The man who had struck someone showed no panic at seeing the woman fall, and even spat behind him as he turned back.
Panic? What was there to panic about? After today passed, there would be even more panic-inducing things waiting for these little brats who didn’t know their place.
His spitting had just hit the ground when he saw someone stride up the steps swift as wind.
“Who are you…” The man opened his mouth to scold, but before the words came out, he felt pain in his stomach and was knocked backward, crashing into the household servants blocking the door.
“How dare you! Do you know what place this is…” The others were greatly alarmed and shouted sternly in unison, only then clearly seeing that standing before them was a tall man wearing a large black and gold cloak.
“Lord…” The three maids and guards below couldn’t help but call out.
Chang Yuncheng paid no attention to them, but raised his foot again, kicking toward the servants who had surrounded him.
With two or three kicks, the servants were scattered. Chang Yuncheng ignored them and kicked open half the door, striding inside with large steps.
Seeing him enter, Huang Ziqiao, who was following close behind, also kicked open the other half of the door.
Soon, following Huang Ziqiao’s entry, more people also surged forward. The Wang family’s servants were pushed aside by the crowd, unable to withstand the rush of people.
The servants inside who were standing ready in strict formation looked at these people pouring in and this time drew their weapons with a swish.
Not sticks and clubs, but blades and spears.
“Everyone out,” Chang Yuncheng shouted coldly.
The people following close behind him all froze.
“Everyone out. Who told you to come in?” Chang Yuncheng shouted again.
With his rebuke, the people who had surged in retreated in disorder again. Only Chang Yuncheng, Huang Ziqiao, and Qi Yue, who had also run in, remained at the Wang family’s gate.
“Let me explain to them,” she shouted loudly, this time removing the hand that had been covering her face. Under the bright torchlight, her half-swollen face was revealed.
Seeing her face, Chang Yuncheng was stunned for a moment, then his expression became furious.
Qi Yue was startled by his expression.
“I know I’ve caused trouble again…” she said hurriedly, with some apologetic tone. “So I said I’d come explain…”
As they spoke, an aged voice came from inside.
“So it’s Lord visiting. I failed to welcome you properly… I wonder what Lord needs to explain to this old man, visiting so late at night and kicking down doors?” Wang Tongye walked out leisurely with his hands behind his back, wearing a smile on his face but no hint of mirth in his eyes. He looked coldly at the several people standing at the gate, his eyes slightly narrowed. He had long stopped coming out to socialize and wasn’t someone just anyone could see. Therefore, aside from Chang Yuncheng, he didn’t recognize the others. Moreover, a woman and a half-grown child weren’t worth his recognition.
Chang Yuncheng withdrew his gaze from Qi Yue’s face and turned to look at him, without any smile and too lazy to maintain superficial politeness.
“Hand over the person, and I’ll naturally give Master Wang an explanation,” he said flatly.
A person again? Wang Tongye could barely contain his anger.
“I don’t know what person in my Wang family is so precious as to cause Lord to make such a grand spectacle of surrounding our gate?” he asked.
“The person your young master brought back from the street today,” Qi Yue said hurriedly. “Master, this is a misunderstanding. That’s my disciple. Perhaps seeing your young master suddenly having an emergency, he performed artificial respiration for emergency rescue. He hasn’t completed his training and is still an apprentice. If there was any impropriety, please be tolerant, but he truly wasn’t being presumptuous toward your young master—he was genuinely focused on saving someone. I can guarantee this with my life.”
Wang Tongye looked at the injured woman before him, and after hearing her words, suddenly froze.
Though he was old, having experienced the official world for so long, he had seen every kind of situation. Even if Mount Tai collapsed before his eyes, his expression wouldn’t change. This woman’s words, spoken clearly and without any bias or emotion, immediately allowed him to determine the general situation.
Not intentionally causing trouble?
Not targeting the wrong person?
But truly… there was such a person…
Fan Yilin, who had come out ready to fight and show off in front of his old father-in-law, also heard what this woman said.
A layer of sweat suddenly appeared on his head.
On the street… providing aid… doctor… artificial respiration… the person brought back… Several words connected together outlined a person.
No… it couldn’t be, could it?
“San’er,” he turned his head somewhat stiffly to look at the servant beside him, asking in a trembling voice, “The person who was brought back—did he say he was a doctor?”
After asking this question, he looked at the servant with such expectation he could almost melt him.
Please say no, please say he didn’t…
But the servant squeezed out a smile uglier than crying.
“Young Master, he… did say… and also said he was the first disciple of the Marquis Dingxi’s young madam…” the servant stammered.
Fan Yilin felt sweat pouring down like rain.
He must be dreaming, right? He must be, right?
And at this moment, his old father-in-law’s shout rang out from ahead.
“Fan! Yi! Lin!” Wang Tongye’s mind flashed with insight, and he suddenly turned around, shouting each word distinctly and sternly.
Fan Yilin’s legs went weak from this shout.
Mother… I want to go home… this place is too scary…