Volume One, Chapter 10: Striking the Eldest Sister-in-Law

Shen Nanyue was momentarily at a loss for words, a flash of embarrassment and indignant fury crossing her face.

"Jiang Jinshu, have you no shame? Demanding back gifts you’ve already given away? Truly, you are a woman with no breeding, someone who doesn't know her place..."

Jiang Jinshu’s eyes turned cold. She raised her hand and slapped Shen Nanyue across the face.

"Who exactly is the shameless one here? Since I married into the Shen family, I have used my own dowry to subsidize the household and provide you with a life of luxury. Now you bite the hand that feeds you? If it weren't for me, Jiang Jinshu, your Shen family would have likely fallen into ruin long ago."

"You! Jiang Jinshu, how dare you strike your own sister-in-law?" Shen Nanyue touched her face, her complexion turning ashen with rage.

She raised her hand, intending to strike back. But Jiang Jinshu was faster, landing another slap on her other cheek.

"I’ll hit you if I want to. Do I need to pick an auspicious day to do it?"

"So what if you are the elder sister-in-law? Everyone knows that in your Shen family, the sister can bear children with her own brother. Who knows if you, this legitimate daughter of the Shen family, are even a fake, adopted imposter?"

Stunned by the barrage of slaps and vicious words, Shen Nanyue stood frozen, her face burning with pain, her eyes filled with disbelief and fury.

"Jiang Jinshu, you... you poisonous woman!"

Shen Nanyue finally found her voice, her finger trembling as she pointed at Jiang Jinshu.

"How dare you insult me like this! I will make Xing’er divorce you and throw you out of the Shen family!"

Jiang Jinshu offered a contemptuous smile and reached out to pull the hairpin from Shen Nanyue’s hair.

"Since you are already planning to kick me out of the Shen family, you might as well return these things."

As the hairpin was ripped away, Shen Nanyue’s hair tumbled down. Screaming at the humiliation of being disheveled in public, she shrieked, "Ah... Jiang Jinshu, I will kill you!"

The maids and nannies who had accompanied Shen Nanyue were struck dumb. Bin’er was the first to react, rushing forward to shield her mistress. Caiping stepped forward and shoved Bin’er aside.

"The masters are speaking. You, a mere maid, had better not interfere."

"What are you all staring at? Get her! Tie up this poisonous woman!" Shen Nanyue roared at the other maids and nannies.

The servants finally snapped to attention and surged forward to seize Jiang Jinshu. Jiang Jinshu grabbed a teapot and cups from the table and hurled them at the approaching group.

"Insolence!"

"Have you all forgotten who pays your monthly wages?" Caiping shouted sharply. "Come, everyone! Protect the young mistress!"

Soon, the maids and nannies from the courtyard rushed in, and the two sides stood in a standoff. Jiang Jinshu spoke in a low, cold voice.

"Listen well, all of you in Yayun Residence: beat them with everything you have. I will reward ten taels of silver for every one you injure, and twenty for every two."

Greed is a powerful motivator. A common maid’s monthly wage was only one tael, a second-class maid earned two, and a personal maid three. The promise of ten taels made the people of Yayun Residence lose their minds; they charged at Shen Nanyue’s group with reckless abandon, and the courtyard descended into chaos.

Jiang Jinshu grabbed Shen Nanyue. "Caiping, strip her of her outer garments."

Caiping obeyed with ruthless efficiency, and soon Shen Nanyue was left in only her undergarments. Shen Nanyue’s attendants were no match for the staff of Yayun Residence; they were soon beaten until they cried for mercy, fleeing in every direction.

Humiliated and furious, stripped of her clothes, Shen Nanyue burst into tears, screaming hoarsely, "Jiang Jinshu, I will make Xing’er divorce you! You wait! If I let you stay in the Shen family for one more day, my name isn't Shen Nanyue!"

Jiang Jinshu pulled at her collar. "Still so sharp-tongued? If I..."

Shen Nanyue was truly terrified now. Using all her remaining strength, she shoved Jiang Jinshu aside and scrambled toward the exit.

"Jiang Jinshu, you’ve really gone mad! You are a lunatic! Just wait until you are discarded and cast out!"

Seeing that Shen Nanyue had fled, Bin’er and the others hurried after her. It was too terrifying—the young mistress had truly lost her mind.

Jiang Jinshu sat down calmly, watching the bedraggled figures of the mistress and her servants, and smiled. "Caiping, distribute the rewards to everyone."

She looked at the group. "You performed exceptionally well. Keep this spirit up; as long as you remain loyal to me, there will be no shortage of rewards."

Caiping quickly distributed the silver to the maids and nannies. "The young mistress has always been generous to us servants and treats us with great kindness. From now on, we must serve the young mistress with our utmost devotion."

The maids and nannies accepted the silver, nodding repeatedly. "Caiping is right. Don't worry, from now on, the young mistress is the only master in our eyes."

Seeing that everyone had received their payment, Jiang Jinshu said with a smile, "You’ve all sustained some injuries, so go and tend to them. Leave the chores in the courtyard for tomorrow."

The maids and nannies bowed deeply. "Yes, thank you, Young Mistress."

Once the servants had cleared out, Caiping asked, "Mistress, what should we do next? The Madam has always doted on the eldest young lady and the General as if they were her own eyes. We beat the eldest young lady today; I fear the Madam will not let this go."

Jiang Jinshu replied calmly, "What is there to fear? I am only worried she won't come looking for trouble."

"Go and prepare the Shen family’s ledgers and the keys to the communal treasury. We are going to send them to the Shen Madam."