Chapter 158

The pain wasn’t much, but the sudden burst of anger was overwhelming.

Wang Muyi felt her blood boil, thinking to herself that she hadn’t even made a move, yet Xu Wanxin, that little wretch, was quick to strike. Without hesitation, she raised her hand to retaliate.

Meanwhile, the woman in yellow, already in a foul mood, saw Xu Wanxin take action and decided not to stay idle. She came from the side, grabbed Wang Muyi’s hair, and yanked it back.

But these women, accustomed to their pretentious ways, lacked any real strength. Fighting was certainly not their forte, and they were no match for Wang Muyi, who swiftly kicked the woman in yellow in the knee.

Like a madwoman, the woman in yellow screamed in pain and lunged forward to scratch.

Before closing the door earlier, Wang Muyi had instructed the maids not to enter unless necessary. Now, facing three crazed women, she was starting to regret that decision. She refused to back down, gripping the woman in yellow’s hair tightly and using her as a shield while dragging her toward the door.

The woman in purple only dared to attack from a distance, throwing cups, bowls, and plates all over the place—most of which ended up hitting the woman in yellow.

Since the situation had already escalated to this point, Xu Wanxin wasn’t about to let it go. She blocked Wang Muyi’s path, raising her hand high, ready to strike.

Just then, Nianxi pushed the door open. The moment she saw the scene inside, her eyes widened in shock.

Xu Wanxin was bullying Cousin Mu!

Without hesitation, she rushed forward and shoved Xu Wanxin from behind. Xu Wanxin stumbled and nearly fell, only to have her hands swiftly bound by Cui Lian.

For Nianxi, it was one thing for Xu Wanxin to bully and disgust her personally. But to dare lay a hand on her cousin in Fusheng Banzhan? That was unforgivable.

A surge of righteous anger overtook her, and without hesitation, she delivered two resounding slaps to Xu Wanxin’s face.

With her hands bound, Xu Wanxin couldn’t even dodge. She took the blows head-on, her cheeks instantly turning red. Overwhelmed with fury, she momentarily forgot to struggle and stammered in disbelief, “How dare you hit me?”

“What wouldn’t I dare?” Nianxi retorted. And with that, she struck again, slapping Xu Wanxin on both sides of her face. In her past life, she had endured countless grievances, shed endless tears, and even lost her child because of this woman.

Xu Wanxin—her name had haunted Nianxi for a long time. Even if those events were in the past, the wounds on her heart were very real.

Before this, Nianxi had never hit anyone. Turns out, hitting someone felt surprisingly satisfying.

At first, Xu Wanxin didn’t react, but now she was struggling fiercely, cursing nonstop, “Wretch, I won’t let you get away with this!”

But Cui Lian was no ordinary maid—back in the village, she could handle even a stubborn old sow, let alone someone as frail as Xu Wanxin.

Watching her mistress strike with such determination, Cui Lian dared not loosen her grip. Her hands clamped tightly onto Xu Wanxin, ensuring she couldn’t break free and harm her mistress.

Wang Muyi had no trouble dealing with the woman in yellow—it was almost effortless. She was clever, targeting areas that wouldn’t be visible, pinching her waist and thighs, striking wherever the skin was tender.

The woman in purple, terrified after Nianxi entered, hid in the corner. She didn’t even attempt to help, pale-faced and frozen, watching helplessly as her companion was beaten.

Wang Muyi vented her anger thoroughly before finally letting go of the woman in yellow. Turning around, she saw Nianxi handling Xu Wanxin.

The ferocity of Nianxi’s actions even earned Wang Muyi’s admiration.

Thankfully, Nianxi wasn’t particularly strong. But Xu Wanxin’s delicate face couldn’t hide the damage—her cheeks were visibly swollen and raised.

Wang Muyi glanced around, cleared her throat, and put on a fierce demeanor. “Don’t let me see you again. If I do, I’ll beat you every time.”

These people were bullies who preyed on the weak. Showing them kindness wouldn’t earn gratitude, so it was better to scare them thoroughly. Sure enough, the women in yellow and purple lowered their heads and slinked out of the room without looking back. Only Xu Wanxin remained, still bound by Cui Lian and unable to move.

Nianxi signaled for Cui Lian to release her. She had no harsh words to say, responding only with silence.

Humiliated beyond measure, Xu Wanxin was consumed by rage and hatred. The moment she was freed, she lunged at Nianxi. But Wang Muyi, quick on her feet, stuck out her leg and tripped her.

Xu Wanxin fell face-first to the ground and went silent.

The sudden turn of events startled everyone.

Wang Muyi’s first thought was, “Did I just trip her to death?”

Nianxi felt the same way. She had acted impulsively, indulging in the moment without considering the consequences. Hurriedly, she turned Xu Wanxin over and saw that she had fainted. She instructed Cui Lian to drag her to the window for some fresh air.

Clearing a space for herself, Nianxi prepared to lie down as well. She turned to Wang Muyi and said, “Cousin, wait until I pass out, then call for help.”

Without waiting for Wang Muyi’s reaction, she began gesturing at her own face. But in the end, she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Instead, she rubbed her face vigorously until it turned red, then eagerly asked Cui Lian, “Do I look like I’ve been hit?”

Cui Lian, who had accompanied Nianxi to the shop today on a temporary errand to fetch some tea snacks for the Liuji Pavilion, looked closely at her mistress’s now rosy face.

Hearing this, Cui Lian carefully examined her mistress’s rosy face.

At this moment, Nianxi had finally released years of pent-up frustration, her spirits soaring. Her almond-shaped eyes sparkled with spring-like warmth, her gaze soft and flowing—there wasn’t a trace of grievance or victimhood on her face.

Even if it meant going against her conscience, Cui Lian couldn’t bring herself to say that such a radiant face looked like it had been struck. So she said, “Miss, I was the one who hit her!”

Her mistress had saved her life—hitting someone was a small price to pay.

“Silly Cui Lian, what difference does it make whether you hit or I hit?”

Nianxi knew there was no escaping the consequences of today’s slap. No matter what, Xu Wanxin was the daughter of a high-ranking official. Having struck her, Nianxi had to bear the responsibility. She couldn’t let her moment of impulsiveness drag down her family.

While Xu Wanxin was still unconscious, it was best to make it appear as though both sides had fought, splitting the blame evenly. Clenching her teeth and steeling herself, Nianxi was about to slap her own face.

At that moment, Wang Muyi finally reacted, exclaiming, “No!” before collapsing weakly against the dining table.

Startled, Nianxi abandoned her plan to feign injury and rushed to her cousin’s side to check on her. She quickly instructed Cui Lian to fetch a doctor.

Two people fainting in the same private room!

Nianxi, not daring to take any chances, also sent someone to summon the Marquis Pingyang’s heir.

Amidst the chaos, it was revealed that Wang Muyi was pregnant.

The Xu family also arrived. Among them was Xu Wanxin’s younger brother, Xu Ziqian.

At this moment, the swelling on Xu Wanxin’s face had subsided considerably, and although it was no longer as frightening as before, the redness was still visible and couldn’t be concealed.

Meanwhile, Wang Muyi now had the metaphorical “Imperial Sword” to protect her. She mimicked Jiang Yuan’s behavior during pregnancy, adopting a deliberate and composed tone while addressing Xu Ziqian: “Your sister nearly caused me to have a miscarriage. This is my first pregnancy—it’s extremely precious!”

“But I am a kind person, and I’d rather not argue with her. She hit me, I hit her, and now we’re even. In the future, don’t let her go around gossiping anymore. Next time, she may not encounter someone as reasonable as me!”

Xu Ziqian, who thought he was simply there to bring his sister home, was completely unprepared for such a situation. At seventeen years old, the young man found himself utterly bewildered and unsure of how to handle the matter. His elder sister had clearly been beaten, yet the other party was a pregnant woman claiming she had been affected by the commotion, and now even the imperial physician had been called.

“Are women always this fierce?” Xu Ziqian thought to himself. He had no choice but to look toward his sister, hoping to get her thoughts first.

However, Xu Wanxin remained fixated on another woman in the private room dressed in a light blue gown, completely ignoring his inquiry.

Ultimately, it was the Marchioness of Pingyang who, upon hearing the news, came in person to escort her pregnant daughter-in-law home. As an elder, she addressed Xu Ziqian and his sister, saying, “The imperial physician has already examined her, and your sister is fine. However, my daughter-in-law is not doing well. You should return home for now. If anything arises, I will personally visit the Minister’s residence to apologize.”

Xu Ziqian, too young to dispute her words, could only comply and take his sister back home, especially since Xu Wanxin remained silent throughout.

And thus, the farcical quarrel was ultimately overshadowed and resolved by the unexpected good news.