"My lord."
The commander of the patrol camp was a fifth-rank military officer, while Jia Huan was merely a guard within the Prince's mansion. Despite this, Li Hao addressed him as "My lord." The high status of the Prince's mansion meant that even a guard without an official position could command respect from serving officials.
Li Hao wore a pained expression. The patrol camp was responsible for maintaining order in the capital, and the commotion caused by the Prince's mansion's guard was indeed disrupting the peace. The near-stampede during the Lantern Festival a few days prior still sent shivers down his spine whenever he recalled it. Although the crowd gathered outside the South Mansion today was not comparable to that of the lantern festival, any misstep could still lead to trouble, and it would be the patrol camp's responsibility. Li Hao did not wish to be involved, but he had no choice.
"Guard Jia, the Prince's mansion and the South Mansion are, after all, related by marriage. Since you are family, why create such a scene and make yourselves a laughingstock? How about this: I will personally knock on the South Mansion's door. You can bring the person inside, and then you can discuss the matter thoroughly with Lord Nan?"
"It is not that I wish to disrespect your authority, my lord, but the Prince saw these scoundrels colluding to bully the Consort. The Consort is a kind and benevolent person. Even after the festival passed, she was prepared to keep this matter secret unless the Prince mentioned the shop. We initially thought it was a few ungrateful servants betraying their master, but it turns out the South Mansion has gone too far." m..oΓg
"The Consort, perhaps, knew from the very beginning..."
Jia Huan paused, glossing over the rest of his sentence, but leaving just enough to hint at his implications.
He was acutely aware of his duty: to ensure that Nan Chaoyin believed everything was the Prince's decision and had nothing to do with the Consort.
"...That is why the Consort chose to conceal it. The Prince, therefore, was enraged, both angry and distressed. If not for that, the Prince would not have ordered me to handle this so ruthlessly. My lord, it is best you do not get involved in today's affair. The Prince's temper... Should any conflict arise today, our Prince's mansion will bear full responsibility. Even if it escalates to the Imperial Court, you will not be held accountable in the slightest."
To describe the Consort as kind and benevolent... If Li Hao had never met her, he might have believed it. It was in this very location, without even changing his position, that the Consort had ordered the South Mansion's gatekeeper to be brought out and beheaded. Blood had splattered twenty feet high, and later, the gatekeeper's corpse had been fed to wild dogs. Could the person who committed such acts truly be described as kind and benevolent?
Although the adjective was somewhat peculiar, Li Hao could understand it. After witnessing the Consort's demeanor, who could speak ill of her? Everyone viewed her through rose-tinted glasses. However, the notion that the Consort had known about this earlier... Did they take these people for blind or deaf? The Consort's relationship with the South Mansion was openly hostile. Even at the funeral of the South Mansion's young master, she had reprimanded the Fourth Miss Nan and made her kneel for three days. Later, at Madam Wang's funeral, she had not even set foot inside their gates.
During these two funerals for the South Mansion, during the procession, which noble families along the route had not hung mourning banners or set up mourning pavilions? Only the Prince's mansion, which had married into the South Mansion, still had bright red lanterns hanging from its doors. To suggest that the Consort knew about this earlier and chose to conceal it was simply preposterous. However, stripping away these subjective remarks, Li Hao received one clear message: today's affair could not be resolved peacefully.
Truthfully, the South Mansion had indeed acted excessively. Even if it was the Fourth Miss, and not the Fifth Miss, who was meant to marry that day, now that matters had reached this point, they should fulfill all their obligations. If the Prince insisted on pursuing this matter, even the Emperor could not save the South Mansion. Since the Prince had relented and married the Consort with a heavy heart, the South Mansion should have been grateful for the Prince's magnanimity and offered prayers of thanks, rather than resorting to such clandestine maneuvers. This was truly petty.
Perhaps due to his preconceived notions about the Consort, Li Hao's stance on this matter was somewhat biased. However, as a commander of the patrol camp, he had a duty to fulfill. No matter how eloquent the Prince's mansion guard spoke, if the matter were to reach the Imperial Court, and the Emperor could do nothing to the Prince, he might vent his anger on their patrol camp.
Li Hao wore a pained expression, but he still waved his hand, ordering the soldiers behind him to block the entrance to the South Mansion.
"Guard Jia, I do not wish to meddle in the dispute between the Prince's mansion and the South Mansion, nor am I capable of doing so. However, as the commander of the patrol camp, it is my duty to maintain the peace in the capital. Forgive me for being unable to stand by and do nothing. I hope for your understanding if there is any offense."
Jia Huan did not show anger; he understood and appreciated Li Hao's choice.
"My lord, you are too serious. This is your duty. However... blades are not blind, my lord. You need not be overly zealous in your service."
Li Hao cupped his fists in greeting.
He was not a rigid person. He simply did not want his brothers behind him to suffer punishment. There was a difference between not blocking and being unable to block.
The situation outside the mansion intensified, and the noisy clamor penetrated the high walls, reaching inside the mansion.
"What did you say?"
Upon hearing the servant's report, Nan Yuan'er stood up abruptly.
The people from the Prince's mansion had come to their doorstep, yet not a single servant had reported it to her father?
"Miss, Guard Zhen went to report long ago, but..." The maid hesitated, unable to finish. The news from the front courtyard was that shortly after Guard Zhen had gone, the young master had also rushed over. Whether it was the master's own decision or the young master's idea, it seemed there was no intention of resolving the issue.
"But what?"
Nan Yuan'er pressed.
The maid leaned in and whispered something into Nan Yuan'er's ear. Nan Yuan'er's expression gradually turned grim. Nan Yujin, it was Nan Yujin again. After his short-lived mother died, he hadn't even grieved for a few days before he started arranging his marriage. Hah, disloyal, unfilial, and murderous of his siblings—what right did he have to inherit the family business?
"Let's go, accompany me to the study!"
She intended to see what evil wind Nan Yujin had blown into her father's ear.
Nan Yuan'er stormed towards the study. Upon arrival, Nan Chaoyin had just finished writing. He put down his wolf-hair brush, unrolled the Xuan paper, and looked up upon hearing the footsteps outside the door. She stopped at the doorway, and then he remembered the knock and the request to see him.
"Is Father busy? My daughter heard the commotion outside the mansion and is truly worried and uneasy."
Her voice came through the gap in the door. Nan Chaoyin glanced at Nan Yujin, who understood the meaning conveyed by his father's gaze: look at your sister, learn from her!
Nan Yujin instinctively clenched his fist, then relaxed it the next moment—to his father, what was Nan Yuan'er?
Was she an obedient daughter, or a ladder to climb high?
"Come in!"
Nan Chaoyin's voice softened. Nan Yuan'er pushed the door open but did not enter immediately. Instead, she paused at the doorway to let the chill dissipate from her body before slowly walking in.
"Greetings, Father."
After bowing to Nan Chaoyin, she also dipped her head slightly towards Nan Yujin: "Eldest Brother."
Nan Yujin nodded in return.