Song Huaiyu pressed, “Sister-in-w?”

  Han Qi replied, “This is a household matter. I’ve already reported it to Mother, and she approved. If you want her released, you’ll have to get permission from Mother or Father. Otherwise, I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do.”

  Song Huaiyu’s brow furrowed. “Even Father and Mother know about this? Why?”

  Han Qi ughed softly, slowly raising her eyes to meet his, and asked in return, “Second Brother… what do you think?”

  That one line said it all—this was about the Song family’s interests.

  Song Huaiyu went to see Madam Song and Minister Song again, but was casually brushed off—they weren’t going to budge.

  He sat in his room the entire night. It wasn’t until the early hours of the morning that he finally made up his mind.

  At dawn, Song Huaiyu went to the stables and found Mu Sheng. “Are you loyal to the Ji family?”

  Mu Sheng nodded.

  Moments ter, Mu Sheng stood before the Drum of Injustice outside Kaifeng Prefecture and beat it to report Dongchun’s disappearance.

  Upon receiving the case, Song Huaiyu immediately led constables to storm the Song residence and demanded a search.

  Minister Song and Song Huaizhang were both at court.

  Technically, Song Huaiyu—now holding office—was the one who should be in charge of the household, but instead, he’d brought outsiders to raid it.

  Behind Song Huaiyu stood over a dozen constables. In the courtyard, they silently faced off against twenty-three Song family guards.

  The constables were armed with sabers; the guards only carried long wooden poles.

  Tension hung thick in the air—one spark and everything would explode. No one dared move until Madam Song rushed over with her attendants.

  Her hands trembled with rage. “You… you… you unfilial wretch!”

  Concubine Xiao Man and Song Zhishu stood trembling behind her, clueless about what was happening.

  Song Zhiyin helped steady her mother. “Mother, Second Brother is just doing his duty. Please calm down.”

  “You’re still defending him?!” Madam Song clutched her chest in anger.

  Zhiyin turned to Song Huaiyu. “Second Brother, don’t upset Mother any further.”

  Standing beneath the daylight in his dark official robes, long sword at his waist, Song Huaiyu looked stern and unyielding. “As you said, this is my duty.”

  Zhiyin was at her wits’ end. “Are you really going through with the search today?”

  Song Huaiyu stepped slightly aside, revealing Mu Sheng behind him. “This concerns a missing person’s life—it’s urgent.”

  “Fine, Second Brother. You’re quite impressive,” Zhiyin said through gritted teeth, her anger bubbling beneath the surface. Everyone had been working diligently to elevate the Song family, striving to bring in more resources and prosperity. Yet, her obstinate second brother had managed to be the one to ruin it all.

  But what could she do?

  They couldn’t stop him.

  A seventh-rank official wouldn’t normally have the right or ability to search the residence of a first-rank family, but their own son could search his own home.

  And they couldn’t compin—this would only disgrace the entire Song family.

  Zhiyin gritted her teeth. “Second Brother, can you wait a moment?”

  Song Huaiyu nodded.

  Zhiyin took Taoxiang with her and headed straight to where Dongchun was being held.

  At the door, a guard with a wooden staff blocked her path.

  Zhiyin snapped, “Move aside.”

  “The Young Master ordered that no one is allowed in or out,” the guard replied.

  “I’ll take responsibility for whatever happens,” Zhiyin said coldly, and pushed open the narrow door.

  A heavy stench of blood hit her.

  Dongchun was colpsed on a pile of straw, barely breathing.

  The enforcer had been “professional”—her face and visible limbs were clean, but the parts hidden beneath her clothing were covered in shes, red and raw.

  Zhiyin averted her gaze from Dongchun’s face, unable to stomach it. She had Taoxiang fetch a clean set of clothes to help Dongchun change.

  Dongchun weakly opened her eyes.

  Zhiyin spoke, “Dongchun, we can let you go. But you must agree to one thing.”

  Dongchun’s cracked lips moved, as if asking what.

  “You must admit that you stole my bracelet, and that it was found on you,” Zhiyin said.

  “I didn’t!” Dongchun cried out with all her strength—but the tension tore open her scabbed wounds.

  Zhiyin crouched beside her and gently wiped the filth from her face with a handkerchief. “Dongchun, your young mistress is still in Kaifeng’s prison. If you don’t listen, who knows what kind of accident might happen during the investigation? Even if the truth comes out, if the Song family doesn’t intervene, how will the Princess’s anger be appeased? Can your mistress walk out of that prison safely then?”

  Dongchun bit down hard, eyes brimming red, her body shaking from fury and pain.

  “Seems you understand.” Zhiyin stood and had Taoxiang support her as they walked out.

  In the main courtyard, Taoxiang released her grip, and Dongchun stumbled to the ground, moaning in pain.

  “Dongchun!” Mu Sheng rushed over to catch her.

  Song Huaiyu stood under a willow tree, hands behind his back. He said in a low voice, “Dongchun, the Song family cims you were locked up for stealing from your master. I ask you now—did you steal it?”

  Dongchun turned her terrified gaze to Zhiyin. Her eyes were gentle, but carried an unspoken threat.

  “Dongchun, don’t be afraid,” Song Huaiyu said. “No matter who’s behind this, I will see justice done for you.”

  Zhiyin smiled helplessly and pyfully chided, “Second Brother, what are you saying? We’re family. Bones may break, but tendons still remain. Would you really punish your own brother and sister-in-w over a maid?”

  Dongchun shuddered. “Your Excellency… no one harmed me. It was my own fault. I took Third Miss’s bracelet without permission, which led to this misunderstanding.”

  “Oh, so it was just a misunderstanding,” Zhiyin said, her tone generous. “Since that’s the case—and you’ve already been punished—let’s let it go. You can return to your duties, Dongchun.”

  She looked to Song Huaiyu. “What do you say, Second Brother?”

  Just as he was about to respond, Zhiyin reminded him, “Father and Big Brother will be back from court any moment.”

  If he didn’t take Dongchun now, he’d never get another chance.

  Song Huaiyu gave Zhiyin a long look, then turned to Mu Sheng. “Take her to Huichun Hall.”

  Doctor Li immediately checked Dongchun’s pulse and called for his granddaughter, Li Tinghui. Together, they helped her into the inner room, removed her outer clothes, and cleaned and dressed her wounds.

  Inside, Dongchun let out faint groans of pain as Li Tinghui applied medicine.

  Doctor Li shook his head while preparing herbs. “Heavens above, how could they do such a thing to a girl barely seventeen or eighteen? What wickedness.”

  Song Huaiyu asked, “Is it serious?”

  Doctor Li shot him an exasperated look. “What do you think?”

  As a male doctor, he couldn't very well remove a young girl's outer garments to examine her injuries—he had to prescribe medicine based on experience alone.

  Sigh, there were just too few female doctors in Daye.

  And not just Dongchun. Countless women fell ill but couldn’t bring themselves to speak to a male doctor, and in the end, they simply endured until they died. Of the female patients who died for such “pointless” reasons, he alone had encountered no fewer than five. That’s why, ever since his granddaughter was born, he had worked tirelessly to raise her to become a doctor.

  About the time it takes to burn one incense stick ter, Li Tinghui stepped out from the room, her eyes red. “The skin’s split open, the bone’s showing—it’s awful.”

  Song Huaiyu’s gaze turned icy. He went in to see Dongchun, but no matter what he asked, Dongchun only kept shaking her head. Remembering Song Zhiyin’s threats, she refused to say anything.

  In the end, Song Huaiyu had no choice but to let it go for now.

  Dongchun pleaded, “Second Young Master—no, Lord Song, please… please don’t tell my miss about what happened today. She’s already suffering enough in prison. Don’t let her worry about me too.”

  “Mm.” Song Huaiyu gave a light nod. “Don’t worry. The truth will come to light very soon.”

  By this point, he already had a good idea of who was behind it. The reason he hadn’t acted yet was that he needed to lull them into compcency.

  Only when the culprit believed the Kaifeng Prefecture couldn’t uncover the truth would the real murderer lower their guard.

  Tomorrow would be the start of the operation.