fatigue.

Qiao Zhao immediately understood and asked: “Jiang Tang refused to see you?”

Since Jiang Tang had thrown her father into the imperial prison, he no longer cared about her relationship with Marquis Guanjun and had no intention of giving Shao Mingyuan face.

As Commander of the Jinlin Guards, once he decided not to give someone face, Shao Mingyuan could only work through the Emperor to have any reliable chance of rescuing her father.

“I didn’t get to see him.”

“He probably doesn’t care anymore.” Qiao Zhao smiled bitterly. “Tingquan, have you ever been curious about why Jiang Tang used to treat me quite favorably?”

Shao Mingyuan nodded slightly.

“Because I could cure his elixir poisoning. As the Emperor’s trusted confidant, Jiang Tang had many opportunities to receive elixir rewards from His Majesty. Unfortunately, his constitution was very sensitive to elixir toxins, and though he appeared fine on the surface after years of accumulation, he was plagued by illness. It was precisely because I could cure the elixir poison in his body that he was quite courteous to me.”

Otherwise, given Jiang Tang’s nature of loving his daughter like his life, how could he have shown a good face to someone his daughter disliked?

“I see. So now that he’s directly arrested father-in-law, there are only two possibilities: either he’s found someone else who can cure his elixir poisoning, or… he’s already cast life and death aside.”

Qiao Zhao frowned: “Judging by his current state, it’s the latter, including his opposition to you. He used to wholeheartedly plan for his daughter’s future and would deliberately cultivate relationships with various figures. But now that Jiang Shiran is dead, as the Emperor’s number one confidant, he no longer needs to subject himself to any grievances.”

As long as Emperor Mingkang lived, Jiang Tang could act with impunity for a day. Neither Marquis Guanjun nor Chief Minister Lan nor even the two princes could do anything to him.

“Miss Jiang was Jiang Tang’s only weakness. Having become a lone wolf, Jiang Tang is now invincible.” Qiao Zhao sighed.

Shao Mingyuan reached out to grasp Qiao Zhao’s ice-cold hands: “Give me two more days. As soon as the Emperor emerges from seclusion, I’ll immediately enter the palace for an audience. No matter what, I’ll rescue father-in-law!”

Facing someone who had already gone mad, Qiao Zhao was equally at a loss and could only nod silently.

However, before Emperor Mingkang emerged from seclusion, another major incident occurred.