Chapter 22: When soldiers come, the general holds them off; when water floods in, the soil blocks it 2

Anyone with keen eyes could see it, yet this woman still asked? Qu Tan'er endured it, and continued to speak to Madam politely and submissively. Madam coldly continued to ask, "I heard that on your wedding night, the Eighth Prince didn't consummate the marriage with you. Is that true?" "Madam, your information is indeed well-informed," Qu Tan'er replied earnestly. But saying this with a serious expression seemed quite peculiar. Madam coldly said, "It's a disgrace, a disgrace to the Qu Family! How dare you come back alone today? Do you know what punishment you are to endure?" From beginning to end, it was just Madam's voice asking the questions. It was evident that in this Qu Household, the one who had the final say and held the highest position was Madam. As for the so-called Master Qu, he was merely a henpecked husband who could only sit on the side. Qu Tan'er said, "Tan'er does not know." "Steward, step aside, don't block her," Madam commanded, and the steward immediately stepped back. "Jing Xin, you step aside too," as Madam instructed the steward to step back, at the same time, Qu Tan'er also told Jing Xin to step aside, and without waiting for Jing Xin to react, she pushed Jing Xin far away. When Madam asked the steward to step back, it surely didn't bode well. A daughter married off is like water thrown out— "A daughter married off is like water thrown out." Almost simultaneously, as Qu Tan'er silently muttered this phrase, Madam stormed out and yelled the same words. Before she finished, she mercilessly splashed a basin of cold water. The water splashed into the air, landing precisely on Qu Tan'er standing on the steps. Drip, drip! The water dripped down, one drop at a time. "This is the punishment you deserve." Madam had a face full of accusation, her eyes filled with deep disgust. However, upon seeing Qu Tan'er after the water was splashed, Madam's anger only intensified! It turned out… Qu Tan'er was still smiling slightly. Her hair was dry, and her upper clothing was untouched by water because she had prepared in advance. She could now also tell Jing Xin why she wore an embroidered cloak when they left home. It was only to shield against the water. Unfortunately, the hem of her skirt wasn't as lucky, getting slightly wet, but it was much better than being soaked all over. "Wretched girl! Growing wings now, daring to use a cloak to shield yourself?!" Madam was furious, but the basin of water had been entirely splashed, leaving no more to splatter. "It's Tan'er's fault. Tan'er shouldn't have used the cloak to shield the water. If Madam is displeased, she can have someone splash it again," Qu Tan'er shrank her neck slightly, kept her head down, looking scared as if trembling. She struggled to hold back the urge to laugh. After all, her current status was still that of the Eighth Prince Manor, but obviously, these people didn't regard her as the Princess Consort. They overstepped boundaries, these people. But they had no self-awareness at all. At this moment, seeing her yielding, Madam thought that continuing to press would make her seem narrow-minded. She gave Qu Tan'er a cold glance, turned around violently, as if too lazy to look at her one more time, and said in an aristocratic woman's condescending tone, "Still not coming in? Standing there like a statue? Don't know how many generations' bad luck our Qu Family has to have given birth to such an unworthy girl to solely disgrace our family." "Yes, Tan'er will come in at once," Qu Tan'er lowered her eyebrows and gaze slightly, bowing her head.