Bang!
The guard kicked the door open on command, sending a servant who had been about to lunge flying backward.
Xue Gui looked up in shock as Chu Ruoyan strode in with her entourage, swiftly overpowering his men.
Xue Ling was the last to enter, rushing to Chu Jing’s side in tears. "Mother! Are you alright?"
Chu Jing’s outer robe was torn, her shoulders and arms bruised from the struggle. At her daughter’s touch, she flinched in terror, shrinking into the corner. Xue Ling’s heart shattered. "Mother!!"
Nanny Zhou quickly draped her own robe over Chu Jing, then turned to Chu Ruoyan with an uncharacteristic look of disapproval.
They had arrived the moment the elder lady fled into the courtyard.
Yet the young mistress had held them back—those agonizing moments had allowed Chu Jing to suffer such humiliation!
"County Princess Changle—or should I address you now as the Chief Minister’s wife?" Xue Gui sneered, pressing a hand to his right eye, freshly bandaged after the hairpin wound. "What, meddling in my Marquis of Chengen’s affairs wasn’t enough? Now you’re barging into my private residence?"
The mention ignited Xue Ling’s fury. "This is the house for that mistress and her bastard son! Have you no shame?!"
To imprison her mother here and torment her—he was worse than a beast!
Xue Gui scoffed. "Is that any way to speak to your father? Did you think changing your surname to Cao after your mother remarried made you one of them? Or perhaps..." His remaining eye raked over Xue Ling, then he smirked. "Did you and your mother both 'serve' Cao Yang? No wonder the old fool was so invested in your affairs!"
Xue Ling nearly retched. Nanny Zhou snapped, "Marquis of Chengen! She is your own flesh and blood!"
"And what of it? When I divorced her mother, this little wretch didn’t spare a thought for me as her father!" Xue Gui sneered.
Chu Ruoyan clapped slowly. "Well said!"
"Cousin, you—"
"Young Mistress?"
All eyes turned to her as she regarded Xue Gui with icy amusement. "A man must prioritize himself—you’ve perfected that philosophy. Admirable!"
Xue Gui faltered. He expected mockery, but her expression betrayed none.
"Don’t think your flattery will trick me," he spat. "If word of today spreads, it’s Chu Jing’s reputation that’ll be ruined!"
He pointed at Chu Jing, still cowering in the corner, her fear undiminished.
Xue Ling burned with rage, but she knew he was right. Even as the victim, her mother would be branded a temptress—a widow clawing her way back to the marquis now that the Cao Family had fallen.
The world was always crueler to women.
"Here’s my offer," Xue Gui leered. "A hundred taels of gold, and I’ll mercifully keep this quiet." His gaze slid to Chu Ruoyan. "After all, my eye was wounded by her hand. Surely the County Princess wouldn’t want her aunt jailed for assault?"
"You’d dare accuse my mother?!" Xue Lunged forward, but Chu Ruoyan stopped her.
"A hundred taels isn’t enough," Chu Ruoyan mused.
Xue Gui blinked.
"Such a paltry sum could never compensate for the Marquis’s eye," she continued. "My aunt should kneel and beg your forgiveness."
Silence fell.
Even Xue Gui was stunned. "You’d have her kneel?" He burst into laughter. "At last, a sensible one among the Chu family! Splendid!"
Xue Ling’s eyes blazed. "Chu Ruoyan! Have you lost your mind? He assaulted Mother—"
"And yet, to protect her honor, sacrifices must be made," Chu Ruoyan said coolly. Outside, hurried footsteps signaled the arrival she’d awaited.
She stepped beside Chu Jing and announced, "Marquis of Chengen, my aunt was wrong to resist and injure you. On her behalf, I, Changle, apologize—"
As she began to kneel, a voice thundered from the doorway.
"Halt!"
Officials flooded in—Vice Minister of Justice Shi Hong, the Prefect of Shuntian, and the newly appointed Minister of Justice, backed by a hundred armed men.
Xue Gui recoiled as Shi Hong declared, "County Princess Changle! We’ve heard enough. The victim—Madame Cao—should never apologize to her assailant!"
His words branded Xue Gui a criminal.
Xue Ling dropped to her knees. "I beg Your Honors to uphold justice for my mother!"
The Prefect and Minister of Justice exchanged grim glances at Chu Jing’s shattered state.
Behind them, voices rose:
"Your Honor, Cao Yang was our former superior. Let the Ministry of Justice handle this case!"
"The Prefect must take him! Cao Yang was a righteous man who aided Shuntian’s work!"
The debate sealed Xue Gui’s fate.
"You dare?!" he roared. "I’m the Emperor’s brother-in-law! Consort Xue is my sister! Accuse me without trial, and I’ll have your heads!"
Shi Hong remained unshaken. "Do as you will, Marquis. But abduction, assault, extortion, and coercing the Chief Minister’s wife to kneel—these charges will be laid before His Majesty."
Xue Gui paled. Against three courts, even the Emperor might not side with him.
He pointed wildly at Chu Ruoyan. "She knelt willingly!"
Ignoring him, Chu Ruoyan demurred to the officials. "Perhaps this should be dropped... for my aunt’s reputation."
Shi Hong vowed, "Rest assured, County Princess. We’ll publicly expose the Marquis’s crimes."
The others agreed. "Show no mercy! A man who kidnaps in broad daylight will only grow bolder."
With a deferential bow, Chu Ruoyan murmured, "Then I leave it to Your Honors’ wisdom."
Her humility swelled their pride.
If even the Chief Minister’s wife honored their authority, who could doubt their righteousness?
He immediately raised his hand to order the arrest, but just then, a voice rang out from the entrance: "By the decree of the Imperial Noble Consort, who dares lay a hand on my son?!"
