Shao Shang changed into a soft and well-fitting semi-old Wrapped Robe, first sending someone to inform Madam Xiao that she would be arriving shortly, then unhurriedly making her way over. Midway, she thought for a moment and instructed Lian Fang to seek help from her elder brothers, telling her to exaggerate the situation—just in case things got heated, they needed to have the "fire brigade" ready.
Upon arriving at Nine Dapple Hall, she saw Cheng Shi and his wife seated at the head, with Cheng Zhi and Sang Shi sitting to the side, each wearing different expressions.
Madam Xiao was solemn and composed, clearly preparing for a "serious discussion." Sang Shi, however, gave her an amused smile and a look that said, "I’ll save you," which warmed Shao Shang’s heart.
Cheng Zhi was stifling a yawn. He had originally been about to take his afternoon nap, but his wife insisted on coming to witness the mother-daughter showdown, so he had no choice but to tag along.
Only Cheng Shi, upon seeing Shao Shang, despite already knowing what had happened, couldn’t help but exclaim, "Niao Niao, wasn’t it just a scuffle? That Yin girl actually beat you up like this! My child, does it hurt…?"
Cheng Taigong had been renowned for his striking looks, yet as his eldest son, Cheng Shi had inherited none of them. Heaven knew how much he had lamented this in his youth. Finally, he had a beautiful child—was that too much to ask? And now the Yin family had to go and ruin it—were they jealous?!
Madam Xiao, who had been holding her breath in solemn righteousness, burst out laughing at his words. She turned to Cheng Shi helplessly and said, "The Yin family’s daughter was also injured. Don’t just focus on our own child!"
Cheng Shi looked puzzled. "Was the Yin girl’s face also beaten like this?" He pointed at Shao Shang’s swollen, pig-like face.
Madam Xiao choked for a moment before replying, "She... was injured elsewhere."
"When young girls fight, their flimsy punches and kicks can’t cause serious injuries. Could they break ribs or limbs? Is there anything more important than the face?!" Cheng Shi slammed his palm on the table, heartbroken. "Niao Niao isn’t even betrothed yet! If her face doesn’t heal properly, I won’t let the Yin family off!" Thus, the hall was filled with Cheng Shi’s loud roars—and they sounded perfectly reasonable.
Madam Xiao was speechless. She had even forgotten what she was going to say.
In truth, given her efficiency, how could she not have prepared for this? Not only had the Martial Maid accompanying her, who was skilled in treating external injuries, assured her that it was nothing serious, but they had also stopped by a trusted physician’s shop on the way home, where the doctor confirmed there would be no scars left on her face.
As for what lay beneath her clothes—A Zhu had already reported on that.
Sang Shi lowered her head to suppress her laughter, while Cheng Zhi shot his wife a look—he had told her earlier that with Eldest Brother around, their niece would never suffer!
Ignoring her husband’s tangent, Madam Xiao composed herself and asked her daughter directly, "Shao Shang, let me ask you—do you know what you did wrong today?"
"...She’s already been beaten up like this, and you still want to ask her what she did wrong?"
"Your daughter knows her wrongdoing."
Cheng Shi and Shao Shang spoke simultaneously, then glared at each other.
Madam Xiao had a headache. She pushed her husband away firmly, signaling him to be quiet, before saying, "Good. Shao Shang, then tell me—what did you do wrong?"
Shao Shang straightened her back and declared, "No matter how much others humiliate or mistreat me, I should not have struck them. Father and Mother, rest assured—unless I’m defending myself, I won’t fight anyone again."
Madam Xiao hadn’t expected her to admit fault so readily. After a pause, she asked, "Then how do you plan to correct your behavior?""How should I change?" Shao Shang curled her lips. "Actually, there's no need. I probably won't have much to do with them in the future anyway. We'll barely see each other, so a nodding acquaintance is enough."
Everyone in the hall was taken aback. Madam Xiao frowned and asked, "What do you mean by that?"
Shao Shang had long wanted to discuss her future plans with her parents, and now seemed the perfect opportunity. She spoke frankly: "Given the Yin Family's status, Sister Xu E will surely marry someone of similar standing in the Capital City. As for me, I'll either return to rural life or marry into a scholarly family in the mountains. How often would we meet then?"
To put it simply, her future husband's family would either be like the Ge Family—wealthy and influential local gentry with no connection to the imperial court—or a prosperous farming and scholarly household. If her husband excelled in studies, they might reach the level of Sang Shi's maternal family, writing books and teaching disciples. If his scholarly achievements were mediocre... well, then they'd lead an ordinary life.
At these words, Madam Xiao was stunned and instinctively looked at her husband. To her surprise, Cheng Shi also wore a dumbfounded expression. Meeting his wife's intense gaze, he hastily waved his hands. "...I didn't say anything!" He was just as shocked—these were private discussions between husband and wife. How did their daughter know?
"Eldest brother, did you let it slip?" Cheng Zhi cheerfully undermined Cheng Shi.
Cheng Shi glared angrily. "Shut up, you brat! Do you think I don't know what should be said?"
Shao Shang smiled with a hint of mockery. "So Father and Mother had the same plan. We're in agreement then." She had suspected as much.
Madam Xiao turned away without speaking. Cheng Shi looked embarrassed, while Cheng Zhi, realizing his blunder, didn't dare meet his elder brother's eyes.
Only Sang Shi asked gently, "Niao Niao, how did you guess?" The social customs were open-minded at the time, and girls weren't forbidden from discussing marriage prospects with family.
"It wasn't hard to figure out."
Shao Shang smiled faintly. "I'll be of marriageable age this year. Mother, being thorough, must have already made plans. She hasn't taught me how to manage a private army or win over family members because my future husband won't have a private army. She hasn't taught me aristocratic genealogies or the etiquette for interacting with noble families because I won't be dealing with such people. But lately, she's shown me several estate account books, introduced me to farm managers to discuss rural affairs, and insisted I study diligently... Putting it all together, the conclusion is obvious."
After the girl's lengthy speech, the two couples exchanged glances. After a long silence, seeing his elder brother and sister-in-law remained quiet, Cheng Zhi cautiously asked, "Niao Niao, what do you think of this arrangement...?"
Shao Shang replied cheerfully, "I think Father and Mother's plan is excellent." In truth, she had already considered this matter—as part of her future life strategy.
Cheng Shi hesitated, wanting to say 'this wasn't my idea,' but ultimately held his tongue.
To everyone's surprise, Shao Shang turned serious and addressed Cheng Shi earnestly: "Father, you know me—I don't tolerate unfairness and have strong opinions. When you choose a son-in-law for me, please assess his family's temperament carefully. Pick someone mild-mannered and easygoing, not the type to control and interfere with me constantly. Otherwise, I'll surely clash with them! As for how to live my life, I have my own plans."With stable property and social connections, she could freely experiment with her ideas in the manor. Whether it was farming tools, grain seeds, or luxury goods, she was confident she could significantly improve the family's financial situation within five years.
After all, she was sick of those sharp-tongued young ladies who did nothing but gossip—endlessly bickering about hair ornaments, clothes, pastries, accessories, cosmetics, and young men—without a shred of constructive thought. How could prosperity ever be achieved by relying on them?
At this point, it seemed nothing more needed to be said. Madam Xiao watched her daughter’s resolute expression, her chest tight with frustration.
She felt that even if she combined all four of her sons, they wouldn’t vex her as much as this one daughter. The problem was, whether Shao Shang was wrong or entirely right, Madam Xiao still ended up angry—and she didn’t even know why.
"...What if I order you to apologize to Lady Yin?" Madam Xiao suddenly said, hands braced on her knees.
"I won’t go," Shao Shang replied briskly. "Yin Xu'e insulted me first—she deserved that slap. I shouldn’t have hit her, fine, I’ll avoid her from now on. But if she comes looking for another beating, don’t blame me!"
Seeing her daughter’s defiant expression, Madam Xiao abruptly stood, her voice icy. "Such boldness! Let’s see if you even know what you did wrong—guards!"
Before she could finish, the three Cheng brothers, who had just arrived at Nine Dapple Hall, rushed in. Cheng Song and Cheng Yong each grabbed one of Madam Xiao’s legs, pleading, "Mother, calm down!" and "Niao Niao just got beaten—you can’t punish her again!"
Meanwhile, Cheng Shao Gong wasted no time—he seized Shao Shang and bolted outside. Before Madam Xiao could react, the two had already vanished.
Trembling with rage, Madam Xiao kicked her sons away. "Get off me! Who said I was going to hit her?!"
Cheng Yong and Cheng Song froze. After hearing Lian Fang’s report, they had assumed the situation was already at a boiling point.
Seated cross-legged nearby, Cheng Shi patted his sons reassuringly. "Relax, your mother really didn’t plan to punish Niao Niao today. Though she did have A Qing prepare some wooden slips—probably to make her copy texts as punishment."
As he spoke, he shot a glance at his wife, who glared back in annoyance.
"Get out of here before I punish you too!" Cheng Shi bellowed, and the two sons hastily retreated.
Turning to his youngest brother and sister-in-law, who were stifling laughter, Cheng Shi suddenly had an idea—but he kept it to himself for now. "How much longer are you two planning to spectate? Go home!"
Sang Shi suppressed a smile. She had originally come to mediate, fearing Shao Shang might face harsh punishment, but instead, she had witnessed quite the spectacle. Now that the show was over, she tugged at her husband’s sleeve, and the two bowed before taking their leave.
Just before stepping out, Sang Shi suddenly turned back. "Shao Shang is still too naive."
Madam Xiao and Cheng Shi were momentarily puzzled, but Sang Shi offered no explanation before leaving with her husband.
Now alone in Nine Dapple Hall, the couple remained.
Madam Xiao’s chest still heaved with anger. Cheng Shi gently pressed her back into her seat, smiling placatingly. "What did I tell you? I said you’d only end up frustrated, but you wouldn’t listen. After all this time, haven’t you realized? Niao Niao always prepares her arguments before she acts! You can’t hit her, so what’s the point of getting angry for nothing?" Though he meant to console her, his tone couldn’t hide a hint of pride.Madam Xiao complained, "It's all because you and your father keep shielding her, blocking me left and right, afraid I'll eat her alive! If only you'd let me bring out the rod for punishment like I did with Yong Er and the others when they were young—even if it was just to scare them—see if she wouldn't be afraid then!"
"A daughter can't be disciplined the same way as a son. Niao Niao's delicate frame couldn't withstand even a few strikes," Cheng Shi disagreed. "Back then, you yourself said sons and daughters are different—sons might cause major trouble, while daughters just need to be married off. If that's the case, then punishments shouldn't be the same either."
Madam Xiao angrily brushed her husband's hand away and glared. "Oh, so you were waiting to trap me with that! Yes, I failed our daughter, and now you plan to use that as her lifelong excuse, don't you?"
"...Alright, alright, I won't say anymore. It's all my fault. I shouldn't have gone to see Brother Wan ahead of time. If we hadn't arranged to travel together with their family and had arrived at the Yin Family later, after the banquet had started and the entertainers were performing, with elders present, how could a group of young girls have stirred up so much trouble?" Seeing his wife truly angered, Cheng Shi quickly stepped forward to placate her.
After exhausting sweet words and coaxing her for a long while, Cheng Shi chuckled again. "Actually, I thought you'd scold Niao Niao today for openly reprimanding the Yin Family's young lady. But you didn't say a word about it. What, you also think she did well, don't you...?"
Though her husband had guessed her thoughts, Madam Xiao remained defiant. "That's only because you and your father barged in to meddle! Otherwise, I would've questioned why she was so aggressive—wasn't she afraid of causing trouble for the Cheng Family?! Couldn't she have just swallowed her pride?"
"Stop pretending. After decades of marriage, don't I know you? If you were the type to swallow insults, you wouldn't have made me block the Huan River in the middle of the night that year to ruin half of that Dou fellow's private accounts!" Cheng Shi laughed heartily.
Madam Xiao huffed. "You heartless man! That Dou insulted you at the banquet, and you were willing to endure it! His uncle thought highly of you, but he was resentful—a useless fool who even dragged his uncle down with him!"
"But the Yin Family's young lady didn't insult Niao Niao—she insulted Qiqi," Cheng Shi slapped his thigh in laughter, then leaned closer to his wife's face. "You've always thought Niao Niao had a bad temper, but when it mattered, she stood up for her cousin and refused to let others bully her! If she had stayed silent, that would've been true heartlessness!"
Madam Xiao fell quiet, stubbornly refusing to speak. After a long pause, she muttered, "Our family has always cared for sibling bonds. That little troublemaker at least hasn't strayed from that." After a moment, she sighed. "Later, I pulled Qiqi aside and asked her for details. Ah, Qiqi is still too meek. Even if she couldn't retaliate on the spot, she should've at least said something afterward to avoid being looked down upon. Still, Niao Niao was too sharp with her words—what if she makes enemies...?"
"What's there to fear? Am I afraid of Yin Zhi? Or are we the ones groveling to the Yin Family?"
Cheng Shi declared proudly, "The Yin Family has so many descendants—surely some prefer arms over books. Our two families have mutual needs and coexist peacefully. Why should we act inferior? If Niao Niao hadn't stood her ground today, and those girls went home and told their elders, how could I, Cheng Shi, ever hold my head high again?"
Madam Xiao sighed worriedly. "This time, it's fine. We can afford to offend the Yin Family, and they're magnanimous. But what if, in the future, it's someone we can't afford to provoke? If Niao Niao keeps charging ahead like this, what then?"Cheng Shi was in high spirits and deliberately teased his wife, "If it's a family we can't afford to offend, then Niao Niao won't go. Let Shunhua attend the banquet instead—she'll endure any humiliation anyway. What do you think, Madam?"
To his surprise, Madam Xiao ignored her husband's jest this time. After a moment of silence, she suddenly said, "In the previous dynasty, there was a nobleman from a powerful family who later married a princess. But their temperaments clashed, and they quarreled daily. In the end, the consort couldn't bear the princess's insults and killed her with a single stroke. The Emperor was furious, and the consort, along with his parents, was sentenced to death."
Cheng Shi was puzzled. "What are you trying to say?"
Madam Xiao gazed toward the doorway and whispered, "I once said I'd feel at ease marrying Shunhua into any family, and you accused me of favoritism. But deep down, I knew it was a cruel lie to ease my guilt toward your second brother. To put it bluntly, even in the worst-case scenario after Shunhua marries, she’d endure mistreatment silently until she could bear no more, then simply seek divorce and return home. But Niao Niao? She’d fight to the death—and that’s how disasters begin!"
Cheng Shi had no rebuttal. Finally, he sighed helplessly, "Then perhaps we should do as Niao Niao suggested and find her a gentle and easygoing in-law? Though she’s already promised us she won’t fight anymore."
Madam Xiao’s voice carried an uncharacteristic weariness. "Who’d have thought that Yuan Yi would live to worry about her daughter brawling... By the way, where did they take Niao Niao? It seems to be snowing outside. Tell her to return to her room—I won’t devour her. And Shunhua... Ah, I understand her intentions now..."
Their daughter was indeed sharp-witted and unswayed by vanity. Amidst the splendor of the Yin residence, she showed no envy and knew to cherish her siblings. Yet she was also naive, unaware of how overwhelming true power could be—inescapable and absolute. Before absolute authority, life, death, honor, and disgrace could be decided with a single word.
Unlike her husband, for the first time in her life, Madam Xiao felt doubt creeping into her resolve.
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