Chapter 426

The story splits into two.

Rong Qing Tang, the night curtain deeply locks the courtyard.

The dark night presses heavily on the flying eaves of Rong Qing Tang; the copper bells hanging from the eaves are plucked by the evening breeze, emitting a few scattered, faint sounds, then quickly falling silent.

The candles in the hall have burned down halfway; only a few lamps remain lit, their halos spreading in circles over the blue‑brick floor, carving the hall's shadows into alternating light and dark fragments.

The carved lattice doors are half‑closed, the door curtains hang low, and the tassels at the curtain edges remain utterly still.

On the high platform's soft couch, Jia Mu leans, her face bearing worry; the red‑gold hairpin with pearl beads at her temple flickers faintly in the candlelight, the only thing moving about her tonight.

Lady Wang sits at her side, expressionless, turning her prayer beads extremely slowly, rolling each bead between her fingertips, as if pondering some thought.

However, unlike before, at this moment the fingers she uses to turn the prayer beads seem stained black with ink.

Mrs. Xing sits opposite Lady Wang, clutching a handkerchief, occasionally sipping tea, yawning, seeming somewhat weary!

Feng Jie, Li Wan, the four spring sisters, Baichai and Daiyu, Xiang Yun, and Xing Xiuyan, etc., sit down in turn below.

On the faces that used to be radiant and adorned, bright‑colored, vying in beauty, glowing with rouge, there now appears a hint of solemnity.

Huh?! Also present is Wang Ziteng's wife, Zhu Shi.

Zhu Shi had originally come today to visit Lady Wang, but in the evening Grand Secretary Zhang Tingyu and Jia Jing were attacked in succession, Shenjing was placed under lockdown, so she could not return for the time being and stayed.

Only the occasional crackle of the candles remains in the hall, and the distant sound of the night watch drum from the courtyard.

After a while, Jia Mu gazes down at Tan Chun and asks in a hoarse voice:

"Third Miss, didn't Jing'er send word back saying everything's fine? Why is it this late and he still hasn't returned home? Has there still been no word from Dong Fu?"

As soon as she spoke, the atmosphere in the hall seemed to come alive; everyone turned their gazes in unison toward the handsome‑eyed, fine‑browed Tan Chun.

Seated beside Tan Chun, Daiyu in a light‑purple dress knotted her faintly smoking brows slightly, her jet‑black bright eyes glimmering, and she pressed her cherry lips together.

Upon suddenly hearing today that Jing had been attacked, she felt a panic mixed with fear she had never experienced before!

Although the dangers he faced on the battlefield before might not have been lesser than today's, this immediate, personal experience undoubtedly strikes deeper!

If it weren't for his personal guards later returning with a report of safety, I would probably still be in a state of restless anxiety right now!

Who knows where this vicious, short‑lived bandit came from; they truly deserve to die!

Baichai picked up her teacup from the small table before her and sipped leisurely, her almond eyes lowered slightly.

But upon close look, one can see that her pear‑blossom‑white lovely face is undoubtedly a shade paler now.

However, compared with the earlier bloodless appearance, after receiving the news that Jing was unharmed, she has already regained a bit of color.

When she first heard the bad news, she even entertained the thought of dying for love; if Jing truly met with misfortune, living would be meaningless to her!

Tan Chun's face sank, solemn, and she spoke loudly:

"Dong Fu has been waiting for news all along! If Third Brother returns home, there will surely be word sent over!"

"I reckon that because such a major incident occurred, the court is investigating this gang of murderous rebels; Third Brother, holding the military council, cannot leave at once!"

"Grandmother, you need not worry; I have inquired carefully—Third Brother is a veteran of the battlefield, anticipates the enemy first, and remains unscathed, while the assassins are all killed or captured."

Hearing Tan Chun say this, the expressions of everyone in the hall relaxed a bit more.

Yuan Chun, standing nearby, seeing Jia Mu's face showing fatigue, spoke gently:

"Grandmother, it's already late; your health matters. If you're tired, please go rest first—we'll wait here for Younger Brother Jing."

Jia Mu glanced at the vast, dark night outside, let out a long sigh, and said:

"If I don't see Jing'er return safe and sound, I won't be able to sleep! He must absolutely not meet with any mishap……"

One must admit, although Jia Mu finds this third grandson quite troublesome, she absolutely does not wish to see Jing come to any harm!

First, the Jia family's population is already sparse; altogether the two mansions of Rong and Ning have only a handful of male members?

Furthermore, she is not completely senile; she still has a clear grasp of many matters.

Jia Jing is now the Jia family's manager and clan head; if he meets with misfortune, the whole Jia family will surely fall into turmoil!

Of course, most importantly, this third grandson has offended far too many people outside!

Last year he was merely a martial merit of the Jingnan lineage; the Dukes of Zhao and the Marquis of Linchuan were still fine, after all, originally the founding lineage and the Jingnan lineage were opposed.

But this time, returning from the northwest to the capital, this scourge has acted as if possessed by some hysteria.

First he beat his own obedient Baoyu and disciplined the clan, then in court he proposed launching a great inquisition to strictly investigate cliques and conduct the capital assessment.

As the regent said, just last month over two hundred civil officials were arrested and thrown into the Imperial Prison, with countless executions, confiscations of property, and exiles.

This is like stirring up a hornet's nest!

Even an old lady in the inner quarters knows that those officials all have friends, fellow townspeople, classmates, and contemporaries,

when they suffer, how could their relatives and old acquaintances not bear a grudge against our third grandson?

Of course, this can also be framed as a civil‑military conflict; for now we'll consider it unavoidable!

However, last month Jing again beheaded dozens of men in the Twelve Divisions Camp,

even killing the heirs of the founding lineage's old allies—the Pingyuan Hou mansion and the Guo Gong mansion's Ning'er and Zhu'er—she truly could not comprehend it!

The founding lineage's martial merits have shared nearly a century of camaraderie, being allies who watch over each other at court, and they also maintain regular visits during festivals.

These are clearly our own people; how could they be slain over a trifle?

After such a reckless, audacious course, our third grandson has offended about half of both civil officials and military meritorious figures; to say the whole court is his enemy is not an exaggeration!

Moreover, if it weren't for his willful, reckless, merciless excesses, there would be no today's deadly retaliation!

If he were truly gone, it would be simple, but having made so many enemies, who in the household could possibly deal with them later?

Thus, even now, although Jia Mu may still harbor objections toward this third grandson in her heart, she absolutely does not wish for him to actually come to harm.

With him around, at least he can bear some of the burden.

Without him, those enemies would likely tear apart all the old and young in the household!