By the time Yuan Yunzhong came out of the study, Song Jiyun had already prepared tea and snacks for him.
Yuan Yunzhong gently squeezed her hand and said warmly, "Thank you very much."
With a smile, Song Jiyun poured the tea and asked, "What about the Eldest Imperial Son? You haven’t assigned him a heap of homework again, have you?"
In recent days, Yuan Yunzhong had frequently visited under the pretext of the Eldest Imperial Son, spending long periods at her place and sometimes even staying overnight. However, each time he came, he would study with the Eldest Imperial Son, assign him a lot of homework, then hurry over to spend time chatting or reading books while reclining on the Noble Consort’s couch with Song Jiyun.
As long as they could be together, it was sufficient.
Unashamedly, Yuan Yunzhong declared, "Others his age have already begun their education. It’s just him, hidden away in the Inner Palace, not even knowing how to hold a pen. By teaching him some things in advance, when he later attends classes at Wenhua Hall, he can achieve more with less effort and get punished fewer times."
Song Jiyun responded, having little knowledge of these matters, "I thought they punished the study companions? They really beat princes too?"
After thinking for a moment, Yuan Yunzhong replied, "Are you referring to the young eunuch beside him? It depends on the teacher. If they meet a teacher like my maternal grandfather, they definitely beat the serving eunuchs. If they meet a teacher like my grandfather, they usually punish whoever is studying with him."
Song Jiyun laughed and said, "Is it because of this that your maternal grandfather held a higher position than your grandfather?"
Upon hearing this, Yuan Yunzhong thought for a moment, then laughed and said, "You know, you make a good point. Although my grandfather didn’t hold a high position, he was renowned, which had a lot to do with his actions and demeanor. On the contrary, my maternal grandfather, during his tenure, spoke of being a dedicated official, but whoever fell into his hands, he would let them off easily. Thus, his relationships were particularly good."
The two of them chatted idly for a while, and Song Jiyun brought up the issue of the refugees, "Something doesn’t feel right."
"You noticed too." Yuan Yunzhong sighed and said, "The regions near the Capital have neither natural disasters nor wild beasts, yet suddenly so many refugees have appeared, concentrated in the Capital City. This is the first time in many years. I too find it suspicious, and have sent Shao Qing to investigate."
Song Jiyun had a thought but felt it unlikely; she hesitated whether to mention it when the chief steward Shao arrived.
"Young Master," he greeted Yuan Yunzhong, "the old master asks that you hurry over."
The ’old master’ he referred to was Master Jinghu.
Yuan Yunzhong frowned and asked, "Is there something urgent?"
The chief steward held a decent respect for Song Jiyun.
He had heard it from their family’s old master: the brash decision of their young master to no longer heed their uncle and having settled the matter with the emperor, prepared to serve as County Magistrate in Liang County. A few days ago, the emperor and several cabinet elders were discussing this, determined not to let their young master suffer too much, planning to have him oversee Jingde Town while in Liang County, specifically managing the pottery supervision.
Their young master’s move to Jingde Town was fixed, and their old master hadn’t planned to confront Miss Song; much less would he, an old servant.
"The Eldest Young Master has arrived." He didn’t keep it from Song Jiyun and said, "He mentioned that there is something concerning the refugees that he needs to discuss with the old master. The old master didn’t listen long before sending me to urgently request your return."
The Eldest Young Master referred to Yuan Jingnian, Yuan Yunzhong’s eldest cousin.
Yuan Yunzhong nodded, changed into his outdoor clothes with Song Jiyun’s assistance, and said, "If they really close the gates, the city will surely not be very stable. You should stay indoors, and if there’s anything, let Xu Guangzeng handle it. Now serving as the Imperial Envoy, he is more effective than even Shao Qing or Wang Hua."
"I understand," Song Jiyun said with a smile, hanging the Gold Accessories on Yuan Yunzhong and seeing him out.
But before she could return to the main house, someone knocked on the door, asking, "Is Imperial Censor Yuan here?"
After Yuan Yunzhong was dismissed from his position as a Temporary Imperial Scholar, he went to the Metropolitan Censorate. To distinguish him among the many Lord Yuans, many referred to Yuan Yunzhong as Imperial Censor Yuan.
Though the house in Pocket Alley was not large, it was fully equipped.
In Yuan Yunzhong’s absence, the doorman took matters into his own hands.
She did not look back but went straight to the Weeping Flower Gate.
Suddenly, there was a scream at the door.
Song Jiyun was panic-stricken, and as she looked back, she saw four or five burly young men breaking into her house, holding the gatekeeper in a hammerlock.
Her heart sank as she lifted her skirt and ran into the Weeping Flower Gate. While turning around to close the door, she bolted it and shouted loudly, "Thieves are coming, thieves are coming!"
Unfortunately, there were hardly any people at home—Yuan Yunzhong had just left, Wang Hua had gone out to shop, Zheng Quan had headed to the Glazed Factory near Diagonal Street at Ertiao Hutong, and He Dazhi, who had been on night duty the previous night, had gone to rest at the East Crossing Courtyard.
Dai Sishi and Xiang Ye, upon hearing the commotion, rushed over with a few servant boys, but alas, distant water cannot quench a near thirst. The Weeping Flower Gate had already been kicked open by several kicks from those men.
Song Jiyun ran to the study where the Eldest Imperial Son was practicing calligraphy. In haste, she piled up tables and chairs in front of the door, hoping to block their path. She then grabbed the Eldest Imperial Son and ran into an adjoining inner room, barricading the door with the furniture.
The Eldest Imperial Son appeared very frightened, but still did his best to help her block the door.
Song Jiyun whispered reassurances to him, "Don’t be afraid, Xu Guangzeng and the others live in the back courtyard. They’ll hear the noise and come quickly."
Yet her heart couldn’t stop fluttering with panic.
If these were people from the palace, she feared that a fool like Xu Guangzeng might not be able to stop them.
Her mind raced as she opened an empty chest and prepared to hide the Eldest Imperial Son inside, "You hide here, and don’t come out until I say so."
If refugees had breached the city, idle gangs taking advantage of the chaos would be troublesome.
The room was only so large; if the intruders were determined, they would find them no matter where they hid.
She could only hope these people were after wealth and not after lives.
She gestured for the Eldest Imperial Son to crouch down quickly by pressing on his shoulders.
But the Eldest Imperial Son wouldn’t comply; he clung tightly to Song Jiyun’s waist, his eyes brimming with tears, "Song, Sister Song, I want to stay with you. If they come to capture me, I’ll tell them not to take you."
Listening to him, her heart nearly broke, realizing he was still just a child. If these were indeed people from the palace, thinking they would not capture her was almost impossible.
By allowing him to stay over that night, she had already picked a side in the eyes of some.
She even felt that hiding the Eldest Imperial Son in the chest wasn’t safe.
"Had I known this would happen, I should’ve dug a cellar or built a false wall," she murmured to herself, and amidst the continual banging on the door, she pointed to a roof beam, "Climb onto my shoulders and hide up there."
The Eldest Imperial Son was reluctant and asked, "What about you?"
Song Jiyun coaxed him, "After you get up, you can pull me up."
The Eldest Imperial Son looked at the roof beam, shook his head and said, "I can’t pull you up."
In such a critical moment, why was this child being so talkative?
Song Jiyun, growing impatient, simply crouched down and said, "Don’t argue with me. If you don’t obey, I won’t take you out to play anymore."
He stubbornly shook his head still.
Song Jiyun went to pull him.
He twisted away from Song Jiyun and ran towards the door.
The tables and chairs blocking the door were kicked open, and a tall, muscular man led the way in.
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