He Sanlang only returned to the estate when night fell.

He stopped over at Qingxi Hall before returning to Songtao Court.

After spending the entire day running about and meeting up with others, he hadn’t eaten much in the way of food, but he had taken plenty of drinks.

Laiyue could clearly sense the slight pressure hanging around his master today. There was a cold expression adorning his handsome face, hidden in the shadows as he moved about the grounds. His lips were slightly pursed, and with the way his eyes were glinting beneath the starlight, his master resembled a goshawk crouching in the dark, lying in wait for the chance to catch his prey.

This bloodthirsty goshawk currently had his eyes fixed on Songtao Court, where Third Young Madam lived.

Laiyue gathered up the courage to remind him of his current state. “Young... Young Master, it’s getting late. You’ve drunk quite a lot outside... Perhaps it might be better to go to bed early today.”

Right after Laiyue finished speaking, He Changdi strode into the courtyard without even giving him a glance.

When the two older servants guarding the door saw that the young master had returned, they quickly bent in greeting.

He Changdi stood in the corridor outside the parlour after entering Songtao Court. He looked towards the main bedchamber, which was already shrouded in darkness, and the corners of his mouth tugged upwards indifferently.

As expected, this wicked woman had never treated him as her husband, just like in their previous life. She wasn’t concerned at all even though he had returned late. He thought that things would be different this time, seeing how she had been acting these two days, but he was clearly just being stupid for even hoping so!

Laiyue didn’t dare to say anything else and simply followed He Sanlang to the study.

When Laiyue cast a sideways glance at his master, he noticed the dark circles under his eyes and his unhealthy complexion. Then he recalled the earlier string of meetings where his master had been drinking but hadn’t had a bite to eat. He immediately said, “Young Master, this servant will go to the kitchen and bring you some soup to help you sober up.”

He Sanlang rubbed his throbbing temples and shooed Laiyue away. Just as Laiyue was about to leave, he heard He Changdi say, “Check if there’s anything to eat and bring it here together with the soup.”

Laiyue made a sound of agreement and quickly left the study.

He Changdi sat behind his desk, leaning back in the chair. There was only a single flickering lamp lit in the study, casting shadows over his handsome face and adding a tinge of pallor and fragility to it.

He Sanlang’s second brother was on duty in the Left Military Guards.

The Left Military Guards were formerly part of the Yulin Army, and were split into the Dragon Guards and the Tiger Guards.

The Dragon Guards were carefully picked from the families of the military officials, while the Tiger Guards were top martial experts selected from martial arts competitions and camps.

When you were born in better circumstances, you’d have plenty more opportunities.

The Tiger Guards were supposed to be on patrol in the palace today, but the commander of the Yulin Army, He Lin, had been sent out of the capital and had taken the Tiger Guards along with him. He Lin had served in the Tiger Guards, so he was closer to them. Thus, patrol duty had fallen to the Dragon Guards.

Amongst the Dragon Guards on patrol today was the Second Young Master of the Jing’an Estate, He Changjue.

In his past life, due to events happening during the patrol on this day, all of the Dragon Guards had been punished by martial law. As the leader of the Dragon Guards, He Changjue had been punished more heavily than the rest and was removed from the Left Military Guards. His legs never recovered properly and he was never able to practise martial arts again.

𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

The Tiger Guards also started suppressing the Dragon Guards, causing a drop in their performance. After two months, they were no longer performing like they had before. Within a year, they were completely ousted from the Yulin Army. The Dragon Guards had ceased to exist.