Her Majesty Chose Violence, They Chose Her

Chapter 30: Chapter 30: Charge

Xiao Jinsu went to cook the noodles, while Xiao Cheng kept his head down, too embarrassed to look at Xiao Yang.

Xiao Yang found it strange and tilted her head to ask Xiao Lv, "What’s up with him?"

Xiao Lv hadn’t expected Xiao Yang to suddenly speak to him. He smiled before answering, "It’s probably a young man’s pride. He feels a little embarrassed."

"What’s there to be embarrassed about?"

Xiao Yang didn’t understand. When she was in school, a friend’s uncle ran a restaurant by the school gate. The food was delicious, and it was incredibly popular with everyone.

Soon, Xiao Jinsu brought over a bowl of noodles, placing it in front of Xiao Yang first. "Young Master, please have a taste and see if it’s to your liking."

The noodles Xiao Jinsu made had a broth simmered from pork and chicken bones, served with braised meatballs and pork stomach.

Xiao Yang thought it smelled wonderful. She took a bite, and just as she expected, it didn’t disappoint.

"Mmm! It really is delicious."

Xiao Cheng looked up. Seeing Xiao Yang eating one mouthful after another with relish, he finally relaxed.

Xiao Jinsu cooked a bowl for everyone, and the portions were generous.

"Take your time eating. If it’s not enough, I’ll make more."

After speaking, she turned and brought over a small dish of pickled vegetables. "These are freshly pickled. They’re not too sour, just refreshing and good for cutting the richness."

"Thank you, sister."

Xiao Yang thanked her very politely.

The other three at the table all glanced at her.

Xiao Jinsu couldn’t help but chuckle. "Which family’s young master is this? How can he be so well-behaved?"

Today, Xiao Yang was wearing a set of sapphire-blue, cloud-patterned brocade robes with fitted sleeves. Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail with a jade coronet, which made her fair and handsome face appear even more noble and striking. She looked exactly like a pampered young master from a great, prestigious family.

Looking like a little jade doll, and so full of noble bearing without being arrogant—plus, so polite. He really was just too endearing.

"Ahem!"

Seeing the look of pure adoration in his sister’s eyes, Xiao Cheng quickly interrupted with a cough. "Sis, don’t you need to watch the pot?"

Xiao Jinsu glanced back. There was nothing wrong with the pot, but someone was getting up to pay, so she went over to collect the money.

Xiao Yang was almost finished eating. She put down her chopsticks and shot a glance at Xiao Cheng. "You really don’t have to be like that. I’m not some kind of monster; I’m not going to eat your sister."

Xiao Lv explained, "He’s afraid his sister will be discourteous and displease Your Majesty."

Although Xiao Yang was a Puppet Emperor, she was only considered incompetent in the eyes of the great families. To ordinary families, an Emperor was still an Emperor.

Xiao Yang finally remembered that she was, in fact, the Emperor.

Xiao Lv left some silver on the table, and the three of them got up to leave.

Xiao Jinsu saw it but didn’t refuse the payment, nor did she see them off with excessive enthusiasm. Instead, she watched them leave with a polite smile.

Once they had left the noodle shop, Xiao Cheng began to explain. "My eldest sister is married to Cui Jialiang, the son of Cui Wenchang, the Junior Director of the Imperial College. Before the wedding, this Cui Jialiang was a perfect gentleman, modest and courteous. But after they married, he somehow developed a gambling addiction. He gambled away more than half of the Cui Family’s fortune and even stole my sister’s dowry to gamble with."

"My sister didn’t want to cover his debts, but the people he gambled with were all sons of prominent families. They came to the Cui Family, and the Cui Family had no choice but to empty their coffers to pay his gambling debts. They couldn’t even save my sister’s dowry."

"The Cui Family is just an empty shell now. My mother wants to help my eldest sister, but she’s afraid the silver won’t be used for her and will just end up being taken by Cui Jialiang to gamble away. Besides, our own family doesn’t have much of a fortune left; we can’t afford to keep giving money away."

"My sister still had to make a living. In the end, when she had no other choice, she begged our father to take her to an old imperial chef. She learned this simple noodle recipe from him, rented this small shop that was part of my mother’s dowry, and now sells noodles every day to survive."

"She borrowed the start-up money from my mother, so she gives her daily earnings to our mother. That way, the money isn’t in her hands, and my mother can save a little for her. Whenever she needs it, she can go back home and get it."

As Xiao Cheng spoke, his voice grew strained. "My sister has been intelligent and well-read since she was a child. If she hadn’t been forced into a corner with no other options, she would never have come out to show her face in public and run a business..."

Xiao Yang looked at his bitter expression, her own features turning inexplicably cold. "Do you also think it’s shameful for your sister to show her face in public?"

Xiao Cheng’s expression froze, and he shook his head in a panic. "That’s not it... I don’t..."

Xiao Cheng was flustered, desperate to explain but not knowing where to start.

Seeing him as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, Xiao Lv spoke up. "He’s just afraid that Your Majesty will look down on his sister."

Xiao Cheng instantly grasped at this like a lifeline, nodding repeatedly. "Yes, that is what this subject meant."

He then gave a bitter smile. "My eldest sister has taken care of me since I was a child. She was the one who first taught me to read. How could I look down on her? It’s just that, now that she’s out running a business, people point and whisper about her all day, and I..."

Xiao Yang sneered. "I came here willingly and never felt the slightest bit of disdain. You, on the other hand, are afraid of this person looking down on her, afraid of that person looking down on her. To put it bluntly, it’s because you don’t approve of it in your own heart that you’re so afraid of others looking down on her."

’If he truly respected his own sister, he would be proud of her.’

’It’s not about achieving some great feat. Xiao Jinsu was dragged through the mud, but she didn’t wallow in self-pity. She set aside her noble status, endured the world’s harsh judgment of women, and single-handedly propped up this shop. That courage alone should be enough to make the younger brother she raised proud.’

’He should be proud that his sister is fighting back and do everything in his power to support and protect her.’

’But all he talks about is his fear of others looking down on her. In reality, he’s the one who looks down on her the most.’

Xiao Cheng opened his mouth to explain, only to find that any explanation he could offer would be pale and feeble.

"Stop!"

A sudden shout drew the eyes of everyone on the street.

A man, clutching something, was running away frantically, with a woman chasing desperately after him, brandishing a ladle.

"Stop! Cui Jialiang, you heartless bastard, give me back my money!"

Xiao Jinsu gave chase with a soup ladle, cursing loudly in her anger.

However, she was no match for the man’s speed and soon had to stop, panting heavily.

Seeing this, Xiao Cheng immediately gave chase. Xiao Yang pointed to a burlap sack at a nearby stall.

Xiao Lv immediately pulled out a copper coin, took the sack from the stall owner, and the two of them took off in pursuit.

Both of them were martial artists, so their steps were not slow. Although Xiao Yang’s body was weak, at a moment like this, it was instantly filled with boundless strength.

’My back doesn’t ache, my legs don’t hurt—not a trace of weakness to be found!’

’Charge!’

The two of them quickly caught up to Xiao Cheng. Ahead of him was the now-tiring Cui Jialiang. Just as Xiao Cheng was about to make a move, Xiao Yang grabbed his shoulder, and Xiao Lv brought out the burlap sack.

The three of them exchanged a look and grinned in unison.

They followed quietly behind him. Once Cui Jialiang had walked into a less crowded alley, they rushed forward and deftly threw the sack over his head.

Cui Jialiang immediately began to struggle. "Ah! What are you doing?"

"Let me go!"

The two held the sack tightly to keep Cui Jialiang from getting out. Xiao Yang rolled up her sleeves, looking exceptionally excited. "Let me at him!"

A flurry of THWACKS and SMACKS rained down, beating Cui Jialiang until he was screaming incessantly.

"OW... AHH... Stop, stop it..."

In the end, all three of them joined in the beating. Once the man was beaten to the point where he could no longer resist, Xiao Cheng finally lifted the sack and took back the money pouch that Cui Jialiang had stolen.