Song Yitang threw the memorial in front of Song Jiyun, "Is this what you called a surprise for me?! And you even sent it to the Zhou residence! Are you stupid or foolish?!"
"A mere concubine has thrown you into such disarray! How dare you write this idiotic memorial!"
"If word gets out, don't say you're my sister!"
Song Jiyun hid behind her mother, feeling deeply wronged, "But elder brother, you said it was either you or Liu Minghan…"
She peeked out and protested defiantly, "This kills two birds with one stone!"
"You still dare to argue!" Song Yitang raised his hand, and Song Jiyun immediately screamed and hid again.
"Mother, save me!!"
Madam Song protected her daughter, "Don't blame your sister for being angry. How dare that woman play tricks right in front of Old Madam Zhou! And your brother-in-law just stood there without saying a word – what kind of life will your sister have in the future!"
"Besides, your sister only wrote the memorial for your sake."
Song Yitang put his hand down in frustration, "Was it really for my sake, or for her own!"
"If she truly cared about me, she should be properly preparing for her wedding at home instead of thinking about running to the Zhou family every day!"
He sighed, "Of all the ways to die in this world, why did it have to involve her with Minister Liu? What kind of person is Liu Minghan – you can't touch him at all, yet you've managed to get yourself dirty for nothing!"
Song Jiyun bit her lip in grievance, "How could I endure it? She deliberately provoked me! I've never suffered such humiliation before!"
"Mother, she's even worse than ten Concubine Lus from back then!"Madam Song hugged her tenderly, 'There there, it's just a concubine.'" Mother will help you think of a solution."
Song Yitang exclaimed, "Mother!"
"Today it's Niangzi Jiang, tomorrow it'll be Niangzi Zhang, the day after Niangzi Wang – are you going to help her kill them all?!"
Madam Song turned with reddened eyes and scolded, "They're just lowly maids to be beaten or killed as we please! Why not?! Or do you want your sister to follow the same path your mother took!"
"Don't forget, if your father hadn't protected that slut surnamed Lu, your brother would be ten years old by now!"
Madam Song had fought with Concubine Lu for most of her life. Even though the woman had long been dead, she still felt endless hatred when mentioning her.
Seeing his mother's reddened eyes, Song Yitang could only sigh.
Madam Song, reminded of past grievances – especially since her husband still kept that slut's portrait in his study – felt her hatred grow stronger.
She patted her daughter, "Don't worry, I'll definitely take care of this slut before you enter their household!"
Song Jiyun immediately turned and hugged her mother, "Thank you, mother. I'm unfilial to bother you with such trivial matters."
"Silly child, with your mother here, you just focus on preparing for your wedding. Leave the rest to me."
Jiang Shiyao visited Yu Bao Tower again, this time only selecting some pearls.
Shopkeeper Wen looked at her hesitantly, wanting to seek advice but unsure how to broach the subject.
Jiang Shiyao pretended not to notice, completed her purchase efficiently, and left.
Fishing requires patience.
Since she couldn't establish long-term transactions with Yu Bao Tower, for this one-time deal, she needed to be even more patient.
Back in the carriage, she asked the coachman to take her to the embroidery shop.
This time she hadn't brought anyone with her – she still needed to check out the merchant caravan He Dayou had mentioned.
According to the trajectory of her previous life, the merchant caravan should already be getting restless around this time.
Jinzhou was about to miss the spring planting season. Although the grain crisis in the capital wouldn't last long, the famine in Jinzhou would eventually affect the capital, leading to an increase in refugees.
For merchants, this represented an opportunity.
It all depended on how bold one was.
Next to the embroidery shop stood a teahouse. Later, she planned to have the coachman buy pastries from Dexing Lou while she took the opportunity to discuss merchant convoy matters at the teahouse.
Jiang Shiyao's fingers traced the intricate patterns on the bracelet around her wrist as she calculated how much silver she could currently mobilize.
"Niangzi Jiang, the road ahead is blocked. It appears roof tiles have slid off one of the shops."
She lifted the carriage curtain to look. "Then take a detour."
The carriage turned around, preparing to take the adjacent alley to another route.
Suddenly, the carriage jolted violently. Jiang Shiyao braced herself against the compartment to avoid falling.
Just as she was about to scold the driver, the curtain was flung open. The coachman lay unconscious on the ground, while two masked men stood outside. "Get down."
Jiang Shiyao's face turned pale. She never expected someone would dare commit robbery in broad daylight right in the capital!
At this moment, she felt somewhat grateful she hadn't brought Fu'er along.
Regardless, preserving her life was paramount.
She hurriedly produced her money bag. "Spare me, honorable men! All my money is here!"
To her surprise, the masked men didn't even glance at the money bag she offered, instead staring at her with icy coldness as if looking at a dead person.
They didn't want money.
In that instant, Jiang Shiyao realized these weren't ordinary bandits.
One of the bandits slashed his knife near the carriage doorframe.
"Do we need to invite you down?!"
Keeping her composure, Jiang Shiyao alighted from the carriage. These men weren't after money – they must be targeting the Duke of Ying's Residence.
She appropriately feigned fear. "Honorable men, I'm merely a minor concubine of the Young Lord from the Duke of Ying's Residence. Even if you have grievances, capturing me won't help your cause."
The man looked at her with what seemed like pity.
"Someone paid for your head. Quite valuable for just a minor concubine."
Jiang Shiyao immediately thought of Song Jiyun.
Who else would specifically hire assassins to kill a mere concubine?
She sensed a glimmer of hope. "Honorable men, whatever they're paying for me, I'll double the amount to buy myself back!"
The two men exchanged amused glances, as if she'd told a joke or they'd never seen such bargaining before.
After laughing, the man said impatiently, "Get inside now! Any more nonsense and I'll cut out your tongue first!"
Several residential houses lined this alley, though their doors were currently tightly shut.
The carriage happened to be stopped right in the middle of the alley, beside a house with its door slightly ajar.
None of this was coincidence – everything had been prepared specifically for her.
"Ouch!"
Suddenly, the bandit in front crouched down, clutching his eye.
"Damn it! Who's there?!"
Children's laughter echoed, followed by more than a dozen stones raining down from above.
Jiang Shiyao immediately hid beside the carriage compartment.
A grimy hand reached out from behind the carriage and grabbed her wrist. "This way, madam!"
Turning in panic, Jiang Shiyao recognized the young beggar brother from the wonton eating incident the other day.
He led her into an adjacent house that was clearly long abandoned.
The young beggar took her through a tunnel in the kitchen leading outside.
Only then did she realize this entire row of houses was abandoned and interconnected.
Following the young beggar through numerous twists and turns, they finally crawled out through a dog hole.
"Madam! Quickly, over here!"
Now there were even more young beggars gathered.
They led Jiang Shiyao through numerous twists and turns until they were completely exhausted. Only then did she stop, leaning against a large tree by the roadside.
"Young brother, I can't run anymore."
The little beggar glanced back. "There are many people here. Those two probably wouldn't dare to capture you in this crowd."
"I knew those two were no good, but I never expected they were targeting you, Madam!"
It was then that Jiang Shiyao noticed the little beggar had bright, spirited eyes.
"How did you know they were planning to capture someone there?"
The little beggar explained, "Those houses are haunted. They've been abandoned for many years, and usually no one goes there."
"That place shelters us from wind and rain. It's long been our territory."
"A few days ago, we noticed people moving around nearby. Then someone gave us a few copper coins, telling us to stay away for the next couple of days."
The little beggar curled his lip disdainfully. "Thinking they could buy us off with just a few copper coins."
Jiang Shiyao patted herself down and realized her money bag had been left in the carriage.
"My money bag fell in the carriage. Tomorrow at noon, right here, I'll definitely bring you a generous reward!"
The little beggar quickly waved his hands. "Madam, the money you gave us last time allowed my brother and me to live comfortably for quite some time. That's enough."
Jiang Shiyao shook her head. "No, you can't stay in that place anymore. If those two seek revenge, you won't even have anywhere to plead your case."
"I'll give you money so you can relocate and settle elsewhere."
The little beggar pondered her words. "You're right, Madam. I need to make proper arrangements for my brothers."
When Jiang Shiyao returned to the residence, the little beggar followed at a distance the entire way.
She couldn't help but laugh bitterly – even a half-grown child was more reliable than Zhou Congxian.
When she returned to the residence in her disheveled state, the gatekeeper was startled.
She omitted Song Jiyun's name, only saying she had been attacked by bandits and was fortunate to be rescued by a little beggar she had previously helped.
The steward then took several guards to the alley.
By the time Jiang Shiyao returned to her courtyard, Shuangjiang and He Mama had already received the news.
Although Fu'er didn't fully understand, she could now vaguely sense emotions.
She clung to her mother, crying uncontrollably and refusing to let go.
She only stopped when she cried herself to sleep and was carried away by He Mama.
Shuangjiang brought medicinal ointment. Jiang Shiyao rolled up her sleeves to reveal scrapes on her palms and elbows from crawling through tunnels during her escape.
Shuangjiang frowned as she carefully applied the medicine. "Madam, in broad daylight! How could bandits be so bold!"
"Couldn't they see it was the Duke of Ying's Residence's carriage?!"
Jiang Shiyao sneered coldly. "If it weren't the Duke of Ying's Residence's carriage, they wouldn't have attacked it."
Shuangjiang stared blankly. "Are they enemies of the Duke or the Young Lord?"
Jiang Shiyao remained silent.
If Song Jiyun now dared to kill openly, how could Zhou Congxian not know what kind of person she was?
Why would he insist on marrying such a woman? Was he tired of living?
In her previous life, she had survived for over a year. In this life, because she was no longer silent, they immediately wanted her dead.
From her previous life to this one, Song Jiyun hadn't changed, and neither had Zhou Congxian.
The final outcome wouldn't change either.
Therefore, only by leaving could she and Fu'er preserve their lives.
Jiang Shiyao patted Shuangjiang. "Go stay with Fu'er and summon He Mama."
Shuangjiang complied.
When He Mama arrived, there was one more person in the courtyard.
Zhou Congxian hadn't even had time to change out of his official robes.
This was Jiang Shiyao's first time seeing him in official attire.
Surprisingly, he appeared even more upright than in casual wear.
Zhou Congxian's gaze fell upon her freshly bandaged hand.
"Are you alright?"
Jiang Shiyao's eyes remained tranquil as she replied, "This humble wife still lives."