When Shen Xinyan returned, Yao Jinning was obediently conversing with Lady Guo beside her.
Although Lord Guo’s official rank was not high, his position held real authority, and the ladies of the capital usually showed Lady Guo considerable respect.
Lady Guo’s legitimate second son had now reached marriageable age, and she was looking at Yao Jinning—who carried herself with grace and composure—with evident satisfaction. Clearly, Yao Jinning had already caught her eye.
After all, her husband’s rank was not high, and her second son held no scholarly honors, so seeking a marriage with a concubine-born daughter was quite suitable.
A-Man sneered, “Look at that. You’ve been worrying and planning for her, but she’s already chosen a husband for herself. When trouble comes for you, Yao Jinning will step forward and manage everything in an orderly manner. Hah…”
With that, A-Man let out another cold laugh.
Shen Xinyan did not respond to A-Man, only feeling that A-Man seemed to harbor a great deal of resentment—perhaps a vengeful spirit who knew the future.
Seeing Shen Xinyan return, Yao Jinning’s face showed a flicker of surprise. Still young, she did not yet know how to conceal her true thoughts.
As if unable to understand why Shen Xinyan had returned safely, Yao Jinning’s hand trembled slightly, knocking over a plate of pomegranates on the table.
The sound was somewhat loud, drawing the attention of the nearby ladies.
It also confirmed for Shen Xinyan that Yao Jinning truly had something to hide.
Noticing the ladies looking over, Shen Xinyan smiled generously and reached out to take Yao Jinning’s arm. “Fourth Sister, you’ve had too much to drink. Let your sister-in-law take you outside to sober up.”
Yao Jinning instinctively tried to refuse but could not match Shen Xinyan’s strength.
Feeling Yao Jinning’s struggle, Shen Xinyan tightened her grip and whispered into her ear, so only the two of them could hear, “Fourth Sister, surely you don’t want to embarrass yourself in front of everyone? Or would you prefer I pour the wine down your throat myself?”
Shen Xinyan had spent several years under the Empress Dowager’s care, witnessing the palace’s covert and overt struggles, and was no soft bun.
However, since becoming a widow, she had come to see herself as an ill-fated person, growing indifferent to everything. She would rather retreat than advance, wishing only to live peacefully into old age.
But that did not mean she was easy to bully.
Hearing the threat in Shen Xinyan’s words, Yao Jinning reluctantly rose and followed Shen Xinyan away from her seat.
Once they passed through the side door, Yao Jinning immediately shook off Shen Xinyan’s hand. “Who gave you the nerve to treat me like this? Don’t think I won’t report this to Mother and have her punish you.”
The “Mother” Yao Jinning referred to was not Concubine Liu but the legitimate wife of the Yao family, Madam Yao Li.
Ever since Shen Xinyan lost her husband, she had become a thorn in Madam Yao Li’s side, often subjected to harsh treatment.
Shen Xinyan blamed her own fate and usually endured it in silence.
Seeing Shen Xinyan silently watching Yao Jinning, A-Man’s voice carried a tone of schadenfreude. “See? This is the ungrateful wretch you’ve been protecting with all your heart.”
At the same time, Yao Jinning lifted her chin arrogantly and glared at Shen Xinyan. “You’d better not provoke me, or I’ll make sure Mother hears all about it…”
Before she could finish, a crisp slap rang out.
Yao Jinning stared at Shen Xinyan in disbelief. “How dare you hit me!”
And in Chang Gongzhu’s garden, no less. Wasn’t Shen Xinyan afraid of being exposed as vicious in front of outsiders?
In response, Shen Xinyan delivered another slap. “What your concubine mother failed to teach you, I will teach you properly today.”
Then came another slap: “We both come from Yao Fu, sharing both glory and disgrace.”
Another slap: “Yet you dared to use the Yao family name to dabble in such filthy things. Did you ever consider how you would escape if discovered?”
Yet another slap: “You think you’re harming me with this poison, but in truth, you’re destroying yourself.”
Another slap still: “If my reputation is ruined, do you think you could still marry into any respectable family?”
Still another slap: “Being petty and competitive in daily life is one thing, but being so utterly foolish is another.”
And another slap: “A troublemaker like you would only bring harm to whomever you marry. Better to shave your head and send you to a temple…”
While striking and scolding, the final slap sent Yao Jinning tumbling to the ground: “I strike you out of care, so you remember well—what your concubine mother failed to teach you, others will surely teach you in time.”
Shen Xinyan’s eyes reddened slightly at the corners, clearly enraged.
Although Daliang did not forbid widows from remarrying, adultery was punished severely.
Had it not been for A-Man’s warning, she truly wouldn’t have known what might have happened to her.
A-Man seemed quite satisfied with the current situation: “You’re clever enough to know that once you return to the general’s residence, you won’t have a say, so you might as well vent all your anger now.”
She still seemed resentful, her words halfway turning into cold mockery.
Yao Jinning was dazed by the beating, her cheeks swollen and red, with a trace of blood seeping from the corner of her mouth.
Panicked, she lay on the ground, muttering repeatedly under her breath, “I won’t let you get away with this,” and similar threats.
A-Man sneered: “See, I told you to deal with her once and for all. Now look—she’s already plotting revenge!”
Shen Xinyan helped Yao Jinning up from the ground, gently smoothing her disheveled hair and clothes with a tender expression: “Jinning, your sister-in-law is only educating you for your own good.
You’re so clever—you must know how to behave when we return later, right?”
Yao Jinning’s face flushed crimson, her eyes glaring fiercely at Shen Xinyan as if she wished she could tear a piece of flesh from her.
Shen Xinyan straightened Yao Jinning’s hairpin: “Your sister-in-law’s reputation is already in tatters—it can’t get much worse. But if Jinning accidentally says something your sister-in-law doesn’t want to hear, I might have to report to Chang Gongzhu and investigate the source of that filthy thing…”
Hearing this, Yao Jinning stared at Shen Xinyan in shock: “You wouldn’t dare!”
Speaking tugged at the wounds on her face, causing Yao Jinning to grimace in pain.
Shen Xinyan shook her hand, numb from the slapping: “I dare.”
When it came to revenge, what was there she wouldn’t dare?
Seeing fear flash across Yao Jinning’s face, Shen Xinyan finally took her hand and led her back to the banquet.
Lady Guo, who had already taken a liking to the well-mannered Yao Jinning, noticed her immediately upon their return.
Just as she was about to invite Yao Jinning to sit, she caught sight of her swollen, reddened cheeks: “What happened to your face?”
Why is it so red and a bit swollen? Could those be…slap marks?
With someone showing concern, Yao Jinning felt even more aggrieved, tears nearly welling up.
But then Shen Xinyan’s voice sounded from behind: “The young lady doesn’t know her limits and indulged too much in wine. Please forgive the embarrassment, Lady Guo.”
With that, she pressed on Yao Jinning’s shoulders, forcing her to sit down: “Jinning, your habit of indulging in drink is not good. The ladies present are all proper and well-mannered. If there were any offense, wouldn’t it become a laughingstock?”
After speaking, she gave a helpless smile to the ladies present, then gracefully returned to her seat.
As for what others might say, she did not care, for no one would dare point a finger and question her directly.
Since Yao Jinning thought drugging her was no hindrance, she would make Yao Jinning understand what it meant to share both glory and disgrace.