Not only did the Grand Dowager’s face change slightly, even the guests in the room were all looking suspicious.

In front of the guests, the Grand Dowager held back and said nothing.

That evening, after sending the guests off, the Grand Dowager punished the couple by making them kneel in the ancestral hall and reflect. Xiao Yanting grabbed Fifth Madam by the collar, face full of rage, and said, "Speak. What exactly did you go to the Shen Family for?" He was already this old, yet his mother still made him kneel in the ancestral hall—entirely thanks to this woman.

"I truly didn’t do anything, I only went over to pay a visit." Fifth Madam shrank back, then forced herself to answer.

Xiao Yanting shouted angrily, "Do you take me for a child? What sort of person is Old Madam Shen? Would she have dealings with you for no reason? Who do you think you are?" Then he paused and went on, "You useless, ruinous woman, one of these days you’ll be sold by her and not even know it."

Fifth Madam herself was full of regret. She had in fact hesitated. After all, if this matter got out and ruined Xiao Yanyi’s reputation, it would do her no good either. So she had wavered for two or three days, but never thought that in the end, not only did she fail to accomplish anything, she even stirred up a whole mess, making the Grand Dowager dislike her even more. This time, Xiao Yanyi was probably fed up with her as well.

How could she be this unlucky? The money she lent out hadn’t been collected back, she was hounded by creditors every day, and now, for no reason, she had stirred up this trouble. At this point, even if she jumped into the Yellow River she wouldn’t be able to wash herself clean.

The more Xiao Yanting spoke, the angrier he became. Ever since marrying her, he hadn’t had one peaceful day. "Speak—what did you go to the Shen Mansion for, exactly?"

"I’ll talk, I’ll talk." Fifth Madam lowered her head and explained her purpose in going to the Shen Mansion, then added, "I didn’t agree to her, I only said I’d think about it for a few days. Truly, husband, you must believe me!"

Xiao Yanting’s eyes flushed red with anger. He stood up and slapped Fifth Madam to the ground with one blow, roaring, "You brainless woman, you can even believe her words? You even said you’d think it over for a few days. Have you thought about this: if Second Brother’s reputation is ruined and the Xuanning Marquis Mansion is finished, you and I are nothing at all. You stupid woman!" With that, he lifted his foot and kicked her again.

Fifth Madam had fallen to the ground, and then was kicked once by Xiao Yanting. Her whole body ached so badly it was unbearable. She sobbed, "Of course I understand the reasoning behind it. Didn’t I say I didn’t agree?"

Xiao Yanting wasn’t listening to her at all. Thinking of the look in the Grand Dowager’s eyes when she looked at him, he grew even more furious. He yanked Fifth Madam up by the hair and dragged her outside. "You’re coming with me to beg Mother for forgiveness, and to beg Second Brother and Fourth Brother for forgiveness."

"No." Fifth Madam cried out, "I didn’t do anything, why should I beg for forgiveness?" As soon as she spoke, she shoved Xiao Yanting away and ran toward the outside of the ancestral hall. Xiao Yanting chased after her and, without thinking, kicked her in the back. Fifth Madam lost her footing and crashed headfirst into the door bolt. Blood immediately streamed down from her forehead.

The two of them had been quarreling and scuffling for so many years, yet she had never once suffered such a loss. Every time, she’d always had the upper hand. Covering her forehead, she stared at Xiao Yanting in disbelief.

Xiao Yanting was stunned as well. He had just been seized by a moment of hot-headed fury and hadn’t thought it would be such a heavy collision. But then he thought of what she had done and felt he wasn’t in the wrong, so he stiffened his back and put on an angry front. "What are you glaring at me for? Even if you die, you’ll have brought it on yourself." But his voice weakened as he spoke.

People outside, hearing the commotion within, hurried off to report to the Grand Dowager.

Fifth Madam slowly pushed herself upright and pointed at Xiao Yanting, shaking with rage...

When the Grand Dowager heard the maid’s report, she was furious as well. "Let them be, those two useless things!" Xiqiu was helping to set out bowls and chopsticks. She and the First Madam both stopped what they were doing and came over to soothe the Grand Dowager. "Mother, both of them have hot tempers. Once they start fighting, they lose all sense of propriety. Why not have them brought back? After this incident, Fifth Sister-in-law will surely know she was wrong. Let it go."

The Grand Dowager’s gaze flickered, and the First Madam turned to instruct a maid, "Go invite Fifth Young Master and Fifth Madam back."

The maid answered and left. Xiqiu supported the Grand Dowager to her feet. "There’s still a funeral going on at home. If we really let them run wild, who knows what might happen. No matter what younger sister-in-law went to the Shen Mansion for, nothing has actually happened yet. Don’t pursue it anymore, calm your anger."

The Grand Dowager sighed and said, "I don’t know what sin I’ve committed. I picked and chose a thousand times, only to select such a brainless one to bring back."

Xiqiu sighed as well, but she could understand what was in Fifth Madam’s mind. Old Madam Shen had tempted her with the Teng Family’s interests. Since the Teng Family fell, Fifth Madam had tasted all the coldness and warmth of the world, so it was understandable that she wanted to restore Teng’s position. It was just that she had thought things far too simple.

The First Madam quietly echoed Xiqiu’s words from the side.

The Grand Dowager finally calmed somewhat. Just then, noise suddenly rose up outside. Xiqiu started and, together with the First Madam, lifted the curtain and went out. She froze at once, seeing Xiao Yanting being helped in, blood on his forehead, while Fifth Madam was being carried in unconscious by four old servant women. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

"What is going on?" Xiqiu hurriedly held the curtain up for them. "Take them into the Warm Pavilion." Then she turned to instruct Ziwei, "Hurry and have Housekeeper Hu invite the Imperial Physician."

In the midst of the chaos, Xiao Yanting and Fifth Madam were brought into the Warm Pavilion. Fifth Madam was laid on the kang. Xiqiu checked Fifth Madam’s injuries—there were several bruises on her body, a gash on her forehead, and when Xiqiu lifted her eyelids to look at her pupils, she secretly furrowed her brows. She hadn’t expected Fifth Madam to be this badly hurt.

On the other side, the Grand Dowager’s face was dark as she asked Fifth Young Master, "Fifth, what happened this time?"

Xiao Yanting kept his head down and said nothing.

One of the old servant women at the side answered, "Grand Dowager... all the memorial tablets in the ancestral hall were knocked over. When this slave went in, both she and Fifth Young Master were pressed under them."

"You—!" The Grand Dowager pointed at Xiao Yanting, too angry for words. Her vision went black and she fainted. Xiqiu hurriedly caught her, and Bilian brought tea and medicine to feed the Grand Dowager. When the Grand Dowager slowly came to, she leaned against the head of the kang, her face full of disappointment, and said nothing more.

Xiao Yanting knelt in front of the Grand Dowager. "Mother, your son knows he was wrong."

Just then, Xiao Yanyi and Fourth Master Xiao entered with the Imperial Physician. The two of them had already heard the general outline of the matter outside, and now, seeing the scene in the room, everything was clear. Xiao Yanyi instructed the Imperial Physician, "See to the patients first."

The Imperial Physician first examined Fifth Madam, whose injuries were more serious. He lifted her eyelids, took her pulse, and then frowned, saying to Xiao Yanyi, "It appears her spleen has been injured. Her condition is quite serious." After speaking, he wiped his hands and said, "I will first try acupuncture..."

Fifth Young Master was stunned, looking up in alarm, his face tense. "W-what do you mean?"

The Imperial Physician shook his head. "The wound on her head is not too serious, but there are several places on her body that are badly hurt, and one of her ribs is broken as well..."

Xiqiu sighed inwardly, hoping that it was only a broken rib and that her internal organs had not truly been damaged.

A quarrel between husband and wife—how had it escalated to this? She looked at Xiao Yanting with disappointment, unable to find any words.

Xiqiu was busy the whole night, attending to the Grand Dowager, decocting medicine for Fifth Madam, and helping Xiao Yanting change his dressings. At dawn, guests arrived at the Marquis Mansion again to offer condolences. For several days in a row she stayed in the Marquis Mansion without returning home, having no time to look after Zhi and Min. Only after the seven days of lying in state were over and the Second Madam’s coffin was moved to Fahua Temple did she finally get a breather. The coffin would remain in the temple for forty-nine days, after which it would be taken directly from the temple to be buried in Mrs. Xiao’s family cemetery.