After being forced to leave the marriage, I became the wife of a top scholar.

After settling the Liang family in, Madam Du went to visit Lord Feng.

Just now, a servant from the Du family brought back a message saying that the gate to Lord Feng's house was tightly closed and could not be opened no matter how hard he knocked. So, Madam Du decided to come and see for herself.

"Madam, it seems no one is home at Lord Feng's house!" Steward Du knocked on the door again, but there was still no response from inside.

"What did the government say?" Madam Du asked.

Steward Du whispered, "I've already asked Lord Bi. The government office is currently under the supervision of Lord Meng, and Lord Feng hasn't shown up."

Madam Du raised her eyebrows, looked at the tightly closed door in front of her, and slowly walked up to it.

She reached out and pushed hard, and the gate of the Feng residence was opened.

Steward Du's eyes widened in surprise, and he exclaimed, "Madam, we can't just trespass on the property of an official!"

"This is a crime that can land you in jail."

Madam Du naturally knew this, but at this moment she only wanted to tell Lord Feng the news of the Prince of Huai's attack on the city as soon as possible, so she ignored Steward Du's reminder and strode into the Feng family's courtyard.

But as soon as they entered the courtyard, Madam Du was dumbfounded, and Steward Du, who was following closely behind her, was also stunned.

"Why is there no one here?" Steward Du said.

Madam Du called out twice, but there was no response whatsoever in the entire house!
Oh no! Could it be that Feng Mu got wind of this beforehand and ran away?
Madam Du didn't believe it. Lifting her skirt, she ran to the back courtyard and searched room by room. Just like the front courtyard, it was empty!

Madam Du's legs felt a little weak, but fortunately, Steward Du was there to support her.

"Madam, it seems Lord Feng has left," said Steward Du.

Madam Du nodded with a wry smile. "The magistrate of this prefecture is gone. What will happen to the people of this city?"
Master Liang just told him that these elite troops have plundered many villages, leaving nothing but barren land like locusts!
If we let them into the city, then the people will likely face a period of great hardship!
Thinking of this, Madam Du slowly straightened up. "Manager Du, help me walk!"

"Madam, where are we going?"

"Go to the Lin family!"

Steward Du was unaware that Bai Wanqing was still alive, and that Lord Lin was currently in their Du family, so why was he going to the Lin family now?
Although Steward Du had questions in his mind, he knew what he should ask and what he shouldn't!

Since Madam says she wants the Lin family, then he will take her there.

So, as soon as Madam Du left Lord Feng's house, she went straight to find Wanqing.

Upon arriving at the Lin family's residence, just as Steward Du was about to knock on the door, Ruixin opened it from the inside!
"Manager Du? Is it Madam Du who has arrived?" Ruixin asked.

Steward Du nodded, and then Ruixin saw Madam Du getting off the carriage.

Ruixin quickly stepped aside to invite Madam Du and Steward Du in.

Ruixin led the two to the study, where Bai Wanqing and Wuhuan were looking at a map on the table. When they saw Madam Du arrive, Wanqing hurriedly went to greet her.

"Aunt Du!" Bai Wanqing bowed deeply to Madam Du.

"Wanqing, what are you doing?" Madam Du hurriedly helped Bai Wanqing up.

"Aunt Du, we are so grateful for your help when the Lin family was in trouble this time!"

"If the Du family hadn't been willing to step forward and do this, the Lin family wouldn't have had such an easy time getting through this!" Bai Wanqing said sincerely, expressing her gratitude to the Du family.

Looking at the somewhat thin Bai Wanqing, Madam Du's eyes reddened slightly as she said, "Silly child!"

"Didn't you say that yourself? We're family!"

"Besides, you earned that money in the first place!"

"On the contrary, our Du family has gained a good reputation now!"

Bai Wanqing knew that Madam Du was being modest; if it weren't for the Du family, she might have really been eaten by the Prince of Huai.

When Steward Du saw the living Bai Wanqing in front of him, all the color drained from his face.

Fortunately, even though my body was stiff, my hearing was still working!
He had just heard his wife say that the Du family had helped Madam Lin through her difficulties!
Yes. The funeral procession and procedures were arranged by themselves!
He clearly witnessed Madam Lin being buried with his own eyes!
Bai Wanqing noticed that Steward Du was acting strangely, so she approached him and said gently, "Steward Du, are you alright?"

Manager Du managed to utter a single sentence, "Fine! I'm alright!"

But after saying that, Steward Du leaned back. Madam Du then realized something and slapped her forehead, saying, "Oh no, I forgot to tell him that you're not dead."

Steward Du was dragged away by Fengniang and Ruixin.

Madam Du specifically instructed Fengniang to find someone to call back the soul of Steward Du! At his age, he can't withstand a fright!

Fengniang readily agreed, and before leaving, she made sure to close the study door for them.

As soon as the door closed, Madam Du addressed Wanqing and Wuhuan: "Wanqing, Young Master Wuhuan!"

"Now there's bad news: Lord Feng has run away!"

Wu Huan didn't know who Lord Feng was, while Bai Wanqing frowned slightly and then said, "Aunt Du, let's not panic!"

"Although the city's commander ran away during the defense of the city, it was extremely disadvantageous for us."

"Fortunately, this Lord Feng never showed his face in Huaizhou City from beginning to end!"

"Perhaps it won't affect the people in the city!"

Seeing Wanqing's calm demeanor, Madam Du's previously flustered mind gradually calmed down. Wanqing was right; only merchants like them, who still held some status in Huaizhou, knew about the newly arrived prefecture.

The other people probably don't even know that such a person exists!
"Although this Lord Feng won't affect the common people, he still has command over the soldiers guarding the city!"

"If he doesn't step in to stop the soldiers from resisting, what should we do?"

Bai Wanqing knew that Madam Du was worried, after all, everything had to be done with a reason and a just cause!
That's why she's had Wushuang disguise herself as Lin Yunche and wander the streets these past few days!

"Aunt Du, don't we already have a prefect here!"

Madam Du didn't react immediately, "Where did a ready-made prefect come from?"

Bai Wanqing smiled slightly, turned around and took out a wooden box from the camphor wood chest behind her. When she opened the box, Madam Du saw a handwritten letter folded into four folds inside.

"What is this?" Madam Du asked.

Bai Wanqing didn't speak, but took out the handwritten letter and opened it.
Madam Du and Wu Huan craned their necks to get closer, and Madam Du was able to see the words on it.
Her eyes widened slightly. "You actually kept this back then!"

Bai Wanqing nodded slightly, murmuring, "I never thought this moment would finally come."

Bai Wanqing and Madam Du spent an afternoon discussing plans in the study.

When Lin Yunche returned, Madam Du had already taken Steward Du home!
Lin Yunche gazed at Bai Wanqing writing under the lamplight. For some reason, despite the perilous situation, he felt reassured.

"Young Master, you're back!" Ruixin, carrying a bowl of lotus seed soup, saw Lin Yunche standing in the courtyard with his medicine box on his back, looking into the house from afar.

Lin Yunche panicked as if he had been caught red-handed.

"I...I just got back!"

"Yes, I just got back."

After saying that, Lin Yunche quickly looked away and looked around. Usually, Wuhuan would have jumped out and started chattering by this time!

Why aren't you coming out to help him out today!

Ruixin said "Oh," seemingly realizing what Lin Yunche was looking for, and casually asked, "Young Master, are you looking for Young Master Wuhuan?"

"Young Master Wuhuan just went out with Fengniang!"

"They went out together?" Lin Yunche finally realized that something important must have happened.

Seeing Lin Yunche's tense expression, Ruixin assumed he was worried about Young Master Wuhuan and quickly explained for Fengniang, "Young Master, you don't need to be nervous."

"Although Feng Niang is highly skilled in martial arts, she is a very good-tempered person."

"We won't bully Young Master Wuhuan!"

Lin Yunche was momentarily at a loss for words, and an embarrassed expression appeared on his face.

Ruixin thought she had exposed her son-in-law, so she immediately shut her mouth and ran away as if fleeing!
However, in her heart, Ruixin felt indignant on behalf of her young mistress!
Why is the son-in-law always concerned about this and that, but never properly cares about his young mistress?

Even though that Wuhuan Gongzi is indeed handsome, he is still a grown man!
Moreover, our young lady has suffered so much for her son-in-law.
Why can't she win the son-in-law's heart? The young lady is so pitiful.
Just as Ruixin was muttering to herself as she carried the lotus seed soup into the study, there was a commotion at the back gate.

"Miss, has our house been robbed?!" Ruixin was so frightened that she almost dropped the soup in her hand.

Bai Wanqing listened carefully and knew that they must have returned, so she quickly got up and ran out.

Seeing her mistress in such a hurry, Ruixin didn't dare ask any more questions. She put down the soup and ran out after her. She had already secretly made up her mind that if it happened again, she would definitely go in her mistress's place and die in her place. She never wanted to recall the scene of her mistress being carried out by those people again.

Bai Wanqing had no idea what Ruixin was thinking. She had just run to the backyard when she saw Fengniang and Wuhuan carrying two people each into the stable!

"How is it?" Bai Wanqing asked softly.

Wu Huan gave Wan Qing a reassuring gesture and said, "Success!"

"Madam, where should we put the person?"

"Let's put them in the west courtyard. There are four rooms there, one for each of them!"

Upon receiving the order, Fengniang and Wuhuan immediately led their men towards the west courtyard. When Ruixin arrived, she happened to see her young mistress and two men in black plotting something, and her eyes widened in surprise.

"Miss," Ruixin called out cautiously.

Bai Wanqing immediately made a shushing gesture, and Ruixin instantly understood, "Miss, I understand! I didn't see anything!"

Bai Wanqing was amused by Ruixin's appearance. "Ruixin, go and prepare some dry food and clothes now. We need to go out to see someone off in a little while."

Ruixin knew that her mistress always had a plan in mind, so she obediently nodded and tiptoed away.

Bai Wanqing then turned around and followed them to the west courtyard.

As soon as she arrived at the west courtyard, she saw Fengniang and Wuhuan, who had already settled everyone in, come out.

"And her?" Bai Wanqing asked.

Wu Huan knew who Bai Wanqing cared about, and pointed to the best room in the west courtyard, "Look, that one!"

Bai Wanqing nodded and walked directly towards that room.

Feng Niang and Wu Huan exchanged a glance, each finding a spot to disappear into the night. When they returned, they were carrying two more people, one large and one small. (End of Chapter)