Volume One, Chapter 14: Watch How She Causes Trouble

Ignoring the astonished faces of the Ning family members, Xie Shu raised the imperial edict in her arms high and asked toward the sky, “All the people under heaven are subjects of His Majesty. Since there is the emperor’s decree, it naturally carries the weight of parental command.”

“Elder Ning, do you mean to say that, in your eyes, His Majesty’s word is less important than that of one’s parents?” Before the elder could reply, Xie Shu swiftly withdrew the edict, tapping her fingers against the cup as she sighed deeply. “Alas, I suppose one day I must make a proper visit to the palace and have a serious talk.”

“You—don’t talk nonsense! The emperor’s orders must be honored above all!” Elder Ning was silenced by her relentless words, his eyes wide with anger. Trembling, he raised his hand, gnarled like an ancient tree, and pointed accusingly at Xie Shu, snarling, “Don’t stir up trouble here!”

“Old gentleman, your hands are shaking like a sieve; better put them down.” Xie Shu rested her chin on her hand and leaned back in her chair, appraising the elder carefully. With a faint, almost melancholic smile, she said, “If you happen to die from anger, the guilt will be on me. But if you do pass away today, out of filial piety, this marriage can be postponed, and I won’t be in a hurry to enter the Ning family genealogy.”

“You dare curse me!” Elder Ning, old and sensitive to any mention of death, was beside himself with rage, coughing as if blood were stuck in his throat. He shouted fiercely, “You shameless girl, disrespecting your elders! According to Ning family law, you shall be flogged twenty times!”

“Yes, yes, flogging is deserved!”

The onlookers nodded approvingly.

Seeing the opportunity, Ning Rongsheng quickly called out behind her, “Bring the family law!”

With twenty strikes, let’s see how much mischief she can cause then!

The attendant standing by hurried off and returned with a thick wooden rod from the back courtyard.

“Third Miss Xie, kneel quickly and accept your punishment!” Elder Ning’s face flushed red with pride as he caught his breath. “As you said, you are married into the Ning family. That makes you a Ning woman, bound to obey Ning family laws and rules!”

“If you dare lay a hand on my lady, I’ll smash this broken place!” Green Willow, seeing they were serious, rolled up her sleeves, ready to rush forward. “Damn this old wretch! Today I’ll break his teeth!”

Xie Shu was quick to grab Green Willow’s arm and whispered, “Green Willow, don’t be impulsive.”

“But miss! They—”

A single look from Xie Shu silenced her immediately, and she obediently stepped behind her lady.

Gazing at Ning Rongsheng’s smug expression, Xie Shu clicked her tongue and threw up her hands helplessly. “Tsk… what a pity. As long as my name isn’t written in the genealogy, the family law has no power over me.”

“Elder Ning, why don’t you put my name in the genealogy before everyone? Then you can decide how to apply your family law,” Xie Shu kindly warned. “Otherwise, I might just have to take you to the Jingzhao Prefecture and accuse you of abusing private justice and persecuting a good woman!”

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Green Willow immediately perked up upon hearing Xie Shu’s words. She made a mocking face toward the front and taunted, “Hmph, you lot want to enforce family law? Dream on!”

But then she nervously whispered to Xie Shu, “Third Miss, what if they put your name in the genealogy?”

“Then naturally, there’s an even bigger show to watch.” Xie Shu made a reassuring gesture.

Green Willow understood perfectly; her lady never suffered losses in her dealings!

With that thought, Green Willow boldly shouted behind her, “Hurry and bring the four treasures of the study to Elder Ning! How can the Hou residence manage affairs without even brush, ink, paper, or inkstone prepared? Young master, you’d better check carefully that no one here is deliberately defying the imperial decree! Trying to harm us, huh?”

For a moment, Ning Rongsheng found himself trapped in a dilemma.

Either open the genealogy and enforce family law,

Or admit defeat and refuse to open it.

But judging by Xie Shu’s current stance, refusing to open the genealogy seemed impossible.

Li Shi had been listening for some time, her calculating eyes shining brightly. Hearing Elder Ning’s words sparked an idea, and she hurried over to Xie Shu, “Very well, today we shall let you enter the genealogy.”

“Mother! No!” Ning Rongsheng immediately objected, “This is absolutely impossible!”

“Do you intend to defy the imperial decree?” Li Shi slapped Ning Rongsheng’s forehead. “Are we all to die together?”

As the madam of the Hou household, when Li Shi spoke, Elder Ning and the others naturally dared not argue, though a few leaned in to tug at the Marquis’s sleeve, trying to rouse him to take charge.

Ning Rongsheng hesitated for a moment but, seeing Xie Shu’s mocking expression, his anger flared. Even if they all died together, he vowed to watch Xie Shu die first.

“Clan elder, open the genealogy!” Ning Rongsheng said fiercely through gritted teeth.

Elder Ning’s eyes rolled as he saw no objections from those around him. Well, it was fate.

With Xie Shu wielding the imperial edict as leverage, refusal today might cost them their heads tomorrow.

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“Bring the genealogy!” Elder Ning resigned himself, taking a deep breath before issuing the order.

Green Willow watched anxiously as her lady’s name was inscribed in the Ning family genealogy, each stroke like an unbreakable hemp rope binding Xie Shu’s fate tightly to the Ning family.

“Third Miss, from now on, we’ll all have to make a living in the Marquis of Cheng’en’s household.” Suddenly, a heavy feeling settled in Green Willow’s heart, and she felt a trace of fear.

Stories of women in the capital being bullied by their in-laws were countless. Marrying into another family was like handing over one’s very life.

Whether one lived well or survived depended entirely on one’s own ability.

“Silly girl,” Xie Shu held Green Willow’s now slightly cold hands firmly and said resolutely, “From now on, it’s the Marquis of Cheng’en’s household—we’ll live relying on ourselves.”

As the last stroke was finished, Ning Rongsheng opened the genealogy and displayed it one by one before everyone. After circling the ancestral hall, he came before Xie Shu, gesturing as if inviting her forward. The movement tugged painfully at the wound on his shoulder, but he grinned fiercely and said arrogantly, “Xie Shu, it’s time for you to kneel and accept the family law!”

“Twenty lashes—I guarantee you’ll be broken and bruised,” Ning Rongsheng’s voice was low but sharp enough for all to hear in the silent ancestral hall.

“Is that so?” Xie Shu stood up.

Sitting too long, she really needed to stretch her limbs!

“Smack!”

Five clear finger marks instantly appeared across Ning Rongsheng’s face.

“My dear husband, have you thought well about how to get rid of me?”

In the dim candlelight, Xie Shu, clad in red, looked like a vengeful spirit claiming souls. She pulled back the corners of her mouth into a smile that was more terrifying than before.