C6 Chapter 6

With the original owner’s memories, Chu Jiuge understood all too well that in East Forest, where news spread by word of mouth, judging someone was not something people did lightly. A single comment could shape that person’s entire life.

In East Forest, people placed enormous weight on the opinions of teachers and elders, respected figures, and powerful noble families.

If any of them said, “You’re no good,” that judgment could brand you for life. No matter how well you conducted yourself afterward, you would still be the person everyone thought was “no good.” From then on, whenever others dealt with you, the first thing they might say would be, “Don’t talk to that person. So-and-so already said they’re no good.”

Xiao Jing'an was the Young Master of the powerful Xiao family, and his character was widely respected. If he publicly called Chu Jiuge a vicious woman, then unless something changed, that label would follow her for the rest of her life.

Whenever anyone mentioned Chu Jiuge, the response would be, “Oh, you mean the vicious woman Young Master Xiao talked about? She must be awful. Stay away from her.”

It might even go so far that, despite an imperial marriage decree, the North Duke could still refuse to marry Chu Jiuge. After all, she was a woman publicly judged vicious by a young master from a great family. If she was that bad, people would assume she could only be worse, never better.

From then on, even if she were humiliated or killed, the authorities might not care, because she was a vicious woman.

“Apologize!” Chu Jiuge knew exactly how devastating the words “a woman’s heart is the cruelest” could be to her future, and her expression turned cold at once.

“What did you say? You want me to apologize?” As soon as the words left his mouth, Xiao Jing'an realized he had gone too far.

He was angry that Chu Jiuge had hurt Yunhua, but he should never have thrown around a phrase like “a woman’s heart is the cruelest” to accuse her. Those words were enough to ruin her life, but...

The pride of an aristocratic family’s son made it impossible for him to regret something like this, much less take it back.

As for apologizing, that was out of the question.

“Yes, I want you to apologize, Young Master Xiao!” If Xiao Jing'an did not apologize today, Chu Jiuge would have no way forward.

Even if the North Duke was far away in North County and knew nothing about what had happened today, the Chu family and the royal family would never allow a woman the Xiao family’s Young Master had called “as vicious as they come” to marry the North Duke and disgrace them both.

“The Xiao family is never wrong. We never apologize.” Xiao Jing’an looked at Chu Jiuge with unmistakable arrogance, not taking her words seriously at all.

Even if, just a moment ago, he had felt the slightest bit that he might have gone too far, he certainly didn’t feel that way now.

Apologize?

What a joke.

An aristocratic family descendant like him apologize to a commoner?

The Chu family might have done well for itself these past few years and entered official ranks, but in Xiao Jing’an’s eyes, a family of humble origins like theirs was still nothing more than commoners, insignificant as ants.

Yuen Yunhua covered her injured face, her eyes blazing with anger. “Don’t waste words on her. Take her away.”

“Yes.” The three men in gray reached for Chu Jiuge at once, thinking it would be easy.

“No apology, then die!” With a quick shift of her body, Chu Jiuge slipped past the attacks of all three men. Before Xiao Jing’an could react, she stepped forward, slammed Yuen Yunhua aside, and grabbed Xiao Jing’an by the collar.

Yuen Yunhua’s face was ruined. Xiao Jing’an had called her vicious and sent his guards to seize her. It was obvious this would not end peacefully. Since that was the case, she had no choice but to strike first and force Xiao Jing’an to let her go in front of everyone...