Someone, come quickly!
The old woman clutched her throbbing head, her vision went dark, and she fell to the ground with a thud.
The other three servants heard the commotion and rushed in, only to be so frightened that their legs gave way. They screamed and tried to flee outside.
“Someone, come quickly!”
A faint aura of killing intent flickered in Jiang Zhaoying’s eyes. She wouldn’t let them escape. She threw handfuls of incense into their eyes, knocking them out one by one.
The flames crackled and spread, climbing up the mourning banners hanging in the inner hall. Black smoke billowed everywhere, quickly making it difficult to breathe.
Even Aunts Taxue and Tamei, who had witnessed the ups and downs of the palace, were shocked by the scene before them. Seeing Jiang Zhaoying about to leave, they stepped forward together to block her way. Jiang Zhaoying’s eyes flickered slightly as she bowed to them.
“Aunts, my father is from the Imperial Astronomer’s Bureau. I’ve learned a thing or two from him. Judging by your faces, something unfortunate will soon happen in your families. If you need help, you can come to me anytime. I can help resolve it.”
These two women had decent faces and were not malicious people. If she wasn’t mistaken, their closest relatives would soon face misfortune!
Moreover.
The two aunts were likely not biological sisters but cousins. Aunt Tamei had the appearance of an orphan, having lost her parents at a very young age. She was probably raised by Taxue’s parents, which explained their deep sisterly bond and their filial piety as daughters.
The meaning behind Jiang Zhaoying’s words was clear to them: she was asking them to turn a blind eye.
Yesterday.
They had received letters from home saying their father had been bitten by a venomous snake. Although they had sent all their money back through someone, Jiang Zhaoying’s warning that something would happen immediately made their hearts race, and their eyes filled with struggle.
“In the future, I will help both aunts leave the palace and settle your lives. Besides, people like Madam Song and Song Chengyu are not worth your help, are they?”
Tamei grasped Taxue’s hand, struggling for a moment before whispering softly.
“Let’s go.”
As the two turned and left, Jiang Zhaoying also turned and immediately left with Shu Yun and Shu Yu.
Just as they stepped out of the ancestral hall, flames shot into the sky behind them.
This was the second fire in the Song residence today.
How beautiful!
A faint smile bloomed on her lips. After a moment, Jiang Zhaoying lowered her gaze to look at the ancestral tablet she held tightly in her hand.
The name on the tablet was Song Chengyi, the legitimate son of the Song family’s Third Master. Unfortunately, he had died at the age of ten and was now fourteen in the afterlife. Originally, Song Chengyi would not have been entitled to receive offerings in the ancestral hall, but the Third Master had sworn to the heavens that he would not take any of the Song family’s assets, only asking that his son be allowed into the ancestral hall.
He had failed to raise his son properly while he was alive, so after his death, he was determined to ensure his son received daily incense offerings, hoping it would help him reincarnate in the future.
In her previous life.
When she was tormented by Madam Song and forced to kneel in the snow for four hours, the Third Madam Song happened to come for a meal. Seeing her being humiliated in every way, she couldn’t bear it and spoke a kind word on her behalf.
Kindness is kindness, and grudges are grudges!
Therefore.
She took the ancestral tablet of the Third Madam Song’s son and handed it to Shu Yun. Looking at the raging flames behind her, she said.
“Have someone return this to the Third Madam Song. Tell her she can come join the commotion later if she wishes.”
“Yes, Miss. The fire is spreading. We must leave quickly.”
Jiang Zhaoying glanced at Aunts Tamei and Taxue, nodded, then leaned close to Shu Yun’s ear and whispered something. Shu Yun understood her meaning and waited until the fire grew larger and uncontrollable before raising her voice and shouting loudly.
“Quick, someone come! The ancestral hall is on fire, the ancestral hall is on fire!”
“The candlestick fell over and set the ancestral hall ablaze, the candlestick fell over and set the ancestral hall ablaze…”
Because the Ink Rain Courtyard had caught fire earlier, when smoke began to spread again, everyone assumed it was the fire from Ink Rain Courtyard and didn’t pay much attention.
But now, suddenly hearing someone shout that the ancestral hall was on fire, everyone’s faces turned pale with fright. They grabbed buckets and rushed over. In their ears, someone kept shouting that the candlestick had fallen over, so the servants, while frantically fighting the fire, instinctively took note of those words.
Madam Song could no longer pretend to be ill. She sat bolt upright, threw off the covers, and ran.
Shen Yuefu knew she would now be openly staying in the Song residence. Although she was only a concubine, she was confident she could rise step by step. So as soon as she saw Song Chengyu, she threw herself into his arms, crying with worry and fear. Before three sentences were spoken, she pressed her lips to his.
Seeing the wound on his chest, Shen Yuefu hurriedly helped him sit down, then gently leaned over and tearfully licked around his chest before moving downward. Just as they were in the heat of passion, they suddenly heard someone outside shouting that the ancestral hall was on fire. Song Chengyu, startled, quickly pushed Shen Yuefu’s head away, withdrew from the heat, threw on his clothes, and left.
By the time everyone reached the ancestral hall, servants covered in soot rushed out, panicking as they said:
“Everything’s burned up, there’s nothing left inside.”
“What?”
Madam Song felt as if someone had struck her forehead with a brick. Her body went rigid, and she fell backward.
Song Chengyu’s handsome face turned dark and brooding. Staring blankly at the scene, he grabbed the soot-covered servant who had rushed out and roared:
“Why did it catch fire? Why did it catch fire when everything was fine?”
“It’s her!”
Madam Song was so frantic she felt blisters forming in her mouth as she pointed at Jiang Zhaoying.
“She was just punished to kneel in the ancestral hall, and she burned it down. Jiang Zhaoying, how could you be so vicious? I wouldn’t have said anything if you burned your own Ink Rain Courtyard, but how could you burn the ancestral hall? This is the root of the entire Song clan, the most important thing. Do you know what kind of disaster you’ve caused?”
Madam Song was truly panicked now. This was the backbone of the entire Song clan. Now that it was destroyed, they would surely demand an explanation.
“Go, go and invite Clan Leader Song and the others. Tell them the ancestral hall has been completely burned by Jiang Zhaoying, nothing is left, and they should come to deal with her.”
Upon hearing this, maids and old servants swarmed forward to surround Jiang Zhaoying, but for some reason, none dared to actually lay hands on her.
They had seen clearly what happened at Ink Rain Courtyard earlier—Old Lady Chen and the others had been burned to death, and now, in the ancestral hall, people had been burned as well.
Everyone who had provoked Jiang Zhaoying had died. If they acted recklessly again, something would surely happen.
Jiang Zhaoying’s people grabbed sticks and rushed forward, pushing the others aside to protect her. The two sides glared at each other, neither backing down.
Clan Leader Song, his wife, Third Master Song, Third Madam, and some other clan relatives arrived very quickly. Several of the ladies even brought their sons along.
Of course.
Jiang Zhaoying wasn’t idle either. Amid the chaos, she had someone invite Lord Wang of the Shuntian Prefecture, her father Chief Astronomer Jiang, her eldest martial brother, and her second martial brother to come as well.
Moreover, she had already instructed Shu Yun to pass down the order: the first priority for the Jiang family members brought into the mansion was to protect their own lives. If anyone from the Song residence struck, insulted, or humiliated them, they must repay tooth for tooth and eye for eye. Those who prevailed would be rewarded with one tael of silver.
At this moment, the servants paid no heed to their injuries, all eagerly hoping for the Song family members to strike first so they could retaliate and claim the reward.
“I should never have formed a marriage alliance with the Jiang family, never have welcomed her into our home. Not only did she burn down the Moyu Courtyard, but she also set fire to the ancestral hall. She intends to destroy our entire Song clan, to wipe out my entire family!”
“How will I ever face our ancestors in the afterlife? She has ruined our mansion and endangered our lives. This wretched woman’s crimes are unforgivable!”
Madam Song wept bitterly, her face filled with helplessness as she looked at everyone. Clan Leader Song’s expression darkened, so enraged that he tried several times to speak but could not find the words. After a long pause, he finally slammed the table and roared in fury.
“In that case, let the drowning punishment be carried out!”