The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 2)

Chapter 115 - Discipline

Lady He took Shen Huiyi back and, unable to contain her anger, left her alone in the room. She raised her hand and slapped her across the face, demanding harshly, "Did she eat your flesh or drink your soup? How exactly does she offend you?!"

In the capital, girls were rarely disciplined physically, let alone struck in the face. Shen Huiyi's eyes reddened instantly as she glared at Lady He, her eyes brimming with tears. She shouted, "I am the daughter of a Duke's household, and she's merely a girl from a Marquis's family. Why should I lower myself to her level? Who does she think she is, acting like she's worth something?!"

Unconsoled even after saying this, she sneered at Lady He, "You humiliate yourself like a servant, and now you want me to do the same! So what if the Ninth Princess favors her? I still have the support of the Dowager Consort! Just the other day, when I was in the palace, the Dowager Consort even complimented the forehead ribbon I gave her... If you can't see my worth, then you never should have given birth to me!"

Lady He trembled with anger, never having imagined her daughter would develop such a temperament—thoughtless and completely ignoring her guidance. Stunned and dazed for a moment, she suddenly realized what Shen Huiyi had meant by calling her behavior "servile." To Shen Huiyi, her mother's efforts to arrange her marriage seemed like a blow to her own dignity.

She felt a bitter ache in her heart. Raised the same way, Shen Huixin was talented and dependable, never needing supervision, while Shen Huiyi constantly viewed everyone with hostility, like a combative rooster.

Before she could even consider how to address her daughter's defiant attitude, Shen Xiaohai emerged with a sneer from behind the green silk screen—he had been resting here and had been woken by the commotion.

"Who are you calling servile?" Shen Xiaohai settled into a chair covered in a modest gray fur throw, picked up a cup of cold tea, and took a sip. "Your mother?"

Shen Huiyi fell silent, not daring to speak. She wasn't afraid of Lady He, but her father always filled her with dread.

Ignoring whether she responded or not, Shen Xiaohai glanced at Lady He, who was visibly controlling her emotions, and said in a stern voice, "Confine her to her quarters for a while—no visits, no outings, regardless of who calls. Looking like this, she'd only disgrace the Shen family if she went out."

Shen Huiyi's eyes reddened even more, biting her lip so hard she nearly drew blood. With the national mourning just lifted and all households resuming festivities after two years, this was the time to socialize and enjoy oneself. Shen Xiaohai was clearly forbidding her from going out.

She waited for Lady He to speak up on her behalf, but when nothing came, she burst out tearfully at Shen Xiaohai, "But I'm supposed to serve as the princess's companion..."

Shen Xiaohai scoffed, slamming the teacup down heavily. "So what? Your mother can go to the Dowager Consort's palace and explain that you're unwell; this matter will pass."

This would mean she'd lose any chance of becoming the Ninth Princess's companion. Still young and deeply insecure, Shen Huiyi felt her world crumbling and couldn't hold back her sobs. "All because of that Sixth Miss Song—you'd even sacrifice your own daughter's future over her... I only don't like her, that's all!"

Shen Xiaohai glared at her until she was silent, then shifted his gaze and asked, "Even if you were given this future, could you handle it? The Shen family has other daughters who know how to conduct themselves—any one of them would be better than you, acting like a fighting rooster!"

He was no more patient with his daughter than he was with his son, and he didn't bother explaining further, simply using this reprimand to press her into submission.

Shen Huiyi, shamed by his words, lowered her head, biting her handkerchief to keep from sobbing aloud, then looked at Lady He with tearful, pleading eyes.

Although Lady He had been furious with her earlier, she couldn't help but try to defend her daughter. "It hasn't come to that. Let me talk to her; she'll understand."

Shen Xiaohai, too impatient to listen further, got up and walked out, but not before giving Shen Huiyi a cold glance and leaving her with a final warning: if persuasion didn't work, she'd be confined to the house.

As soon as he left, Shen Huiyi broke into uncontrollable sobs, clutching her clothes and wailing louder with each breath, lamenting that her parents didn't care for her.

Lady He sighed deeply, sitting down beside her with downcast eyes. "Do you know why I keep going to the Song household? Or how many times I faced closed doors before I finally gained entry? Even in front of Old Lady Song, I have to speak humbly, while you dare to throw attitude. Have you thought about what we'd have without the title of the Duke's family? The Song family has a Grand Secretary, and every one of the uncles holds a government position. Even without a title, they stand tall on their own!"

Shen Huiyi pressed her lips together, no longer crying, her red, tear-filled eyes like a rabbit's as she stared at Lady He. But her defiance had softened, realizing her father's strictness. Even Shen Huixin tread carefully around him; if she angered him further, he truly would confine her to the house.

Seeing she was willing to listen, Lady He sighed again. "Why are you so insistent on competing with her? The Song family doesn't rely on their daughters to climb the social ladder. When Noble Consort Song entered the palace, it was because the Emperor himself chose her; they weren't keen to send another daughter to the imperial family. You're the only one dreaming of such things."

After a pause, Lady He added, "She is a Marquis's daughter and the niece of Princess Duanhui. The Cui family dotes on her for her mother's sake. So what if you befriended her? How does it harm your lofty standards? Besides, she's not competing with you for anything; she might even become your sister-in-law one day..."

Shen Huiyi's eyes widened in shock, not expecting this revelation. Hesitantly, she asked, "Sister-in-law? As in my second sister-in-law?"

Lady He tapped her forehead, smiling. "Exactly. Your father is set on the idea, which is why he asked me to encourage you to befriend her. Who would have thought you'd be so hot-tempered, latching onto some idle gossip and holding a grudge against her? Think about it—if she marries your brother, wouldn't that be a wonderful match?"

No wonder they wanted to treat her well, hoping to bring her into the family as a daughter-in-law. Shen Huiyi finally understood her parents' intentions and, with a nod, lowered her head.

Lady He patted her head. "Be sensible, and don't rashly offend people again. Otherwise, your father won't let you off so easily."