Chapter 39 Applying Family Laws, Counterattacking Marquis Changning

Chen Chu tapped her head. "Nothing's wrong. Instead of wasting time thinking nonsense, why don't you help me figure out how to get your purse back?"

Today's events confirmed to her that the purse was no longer on Pei Yuan's person, and she had no idea where he had put it.

Hongxiu rubbed her head and muttered softly, "The Sixth Prince has found the purse so many days ago but hasn't discovered the secret in the hidden compartment. Could it be that he didn't even notice it and just threw the purse away?"

Suddenly, Shen Chu felt that food no longer tasted good.

“When I came to the manor for the banquet that day, I saw the purse on Pei Yuan’s person. He wouldn’t have just thrown it away.”

The purse had a very secret compartment, inside which lay the secret of her identity.

If Pei Yuan or any other person with ulterior motives were to discover her, she would surely die, which is why she was in such a hurry to get her purse back.

Hongxiu picked up a piece of food for her and said, "Let's eat first. If it's really too much, we can sneak into the Sixth Prince's residence at night."

Shen Chu hummed in agreement and had just taken a bite when a voice came from outside: "Young Master, the Marquis wants you to go to the main courtyard."

Hongxiu whispered, "It must be because of the Sixth Prince. After the Empress's people left, Shen Qingshuang cried all afternoon."

"If I call you over now, I'm definitely going to teach you a lesson."

Shen Chu had already guessed that she was willing, so she whispered a few words to Hongxiu, and after eating her fill, she went to the main courtyard.

As soon as she entered, a teacup flew straight toward her forehead.

As Chen Chu turned to the left, the teacup fell to her feet and shattered in two.

She looked in the direction from which the teacup had been thrown.

Shen Qingshuang was glaring at him with eyes blazing with anger.

"You ruined the Sixth Prince and prevented me from becoming his consort. It's all your fault."

Shen Chu feigned surprise, "I didn't expect my sister to be so infatuated with the Sixth Prince. Even though the Sixth Prince is already like this, my sister is still willing to marry him and live a life of widowhood."

"In that case, I will go to the palace immediately to request His Majesty to allow my sister to marry into the family and take care of the Sixth Prince."

"I...you!" Shen Qingshuang was choked and speechless.

Madam Chen's face darkened, and she said in a shrill voice, "Why should Qing Shuang be held responsible for the trouble that happened under your window?"

"But my sister is deeply in love with the Sixth Prince, how can I betray her?"

"Enough!" The Marquis of Changning, who had been silent all along, slammed his hand on the table and glared at Chen Chu with displeasure.

After his embarrassing moment at the banquet the day before yesterday, the old lady, Madam Chen, and He Yufang at home started making a scene, which made him so angry that he vomited blood on the spot.

He had just begun to feel better after two days of rest when news spread that Shen Chu had injured the Sixth Prince's vital organs, and Shen Qingshuang's marriage to the Sixth Prince was called off. He was so angry that he almost vomited blood again.

"No wonder the Sixth Prince has always been at odds with you. You've only been in the capital for a short time, and look at all the trouble you've caused!"

"If I had known it would turn out like this, I shouldn't have brought you to the capital in the first place. You should have just stayed in the Taoist temple in your hometown. The Marquis's mansion wouldn't have needed you to eat."

The Marquis of Changning looked at Shen Chu with undisguised disappointment and disgust.

Shen Chu sneered, "Unfortunately, I am now a fifth-rank censor appointed by His Majesty, and my father can no longer send me back to the Taoist temple."

"You unfilial son!" Marquis Changning was furious.

Madam Chen added fuel to the fire, feigning concern, saying, "Although His Majesty is merciful and has not punished him for the time being, His Majesty has always favored the Sixth Prince. If he thinks about this in the future, he will inevitably feel uneasy."

"I fear that if this goes on for too long, His Majesty might hold the Marquis responsible, jeopardizing his future and that of our Marquis's household. That would be disastrous."

Marquis Changning's expression changed slightly. "What the lady said makes perfect sense. Now that things have come to this, the right thing to do is to appease His Majesty and the Sixth Prince's anger."

His gaze toward Chen Chu turned colder. "His Majesty is merciful and has not punished you, but I must give an explanation to His Majesty and the Sixth Prince."

"Guards, bring out the family discipline!"

The guard immediately handed over a long whip covered in barbs.

Marquis Changning swung his whip, the long whip slicing through the air with force, producing a chilling sound.

“The eldest son has harmed the prince. I will personally carry out the punishment, giving him twenty lashes. Tomorrow, you will send some of the finest medicinal herbs to the Sixth Prince as an apology.”

Two guards immediately stepped forward and pressed down on Shen Chu's arms, one on each side.

A gloating smile simultaneously appeared in the eyes of both Chen and Shen Qingshuang.

The barbs on the whip are specially driven nails. With one lash, the long nails are driven into the flesh and then pulled out, and the pain is unbearable for ordinary people.

Let alone twenty lashes, even ten lashes would probably be too much for Shen Chu to bear.

Shen Qingshuang maliciously thought it best if Shen Chu died after she finished beating him.

The long whip whistled and rushed towards Chen Chu with a sharp gust of wind.

Shen Chu stood ramrod straight, always with a smile on her face, and never flinched.

"Something terrible has happened, my lord."

The servant scrambled in, shouting in panic.

"Miss Zhao is making a scene at the door, threatening to hang herself. You and your wife should go and see her."

"What?"

Marquis Changning paused, the whip landing softly at Shen Chu's feet. He suddenly turned to look at the servant.

The servant said, "Miss Zhao said she would rather die than become a concubine. Now the gate is surrounded by onlookers who are saying that our young master is forcing a girl and is irresponsible."

The young master has already gone there, saying he wants to marry Miss Zhao, but Miss Zhao says that the madam must come and express her opinion first.

Chen jumped up in a panic, "This little bitch dares to cause trouble like this, I'll make sure she doesn't get away with this."

Marquis Changning frowned. "Didn't I tell you to keep a close eye on them? How did they escape?"

Chen stamped her foot in frustration, "What's the use of saying all this now? Hurry up and bring her back. If this gets out of hand, Yan'er will be finished."

Marquis Changning hurriedly walked outside.

Shen Qingshuang was extremely disappointed and cried out, "Father, are you just going to let Shen Chu off like this? He injured the Sixth Prince!"

Marquis Changning paused slightly, hesitated for a moment, and glared at Chen Chu, saying, "You must immediately go to the pharmacy and buy the most precious medicinal herbs to send to the Sixth Prince's residence. Apologize to the Sixth Prince in person, and then kneel in the ancestral hall for one night after you return."

Having said that, he immediately chased after Chen.

Shen Qingshuang stomped her foot in frustration, glared at Chen Chu, and then turned and ran away.

Shen Chu patted the wrinkles off his clothes and left the Marquis's residence through the side gate.

Hongxiu came up from the corner and said with a smile, "Young master, you have a good plan. You thought of using Miss Zhao to restrain the Marquis's wife. Didn't you see? Miss Zhao's tears came so easily. She was pitiful yet proud, which made the people at the gate curse the young master and his wife."

Shen Chu chuckled softly.

She anticipated that the Marquis of Changning would punish her, so she instructed Hongxiu to secretly release Zhao Yufang from the Marquis's residence.

The Chen family kept a close eye on Zhao Yufang, fearing she would cause trouble.

With Hongxiu there, getting Zhao Yufang to the door was a piece of cake.

"Young master, where are we going right now?"

"I am ordered by the Marquis to apologize to the Sixth Prince."

"Why did you have to come up with such a scheme to help the Sixth Prince, which is harmful to others and doesn't benefit yourself?"

Shen Chu couldn't help but sigh. She never imagined that even after the Marquis's mansion had descended into such chaos, the Emperor would still insist on bestowing a marriage upon Pei Yuan.

The emperor is such an unreliable father.

She was summoned to the palace without any preparation, and coincidentally, the only medicine she had on her was "Golden Spear," which was originally intended for the Marquis of Changning.

At the time, this was the only trick I could think of.

It was definitely a lose-lose situation, and I regret it now.

Instructing Hongxiu to go back and keep an eye on the Marquis's residence, Chen Chu bought a large bag of aphrodisiacs from the pharmacy and carried them to the Sixth Prince's residence.