Being an emperor is not something he can do, so he can only rely on his connections.

At the entrance to the side courtyard, the atmosphere was as tense as a taut bowstring.

Holding the memorial tablet of the late Zhang Lian, tears streaming down his face, Zhang Liu looked at Yuan Liang approaching, his voice hoarse and filled with despair: "Master Yuan..."

Yuan Liang looked at the loyal old servant in front of him, his heart filled with complex emotions. He sighed and said, "Sixth Master, there's no need to say more. The truth will eventually come out. Actually... I should have realized it long ago, but I never thought it would escalate to this point."

Wang Ergou, holding a steel knife, stood to the side with a fierce look in his eyes, like a fierce beast protecting its cubs. He spoke to Yuan Liang, or rather, to Huangfu Changshui from afar: "Yuan Liang! If you've come as a persuader, please tell the Marquis! Ergou owes him a debt of gratitude for raising him, which he will repay in the next life! But I'm determined to protect the young master's child today! Anyone who dares to touch him will have to step over my dead body!"

Yuan Liang frowned and scolded, "Er Gou! Calm down! You're not that old, why are you so impulsive? As one of the adults' most trusted confidants, how can you be so reckless? Can you solve problems by acting rashly?"

Ding Xu, the guard in charge, also held his sword, his tone relatively calm, but his stance equally firm: "Master Yuan, I have always admired you. But this matter is not something I intended to hide from you. It is because the young master repeatedly instructed me before going to the capital that he would personally confess everything to everyone and take full responsibility after he returns. We... are just following orders."

Yuan Liang glanced at the group of agitated people and tried to keep his voice calm: "Stop making a scene! There has to be a solution to this. In the current situation, a head-on confrontation will not benefit anyone! The Marquis has already agreed that Miss Dou Ya is only going to stay at the Marquis of Yunzhou's residence temporarily and that he has no intention of harming her! When the Lord returns, he will naturally handle things. It's better than bloodshed now!"

Zhang Liu shook his head desperately, clutching the memorial tablet tightly in his arms as if it were his only pillar and source of courage: "I know the Marquis's temper! He's cutting off the young master's escape route! If the concubine is really taken to the Marquis's mansion, with the Marquis's methods and determination, the young master will never have the chance to recognize his father again! This... this makes me unable to face my master in the afterlife after I die! How can my master's spirit rest in peace!" His voice was mournful and moving.

Yuanliang tried to persuade him with reality: "Sixth Master! The most important thing right now is to save lives! Look at this situation! If they really resort to violence, swords have no eyes. If they hurt Miss Dou Ya, frighten the fetus, or harm the child, that would be a real catastrophe! How would you explain that to the young master? How would you explain that to the ancestors of the Zhang family?"

Upon hearing this, a resolute glint flashed in Zhang Liu's eyes. He abruptly raised his head, looked at Hu Zi and the armored guards who were closing in, and hissed, "Then I'll die in front of them first! I'll use my old life to shield the young master from this calamity!"

Upon hearing this, Tiger grinned maliciously, drawing his sword fully: "Old man, you said it yourself! I'll grant your wish!"

"Don't use force! Don't use force!" Yuan Liang shouted anxiously, trying to stand in the middle.

"Clang!" Ding Xu's sword was instantly drawn, and in a flash, he blocked Hu Zi's path, the blade pointing straight at him, forcing him back a step. Wang Ergou moved almost simultaneously, standing shoulder to shoulder with Ding Xu, his eyes like a wolf's.

Upon seeing this, the armored guards of the Huangfu family inside the courtyard immediately tightened their encirclement, their blades all pointed at Ding Xu and Wang Ergou, exuding a murderous aura.

"Calm down! Everyone calm down!" Yuan Liang's voice sounded so powerless in the tense atmosphere.

Ding Xu didn't turn his head, but whispered to Wang Ergou, "Commander Wang, be careful. His knife is sharpened. The Huangfu family's personal guards are ruthless and swift in their swordsmanship. Don't get hurt."

Wang Ergou spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva, which he had bitten his lip in the tension. He said fiercely, "If someone has to die to settle this matter today, it will definitely not be the young master's child! I, Wang Ergou, have already sold my life to the young master!"

Tiger looked at Wang Ergou's familiar starting stance, a complex look flashing in his eyes, and shouted, "Wang Ergou! Your swordsmanship is based on my own teaching, the authentic Huangfu family swordsmanship! Now you're using it to fight against your former master, don't you feel ashamed?!"

Wang Ergou's eyes were firm, showing no sign of backing down: "I will repay the Huangfu family's kindness in my next life! But now, I am a member of the Zhang family! I am protecting the Zhang family's bloodline!"

"Fine! Well done, Zhang family!" Tiger laughed angrily. "Then let me see how much you've learned! Let's spar again!"

Tiger's swordsmanship was indeed fierce and domineering, attacking Wang Ergou like a storm. Although Wang Ergou had received the true teachings, he was still young, and his practical experience and skill were far inferior to Tiger's. After a few moves, he was in grave danger and could only barely hold on. Fortunately, Ding Xu provided support and interference from the side. His swordsmanship was unpredictable and cunning, targeting Tiger's weak points. The two cooperated, and for a time, they were evenly matched with Tiger. The flashing of swords and the clang of metal were incessant.

However, in the eyes of the battle-hardened Tiger, their teamwork was ultimately riddled with flaws. He seized an opening, roared, and unleashed a thunderous strike. With two clangs, Ding Xu and Wang Ergou felt a violent jolt in their wrists, their swords almost slipping from their grasp. Tiger moved like a ghost, attacking from both sides, and in an instant, he struck their joints heavily with the back of his blade. The two men groaned and were knocked to the ground almost simultaneously, where they were quickly subdued by the other guards.

"Stop! Stop it now!" Yuan Liang was terrified, but there was nothing he could do.

Seeing that even the last line of defense had been breached, Zhang Liu's eyes turned ashen with despair. Tears streamed down his face as he looked towards the main courtyard, then down at the cold memorial tablet in his arms, and cried out in anguish, "Don't make things difficult for them! The young master's mistake is my fault for failing to properly guide and protect him! If someone has to die to appease the Marquis's anger, then let this useless old man die!" He suddenly looked up and shouted in the direction of Huangfu Changshui, "I only beg the Marquis to consider our past relationship and not make things difficult for the young mistress and her unborn child! And please don't make things difficult for the rest of the Zhang family! Young master, young mistress... this old servant is incompetent and can no longer take care of the young master! Master... Xiao Liu... is here to serve you!"

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly drew a gleaming dagger from his waist with his right hand and resolutely plunged it into his own heart!

"Sixth Uncle! No!" Yuan Liang, Ding Xu, Wang Ergou, and the others cried out in alarm, their eyes wide with horror.

At the critical moment!

A bright red shadow swept past like a gust of wind!

"Snapped!"

With a crisp sound, a foot wearing an embroidered shoe struck Zhang Liu's wrist with perfect precision, and the dagger flew out and landed with a clatter.

Immediately afterwards, the red figure did not stop, turned around, and delivered a sharp side kick with a whooshing sound, heavily kicking Tiger in the chest as he was about to step forward to grab someone!

"Bang!" Tiger's burly body was kicked so hard that he staggered back seven or eight steps before he could barely stand up, his face full of astonishment.

Everyone looked closely and saw that Huangfu Ling was now standing in the courtyard. She was still wearing her slightly thin sick clothes, her face pale, but her posture was upright, and her eyes were cold and sharp, as if she were a different person. She first coldly glanced at the dagger that had been kicked away and the still-shaken Zhang Liu, her voice carrying an undeniable authority:

"This is the Zhang family home! Zhang Jingwei isn't here, and you want to take someone from my Zhang family without even asking my permission first?!"

Tiger clutched his chest, which felt tight, and stared at Huangfu Ling in disbelief: "Miss... Miss?!"

Huangfu Ling's gaze was like a knife, piercing Hu Zi: "Hu Zi! Call me Madam Huangfu! You just barged into the inner courtyard with weapons, attempting to injure my Zhang family's servants. What is your punishment for this insubordination?!"

Tiger was intimidated by her imposing manner and was momentarily speechless, only able to explain, "This...this is the Marquis's order..."

Huangfu Ling raised his voice, making it clear to everyone present and even reaching outside the courtyard: "Tiger Guard! Did you hear me clearly? This is the Zhang family! Not the Marquis of Yunzhou's residence! It's not the Marquis's residence's place for his soldiers to run wild in my Zhang family!"

A silence.

A moment later, Huangfu Changshui's emotionless voice came from outside the courtyard:

"Withdraw."

"Yes!" Tiger and all the armored guards responded in unison, quickly sheathing their swords and retreating from the side courtyard like a tide, coming and going quickly.

Only after all the foreign soldiers left did the people in the courtyard feel as if a huge burden had been lifted, and they breathed a long sigh of relief.

Huangfu Ling didn't look at anyone else; her gaze was fixed on the tightly closed side room door. Her tone was calm yet powerful: "I want to go in and see her."

Zhang Liu fell to his knees with a thud, tears streaming down his face: "Young Madam... this old servant... this old servant..."

Huangfu Ling interrupted him, her voice still calm, but with a hint of barely perceptible weariness: "Please take my father-in-law's memorial tablet back and settle it properly. He prefers peace and quiet, so please don't disturb him any further."

"Yes...yes...this old servant obeys..." Zhang Liu choked up, carefully holding the memorial tablet, and staggered towards the ancestral hall.

Huangfu Ling took a deep breath and pushed open the door that had kept so many secrets hidden.

Inside the room, Douya was curled up in the corner of the bed, her face pale, her eyes filled with fear and tears. When she saw Huangfu Ling enter, she trembled and her voice was barely audible: "Madam... I..."

Huangfu Ling walked to the bedside, without scolding or cursing, but simply reached out and gently stroked Douya's head, her movements even carrying a trace of her usual tenderness, though her eyes held a complex and unreadable expression. She whispered, as if sighing, "You've suffered..."

These gentle words completely shattered Douya's defenses, and she burst into tears, crying, "I'm sorry... I'm sorry... Ling'er... I'm so sorry..."

"Don't cry!" Huangfu Ling's voice suddenly turned stern, but then softened. "Now is not the time for you to cry. The baby is more important." She looked at Douya's swollen belly, her eyes struggled for a moment, and finally turned into a resigned decision. "Pack up and move to the wing room next to the main courtyard. It's warm there, and there will be someone to take care of you. You don't have to hide anymore."

Bean Sprout was stunned, unable to believe her ears: "Huh?...You...you're not angry with me?"

Huangfu Ling looked at her, her gaze deep: "I'm angry. How could I not be angry?" Her voice was filled with suppressed pain, "We've been sisters for over ten years, grown up together, and you actually colluded with everyone to keep this from me..." She paused, then asked a sharp question, "Did he rape you?"

Bean Sprout shook her head frantically, tears streaming down her face: "No...no...it was...it was me...I seduced him...I'm so sorry..."

Huangfu Ling closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and when she opened them again, something seemed to have been added, yet something seemed to have been lost. She looked at Douya, her tone eerily calm, yet carrying a detached, aloof quality:

"We've been sisters, and although you're older than me, from childhood to adulthood, everything we ate, wore, and used was first and foremost what I rejected and didn't want before it was your turn. Now it's different; we've both grown up and are women now." She slightly raised her chin, displaying the authority of the principal wife. "For a man, to be suspicious of each other, to avoid each other, to even to scheme against each other—I, Huangfu Ling, would never do such a thing!"

"You want him? Fine, I can give him to you. But from this moment on, we are no longer sisters." Her voice was clear and cold. "From now on, whether you are a concubine or a secondary wife, I will always be the lawfully wedded matriarch of the Zhang family! You are a member of the Zhang family, and everything you do is under my control and subject to my arrangements! Do you understand this?"

Douya was stunned by her words and understood their meaning. She lay on the bed and kowtowed heavily to Huangfu Ling, sobbing uncontrollably, "Douya... understands... thank... thank you for your grace, Mistress!"

Huangfu Ling stopped looking at her, turned around, and walked out of the room. Outside the door, Yuan Liang bowed deeply, his tone filled with heartfelt admiration: "Madam Huangfu is magnanimous and decisive. I...I admire you!"

Ding Xu, Wang Ergou, and all the guards and servants of the Zhang family in the courtyard knelt down in unison, their hearts filled with awe for the mistress who was usually gentle but showed amazing courage and magnanimity at critical moments.

……

Huangfu Changshui's carriage slowly drove away from the magistrate's residence. Inside the carriage, Huangfu Changshui's face was gloomy. He suddenly slammed his fist hard against the carriage window beside him!

"Bang!" The sturdy wooden car window was shattered by his angry punch!

However, amidst the flying sawdust, the Marquis of Yunzhou suddenly tilted his head back and let out a loud, enigmatic laugh:

"Hahaha...hahaha..."

Tiger, who was driving the carriage, turned around with worry and confusion: "Lord Marquis? Why... are you laughing?" He thought the Lord Marquis had gone mad with anger.

Huangfu Changshui stopped laughing, his gaze passing through the broken car window to the familiar street scene of Gaoyang City. A complex, enigmatic, yet gratified expression appeared on his face. He murmured, his voice tinged with emotion and a hint of pride:

“My Ling’er… has really grown up.”