Chapter 28 Elegance

Words : 2037 Updated : Sep 10th, 2025

Chapter 28: Chapter 28 EleganceWatching the charcoal being carried into the mansion, the words of the maid’s question echoed in my ears, along with the Eldest Young Madam confidently saying, "Whether it’s black or white, just wait and see," and the Eldest Young Master’s utterly dejected face... No need to wait for a few days, the servants of Duke Zhen Country Mansion have already imagined an Eldest Young Master glowing black. The pain is almost unbearable. Is the Eldest Young Madam afraid that the Eldest Young Master will be snatched by other female bandits on the street, so she’s being so cruel to him? If the Eldest Young Master truly lacks authority and lets the Eldest Young Madam run wild, they only hope— That after transforming into a large piece of charcoal, the Eldest Young Master won’t go out at night. Preferably not during the day either. Leave the dark beauty for the Eldest Young Madam to admire alone, they can’t appreciate it. Those sympathetic and pained glances made Xie Jingchen’s face as dark as the bottom of a pot. He glanced at Su Jin, gritting his teeth, "Don’t go too far!" Su Jin looked at him. "Do you trust them or trust me?" She asked with a smile. "I trust them." "...." Su Jin blinked, her eyes sparkling, clear as the sky. Xie Jingchen thought maybe he was overthinking it, she couldn’t be so ruthless. However— Su Jin shifted her tone, saying silently, "You’re right to trust them." Xie Jingchen, "...!!!" Afraid of being extinguished by Xie Jingchen’s gaze, Su Jin shook her shoulders, turned around, and entered the mansion. Just a few steps in, a maid approached, curtsied and said, "Eldest Young Master, Eldest Young Madam, the Old Madam wants you to go to Qihao Hall." A bad feeling flashed through Su Jin’s heart. She hadn’t had breakfast yet. She looked at Xie Jingchen. It must be said, they did have a bit of tacit understanding when showing off their affection; Xie Jingchen ordered, "The Eldest Young Madam is hungry, bring some buns." Though she didn’t like eating buns. Xingxing, behind them, swallowed and said, "Me too, me too, I want some too." Afraid the servant would go too far to hear, Xingxing shouted loudly, "Bring some meat buns!" In no time, the servant chased after them with buns and steamed bread. Su Jin was really hungry, she casually picked up a meat bun and handed it to Xie Jingchen, "You haven’t had breakfast either, eat more." Xie Jingchen took the meat bun, only to see it had two black fingerprints. Su Jin had handled charcoal. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Su Jin wipe her hands with a cloth before taking another bun. Seeing he was not moving, she urged, "Eat, don’t be polite." Xie Jingchen felt powerless. "This bun really tastes good." Taking a bite, Su Jin praised. Xingxing, holding the tray, couldn’t speak with a mouth full of buns, just nodding repeatedly. After finishing a bun, Su Jin looked at Xie Jingchen again. "Why aren’t you eating yet? Oh right, don’t forget to send the cook my father wanted, I think the one who made these meat buns is pretty good." Xie Jingchen, "...." Putting down the bun, Xie Jingchen, not wanting to speak, silently picked up a steamed bun and ate slowly. Compared to him, Su Jin and the maid were simply wolfing it down, losing all imagery. They finished breakfast halfway there. Inside Qihao Hall, it was crowded. Apart from the Old Madam, there were Princess Nanzhang, the Second Madam, the Third Madam, and younger members like Xie Jinyu. Seeing them walk in, their eyes all focused on Xie Jingchen’s bruised eye, which didn’t hurt anymore but the bruise was still obvious. Su Jin thought everyone would ask who hit Xie Jingchen’s eye. But unexpectedly, she was the one being asked. Xie Jinyu curiously said, "Elder Sister-in-law, I heard you had someone beat up your big brother, is that true?" Su Jin, "...." Can you not mention sensitive topics? Don’t care about your own brother, but care about hers. I thank you on behalf of my brother. Su Jin did not answer. Xie Jinyu switched to another question, "Do all bandits act righteously and destroy family like this?" Su Jin, "...." Everyone looked at her, waiting for her answer. Taking a deep breath, Su Jin smiled and said, "I had people beat up my brother, he always said he’d protect me and not let anyone harm me a bit, so I had my husband and the Heir of Marquis Jingguo give him a lesson, let him take a setback, strive to practice martial arts diligently, hoping he can sooner fight against four by himself and keep me safe, is there a problem?" She asked boldly. Xie Jingchen, "...." If he didn’t know the full story, he would really believe it. A brother protecting her, only to be beaten up by his own sister in public, Xie Jingchen actually sympathized with Su Chong, her brother. Seeing everyone silent, Su Jin looked at Xie Jingchen. "With my brother’s current martial arts, he may be a bit short of taking on four, but he should have no problem with taking on three, right, husband?" she said with a hint of pride. "Hmm." Easily handle two, it wouldn’t be a problem to have a mutual loss against three. Xie Jinyu was a bit disappointed, although Su Jin had her brother beaten black and blue, barely recognizable, the Heir of Marquis Jingguo and they didn’t gain much either, if all those injuries were counted on one person, they probably wouldn’t have been able to get up from the ground. Victory in defeat. Xie Jinyu didn’t get to see Su Jin’s embarrassing side as she hoped, after she retreated, Princess Nanzhang directly challenged, her gaze cold and deep, "I told you to deal with the charcoal at the gate, and you directly moved it to Agarwood Pavilion?" "It’s not just moved, those charcoals meant to shame her, she not only accepted readily but also wanted others to keep sending it, even asked for some bamboo charcoal," Third Madam said sarcastically, her gaze filled with disdain, "You want charcoal, wouldn’t my Duke Zhen Mansion give it to you? How big is your face, that you need to use so much charcoal?" Low laughter spread through. Su Jin blinked. Not angry at all. "I certainly can’t use so much alone, good things are meant to be shared, Old Madam, Madam and two aunts, and the girls in the mansion, not to mention giving it out as gifts, those charcoals really aren’t enough," she said earnestly. Xie Jingchen held his forehead. Not enough trouble finding at Agarwood Pavilion, she came to Qihao Hall to be impudent. They wouldn’t indulge her like he did. Princess Nanzhang was so angry she was about to slam the table, "Isn’t harming the Eldest Young Master enough, you want to drag us down too?!" When did she harm Xie Jingchen? Alright, snatching him away in the street, she couldn’t deny that. But after she entered the door, Xie Jingchen did transform from dying to revived, this is widely recognized. "It’s good stuff," Su Jin argued. What kind of good stuff is this? Sёarᴄh the Nôvel(F)ire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A bandit is a bandit, never seen the world, mistaking fish eyes for pearls. Xie Jinyu said disdainfully, "Such good stuff, Sister-in-law should keep it for Brother, we don’t need it!" "...Are you sure you don’t want to reconsider?" Su Jin looked hopeful. Reconsider what? Consider smearing charcoal on our faces at her suggestion?! If these words got out, she’d be too embarrassed to go out and face people! Princess Nanzhang waved her hand dismissively, "Take them to the ancestral hall, reflect for three hours!" Su Jin furrowed her brows, looking at Xie Jingchen, "What mistake did we make?" Xie Jingchen remained silent. A book was thrown over there, landing right in front of Su Jin. Su Jin thought maybe they intended to hit her, but missed. She looked down and saw two big words. Family Rules. Is this a violation of family rules? "Read it thoroughly! If you break them again, kneeling for three hours will be the least of your worries!" Princess Nanzhang said coldly. Such a thick book of family rules, how long will it take to read through? Su Jin’s eyes twinkled. She lifted her foot. And kicked the family rules to Xie Jingchen’s feet. The movement was as smooth as flowing clouds and water. Everyone was stunned, speechless for a long time. The Old Madam slapped the table and said, "You are insolent!" Su Jin quickly picked up the family rules, patted the dust off, and admitted her mistake, "Don’t be mad, I didn’t know if the family rules could be thrown or kicked." After saying that, she threw the family rules to Xie Jingchen. She threw it too quickly. Xie Jingchen didn’t react in time, and it fell on the ground, exactly where Su Jin had kicked it earlier. Everyone, "...!!!" Su Jin gave Xie Jingchen an approving look. Nice cooperation. Xie Jingchen rubbed his forehead. Who was cooperating with her? Is she trying to make people less angry? She’s trying to anger everyone to death so she and the maids can rule Duke Mansion! Princess Nanzhang was shaking with rage, especially with the Old Madam’s condemning gaze. She shouted, "Drag them out! If they dare resist, pin them on a bench and beat them hard!" Two older women stepped forward and said, "Eldest Young Madam, please!" Su Jin looked at Xie Jingchen. Xie Jingchen took her hand and said indulgently, "Let’s go." Let’s go... Brother, that’s kneeling for three hours, aren’t you going to put up a fight? Since Xie Jingchen didn’t resist, Su Jin figured fighting alone was pointless and silently followed out of Qihao Hall. She believed Xie Jingchen would not submit so easily. Once outside Qihao Hall, Su Jin realized something. Xie Jingchen asking for buns wasn’t because of any tacit understanding with her. He had a tacit understanding with the Duke Mansion people! He anticipated the punishment, so he ate until he was full! "Which family rule did we break exactly?" Su Jin asked. "Not being dignified, composed, noble, and clean." "...." Yesterday on the street, indeed not dignified, but noble and clean... "Because I said to smear charcoal on our faces, so we’re not noble and clean?" Su Jin was speechless. Xie Jingchen, "...." Nobility aside, how could he with a clear conscience call it clean? "If I said murder, wouldn’t you go straight to kill me?" "Smearing charcoal warrants kneeling in the ancestral hall, ultimately it’s just being shown to your Xie family ancestors, isn’t it?" Xie Jingchen, "...." Who else does she want to show it to? "Yesterday, showing affection, why didn’t you tell me it was against the family rules?" Su Jin said. Xie Jingchen gave her a sidelong glance, "If I told you, would you have stopped?" Su Jin paused and said, "I would still show affection, but I could find a way to stay dignified, composed, noble, and clean and let you take the punishment alone." Xie Jingchen, "....!!!" How could she say such cold-hearted words so confidently? He couldn’t help but want to strangle her. Anyway, she wouldn’t kneel for three hours. "Later, you pretend to faint from coughing blood," Su Jin said. Xie Jingchen felt he was about to really cough blood. He didn’t speak, so Su Jin continued, "If you can’t cough it out, I’ll help you." Xie Jingchen, "....!!!" Taking a deep breath, he asked, "Are you sure you want me to cough blood?" Su Jin looked at him. Xie Jingchen’s expression suggested if she truly wanted this, he would comply. Su Jin’s mind switched tracks. And instantly, it clicked! With Xie Jingchen kneeling with her now. If he fainted from coughing blood— She’d be kneeling alone! Su Jin didn’t speak. Xie Jingchen assumed she’d changed her mind. Upon entering the ancestral hall, Su Jin resolutely said, "Cough the blood, I’ll be infected and cough blood too." Xie Jingchen, "...."

Chapter 28 Elegance

Comments (0)