Chapter 11

Xiao Ce pointed at my father.

“A man who steps over the bodies of his secondary son and concubine to protect his own peace—don't tell me he still has any fatherly affection for a secondary daughter. Even a dog would turn away from that kind of love.”

Father started to protest, but Xiao Ce cut him off.

“Do you really want me to expose the shameful things you've done in front of everyone?”

Father trembled from head to toe and didn't dare say another word.

Then Xiao Ce pointed at Shen Yuetang.

“When you were alone in a boat cabin with your cousin for half a day, just the two of you, why didn't you say you had no shame?”

“When you clung to your childhood sweetheart, why didn't you call yourself despicable?”

“Oh, that's because you were pursuing your own happiness. So how could you possibly be wrong?”

Xiao Ce's voice suddenly turned sharp.

“Why is it wrong when she does it?”

Shen Yuetang staggered and collapsed to the ground.

She grabbed Xie Jing'an's robe in panic.

“Bùi Vân Châu and I are completely innocent. A Jing, you have to believe me.”

Xie Jing'an's lips trembled.

He looked deeply at me.

“Are you satisfied now?”

“After today, both the Xie and Shen families will be disgraced and become a laughingstock.”

“Shen Yuemian, are you satisfied?”

Truthfully, I wasn't quite satisfied.

A ruined reputation meant nothing.

I wanted them to live in misery, to find no peace even in death, and to be tormented for the rest of their lives.

But Xiao Ce gave me a proud, wicked smile and replied:

“Whatever I do, I do to satisfy myself.”

“On Miemian's birthday, I only gave two little gifts. I'm sorry I happened to hit the heir where it hurt. I did it on purpose.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he clapped once.

A eunuch entered through the gate carrying the imperial edict arranging our marriage.

His second gift was to marry me as his principal wife.

I'd only wanted Consort Lin.

But if Xiao Ce came free in a buy-one-get-one deal, he wasn't a bad bonus.

**19**

Shen Yuetang and I were married on the same day.

Not because I was in a hurry.

Consort Lin insisted that my wedding outshine hers, to avenge me.

Compared with my lavish procession of ten miles of red wedding finery as I married into the Prince Ning's residence,

the Xie family's procession to welcome Shen Yuetang was sparse and plain.

The reason was simple.

Before the wedding, we'd set a trap for my stepmother.

We used illicit money that her elder brother had earned during an epidemic relief effort to bring down the Bùi family, implicate my stepmother, drag my father into it, and deal Shen Yuetang a blow while we were at it.

We also helped Xiao Ce win favor with the Emperor.

In my previous life, I'd spent more than ten years painstakingly plotting all those schemes.

In this life, I only had to offer one plan before Consort Lin immediately agreed and urged Xiao Ce to find the evidence.

And when evidence didn't exist, she used a few tricks to make it appear.

The Bùi family was brought down. Hundreds of thousands of taels in embezzled silver were uncovered.

When Xiao Ce was praised by the Emperor for growing into a capable man, Consort Lin lavishly praised me.

“It was all thanks to Shen's guidance.”

“How pitiful. She has no birth mother to arrange her marriage, and even her dowry consists entirely of gifts from me. I feel so sorry for her.”

The Emperor was delighted and gave me gifts enough to fill a room.

He also sent an official from the Board of Rites to handle my wedding personally, keeping my stepmother from interfering.

The official was devoted to protocol.

He arranged everything so that I would be one step above Shen Yuetang.

She dared to be angry, but not to say a word.

Consort Lin was fiercely protective of her own.

She fought for me at every turn.

She attacked the Xie family, openly and behind the scenes, until the marquis's household kept losing ground.

Some clan members were dismissed; others were demoted.

Even Xie Jing'an was summoned to the Imperial Study and harshly reprimanded several times.

The Xie family blamed Shen Yuetang for everything, and their reluctance to welcome her into the household showed plainly on their faces.

At last, they endured until her wedding day.

Her happy day finally arrived.

In front of all the guests, Consort Lin gave Shen Yuetang a disciplinary ruler and a copy of *Lessons for Women* as wedding presents.

The palace woman accompanying the gift told her to behave herself and remember a woman's virtues.

She might as well have pointed at Shen Yuetang and called her ill-mannered in front of everyone.

My mother-in-law was so angry she clutched her chest and immediately returned to her courtyard.

Xie Jing'an was mocked until he lost all face.

On the night of my wedding, Xiao Ce's dark eyes reflected the red candles and the lovely scene before us.

He was so shy that he didn't know what to do with his hands.

I'd lived through two lifetimes. I was already familiar with such things.

I seized the front of his bright red robe and pulled him into my arms.

My red lips pressed close. I fed him a sip of the nuptial wine, and spring filled our bridal bed through the night.

But things went very differently for Shen Yuetang.

Full of grievance, she clung to Xie Jing'an and demanded justice.

He was worn down by his family and the pressure on his reputation. His body and mind were exhausted, and even his former affection was gone.

He shoved away Shen Yuetang's hand and shouted:

“Cry, cry, cry! Is that all you know how to do?”

“If you had even a third of your sister's ability, the Xie family wouldn't be in this state.”

Shen Yuetang had never endured such humiliation. She rushed at him, crying and hitting him.

In the struggle, she knocked over the candle stand, and half the bridal chamber went up in flames on her wedding night.