I am the Holy Poisoner, the Empress advised me to calm down

"It's time to show our strength to those self-righteous people!" Mo Nianran also said excitedly.

At this moment, a commotion suddenly erupted outside the door. Everyone hurried out of the study to check what was going on—only to see several strong young men arguing with a ragged old man. "Let me go!" The old man gasped, struggling to break free from the other man's grip. "No! Who knows if you're a thief?"

Various discussions were heard from the crowd:

"Hey, how dare this guy break into our house wearing such shabby clothes?"

"Isn't he really a thief? Get him out now."

Just as the situation was becoming increasingly chaotic, Jiang Caiwei stepped forward, stood between the two sides, and calmly asked, "What exactly happened?" Seeing the stern gaze from the Jiang Mansion's mistress, the young men hurriedly explained, "Madam, this person said he had important news to report, but who knows if what he said is true or not!"

Hearing this, Jiang Caiwei turned to look at the haggard but still alert old man in front of her: "What can I do for you, old man? Please explain clearly."

Upon hearing this, the latter's eyes suddenly sparkled with tears. "My real name is Su Mei, and I was originally a servant in a wealthy merchant's house in the capital. A while ago, I accidentally learned of a shocking secret, and decided to take the risk and come here to tell the truth in the hope of gaining safe haven..."

This statement immediately sparked even greater curiosity and questioning. However, Jiang Caiwei waved her hand to silence the surrounding noise, "Miss Sumei, please tell us what you know first. If it is truly valuable, we will naturally provide you with corresponding assistance."

Just as Su Mei was about to reveal the truth, hurried footsteps were heard outside the study. Mu Jin, sweating profusely, ran in. "Sir, I've just received confirmation—a larger army will be approaching the city gates tomorrow morning! Leading them is the great general known as the Iron-Blooded King!"

This sudden change shocked everyone in the room; even the air seemed to freeze. Jiang Yin gritted his teeth and said, "It seems like things have reached a critical moment..."

Seeing her husband's determined eyes, Jiang Caiwei smiled with satisfaction and said, "Then, let's face this challenge together." Then she looked at Su Mei, who was standing at the door and had not yet left. "As for the information you brought... let's talk about it tonight under the moonlight."

The night deepened, but for this family about to face a storm, the real battle had just begun. As various forces quietly formed their positions, what would unfold in the coming days remained a mystery... With Su Mei's betrayal temporarily suppressed, the atmosphere within the Jiang residence grew even more solemn. The people in the study fell into deep thought, as if a dark cloud was gathering over everyone's heart. Mu Jin stood aside, panting heavily, wiping the sweat from his forehead, his eyes occasionally glancing at Su Mei, whose clothes were ragged but whose eyes were unwavering.

"General Wang of the Iron-Blooded Army..." Mo Nianran muttered to himself, "If he really leads a large army to attack the city, it will definitely be a disaster for us."

Elder Yun narrowed his eyes slightly, as if calculating something. "From what I understand, despite his reputation, this general is not a heartless or ungrateful person," he said slowly. "Perhaps we could attempt some form of cooperation or reconciliation with him."

"Cooperation? At this time?" Jiang Yin shook his head and said, "I don't think he has such intentions. After all, according to the letter, this action seems to have the support of the higher authorities."

"So what? Are we, the Jiang family, just going to sit here and wait for death?" Jiang Caiwei's voice was filled with fighting spirit. Her eyes swept across the crowd and landed on her husband's face. "Since the enemy has come to our doorstep for us to fight, we must go all out and demonstrate our strength!"

"That's right!" Mo Nianran agreed immediately. "No matter how powerful the enemy is, as long as we unite as one, there is no difficulty that cannot be overcome!"

Even as they were discussing this, the commotion outside continued—many servants had gathered, still discussing the recent dispute. An elderly woman's voice could be heard clearly: "Hey, do you think that woman named Sumei really brought any useful information? If she's lying, she's in real trouble..."

Another younger woman chimed in, "That's right! Madam usually looks so gentle, but when things get serious, she's absolutely decisive. Look how she treated those troublemakers just now. What if this really is a scam..."

However, before she could finish, a louder and more arrogant voice suddenly interrupted the conversation: "Alright, alright, stop speculating. Whatever happens, it's the adults' business. We just need to do our job well! After all, Young Master Jiang is here to protect Madam~"

This sudden remark immediately drew dissatisfied glances from several older and more experienced servants, but in the end no one said another word.

Meanwhile, discussions in the main house reached a fever pitch. Given the urgency of the situation and the time needed to prepare a response, everyone decided to immediately assign responsibilities—some would gather more intelligence, some would contact old acquaintances who might be able to assist them, and still others would begin arranging the safety of the entire family.

As time slipped by, darkness descended, and as dawn approached, the entire Jiang residence was bustling with activity. As the sky began to lighten in the east, Jiang Caiwei went alone to the martial arts training area in the center of the courtyard to begin her daily training. She wielded her sword with the same agility and grace as a dragon or snake, her movements flowing like water and radiating an extraordinary aura.

Not far away, two guards were whispering, "See? This is the result of our Madam's daily hard work!"

"It's really enviable... Sigh, I wonder if I can get through this difficult time."

Meanwhile, outside the study, Jiang Yin was listening to the latest report. "Sir: The forward outposts have detected enemy forces advancing at a significantly accelerated pace. They're estimated to be within ten kilometers of the city before noon!"

Hearing this, Jiang Yin took a deep breath to calm himself before turning to face his trusted associates who had been waiting by the door. "Tell everyone to be ready to leave for the designated meeting place at any time. Remember: stay calm and don't panic."

Watching the figure who hurriedly left and delivered the message disappear, he shook his head and sighed, "Caiwei, Caiwei... I hope the path you have chosen is the right one."

A moment later, the sound of rapid and crisp footsteps interrupted his thoughts. Jiang Caiwei, with a red face and a sword in hand, ran towards him from a distance. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"It's nothing serious, I'm just a little worried." Facing his wife's concerned gaze, Jiang Yin tried hard to force a smile to try to reassure her.

"There's no point in worrying. The most important thing now is to take concrete action to fight the impending crisis!" Jiang Caiwei clenched her fists and said this firmly, then took her husband's hand and walked towards the inner courtyard...

As the two men walked away, the tense atmosphere around them showed no sign of easing. Instead, everyone became even more cautious in the face of the impending event. And for this weathered city and everyone who lived there, the true test had just begun...