Yan Changye took a deep breath and ground his teeth.
The Second Concubine finally came to her senses. She stepped forward and slapped Song Shiyun across the face.
“You disgraceful girl! Hurry and apologize to your Sister-in-law and Third Aunt!”
At this point, no matter how silver-tongued Song Shiyun and the Second Concubine were, there was no way to argue their way out of it.
The only option left was to admit fault first.
Song Shiyun hurriedly crawled over to the Third Concubine.
“Third Aunt, Yun’er was foolish. I drank too much. I apologize to you and Third Young Master.”
The Third Concubine simply turned her head away and ignored her.
Song Shiyun then crawled over to Liu Xiyin.
“Sister-in-law, it was my fault. I was blinded by fear. I… I was afraid of being thrown out of the family. I grew up in the Marshal’s Mansion. I can’t leave this place. Please forgive me just this once.”
Marshal Yan turned off the little horn recorder, his face as dark as water.
“Eldest Daughter-in-law, you’re the victim. How do you want to deal with this?”
[You’re asking me? I’m a newly married bride! If I punish the favorite Second Concubine’s beloved niece too harshly, won’t everyone think I’m petty? But I can’t just drive her out either.]
[Besides, why aren’t you asking Third Aunt? Her son’s the one with the broken leg. If my punishment’s too light, she’ll end up resenting me.]
While Liu Xiyin was still worrying over it, Yan Changye moved.
He drew the pistol from his waist and pointed it directly at Song Shiyun’s leg.
“Before answering for framing someone, Cousin should first repay Third Brother’s broken leg.”
“A leg… for a leg.”
“That was Father’s decision.”
“No—!”
Bang!
A bloody hole instantly appeared in Song Shiyun’s leg.
The concubines screamed and stumbled backward.
The Second Concubine hurriedly hid behind Marshal Yan.
Even Liu Xiyin jumped in fright.
He really fired the gun the moment he said he would.
No warning whatsoever.
[This man is kind of handsome… The Ninth Concubine really hit the jackpot.]
Marshal Yan said nothing.
Instead, he kept a wary eye on Yan Changye’s pistol.
Only after Yan Changye holstered it did he finally relax.
Looking toward Liu Xiyin, he asked,
“What does Eldest Daughter-in-law think?”
Liu Xiyin stepped forward timidly, looking as though the gunshot had nearly frightened her to tears.
“T-Then… let her go without food for three days.”
[She’s already injured, and now I’m making her go hungry for three days. I’m so vicious. Hehe.]
Yan Changye: “…”
Song Shiyun had practically tried to destroy her life.
Yet Liu Xiyin brushed it off with such a light punishment…
And still had the nerve to call herself vicious.
“Then it’s settled.”
Marshal Yan waved his hand.
“Don’t let the military doctor use any anesthetic on her.”
Two maids carried the unconscious Song Shiyun away.
[Since nobody can keep making trouble anymore, it’s the middle of the night… Time to sleep, right? This outfit is exhausting.]
Liu Xiyin wasn’t exaggerating.
Her wedding robes alone probably weighed nearly eighty pounds.
Combined with all the jewelry Qin Wan had put on her, her waist felt ready to snap.
Just as she was thinking that, a large hand suddenly grabbed her wrist.
[What are you doing?!]
She was startled.
Yan Changye tightened his grip, refusing to let her pull free.
“If Father has nothing else, I’ll take my bride back to the Yan Residence.”
Marshal Yan frowned.
“You came back just for this?”
Yan Changye replied calmly,
“You told me to get married, so I got married.”
“As for where I spend my wedding night… that’s my decision.”
[What?! We still have to consummate the marriage?!]
Liu Xiyin nearly jumped out of her skin.
Wasn’t Yan Changye supposed to have a terrible relationship with his father and rarely return home?
She’d thought all she had to do after marrying in was survive, live as a neglected wife, enjoy endless gossip, wait for the Ninth Concubine to arrive, get divorced by Yan Changye, and then happily leave.
Now her wide eyes were filled with panic.
Tch.
Yan Changye scoffed inwardly.
If you don’t consummate the marriage on your wedding night…
What exactly are you supposed to do?
He had remained unmarried until twenty-four.
Wasn’t it precisely because he had been waiting for her to reach marriageable age?
Originally, Yan Changye had no interest whatsoever in the woman his father insisted he marry simply to fulfill an old promise.
He hadn’t even bothered attending the wedding ceremony during the day.
But now…
She was far more interesting than he’d expected.
And…
She seemed to be hiding countless secrets.
He intended to take her back and study them carefully.
Qin Wan opened her mouth as if to speak.
But Yan Changye beat her to it.
“Mother, I’ll bring her to visit you another day.”
Yan Changye could take Liu Xiyin to the Yan Residence.
But he could never bring Qin Wan there.
No matter how much Marshal Yan disliked his legal wife, they couldn’t openly live in separate households.
It would become a laughingstock.
Qin Wan looked toward Marshal Yan.
“Ye’er has grown up. If he wants to live on his own, let them go.”
Marshal Yan was still holding the little horn recorder Liu Xiyin had given him.
Although his expression remained stern, he did not object.
“Eldest Daughter-in-law, you’ve given Father an excellent gift.”
“What reward would you like in return?”
Liu Xiyin struggled for quite some time but still couldn’t free her wrist from Yan Changye’s grip.
By the time she looked up, her eyes were already misty with tears.
“It was only right for your daughter-in-law to give Father a gift.”
“It’s just a pity that I came from the countryside and had nothing suitable to give Mother.”
“Mother was frightened today.”
“If Father truly wishes to reward me… could you please comfort her a little more?”
Throughout the evening, Qin Wan had protected Liu Xiyin.
Because of that, she’d endured several sarcastic remarks from the Second Concubine and even received several cold glares from Marshal Yan.
Liu Xiyin was deliberately reminding him of that.
He owed Qin Wan far more than he admitted.
And he had favored the Second Concubine far too much.
Marshal Yan’s expression stiffened.
“I understand.”
He stood up and left.
The direction he walked was toward Qin Wan’s courtyard.
Qin Wan stepped forward and gently took Liu Xiyin’s hand.
“You’ve suffered today.”
Liu Xiyin touched the necklaces around her neck.
“The necklaces Mother gave me are much prettier than Cousin’s.”
Qin Wan couldn’t help but laugh.
Yan Changye spoke.
“Mother, we’re leaving.”
That very night, Yan Changye brought Liu Xiyin back to the Yan Residence.
Before leaving, he even ordered servants to pack all of Liu Xiyin’s belongings.
Even the phoenix crown she had already taken off was carefully packed away.
A maid smiled and asked,
“Young Madam… are you ready for your wedding night?”
Liu Xiyin was on the verge of tears.