Although the masters of the mansion were somewhat tired after the day's events, they likely had matters weighing on their minds. As soon as commotion erupted in Zhujun Xuan, they were awake without the need for servants to announce it.
Zhan Feiyu and He Nuan were already out in the Hundred Herbs Garden for a night stroll. Before Steward Niu could even send someone to Caiwei Xuan to fetch them, Zhan Feiyu had already arrived.
"Miss Zhan?" Steward Niu stared blankly at Zhan Feiyu, who had arrived under the cover of night. Where was Miss He Nuan? But after his confusion, Steward Niu suddenly realized that he had only just sent someone out; how had Miss Zhan arrived so quickly?
"Steward Niu need not worry, Ah Nuan has gone back to get the medicine chest." Zhan Feiyu had no intention of going inside. She glanced at the brightly lit room and asked, "How is the Second Young Master's condition?"
His heart filled with questions, Steward Niu could only suppress his doubts and report, "The Second Young Master is blessed by heaven. Just as the villain made his move, he happened to wake up, shattering his porcelain pillow and attracting the guards. Doctor Luo is inside, but the wound has reopened and needs to be re-stitched by Miss He Nuan."
Zhan Feiyu nodded in understanding, "In that case, Lord Jiao can rest assured."
"Lianyu..." An anxious and urgent cry rang out. Concubine Huang, wearing only a robe with her hair disheveled, rushed over like a madwoman.
Zhan Feiyu stepped aside a couple of paces, watching Concubine Huang hurry into the room. Gone was the gentle and dignified demeanor from the day; her running speed had even outpaced the maids and wet nurses. Truly, worry had made her reckless.
Compared to the genuine concern of Prefect Jiao and Concubine Huang, the belated arrival of Madam Jiao, after their confrontation earlier in the day, couldn't even be bothered to feign politeness.
After a glance at the room, Madam Jiao spoke gently to Zhan Feiyu, "I have disturbed Miss Zhan again."
"Madam need not be so polite. I was reading for a while at night, so it's not a disturbance." Zhan Feiyu replied with a smile. Under the moonlight, her small face was fair and delicate, her eyes clear and bright, making it impossible for anyone to guess that she had gone to the Hundred Herbs Garden precisely for this commotion.
Just as Madam Jiao was about to speak further, her gaze swept over Jiao Lianping and his wife as they approached, and her expression immediately soured, "Your injuries haven't healed, why are you here now?"
"Mother, these are merely superficial wounds. I didn't want Father to say I lack brotherly affection." Jiao Lianping said with a sarcastic sneer, absolutely unwilling to admit that he was there just to watch the show.
Even though Jiao Lianyu had a close call, Jiao Lianping felt a sense of satisfaction seeing his brother's continuous misfortunes.
"Be cautious with your words!" Madam Jiao glared at Jiao Lianping with feigned anger. Seeing that his complexion was pale but he seemed to be in good spirits, she couldn't help but feel relieved. "You dare to say anything, aren't you afraid Miss Zhan will laugh at you?"
Jiao Lianping adopted a defiant stance, "Favoring concubines over wives, blurring the lines between嫡 and 庶, the shame wouldn't fall on me!"
"Ping'er!" Madam Jiao was truly angered now. The Daqing Dynasty governed the world with filial piety, and Jiao Lianping's words implicitly slandered Prefect Jiao, his father.
There were things Prefect Jiao could do, but Jiao Lianping absolutely could not say them. Moreover, Prefect Jiao had cultivated his illegitimate son precisely because Jiao Lianping, the legitimate son, was incompetent and couldn't uphold the family's honor.
Prefect Jiao's actions might have been somewhat improper, but people could understand. However, if Jiao Lianping harbored resentment and grudges, it would be considered disloyalty and unfilial, especially since his scholarship truly couldn't compare to Jiao Lianyu's.
Jiao Lianping, however, stood his ground, his neck stiffening as he declared, "At worst, I'll follow Zhan Feiyu's example and be adopted out! This concept of filial piety will never be imposed on me!"
Uh...
Zhan Feiyu, who had been used as a bad example, twitched her lips innocently. Her adoption in Jinlin Village back then was unavoidable. It was due to her father's extreme filial piety, and the village chief, the elder clan patriarch, and the clan elders had unanimously decided to have her adopted out.
Furthermore, Zhan Feiyu was a disciple of Scholar Gu and had already obtained her scholar's title. Old Master Zhan was merely a village rustic. Whether it was the Zhan clan members or the villagers, from the county magistrate of Shangsi County to the common folk, everyone would speak in favor of Zhan Feiyu, as it was human nature to seek good fortune and avoid disaster.
But Jiao Lianping was different. Lord Jiao was a fourth-rank prefect, and Jiao Lianping was merely a commoner. Therefore, if the two sides clashed, regardless of who was involved, Jiao Lianping would be the one blamed, as he lacked power and influence.
"You truly want to anger me to death!" Madam Jiao was indeed furious. She forgot that Jiao Lianping was still injured and slapped him on the back, causing him to yelp in pain.
Chen Shi, who had been preoccupied, was startled by the cry and suddenly snapped back to reality, "Husband?"
Madam Jiao had also noticed Chen Shi's odd behavior earlier, attributing it to being woken up in the middle of the night and not yet fully alert. But upon seeing Chen Shi's dazed, flustered, and uneasy expression, Madam Jiao's heart sank.
Before Madam Jiao could ask, He Nuan and Doctor Luo emerged from the room. Although the wound had split open and bled quite a bit, Jiao Lianyu was not in mortal danger. He had merely lost too much blood and would require good recuperation for the next six months.
In the main hall of Zhujun Xuan, the lights were now brightly lit. Concubine Huang was weeping as if she might faint.
"Bring the person up!" Prefect Jiao was truly enraged, his face ashen. An assassin named Li Li had appeared during the day, and now someone had infiltrated Zhujun Xuan again at night to assassinate someone. This repeated occurrence clearly showed a disregard for the Jiao mansion.
The guards dragged Zhao Yuan up. Perhaps due to the day's events, Zhao Yuan was not only bound tightly but also had two guards standing by his side, one on each flank, to prevent any unexpected actions from him.
"Who are you? Why do you want to harm Lianyu?" A choked question rang out. Concubine Huang glared at Zhao Yuan on the ground. If she hadn't been held back by her maid, Concubine Huang would have likely lunged at Zhao Yuan to fight him.
From the moment the assassin was brought in, Madam Jiao, who was seated at the head, had been observing Chen Shi's every move. Even though she tried her best to control herself, her panicked gaze still caught Madam Jiao's attention.
Could this foolish woman have sent someone to assassinate Jiao Lianyu? Madam Jiao felt a throbbing pain in her head. If she had wanted to deal with Jiao Lianyu, this illegitimate son, why would she wait until today? And why would she need an outsider like Chen Shi to do it?
Jiao Lianping sat carelessly in his chair, watching the spectacle. He let out a cold snort, interrupting Concubine Huang's interrogation, "Perhaps Second Brother made enemies outside, and now they're taking advantage of his illness to kill him. Every wrong has its cause, and every debt has its debtor. Father, it's best to ask for clarification first."
Zhan Feiyu raised her head and looked at Jiao Lianping, who was making sarcastic remarks, with an indescribable expression. The eldest young master was speaking his mind freely now, but his face would likely be slapped later when the truth came out.
Zhao Yuan seemed deaf, his expression blank. It was clear that without some persuasion, he wouldn't confess.
Prefect Jiao's expression was grave. Before today, he had always trusted Madam Jiao. However, their relationship had deteriorated today. With guards patrolling outside Zhujun Xuan, someone had still managed to infiltrate successfully.
As for the servants on watch, Doctor Luo had already examined them. The refreshing tea they drank had been drugged, causing them all to fall into a deep sleep.
This made Prefect Jiao suspect, could it really be his wife who made the move?
As for Jiao Lianping, the legitimate son, Prefect Jiao believed he understood him well. Although he was dull-witted and acted rashly, he wouldn't engage in such underhanded dealings in private.
"Father." Amidst the silence, Chen Shi suddenly spoke, her gaze fixed intently on Zhan Feiyu, who was sitting opposite her.
Stared at by Chen Shi's calculating gaze, Zhan Feiyu blinked innocently. Surely this dirty water wouldn't be thrown onto her?
"Your daughter-in-law just heard Steward Niu mention that after Second Brother had an accident, Steward Niu sent someone to Caiwei Xuan. But before the servant had even left the courtyard, Miss Zhan arrived." Chen Shi's voice was filled with deep suspicion, as if she genuinely didn't understand why Zhan Feiyu had arrived so quickly.
Although Caiwei Xuan was not in the back courtyard, it was located at the southernmost part of the Jiao mansion. Zhujun Xuan, where Jiao Lianyu resided, was in the front courtyard, and the two were quite far apart. It would take at least fifteen minutes for someone to walk quickly between them.
"Shut up!" The reprimand came simultaneously, from Prefect Jiao and Jiao Lianping, their first moment of such perfect accord.
Chen Shi, who was being scolded, froze for a moment, then her face flushed with shame and anger. Being reprimanded so publicly in front of the masters and servants of the mansion, how could she, the young madam, maintain any semblance of dignity in the future?
Jiao Lianping was truly furious. Although there had been some conflict in Liuxian County before, Zhan Feiyu had eventually sold the noodle recipe to him. Once this period passed, Zhenwei Xuan would be making a fortune.
Given Zhan Feiyu's status, Jiao Lianping, who was proud, couldn't bring himself to fawn over her. However, he wasn't foolish enough to make an enemy of Zhan Feiyu. But Chen Shi's words had created a rift.