Volume One, Chapter Seven: Brazen Shamelessness

“Chu Aoshuang, I’ve come to settle the account.”
Xiao Yichen strode into the Chu family estate with a group of men.

“What account?” Chu Weiming frowned.

Chu Aoshuang said, “Yesterday I went to break off the engagement with him. He told me that over the past year, my family borrowed quite a sum from his household, and every transaction was recorded in his ledger. I promised to repay it with the war merits granted to me.”

Chu Weiming grew anxious.

“You... you’re foolish. How could you agree to that?”

Though he hadn’t kept detailed accounts, Chu Weiming had a rough idea of how much money the Chu family had used from the Xiao family over the year. The rewards from the Empress were far too little for that amount.

Seeing Xiao Yichen and his men enter the main hall, Chu Weiming forced a smile.

“Dear Tenth Young Master, let’s discuss this amicably. Over the past year, many women, children, and widows in the Xiao family have needed help, and our Chu family has often lent a hand. Let’s not let money ruin the ties between our families.”

“Aoshuang had no choice but to break the engagement. General Fu sought her hand with war merits, and the Emperor agreed. Aoshuang must marry General Fu, or else she would be defying imperial edict.”

“How about this: our Chu family won’t withdraw from the marriage. Instead, I will offer my youngest daughter, Chu Feiyao, to you.”

“Of course, if you want to marry my youngest daughter, you’ll have to prepare a betrothal gift. After all, the previous one was for Aoshuang.”

Xiao Yichen nearly laughed in disbelief.

Did they take him for a fool? How dare they ask him to provide another dowry?

Moreover, Chu Feiyao suffered from a serious illness. Only through calling upon the renowned Luoshen doctor had her life been saved. The daily medication cost a hefty sum.

They wanted to dump this sick daughter on him, expecting him to pay for her medicine and care?

Indeed, to raise a little fairy like Chu Aoshuang, Chu Weiming’s influence was undeniable.

Xiao Yichen was too weary to argue with this family. He signaled to the steward.

Liu Fu stepped forward and produced a ledger. “The Chu family borrowed a total of 118,327 taels of silver from the Xiao estate over the past year. Here is the account book for the Chu family head to verify.”

He handed the ledger to Chu Weiming.

The second son, Chu Xuan, snatched the book, glanced through it, and his expression darkened. The entries were clear, complete with Chu family seals and signatures—there was no way to deny it.

He was about to tear the book apart.

Xiao Yichen said calmly, “Today I have invited Magistrate Zhang from the government. If you refuse to pay, the authorities will come to collect the debt on my behalf.”

As he finished speaking, Magistrate Zhang stepped forward. “Repaying debts is a matter of course. Since there is a record, Chu family head, you should settle the debt promptly.”

Chu Xuan’s hand froze, and Chu Weiming’s face fell.

They had not expected Xiao Yichen to bring government officials. This was a serious move to burn bridges.

“Xiao Yichen, you are shameless! Do you really not trust me so much that you have to bring in government officials?”

Chu Aoshuang's face darkened. Seeing how paltry the Empress’s reward was, she had wanted to shirk the debt. She hadn’t expected Xiao Yichen to be so ruthless, completely blocking all avenues.

“I... I will repay.”

Chu Weiming spoke the words as if it drained all his strength. He looked at his second and third sons, Chu Weitian and Chu Weiliang. “Pool your money together.”

Both men twitched at the idea. There was not a penny from the Empress’s reward to cover this, so the Chu family had to pay out of pocket, which was no small sum.

They had no choice but to gather their savings and call in the shopkeepers to appraise their stores and fertile fields, barely scraping together enough money.

Seeing the Chu family’s mournful demeanor, the servants of the Xiao estate felt immense satisfaction.

Especially Qiaoyun and Qiaoyue, the two maids serving Xiao Yichen, who had long despised the Chu family.

They had used Xiao family money and insulted the young master as a good-for-nothing.

The young master was such a fine man, yet he was rejected. Now, the Chu family was paying dearly for it. Let’s see how they flaunt their glory now.

Chu Weiming felt as if his heart was bleeding. He had thought the Xiao family was full of widows and orphans, that Xiao Yichen was a cripple, weak and easy to bully. He never expected the betrayal to come so swiftly.

Their daughter’s war merits reward was pitifully small, and the majority of the Chu family’s wealth was gone.

Such a large family would now have to tighten their belts to survive.

“The money is all repaid. Why don’t you take your men and leave!”

Chu Aoshuang saw Xiao Yichen standing still and shouted angrily.

Magistrate Zhang’s face darkened. He thought Chu Aoshuang was too arrogant. After all, Xiao Yichen was the son of a general, and Zhang was an official of the court. Yet Chu Aoshuang spoke so disrespectfully.

Debts must be repaid. It was the natural order.

Her anger made it seem as if the Xiao family had robbed her.

“Not so fast. Our accounts aren’t finished yet.”

Xiao Yichen ignored Chu Aoshuang’s hostile tone and spoke calmly.

The Chu family was taken aback.

“More accounts?”

Xiao Yichen continued, “The debt is repaid, but what about the betrothal gifts?”

Chu Aoshuang’s face flushed with fury.

“I’ve already paid back what we owed your family. What more do you want from me?”

“You know full well that I have no money left. How can you still demand the betrothal gifts? Are you doing this on purpose?”

Chu Aoshuang pointed at Xiao Yichen.

“You’re truly despicable!”

“I know you never intended to return the betrothal gifts. You just want to embarrass me, to force me to submit.”

“You still want to rekindle what we had, don’t you?”

“Dream on! Impossible!”

“What you’re doing only makes me loathe you more.”

“You will never win my heart again!”

“You’re so petty and calculating. Who would ever like you?”

“If you were a man, you’d let go of your grudges and stop pestering me.”

When Chu Aoshuang finished, everyone fell silent.

Xiao Yichen looked at her with disbelief. Today, he truly saw a different side of Chu Aoshuang.

How could she be so narcissistic?

“Well said, Aoshuang!”

Amid the silence, Chu Weiming spoke.

The Chu family realized what Aoshuang’s words meant: the betrothal gifts could never be returned.

The key was, they didn’t even have them. The Xiao family’s dowry alone was 100,000 taels of silver, plus other items equivalent to another 100,000 taels—totaling 200,000 taels.

Even if they sold everything, they couldn’t come up with that much. Since Aoshuang had made the first move, they had to back her up.

“The betrothal gifts were voluntarily given by your family. Now you want them back? Don’t even dream it.”

“Who ever asks for the dowry back after the engagement?”

“Xiao Yichen, you’re no man!”

“General Xiao has been upright and honorable all his life. How could he have such a narrow-minded scoundrel in you? You disgrace the family!”

“...”

Xiao Yichen frowned, truly surprised by the Chu family’s shamelessness. They clearly intended to be deadbeats.

“An imperial edict!”

At that moment, a voice sounded from outside. The Chu family was stunned.

An imperial edict?

Could it be that the Empress, seeing the meager reward, had issued another decree to grant them more?