You have been enduring this all along; they will only think you are easy to push around in the future.

"You..." Madam Li’s face turned ashen.

"Am I wrong?" Before she could finish, Jiang Shuwan cut her off, feigning an innocent expression.

Knowing she could not afford to provoke the current Jiang Shuwan, Madam Li had no choice but to endure it. She gritted her teeth and replied, "You are right."

Jiang Xunian listened to their exchange, realizing that Jiang Shuwan was no longer the person she once was. He was deeply displeased by her arrogant attitude, yet Gu Yunting had returned alive, and marrying him made Jiang Shuwan someone he dared not offend. Even with his inner turmoil, he forced a smile and said, "Let us return to the manor."

"Very well," Madam Li agreed.

Madam Li and Jiang Xunian walked off side by side, while Jiang Shuwan followed with a mocking curve to her lips.

Liusu watched them, daring not to speak up, yet her heart swelled with joy for her mistress. She knew that from this day forward, her lady’s life would only improve. They did not bother with her, opting to return in their respective carriages.

Once inside their carriage, Jiang Xueyu, who had been waiting, pouted and began to grumble, "Mother, did you see the way Jiang Shuwan looked at me earlier? She is truly abominable."

Recalling the way Jiang Shuwan had sassed her, Madam Li’s expression darkened. She patted Jiang Xueyu’s hand comfortingly. "Now that the Marquis of Pingning has returned, her arrogance has soared. Bear with it for now; we shall find an opportunity to get even later."

"But I am not reconciled to this!" Jiang Xueyu understood the logic, but the thought of being trodden underfoot by Jiang Shuwan made her deeply uncomfortable.

"And what if you aren't? If you marry a man of greater power than hers, she will eventually have to bow to you."

At this, the corner of Jiang Xueyu’s mouth curled upward. "You are right, Mother."

Meanwhile, in her own carriage, Liusu thought of the frustrated expressions on the faces of the Jiang family and said excitedly, "My Lady, you were truly magnificent earlier! We should have dealt with them like that long ago. If you had kept tolerating them, they would have continued to bully you."

"Indeed. I will not let them grind me down anymore." Having been granted a new life, she would never again live as cowardly as she had in her past one.

"Exactly. Once you marry into the Marquis of Pingning’s estate, you will be the mistress of the house. You won't have to care about their expressions anymore." Liusu paused, then looked at Jiang Shuwan and added, "My Lady, don't you think the Marquis we saw earlier looks just like the man we encountered on East Street two days ago?"

Jiang Shuwan nodded. "It was him." Thinking back to the questions Gu Yunting had asked then, it was clear now that he had been testing her. Fortunately, she had spoken kindly at the time; otherwise, he might not have appeared today, or if he had, he might not have intervened to save her. If that had happened, she would have had no way out.

"I never imagined your fate with the Marquis was destined so early, even before you were married."

Jiang Shuwan did not tell Liusu the truth—that they had met more than once, including a chance encounter at Cien Temple. She suppressed her emotions and said calmly, "Indeed."

Soon, the carriage arrived at the gates of the manor. As she stepped down, Madam Li and Jiang Xueyu were waiting there.

"Well, look at you. We have been back for so long, and you have only just arrived. Don't tell me you snuck off to meet the Marquis of Pingning? Jiang Shuwan, you truly are shameless! Not yet wed, and already impatient to meet with men."

Jiang Shuwan’s face darkened. She walked up to Jiang Xueyu and slapped her across the face. "Smack!"

Jiang Xueyu’s mouth bled, her head forced to the side. Covering her cheek, she looked at Jiang Shuwan in disbelief and shrieked, "Jiang Shuwan! How dare you hit me? I’ll kill you!"

As she lunged to strike back, Jiang Shuwan caught her wrist before she could make contact. "Jiang Xueyu, did your mother not teach you to respect your elders? I am your legitimate elder sister. Regardless of how much you dislike me, you should show some respect, let alone slander me. I am teaching you this on behalf of your mother, to prevent you from disgracing our Earl’s manor in public."

With that, Jiang Shuwan looked at Madam Li with a sweet smile. "Isn't that right, Second Mother?"

"I..." Before Madam Li could speak, Jiang Shuwan cut in again, acting as if she had just realized something. "Oh, forgive me, Second Mother. I almost forgot that you were originally my father’s concubine and only ascended after my mother passed away. How could you be expected to know these proprieties?"

Madam Li’s face alternated between pale and livid, her hand gripping her handkerchief tightly. Seeing her sister hit and her mother insulted, Jiang Xueyu lashed out with her other hand. Jiang Shuwan reacted swiftly, releasing her and stepping aside.

Jiang Xueyu, caught off guard, tumbled to the ground, wailing in pain. Madam Li rushed to pull her up, no longer able to contain herself. She shouted at Jiang Shuwan, "Wan'er, I know you dislike me, but I am your elder, and Xue'er is your younger sister! How could you treat us this way?"

A crowd quickly gathered to watch the spectacle. Hearing Madam Li’s words, the onlookers began to point and whisper at Jiang Shuwan.

"So that’s the arrogant and overbearing eldest daughter of the Jiang family. It seems the rumors are true."

"Exactly. You should have seen her before you arrived; she was so vicious, hitting her own sister."

"Really? She looks so gentle and soft-spoken, yet she is so venomous."

"You can't judge a book by its cover!"

Observing the crowd, Madam Li and Jiang Xueyu exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with cold triumph. Jiang Shuwan bowed her head, acting as if she were truly ashamed and in the wrong. She raised her handkerchief to dab at the corner of her eyes, sniffing as her voice trembled.

"Second Mother, I did not want to strike my sister, but she went too far. She accused me of having an affair. My heart is loyal to my husband; I would never do anything to betray him, nor will I allow anyone to insult the love I hold for him."

The crowd was stunned. Some quickly caught on, casting suspicious glares at Jiang Xueyu. Jiang Xueyu turned ashen with rage and tried to step forward to argue, but Madam Li gripped her arm tightly, signaling her to be still.

"I know that my father and Second Mother disapproved of my marriage to the Marquis of Pingning and wanted me to marry the Marquis's heir instead. Because I love the Marquis, they were angry and forced me to be buried alive with him as a sacrifice. Fortunately, the Marquis appeared today and saved me; otherwise, I would be dead by now."

A clamor broke out in the crowd. No one had expected such a layer of intrigue, and certainly not that the Marquis of Pingning was still alive. Jiang Xueyu, feeling as though her scheme had been exposed, panicked and stammered, "No, that is not how it happened! Jiang Shuwan is lying!"