CHAPTER 226: CHAPTER 226: HUMILIATION

Duke Mansion, in front of the gate.

Princess Nanzhang was seeing off the Old Madam of Duke Chong’s Mansion and the Duchess.

Mrs. Zhao stood behind her.

A maid walked over and tugged at Mrs. Zhao’s sleeve.

Mrs. Zhao turned around, and the little maid whispered a few words into her ear.

Mrs. Zhao’s expression changed.

The Old Madam of Duke Chong’s Mansion sat in the soft sedan chair.

The servants carried the sedan chair away.

Only then did Mrs. Zhao say to Princess Nanzhang, "Commandery Princess, something has happened."

"What could possibly happen?" Princess Nanzhang was in a good mood.

"The Old Madam’s foot is swollen."

"..."

"Is it serious?" Princess Nanzhang’s gaze turned sharp.

"We’re not sure how serious yet, the Old Madam fainted," Mrs. Zhao’s voice trembled a bit.

"..."

"We’ve already sent someone to get the Imperial Physician."

The Eldest Young Madam is just too ruthless.

That was the Old Madam, after all.

She was told to massage the foot, and she ended up swelling the Old Madam’s foot instead.

She truly fears no one.

When she went to Qihao Hall and saw the Old Madam’s feet.

Mrs. Zhao’s heart was trembling.

Princess Nanzhang’s eyes blazed with fury.

"Someone come!"

"Have the Eldest Young Madam brought to the Buddhist Hall to kneel for three days!"

Agarwood Pavilion, Bamboo House.

Su Jin was looking for books to read on the bookshelf.

Took one out.

Flipped two pages.

And put it back.

This was repeated a dozen times.

Even Xie Jingchen frowned and said, "What book are you looking for?"

Su Jin looked at him.

Blinked and said, "I’m looking to see if there’s any book not suitable for children."

Xie Jingchen, "..."

Outside the bamboo house, a Hidden Guard stepped up to the stairs.

Upon hearing Su Jin’s words, he almost stumbled and fell flat.

The Eldest Young Madam is truly too reckless.

The Young Master Xie is not that kind of person.

He hesitated, unsure whether to interrupt the Eldest Young Madam’s conversation or let her continue.

Anyway, Young Master Xie wouldn’t respond.

Xie Jingchen said nothing.

After spending so much time together, he had figured out that if he couldn’t join the conversation, saying nothing would make the topic magically disappear.

Su Jin continued searching.

But she couldn’t reach the higher shelves.

"Give me a hand, would you?" she said.

Xie Jingchen stood up.

Seeing Su Jin reaching out her hand, Young Master Xie’s mind momentarily blanked.

Before he realized it—

His arm was already out, and he directly lifted Su Jin up.

Su Jin, "...!!!"

Oh dear.

Is there something wrong with his brain?!

She was asking him to help get the book.

Not to lift her up to get the book, ah ah ah!

Young Master Xie, "..."

Once he realized, his face turned scarlet.

The Hidden Guard noticed the quiet inside the house.

He stepped inside, only to see Xie Jingchen holding Su Jin.

The Hidden Guard turned red.

Quickly turned his back.

"Young Master, Eldest Young Madam, the Old Madam’s foot is swollen and she fainted," the Hidden Guard reported.

After reporting, he hurried out.

Su Jin wished the ground would swallow her up.

She struggled.

"Hurry up and put me down," Su Jin’s face was as red as a rosy cloud.

Xie Jingchen promptly set her down.

He looked at the bookshelf and asked, "Which book do you want?"

Su Jin glared at him.

Xie Jingchen said, "Those few books, you’re not suitable to read them."

"What books are there that I’m not suitable to read?" Su Jin asked.

"Are you sure you want to read?" Xie Jingchen looked at her.

"Yes!"

Xie Jingchen took down the row of books she couldn’t reach before.

Su Jin glanced at them, and four big characters caught her eye—

"Daqi Law"

Su Jin, "..."

This isn’t unsuitable for children, it’s unsuitable for bandits.

Su Jin handed the book back to Xie Jingchen and was about to walk away.

Outside, a little maid rushed in and said, "Eldest Young Madam, something bad happened!"

"Princess Nanzhang punished you to kneel in the Buddhist Hall, and four old maids came to take you away."

Xingxing ran over and said, "Miss, what should we do now?"

Su Jin sat down and said, "Go guard the courtyard gate, if anyone dares to break in, whip them for me!"

Xingxing’s eyes lit up.

A whip not used on people.

She felt she wasn’t doing justice to the whip awarded by the Emperor.

She eagerly ran to the courtyard gate.

The four old maids had already barged in.

They were aggressive.

But then they saw Xingxing brandishing the whip.

Too eager for action.

The maids’ momentum waned, and they turned to flee.

Xingxing, "..."

"Don’t run," Xingxing chased after them.

In the courtyard, the maids and old women were extremely tense.

Princess Nanzhang was just worrying about not having the chance to deal with her; now the Eldest Young Madam dared to bruise the Old Madam’s foot, wasn’t she just offering herself up?

Escaping last time was because the Emperor helped her.

This time, with the accusation of unfilial conduct, even the Emperor would have no reason to help the Eldest Young Madam.

Just as they thought that—

They saw the four maids who went in to capture someone running out.

Xingxing was in pursuit behind them.

The maids, "..."

Those old maids not only ran fast but were quite clever.

While fleeing, they pulled along a maid who was watching the commotion.

The maid stumbled and collided with Xingxing.

Xingxing steadied herself, picked up the whip, but the maids were long gone.

After all, they were used to doing manual labor.

Princess Nanzhang was guarding by the Old Madam’s bedside. A maid walked in and said, "Commandery Princess, the maids who went to capture someone are back."

"So quickly?" Mrs. Zhao was surprised.

Could they not be fast coming back?

"They couldn’t find the Eldest Young Madam, and were chased out of Agarwood Pavilion by the Eldest Young Madam’s maid wielding a whip," the maid said.

Mrs. Zhao, "..."

Princess Nanzhang’s face was ashen.

"Such audacity!" she said coldly.

She glanced at Mrs. Zhao and pointed to the door, "You go. If she doesn’t obediently go kneel in the Buddhist Hall, our Duke Mansion will divorce her!"

Mrs. Zhao’s heart trembled; she was afraid of the whip too.

Princess Nanzhang’s words left her no choice. If she dared not go, it would undermine Princess Nanzhang’s authority.

Mrs. Zhao led a maid to Agarwood Pavilion.

Xingxing sat at the courtyard gate.

Seeing Mrs. Zhao approaching, Xingxing looked at her, "Are you also here to escort my lady to the Buddhist Hall to be punished?"

"Go report to the Eldest Young Madam. If she doesn’t go kneel in the Buddhist Hall, Duke Mansion will divorce her," Mrs. Zhao said.

Xingxing’s eyes widened.

"No way!"

"I can’t let my lady hear that!" Xingxing stood up and said.

Previously, her lady had hoped to be divorced by the husband.

If the Duke Mansion were to divorce her now, wouldn’t that make her elated?

She’s now starting to suspect that the lady bruising the Old Madam’s foot was just to get divorced.

"You wait here!" Xingxing said.

She rolled up the whip and ran back to the backyard.

Su Jin was sitting inside the bamboo house.

Xingxing quietly walked to the window and beckoned to the Hidden Guard.

Hidden Guard, "..."

What does the Eldest Young Madam’s maid want to do?

He walked out.

Xingxing said to him, "Tell the Master’s son that the Duke Mansion is planning to divorce my lady."

The Hidden Guard frowned.

He went back inside and whispered a few words in Xie Jingchen’s ear.

Xie Jingchen’s face darkened.

Su Jin asked, "What’s wrong?"

"Nothing," he said.

He got up and walked out.

Xie Jingchen left the backyard.

Mrs. Zhao looked behind him but didn’t see Su Jin.

Xie Jingchen walked out and turned back to the Hidden Guard, saying, "Guard the gate. If anyone dares to break in, kill them without mercy."

Mrs. Zhao shivered.

Xie Jingchen walked away briskly.

Mrs. Zhao couldn’t enter the backyard, so she had to leave.

Qihao Hall, inner room.

The Imperial Physician had not yet arrived.

Xie Jingchen walked in, and Princess Nanzhang looked at him with icy eyes and said, "If you’re here to plead for that female bandit, then there’s no need to speak!"

Xie Jingchen looked at her and said, "I’m just here to inform Mother that Su Jin is the treasured daughter of the Marquis Dongxiang. Whatever she wants to do, that’s her freedom. Asking her to massage feet at Duke Zhen’s Mansion is humiliating."

"If Marquis Dongxiang knew, nobody can predict the consequences. She didn’t suffer, so Marquis Dongxiang won’t get angry. She chose to let it go, yet the Duke Mansion decides to divorce her."

"It’s a marriage granted by the Emperor. If I don’t agree to divorce, she will forever be the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion. But if this matter escalates to the Emperor, then who might be massaging whose feet would be questionable."

It was a naked threat.

Having spoken, Xie Jingchen turned and left.

Princess Nanzhang was too angry to stand, her breath labored.

Let it go?!

That female bandit bruised the Old Madam’s feet.

In his eyes, that’s letting it go?!