Xia Chunfeng responded coldly. “This old bat just caused a ton of trouble for the family. She thinks that just because she’s part of your employees and has served the Empress Dowager before that she’s untouchable.

“What are you droning on about? Are you drunk?” she demanded, confused.

Liu Li was worried about Mother Shu’s injury. The kick that Chunfeng delivered was heavy.

She called out, “Maids!”

A few servants entered the room and Liu Li quickly ordered, “Help Mother Shu up and get her to a physician. Have her thoroughly checked out.”

“You are not allowed to get the physician for this wicked old woman,” Xia Chunfeng bellowed.

Liu Li matched his voice, bellowing back, “How did Mother Shu offend you?”

“She knows very well what she did,” he said with a snort.

“How do you expect her to speak now? You kicked her, Chunfeng! She can’t even talk right now!” Liu Li was enraged. First, he gave her the cold shoulder, and now he’s hurting the people around her? Would he hit her too?

“There’s nothing she can say now. Third Aunt has already confessed. The entire household is in chaos because of the witch you’ve been protecting. Kicking her is a light punishment. If she had done what she did in the palace, they would have chopped her head off!”

The blood in Liu Li’s face drained. She already knew what happened. She wasn’t expecting this because she never thought that Third Aunt would give up Mother Shu.

Seeing the look on her face, Xia Chunfeng could not help but sneer, “Why do you look guilty? Could it be because you have a part to play in this too? Ha! You didn’t even hesitate to use me just to spite Second Sister-in-law! How unscrupulous!”

Liu Li spat through gritted teeth, “Wasn’t it the truth? Are you telling me that you don’t like that bitch? I say one thing about her and you immediately start arguing with me. You are my husband and yet you keep defending her.”

“Stop distorting the truth, Liu Li,” Chunfeng said in a cold voice, stepping closer to her. “Everyone knows what the real situation is. You hate her so much because she was the first person to ever stand up to you. You hate her because the man you like loves her. I am not your husband, Liu Li. I am just a tool for revenge for you.”

Liu Li’s lips quivered. She wanted to deny it, but it was the truth. She has been consumed by her hate.

Chunfeng, however, wasn’t done. “Just because you have the Empress Dowager on your side doesn’t give you the right to act however you wanted to. You expect people to submit to you just because of your position! Even His Majesty shows benevolence, kindness, and virtue. You’re just a princess and yet you act like everything and everyone’s beneath you.

“Second Sister-in-law doesn’t have your wealth or your nobility. She didn’t grow up with parental love, was plotted against with by her family, and lost her life. She has been faced with great hardships and not once did she turn bitter. She’s hardworking and generous. She’s down to earth and everyone likes to be her friend. The people who work for her have unwavering loyalty towards her because she deserves it. How about you, Liu Li? If I strip your title away, what are you? If you’re not a princess, who are the people who will remain by your side?”

Liu Li’s eyes turned gloomy. So this was how he really sees her. He thinks so highly of Jinxuan and yet, he tramples her name to the mud. She retorted, “And you’re telling me that you don’t like her? You practically worship her!”

“Yes, I like her, but not in the way you think,” Chunfeng said calmly. “When she was Li Yao, she was my good friend. When she became my sister-in-law, I respect her. There is nothing romantic going on with us. You have to take these absurd accusations back, Liu Li. Not everyone has malice in their mind as you do. Instead of plotting on how to bring others down, why don’t you reflect on yourself? You reap what you sow, Liu Li. If you keep growing thorns, the only thing you get is a body full of scars.”

She yelled at him, “I don’t need you to lecture me. Get out! I don’t want to see you ever again.”

He scoffed lightly. “The feeling is mutual.”

And with that, Xia Chunfeng stormed off in a huff.

Liu Li looked at his retreating back, tears welling up in her eyes. She tried to hold them back but she failed to so as she fell to the ground, sobbing. Would she even be in this plight if Jinxuan didn’t exist?

She shouted loudly, “Little Ya, prepare the carriage! We are going back to the palace.”

Xia Chunfeng stopped in his tracks and turned his head to glare at Little Ya.

Little Ya lowered her head, not daring to say anything.

“Little Ya, are you deaf? I don’t want to stay in this place for a second longer.”

Xia Chunfeng was prepared to let this matter go after punishing Mother Shu, but it seemed that his bride had other ideas. He couldn’t have her returning to the palace every time they get into a fight.

“Ah Mu, guard the courtyard. Break the legs of whoever dares to take a step out of this courtyard today,” Xia Chunfeng said.

Liu Li snarled at him. “I’d like to see anyone who dares to stop me.”

She tried to walk past Xia Chunfeng but he grabbed her arm and said, “If you step a foot out of this door, I will send a divorce letter to His Majesty.”

Liu Li stared daggers at him. “Aren’t you afraid that you will cause misfortune to your whole family?”

Xia Chunfeng’s eyes darkened. He said through clenched teeth, “I am.”

Liu Li was pleased to hear that. She started to say something when Chunfeng’s gaze turned sharp.

“That’s why I’m not giving you the chance to tell your tales. If I’m going to hell, I’m pulling you down with me.”

A sudden chill ran down Liu Li’s spine. “What… what do you want?”

Xia Chunfeng dragged Liu Li back into the room and slammed the door shut.

The loud sound reverberated throughout the whole house. Little Ya shivered with dread as she looked at the closed door worriedly.

Ye Jiayao watched Chunyu out of the corner of her eyes. Was he angry at her? Why? It wasn’t even remotely her fault! Did he believe all the nonsense that Zhou and Mother Shu was spouting? She’s had a taste of Chunyu’s pettiness before when he got jealous of Little Jing, and she doesn’t want a repeat of that.

Even as they got back to the room, Chunyu’s sternness hasn’t relented. She has never seen him like this and it actually started to scare her a little.

“Qiao Xi, get us some hot tea,” Ye Jiayao ordered.

Qiao Xi readily complied and was back with tea not even a few minutes later.

Once Qiao Xi left the room, Ye Jiayao walked over to Chunyu and handed her a cup of tea. “Have a drink.”

Xia Chunyu looked up at her, his eyes were devoid of any emotions.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Do you think I am in the wrong?” Ye Jiayao asked, putting the cup down on the table. She doesn’t like the way he’s looking at her, as if he’s some criminal to be interrogated.

“What do you think?” His voice was as cold as his eyes.

Ye Jiayao was slightly mad. She had just gone through a huge grievance, shouldn’t he be comforting her?

“Are you serious? Please don’t tell me that you believe all that nonsense they were saying. When I am not at the restaurant, I am managing your other business. I am constantly on the move. I haven’t even seen Chunfeng…”

“Do you think I’m stupid enough to believe them?” Chunyu interrupted.

Ye Jiayao demanded, “Then what are you getting mad at me for? What did I do to you?”

“I am angry at you because of how you treat me. I am your husband and instead of turning to me for help, you went to Mother all alone. If Xiang Tao hadn’t told me what happened, I wouldn’t have known anything! My wife was in trouble and yet where I was? In my study, clueless! Do you know what that feels like? Do you think I can’t protect you, is that what this is? Or do you just not care enough to tell me?” Xia Chunyu ranted, his voice rising with his frustration. “Why is it always that when something happens, you don’t even think of me? Am I irresponsible to you? Do you not trust me?”

Ye Jiayao was stumped for words. She had to admit that at the time, she didn’t think about going to him. She thought that she could settle this matter on her own.

“I know you’re capable and you can handle yourself. I just wish you don’t feel like I’m just a dispensable husband,” he finished.

He didn’t want to argue with her anymore so he stood up to leave.

Ye Jiayao quickly pulled him back. “Where are you going?”

Xia Chunyu flung her hand away unhappily. “Don’t worry about me.”

She grabbed him again and said, “If you leave like this, what would others think? They’d assume that I did something wrong.”

He stayed quiet as he turned around and grabbed a blanket from the cupboard before retreating to the study.

Was he going to sleep separately from her?

“Chunyu, is there really a need for this? This is such a small matter. I promise that I would turn to you in the future if something happens,” Ye Jiayao vowed as she followed after him.

Xia Chunyu continued making up the couch. Once he laid out his blanket, he lied down, not even bothering to take his clothes off. “Think about how I treat you and think about how you’ve been acting towards me. Don’t bother me unless you’ve realized what’s wrong.”

Ye Jiayao stormed back to the bedroom angrily. What was she supposed to think about? Didn’t she already promise to turn to him for her problems in the future? What more does he want?

Well, if he wants to sleep in the study, let him. At least, she’d have the whole bed to herself tonight.

However, even after tossing and turning, she was unable to fall asleep. She’s gotten so used to snuggling in his arms, listening to his steady heartbeat, and feeling the warmth of his body.

Ye Jiayao wanted to call him back to bed, but the study was already pitch black and quiet.

She sighed and settled back on the bed, pulling the blanket over her head.