Chapter 28: Slapping in Public

The Duke of the State clenched his fists tightly, staring at Shen Ning without blinking, his eyes filled with anger, as if questioning: Did you come back today on purpose to give us a harsh warning?

Shen Ning’s expression was indifferent, like snow, sitting in her chair as if she had nothing to do with the people present, ignoring everything happening before her eyes.

The air in the hall was cold, the atmosphere oppressive and grim.

In the vast hall, there was only the sound of slaps landing on the face, crisp and startling.

Old Lady Shen sat to the side, her cheeks twitching with anger, gripping her cane tightly, not knowing how much effort it took to restrain herself from making a sound.

Before long, Shen Yan couldn’t even cry out anymore, her cheeks swollen, her lips cracked, her face looking a horrific sight.

Ji Yucang seemed to have heard enough and spoke coldly: “Shi Qin.”

Shi Qin stepped back and stood with her head bowed.

“Since Shen Ning has married me, she is now my wife, the Regent’s Princess Consort above ten thousand people. Whoever dares to show her disrespect is disrespecting me.” Ji Yucang stood up, his figure imposing, exuding an overwhelming sense of pressure that could not be ignored. “In the future, when people of the Duke of the State’s residence see the Princess, they must pay their respects with a grand ceremony. Otherwise, it will be considered an offense from a lower rank to a higher one. The Princess need not consult me, she may impose punishments such as slapping the face, prolonged kneeling, or whipping.”

After saying this, he turned his head and asked indifferently: “Shi Qin, Shi Qi, did you hear that clearly?”

Shi Qin and Shi Qi immediately knelt down: “We understand, Your Highness.”

“If the Princess suffers any grievances in the future and you do nothing, I will make your lives miserable.”

“Yes!”

From beginning to end, Shen Ning did not say a word, her face cold as ice, showing no reaction to Ji Yucang’s actions of supporting her. There was no emotional fluctuation in her dark eyes.

Ji Yucang turned and reached out to Shen Ning.

Shen Ning was slightly stunned, staring at the hand he extended towards her—long and fair, with distinct joints, it looked like the hand of someone who lived a privileged life, pleasing to the eye and exceptionally good-looking.

Shen Ning silently placed her hand in his.

It was only when he held her hand that she felt the calluses on his palm, a thin layer, characteristic of those who practiced martial arts, as if harboring an elegant and noble strength.

Elegant and noble strength?

This description seemed somewhat out of place, but it was perfectly suitable for Ji Yucang.

Ji Yucang led Shen Ning out of the hall.

Old Lady Shen remained stiffly seated in her chair, feeling her dignity thoroughly trampled upon.

Shen Shian hurriedly turned his head to look at Shen Yan, whose cheeks were swollen. He reached out to touch her face: “Yan, does it hurt? Someone, call the physician! Quickly, call the physician!”

Shen Yan knelt on the ground in a daze, her eyes swollen and red, her cheeks puffy, with blood seeping from her split lips, as if she had suffered a tremendous shock, and for a long time, she did not respond.

Shen Shian looked at her with concern: “Yan?”

Shen Yan blinked, and tears streamed down her face.

“Don’t cry.” Shen Shian gritted his teeth, his deliberately lowered voice filled with anger, “When there’s a chance in the future, your older brother will definitely seek justice for you—”

“Are you worried that the Shen family isn’t dying fast enough?” The Duke of the State stood up and kicked Shen Shian hard in anger, his tone icy, “If you dare to act impulsively again in the future, I won’t be polite to you!”

Shen Shian was kicked to the ground, his face pale, the pain in his waist so intense it felt like it was about to break. It took him a long time to get up.

Shen Yan was so frightened that she froze, looking at her suddenly enraged father with terror.

“Shen Yan.” Shen Yunlin looked down at her, his eyes cold as a blade, “Did you scheme against Shen Ning?”

“Fat… Father, I didn’t—”

Shen Shian endured the pain and spoke up to defend Shen Yan: “Father, it must be Shen Ning who deliberately slandered and lied to the Regent. Yan is so kind, how could she possibly scheme against her sister?”

However, Mrs. Shen was not so sure. She remembered the words Shen Yan had said, where she had clearly expressed her desire to marry the Regent, and her heart felt a chill.

The Duke of the State stared fiercely at Shen Yan: “Say it again, did you or did you not?!”

Shen Yan was almost in pieces, trembling: “I… I only… I only…”

“So you did.” Shen Yunlin’s anger boiled over. “Starting today, you will stay in the inner quarters and do your embroidery. Don’t take another step outside, or you’ll face the family law!”

With that said, he turned and left coldly.

“Yan, how could you be so foolish?” Mrs. Shen looked at Shen Yan with heartache, “She is now the Regent’s Princess Consort, how dare you scheme against her like this?”

Shen Yan bit her lip hard, her eyes red and purple, the swollen pain on her face feeling like hot oil had been poured over it. The public humiliation and her father’s accusations were like needles piercing her heart, making it hard for her to breathe.

She clenched her fists tightly, her heart filling with intense hatred.

Hatred towards Shen Ning.

She vowed to seek justice for today’s events, to make Shen Ning’s life miserable!

“Stop blaming her.” Old Lady Shen said, standing up with the help of her cane, coldly staring at Shen Yan’s face, “Find some ointment to apply to her, don’t let her face scar, or she might not be able to marry in the future.”

Shen Yan’s vision went black, and she unexpectedly collapsed to the side.

“Yan! Yan!” Mrs. Shen exclaimed anxiously, “Quickly, call the physician! Is the physician here yet?”

The hall suddenly became chaotic.

Shen Shian hurriedly picked up Shen Yan and carried her towards the inner courtyard. The servants prepared ointment, called for the physician, and suddenly lost their usual composure and order.

……

Shen Ning did not expect to see Qin Yanshu on the day of her return to her family.

Outside the Shen family’s gate, Qin Yanshu stood in front of his carriage, staring unblinkingly at Shen Ning as she walked out of the gate, his eyes filled with suppressed regret and pain: “Ning…”

His broken hand was bandaged, his face pale. In just three days, not only did he appear much thinner, but his face also showed visible signs of exhaustion.

“Impudence.” Ling Feng, the Regent’s personal guard, said coldly, “The Regent and the Princess are here. Qin Yanshu, why aren’t you kneeling to pay your respects?”

Qin Yanshu did not look at Ji Yucang, his eyes were fixed on Shen Ning, filled with sorrow: “Ning.”

“Qin Yanshu, how dare you address the Princess by her given name.” Ji Yucang stood beside Shen Ning, his demeanor cold and imposing, his voice icy, “if you wish to die sooner, I am willing to fulfill your wish.”

“Shen Ning was supposed to be my wife.” Qin Yanshu turned to look at Ji Yucang, his eyes filled with hostility, “It was the Regent who used his power for personal gain, taking away someone else’s love.”

Shen Ning said coldly, “Qin Yanshu, do you have any shame?”

“Ning.” Qin Yanshu’s expression changed, and he quickly stepped forward, trying to grab her hand, “I regret it, Ning. The Regent is not your ideal partner, you used to only like me—”

“Shi Qin.”

As soon as the words were spoken, a slender figure flashed before them, and Qin Yanshu was struck by a palm and flew backward, his body directly hitting the Shen family’s gate.

Ji Yucang’s eyes were cold and stern, with a chilling undercurrent swirling in his gaze as he looked down at Qin Yanshu as if he were an ant: “If you dare to show disrespect to my Princess again, I will make you regret being born into this world.”

Qin Yanshu propped himself up, shouting in anger: “Just because the Regent is powerful, does that give you the right to openly take someone else’s wife? Shen Ning was my fiancée, we had an engagement—”

Slap!

Shen Ning walked up to him, bent down, and slapped him across the face.

Qin Yanshu froze: “Ning.”

“The engagement was broken off by the Qin family, it was you who demoted your wife to a concubine. Now you’re trying to twist the facts?” Shen Ning spoke each word slowly, her voice cold and merciless, “Qin Yanshu, if you continue to pester me, I will also make your life miserable.”

With that said, she turned and walked towards the carriage.

Qin Yanshu watched helplessly as Ji Yucang boarded the carriage, entering the compartment one after the other with Shen Ning. His eyes were filled with intense jealousy and hatred: “Ning, I won’t give up!”

The Regent’s carriage slowly drove away, paying no attention to his unwillingness and jealousy. The gentle scholar admired by the noble ladies was nothing more than a clown to Ji Yucang and Shen Ning, not worth their time.

A guard stepped forward to help Qin Yanshu up: “Young Master.”

Qin Yanshu’s expression was dark and gloomy. He stumbled to his feet and turned to get into his carriage: “To the Pingyao Grand Princess’s residence.”

“Yes.”