Early the next morning, Shen Xiabai was resting with his eyes closed when someone slammed a hand down hard on his shoulder.
“I’m asking you—what did you go out for last night?”
Shen Xiabai opened his eyes and met Cui Yunchu’s scrutinizing gaze from beside him. “I didn’t go out.”
“Stop making excuses.”
Ever since she was little, she had been on her own. Any slightest movement beside her never escaped her notice. It was just that she was terribly sleepy and couldn’t be bothered to deal with him.
Cui Yunchu sat up, crossed her legs, and stared at him. “Come clean. Do you have some kept woman or concubine hidden away in this residence?”
“…”
“A Chu, if you want to hit me, you can just say so.”
Cui Yunchu slapped him across the face. “Continue what you were saying yesterday about that wretched princess.”
“…”
He knew it.
Cui Yunchu was in the middle of pressing him relentlessly when Yu Feng’s voice came from outside. “My lord, someone from the Cui residence has arrived. They wish to see Eldest Miss Cui.”
Shen Xiabai immediately said, “Invite them to the reception hall.”
“I’ll deal with you when I get back.” Cui Yunchu rolled out of bed and went behind the screen to change and wash up.
Before she had even finished tying her sash, someone pressed up behind her. Shen Xiabai’s voice was low and mournful. “You only just arrived yesterday, and you’re already leaving so soon?”
“You must be eager for me to leave as quickly as possible.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Shen Xiabai leaned against her cheek, his voice soft. “I want you to stay forever.”
Cui Yunchu raised a hand and pushed his head aside. “If you’re going to be someone’s illicit lover, you need to act like one. We’re sneaking around. We have no official status.”
The arm around her waist tightened, and Shen Xiabai’s brows darkened. “I’m fighting for that status. It’ll be ours soon.”
Cui Yunchu glanced at him and frowned. “Status isn’t that important. Your safety is what matters. At worst, I’ll just move my things in and live here. Who could possibly drive me out?”
Cui Yunchu had been a rogue since childhood. She hardly cared about one more thing or one less.
Face and reputation had always been outside her interests—dispensable, whether she had them or not.
Shen Xiabai said, “I won’t settle for that. I want to be your husband, properly married to you—not your illicit lover.”
Cui Yunchu glared at him. “You’re awfully demanding.”
“I have to leave the residence later to take care of some business. If someone comes to call you back to the Cui residence, go if you want. If you don’t, wait for me to return. Do whatever you like here. You can give the steward any orders you please.”
Cui Yunchu’s eyes lit up. “You mean I can reign supreme in the Shen residence?”
“You can even rule over Heaven itself.”
Cui Yunchu beamed with delight.
The person waiting in the reception hall was the steward of the Cui family. The moment he saw Cui Yunchu, his expression turned unpleasant. Their Eldest Miss had spent the night in Lord Shen’s courtyard—and had even carried her own luggage there. What kind of behavior was that?
If Prime Minister Cui found out, the sky itself would come crashing down.
“Eldest Miss.”
“What are you here for?”
Cui Yunchu took the seat of honor. The servants immediately presented her with tea, and she looked every inch the mistress of the household.
She was thoroughly enjoying herself. Waving her hand gleefully, she said, “All of you, leave.”
“Yes, Miss Cui.”
The steward watched his own Eldest Miss order everyone around like a tyrant, and sweat immediately broke out on his forehead. “Eldest Miss, this old servant has come on the Prime Minister’s orders to escort you home.”
Cui Yunchu put on an affected air as she sipped her tea. “I’m not going back.”
“Eldest Miss, the Shen family has not yet sent the betrothal gifts. It is improper for you to stay here, and people outside will gossip.”
Cui Yunchu treated his words as though they were nothing more than passing wind. “I’m not afraid of losing face. Whoever is afraid can cover their own face. What does that have to do with me?”
The steward was left speechless.
Cui Yunchu propped one leg on the chair beside her, then put the other up as well and leaned back. She looked exactly like a spoiled young wastrel.
“Between going back to kneel in the ancestral hall and staying here to be the boss, I know perfectly well which one to choose.”
“…”
The steward thought that given Eldest Miss’s behavior, kneeling in the ancestral hall was the least of what she deserved. Even a few lashes would not have been excessive.
“Eldest Miss, the Prime Minister said that you must return,” the steward said with a frown.
Cui Yunchu immediately grew displeased. “Who are you ordering around?”
Did he still think she was the lonely, pitiful creature she had once been? The girl who had been too afraid to argue and had known enough to flatter and bribe even a mere steward?
“Someone come here.”
She called out in a neither loud nor soft voice, and three or four young servants immediately rushed in.
Cui Yunchu lazily pointed at the steward. “Throw him out. And tell the gatekeepers that from now on, the Cui family’s steward—and dogs—are not permitted inside.”
“Yes.”
The men immediately came forward, seized the steward, and dragged him outside.
“Eldest Miss!” The steward was utterly stunned.
Where was the refined young lady of his household? This was clearly a dragon that had ascended to the heavens and now turned its back on everyone.
Her arrogance was so infuriating that it made one’s teeth itch.
Cui Yunchu looked down haughtily as the steward was dragged away, feeling indescribably pleased.
She no longer wanted to leave. She wanted to stay in the Shen residence and rule over everyone.
But there was no one to share her delight with, and she found herself thinking again of Cui Yunfeng, who was pregnant.
What a shame that she couldn’t chatter away with her like before.
At the Office of Judicial Punishment, Shen Xiabai was bent over his desk, diligently reviewing documents, while Yu Feng reported everything Cui Yunchu had done that day.
“Eldest Miss Cui drove the steward of the Cui residence away. She even had the gatekeepers put up a sign that says: ‘The Cui family’s steward and dogs are not permitted inside.’”
Shen Xiabai let out a quiet laugh.
Yu Feng said, “My lord, you’re still laughing? Mistress is going a little too far. That steward is Prime Minister Cui’s trusted man. They say that when you beat a dog, you should still consider its master. Mistress wasn’t merely striking a servant—she was slapping Prime Minister Cui in the face.”
“Besides, you and Mistress haven’t even exchanged betrothal gifts or married yet. Angering Prime Minister Cui at a time like this is hardly wise.”
“She is the Mistress of the Shen household,” Shen Xiabai said. “Why should she have to worry about so much? Let her do as she pleases.”
Yu Feng thought to himself: If Mistress does as she pleases, she’ll tear the roof off.
Shen Xiabai set down the document in his hand and picked up another. He continued, “She’s been stifled in the Cui residence for far too long. Let her enjoy herself and vent a little.”
Yu Feng nodded, then continued with his report. “At noon, Mistress ordered an entire tableful of food. She didn’t finish it and gave the rest to the servants.”
“In the afternoon, she summoned everyone in your courtyard. She gave them no instructions and simply rested her chin in her hands while counting them.”
“An hour and a half ago, the Young Master returned. The two of them ran into each other in the garden and apparently went to the pond together to watch the fish.”
Shen Xiabai’s brush stopped. Black ink spread across a large portion of the document.
He abruptly rose to his feet. “Back to the residence.”
Yu Feng pressed his lips together and raised his brows slightly before answering.
He felt that the most important thing for his master now was to have a little confidence. Just look at him—he was already panicking over a mere young master.
“My lord,” Yu Feng said, “I think if Mistress knew there were young ladies constantly surrounding you, she certainly wouldn’t react the way you are.”
Shen Xiabai stopped in his tracks, turned around, and was about to kick him. “What do you know?”
Last night, A Chu had been jealous and interrogated him for ages. Clearly, the two of them were deeply in love with each other.
Yu Feng took the kick without saying a word.
He still thought he was right. If some young lady took a fancy to his master, all she would have to do was offer Mistress enough money. As long as the price satisfied her, Mistress would certainly be willing to sell him.
