Chapter 8

When I insisted on making the matter bigger, the Zhao family’s faces grew grim.

I instructed Hongyuan gently, “Ride quickly to my parents’ house. Invite the master and mistress over. Tell them there’s something important to discuss!”

“Yes!” she said.

The Countess and Lady Li were beside themselves. “Why go so far…? There’s no need!”

Sweating with anxiety, Lady Li pleaded, “I apologize, Sister-in-law! Please don’t hold it against me! Please!”

Zhao Yuhua fixed his eyes on me, a threat beneath his words. “Yue Wujiu, you must know when to stop.”

When to stop?

Why had no one told Cong to stop when he was bullying You?

I lifted my chin slightly. “I don’t understand what you mean, husband. An imperial gift is a serious matter! We cannot treat it lightly. As an official at court, you surely understand that better than a mere woman like me!”

Didn’t he enjoy lecturing me about principles?

What principle stood higher than reverence for Heaven, Earth, sovereign, and parents?

“You!” Zhao Yuhua was beside himself with anger.

If today’s events became known outside, the Zhao family would be utterly disgraced!

As he continued arguing with me, an aged voice came from farther inside the hall. “All of you, be quiet!” The old earl slowly emerged.

Seeing that they had disturbed him, everyone hurried to bow.

The Countess looked ashamed. She sighed. “This is all my fault.”

Lady Li dropped to her knees and wept. “Father-in-law, please see justice done! Cong is still little. He truly didn’t mean it! I’ll discipline him strictly from now on and never let him misbehave again!”

The old earl’s gaze moved slowly over every face before settling on mine.

“My eldest son’s wife,” he said gravely, “what do you want? Speak plainly.”

The old earl knew his business. He understood that I would not let this end so easily.

I dipped in a slight curtsy. “After my sister died, my mother worried day and night. She married me into this family so the children would not suffer. Yun and You are descendants of the Zhao family, but the blood of the Yue family runs in them as well! When Sister-in-law lets Cong behave this way, is she not afraid of alienating the Yue family?”

Lady Li no longer dared argue. Head lowered, she hardly dared breathe.

The old earl nodded. “What do you propose?”

So we could discuss terms.

“Cong is precious,” I said coldly. “Naturally, his mother must be the one to discipline him. But those servants… their offenses are unforgivable. Give me their contracts of bondage, Sister-in-law. Let me help teach them the rules and restore order to this household!”

Lady Li looked up sharply, disbelief and hatred filling her eyes.

If she handed her people over to me, she would become the laughingstock of the entire household!

The old earl gave me a long look. “Excessive harshness will do your reputation no good.”

“My reputation?” I answered calmly. “We’re disciplining servants behind closed doors. Who will know? People can only criticize if someone spreads the story. But I married into this family, and I am now its daughter-in-law. Our honor and disgrace are shared. Surely no one will gossip behind my back.”

Seeing that I would not yield, the old earl finally sighed. “My second son’s wife, give your sister-in-law their contracts.”

“Father!” Lady Li cried urgently. “How can you ask that?”

The old earl struck the table hard. “If I tell you to hand them over, hand them over! Otherwise, I’ll have my second son divorce you and send you back to your parents, you worthless, unvirtuous woman!”

The threat of repudiation made Lady Li tremble. She dared say no more.

His face dark as a storm, the old earl enunciated every word. “This matter ends here. No one is to mention it again. You all understand that a family’s disgrace must not be aired outside its walls.”

As he said the last sentence, he looked directly at me.

I pretended not to notice and joined everyone in answering, “Yes.”