Chapter 53: Who Else Dares to Point at My Daughter?

With a sword pointed at his nose by Shen Potian, Uncle Zhou and Ji Zehai were so frightened that their eyes widened, and they dared not utter another word.

“I may not speak, but that doesn’t mean I’m mute!” Shen Potian emphasized in a deep voice. “Whether my daughter wants to return to the Ji family is her own decision. You have no right to boss her around here, chirping and nagging!”

“If you dare lay a finger on my daughter again, I’ll use this sword to chop off your filthy hands!”

With furrowed brows and a fierce glare, Shen Potian stared threateningly at the two men, forcing them to keep their breaths shallow.

They knew well that if they truly provoked Shen Potian, it wouldn’t just be their hands at risk—their heads might not be safe either.

Ji Zehai cupped his hands apologetically, wearing a flattering smile. “Father-in-law, neither Uncle Zhou nor I meant to offend our daughter-in-law. Please calm down!”

“We sincerely came today to bring our daughter-in-law back. Let’s not let a trivial matter ruin the harmony between our two families.”

Cui Jin snorted coldly and retorted bluntly, “Harmony between our families? Since Ji Yunchuan’s death, you have persistently pressured and schemed against my daughter. We know exactly what you’re plotting!”

She then looked at Shen Ningyuan. “If it weren’t for Yuan’er’s willingness to return, you wouldn’t dare boss my daughter around!”

“Yes, yes, mother-in-law is right!” Ji Zehai nodded with a sycophantic grin, practically groveling.

No matter what, they had to coax Shen Ningyuan back to the Ji family first.

Cui Jin gave Ji Zehai a cold look, then glanced at Chen Shi lying on the ground and said sharply, “Master Ji, you better wake Madam Ji up first. Having a living person lying stiffly here is quite disgraceful.”

Ji Zehai’s expression shifted slightly. He turned and ordered his subordinates to wake Chen Shi.

Before anyone could approach, Shen Ningyuan picked up the tea on the table and splashed it directly onto Chen Shi’s face.

Ji Zehai’s face changed drastically. “What are you doing?”

Shen Ningyuan smiled brightly. “I’m helping to wake up my mother-in-law.”

Ji Zehai stammered, “Who taught you to wake someone up like that?”

Shen Ningyuan’s tone remained calm. “Mother-in-law did.”

Under Ji Zehai’s surprised gaze, Shen Ningyuan explained slowly, “When I first married into the Ji family, mother-in-law would punish me to kneel in the ancestral hall for minor mistakes. Sometimes, on cold days, I’d kneel so long that I fainted. It was then she splashed tea water on me to wake me up, saying it was the most effective method.”

No sooner had she finished speaking than Chen Shi, doused in tea, slowly regained consciousness.

Shen Ningyuan nodded with her chin. “See? She’s awake now. Mother-in-law was right—splashing tea is the best way to rouse someone unconscious.”

“You—”

Ji Zehai reached out to point at Shen Ningyuan, but upon seeing Shen Potian’s icy glare, he immediately withdrew his hand, suppressing his frustration.

“Where am I?” Chen Shi looked around in confusion after waking.

She raised a hand to her face and felt the wet tea leaves.

“Who splashed tea on my face?” Chen Shi snapped.

“It was me,” Shen Ningyuan answered honestly.

“You?” Chen Shi stood up abruptly, fuming, and pointed at Shen Ningyuan. “You little wretch! Why would you splash tea on me? I’m your mother-in-law!”

Before Shen Ningyuan could respond, Ji Zehai slapped Chen Shi’s hand away and warned sternly, “Put your hand down!”

“Master, I’m her mother-in-law. What’s wrong with me pointing at her?” Chen Shi looked at Ji Zehai, puzzled.

Ji Zehai said nothing, his eyes fixed on Shen Potian’s hand on the sword.

Seeing his silence, Chen Shi raised her hand again to point at Shen Ningyuan. “I’m her mother-in-law. Am I not allowed to point at her?”

Then she added, “I just remembered—you nearly killed me!”

A cold smile appeared on Shen Ningyuan’s face. “Mother-in-law has a good memory. Indeed, I almost killed you just now.”

If it weren’t for not wanting to dirty the Shen family’s floor, she would have dealt with Chen Shi with a single stroke.

“That’s unfilial!” Chen Shi’s face flushed with anger. “And you even splashed tea on me!”

“Mother-in-law fainted and couldn’t wake up. I splashed tea on you to wake you up, didn’t you teach your daughter-in-law that?” Shen Ningyuan retorted coldly.

“You—” Chen Shi pointed at Shen Ningyuan again.

At that moment, Shen Potian gripped his sword tightly, his eyes flashing with menace as he glared at Chen Shi.

Ji Zehai saw this and hastily pulled Chen Shi’s hand back.

But Chen Shi seemed determined to argue back stubbornly, raising her hand once more to point at Shen Ningyuan.

Seeing Shen Potian about to act, Ji Zehai could no longer hold back and slapped Chen Shi across the face.

“Enough!” he barked.

The slap stunned Chen Shi completely.

“Master?” Chen Shi called out in shock.

Ji Zehai gave no reply, only signaling her with his eyes to look at Shen Potian.

Chen Shi turned to see Shen Potian holding a sword, glaring at her like a predator.

She quickly withdrew her hand behind her back, fearing that if she delayed even a second more, Shen Potian would chop off her palm.

“Since mother-in-law is awake, let’s go back now,” Shen Ningyuan said calmly.

She was eager to return and stir up chaos in the Ji family.

“All right, all right, we’ll go back immediately!” Ji Zehai was surprised at how quickly Shen Ningyuan suggested returning.

But he didn’t think much and only wanted to please her to bring her back to the Ji family as soon as possible.

With that in mind, Ji Zehai led Chen Shi and turned to leave.

After walking a few steps, he looked back and saw Shen Ningyuan standing still, not moving an inch.

Ji Zehai froze, puzzled. “Weren’t we going back to the Ji family? Why aren’t you moving?”

“Did you forget something?” Shen Ningyuan retorted.

Then, speaking as if to herself, she added, “Yesterday, in the Empress’s chamber, you promised certain conditions. You should still remember, right?”

Hearing this, Ji Zehai froze, his facial muscles twitching momentarily.

Of course, he remembered.

The Ji family was to publicly restore Shen Ningyuan’s honor before the entire capital.

But that meant publicly acknowledging that Shen Ningyuan was still pure.

According to the law, if a newlywed woman has been married for over a year and remains pure, she could be allowed to remarry under certain circumstances.

If the Ji family announced to the whole capital that Shen Ningyuan was still pure, it was essentially telling everyone: “My daughter-in-law is still pure. You can come ask for her hand, and you can take all her dowry!”

Faced with this, Ji Zehai was instantly troubled.

Should he comply with Shen Ningyuan’s wishes and coax her back to the Ji family?

Or should he keep the truth hidden and let Shen Ningyuan stay with the Shen family?

Neither choice was desirable to him.

While Ji Zehai hesitated, Chen Shi leaned close and whispered a few words into his ear.

Ji Zehai’s eyes suddenly brightened.

He turned to Shen Ningyuan and abruptly changed his mind. “Fine, I agree. We’ll publicly restore your honor before the entire capital.”