Women, we must rely on ourselves

It took a long while for Su Xiu's tears to finally stop.

But the grievance in her heart still boiled like scalding water.

For the sake of the Su family, she had even given up her own romance. She could have had a beautiful love story, but it was gone, all gone!

Now she had to marry a great general she didn't even know.

She had suffered such a great injustice and endured it for the Su family, but why should she have to suffer more indignities after marrying into the General's Manor?

This Ren Tianye was already showing her such disrespect before the wedding, refusing even to sign the letter of guarantee she had drafted. How could he possibly treat her with genuine affection in the future?

In this life, she had already enjoyed wealth, glory, and a carefree existence. She sought nothing else; her only desire was a sincere romance.

It was bad enough that her wish could not be fulfilled.

Why must the man she was to marry be so entirely disagreeable to her?

"A woman must rely on herself!"

Su Xiu muttered to herself, her gaze gradually becoming resolute.

If she didn't fight for it, she would have nothing.

She had to fight!

Though she was but a woman, she was by no means inferior to any man!

In this world, even the sovereign was a Female Emperor. How could a woman be lesser than a man?

She suddenly stood up and called out, "Xiaotao, Xiaotao..."

For a long time, there was no answer from outside her boudoir.

Su Xiu furrowed her brows, strode out, pushed open the door, and shouted recklessly, "Where is Xiaotao? Where did she die off to?"

"Second Miss..." A maid hurriedly ran over. "Xiaotao has been locked up by the Master."

"Let her out... Forget it, I'll go myself!" Su Xiu knew that within the family, aside from her grandmother, the Master's word was iron law, and no one dared to disobey.

But while the lowly maids dared not disobey, she could.

She went straight to the woodshed, released Xiaotao, and brought her back to the boudoir.

She looked Xiaotao up and down.

Suddenly, she asked, "Xiaotao, I remember you always wore a gold hairpin. Where is it?"

"Miss, I took the hairpin to subsidize my family. You asked me about it before."

"Nonsense!" Su Xiu interrupted sharply. "It was clearly stolen by Ren Tianye when you went to return the betrothal gifts to him for me."

"Ah?" Xiaotao was stunned. "Your servant didn't even see the Great General!"

"You clearly saw him, yet you insist you didn't. Are you courting death?"

Thump!

Xiaotao quickly knelt down. "Second Miss, your servant saw him. My gold hairpin was indeed stolen by the Great General."

Su Xiu's beautiful face turned cold. "What rubbish Great General? To embezzle even my maid's gold hairpin shows an utterly corrupt character. If I don't properly discipline such a man after he becomes my husband, wouldn't I be a laughingstock when we go out?"

"I heard that this Ren Tianye was originally despised and abandoned by the Ren Duke's Mansion. He shamelessly returned but was not accepted. It must be because he lacks manners."

"Having spent half his life in poverty and vulgarity, ignorant of etiquette and right from wrong, it is already the blessing of three lifetimes and smoke rising from his ancestral graves that such a man can marry me. But I absolutely will not allow him to remain like this for the rest of his life."

"I must properly teach him what rules are."

Pausing, she said to Xiaotao, "Take my visiting card and go invite Ren Tianye. Tell him I invite him for a brief chat, and he must come."

"But remember, do not say a single word more about what I just told you."

Xiaotao was taken aback for a moment, but having served the Second Miss since childhood, she understood Su Xiu quite well and quickly caught on. She then asked, "Second Miss, should I go now?"

"Go right now!"

"Yes!"

Xiaotao hurriedly got up and left.

Before long, she came running back.

"Miss, the Master has locked the main gates and won't allow me to go out again."

Su Xiu instantly felt angry and pained. "Second Uncle, you and I are tied by blood. Why do you always side with outsiders?"

Pausing, she said to Xiaotao, "Then go again tomorrow. If someone still stops you, tell them you are going to invite the Great General for a brief chat. Even if they stop you, the message will surely be delivered."

Su Xiu's guess was quite accurate.

The next day, when Xiaotao went again, she was stopped once more. However, when Xiaotao mentioned she was inviting the Great General over for a chat, the news was immediately reported to Su Hong.

"Inviting the Great General over for a chat?"

"Could it be that my niece has finally come around?"

Su Hong's face was full of joy.

For a long time now, in order for the Su Mansion to board Ren Tianye's great ship, he had been waking up early and staying up late, working tirelessly every day.

Because the Female Emperor had dismissed two hundred thousand soldiers from the Northern Frontier, the region was no longer as peaceful as before. Bandits were rampant, and local forces could only sigh in despair, unable to even face them head-on.

Furthermore, barbarians had entered Shanhe City.

This severely impacted the Su family's commerce.

In order to smoothly deliver all the supplies to the Great General, he had put in tremendous effort, preparing who knows how many contingency plans.

Fortunately, things were relatively stable.

The only thing left was his niece's grand wedding with the Great General.

Now, after all his earnest persuasion, had his niece finally seen the light?

He knew it!

The glory, disgrace, rise, and fall of the family, and the temptation of becoming akin to an Empress—what could be stronger than that!

Excited, Su Hong was about to send someone to invite the Great General.

However, before sending someone, he needed to be careful and cautious. After all, in these extraordinary times, he could not afford the slightest negligence.

He sent someone specifically to ask Su Xiu.

"Master, the Second Miss says she wishes to have a long talk with the Great General throughout the night to resolve their previous misunderstandings."

"Moreover, when she said this, the Second Miss was smiling and speaking cheerfully; she looked very happy."

"Oh, and the Second Miss also arranged for the kitchen to prepare the Great General's favorite foods."

Su Hong was so excited he almost jumped up.

It's done!

It's done!

His niece had finally come to her senses!

He immediately ordered, "Quick, quick, go invite the Great General."

"Right, notify the kitchen to bring out the thousand-deer tendons I've treasured for three years, and the premium camel hump. Oh, right, and the black bear paw presented by the hunters. Bring them all out, bring them out... They must be cooked perfectly, absolutely perfectly."

Overwhelmed with excitement, Su Hong prepared meticulously.

Not only the food, but even the servants' attire and everything else within the mansion were thoroughly cleaned and tidied.

Although it was against etiquette for the groom's side to visit two days before the wedding, as long as the Great General didn't mind, the Su Mansion, despite usually priding itself on being a family of propriety, could completely disregard it.

As he oversaw the preparations, he anxiously waited for news.

It didn't take long for the servant to return and report.

"Master, the Great General has agreed."

"The Great General said that once he finishes handling his official duties, he will come over for a chat and have a heart-to-heart talk with the Second Miss."

"Good, good, good..." Su Hong said several times in one breath. He knew that although Ren Tianye was strict in governing the army and decisive in his actions, he was still very human.

Their Su Mansion was showing such goodwill now, before the Great General had fully risen to power, so the Great General would certainly give them face.

He immediately said, "Good, go inform the Great General again that our Su Mansion is respectfully waiting at all times, and tell him not to rush."

"Yes!"

After the servant left again, Su Hong immediately called the steward over. "Put the coordination matters for Black Rock City on hold for now."

"Master, the clan members are almost here. If we wait any longer, I'm afraid they will be dissatisfied."

"It matters not. After I finish meeting with the Great General, I will just rush over there by fast horse. At worst, I won't eat or sleep and might exhaust a few horses to death, that's all."

"Nothing is of greater importance than the Grand General's visit to our estate."

...