"What! Qiming was beaten up?" Ye Liangyu, who had been waiting for Song Qiming to arrive for a long time, was just about to send a servant to the Song residence to inquire when Lanxi returned from seeing someone off and delivered the news.
Yunhe hurriedly comforted him, "Don't worry, Master. The servants of the Song family said that Young Master Song only suffered minor injuries. No bones or muscles were harmed, and he can go to the academy as usual tomorrow."
Ye Liangyu gripped the armrests of his wooden chair and sat down, his heart heavy and completely in turmoil.
"Have the attackers been caught?"
Yunhe nodded. "Miss Song has already apprehended them and taken them to the local magistrate's office. Prefect Meng has taken the case personally, so the mastermind behind this will surely be caught soon."
Ye Liangyu sat in his seat, clenching his right hand into a fist until his knuckles cracked.
"Go keep an eye on the magistrate's office. See if the mastermind was sent by people from the capital."
Yunhe looked up and analyzed, "Master, Young Master Song is currently only a scholar. He hasn't caught the attention of those people yet, so you don't need to be so worried."
To catch bandits, one must first catch the ringleader; grabbing a mere lackey would only alert the snake in the grass.
Ye Liangyu took a deep breath. "I know they wouldn't, but I still can't put my mind at ease. Going by the time, they should have arrived by now."
Yunhe stole a glance at his master. Thinking of the young general who had visited a few days ago and was now living next door, he bowed and left the room to gather information at the magistrate's office.
The night was hazy, and a faint candlelight flickered in Song Jinzhao's room.
Qingshuang stood with her hands hanging by her sides, a broken blade tucked at her waist. The chilling aura around her had not yet dissipated.
"Yan Baoyi's father went to Jiangnan to purchase goods three months ago and hasn't returned yet. The Yan family controls nearly half of the fabric business in Anyang Prefecture, and Jinxiu Boutique is theirs."
"Yan Baoyi grew up in the lap of luxury and is the only son of his family. He has an arrogant and snobbish temperament, never paying any mind to those from families of lower standing than the Yans. He especially looks down on poor people trying to climb the social ladder."
"Your servant also found out that Yan Baoyi verbally mocked the Eldest Young Master at the Flower Pinning Banquet, but the Eldest Young Master completely shut him down."
Song Jinzhao remained expressionless, her slightly calloused fingers resting on her arm and tapping lightly. "So he became even more aggressive after entering the academy. And what is the background of that Master Ding?"
Qingshuang replied, "Ding Weiyue passed the provincial examination twenty-five years ago. After failing the metropolitan examination twice, he bought a minor official position in a poor county. He served as a county magistrate for three years, but his political achievements were mediocre, leaving him with no hope of promotion. Moreover, the area was so impoverished that they couldn't meet the tax quotas year after year. So, he simply resigned from his post and entered Anyang Academy as a teacher, where he has stayed for twenty-two years."
"Ding Weiyue doesn't have much of a family background, but he has taken in many students over the years. Two of them eventually passed the highest imperial examination, though their rankings weren't high. Now they seem to be serving as county magistrates down in Jiangnan, with no influence reaching the north."
Song Jinzhao looked up and asked, "He went to Jiangnan to purchase goods two months ago, so he should be returning right about now. Did you find out the exact timeframe?"
Qingshuang shook her head. "The exact time is unclear, but he will definitely return before the new year. This batch of goods is meant to be sold during the new year festivities."
Song Jinzhao asked, "What's the situation at the magistrate's office?"
Qingshuang replied, "The bailiffs said the other five men have all been caught, but their lips are sealed incredibly tight. They haven't said anything else."
Early the next morning, Song Qiming, Ji Youming, and Hu Fengye entered the academy bearing their injuries, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
After entering the inner courtyard lecture hall, Song Gaoli quietly walked over to Song Qiming's side and asked, "What happened? Did you guys get into a fight?"
Today was the annual examination, and both Ji Youming and Hu Fengye were strong contenders for entering the upper courtyard. Could it be that they had started fighting each other last night?
As the unshakable first-place student of the inner courtyard, Wang Rui rested his hands on his desk and secretly peeked at Song Qiming.
If his performance was affected by his injuries and he failed to advance to the outer courtyard, Teacher Ye would remain in the inner courtyard to teach, which would certainly not be a good thing.
Song Qiming reached out his hand, gesturing for Song Gaoli to keep quiet. Turning his saviors into the perpetrators—if Ji Youming and Hu Fengye heard that, it would be incredibly hurtful.
"No, on the way back from the academy yesterday, someone tried to cripple my hand. Ji Youming and Hu Fengye rushed in to save me, and that's why they took a beating."
Song Gaoli widened his eyes in surprise. "You usually aren't very close to them. I didn't expect them to be so righteous."
Song Qiming nodded. "If Hu Fengye hadn't gone to inform my sister in time yesterday, Ji Youming and I would have been in grave danger."
Yan Baoyi, who hadn't received any news all night, arrived late. Seeing that although Song Qiming had scratches on his face, his hands were perfectly fine, he couldn't help but clench his fists in anger.
Their eyes met, and a dark glint flashed through Song Qiming's eyes.
He wondered how Prefect Meng's interrogation was going, and whether the person who hired the thugs was really Yan Baoyi.
After having breakfast, Song Shixue headed to the medical clinic first, while Song Jinzhao went to the magistrate's office to request an audience with Meng Hechuan.
The bailiff struggled to keep his exhausted eyelids open and said, "Miss Song, the prefect interrogated them until late last night and didn't even go home. He hasn't woken up yet. How about you come back this afternoon?"
Song Jinzhao frowned and asked, "Eleven thugs, and after a whole night of interrogation, not a single one opened their mouth?"
Wealth cannot buy passage through the gates of hell.
How could money be more important than life? Logically speaking, they should have spilled everything by now. Could it be that someone has leverage over them?
The bailiff leaned against the door and explained, "These thugs are repeat offenders. They make a living out of doing illegal things for money. Let alone chopping off a hand, they definitely have blood on their hands."
"The others said that the person who hired them only ever met with their boss. The rest of them don't know who paid the money. But this ringleader is incredibly tight-lipped. The prefect used all kinds of severe torture, but he hasn't said a single word from last night until now."
