At noon, while Jiang Yuanxi was asleep, the family gathered for a small meeting.

Madam Chen told Jiang Yuanran everything that had happened recently.

After hearing it all, Jiang Yuanran sat in a daze for a long time.

Until he suddenly felt someone standing behind him.

“Father… Father…” He swallowed nervously.

“Your mother has told you everything?”

Jiang Fengyuan smiled like a blooming flower, but no matter how one looked at it, it seemed like a fake smile.

Jiang Yuanran nodded and instinctively moved backward, nearly rolling down the steps.

Jiang Fengyuan’s smile disappeared in an instant, and he pulled out a whip from behind him.

As a general, he believed that if his son disobeyed, a good beating would set him straight.

In his past life, Jiang Yuanran had even dared to rebel against the country—beating him to death would still not be enough.

Besides, his son was tough-skinned. As long as his bones weren’t broken, he’d be up and running by the next day.

Soon, miserable screams echoed through the courtyard.

Chunzhi, the servant girl, was deeply worried for the third young master.

She couldn’t understand why every time a young master returned home, the lord had to beat them.

Except for the eldest young master.

But then again, the eldest young master was always well-mannered and disciplined, unlike the others…

It was hard to describe them in just a few words.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yuancheng lifted the window and peeked out, watching as their father disciplined his third brother.

He watched with delight, even chuckling to himself.

So this was what he looked like when their father beat him!

Just as he was enjoying the spectacle, he suddenly felt a chill down his spine.

Jiang Yuanwu stood behind him, clutching a very familiar whip in his hand.

Like a soldier facing an enemy, Jiang Yuanwu straightened up. “Brother, second brother, I’ve been really good lately!”

Jiang Yuancheng immediately shrank back.

It wasn’t his brothers he feared—it was that whip that made his legs go weak.

“I heard you’ve been reading these books to Yuanxi?”

With a heavy thud, a whole box of books was tossed onto the bed by Jiang Yuanwu.

The book on top had a title written in bold letters: The Little Lady of the Hu Family and the Handsome Widower.

Jiang Yuancheng’s pupils dilated in shock.

“How did you know?!”

Jiang Yuanwu smirked.

Moments later, another series of painful screams filled the courtyard.

Outside the walls, passing servant girls quickened their pace upon hearing the eerie cries.

Inside the house, Madam Chen gently covered her daughter’s ears, worried that she might wake up from the noise.

But judging by the time, her daughter should be waking up soon anyway.

Thinking of this, she carefully removed her hands and tiptoed away from the bed.

Then, something came to her mind.

“Any news from the second household?” Madam Chen asked.

“Yes, just what I was about to tell you,” Chunzhi replied. “Today, Jiang Ruowei from the second household went out. Our people followed her and saw that she went to a restaurant… and the Third Prince was there as well.”

The Third Prince?

Jiang Yuanxi’s eyes fluttered open as she turned over on the bed.

Hearing the noise, Madam Chen emerged from behind the screen.

Jiang Yuanxi was puzzled.

[The female lead belongs to the male lead. Since she was reborn, why isn’t she looking for the male lead? Why is she meeting the Third Prince instead?]

[Could she be looking for a new backer?]

Jiang Yuanxi pondered for a moment but dismissed the idea.

A love-obsessed woman wouldn’t switch men unless she had discovered how the male lead had used her in their past life.

Besides, in their previous life, the male lead had become the Emperor—how could she possibly choose someone else?

Chunzhi continued, “Also, Liu Ruqing from the second household has been calling for the family doctor multiple times.”

Madam Chen froze while helping Jiang Yuanxi get dressed.

“For what reason?”

Chun Zhi replied, “She’s been muttering about ‘a monster,’ but the doctor couldn’t find anything wrong with her. However, he did confirm that she’s pregnant.”

She hesitated before adding in a whisper, “And a few days ago, when Chun Tao went out, she saw that Zhao Mama, who serves the Second Madam, went to a moneylender to borrow high-interest silver.”

That explained why Wu Cuirou from the second household had recently started dressing in gold and silver again, living lavishly as before.

But high-interest loans weren’t easy to deal with.

They needed to act quickly, or when the time came to repay, those people would come knocking on their door.

“Tell our people to keep a close watch on Liu Ruqing.”

Only by keeping her under surveillance could they ensure messages got out, allowing the General to uncover the people pulling the strings behind the scenes.

“Yes, madam.”

[Mother is so meticulous! Keeping the second household under surveillance—let’s see how the female lead stirs up trouble now.]

Chunzhi left to carry out her orders.

Madam Chen picked up her daughter and planted a kiss on her soft little cheek.

“Tomorrow, we’ll take Yuanxi to Puguo Temple for a visit. Tell Chun Zhi what you’d like to bring, alright?”

Puguo Temple? That’s where the Old Madam planned to have Mother assassinated!

Jiang Yuanxi suddenly remembered what was supposed to happen the next day.

In the original novel, it was written that Madam Chen went to Puguo Temple every year on March 30th to pray for her daughter and her distant relatives in Liangzhou.

But in the novel, the assassination attempt had failed.

The author didn’t elaborate much, only mentioning that a benefactor had intervened.

[Even though the Old Madam’s attempt on Mother’s life failed, another group had gone to Liangzhou to assassinate Grandfather, leading to the massacre of the entire Chen family.]

[How can I save my maternal family?]

Madam Chen trembled upon hearing this.

M-massacre?!

She immediately called for Jiang Fengyuan and their sons.

Jiang Yuanxi became even more anxious when she saw her father and brothers enter.

[Father, brothers, send people to save Grandfather! Otherwise, the entire Chen family will be wiped out!]

The men stopped in their tracks.

“Wiped… out?”

Jiang Yuanyuan quickly covered Jiang Yuancheng’s mouth and gave him a warning glare.

Madam Chen looked at Jiang Fengyuan with tearful eyes.

Jiang Fengyuan picked up Jiang Yuanxi from Madam Chen’s arms as the family gathered around the table.

Jiang Yuanxi was too focused on her thoughts to notice anything unusual.

[How should I tell Father?]

Then, an idea struck her.

[I’ll say I dreamed of Grandfather last night and that I miss him! That way, Father will send people over. Wow, I’m such a genius!]

The father and sons exchanged glances, ready to put on an act.

“Father… White-bearded old man… Grandfather… Miss him… Want to see…”

Jiang Fengyuan pretended not to understand.

Jiang Yuanxi repeated herself.

Madam Chen’s eyes turned red, and she softly said, “Yuanxi is saying that the white-bearded old man is her grandfather. He visited her in a dream, saying he missed her, so she wants to see him.”

Jiang Yuanxi nodded eagerly.

[Father is so slow!]

Jiang Fengyuan sighed. “Since that’s the case, Yuanwu will go and bring some gifts from Shengjing. What do you think, my lady?”

Madam Chen nodded. “Bring more people and a skilled physician to check on my parents’ health.”

Jiang Yuanxi’s eyes sparkled with admiration.

“Mother, amazing!”

[Mother is so smart! No wonder Big Brother and I are so intelligent—it’s inherited from her!]

Madam Chen felt much better.

Jiang Fengyuan, on the other hand, felt a little sour.

His daughter was starting to favor her mother over him.