It turned out to be the lady, who had always been gentle and lenient with others, teaching a lesson to one of Old Madame Shen’s attendants.
Chuner was stunned by the sudden slap, her gaze towards Xu Yuan full of bewilderment.
"Madame, you..." Chuner covered her swollen cheek, looking at her in disbelief.
Xu Yuan, however, was dismissive. "What, are you hoping for a second round?"
Just as she raised her hand again, Chuner shuddered and finally came to her senses, dodging behind Old Madame Shen.
Old Madame Shen was equally startled by Xu Yuan's sudden action, never expecting that she would dare to strike someone at a time like this.
"Lady Xu, Chuner is, after all, my personal attendant. Even if she was in the wrong, it is not your place to discipline her!" Old Madame Shen's face darkened as she glared fiercely at Xu Yuan.
"Then, in Mother-in-law's view, was Chuner right to act this way?"
Xu Yuan’s tone grew a fraction colder. Seeing onlookers gathering outside, a chilling glare flashed through her eyes.
"A mere servant daring to show disrespect to her superiors—my striking her today was for her own good."
Old Madame Shen paused, a frown of displeasure crossing her face as she demanded viciously of Xu Yuan, "Lady Xu, what is the meaning of this?"
Xu Yuan sighed lightly, a look of surprise crossing her features. "Mother-in-law, think carefully. Precisely because everyone knows Chuner is your personal maid, her every word and action reflects your will."
"Today's incident may be trivial, but if word of it gets out, what will outsiders think? If this blows up, it could ruin the reputation of the Marquis's Estate."
Old Madame Shen faltered, inexplicably feeling that there was some sense to what Xu Yuan was saying.
Despite her lingering dissatisfaction with Xu Yuan, her status constrained her from making a retort.
Recalling the purpose of her visit, Old Madame Shen said impatiently to Xu Yuan, "Move aside. I want to see my grandson."
"Yier is still fast asleep."
As Old Madame Shen stepped forward to push past, she heard Xu Yuan's words, freezing in shock for a few seconds before flying into a rage. "Lady Xu, what did you just say?"
"This child is clearly named Shen Yao, a name I personally commissioned a master to choose! In the future, he will bring honor and glory to our entire Shen Family!"
Old Madame Shen deliberately raised her voice, glaring angrily at Xu Yuan as she reprimarded her.
Behind her, Chuner wore a malicious look upon hearing these words, though when she spoke, she dared not use the soft tone she had used earlier. "Madame, Old Madame's health is already delicate. The doctor specifically said she must avoid agitation—why must you..."
Before Chuner could finish her sentence, she caught Xu Yuan’s icy gaze fixed upon her, causing her to swallow her remaining words in fright.
Old Madame Shen made a show of clutching her chest, putting on a breathless act. "Lady Xu, are you trying to be the death of me?"
"You vicious daughter-in-law."
Whenever this happened in the past, Xu Yuan would always show weakness and yield to Old Madame Shen's wishes. If it were her former self, she indeed would have. But not anymore.
Xu Yuan simply stood in place, watching Old Madame Shen’s clumsy performance. Skilled in medicine as she was, how could she fail to see that Old Madame Shen was merely faking it?
Yet in her past life, she had truly believed it, leading to one concession after another until she was gradually sidelined into an insignificant figure within the Marquis's Estate.
While clutching her chest, Old Madame Shen shot a sideways glance at Xu Yuan.
She felt a vague sense of puzzlement in her heart. Usually, Xu Yuan would be beside herself with anxiety by now; why was she so calm today?
When Old Madame Shen looked up, she met Xu Yuan’s gaze squarely.
"What are you all waiting for? Since Mother-in-law is feeling unwell, why don't you quickly help her back to rest properly?" Xu Yuan answered unhurriedly.
"Mother-in-law, speaking of which, this was my oversight. I quite forgot that you have not yet fully recovered your health."
Seeing that Xu Yuan seemed inclined to back down, Old Madame Shen’s expression improved considerably. Just as she was about to use this opening to press her attack further, she heard Xu Yuan add, "Precisely because of this, I cannot possibly let you see the child."
"The baby was born only a few days ago and is inherently frail. What if he catches your illness?"
Under Old Madame Shen's shocked gaze, Xu Yuan continued, "I trust Mother-in-law would not wish for such a thing to happen, am I right?"
Old Madame Shen's eyes widened. She wanted to say something, but for a moment, no retort came to mind.
The heaving of her chest became even more pronounced, and her face turned pale; the distress was genuine now.
"Madame, please stop talking. Old Madame’s body truly cannot bear this," Chuner said anxiously.
"What nonsense are you spewing?" Xu Yuan’s gaze instantly turned icy.
"Daring to curse Mother-in-law like that—I can see why her illness has lingered so long, with someone of such crooked character by her side."
"Someone, drag Chuner out and sell her off immediately!"
Xu Yuan's words startled everyone present. Chuner shuddered so violently that she lost her footing and collapsed to the ground.
This lady before them seemed to have changed in some fundamental way.
"Lady Xu!"
"You have no right to do such a thing!"
Old Madame Shen could no longer keep up the pretense of illness and rebuked Xu Yuan sharply.
At that exact moment, the cry of an infant drifted from the bed.
A surge of joy welled up in Xu Yuan's heart—it was her child waking up.
The fact that he could wake up meant he was out of danger, and with this, the anxiety that had weighed so heavily on her heart could finally be put to rest.
Ignoring Old Madame Shen entirely, Xu Yuan turned and scooped the baby up from the bed.
"Be a good boy, Yier. Mother is right here." Facing her child, Xu Yuan’s voice turned astonishingly tender.
When Old Madame Shen saw the child in Xu Yuan's arms, her expression also softened considerably.
"My precious grandson, Yaoer!"
"Mother-in-law, he is not called by that name," Xu Yuan corrected Old Madame Shen once more.
Being corrected by Xu Yuan in front of so many people caused Old Madame Shen to feel she was losing face.
"Lady Xu, I am the child's grandmother! I say his name is Yaoer, so Yaoer it is!"
Old Madame Shen was clearly infuriated by Xu Yuan's words.
"In this Marquis's Estate, it is not your place to act as a tyrant!"
Hearing this, Xu Yuan found it utterly laughable. This was the mother-in-law she had respected in her past life—perhaps her former self had simply been too easygoing, never coming into open conflict with these people, and thus had been repeatedly deceived by their so-called kindness.
But this time, she refused to endure it any longer.
If they thought they could use such tactics to force her submission, they were utterly mistaken.
In response, Xu Yuan challenged Old Madame Shen, "Then, by Mother-in-law's logic, whatever I, his mother, say carries no weight at all?"
Old Madame Shen let out a cold snort, offering no direct answer, using her silence to signal her stance.
"Anyway, no matter what anyone says today, the child must be named Shen Yao."
Old Madame Shen spoke with absolute finality, showing not the slightest intention of backing down before Xu Yuan.