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The crowd stared at the broken branch, not daring to make a sound.
After all, He Jingheng was famously known as the young general who was invincible on the battlefield.
Even though his legs were now crippled, his Internal Energy remained intact.
Not just a broken branch—even a single leaf in his hands could become a deadly weapon.
Madam Zhang, upon hearing this, said in disbelief, “Jingheng, are you really going to raise your hand against your own family for that woman?”
He Jingheng cast her a cold glance. “That woman?”
“The second daughter of the Prime Minister’s Residence, born of a concubine.”
“The ‘that woman’ and ‘second daughter of a concubine’ you speak of, Second Aunt, is my lawfully wedded wife, married with the Three Letters and Six Rites. How is it that she is so unworthy in your eyes?”
“Hmph, if it weren’t for her father, how could we have fallen to this state?” Madam Zhang said coldly. “We were the most prestigious family after the imperial household.”
As her words fell, the entire He family sank into contemplation.
Indeed!
The Dingguo Prince Residence was the most powerful family after the imperial household.
Setting aside bloodline and status, the Dingguo Prince Residence alone commanded an army of eighty thousand.
Just this fact alone would surely keep the emperor awake at night!
“Yes, the most prestigious family indeed.”
When merit overshadows the ruler, the emperor will inevitably seek to eliminate it.
Thus, no matter who had married into the family, the Dingguo Prince Residence would have met the same fate.
He Jingheng watched as Shang Ruoyi hurried toward them, the corners of his lips curling into a faint, imperceptible smile.
If it had to be her who married in, it didn’t seem so bad after all.
Shang Ruoyi opened the bundle and handed it to the officers for inspection.
“Nothing suspicious here,” one officer said, tossing the bundle back to her. “Just in time.”
Shang Ruoyi took out a few steamed buns and offered them to the officers.
“You’re quite sharp,” one remarked, their attitude toward her noticeably better than the day before.
Shang Ruoyi smiled faintly.
As the saying goes, “It’s easier to deal with the king of hell than his little devils.”
If she didn’t handle these officers properly, they would surely make trouble for them during the exile journey.
She opened the bundle, and the aroma of the meat buns teased everyone’s senses.
Madam Zhang stared at the buns, swallowing back the mocking words she had been about to say.
If she offended Shang Ruoyi again, today’s buns would likely vanish once more.
Just then, a man from the exile group approached Shang Ruoyi. “Miss, could you spare me a bun? I’m starving.”
Shang Ruoyi, who had been dividing the buns, paused and glanced at him before shaking her head. “We barely have enough to share among ourselves.”
“You have so many buns—what’s the harm in giving us some?” Seeing her refusal, the man raised his voice. “Why should you get to eat while we have to watch?” With that, he made a grab for the buns.
The He family, seeing this, instinctively moved to intervene—but before they could, Shang Ruoyi seized the man’s wrist, yanked him forward, and delivered a sharp kick that sent him flying backward.
The He family members froze where they stood.
Among the women of the He family, only Madam Lin of the third branch knew any martial arts.
Zhao Yiniang, though the daughter of a captain, had been raised in the inner chambers.
To suddenly witness such swift and precise footwork left them momentarily stunned.
He Yunyi’s eyes widened in shock.
She never expected her sister-in-law to be so skilled in martial arts.
Truly, it seemed there was nothing that could stump her.
Madam Lin watched her martial skills with an indescribable emotion. After marrying into the He family, she had transformed from a sword-wielding female general into a secluded woman of the inner chambers, never setting foot on the training grounds again. Suddenly seeing her movements was like catching a glimpse of her younger self.
And those who had been itching to rob the He family quietly abandoned their schemes.
Madam Zhang glanced at the man who had been thrown aside and tightened her grip on the steamed bun in her hand. She had never imagined that Shang Ruoyi actually knew martial arts.
After the way she had spoken to her yesterday, would Shang Ruoyi deliberately seek revenge?
The officials ate their buns, looked at the man lying on the ground, and snorted coldly, paying him no mind. After all, wasn’t it normal for a few people to die during exile? If they had to choose, of course they would side with the one who could bring them benefits.
“Anyone who dares to rob again will end up like him. But next time, they won’t be so lucky,” Shang Ruoyi said as she took a bun and walked over to the child she had treated earlier. She crouched down and asked softly, “Are you hungry?”
The little boy nodded timidly.
Shang Ruoyi handed him the bun. “Eat.”
The woman holding the child looked up at her in pleasant surprise. “Benefactor, is this really for us?”
Shang Ruoyi nodded.
“Thank you, benefactor! Thank you!” The woman accepted the bun with endless gratitude and immediately tried to kneel with her son to kowtow to Shang Ruoyi.
“There’s no need for that,” Shang Ruoyi said quietly.
“We’re just a widow and an orphan. We thought we’d die on this journey of exile.”
Madam Zhang, seeing her give a bun to an unrelated woman, curled her lips and said, “There’s only so little food, and you’re giving it to outsiders. I really don’t know what’s going through your head.”
“These buns were found by me. I’ll give them to whomever I please. If Second Aunt has any objections, your family’s food can be your own responsibility from now on!” Shang Ruoyi sneered. “Eating for free and still daring to criticize.”
“With behavior like this, how dare you call yourself the Prime Minister’s daughter? Truly lacking in upbringing, with no sense of respect for elders or hierarchy,” He Jinghe stepped forward, pointing at her angrily. “Is this how Prime Minister Shang raised you?”
Shang Ruoyi looked at his foolishness and said coldly, “You should be grateful I didn’t learn everything he taught me. Otherwise, do you think you’d still be alive to speak to me like this?”
“You—!” When it came to arguments, how could He Jinghe possibly be Shang Ruoyi’s match?
“As for upbringing, yours doesn’t seem much better,” Shang Ruoyi took a bite of her bun. “They say one should never forget the source of their blessings. These buns were given to you by me, yet not only are you ungrateful, you speak to me like this—that’s the first point. Second, I am still your elder sister-in-law. Is this how you speak to your sister-in-law? With behavior like yours, what right do you have to question others’ upbringing?” She sighed. “If not for Grandmother’s fear that you’d starve, do you think I’d share with you?”
“Hmph, don’t flatter yourself. Do you think our branch of the family can’t survive without you?” He Jinghe scoffed. “We’re not beggars. We won’t accept your charity.”
The corners of Shang Ruoyi’s lips curled slightly. “You said it yourself. There’ll be no buns for you next meal.” She then turned to the Old Princess. “Grandmother, he said it himself.”
The Old Princess’s expression darkened, but she said nothing.
He Jinghe was Madam Zhang’s son. He hadn’t learned anything worthwhile, but had inherited every bit of Madam Zhang’s selfishness and pettiness. Not only was he ignorant and incompetent, but he also spent his days frequenting brothels. Truly a disgrace to the family name, he was the least favored among the three grandsons of the He family.
Just then, the government officers, having finished their breakfast, cracked their whips forcefully. “Up, up, up! Time to move out!”
Shang Ruoyi glanced at the distant mountains, then at the shoes worn by the second branch of the family.
She smiled inwardly.
Retribution always came so swiftly.