Chapter 2: Grudges and Pettiness

“Don’t even think about it!” Yun Zhaozhao quickly stopped him.

Her family’s burly head maid was a woman of integrity.

When she said ‘hammer,’ it truly meant hammer!

“Why? Miss, now that you’re married, has your temper changed too?” Jin Chui asked, puzzled.

In the past, if anyone spoke ill of Miss or her family, just one look from her and she would go on a rampage, hammering them without hesitation.

So why the change now?

Xiao Dao was speechless. “I already told you, after Miss and the young master got married, they’re one family. Family members don’t just go around hitting each other. Jin Chui, stop causing trouble.”

“Is that so, Miss?”

“No,” Yun Zhaozhao said firmly.

They were family in name only.

Her temporary husband hadn’t yet reached the status of her family.

Yet, young and newly restored to health, she had no intention of living as a nun, unused to male companionship.

Unfortunately, there was no choice.

As long as the Dayin Dynasty remained, Sheng Xingye was the only man she would ever have in this life.

An imperial edict arranged the marriage; divorce, abandonment, or widowhood remarrying were out of the question.

Fortunately, Sheng Xingye hailed from a good family and was handsome. Aside from his foul temper, he was acceptable to her.

As for emotional or physical purity, she wished for it but reality did not permit.

According to investigations, Sheng Xingye kept himself decent.

No concubines, no courtesans; his occasional visits to pleasure quarters were merely to drink and listen to music with his rowdy friends, nothing serious.

This information was procured by her younger sister, Yun Chuchu, who had been managing the General’s household from an early age.

The little maid likely wanted to ease her worries.

She would just have to accept it.

There was no need to be overly serious and cause herself unnecessary pain.

In a male-dominated society, expecting a high-ranking man to remain pure was absurd.

If Sheng Xingye were a good man, she would be a loving wife in harmony with him.

If not, at worst, she’d treat him as a temporary bedmate, borrowing his seed.

In ancient times, for a married woman, children were the foundation of her status.

Therefore, bearing children was a necessity.

But hitting him was obviously off limits.

Earlier, when her memory was still confused, she had slapped and kicked him hard. Clearly, he bore grudges and was petty.

Today, asking to ‘borrow seed’ was probably hopeless.

Yun Zhaozhao guessed correctly.

Sheng Xingye was in a foul mood.

It all traced back to Qin Tianbao’s sharp eyes and sharp tongue.

“…What wedding chamber? Yun Zhaozhao is such a vulgar woman, unworthy of… Sixth Brother!” Qin Tianbao’s sudden loud exclamation only added to Sheng Xingye’s irritation.

“Qin, what’s your problem? Can you stop being so jumpy all the time?”

“Your… your face…” Qin Tianbao began, but Sheng Xingye quickly cut him off.

“Shut up!”

But it was too late.

Everyone’s eyes instinctively fell on the clear handprint on his left cheek.

Sheng Xingye wanted to disappear.

His cheek burned even more than when it was first struck.

“That crazy woman Yun Zhaozhao, how dare she?”

Qin Tianbao trembled with anger. “Does she even understand the Three Obediences and Four Virtues? The husband rules the wife! She—”

“Shut up, enough!”

“Sixth Brother, she treated you like that and you’re still defending her?”

Qin Tianbao was both aggrieved and indignant. “She hit you in the face! She trampled your dignity! If this gets out, how will you ever face the capital…”

Before he could finish, a gloating voice interrupted from beside the rock garden.

“We already know, hahahaha…”

With a wild laugh, Kong Wenjun appeared before them.

“Never thought, never thought, Sixth Sheng, you put on such a good act, but you can’t even control a woman. Could it be… you’re no good in that department? Hahaha…”

Kong Wenjun mocked mercilessly, and his companions burst into uproarious laughter.

“Kong Wenjun, you’re asking for death!”

Qin Tianbao raised his slender arm to rush forward.

Sheng Xingye grabbed the back of his neck and flung him back into the group of men behind the rock.

Then he stepped forward, coldly glaring at Kong Wenjun, grinding his teeth with a sneer.

“Had your fun laughing yet?”

“Enough? Hahaha, never enough! Hahahaha…”

Kong Wenjun laughed exaggeratedly, tears almost streaming. “Being beaten by a woman on your wedding night and kicked out of the bridal chamber—never before has such disgrace fallen on a man like you, Sixth Sheng! Hahahaha...!”

Sheng Xingye charged forward and punched him square in the face.

He couldn’t beat that crazy woman, but surely he could take down Kong Wenjun, that lanky, starved-looking fellow.

Taking advantage of Kong’s stunned moment, he landed several more punches.

“Laugh! Keep laughing! If I don’t make you cry uncle today, I’m not Sixth Sheng!”

After several blows, both sides finally reacted.

A petty scuffle had officially broken out.

“Smack!”

“Sixth Sheng, you bastard, haven’t you heard ‘don’t hit the face’?”

“Ah!”

“Kong Wenjun, you little bastard, where do you think you’re grabbing?”

“Ouch!”

“Kang Yi, did you grow up eating iron weights? Get off me already…”

…

Half an hour later.

“Bastard!”

Sheng Xingye dodged swiftly as a teacup flew toward him.

“Bang!”

The delicate porcelain shattered on the ground.

“You dare dodge?”

The Duke of Sheng was furious beyond words.

“Father, have you forgotten? Tomorrow I have to enter the palace to pay respects.”

Sheng Xingye adjusted his disheveled clothes, unfazed.

The Duke’s anger flared even higher. Pointing at his bruised face, he scolded, “You know you have to go to the palace, yet you mess yourself up like this? Are you trying to bring shame to the Duke’s household?”

“This isn’t my fault,” Sheng Xingye said innocently, raising his eyebrows. “It’s all because Kong Wenjun resents me for winning the Emperor’s favor and securing a good match with the General’s family. He deliberately stirred trouble.”

“You—”

The Duke was momentarily at a loss whether to scold him for constantly causing trouble or to praise his cunning in shifting blame.

This sixth son was undoubtedly smart.

Since childhood, he had caused many problems but always had reasoned excuses to clear himself.

Today, he probably planned to pin everything on Kong Wenjun before throwing the first punch.

If only he applied even a fraction of this cleverness to studying or martial arts, he wouldn’t be worrying about the future of the Duke’s household every day.

Since his father died three years ago, the Sheng family’s standing had declined.

This arranged marriage seemed like a lucky break amid the palace’s factions vying for power.

In truth, the Duke had a hand in it.

It had cost several favors.

Otherwise, no one could say for sure who the General’s daughter would marry.

Yet this rebellious son failed to cherish it, running off to fight on his wedding night, leaving the General’s daughter alone in the bridal chamber.

If word got out, the General’s household alone would be enough to bring the Duke’s family endless trouble!