The Dingxi Marquisate, naturally, learned the news instantly, and the entire estate was thrown into an uproar.

"My Lord, this is not merely about him; this is going to ruin our Marquisate!" Lady Zhou urged, her voice tight with panic. "This is an invitation for the Censors to submit memorials..."

The Marquis of Dingxi had been sitting rigidly in his chair ever since he heard.

Chang Yancheng actually dared to commit such an act!

An act so clearly inviting disaster!

Indeed, to them, common folk were barely worth considering. Back then, not only was saving that person impossible, but even if it were possible, any noble family would have done the same.

But just because they would do it didn't mean they would ever admit to it.

Who would admit to such a thing? What would be the point! Wouldn't that be foolish?

They weren't afraid of the populace, no. They feared the Censors! They feared the Great Edict issued by the Founding Emperor! That Emperor had truly slaughtered countless people in his time! For the sake of two commoners filing a complaint, he could flay and dismember a Prefect!

Of course, such extreme measures hadn't been seen since the Founding Emperor, but one could never be sure if the current Emperor, who was so eager to emulate his ancestor, wouldn't lose his temper.

A clever person leaves no loose ends. Once such a handle is given, it means nothing when people are content, but if someone genuinely seeks trouble, that handle becomes a ready-made instrument for suicide.

"Is he insane?" the Marquis murmured, his face a mask of incomprehension.

He was well aware of the bond between Chang Yancheng and Lady Xie; those two would willingly trade heart and life for the other.

Perhaps Chang Yancheng was merely worried that Lady Xie would fly into a frenzy, that his mind would be clouded by impulse and lost reason...

"My Lord!" Lady Zhou, having spoken at length to no avail as the Marquis remained seated, urgently reached out to shake him. "What are you waiting for? Hurry to the Prefect's office! Scold the Heir Apparent in front of the people! Though you share the same bloodline, save whatever shred of dignity the Marquisate has left! Otherwise, he will drag our entire household into the mire!"

"That's right, he is the Heir Apparent of the Dingxi Marquisate. If he acts, people will naturally lay the blame at our door..." the Marquis muttered.

Just like the merits he had earned—the court praised the Dingxi Marquisate, and everyone complimented him, the old father, for raising such a capable son.

Similarly, if he committed some scandalous deed, he, the father, would inevitably face the reprimand. A father is responsible for his son's lack of instruction.

"We should never have named him the Heir Apparent in the first place!" Lady Zhou spat out resentfully. "You can judge a man by three years of age; as a child, he was nothing but a troublemaker, undisciplined and deaf to advice. The continuity of our Marquisate is paramount right now. The merits of the older generation are fading; only caution and prudence can secure our family fortunes. Look at him—is he the sort to be cautious and prudent?"

He truly was not...

The Marquis of Dingxi sighed heavily.

Perhaps they truly shouldn't have...

But back then, after the elder Lady Xie died, the Xie family had caused an endless ruckus, and his mother had been forced to agree to make Yancheng the Heir Apparent. It had seemed like a necessary expedient at the time?

Could it be changed now?

If someone can be appointed, they can be deposed. If the Heir Apparent proves unworthy, surely a virtuous replacement should be found.

"...How could he not grasp something so simple!" Lady Zhou paced back and forth, seething with frustration. "What is there to make such a fuss about? He merely caused someone's death! There are physicians; whoever treated the patient takes the responsibility! It's just medicine—not everything can be cured. A single sentence saying it couldn't be saved would suffice!"

At this, Lady Zhou let out a cold sneer.

"Ultimately, it comes down to his lingering affection for that woman, doesn't it?" she said, grasping the Marquis's shoulder, her tone laced with mockery. "That woman embarrassed our Marquisate when she demanded divorce. To think that even after divorcing, she could still drag us into such disgrace... truly..."

Indeed, to put it plainly, the issue was just that the person hadn't been saved. As long as a doctor declared the treatment futile, the matter would be settled. At worst, they’d be cursed as quacks for a few days...

"Which doctor can guarantee the cure for every illness, guarantee absolute success? Why is she so precious?" Lady Zhou continued, her voice rising. "For the Heir Apparent to protect her so fiercely that he impulsively tarnishes his own name! Doesn't he consider that this is his business? This involves the entire Marquisate! We rise together, we fall together—does he have the Marquisate in his heart? Does he care about this household? Has he forgotten who he is!"

Exactly, rise together, fall together!

The Marquis of Dingxi suddenly stood up.

Lady Zhou stumbled, nearly falling over in surprise.

"Men! Go to the Prefect's yamen immediately!" the Marquis commanded, his presence suddenly grave and imposing.

The man who had always preferred to avoid trouble had finally roused himself!

Lady Zhou was overjoyed, unable to contain herself.

Now, the position of Heir Apparent would surely be forfeit!

She clutched the silk handkerchief in her hand. Though it had taken so many years, it would finally fall to her son!

Yes, everything that should have been hers would ultimately become hers!

It was easy to imagine: if Chang Yancheng lost his status as Heir Apparent, then Lady Xie...

If one could be driven mad by rage, then two could be driven mad!

Lady Zhou let out a cold laugh.

This time, the Xie family wouldn't have the face to cause trouble, would they?

This time, the mother and son brought ruin upon themselves; they could blame no one else!

Watching the Marquis stride out, Lady Zhou couldn't help but let out a sigh mixed with a smile.

"Madam, why such a sigh?" her attending maid asked quietly.

"What a pity I cannot go see the scene myself," Lady Zhou said with a regretful smile. "Alas, I am only a woman; I must remain confined to the inner quarters."

Even confined to the inner quarters, one could see their desires fulfilled—a feat not every woman could achieve.

Lady Zhou smiled smugly.

In the Prefectural Hall, after Zhou Maochun’s brief pronouncements settled the matter, everyone prepared to disperse.

The deceased's family tearfully leaned on one another as they retreated, the body being carried away by runners.

Over there, Chang Yancheng also made to leave.

"Where are you going now!" Qi Yue grabbed his arm and called out sharply.

"What?" Chang Yancheng frowned at her, bewildered.

"Go out through the back!" Qi Yue snapped.

Chang Yancheng smiled. He reached out and took Qi Yue's hand, pausing for a moment with what seemed like lingering reluctance, but then decisively pulled his hand away.

"In all my life, I have never once gone out the back door," he remarked, turning and striding off.

Watching his straight, unyielding back, Qi Yue stamped her foot in anger and hurried to follow.

Liu Pucheng and the others naturally followed suit.

Zhou Maochun clicked his tongue twice, glancing at the Prefect sitting beside him.

The Prefect felt a prickle of unease under his gaze.

"Sir, is there anything else you require?" he asked respectfully.

"Aren't you going out to see them off?" Zhou Maochun inquired.

What a joke—stepping out now would mean inviting potential from the mob, resulting in utter humiliation!

The Prefect was stunned but refused to move. Moreover, he wasn't foolish; he glared at Zhou Maochun, searching desperately for a face-saving refusal, when his eyes suddenly lit up.

"Official Zhou!" He seized Zhou Maochun's hand tightly.

This time, it was Zhou Maochun’s turn to be startled.

"What are you doing?" he tried to shake the hand free.

"I beg you to examine my unworthy son!" the Prefect pleaded urgently, holding fast as if letting go would mean the man would disappear.

"What's wrong with your son?" Zhou Maochun asked with palpable distaste, pulling his hand away repeatedly.

"My son was once trampled by a horse, and subsequently..." the Prefect quickly explained. For his son's sake, he ignored Zhou Maochun's revulsion; to him, Zhou Maochun’s angry shouts sounded like heavenly music. To have caught hold of such a powerful physician! His son's condition, which had been a constant source of anxiety, could finally receive a definitive conclusion.

"Oh!" Before the Prefect could finish, Zhou Maochun excitedly reached out and gripped the Prefect's hand, his face alight with eagerness. "Yes, yes, it's your son, the one Lady Qi opened up and explored with a blade! Quick, quick, let me go see!"

Even though he had witnessed the chest-cutting firsthand, the patient had died, offering no tangible proof of the method's efficacy. How could he have forgotten there was a living subject! A living one! He absolutely had to strip him bare and study him thoroughly!

The Prefect was almost moved to tears by Zhou Maochun's unexpected enthusiasm. This was true character! If those in the capital knew of this, they would be incredibly jealous!

"Please, please, come quickly," the Prefect said excitedly.

The two men were so engrossed that they proceeded hand-in-hand into the building without letting go.

While they exchanged pleasantries inside, the atmosphere outside remained tense.

Although Wang Qingchun had provided explanations and posted notices, the gathered crowd had not dispersed.

When the family of the deceased emerged, the atmosphere instantly grew more fervent.

"So pitiful!"

"That's just the way of this world!"

The crowd buzzed with such sentiments, their collective indignation surging.

This attitude startled the young woman, a flicker of fear crossing her face.

Had the matter escalated too far...?

Would... would this be alright...?

But at this point, she had no choice but to proceed with resolve.

"Thank you, good neighbors," she said, bowing through her tears to the crowd.

That appearance of sorrowful helplessness ignited the onlookers once more.

It was at this moment that Chang Yancheng emerged, and instantly all gazes fixed upon him.

This kind of scrutiny was utterly different from before.

Anger, resentment, and dissatisfaction radiated off them so intensely it felt capable of melting flesh.

Chang Yancheng's expression was blank. He did not pause for an instant, stepping forward, foot after foot, directly into the crowd.

The guards couldn't keep pace. They were supposed to clear the path, but now Chang Yancheng was forging the way.

The disciples of the Qianjintang who followed behind him couldn't help but blanch.

"If... by chance... but... a random fist can fell a seasoned master..." someone muttered under his breath.

The dense mass of people before the yamen parted as Chang Yancheng advanced, but the crowd did not scatter; every eye followed him.

These people were old and young, men and women, their clothing simple or even ragged. The majority were lean, and though they carried no weapons, their mere gaze projected a deterrence comparable to standing amidst thousands of troops.

The crucial difference was that amidst an army, one could use their weapons for defense—a dangerous thrill, perhaps, but one that stoked the blood. But here, even if they possessed the means to fight, they dared not use them. This suffocating danger, impossible to evade or escape, was the most perilous kind.

The guards following Chang Yancheng broke out in a cold sweat; this was unprecedented.

Qi Yue started to follow him, only to see another surge of commotion outside. The crowd automatically split open again, and the Marquis of Dingxi appeared at the front, clad in the formal robes of a high noble. Trailing closely behind him were his steward and young servants.

Qi Yue stopped short, her brow furrowing.

So, external crises inevitably breed internal strife...

And so, the wisest choice to avoid bringing disaster upon oneself is to sever the injured limb...

So, what Chang Yancheng chose to face was not only the public's fury but also the stiletto thrust from his own family...

That scoundrel! That fool! That idiot!

She quickened her pace to catch up.