Xiao Siniang heard the mocking disdain in her words and, having a guilty conscience, couldn’t help but fly into a rage. Her willow-leaf eyebrows stood on end as she poked Song Chumi’s forehead with her finger: “Who are you cursing?! You’re nothing but fallen nobility whose ancestors fought over inheritance and lost your rank, yet you dare put on airs before me—truly laughable! You say our marquis manor has shrews?! I think it’s your Earl of Changning’s manor that has always had improper family customs, and not one of the daughters raised here is any good!”

These words injured the entire nest—all the Song sisters present turned solemn.

Song Chumi trembled all over with rage, but didn’t know how to retort, so anxious she nearly bit through her lip.

The servants attending Xiao Siniang observed their noses with their eyes and their hearts with their noses, acting as if they had no idea what was happening, showing not the slightest intention of stopping her.

In this strange atmosphere, someone suddenly let out a soft laugh.

Everyone turned to look and saw a rosy blush slowly blooming on Song Chuyi’s frost-like snow-white face, making her appear even more adorably precious than a New Year’s doll in paintings.

Xiao Siniang rebuked somewhat uncomfortably: “What are you laughing at?!”

The butterfly hairpin atop Song Chuyi’s head had wings that trembled, so lifelike it seemed about to spread its wings and fly away, leaving everyone momentarily stunned. A mocking smile unsuited to her age played at the corners of her lips as she raised her eyes with seeming carelessness yet containing thunderous force to ask: “I laugh that Miss Xiao seems to have forgotten one thing—in the seventh year of Chenghua, the late Emperor wanted to select one of the three young masters from Marquis Pingyang’s manor to be his son-in-law, which resulted in the main branch of the Xiao family being completely extinguished.”

Xiao Siniang’s face instantly turned deathly pale, and the servants attending her also lost all color.

To become the imperial son-in-law, the three sons of the Marquis Pingyang’s heir apparent had turned against each other as enemies, exposing each other’s shortcomings and scandals. In the end, they even drew swords against one another, with the second and third young masters conspiring to drown the intoxicated eldest young master. This became a joke throughout the Chenghua reign. Emperor Chenghua issued four successive edicts denouncing Marquis Pingyang’s manor as absurd, even directly condemning the three young masters as beasts!

Later, the Xiao family’s second branch gained the greatest benefit, stepping over the heirless main branch to inherit the title.

Song Chuyi coldly glanced at Xiao Siniang standing frozen in place and sneered: “Miss Xiao’s behavior today truly cannot help but remind people of the Xiao family from back then. Indeed… a profound family tradition, inherited through the generations.”

Song Chumi burst into laughter, looking at Xiao Siniang with utter disdain: “No, it should be said that the student has surpassed the master. I see that Fourth Miss Xiao, in her heroism as a woman not yielding to men, will likely overshadow the reputations of those several Young Master Xiaos!”

Xiao Siniang flew into a furious rage and finally couldn’t help but shriek: “You’re talking nonsense!” Because she shouted too hastily, her voice even cracked slightly.

Song Chuyi glanced coldly at Qing Tao beside her. Qing Tao perceptively stepped forward to shield the young ladies behind her, saying with a false smile: “Our family’s young ladies are small and don’t understand matters. Please be more forgiving, Fourth Miss.”

Glancing at Xiao Siniang who seemed ready to pounce, Song Chuyi swept her peripheral vision over the servants attending her, the corners of her mouth still carrying that mocking smile that made Xiao Siniang angry just looking at it: “I advise Miss Xiao of one thing—don’t come to someone’s door and blame the host. We titled families don’t do such things. Don’t you agree?”

Those maids and old women who had come to their senses finally noticed the cold sweat pouring down their backs. They desperately held back their young lady, feeling that this extremely young Sixth Miss Song was even more frightening than those green-faced, fang-toothed ghosts on the opera stage.

Second Young Madam was so easy to handle, but they hadn’t expected her family’s sisters would each be so difficult to deal with. Especially this very young Sixth Miss Song who spoke with such ease, every word and sentence knowing exactly where to strike at people’s painful spots. What’s more, this matter was their own young lady who started it first. If it were truly investigated later, the Song family could dismiss it all with a simple “how can you come to someone’s door and blame the host,” which would make the Xiao family lose all face. Fourth Miss would definitely have to swallow this loss.

While Xiao Siniang’s arrogance was frustrated here, the Marchioness of Pingyang was also struggling at every step there.

First Madam was easier to deal with, after all she didn’t come from any great noble family. The problem was that Old Madam Song, this guardian deity, was present—whatever she said, the Marchioness could only listen respectfully.

After sitting for quite a while, she finally couldn’t sit still any longer and took the initiative to bring up Song Chuxuan’s matter: “That day I was in the midst of my anger—something had happened in the manor, but Second Daughter still insisted on returning to her maternal home. I grew anxious for a moment…”

Old Madam Song finally deigned to look at her properly, raising her eyes to stare at the Marchioness of Pingyang until she nearly had nowhere to hide her shame, before letting out a snort and asking: “You mean to say we don’t know how to teach our daughter?”

Saying that the Earl of Changning’s manor’s young ladies lacked upbringing and discernment?

The Marchioness of Pingyang hastily shook her head anxiously, repeatedly saying no with agitation.

Old Madam Song lowered her head and laughed once with ambiguous meaning: “Then it must be that you have some dissatisfaction with our family, which you took out on our family’s young madam. Putting it this way, it’s actually our Earl’s manor at fault, causing our young madam to suffer on account of us.”

These words hit right at the heart of the matter. Marquis Pingyang Xiao Ding had originally held the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Five City Military Commission, but was later dismissed for incompetent arrest operations. He wanted to seek help from his in-laws who held real power.

Who knew there would be no movement for a long time, so the usually harsh Marchioness of Pingyang began to torment her daughter-in-law.

Having her true thoughts exposed, the Marchioness of Pingyang was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, both ashamed and embarrassed, her face burning as red as sunset clouds.

First Madam was so angry her heart and liver hurt. She snorted without speaking.

Old Madam Song lowered her voice and sighed: “You are her mother-in-law—disciplining her is only proper, and I have nothing to say. No matter how powerful a maternal family, a daughter is like water thrown out—there’s no reason to interfere with a mother-in-law managing her daughter-in-law.”

The Marchioness of Pingyang’s heart stirred as she nodded continuously with a smile.

Old Madam Song’s words then took a sharp turn: “But when it’s done too excessively, we can’t help but intervene. The daughters of our family—naturally I needn’t mention Consort Song, who is excellent in every way. Though Second Daughter has a softer temperament, in needlework, feminine virtues, speech, and accomplishments, she can hold her own in every aspect. I would accept you teaching her, but by what authority does your family’s daughter, relying on whose face, lay traps for her?! Even daring to beat her until she’s covered in injuries?! What kind of sister-in-law does such things?!”

Consort Song and Song Chuxuan were born of the same mother!

The Marchioness of Pingyang was shocked pale, only now truly understanding why her husband had been so angry upon hearing the news. The Earl of Changning’s manor truly could not be offended! This old enfeoffed lady held high seniority and long experience—even ordinary princesses and imperial relatives had to give her some face. Being old and shrewd herself, with just a few sentences she had cornered someone with no way out!

No wonder Marquis Pingyang had pointed at her and cursed her as an ignorant foolish woman!

She bit her tongue, feeling as if it would break, barely suppressing the terror in her heart as she forced a smile and shook her head: “How would I dare… Old Madam, you flatter me too much…”