"Jiuyue, get behind us!"
"Xia Yunfei, don't you dare lay a hand on my daughter!"
"You bastard, try hurting my sister if you dare!"
All three men of the Si family stepped forward, shielding the female family members behind them with a do-or-die attitude.
Si Jiuyue sneered inwardly.
What a complete fool, practically walking right into the jaws of death.
She would give him something to remember.
Just as she took a step forward, her eldest sister-in-law grabbed her back, saying anxiously, "Jiuyue, don't listen to him! If he dares try anything, we'll fight him to the death. At worst, we all perish together."
Si Jiuyue shook her head with utter disdain, even flipping Xia Yunfei the middle finger as she sneered, "I'll go inside the room and wait for you right now. Whoever doesn't come is a coward!"
With that, she quickly ran into an empty room in the front courtyard.
"Jiuyue..."
"Get out here right away!"
Everyone urged her frantically to come back out. Everyone knew what fate awaited her if she went in there like that.
"Don't worry!"
Si Jiuyue waved at them with complete composure, and then *bang!*—slammed the door shut with a heavy thud.
The others tried to rush in and drag her back out, but the Imperial Guard's blades were already held to their throats. Old Father Si and the others watched with eyes burning red, teeth clenched, forced to stand by and watch helplessly as Xia Yunfei strolled in looking immensely pleased with himself.
Her eldest sister-in-law turned her head away, her heart aching too much to watch.
Xia Yunfei was brimming with smug triumph; he assumed the young lady of the Si family had finally decided to submit to him.
Stepping inside, he found a chair and sat down. Seeing the young lady sitting calmly on the bed, he let out a scoff through his nose and declared, "Ha! So you finally fell into my hands after all. Let me tell you, you'd better strip off your clothes and make it quick. Otherwise..."
A flash of ruthless malice crossed his eyes as he spoke.
The corners of Si Jiuyue's mouth twitched slightly as she slowly pulled a black stun baton from behind her back, gripping it tightly as if she were closing the door to beat a trapped dog. Xia Yunfei clearly saw her move, and he burst into raucous laughter, laughing so hard he had to clutch his stomach. "Ha, ha, ha! This little toy... you... you actually think this can hurt me? Oh, you little thing, I didn't take you for such a spitfire. I like it. I just love breaking women like you."
With that, he lunged toward Si Jiuyue like a starved wolf pouncing on its prey.
Too lazy to even lift a foot, Si Jiuyue simply thrust the stun baton straight into Xia Yunfei's waist.
Xia Yunfei let out a shrieking howl, collapsed limply to the floor, and started foaming at the mouth.
Outside the door, everyone froze at the sound.
The shouting from just a moment ago had sounded utterly miserable.
Yet...
That voice didn't sound like Si Jiuyue's at all.
Everyone stared in utter bewilderment toward the room, the Imperial Guards included, who wore expressions of pure shock.
Si Jiuyue looked down at him sprawled on the ground like a dead dog.
Then she stood up, grabbed a length of hemp rope, and tied him securely to the chair.
Next, she picked up a teapot and poured its contents straight over Xia Yunfei's face.
Revived by the shock of the scalding tea, Xia Yunfei finally snapped back to consciousness. Finding himself tied up by the frail woman before him, terror flashed in his eyes as a shrill, cracked shriek escaped his throat:
"Si Jiuyue, what... what do you think you're doing? I am an official of the imperial court!"
"Moron! Did you really think I'd be scared just because you're an imperial official? You wanted to bully me, but you didn't even check whose grandmother you were dealing with. Am I someone you can just push around?"
With that final snap, Si Jiuyue raised her hand and delivered a fierce slap. *Thud, thud, thud*—she struck Xia Yunfei across the face at least ten times.
Still feeling unsatisfied, she picked up a nearby wooden stool and brought it crashing down onto his body.
"Ow..."
"Yowch..."
"Ahhh..."
Xia Yunfei shrieked in agony, thrashing on the floor like a New Year's sacrificial pig.
Outside the door, the onlookers grew even more perplexed.
Even Si Yunche, hiding tightly in Madam Fang's embrace, abruptly lifted his head to look up at his mother.
Clenching his little fists, he demanded angrily, "Mother, what's wrong with Aunt? Did that bad man bully her?"
Madam Fang shook her head, saying nothing as she gently pressed his head back down into her arms.
Once she finished beating him, Si Jiuyue dug a box of poison out from her tunic, her expression as cold as a veteran chef who had spent ten years carving fish at the wet market.
"Open up!"
She fished out a single pill, pried Xia Yunfei's mouth open, and shoved it straight down his throat.
Finally, she dusted off her hands and said, "This poison will make you wish you were dead, Xia Yunfei. If you dare let me or my family suffer even the slightest grievance in the celestial prison, just wait and see if you don't die of agony."
With that, she pulled out a small hand drum and began beating it furiously.
Xia Yunfei started howling in agony all over again, a sound even uglier than a pig being slaughtered. This rapid sequence of events nearly scared him out of his wits; his internal organs felt as though they were being roasted over an open fire.
"You... bitch!"
Lying on the floor, he managed to squeeze the words out from between clenched teeth—still hurling insults.
Sitting back down on the chair and crossing one leg over the other, Si Jiuyue shook her head. "Looks like you won't shed tears until you see your coffin." With that, she hammered away at the small drum with even greater force, sending Xia Yunfei into another excruciating spiral between life and death.
Tears and snot flew everywhere.
He barely lasted thirty seconds before breaking down and begging for mercy, crying out, "Have mercy, Grandmother, have mercy! I was wrong, I was truly wrong! I won't dare do it again, please spare me, Grandmother!"
Si Jiuyue let out a cold snort.
Right before his eyes, she tossed the small drum behind her back—and it vanished into thin air.
Seeing this, Xia Yunfei knew his last thread of hope was thoroughly snapped.
He wailed, "I beg Grandmother to let me out! I truly won't dare act recklessly again. May I die a most wretched death if Xia Yunfei ever steps out of line!"
Knowing he was genuinely terrified, Si Jiuyue finally squatted down and untied his ropes.
"Go on. Clean yourself up properly before you step outside."
"Yes, Grandmother!"
Xia Yunfei was as obedient as a dog, jumping to do whatever she asked, his face plastered with a fawning, ingratiating smile.
Then, looking quite like a defiled maiden, Xia Yunfei pitifully straightened his clothes, adjusted his official hat, and used a towel to wipe the footprint off his robe. Since there was no way to hide the bruises on his face, he simply had to bite the bullet and head outside.
*Creeeak!*
As the door swung open, dozens of pairs of eyes locked onto it unblinkingly.
When Xia Yunfei stepped out, everyone watching was dumbstruck.
The Imperial Guards, in particular, stared at the disheveled, battered state of Lord Xia—who looked as though he had been thoroughly beaten to a pulp, complete with two black eyes—and found themselves utterly speechless. They would never have guessed their lord possessed such peculiar tastes!
Truly, they were filled with awe!
The members of the Si family also dropped their jaws in disbelief. Could this possibly be Jiuyue's handiwork?
Inside the room, Si Jiuyue stretched lazily before sauntering out at a leisurely pace.
Everyone turned to look at her.
Her complexion was rosy, her clothes were completely intact, and her eyes shimmered with an air of smug triumph.
The Si family was utterly shaken to their core.
Old Madam Si: *Heavens have mercy, my granddaughter's martial prowess is truly extraordinary. Thank you to our ancestors for blessing us, thank you to the heavens! The heavens have finally opened their eyes!*
Old Father Si: *My daughter is formidable, truly formidable! She actually beat Xia Yunfei until he was howling like a pup.*
The two Si brothers: *Fifth Sister must have been utterly reborn after meeting that Daoist priest! Look at how she pounded Xia Yunfei—turned him right into a bruised bear. As her brothers, we are truly in awe!*
The three Si sisters-in-law: *Is... is this really our frail, helpless little sister-in-law? She... she's even tougher than a man!*