Her Majesty Chose Violence, They Chose Her

Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Why Keep a Man Like This?

Looking at the unconscious man, Xiao Cheng was a bit shaken. "What do we do with him? He’s not dead, is he?"

Xiao Lv squatted down to check. "He shouldn’t be dead."

Xiao Yang said, "For scum like him, wouldn’t it be better if he were dead?"

Xiao Cheng looked at Xiao Yang, belatedly recalling that this was the Emperor. Even if he killed someone, the law couldn’t touch him.

In the end, however, the three of them didn’t kill the man. They paid a passerby to revive him by pinching the philtrum. Only after watching Cui Jialiang wake up and limp away did they head to the noodle shop.

There were no customers in the noodle shop, and Xiao Jinsu was nowhere to be seen. Xiao Cheng searched the place and finally found her in a small room in the back kitchen, curled up in a ball, hugging her knees and crying.

Xiao Cheng handed her the silver. "Sister, we got your money back. We even gave that bastard a good beating. Please, don’t cry."

Xiao Jinsu didn’t take the money. She just buried her head in her knees and let out a low whimper.

Xiao Yang and Xiao Lv didn’t go in, waiting outside instead. A good while later, Xiao Cheng emerged.

Xiao Yang frowned. "Doesn’t your sister have a handmaiden to attend to her?"

Xiao Cheng’s expression turned grim. "My sister had two dowry maids. One of them even grew up with her. After she married into the Cui Family, Cui Jialiang took them both as his concubines. One of them is even pregnant now."

The news made Xiao Yang’s vision go dark.

’These are imperial relatives, for crying out loud. What kind of life is this?’

"If things are this bad, why not divorce him?"

’What’s the point of staying with a man like that?’

Xiao Cheng lowered his head. "My second and younger brothers are both studying at the Imperial College..."

"Heh..."

Xiao Yang understood.

Xiao Yang had no desire to meddle in others’ family affairs, so he said no more and rose to leave.

Just as he reached the doorway, a carriage came speeding over. The driver pulled the reins, bringing it to a steady halt right at the entrance.

Two young servants hopped down from the carriage shaft. The curtain was lifted, and two burly matrons helped a portly, middle-aged woman descend.

"Xiao Jinsu, get out here!"

The woman gave Xiao Lv and Xiao Yang a cursory glance at the door. Seeing they were strangers, she ignored them and strode arrogantly inside.

She plopped herself down at a table and began slamming her hand on it. SLAM! SLAM!

"Did you have someone beat my son? So what if he took a bit of your stinking money? Are you trying to murder your own husband?"

"Showing your face in public all day long! You can’t even lay an egg, yet you still cause trouble. You’ve completely disgraced my family! How did my son ever marry a venomous shrew like you?"

"You shut your mouth!"

Xiao Cheng stormed out, the boy’s hands clenched into fists, his face flushed red with rage. He glared at her. "What right do you have to insult my sister!"

Mrs. Cui sneered. "And who might this be? Oh, it’s you, you little brat. I suppose you’re the one who brought people to beat your brother-in-law. You’ve got some nerve!"

Xiao Cheng roared, "So what if I did? My sister works her fingers to the bone, and he tries to steal her money for gambling! He’d deserve it if I beat him to death!"

Xiao Yang: "..."

’This idiot actually confessed?! I shouldn’t have bothered with the sack.’

Mrs. Cui slammed the table and shot to her feet. "Believe me, I’ll have Jialiang divorce your sister!"

Xiao Cheng jutted out his chin. "I did it, and I’ll take responsibility. This has nothing to do with my sister."

’Unbelievable. What an idiot!’ thought Xiao Yang.

"Let’s go."

’A person like that can’t be one of my Imperial Guards. His stupidity might be contagious.’

The carriage was just a short distance away. Xiao Yang boarded first, but froze upon looking up. Nevertheless, he sat down inside.

Xiao Lv, a step behind, glanced inside and was about to back away when Xiao Yang grabbed him.

"And where might you be going, brother?"

Faced with Xiao Yang’s threatening smile, Xiao Lv could only brace himself and get in.

The carriage began to move. Xiao Yang sat on one side, Xiao Lv on the other, and in the seat between them was Rong Yin.

The two brothers glanced at each other, pointedly avoiding looking at the man in the middle. They were the spitting image of two delinquents caught skipping class by their teacher.

Rong Yin didn’t speak either, slowly flipping through a memorial in his hands. By the time the carriage reached the palace gates, the two were poised to bolt. That was when Rong Yin’s demonic voice drifted out. "Those books on the table... I’ll trouble you both to copy all of them."

Staring at the thick stack,

Xiao Lv, showing no brotherly solidarity whatsoever, said, "This is Your Majesty’s assignment. Surely I don’t need to do it?"

Rong Yin replied, "This is your punishment for leading His Majesty astray and skipping class."

Xiao Lv sighed. Xiao Yang’s face was a picture of misery.

’This is no life for a human being.’

Rong Yin said, "If you’re afraid of punishment, then attend your classes properly next time."

’Not skipping class? Impossible. I’m an adult now, why should I still have to endure the misery of studying?’

That night, Xiao Yang and Xiao Lv burned the midnight oil. Xiao Yang, however, felt no pressure. She copied for a short while before dozing off and simply going to sleep.

Poor, honest Xiao Lv ended up copying through the entire night, finishing his portion as well as Xiao Yang’s.

When Xiao Yang woke up and saw the finished work, she felt like Xiao Lv was glowing with a holy light.

"Brother, you’re my real brother! My one and only, dearest brother!"

Xiao Lv let out a slow yawn. "Your Majesty, don’t rush to flatter me. Whether the Regent King acknowledges this or not, I can’t say. Besides, you have Grand Tutor Xu’s class today. I must return to catch up on sleep, so I won’t be accompanying you."

Xiao Yang’s face fell instantly.

Xiao Lv, truth be told, didn’t quite get it. "You try everything to get out of the Regent King’s lessons. Why don’t you skip Grand Tutor Xu’s?"

Xiao Yang cupped her face in her hands, looking utterly helpless. "Just say that We respect the elderly. That old man looks like he could keel over at any moment. If I were to anger him to death, my sin would be immense."

"This old subject thanks Your Majesty for your consideration."

Speak of the devil. Grand Tutor Xu had arrived, book in hand.

Xiao Yang pouted. ’This old man is so annoying!’

-----

Xiao Cheng entered the palace while Xiao Yang was having lunch. After a morning of literary torment, Xiao Yang was eating with the enthusiasm of someone who had lost the will to live, wondering when these wretched days would ever end.

When Xiao Cheng came in and saw Xiao Yang, he dropped to his knees with a THUD.

"Your Majesty... I beg you to help my sister."

Xiao Yang asked, "What’s wrong with your sister?"

Xiao Cheng’s face was a mask of despair. "The Cui Family wants to divorce my sister, but my parents won’t agree. Now the Cuis are forcing my mother to pay one thousand taels of silver for Cui Jialiang’s medical treatment. My sister wanted to become a nun, but they wouldn’t allow that either. Last night... my sister tried to kill herself..."

Xiao Yang immediately put down her chopsticks. She was about to ask a question when she realized: if Xiao Cheng was here asking for help, it meant Xiao Jinsu hadn’t died.

"How is she now?"

Xiao Cheng replied, "After she was saved, my parents brought her home. The Cui Family and my parents are now at each other’s throats."

Xiao Yang said, "We cannot help you."

Xiao Cheng’s parents were willing to sacrifice their eldest daughter so their two sons could continue studying at the Imperial College.

And whether Xiao Jinsu resented it or not, she would never defy her parents.

This was their family’s internal affair. An outsider couldn’t help.

Even as the Emperor, she couldn’t point a finger at Junior Minister Cui and order his family to stop bullying their daughter-in-law. Nor could she force Xiao Cheng’s parents to disregard their sons’ futures and show more love for their daughter.

Not unless she bestowed some supreme honor upon Xiao Cheng’s family, forcing the Cui Family to come groveling.

’But why should I?’

’It’s not like I’m running a charity.’

’I can’t even manage my own life. What right do I have to interfere in the fate of others?’

Xiao Cheng stumbled out, completely crestfallen. He didn’t even notice Xiao Lv and Xiao Lan standing at the door as he walked straight past them.

Xiao Lan asked, "Sister Jinshu is a good person. Princely Heir, is there any way to help her?"

Xiao Lv replied, "Her own parents and brothers can’t help her. It’s hardly the place for an outsider to worry."

Xiao Lan frowned. "So there’s really nothing that can be done?"

"Of course there’s a way."

Xiao Lan turned to look at Xiao Lv, who said enigmatically, "As I said, an outsider can’t help her. It all depends on whether she and her family are willing to help her."

Xiao Lan quickly turned and rushed to pull Xiao Cheng back.