Chapter 4

On our wedding night, a drunken Scholar Sun staggered into the bridal chamber and tore away my veil. Wonder flashed through his eyes.

Then he dropped beside me, threw an arm around my shoulders, and leered. “Who would have thought? You’ve grown even prettier than when you were little. Come, let your husband have a kiss.”

I shoved his face away in disgust. “Your breath stinks of wine.”

The push sent him straight to the floor.

Enraged, he sprang up and swung his palm at me. I was faster. My slap snapped his head to the side before he could touch me.

“You vicious woman!” He pointed at me and tried to kick.

Again I moved first. One kick hurled him backward. He struck the floor so hard that he could not rise.

I planted a foot on his chest. His squeals brought the household running.

The guests had gone. Only his mother, their two maids, and Xiaoyu—my dowry maid—remained in the little courtyard.

Apart from my sister, Xiaoyu was the only person from my old home who did not fear me. She even enjoyed watching me punch the ground. I liked her for that. Her elder sister Xiaoxue served my sister.

My mother-in-law charged toward the bridal chamber with the two Sun maids behind her. Her shrill curses arrived before she did. She kicked open the door.

“You filthy, ill-bred wretch! You ruined our family years ago, and now you dare beat my son? I’ll teach you a lesson!”

Xiaoyu, who had followed them in, calmly shut the door and locked it.

At the click of the lock, my mother-in-law’s tirade stopped. The sinister smile on my face made her shrink, but she recovered and ordered the maids to restrain me.

I finally lifted my foot from Scholar Sun’s chest, brushed aside the two trembling girls, and walked up to his mother.

Slap. Slap. Slap. Slap.

The blows left her seeing stars. She collapsed.

I had controlled both force and angle. Otherwise, she would not have had a tooth left.

“Outrageous!” Scholar Sun howled from the floor. “You beat your own mother-in-law? I’ll repudiate you! No—I’ll kill you!”

I sat down and regarded mother and son with amusement. The two maids had curled into a corner, shaking.

“Kill me? Even if you had the ability, would you throw away your career? Have you forgotten who my father is?”

Xiaoyu planted her hands on her hips beside me. “Young Master, climbing this far wasn’t easy, was it? Don’t ruin your future in a moment of temper. I saw everything clearly tonight: you and your mother brought people to beat my mistress. Tomorrow we’ll ask the Vice Minister to judge the matter.”

“Nonsense! She beat us!” Scholar Sun shouted.

His mother suddenly scrambled up and covered his mouth, because I had drawn a dagger. Cold light ran along its edge.

The maids rushed for the door, but Xiaoyu held the key.

Scholar Sun flung his mother’s hand away. “I don’t believe you’d murder your own husband!”

I crossed the room before he could react. The dagger point flashed toward his eye. He crumpled in terror and barely escaped it.

Then liquid spread beneath his robes.

I covered my nose. “You wet yourself. Pathetic.”

At last mother and son knelt meekly. The two maids dropped beside them.

One question still troubled me. “Did you know me before?”

Scholar Sun clenched his teeth. “Grandmother was right. You really are a lunatic.”