“Bang!”
“Crash!”
In the Su Family's grand hall, everything that could be seen with the naked eye—decorations, furniture, tables, chairs, vases…
All were overturned and smashed to pieces.
“Ah! Stop! Stop! Under the emperor's nose, Your Highness the Imperial Noble Consort, how can you be so ruthless and unreasonable? Doesn’t the emperor care? Aren’t you afraid of the people of the capital spitting on you?”
Xi Que and the guards didn’t care about the emperor’s authority. They were sent by the emperor, and they were the law!
“You’re really funny.”
Jiang Xinyue almost laughed out loud: "You're bullying my family, and I'm not the type to play dirty tricks. Let's just respond head-on. I'm very reasonable. I don't provoke others unless provoked. If someone offends me, I will go crazy. I'm targeting you, you trash, so why are you dragging all the people of the capital into this? Do you think all the people of the capital are so boring and malicious, fabricating false accusations just to destroy a young lady?"
The crowd at the door felt honored to be mentioned by the Imperial Noble Consort. Everyone has a desire to admire the strong, especially when this strong person seems to be praising them.
The Imperial Noble Consort is indeed reasonable. We don't have the time to destroy a young lady for no reason. If it weren't for the Su Family misleading us, how could we have misunderstood Lady Jiang?
“Exactly, exactly. We’re not bad people. If the Su Family hadn’t deliberately ruined Lady Jiang’s reputation, we wouldn’t have thought about seeking justice for Second Young Master Su.”
“The Imperial Noble Consort is right. The Su Family is too evil, using us as stepping stones.”
"Smash! We'll help the Imperial Noble Consort smash them! Such heartless and reputation-ruining people deserve to be smashed."
The remaining guards and the palace attendants from Hexi Palace protected Jiang Xinyue and moved to the side, clearing the way for the crowd.
Yuan Lei wielded two large iron hammers, leaving nothing intact in his path. When he saw the crowd rushing over, he quickly put away his hammers, fearing he might hurt someone.
He looked at Jiang Xinyue with a surprised gaze and muttered to himself: "The Imperial Noble Consort is truly a divine being. How did the reactions of these people match exactly what she said?"
Before coming, the Empress had said that most of the people who gossip are foolish. Those who truly understand won't talk behind others' backs or get involved in such messy affairs.
Only those who are nosy, love gossiping, and wish for daily scandals in other people's lives would be curious about who they were coming to cause trouble for.
As long as they targeted the Su Family and kept the common people untainted, those who love gossip would, to prove their innocence, stand on the side of the Empress.
They could smash and destroy as they pleased, and later, they could just push the blame onto these gossiping people.
If the Su Family reported to the authorities, they could simply shift the blame to these people, letting the officials arrest them and teach them a lesson.
Not everyone has the right to gossip.
Second Young Master Su lay on the bed, as if hearing some strange noises.
He slowly got up, supporting his waist, and opened the door. The screams and the clattering sounds grew louder.
Where were all the servants in the courtyard?
Curious, he slowly made his way to the front hall. The closer he got, the louder the noise became, and Second Young Master Su couldn’t help but pick up his pace.
“Second Brother… Second Brother! Save me, Second Brother!”
“Smack!”
Xi Que slapped her across the face: "Still calling for your Second Brother! Even if your uncle comes today, I'll still beat you without hesitation."
Daring to cause trouble for her ladyship? Daring to ruin the Jiang Family's reputation? Daring to let a mere guard violate her noble cousin?
Wanting to prevent her ladyship from becoming the empress? Wanting to hinder the future of the Sixth Prince?
“I’ll beat you to death, you shameless wretch. So eager to have men around you? Why don’t you go to a brothel and become a prostitute? You’re so possessive of your brother, aren’t you disgusting?”
Xi Que’s punches and kicks were no joke. After a few blows, Su Ruyue was already bruised and swollen.
She was dizzy and disoriented, trying to fight back, but before she could even see where the blows were coming from, she was hit again, leaving her with no chance to retaliate.
“Second Brother!”
She could only stretch out her hand toward Second Young Master Su, who stood frozen in place: “Second Brother, save me!”
But Second Young Master Su just looked at her, his gaze filled with entanglement, hatred, and pain… but no pity for her.
Su Ruyue’s heart pounded like a drum. What did Second Brother mean by this? Why didn’t he save her? Did he know? Did he know everything?
“Stop!”
After a short while, everything in the grand hall that could be smashed was destroyed, and there was nothing left to break. Jiang Xinyue finally called for everyone to stop.
Everyone paused and turned to look at her. She pointed at a sickly young man: "Since Lady Su has been spreading rumors that my cousin ran away with your son, let's have your son, the one involved, speak for himself. Otherwise, with just a flick of your upper and lower lips, my cousin will have to commit suicide to preserve her innocence again."
Did Jiang Yunxia commit suicide?
Was she driven to it by the rumors?
This statement seemed to remind him not to speak carelessly, not to let the girl he loved lose her life unjustly.
The Su Family’s grand hall and front courtyard fell silent at Jiang Xinyue’s words, so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.
Lady Su desperately signaled to her son, wanting him to slander Jiang Yunxia.
The situation had completely exceeded her expectations. If they couldn’t bring down Jiang Yunxia this time, it would be a wasted effort, losing both the battle and the war.
It was she who had confidently promised to handle the Jiang Family and make Jiang Yunxia a concubine for her son.
Now, if this failed, when her husband returned, he would surely beat her to death.
Under Jiang Xinyue’s penetrating gaze, Second Young Master Su felt guilty and lowered his head.
If he told the truth, not only would Jiang Yunxia’s reputation be ruined, but he wouldn’t fare much better.
Breaking into a young lady’s room in the middle of the night, and after being explicitly rejected, knocking her out and abducting her—this was a crime that could land him in prison.
The Jiang Family, not wanting to end up in a lose-lose situation, had also spared him some dignity.
When Second Young Master Su raised his head again, his eyes were firm: "Lady Jiang and I were betrothed under the arrangement of our parents and the matchmaker. Lady Jiang is virtuous, beautiful, and kind-hearted, the most wonderful woman in the world. How could a lady of her upbringing possibly elope with me? I, too, am a person who knows propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame, and would never do such a disgraceful thing. The dissolution of our engagement was entirely my fault, and has nothing to do with her."
At these words, Lady Su’s legs gave way, and she fell to the ground. She never expected that her biggest downfall would come from her most beloved son.
This damned fool not only cleared Jiang Yunxia’s name but also praised her as if she were heaven-sent, taking all the blame onto himself.
Was he trying to have suitors break down the doors of the Jiang Family?
Didn’t he know the consequences of saying this?
Was he mad?
