The moment Zhou Yunshen was distracted, Jiang Shuyue slipped out of the carriage and dashed toward the main entrance of the minister's residence.
"Eldest Miss, you need to come this way."
An elderly servant emerged from the side gate and greeted Jiang Shuyue with a lukewarm bow.
Jiang Shuyue: Isn't this Granny Wang, the servant who does the rough work for my mother? Today is my first visit home after getting married, and she actually wants me to use the side gate? They're grinding my face into the dirt!
Zhou Yunshen paused as he lifted the carriage curtain.
So this was how the minister's household treated his wife? Very good indeed.
Granny Wang grew impatient. "Eldest Miss, the old madam and the madam are both waiting. Hurry along, please. Don't hold things up."
"And what if I do hold things up?"
Zhou Yunshen stepped down from the carriage, walked over to Jiang Shuyue, and slipped an arm around her waist. Jiang Shuyue took the opportunity to nestle into his embrace.
"Please don't be angry, my lord. It's my fault Mother doesn't like me, and now you have to use the side gate with me. Let me apologize on her behalf."
Jiang Shuyue: You biased old bat, you've kicked an iron plate this time, haven't you? The Great Villain is famous for holding grudges. Get them! Get them good! No need to spare them for my sake!
Zhou Yunshen's icy eyes narrowed slightly, and a deadly chill settled over his aloof face.
"It seems Jiang An has grown so arrogant since becoming a minister that he thinks no one matters anymore. He actually dares make me use the side gate. He's grinding my dignity into the dirt."
Jiang Shuyue blinked. System, listen! The Great Villain is using the exact same words I was thinking!
The system: To be fair, the two of you are pretty compatible.
In rather high spirits, Zhou Yunshen took her hand into his palm and gently rubbed it.
Granny Wang was already scared witless.
Jiang Shuyue's people had said she was coming home, but they had never said the marquis would accompany her!
He had been the emperor's study companion, and the two had been as close as brothers since childhood. He also commanded a million soldiers and was a renowned Killing God.
Had she known he was coming too, she would never have dared send him through the side gate, even with a hundred times the courage!
Granny Wang hurriedly bowed. "This old servant did not know Your Lordship was coming. Please forgive me! I'll open the main gate for you at once."
"You open the side gate when you don't know I'm coming, and the main gate when you do? From the sound of it, you're singling out my wife to bully."
Granny Wang's legs trembled with fright. "No! The main gate is being repaired. That's why I asked the eldest miss to use the side gate."
Jiang Shuyue: Ha. I haven't used the main gate once since coming back. Was it being repaired all those times too? Even if it were made of gold, the repairs should be finished by now!
Zhou Yunshen said, "Guards."
"At your command."
"Since the minister's gate is broken, there's no reason to keep it. Tear it down."
Qi Ye lashed out with a kick. With a thunderous crash and clatter, the gate flew off, bounced a few times, and lay flat on the bluestone paving.
Zhou Yunshen said, "Now you can take your time repairing it."
Granny Wang was dumbstruck. That gate weighed over a hundred catties, and he had sent it flying with a single kick?
Jiang Shuyue: That kick landed straight in my heart! So cool! I wonder who's cooler, him or the Great Villain?
The system: According to the character settings, the Great Villain ranks first in combat strength. If he hadn't been plotted against, he never would have met that end.
Jiang Shuyue: So he just has no cunning!
Behind them, Qi Ye struggled desperately to keep himself under control.
Plenty of people said his master had no humanity, but the madam was the first to say he had no cunning.
Jiang Shuyue: But that's fine. I have cunning to spare. We complement each other perfectly!
"Sister, h-how could you do this?"
Dressed in an aqua-colored gown, Jiang Liuli hurried out from inside with her arm linked through Jiang Mother's.
When she saw Zhou Yunshen holding Jiang Shuyue's hand, a vicious gleam flashed through her eyes, only to be replaced by a gentle expression a moment later.
"Sister, your homecoming should have been a happy occasion. Mother and I prepared all your favorite foods early this morning and waited for you. But how could you encourage His Lordship to tear down the gate? People will laugh at us if word gets out."
Jiang Shuyue forced moisture into her eyes and burrowed into Zhou Yunshen's embrace, her gaze shimmering with tears.
"It's all my fault. When Granny Wang told me to use the side gate, I should have taken His Lordship straight over there. Then none of this would have happened."
"My lord, it's my fault your name has been dragged through the mud. Please punish me."
Jiang Liuli froze.
In the past, Jiang Shuyue would always stamp her feet in agitation. The more she explained, the more muddled things became, until everyone ended up despising her.
Why was she acting so differently today? Had she changed tactics?
Zhou Yunshen gently patted her shoulder. "Even when I enter the Imperial Palace, I use the Heaven and Earth Main Gate. The minister's household showed me disrespect. Tearing down a single gate was already a concession for your sake. What wrong have you committed?"
"As I see it, not only is my wife blameless, but the minister's household ought to thank her."
Zhou Yunshen swept an icy gaze toward Jiang Mother. "Minister's wife, what do you say?"
Jiang Mother trembled with anger.
Ever since her husband had risen to minister, everyone had treated her with courtesy. No one had ever dared speak to her like this.
Unfortunately, this man was the Marquis of Zhennan, and she could not afford to offend him.
Jiang Mother forced a smile and nodded. "Your Lordship is quite right. We failed to give the matter enough thought today. But Yue'er was also far too inconsiderate. Honestly, coming home is one thing, but why did you drag His Lordship along? Don't you know how busy he is with official duties?"
Jiang Shuyue: So I should come back alone and let you bully me?
Besides, other women come home with their husbands. If I came alone, wouldn't that confirm the rumors that I'm out of favor and let you bully me even more viciously?
Jiang Mother froze. Who had just spoken?
She looked around but saw no one speaking. Yet that voice...
Jiang Mother's gaze fixed on Jiang Shuyue.
Jiang Shuyue snorted inwardly. System, she's glaring at me! I really want to glare back, but I have to stay in character. This is so frustrating!
The system: Don't get mad, don't get mad. Let me give you some juicy gossip. Your birth mother, Liu Rulan, actually hooked up with your father while drunk. Your father had no choice but to marry her.
Jiang Shuyue: What? The older generation partied that hard?
Jiang Mother's cheeks flushed crimson in an instant.
Only the elders of the two families had known about that back then. Even her own older sister didn't know. How did this girl and that whatever-system know?
The system: But your mother used to have a young gentleman she liked, and he was interested in her too.
Your father was only a lowly seventh-rank official who had just entered government service. With no money or connections, who knew what year of the monkey it would be before he climbed the ranks?
Jiang Shuyue perked up. I smell some seriously juicy gossip here!
The system chuckled slyly. Exactly! Your father drugged her!
Your maternal grandfather was the vice minister of revenue at the time, and your uncle was a fourth-rank grain transport governor. There was only one unmarried daughter in the family.
Your father got crooked ideas and drugged her during a poetry gathering. Once the raw rice had been cooked and your mother was pregnant with your eldest brother, marrying your father became the natural next step.
Your father really was something. One packet of drugs bought him not only a wife and son, but also a meteoric rise through the ranks. After that, there was no stopping him!
Jiang Shuyue applauded wildly in her mind. That old bastard looks so refined. Who knew he was this ruthless? Damn, that's something!
Before you continue