C10 I Told You to Kneel down

"Bring out Gao Shaoqing now! What's the point of hiding? Today, I want the whole capital to witness her forcing her own mother-in-law onto the streets. Is this her idea of womanly virtue?"

Gao Shaoyi grasped the implication behind Old Madam Lee's tirade. It was Lee Mingshan's doing, and if there was a score to settle, it should be with him. So why target his sister right off the bat?

The old lady was no fool; she understood the Qian Empire's emphasis on filial piety. Casting out a former mother-in-law, especially after a divorce, was seen as heartless. And she was well aware of his sister's temperament—faced with a public confrontation, she wouldn't be able to utter a single retort.

Insistent on drawing his sister out, it was clear the old woman was looking for an easy target.

With a contemptuous snort, Gao Shaoyi dismissed her ploy.

A flicker of panic crossed Old Madam Lee's face. Had he seen through her intentions?

"Someone fetch the Yamen of the General at once! Inform them there's a disturbance at the Marquis Mansion."

With that command, Gao Shaoyi effectively nullified Old Madam Lee's machinations. Causing a commotion outside a noble's residence was no minor offense. Aside from Old Madam Lee, none of the others had imperial immunity—they were commoners, and under the Qian Empire's law, they faced potential exile or imprisonment.

"Mother..." Lee Mingshan's concubines panicked.

Gao Shaoyi recognized these women; they had tormented his sister in the past. He had overlooked their behavior, considering them mere women, but now that they had the audacity to show up at his doorstep, politeness was off the table.

"Zhao Fengmei!"

At the mention of her name, one of the young women shuddered with fear.

If Gao Shaoyi's memory served him right, it was her who had harmed his sister's first child. Had his sister been able to bear a son earlier, she might have been spared the subsequent suffering. Two years had passed since then, but at the time, Gao Shaoyi had been indifferent, leaving his sister to weep alone within the Lee household.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Old Madam Lee, upon seeing Gao Shaoyi advancing steadily, quickly positioned herself in front of her daughter-in-law, confident in her status as a second-rank Honorary Madam.

"I said, kneel."

Gao Shaoyi stood tall and firm.

Though Old Madam Lee held the title of a second-rank Honorary Madam, Gao Shaoyi was a Marquis of the Empire, a rank that far exceeded hers.

"I am the mother-in-law of your sister."

In the Qian Empire, filial piety was highly esteemed. In times past, regardless of Gao Shaoyi's noble rank, he would not have had the authority to demand Old Madam Lee kneel.

"It seems your memory is failing you. This morning, your son wrote a letter of divorce with his own hand. My sister no longer has any ties to your family, and by extension, neither do I. To not kneel before a Marquis of the Empire is a punishable offense, is it not?"

Gao Shaoyi brushed off his garment and gazed up at the moon.

"The penalty is twenty lashes and a fine of two hundred silver coins."

As Third Wang declared the sentence, the Lee family recoiled in fear. Right then, the officials from the Army Yamen arrived.

They had been reluctant to get involved, but a directive from Eunuch Lee had been received.

Serving as an official in the capital required keen awareness and the ability to discern the will of those in power.

The commotion caused by the Young Marquis was so significant that even the Emperor showed no interest in pursuing the matter, indicating his wish for us to prolong the proceedings. This clearly demonstrated the Emperor's deep regard for familial bonds.

Though it had not been apparent before, today's events made it clear to the Yamen officials how to proceed. Upon hearing that Lee Mingshan and his entire family were causing a disturbance, a contingent of fifty to sixty bailiffs swiftly rode out to confront them.

"Please convey my respects to the Young Marquis," Wang Zhenye announced, leading a small contingent of soldiers from the Infantry Command Yamen.

"Explain to this venerable lady that my request for him to kneel is justified."

Gao Shaoyi had initially planned to have his own men handle the situation, but with the arrival of the Infantry Command Yamen, the trouble was spared. Today was the day to resolve all matters concerning Lee Mingshan.

I returned to build a legacy, and I refuse to be hindered by such trivialities.

"Madam Lee, in accordance with the edicts of the imperial court, you are requested to kneel and pay homage to the Marquis."

Wang Zhenye spoke with a measure of respect, for Madam Lee held the distinguished title of a second-ranked imperial consort. Yet, the task at hand remained. Despite your esteemed rank, the gentleman before you is a Marquis of the Empire, and the disparity between your stations is significant.

In the hierarchy of the Empire, a Marquis ranks above an Earl, who in turn is above the first rank.

The gap in status is no laughing matter.

"You..."

Madam Lee was taken aback by the turn of events. She had come with the intention of outmaneuvering Gao Shaoqing, hoping perhaps that her daughter-in-law would relinquish claims to the General's Mansion, sparing her family the ordeal of moving.

Gao Shaoyi, knowing his sister well, feared such an outcome might indeed come to pass, and was determined to prevent her from appearing.

"Madam, please don't suffer this indignity, and don't put us in an awkward position. If you truly refuse to kneel..."

Wang Zhenye's gaze drifted to his men, who had already brandished a hefty plank. Should Gao Shaoyi persist, the old lady would surely endure a harsh twenty lashes.

A beating that would leave a strong man bedridden for months could very well be fatal for her tonight.

Madam Lee's breaths came in sharp gasps, as she struggled for air.

Gao Shaoyi saw right through the old lady's act; her eyes had darted around the carriage, clearly feigning distress.

"Mother..."

"Old lady..."

"The carriage, the carriage..."

The old lady collapsed abruptly, sending Lee Mingshan's household into a frenzy. They scrambled to summon the carriage, intent on whisking her away.

"Hold on..."

No sooner had Gao Shaoyi spoken than Third Wang gestured grandly, and twenty guards swiftly cordoned off the street. Did they really think they could come and go in this place as they pleased?

"What are you trying to pull? Don't you see the state our old lady is in? If anything serious happens to her, can you live with the consequences? Is this how you treat orphans and widows?"

Zhao Fengmei stepped forward, her voice laced with accusation.

She had sensed trouble the moment Gao Shaoyi uttered her name. She knew she had to seize this moment to make her escape, or she might never get another chance.

"Is this person carrying an imperial edict? Without one, what punishment is due for addressing me, a marquis, with such insolence?"

Zhao Fengmei could never have imagined that Gao Shaoyi's aim would so quickly turn her way...