Chapter Six: Rebellion

After lunch, the carriage from the Xu family took Liang Shanru back to the Marquis Hou’s residence.

Xu Jingyi was worried about her and insisted on accompanying her, but the old Madam Hu forcefully stopped her.

The young servant standing guard at the gate of the Marquis Hou’s mansion noticed the serious expression on her face and, stooping slightly, led her inside. Several times he seemed about to speak but held back.

Liang Shanru saw this and slowed her pace, casually asking, “Is my sister still at home?”

The servant nodded briefly as if to answer, then quickly reported, “The Marquis ordered that as soon as the Second Lady returns, she must go to the study to see him. You’ve finally come back.”

Liang Shanru lowered her eyes. Behind her, Nong Yun softly called out to the young lady.

She gave a brief affirmative and quickened her steps with light, measured strides.

After turning past the screen wall, the servant no longer followed. Nong Yun, anxious, couldn’t help but say, “Mistress, I’m certain the Marquis won’t let this matter rest easily. Are you really planning to go straight to the study? Perhaps we should find a way to inform Third Prince—at least then he might be able to…”

“What is there to fear?” Liang Shanru glanced back at her, cutting her off the moment she mentioned the Third Prince. “You’ve been at my side all this time; you know things others don’t. You’ve seen what’s happened these days, and now that the moment has come, you’re suddenly nervous?”

Nong Yun quickly shook her head, fearing she had upset her lady. “I’m not afraid. I’d gladly lay down my life for you, Mistress. I only worry for you.”

Liang Shanru acknowledged this and comforted her with a few kind words. Then, as if swept by the wind, she hurried straight to the study of the Marquis of Changle without a moment’s hesitation.

This time, she didn’t even stop by the main hall. In the study, Madame Zhou and her daughter were present. The three of them wore grim expressions, no different from what Xu Jingyi had told her before she left. They looked as if they wished they could tear her apart alive.

No sooner had Liang Shanru entered than the white porcelain tea cup beside the Marquis of Changle shattered at her feet.

A small patch around her skirt hem was dampened, the deep crimson fabric soaking in the moisture, and even the embroidered purple shoes bore the stain.

Clicking her tongue, she stepped aside slightly and cast a provocatively sharp gaze at Liang Baoqi. “It’s been hours already—why is my sister still at home? If the Xu family finds out, they’ll be angry.” Then she turned to the Marquis of Changle with a smile, but the defiance in her eyes was unmistakable. “Marquis, aren’t you afraid that the Xu family will blame you and punish you even more severely?”

The Liang family guarded the Marquis title and were true nobility, far beyond the Xu family’s standing. How could the Xu family dare to punish them?

She was clearly mocking them.

In just two days, the Marquis of Changle had heard too many such harsh words from Liang Shanru.

Now, he was too weary to even get angry. He sneered, “You refuse to be disciplined. When I tried to make you kneel in the Buddha hall, you brandished knives and weapons. Today at the Xu family’s, you schemed against Baoqi, causing our family immense disgrace. Who knows what rebellion you might incite next.”

Suddenly, he slammed his hand on the table and called out to Madame Zhou, “File a complaint! We’re going straight to the magistrate’s office now. I will charge you with insubordination!”

Insubordination was a serious crime; if convicted, the light sentence was imprisonment, the heavy one exile. This was no trivial matter.

Liang Shanru watched his theatrical display leisurely, even stepping aside to let him pass. “Is my sister coming too?”

Liang Baoqi’s eyes were red from crying. Pinching her fingers, she sobbed, “Why do you want to hurt me like this? Shanru, the Li family is even more prestigious than the Xu family. Father and mother have considered so much for you…”

“Aren’t we going to court? What’s the use of saying all this now?” Liang Shanru had no patience to hear another word. Her tone was laced with mockery, showing her disdain. “Why didn’t you say the Li family was so prestigious when you were at the Xu family’s?”

“That’s enough!” The Marquis of Changle finally realized the truth: Liang Shanru had undergone a transformation overnight. No one could win an argument with her. Her sharp tongue could tear a person to shreds, and every word struck painfully at the heart.

He swept his sleeve and strode toward the door.

Madame Zhou grabbed Liang Baoqi to follow, but the Marquis stopped the two women, maintaining a shred of clarity. “What’s the point of taking her along? Arrange for her to be sent to the village residence immediately!”

“Father…”

Liang Baoqi choked back tears, trying to plead, but the Marquis didn’t spare her a glance and walked on.

Liang Shanru smiled lightly at her twice, then quickly followed.

—

The Prefect Wang of Yangzhou was a seasoned official who had served in this city for seven years, amassing considerable illicit gains.

However, he never extorted the people; his greed was reserved for families like the Marquis of Changle’s. That was why he had remained in office for so long and was still praised by the common folk.

He had genuine achievements and had done much to help the people with various matters.

When the magistrate’s court suddenly saw Liang Shanru arrive, Prefect Wang was surprised. “Is this the Marquis of Changle?”

He hesitated before asking. The Marquis of Changle stood beneath the court’s dais, his face dark, politely cupping his hands and solemnly declaring, “I, the Marquis, hereby accuse Liang Shanru of insubordination!”

Those few words fell heavily. Prefect Wang was about to inquire further, but the Marquis went on at length about how Liang Shanru had wielded a knife against him in the inner chambers and repeatedly contradicted him, omitting no detail—but never mentioned anything else.

“This…” Prefect Wang looked troubled. Since General Liang’s death in battle, it was well known that Liang Shanru was raised by the Marquis and his wife in Yangzhou. It was also true that the Third Prince, due to gratitude for General Liang, had shown special favor towards Liang Shanru.

Over these three or four years, countless gifts had been sent from Shengjing to Yangzhou; Prefect Wang even knew that many had been personally delivered by the heir of the Duke of the State.

Prefect Wang shot a dissatisfied glance at the Marquis, then turned to Liang Shanru. “What do you have to say, Lady Liang?”

Unexpectedly, Liang Shanru admitted everything straightforwardly.

She lifted her delicate face, meeting the prefect’s gaze, and firmly replied, “It’s true—I used a knife within the Marquis residence and have contradicted the Marquis several times. But that is not insubordination.”

Her voice was clear and light, like a wisp of cotton drifting in the air, making the already delicate young lady seem even more tender.

Prefect Wang lowered his voice, instinctively picking up his gavel, then suddenly putting it down again. He was afraid to frighten this fragile girl.

Liang Shanru stepped forward half a pace, standing shoulder to shoulder with the Marquis. “Prefect Wang, you also know my background. My father is not the Marquis’s biological child, so I have no blood ties to the Marquis of Changle.

Since we share no blood relation, how can there be insubordination?

The Marquis has insulted my father with his words. As a child to her parents, how can I bear such humiliation?

Bringing me to court to accuse me of insubordination is nothing but a laughingstock!”

The Marquis trembled with anger, pointing at her. The word “you” hovered on his lips for a long moment but never formed into a complete sentence.

Finally, he turned to Prefect Wang. “You heard that, Prefect Wang? Both her father and she were raised by the Marquis and his wife, dressed and fed at the Marquis’s expense. Now that she’s grown and grown bold, she dares to claim she’s not part of the Marquis household—what insolence!

Though I have no blood ties to her, fostering her is still a debt of gratitude.

Liang Shanru lost her mother at seven and her father at twelve. My wife and I have painstakingly raised her these years. Prefect Wang, judging by her attitude, you can imagine how arrogant she was while living in the Marquis’s residence!

Such conduct—how can it not be called insubordination?”