A Fine Show

"Duchess, I brought you that ointment out of kindness. It's one thing to turn your nose up at it, but why did you have to smash it?"

Jiang Yourning gazed at the duchess with tear-filled, reddened eyes, yet her hand slipped the drug into the duchess's tea.

"So I smashed it. What of it? Do you want me to pay you back?"

The sight of Jiang Yourning looking so pitiful gave the duchess a moment of satisfaction, and she took two sips of tea.

"Sun Changyan, don't go too far!"

Lin Xiangyin could not help rising to her feet and slamming the table.

A few minutes later.

Duke Zhen arrived as well.

He saw Jiang Yourning wiping away tears and sniffling in the reception hall.

With the two ladies at each other's throats, he could not help frowning. "What is going on here?"

Seeing her husband, the duchess immediately approached him with a delicate, demure air and spoke with reddened eyes:

"Husband, they insulted me first. You promised you wouldn't let me hear any more malicious gossip."

As the duchess spoke through brimming tears, Duke Zhen could not help furrowing his brow.

Had his wife eaten shit? Why was such a powerful stench coming from her mouth?

"Duke Zhen, my daughter merely heard that your daughter was having trouble with her face and specially brought her a bottle of medicine.

"Yet your wife threw her weight around and knocked it straight onto the floor because it wasn't good enough for her. Isn't that showing far too little respect for the Jiang Residence?"

Lin Xiangyin seethed with anger.

"My wife was at fault in this matter. As an apology, consider me indebted to you for a favor. If your household needs anything in the future, I will do everything in my power to help. What do you think, Madam Jiang?"

The Duke's Estate could not afford to be thrust into the teeth of another storm right now.

Duke Zhen chose to smooth things over.

Before Lin Xiangyin could speak, Jiang Yourning began crying beside her.

Here it comes, here it comes! Those were exactly the words I was waiting for.

"Your Grace, last time, your wife falsely accused me of poisoning Sister Zhen from your household and ruined my good name. Now she's humiliated me again. Surely asking her for an apology isn't too much?"

Duke Zhen shot the duchess another glare. She had never mentioned that little episode.

He stared at her fiercely and barked, "Apologize!"

"I won't! She's just a little chit. If word gets out that I apologized to her, how could I ever show my face?"

The duchess refused to accept it.

Making her apologize to someone of a younger generation was absolutely out of the question!

Another wave of stench poured out, and Duke Zhen nearly gagged.

Smack.

A slap landed across the duchess's face.

"You disgraceful, stupid woman! You've stripped the Duke's Estate of every shred of dignity, and you still have the nerve to talk about saving face?"

The stench left Duke Zhen dizzy and bleary-eyed. He wanted to settle this quickly and get on with important business, but this foolish woman simply would not see sense, so he naturally lost all restraint in striking her.

"Servants, take the duchess away! Confine her to her quarters for a month. No one is permitted to visit!"

"Husband, you actually hit me over such a trifling matter, and now you're confining me too?"

The slap had left the duchess stunned.

Even when they had physically fought before, Duke Zhen had never slapped her.

"Take her away! And have her rinse her mouth thoroughly while you're at it. Clear out that foul breath!"

Duke Zhen did not want to endure that stench for another moment.

He cupped his hands toward Lin Xiangyin and her two companions.

"I've spoiled this woman until she recognizes neither law nor heaven. I'm sorry you three had to witness such a disgrace.

"How about this? Allow me to apologize to Sixth Miss Jiang on my wife's behalf."

"There's really no need. Duke Zhen, you said you owed us a favor. Will you keep your word?"

Jiang Yourning looked obediently at Duke Zhen.

Duke Zhen was a shrewd man himself.

"Of course I will. Does Sixth Miss wish to call in that favor now?"

Damn it, after taking such a huge detour, this is finally almost over.

"I want Chef Zhang's indenture contract from the Drunken Spring House!"

Jiang Yourning gave him a sweet, well-behaved smile.