The Ruthless Female Forensic Doctor's Husband-Destroying Story

Chapter 48

Hearing her say "I know" several times in a row, Madam Xu was a little confused. But from her tone, it seemed to be related to Jiao Niang. Her heart tightened and she hurriedly asked, "What is it? Tell me quickly, sister."

Madam Lu then whispered, "Last month, several people from Tongzhou Prefecture went to inspect the seawall fortifications. My husband went, and I thought I'd also visit Jiao Niang, so I went along. When I met Yang Huan, I learned that Jiao Niang had been urged to return to the capital by your letter about your poor health, and I was quite worried about her. That day, the magistrate of a neighboring county in Qingmen said it was his mother's birthday, and he begged me repeatedly, so I couldn't refuse and went. In the evening, I drank too much, and the journey home was too far, so the magistrate arranged for us to stay at his residence. Who knew..."

Madam Lu paused here, keeping everyone in suspense. Seeing the anxious look on Madam Xu's face, she sighed and continued, "Who knew that early the next morning, I overheard the maids in this mansion secretly laughing, saying that Magistrate Yang was so lustful that he couldn't even stay overnight at another house and ended up sleeping with one of the maids who had followed him there at some point. Someone accidentally stumbled in, and the maid hurriedly got up, but he was still lying there naked, asleep."

Madam Xu was dumbfounded and speechless for a long time. Madam Lu sighed and then said, "You know, it's a small matter for a man to sleep with a maid. He can make a fuss behind closed doors, as long as it's in someone else's house, he should at least give his wife some face. But he's so shameless that he doesn't even give Jiao Niang a shred of face! I just remembered that when Yang Huan and Jiao Niang came to visit us, I overheard the maids gossiping about them. They said that although they slept in the same room, one was on the couch and the other on the bench. It's clear that the couple had long been estranged. They only tolerated it before because of the face of both families. But now that you've told me that Brother-in-law Xu has parted ways with that Grand Commandant Yang and is involved in future troubles, I would say that it's best to tell Jiao Niang to get a divorce as soon as possible."

While Madam Lu was still rambling on, Madam Xu could no longer contain herself. She stood up abruptly and headed towards Xu Shirong's room, with Madam Lu quickly following her.

Madam Xu stormed into Xu Shirong's room. Seeing that Xu Shirong was packing her belongings without the help of her maids, while her sisters-in-law were earnestly advising her, Madam Xu's anger flared up. She grabbed Xu Shirong's hand and rattled off the news she had just received from Madam Lu. The three sisters-in-law exchanged bewildered glances. Zhenniang quickly said, "Silly girl, what are you still packing for? That man has already done something so disrespectful to you, why are you going back?"

Xu Shirong had been imprisoned here for several days, and she was becoming increasingly anxious. She thought that even after returning to the capital, she would still be a daughter-in-law of the Yang family, so she decided to force herself to return first. The Xu family couldn't possibly tie her hands and feet with a rope, so she began packing her things. Hearing Madam Xu's words, she was initially shocked, speechless for a moment. All she could hear was Madam Xu and her three sisters-in-law talking, but the sound was so loud it was almost suffocating. Helped to a chair, she calmed down a little and then saw that Madam Lu had also arrived. She managed to get up, greeted her, and called her "Aunt." Madam Lu immediately took her hand, offering pitiful words of comfort.

After catching her breath, Xu Shirong managed to ask, "Does Aunt know what that girl's name is?"

Madam Lu thought for a moment before saying, "It seems to be some kind of jade... Oh right, it's green jade. When I returned to Qingmen County, your fat maid found out and kept cursing, calling that vixen a slut named Qingyu."

Xu Shirong's ears had been ringing, but upon hearing Qingyu's name, her blood suddenly cooled. She lowered her head, recalling that silhouette she'd seen that night sitting on the lakeside rock by the grape trellis in the courtyard. A pang of self-pity, coupled with a touch of aloofness, washed over her. Could this girl truly have developed feelings for Yang Huan, whom she had initially dismissed? If she had, so be it—after all, it was just a young girl's heart in the throes of first love—why did she choose such a shameful, clandestine way to climb into Yang Huan's bed in someone else's home?

Xu Shirong was a quiet person by nature, and she was just a little taken aback when she first heard the news. Now, after thinking about it carefully, she felt a little suspicious. She raised her head and looked at Madam Lu, saying, "Aunt, what a coincidence that you also went to Qingmen County?"

Madam Lu smiled and said, "It wasn't really my business. It was just a routine matter for the prefectural government to go down and inspect the seawall construction. Everyone said that Lord Xu had put in a lot of effort, and since it was his hometown, he should have gone too. But unfortunately, he had to rush to the capital, so he asked your uncle to go in his place. I went along too, hoping to visit you, but before I even saw you, I encountered this. When I got back to the prefectural government, I was worried about your mother's health and was also upset about this. I was thinking about how to arrange for carriages to go to the capital when I happened to learn that Lord Xu's family was also sending someone to the capital, so we came together."

Upon hearing this, Xu Shirong lowered her head and remained silent. This left Madam Lu secretly astonished. Normally, if a woman learned that her husband had humiliated her like this in public, she would at least cry and whine, if not throw a tantrum. This young woman, after being questioned a few times, sat there without a sound, which was unusual. Madam Xu, standing beside her, was so anxious she almost jumped up and down, scolding, "You wretched girl! I used to think you had a fiery temper and worried you'd upset your husband, but now I wish you were even more fiery! You've become like a clay figure, enduring even this! Are you trying to drive your mother to her death?"

Chapter 60, sixty

Xu Shirong looked up and saw that her sisters-in-law and Madam Lu were also staring at her. She sighed and then slowly said, "I know that Mother and Aunts are all doing this for my own good, and I am very grateful. But I will make a decision after I have met with him and asked him in person. If he is really the kind of person who doesn't care about my reputation after being seduced, I will break off all ties with him without you having to force me."

Hearing her say this, Madam Xu was slightly relieved, but still somewhat displeased, she said, "It's all common knowledge now, everyone knows it, why are you still asking? Your aunt came all the way to the capital, surely she wasn't trying to trick you with something she made up? You child..."

Madam Lu was somewhat embarrassed. Seeing that Xu Shirong had sat there silently after speaking, Madam Lu quickly went over to comfort her and then pulled Madam Xu out of her room. They happened to meet Xu Hanlin returning home from court, looking furious. The three brothers of his beloved concubines, who were following behind him, also looked displeased, though they all seemed to be barely holding back. Madam Lu and Xu Hanlin exchanged brief greetings, and after receiving greetings from their three cousins, they excused themselves and left. Madam Xu then hurriedly inquired about the reason for the incident.

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Xu Hanlin picked up the teacup, gulped it down in one go, then slammed his fist on the table and roared, "I'm furious! I'm absolutely furious!" He then smashed the teacup in his other hand to the ground, sending shards of porcelain flying half a person's height. He then stood up abruptly, hands behind his back, and stormed off to his study, leaving Madam Xu completely bewildered .

Madam Xu glanced at her sons, wanting to ask for details. It was then that the eldest son, the Precious Lady, who held the position of Inspector of the Palace Guard, revealed the whole story. It turned out that during the court assembly that day, Hanlin Xu, acting out of loyalty and integrity, argued that the dynasty had been at peace for over thirty years, yet the border defenses were neglected and the soldiers untrained. He pointed out that hundreds of miles of border fortresses north of Yanzhou had already been plundered and seized by Li Yuanhao, and that further conflict would only bring disaster to the people, offering no benefit to the country or its inhabitants. Therefore, he and a group of pro-peace ministers urged the emperor to rescind his order and send envoys to negotiate with Li Yuanhao. However, Grand Commandant Yang and several pro-war officials, including Fan Zhongyan, launched a joint attack, arguing that even if peace was to be negotiated, the other side should sue first, mocking them as cowards seeking peace. The two sides ended up openly arguing heatedly in the court. If the emperor hadn't stormed out and been persuaded to stop by neutral ministers, the argument might still be ongoing.

Upon hearing this, Madam Xu angrily said, "That Yang Rui disregards the dignity of his in-laws, openly tearing off the mask of civility in court. Why should my family be polite? Even if my daughter is unwilling, it's not up to her. We'll send the divorce papers to his residence right now, severing ties cleanly and decisively, saving us trouble later!" With that, she hurried off to her study.

Meanwhile, Grand Commandant Yang returned home from court. He recalled how he had publicly broken ties with his in-laws the previous day. Though it wasn't his intention, the matter involved the dignity of the great Song Dynasty, and the thought of surrendering without a fight was unbearable. He sat alone in his study, deep in thought, when suddenly Madam Jiang burst in, looking furious. He assumed she was there again to discuss the concubines of his wife, Luo San Niang, and ignored her. But Madam Jiang, upon reaching him, slammed a letter down in front of him and sneered, "I heard crows cawing this morning; sure enough, I've run into bad luck."

Grand Commandant Yang asked, puzzled, "What's wrong this time? Why is your face so dark?"

Jiang snorted, "Isn't it right in front of you? Look for yourself!"

Grand Commandant Yang then revealed the truth, and with just one glance, his expression changed drastically. "My in-laws actually want a divorce?"

Jiang spat and angrily said, "Where did these in-laws come from! They even had that matchmaker from before come to say they wanted a divorce! I'll have her send me a letter of divorce right now. Their Xu family's daughter has been in my family for so many years, occupying the title of the eldest son's wife without any real power, disobeying her parents, jealous and possessive, and still hasn't even conceived! She meets three of the seven grounds for divorce, so if anyone should be making a fuss, it should be my family who divorces her, not her family sending me a letter of divorce! What's most infuriating is that they secretly summoned their own daughter and kept her at home. What kind of behavior is this? She's still a member of my Yang family! Does she even respect my Yang family? I'll send them a letter of divorce right now, and once that plague daughter of theirs is gone, my son's auspicious light will grow three feet tall!"

Grand Commandant Yang frowned and said, "Marriage is a serious matter; how can it be handled so hastily? My in-laws are probably just confused for a moment. I'll write a letter right away." He picked up his brush and ink, but before he could write a single word, Madam Jiang snatched it away and threw it to the ground, scolding, "You're the one who's senile! Do you think I, a woman, don't know anything? It's clearly because you've been pushing us to go to the northwest to fight that the Xu family is making trouble, fearing you'll implicate them later. What's the point of writing a letter?! I can't control what you men do in court, but I'm determined to handle my son's marriage. I've already spoken to the Old Madam, and she said that since the Xu family is hesitant and afraid of being implicated, my family has no reason to delay. She told me to handle it myself! You don't need to worry about it!"

Grand Commandant Yang's brush was already soaked in ink, and when Jiang Shi flung it away, several ink stains appeared on his body and face. He was already quite angry, but when he heard her words, he was momentarily stunned. Then, realizing that his own mother felt the same way, he sighed after a long while, "Never mind, only Huan'er is unaware of this matter..."

Jiang snorted and said, "Didn't he make a scene countless times before, threatening to divorce that woman? You always managed to stop him. Now that he knows, who knows how happy he'll be. I'll send someone to deliver a letter to him right now, so he won't still be in the dark!" With that, she stormed out. Before long, two letters came out: one was to be sent back to the Xu family by the official matchmaker, and the other was to be sent to Qingmen in Tongzhou.

The official matchmaker, who had been arranging marriages for wealthy and powerful families in the capital for over a decade, had never encountered anything like this before. Initially, she was summoned by Madam Xu, who told her that the Xu family wanted a divorce and gave her the birth dates and times from before, instructing her to return them to the Yang family to retrieve her daughter's birth dates and dowry. She was already somewhat apprehensive. Now, seeing Madam Jiang's dark face as she was told to go back and deliver a message saying that the Yang family wanted to divorce their Xu family's daughter and that a divorce was out of the question, her heart sank again. She sighed inwardly at her bad luck, realizing she had run into these two ladies arguing over a way to save face. Although divorce and separation are essentially the same thing, one involves the woman divorcing her husband, and the other the man divorcing his wife—the implications are vastly different. Helpless, she had no choice but to accept the message and return to the Xu residence to report it.

Upon receiving the letter, Madam Xu was indeed displeased. With a stern face, she said, "My daughter is the most virtuous and kind. Not to mention the countless grievances she has suffered in his family over the years, even if she has no children, it is because his own son is useless. What does it have to do with my daughter? Why should his family divorce my daughter? I will only feel at peace if they divorce her!"

Seeing that the two ladies were entangled in a mess, only making her run around and getting nothing in return, the official matchmaker had a sudden inspiration and quickly offered a suggestion: "Madam, don't be upset. The Yang family wants a divorce, and you want a separation. Both your families are prominent families in the capital. Ordinary, respectable families would go to the government to draw up a document in such a situation. If you ask me, rather than getting entangled with the Yang family and being ridiculed behind your back for the Xu family's daughter being divorced, it would be better to take it to the yamen and let the prefect decide. I think your family has more of a reason. And Prefect Xu is a close minister of the Emperor and the Crown Prince's tutor. Wouldn't the prefect give Prefect Xu some leeway? If he rules for a divorce, it will be better for you and your daughter to save face."

The official matchmaker was merely trying to avoid being caught in the middle and suffering mistreatment, so she was just spreading falsehoods. However, Madam Xu, being a woman, was somewhat pleased with the offer. She figured the prefect of Kaifeng would at least give her some face and wouldn't dare refuse to grant the divorce. She was confident the prefect would eventually ruin the Yang family, and if word got out, it would be that she had divorced them, which would save face. So she hurriedly summoned someone and rushed to Kaifeng Prefecture. Seeing that she had persuaded the Xu family, the official matchmaker, fearing that not telling the Yang family would lead to future repercussions, quickly went to find Madam Jiang and told her about Madam Xu's trip to Kaifeng Prefecture to fight for the divorce, without mentioning that she herself had instigated it. Madam Jiang was furious. Without a word, she also rushed there with her people. The two families arrived one after the other, and the yamen runners at the gate dared not stop them; they were all smoothly ushered into the main hall of Kaifeng Prefecture.

The former prefect of Kaifeng, Fan Zhongyan, had just been awarded the title of Academician of the Longtu Pavilion and was preparing to lead troops to Yanzhou. The newly appointed prefect, Li Xianchen, was from Feng County, Xuzhou. He was exceptionally intelligent from a young age and well-versed in various books. He had only been acting as the prefect of Kaifeng for a few days as an Academician of the Duanming Hall. Yet, he encountered such a rare situation: the two wives of two important officials, who were originally related by marriage, each brought seven or eight maids and servants to him, forming two armies of women. Although there was no pushing or cursing, they glared at each other angrily, and the maids and servants behind them were all eager to fight. There was no doubt that the two families were going to sever their ties, but the dispute was only over whether to "divorce" or "separate." He was in a dilemma, as offending either family would be disastrous. He was so anxious that he was sweating and made an excuse to hide in the back room to find his wife, hoping to have her persuade the other woman to back down. His wife was also clever. After hearing her husband's predicament, she came up with a plan and whispered a few words in his ear.

Prefect Li's brows relaxed, and he hurried back to the main hall. He slammed his gavel, picked up his brush, and wrote the two characters "Judgment" in neat handwriting. He then listed the surnames of the children of the Grand Commandant and the Hanlin Academy, and in a flourish of his calligraphy, wrote: "The bond between husband and wife is formed through three lifetimes of predestined affinity, leading to this life. Now that our fate has run its course, I wish my wife to depart, to adorn herself anew, to paint her eyebrows beautifully, and to gracefully choose a worthy husband; I wish my husband to depart, to apply his makeup to his beloved, to regain his charm and prowess, and to cleverly marry a beautiful woman. From this day forward, let us resolve our grievances and let bygones be bygones, that we may part amicably and each find our own happiness." He then made two copies, carefully stamped them with his official seal, and personally and respectfully handed them to Madam Xu, Jiang.

After reading the absurd and nonsensical judgment, the two women inwardly cursed Prefect Li for his opportunistic scheme—pleasing his brother while not offending his sister-in-law. They knew, however, that even if they took it to the Emperor, it would likely end in a muddled resolution. Helpless, they could only put away the judgment. They exchanged a glance, turned their heads, and led their men out again. Reaching the gate, they didn't even look back, and strode away.

Madam Lu was astonished to see that Madam Xu had already obtained the divorce decree from the Prefect of Kaifeng the day before, despite her arrival just yesterday. She was amazed by Madam Xu's swift actions and sighed deeply. Zhenniang had already rushed to Xu Shirong's room to report. Xu Shirong was suffering from being watched by her sisters-in-law during the day and guarded at night by three or four of her mother's servants, making it impossible for her to even take a step further. Upon hearing this news, she was stunned, never expecting such a dramatic change in just one night. She rushed to the main hall and saw her mother sitting there, holding the original dowry list, carefully counting the dowry items recently brought back from the Grand Commandant's house with Madam Lu. Her face turned pale with anger, and she forgot everything else, shouting, "Mother, I told you I would make my own decision! How could you act like this without a word?"

Madam Xu glanced at her and said calmly, "Silly daughter, if I really let you make your own decision, I'm afraid that rascal will easily win you over with just a few words, and you won't be able to tell right from wrong anymore. The Yang family is heartless; they actually want to use the seven grounds for divorce to disown you. How could I let them have their way? It's better to part ways cleanly like this. I've already sent that Yang family's maid, Xiaodie, back to her family. From now on, she has nothing to do with them anymore. Don't even think about going back to their house."

Seeing Xu Shirong's pale face and trembling hands, Madam Lu hurriedly went over and advised, "Jiaoniang, since ancient times, marriages have always been decided by parents. You just need to remember that your mother always means well. How could she just stand by and watch her daughter be pushed into a fire? Now that it's settled, you must be more understanding of your parents' good intentions and not be petty and upset them. With your looks and talent, are you afraid you won't marry into a good family? Your aunt will keep an eye out for you and definitely find you a good match. Then you can have a grand wedding and never have to think about this troublesome matter again."

As soon as she finished speaking, her three sisters-in-law came over to persuade her. Xu Shirong's anger turned into bitterness, and in the end, she was somewhat amused and exasperated. The Xu and Yang families hadn't consulted her and Yang Huan's wishes at all, and had unilaterally decided on this marriage. Now it was truly a case of the die being cast, and there was no going back. Thinking about it more carefully, the Yang family should have already sent a letter to Qingmen County. Yang Huan would receive the news in a few days. Regardless of what had happened between him and Qingyu, he wouldn't just remain silent without a word. There was no use in being anxious now; the Xu family would only become more worried and watch him more closely. It was better to relax for now, act obediently, and wait until they lowered their guard. If there was still no news of Yang Huan then, she could seize the opportunity to go to Qingmen County to find out the truth before making any further plans. Having thought it through, her expression gradually softened. Annoyed by her sisters-in-law's nagging, she waved her hand to stop them, said to Madam Xu, "I understand," apologized to Madam Lu, and then turned and went back to her own courtyard.

The judgment by Prefect Li in this chapter comes from materials unearthed from the Dunhuang caves during the Tang Dynasty. The original text simply stated that the husband was divorcing his wife, but the author slightly modified it and added a clause wishing the husband a certain outcome.

Chapter Sixty-One

Madam Lu's initial purpose in coming here was simply to inquire about Madam Xu's health. Seeing that Madam Xu was well, and considering the recent troubles at the Xu residence, and noticing that Jiao Niang was no longer as affectionate towards her as before, Madam Lu regretted her earlier outburst. Realizing there was no point in staying any longer, she took her leave, but Madam Xu, of course, pleaded with her to stay. It turned out that she had just resolved one matter, but another had already surfaced in her mind. Although she hadn't openly discussed it, she had secretly begun to look for suitable candidates in the capital. Feeling somewhat undecided, she asked Madam Lu to stay a few more days to offer her advice. Seeing that it concerned Jiao Niang's future, Madam Lu readily agreed. Just two days later, she approached Madam Xu with a beaming smile and whispered, "Elder sister, I just heard you mention looking for suitable candidates a few days ago, and look, there's one!"

Madam Xu was delighted to hear this. She had spent the last two days sifting through all the potential marriage partners in the capital, but none had been quite right. Last time, when choosing a son-in-law, she was immediately struck by Yang Huanli's handsome appearance and suitable family background, and married her daughter to him without asking any other questions. However, he turned out to be a mere pretty face with no substance, leading to the current troubled marriage. She had learned her lesson; this time, besides looks and family background, character was also crucial. However, since her daughter was remarrying, her choices were already limited, and with all these requirements, none of them met her standards. She was already somewhat hesitant, but upon hearing this, she suddenly became interested. She quickly pulled Madam Lu to sit down, dismissed the others, and asked, "Which family is it?"

Madam Lu took a sip of tea before smiling and saying, "As you know, elder sister, this person is none other than..." She leaned close to her ear and whispered a name.

Madam Xu was somewhat surprised and speechless for a moment. After a long while, she finally said, "How could it be him..."

Madam Lu chimed in, "You really didn't expect that, did you? Not to mention you, even I was surprised when I first heard him say that."

Madam Xu asked in surprise, "He actually found you on his own?"

Madam Lu smiled and said, "Isn't that right? He came to me respectfully, saying he wanted to come and ask for a marriage proposal, and asked me to sound out your family's opinion. If they were interested, he would choose an auspicious day to visit. I think he really seems very sincere."

After listening, Madam Xu pondered for a moment. Seeing that she didn't speak, Madam Lu smiled and said, "When Lord Xu was in Tongzhou, my wife was also a close friend of his. She often praised him for his decisiveness and courage, saying he was a man capable of great things. That's why she wrote a letter to my brother-in-law to recommend him to the Emperor. As for him, I don't need to tell you. You should know a little about him these days. You know his future prospects better than I do. Not to mention his family's wealth. Last time, when several counties in Qingmen were repairing the seawall, he alone contributed no less than 100,000 coins. When the local officials and people talked about it, who didn't praise him? But all that is fine. The most important thing is that since he lost his wife, he has remained unmarried all these years and had no intention of remarrying. It just so happens that he learned that my dear niece, Jiao Niang, is now of marriageable age. Knowing her virtue and gentleness, he greatly admires her and asked me to pass on a message."

Madam Xu's expression brightened considerably, though she still hesitated slightly, saying, "It's good, but he's too old..."

Madam Lu gently tapped the table and chuckled, "Elder sister, you're mistaken. Although he's older than Jiao Niang, only a man like him knows how to be considerate, unlike those younger men who only care about their own pleasure and don't understand a woman's needs. Besides, he said that as long as your household agrees to this marriage, he will treat Jiao Niang with utmost care. In the future, let alone taking concubines, even the concubines that were already in the household will be dismissed. I guarantee she won't be unhappy."

These words struck a chord with Madam Xu. Her own daughter couldn't tolerate her husband having concubines or maids. Madam Xu had privately advised her before, telling her to be more tolerant, but her daughter wouldn't listen, and she eventually resigned herself to it. Now, when looking for a new husband, she had indeed considered this matter several times. Finding a man who didn't take concubines was now harder than climbing to heaven. Hearing that the man had readily agreed to the matter, she felt a surge of interest. After a moment's hesitation, she said, "It sounds good, but to be honest, I have something on my mind..." Seeing Madam Lu looking at her, she sighed and said, "Since you're like family to me, I've told you everything. My beloved wife has been married into the Yang family for several years, but she hasn't given birth to a son or daughter. I've secretly asked her to see a doctor, but she always refuses. If I say anything more, she complains that I'm being long-winded. If everything is truly alright, then that's fine, but if she doesn't conceive after marriage, it's hard to guarantee that the man won't have second thoughts..."

Madam Lu shook her head and smiled, "Elder sister, you are truly blessed! Lord Xu already has a son born out of wedlock, but no legitimate son. If Jiao Niang marries into the family and gives birth to a child, she will naturally be considered the legitimate heir. Even if it is as you think, Lord Xu already has an heir, so he won't be fixated on this. You can just relax."

Upon hearing these words, Madam Xu pondered to herself, "He entered the capital for promotion at just the right time, and it was through my husband's recommendation. Could it truly be a match made in heaven?" The more she thought about it, the more suitable it seemed. Only then did she truly smile and sigh, "Thanks to your keen observation. He is indeed an extremely suitable person."

Madam Lu smiled and waved her hand, saying, "I'm just a messenger. It was Lord Xu who put in the effort, and I saw that he was honest, so I shamelessly came to speak."

Madam Xu nodded and said, "That's very good. But we should be careful about this matter. Let me discuss it with my husband, and if he agrees, then you can pass the message back to him."

Seeing that Madam Xu had agreed, Madam Lu assumed it was a done deal and readily agreed. The two then exchanged a few more words. When Xu Hanlin returned that evening, she recounted the day's events. After a moment's thought, Xu Hanlin nodded and said, "Since Jiao Niang has remarried, it's certainly good to have someone like her. You handle it as you see fit."

When Madam Xu saw that he had agreed, she was overjoyed and her mind was filled with plans for what to do next. She was determined to make it a grand affair and leave the Yang family utterly humiliated. Suddenly, she remembered that she hadn't yet told Jiao Niang about this good thing. Knowing that Jiao Niang hadn't said much these past few days, she knew that Jiao Niang was still harboring resentment. So she hurriedly went to Jiao Niang's room.

Upon hearing her mother's gleeful words, Xu Shirong suddenly stood up from the edge of the bed and said sternly, "Mother, you should tell Aunt to refuse as soon as possible. I absolutely will not agree to this!"