Chu Ruoyan chuckled upon hearing this.
Why do these people always enjoy humiliating high-ranking court officials?
As expected, Cao Yang narrowed his eyes. "This official didn’t hear clearly. Would Old Madam Xue repeat herself?"
Old Madam Xue was indeed about to speak again when Chu Jing suddenly interjected, "Enough!"
She stepped between the two. "This is a matter between our two families and has nothing to do with Lord Cao. Old Madam Xue, since you care so little for face that you’d air private matters publicly, I see no need to spare yours either. After entering your marquis’ household, what medicines I was forced to take—you know full well!"
Old Madam Xue’s eyes flickered, and Xue Gui hurriedly asked, "Mother, what medicines?"
Old Madam Xue remained silent, but Chu Jing’s maid couldn’t hold back. "Madam was made to drink ten doses of astragalus soup, fifteen of Korean ginseng soup, and dozens upon dozens of so-called fertility potions!"
Gasps filled the hall.
While the men might not fully grasp the implications, the women of the inner quarters knew all too well. Astragalus and Korean ginseng soups were infamous fertility treatments, but consuming so many in succession would ruin even the hardiest constitution!
No wonder Chu Jing had suffered a difficult labor when giving birth to Xue Ling, leaving her body too damaged to conceive again. This was clearly the result of deliberate poisoning!
Xue Gui stared at his mother in disbelief. "Mother, is... is this true?"
Old Madam Xue stiffened her neck. "So what if it is? It’s her own fault for failing to bear a son! What else could I do? You married the sister of a duke—how could I pressure you to take more concubines and expand the family line?"
Xue Ling could bear it no longer. "If that’s the case, then how did Concubine Mei and the others come into the picture? While my mother was still bedridden, you arranged four concubines for Father. Did she ever utter a single word of protest?"
Lady Su and the others frowned deeply at this. As women themselves, they understood the hardships of childbirth. Choosing that moment to bring in concubines was nothing short of a slap to the wife’s face!
Old Madam Xue pursed her lips, ready to retort, but Xue Gui tugged at her sleeve. "Enough, Mother. Let it go."
He had only dared to come today because his sister mentioned that Emperor had summoned Chu Huaishan to the palace. If this dragged on, the man would surely return soon.
Just as he prepared to leave with his mother, Chu Jing snapped, "Stop!"
He froze instinctively as she continued, "You’re leaving just like that? Don’t you want to know where Yinghong and her son are?"
Xue Gui’s face lit up with hope. "You’ll tell me?"
After the humiliation inflicted by Zhang Ji, he had been rendered impotent. The son Yinghong bore him was his only hope for an heir!
Chu Jing nodded coolly. "But on two conditions."
"What conditions?"
"First, you will never again cause trouble at the Duke’s Mansion."
"Of course!" Xue Gui agreed readily—not that he’d dare show his face here once Chu Huaishan returned.
"Second, hand over Ling’s jade register."
Xue Gui paled. The jade register was proof of lineage. Once surrendered, Xue Ling would sever all ties to the Marquis of Chengen’s Mansion!
"You want the register to smooth her path to marriage?" Old Madam Xue’s face twisted with malice. "Dream on! This ungrateful wretch turned her back on our family. If she chooses to cling to you, then she’ll die a Xue—her jade register stays with us!"
Xue Ling’s legs nearly gave way beneath her. How could her own grandmother say such things? This was worse than an enemy’s hatred!
Chu Jing clenched her fists. "Then you don’t care about your precious grandson’s whereabouts?"
Old Madam Xue shut her mouth stubbornly.
Xue Gui tried to mediate. "Mother, perhaps we should relent? The girl’s heart isn’t with us anymore..."
The old woman suddenly smirked, as if struck by inspiration. "So what? She’s a Xue in life and death! Listen to me, Gui’er—Chu Jing wouldn’t dare harm Yinghong or the boy. We’ll find them eventually."
She shot Xue Gui a meaningful look, and he immediately understood.
So long as they held Xue Ling’s jade register, Chu Jing’s greatest weakness remained in their grasp. Eventually, for her daughter’s marriage prospects, she’d come crawling back to beg. Then they could make her kneel and repent as they pleased!
Seeing the mother and son reach silent agreement, Lady Jiang the Younger spoke up. "Old Madam Xue, this matter—"
The old woman cut her off coldly. "This is a Xue family affair. Lady Chu, outsiders should hold their tongues."
Her words silenced all potential mediators.
Chu Ruoyan glanced pointedly at Cao Yang—this official had been spectating for far too long.
Meeting her gaze, Cao Yang finally spoke. "By the laws of Great Xia, if parents separate, children may amend their jade register to follow either parent..."
"True, but our dynasty has no precedent for following the mother!" Xue Gui retorted smugly, having researched this thoroughly. "Besides, Chu Jing never remarried after the separation. Without a husband’s household, where would Ling’s register go? The Duke’s Mansion? Should she take her mother’s surname, Chu?"
Such a thing was unthinkable in Great Xia. Even the Emperor would side with the Xues!
Chu Jing’s voice turned icy. "What will it take for you to release Ling?"
Old Madam Xue smirked triumphantly. "Since the little harlot thinks Zhang Ji is beneath her, how about someone loftier? What say you to Prince Bao?"
Prince Bao?!
The Emperor’s uncle—a notorious lecher!
His three previous wives had all died under mysterious circumstances. Now in his sixties, he still hauled cartloads of women into his manor.
None survived long—three months at most, some mere days—each perishing from unspeakable abuse. Respectable families shielded their daughters from him at all costs... unless, like Old Madam Xue, they valued profit over kinship!
Xue Ling bit her lip until it bled. "I’d rather die!"
Chu Jing’s eyes flashed with murderous intent. Slowly, she uttered two words: "Very well."
As she spoke, she descended from the main seat, advancing toward Old Madam Xue. Her hollow stare made even the vicious old woman shrink back. "W-what are you doing?"
Chu Jing didn’t answer, step by step closing in. When she passed Cao Yang, he suddenly seized her wrist.
"Let go!"
Cao Yang held firm, his voice pitying. "Lady Chu, is this necessary?"
He raised her right hand—clenched within it was a hairpin, its tip already drawing blood from her palm.
"Mother! You..." Xue Ling sobbed, tears gushing forth.
Old Madam Xue shrieked, pointing wildly. "This madwoman means to kill! Arrest her!"
"Silence!" Cao Yang barked, his gaze softening as he studied Chu Jing. "Lady Chu, murder demands retribution. These people aren’t worth your life."
"Oh?" Chu Jing refused to look at him, her face resolute. "You heard them, Lord Cao. They’d send Ling to Prince Bao’s manor. If they deny her a path to live, we might as well all perish together—company for the journey to the underworld!"
With that, she twisted her wrist violently.
The Chu women were trained in martial arts. Caught off guard, Cao Yang had no choice but to release her.
The hairpin shot straight for Old Madam Xue’s throat—
Snap!
