Xiang Zhile sat in the carriage, accompanied by Steward Li, Chun Chou, Qiu Si, and a grand procession setting out from the Regent Manor.
As they traveled along the road, they attracted the attention of many commoners.
“Hey, isn’t that the Regent Manor’s carriage?”
“That’s right. The procession following behind—could that be the Regent Princess’s dowry?”
“I think so. When the Regent Prince welcomed the bride a few days ago, those same boxes followed behind the bridal sedan.”
“The Regent Prince is truly generous. For the ‘Returning to the bride’s parental home,’ he even brought the Wangfei’s dowry back with them.”
“Looking at it this way, I actually get the feeling the Regent Prince wants to call off the marriage.”
“Now that you mention it, I think so too. I heard that before her marriage, the Regent Princess was fond of Qing Wang. Do you think maybe…”
Before the speaker could finish, a scream erupted from the crowd.
A man with a lecherous appearance had a mouth full of blood, and on the ground lay a severed tongue still twitching.
The surrounding people quickly backed away, creating a half-circle of space.
Qiu Si snorted coldly, sheathed her short sword as if nothing had happened, and returned to the side of the carriage.
Inside the carriage, Xiang Zhile recalled the events of her previous life’s “Returning to the bride’s parental home.” Her fists clenched slightly, and a pang of pain shot through her heart.
In her previous life, for her homecoming banquet, Xiang Fu had hosted a lavish feast. Not only did no one come out to welcome her, but she also had to humbly beg her elder brother just to have the Central Gate opened wide.
Yan Junnuo had initially wanted to force his way in, but due to her cold demeanor, he softened his stance and endured this humiliation alongside her.
When Su Shi saw her being wronged, instead of comforting her, she naturally demanded that Xiang Zhile agree to a series of unreasonable requests. In the end, she even had the audacity to insist that Xiang Zhile personally cook for the guests.
Enraged, Yan Junnuo wanted to take her away. Not only did she refuse to leave with him, but she also publicly slapped him across the face…
Afterwards, before Yan Junnuo could even get angry, she was the first to fly into a rage, accusing him of disrespecting her maternal family.
These unbearable, chaotic memories from the past…
Xiang Zhile decided that starting tonight, she would kiss the cheek she had struck a few extra times.
The carriage came to a stop before the main gate of Xiang Fu.
With the support of Chun Chou and Qiu Si, Xiang Zhile alighted from the carriage.
Gazing at the redwood plaque above the gate, inscribed with the gilded characters “Xiang Fu,” Xiang Zhile felt an inexplicable urge to laugh, yet her eyes reddened first.
This plaque had buried her entire life.
In her previous life, she had only thought about how to elevate this gate’s prestige and enlarge this plaque.
In this life, however, she only thought about when she could personally tear down this plaque and trample it underfoot.
The main gate of Xiang Fu was tightly shut, just as it had been in her previous life.
Clearly, her father and her elder brother were certain she would beg them to open the door.
Silence reigned before the gate, while clamor and liveliness echoed from behind it.
Steward Li looked at the tightly closed Central Gate, his face instantly darkening.
Contrary to his expectations, Xiang Zhile’s expression was even darker than his.
“Chun Chou, Qiu Si, kick the door open for me.”
Upon receiving the order, the two women’s faces flashed with a moment of astonishment, followed by delight.
They exchanged a glance, gave each other a slight nod, then simultaneously leaped to the front of the Central Gate. Together, they gathered their strength and launched a flying kick at the gate.
Embarrassingly, the Central Gate was left with a hole from their kicks, but it remained unopened.
The two looked at Xiang Zhile with peculiar expressions.
Xiang Zhile lifted the hem of her skirt, stepped forward, and pushed the two behind her.
“Watch closely. For a shoddy gate, you have to kick it like this.”
With that, she launched a flying kick, and at that very moment, the Central Gate swung open.
The doorman who opened the gate was sent flying ten meters away, landing right in front of Xiang Xi. With a muffled groan, he spat out a mouthful of blood and immediately lost consciousness.
Xiang Xi froze for a moment before looking in the direction from which the servant had been flung, his face instantly flushing with rage.
“Xiang Zhile, who gave you permission to kick down the gate and injure people?”
Xiang Zhile nonchalantly smoothed down her skirt and rubbed the leg she had used to kick the servant.
“Father, your daughter is returning to her parental home. Why haven’t you even opened the central gate? What, do you look down on the Regent Prince as your son-in-law?”
The guests erupted in murmurs at her words.
Who would dare look down on the Regent Prince?
Xiang Xi’s face turned pale then red with embarrassment under Xiang Zhile’s accusation.
“What nonsense are you spouting?”
Xiang Zhile wore an expression of pure innocence. “Did I say something wrong?”
As she spoke, she pointed backward at a middle-aged man who had been drinking. The man’s hand trembled, spilling wine all over his clothes.
“Ask any of the uncles present—which father would keep the central gate shut and refuse his daughter entry when she returns home?”
“Lele, you’re being mischievous again.” Xiang Yun stood up with a smile and approached Xiang Zhile, speaking in a half-threatening whisper, “Know when to stop.”
Xiang Zhile looked at this twin brother who shared the same mother but had never protected her, her smile growing even brighter.
“Brother, how does one ‘know when to stop’? Why don’t you teach me?”