Chapter 30: Shut Her Up

The shocking, gruesome wounds were laid bare before the eyes of the noblewomen.

"So she is actually disfigured. With such horrific wounds, it would be hard not to be left with scars, wouldn't it?"

"I never imagined that Sheng Jintang, once so full of glory, would end up in such a state."

Bai Jinxiu clenched her fists tightly. Watching the noblewomen pointing and whispering at her one after another, she broke down, screaming, "Stop laughing! None of you are allowed to laugh!"

"Empress Dowager, what was written in that booklet? May we have a look?" A noblewoman stood up and asked curiously.

The Empress Dowager waved her hand and said, "Go ahead and look! See for yourselves what this shameless woman has done!"

As she spoke, a maid picked up the booklet from the floor and handed it to the noblewoman. The others swarmed around to read it.

"Don't look! Ah! Stop looking!" Bai Jinxiu covered her head, her face flushed with shame and fury.

"My goodness, I never would have guessed she was such a vicious woman!"

"How could a woman like this be fit to marry Prince Ye?"

"Her conduct is so wretched, it is simply disgraceful!"

Bai Jinxiu wept helplessly, her face stained with tears. Zhixing was right; she should have fled that night. No matter where she had run, she at least wouldn't be in such a pitiful state now!

At the thought that such a woman had nearly become her daughter-in-law, the Empress Dowager’s rage flared. She slammed her hand against the armrest and commanded, "Guards! Drag this woman away and give her twenty strokes of the cane!"

Bai Jinxiu shook her head in terror. "Empress Dowager, have mercy! Please, have mercy!"

No one paid heed to her pleas. Before she could even crawl to the Empress Dowager’s feet, she was dragged away by two eunuchs.

Sheng Yunqing watched the direction in which she was taken and clicked her tongue softly. One cannot survive the disasters one brings upon oneself.

The Empress Dowager looked at Sheng Yunqing, her voice still laced with irritation. "You cured my heart ailment just so you could watch me fly into such a rage?"

Sheng Yunqing pouted innocently. "Empress Dowager, please be discerning. It was Bai Jinxiu who wanted to exploit your past kindness to ruin the marriage between me and Prince Ye. Had I not cured your heart ailment, I would have been so respectful of your wishes that I might have kept you in the dark."

"You!" The Empress Dowager huffed indignantly, then gave a cold laugh. "It isn't so simple to marry into Prince Ye's estate. Since it is only an engagement, whether or not the wedding actually takes place depends on my consent."

Since the imperial decree did not mandate an immediate wedding, she would drag it out until Sheng Yunqing had withered away; she would not let her succeed so easily!

Sheng Yunqing sighed inwardly. This Empress Dowager was not an easy mother-in-law to please.

"Heh, you old hag, if you don't think highly of my daughter, I don't think highly of your son either!" Sheng Yuting grumbled.

Sheng Yunqing looked at the Empress Dowager, who, despite her sharp tongue, clearly possessed deep merit and had performed many good deeds in her life; she was merely someone with a sharp tongue but a soft heart.

The Empress Dowager looked at her and frowned slightly. "You've been standing for so long, go back and sit down."

Sheng Yunqing smiled playfully. "The Empress Dowager is so kind to me."

The Empress Dowager turned her face away, frowning awkwardly. Who wanted to be kind to this girl? She was truly thick-skinned. She was merely annoyed by the girl standing there like an eyesore—it was absolutely not because she felt pity for the poor girl’s suffering after reading that booklet. Absolutely not!

She pointed to the pastries on the table and said to the maid beside her, "I am annoyed just looking at her. Go, take these pastries over and stuff her mouth with them."

Sheng Yunqing smiled. "Thank you for the Empress Dowager's favor."

"Who is favoring you? Don't be so conceited," the Empress Dowager retorted coldly.

Sheng Yueying looked at Sheng Yunqing with admiration. Although the Empress Dowager spoke to her with such cold words, it was clear to anyone with eyes that she had already captured the old lady's heart.

With Sheng Yunqing and Ye Jinchen's marriage secured, her sister, Sheng Qiuyao, would also be able to find a good match. Thinking of this, Sheng Yueying lowered her head with a satisfied smile. She had originally disliked Sheng Yunqing coming to the Marquis’s estate, but since her arrival, the household had only been getting better.

Bai Jinxiu lost consciousness halfway through the caning and was left in the courtyard. It was only after the banquet concluded that she was taken back to the manor along with the three Sheng sisters.

The news of Bai Jinxiu being cast aside by the Empress Dowager spread throughout the estate, even implicating Lady Bai.

Sheng Yukun swept the teacup off the table and pointed at Lady Bai’s nose, cursing, "Is this the person you tried your best to keep? Look at the disgrace you’ve brought upon our Sheng family!"

Lady Bai was startled and stumbled back a few steps, trembling.

"Uncle, that is not entirely correct," Sheng Yunqing said, head lowered as she played with a strand of her hair. "Bai Jinxiu does not carry the name Sheng. No matter how angry the Empress Dowager is, it has nothing to do with the Sheng family."

Lady Bai cursed Sheng Yunqing inwardly. The Marquis was lecturing her and had sent her children off to the backyard, yet he still kept this girl around to gloat at her misfortune!

Sheng Yukun nodded. "Qing'er has foresight." He turned his glare back to Lady Bai. "Let her go and disgrace your own family instead!"

Lady Bai’s face turned ashen. Her own parents had originally refused a thousand times over to let Bai Jinxiu take their surname, eager to distance themselves from that woman of unknown origin. It was only after she had cajoled them, claiming that Bai Jinxiu was deeply favored by the Empress Dowager and poised to become the Princess of Ye, that they had reluctantly agreed. If they found out about this, they would likely disown her.

"Aunt, you need not look for a strategy. The Empress Dowager’s hatred for Bai Jinxiu was witnessed by over a dozen noblewomen. The matter is already the talk of the town and has surely reached the Bai household by now."

Lady Bai’s panic became visibly evident.

"I’m going to kill that wretched girl right now!" Sheng Yukun said, heading toward the woodshed.

"My Lord, no!" Lady Bai grabbed his sleeve, pleading, "Please, spare her life!"

"If you continue to shield her, I will kill you along with her!" Sheng Yukun roared, pushing her aside.

A small hand tugged at his sleeve. Sheng Yukun looked down to see Sheng Yi, his eyes red. "Father, please don't be mean to Mother, okay?"

Sheng Yukun’s expression softened slightly as he looked at him. "Yi'er, why aren't you playing with your sisters?"

Sheng Yi shook his head. "Yi'er misses Mother."

Sheng Yunqing narrowed her eyes slightly. Sheng Yi was still so young and attached to his mother; if Bai Jinxiu were truly executed, Lady Bai would inevitably face death too, and then Sheng Yi...

Sheng Yukun leaned over and picked up Sheng Yi, coaxing him gently until the boy wiped away his tears.

"My Lord, Miss Bai has a high fever and remains unconscious," a maid reported.

"Why tell me about such trivial matters? Let the wretch die for all I care," Sheng Yukun said impatiently.

Lady Bai, however, was pale with terror, muttering, "Bai Jinxiu, you cannot die, you must not die!" She urged the maid urgently, "Why are you still standing there? Go fetch a physician!"