Jiang Xiuyi's body trembled. Having seen Meng Jiangming unable to walk after being disciplined by family law, she inexplicably felt a chill in her heart. "Aunt, you can't use family law on me. Aren't you afraid Duke Ning will punish you when he returns?"
"Punish me? Xiuyi, you probably haven't understood one thing. Your current status is Duke Ning's concubine. If I use family law on you, it's to establish rules within the household. Even Duke Ning cannot interfere with these rules, because I am the principal wife."
Jiang Xiuyi gritted her teeth and said, "I haven't done anything wrong. You can't punish me."
"Right and wrong are not decided by you, but by me. Jiang Xiuyi, today I will let you know that Duke Ning's household rules cannot be violated."
"Aunt, must it be this way?" Jiang Xiuyi looked up at Madam Jiang.
Madam Jiang turned her face away and said coldly, "Xiuyi, you're forcing me."
When Duke Ning heard that Madam Jiang intended to use family law on Jiang Xiuyi, he rushed back from the palace without waiting for the court to adjourn.
Upon arriving at Madam Jiang's courtyard and seeing Jiang Xiuyi lying there, covered in whip marks all over her body, he was heartbroken.
He stepped forward, kicked away the person administering the punishment, took off his official robe, carefully covered Jiang Xiuyi with it, and then picked her up.
"Duke Ning, do you know what you are doing?" Madam Jiang roared.
Duke Ning looked up at Madam Jiang, his face extremely displeased. "Of course I know what I'm doing. Madam Jiang, I am truly disappointed in you."
"Disappointed?" Madam Jiang, who had been standing, slumped back down.
"Utterly disappointed," Duke Ning said coldly. With that, he carried Jiang Xiuyi away from the disciplinary room.
"Don't go, you can't go..." Madam Jiang, with a courage she didn't know she possessed, lunged forward and grabbed Duke Ning's sleeve.
Duke Ning's expression darkened. He pushed Madam Jiang away and said coldly, "Get out of the way."
The force of his push sent Madam Jiang staggering back several steps until she hit a table and could finally steady herself.
"Duke Ning, for the sake of a Jiang Xiuyi, you dare to push me?"
"Madam Jiang, you've gone too far. Xiuyi is your niece, and she will also be this Duke's concubine in the future. How could you use family law on Xiuyi without distinguishing right from wrong?"
"I don't distinguish right from wrong? Then I must ask Duke Ning, who is causing trouble in the manor in broad daylight, Duke Ning."
Duke Ning's face turned ugly. "This Duke is in his own manor. Who dares to laugh? Madam Jiang, I think you've become muddled. You weren't this unreasonable before."
"Duke Ning, you weren't like this before either."
"Duke Ning, don't be angry with Aunt. It's all Xiuyi's fault." Jiang Xiuyi buried her head in Duke Ning's embrace and said cautiously.
"It's not your fault. It has nothing to do with you. Don't blame yourself for everything. Xiuyi, you are a good girl."
Hearing this, Madam Jiang felt a pang in her heart. *Xiuyi is a good girl, but wasn't I one before?*
"Madam Jiang, you'd best take care of yourself." Duke Ning finished speaking and left with Jiang Xiuyi.
Madam Jiang collapsed onto the ground as if all her strength had been drained. Soon, tears began to stream from her already clouded eyes.
Madam Jiang fell gravely ill. Meng Jiangming visited her. He couldn't understand how his mother had been well when he left in the morning, only to be bedridden by the end of the day, seemingly having lost her will to live.
When Meng Jiangming went to see Duke Ning, the Duke was having dinner with Jiang Xiuyi.
Upon hearing that Meng Jiangming requested an audience, Duke Ning was reluctant to see him. It was Jiang Xiuyi who spoke, "Your Grace, you should see him. Perhaps it's something important, don't delay."
Duke Ning thought for a moment, then rose and walked out.
In the outer room, Meng Jiangming entered. Compared to his mother's aging appearance, he saw his father looking smug and spirited, like a young man.
"Is there something?" Duke Ning asked.
"Mother is gravely ill. Father, please go see her!" Meng Jiangming said.
"Your mother feigning illness isn't a new thing," Duke Ning said impatiently.
Meng Jiangming froze, looking at Duke Ning, scarcely believing such words could come from his father.
Sensing his words might have been inappropriate, Duke Ning said, "If there's nothing else, you may withdraw."
"Father, do you think Mother is faking her illness?"
"Isn't she?" Duke Ning retorted.
Meng Jiangming felt a chill in his heart. He wondered if his mother wouldn't feel equally disheartened upon hearing such words.
"Father, Mother is not faking her illness. She is truly sick, and very seriously so. If Father cares, he will go see Mother. If not..."
Meng Jiangming glanced at the figure inside the inner room and continued, "Father, Cousin is not yet officially your concubine. I hope Father can exercise some restraint. Father probably doesn't know that rumors are spreading outside about Duke Ning causing a stir for his beloved."
Duke Ning frowned and said coldly, "Who told you that?"
"I don't need anyone to tell me. It's already spread outside. Father, think about what His Majesty would think of Duke Ning if he heard these things. Duke Ning's manor is no longer what it used to be."
Duke Ning looked at Meng Jiangming. Meng Jiangming turned and walked out.
Duke Ning returned to the inner room. Jiang Xiuyi stepped forward and draped a coat over him. "Is it Aunt who is ill?"
Upon hearing this, Duke Ning looked at her for a long moment and said, "Yes."
"Then Your Grace, what are you waiting for? Hurry and go see Aunt. It must be because I angered Aunt today that she fell ill." Jiang Xiuyi was very anxious.
Duke Ning grabbed her hand and asked, "Aren't you angry? Today Madam Jiang intended to use family law on you."
"Your Grace, what are you saying? Aunt is an elder, and in the future, she will be Xiuyi's madam. Whatever she does for Xiuyi is correct. Xiuyi would not dare to disobey."
Hearing this, Duke Ning pulled Jiang Xiuyi's hand and sighed, "You've suffered, Xiuyi."
"Your Grace, Xiuyi doesn't feel wronged at all. As long as I can be with Your Grace, Xiuyi is content."
"You foolish child." The Duke picked up Jiang Xiuyi and walked towards the bed.
Startled, Jiang Xiuyi called out in delicate cries, "Your Grace, no..."