Inside the great hall, the dozen or so people who had received word walked out together.

Servants came from both sides to help escort the fallen men away.

Those among the injured who could leave on their own did so; those who could not were carried off. Very quickly, the space in the middle had been cleared.

Of the dozen or more who had come out, the most commanding figure was an elderly man standing in the center, with Yue Jianfei’s two younger brothers flanking him on either side.

Behind them, Yue Xingchen’s Second Aunt, Zeng Lanzhi, slowed her steps and glanced back from time to time.

Zeng Lanzhi spotted the butler coming out from inside and immediately stopped, frowning as she looked at him.

The butler gave a slight nod but said nothing.

Zeng Lanzhi drew a deep breath, turned around, and walked out with a satisfied expression on her face.

She came to Second Master’s side and tugged lightly at his sleeve.

“How did it go?” Second Master tilted his head to look at her.

Zeng Lanzhi gave a nod, sending him a reassuring glance.

The two exchanged a brief look, then shifted their attention elsewhere.

“Tang Xiaohua — do you know what you are guilty of?” Yue Jianfei’s second younger brother, Yue Jianhua, fixed his eyes on Tang Xiaohua, who still stood within the circle of the recent battle, and asked in a cold voice.

Tang Xiaohua and Qiao Mu turned together to face the dozen or more people who had just come out.

The Yue Manor’s butler led his men to stand on either side of Tang Xiaohua and Qiao Mu.

He looked at Yue Jianhua and asked: “Second Master, would you be so kind as to explain what you mean by those words?”

“You came and took Old Master away without a word. Our Madam was worried and followed. What crime has she committed?”

“No crime?” Zeng Lanzhi stared fixedly at Tang Xiaohua.

Her gaze was like that of someone who would gladly be rid of the woman on the spot.

“Her crimes are monstrous!” Zeng Lanzhi gave a cold snort. “Tang Xiaohua, do not think that hiding behind your elder brother-in-law all this time gives you the right to do as you please.”

“Today, we have invited an Elder. Even with my elder brother-in-law, Master Yue, present — he could not protect you.”

“Is that so? Should we not wait for my husband to return before discussing this?” Tang Xiaohua replied with contempt.

As the saying goes — the emperor is not anxious, but his eunuchs are. The Yue Manor butler’s agitation against Tang Xiaohua’s utter indifference formed a striking contrast.

Zeng Lanzhi glared at Tang Xiaohua, so furious she was grinding her teeth: “You…”

She had long since grown weary of Tang Xiaohua’s brazen manner — not just for a day or two.

Both women had married into the Yue family, yet Tang Xiaohua’s life grew better with each passing day, which had always sat poorly with Second Master’s wife and Third Master’s wife alike.

Neither of them ever stopped to consider that the comfortable life they enjoyed today was itself due in no small part to Yue Jianfei and Tang Xiaohua.

Those who are never satisfied — the more they receive, the less satisfied they become.

They had waited, with great difficulty, for Yue Jianfei to be away. Now these two women could no longer hold themselves back.

Zeng Lanzhi gave a cold huff and looked back at the Elder: “Tang Xiaohua — do you not even show respect to the Elder?”

Tang Xiaohua shifted her gaze and looked at the Elder for a moment.

She turned to the side and handed the silver spear she carried — which was nearly as tall as she was — to Qiao Mu, then turned back to face the Elder and clasped her hands in a respectful salute.

“Elder, Xiaohua pays her respects!”

After greeting the Elder, Tang Xiaohua turned back to look at Qiao Mu: “How is it? Is it too heavy?”

“It is fine.” Qiao Mu lifted Tang Xiaohua’s silver spear with one hand and gave it a feel, then raised an eyebrow. “Though it does not compare to mine.”

“Show-off. Mine is definitely better than yours.” Tang Xiaohua said quietly.

Zeng Lanzhi watched these two, who treated the whole matter as beneath their notice, and felt the fire of her anger blazing hotter and hotter within her.

“Tang Xiaohua, do not get too smug. Do you think heaven will let you off after all the grave offenses you have committed?”

“Elder.” The Yue Manor’s butler also looked at the Elder and gave a respectful bow with clasped hands. “Elder, our Madam was perhaps rash today, but she had no ill intent.”

“When the Master left, he instructed the Madam to watch over Old Master without fail.”

“When Old Master’s treatment time arrived, Second Master’s people came without a word of notice, assaulted people inside the Yue Manor, and took Old Master away.”

“Madam was anxious and followed, weapon in hand. And I believe — had Second Master’s servants not struck first, Madam would not have struck either.”

“When we tried to enter just now to find out what was happening, we were blocked by Second Master’s people. We had no choice but to fight our way through. Elder…”

“Your Madam came in and injured people. You all injured people outside. And you think you are somehow in the right?” Zeng Lanzhi cut the Yue Manor butler off sharply.

“The moment your elder brother-in-law leaves, you all run wild — is that it?”

Zeng Lanzhi shot the Yue Manor butler a withering glare, then turned her eyes back to the Elder.

Seeing the Elder remain silent, she grew even more pleased with herself.

“Tang Xiaohua — do you know why we brought Old Master here? We received word that Old Master fell ill because of what you did to him.”

“Furthermore, while Old Master was receiving treatment, you not only obstructed the attending physician at every turn, but secretly changed his medicine and sent him wine.”

“Physician Yang exhausted herself to the point of illness for Old Master’s sake — and you, over nothing more than household gossip, sought to destroy her utterly. Are you even human?”

Tang Xiaohua furrowed her brow, looking as though she had not quite followed Zeng Lanzhi’s words.

But that look of confusion quickly faded, replaced only by an air of complete indifference.

Seeing her this way, Zeng Lanzhi felt the delight within her grow even greater.

Tang Xiaohua had never liked to explain herself. That was both her strength and her weakness.

It was precisely because of this weakness that Yang Hong had been able to lord it over the Yue Manor for the better part of a year.

Zeng Lanzhi liked Tang Xiaohua to be this way. The more indifferent she was, the more she refused to explain, the more smoothly their plan would proceed.

“Second Madam, what are you saying? How could our Madam possibly do anything to harm Old Master?” The Yue Manor butler grew more and more anxious.

When the Master had left, he had given repeated and emphatic instructions that the butler must keep the Madam safe.

He had truly not expected that no sooner had the Master left that morning than trouble would break out at home.

“Servant! Who told you to speak?” Zeng Lanzhi stared the butler down and said coldly.

She seemed to feel she was being a touch too sharp and reined in her temper slightly, then turned to look at the Elder.

“Elder, forgive the discourtesy!” Zeng Lanzhi clasped her hands toward the Elder in apology.

“It is simply that now my elder brother-in-law places full trust in this woman, so even what the servants of Yue family say will naturally be biased in favor of Tang Xiaohua.”

“Their words, therefore, are not to be trusted.”

“Zeng Lanzhi — what are you saying?” Tang Xiaohua looked at Zeng Lanzhi and spoke in a low, firm voice.

“When the Old Madam was still alive, did she not teach you that when your husband is present, it is best to speak less?”

“I had barely stepped through the gate before people surrounded and attacked me. How was I to know what harm you intended for Old Master? Of course I had to rush in.”

“Look at what you have done — with no evidence whatsoever, you set dozens of servants on me. If my good sister had not come, would I still be standing here talking to you now?”

Tang Xiaohua shook her head and let out a soft sigh.

“Second Brother, Third Brother — since you are both here, if there is something to say, go ahead and say it.”

“What is worth hearing, I will certainly listen. What is not worth hearing — even if I hear it, I will not remember it.”

“By the way, where is Old Master right now? His treatment time has come.”

“Physician Long was brought in by the Master to take over from Yang Hong. If you have objections, take them up with your elder brother.”