2843 Calm Down

"Crown Prince Consort." Several Butterfly Pavilion attendants also stepped forward to offer their salutations.

Only then did the bystanders realize this, and they quickly knelt down in unison to pay their respects. None dared to cause trouble.

Even those who couldn't immediately identify the young Crown Prince Consort had heard of her formidable actions against the shrine's Holy Daughter and the handler, demonstrating her audacity.

They understood that they weren't as esteemed as the Holy Daughter of the shrine. If the Crown Prince Consort dared to confront the Holy Daughter, they certainly wouldn't dare to provoke her.

As a result, the surrounding chatter gradually subsided. Aside from the two groups of mourning family members, the previously uninformed onlookers also fell silent.

With the diminishing noise around them, the two groups of family members who had been crying began to calm down as well.

The elderly woman leading one of the groups wiped away her tears and stole a glance at the young Crown Prince Consort, wearing a somewhat embarrassed expression.

Qiao Mu didn't address them but turned her gaze to Shopkeeper Hu. "Who regrettably passed away yesterday?"

"It was Landlord Li and Boss Zhang."

Shopkeeper Hu approached and reported respectfully, "During the commotion, someone set fire to the entrance."

Qiao Mu looked up at the partially damaged Butterfly Pavilion building and nodded.

"How did you handle negotiations with their families?"

"Reporting to the Crown Prince Consort, immediately after the incident, I dispatched individuals to both families and negotiated compensation. Each family initially agreed to pay 100,000 spirit currency in compensation."

She hadn't expected that both families would reverse their decisions in just one morning.

The one who wailed the most loudly was Elderly Lady Zhang, Boss Zhang's mother. Her eyes darted around, and then she slapped her thigh before bursting into tears. "You want to trade my son's life for a mere 100,000 spirit currency! This Butterfly Pavilion is truly lawless, with the Crown Prince Consort supporting it."

Shopkeeper Hu's face turned a fiery red. "You, you!"

It was clear that this woman hadn't made such accusations when she had discussed the matter earlier that morning.

"Go and bring His Excellency Cao here," Qiao Mu instructed Huifeng, who was standing behind her.

"Yes," Huifeng promptly complied and left to carry out the order.

Confused gazes were exchanged among the bystanders. Could this His Excellency Cao be the same Stubborn Cao, the magistrate of the capital?

"Take the Eastern Palace's token to the Ministry of Justice. Invite Assistant Minister Zhou and those ruffians from yesterday," the young Crown Prince Consort instructed Li Ye.

"Yes."

"Remember not to intimidate anyone," the young Crown Prince Consort cautioned.

Li Ye nodded and replied, "Understood, Crown Prince Consort."

With an impassive expression, she turned away and gracefully leaped onto the roof, vanishing with a series of agile leaps.

The magistrate's residence wasn't far from Changle Boulevard, and it took only half an hour to summon His Excellency Cao.

During this time, Qiao Mu had some wooden armchairs brought out to provide seating for the elderly individuals. Elderly Lady Zhang had initially resisted, but the young Crown Prince Consort coolly remarked, "Elderly Lady, you're already quite old. It's not appropriate for you to remain seated on the cold ground, crying."

"Butterfly Pavilion is genuinely committed to resolving this matter. Please cooperate with us."

"Creating a ruckus and causing a scene won't solve anything," Qiao Mu stated calmly. "I hope you can grasp that you're already of an advanced age. Even if you wish to act shamelessly, your descendants must still uphold their dignity if they intend to continue living in this part of the capital."

Following a barrage of cunning insults, sardonic remarks, and cutting words, Elderly Lady Zhang's face paled.