Remarried to a top-tier playboy, her reborn ex-husband is filled with regret.

As soon as Yun Shuyao stepped into the hanging flower gate of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, she saw her father, Yun Chongshan, sitting in the grand master's chair in the main hall, slamming his teacup heavily on the table, splashing a lot of tea foam.

The elder brother, Yun Shuwen, stood to the side, his face even more somber than his father's.

"Kneel down!"

Yun Chongshan's voice was like ice, and he shouted at her before she could even stand up straight.

Yun Shuyao pursed her lips and knelt down as instructed, her knees slamming onto the cold blue bricks with a dull thud.

"You're really something!"

Yun Shuwen spoke first, his tone full of disappointment and frustration.

"It's just a dispute over money, why do you have to take it to court?"

Even if the Marquis's mansion is in decline, it is still a hereditary title. What will the people of the whole capital think of our Zhenguo Duke's mansion?

The marriage between the two families was supposed to be a joyous occasion, but your actions have turned it into a complete joke!

"Was it me who made this marriage a joke?"

Yun Shuyao raised her head, her attitude unusually firm.

"Brother, don't you think it's a joke to see them scheming against me while simultaneously trying to make me obediently marry them?"

"you!"

Yun Shuwen was speechless, and her hand trembled as she pointed at her.

"You're absolutely unreasonable!"

What kind of noblewoman would go to court over a little money? It's utterly disregard for decorum!

"Dignity is earned, not obtained by swallowing insults."

Yun Shuyao straightened her back.

"I've said it before, I won't marry into the Marquis's family!"

"presumptuous!"

Yun Chongshan slammed his hand on the table, causing the fine sandalwood tabletop to vibrate and hum.

"Marriage is a major life event, decided by parents and matchmakers. How dare you say you won't marry?"

Do you think of yourself as a street vendor's daughter, able to marry whomever you want?

"Father!"

Yun Shuyao's voice suddenly rose, her eyes filled with stubbornness.

"What happened to the shopkeeper? She saved your life!"

Without the merchant's daughter's money, our Duke's mansion would be living such a comfortable life.

"How could my father take five concubines and support more than a dozen illegitimate children?"

"Rebellion! Outrageous!"

Yun Chongshan was so angry that his beard trembled, like an enraged wild beast, his eyes bloodshot.

"My Yun family has been noble for generations, how could we have raised such a shameless and disrespectful brat like you!"

"Sir, please calm down."

The mother, Qin, quickly stepped forward, tugged at her husband's sleeve, and then turned to Yun Shuyao, her voice pleading.

"Yao'er, quickly apologize to your father. What kind of girl doesn't get married?"

Although Prince Gu has his faults, he is also...

"Mother, you don't need to beg him. The more you beg him, the more he will despise you."

Yun Shuyao interrupted her mother's attempts to dissuade her.

"Mother, you don't need to persuade me. I will not repeat the mistakes you made."

"Look at her! Look at her attitude!"

Yun Chongshan pointed at Qin Shi, venting all his anger on her.

"It's all thanks to your good upbringing of our daughter!"

"If I hadn't been so foolish back then to marry you, a lowly woman from a merchant family, how could such a disobedient child have been born!"

Qin's face turned pale instantly, her lips trembled, she wanted to say something, but in the end she just lowered her head and secretly wiped away her tears with her handkerchief.

"Father!"

Yun Shuyao clenched her fist tightly, her nails digging deep into her palm.

"You can insult me, but you shouldn't insult my mother!"

"What's wrong with me scolding her?"

Yun Chongshan sneered.

"She was never good enough to be seen in public!"

"If it weren't for the fact that she saved my life once, do you think she could have become the Duchess of the State?"

Yun Shuwen frowned, but instead of speaking up for her mother, she turned to Yun Shuyao.

"Little sister, can't you be more sensible?"

For the sake of the family's reputation, what does it matter if we suffer a little grievance?

Even if Prince Gu is not good, he is still the heir of a marquis's mansion. In the future, he will surely give you a noble position as the mistress of the house!

Looking at the two men in front of her, who were related to her by blood, Yun Shuyao felt a chill in her heart.

What they cared about was never how much she suffered, but rather her ridiculous "face".

"I said I won't marry him! No one can control me, not even my own father!"

She spoke slowly and deliberately, her voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable determination.

"Great! Excellent!"

Yun Chongshan trembled with rage and shouted:

"Guards! Bring the family law!"

Yunmu turned pale with fright and rushed over to grab her husband's arm.

"Master! You mustn't! Yao'er is a young lady, how can she endure family discipline?"

"Get out of here!"

Yun Chongshan shook off Qin's hand, his eyes fierce.

"Today I'm going to teach her a lesson and show her what rules are!"

The family punishment was a rattan cane about three fingers thick, which was handed to Yun Shuwen by a servant.

Yun Shuwen glanced at his younger sister kneeling on the ground, then at his father's ashen face, and finally gritted his teeth and raised the rattan cane.

"Snap—"

The rattan cane struck Yun Shuyao's back, tearing the fabric instantly and leaving a bloody mark.

She groaned, her forehead beaded with cold sweat, but she stubbornly refused to beg for mercy.

"Will you admit your mistake?"

Yun Chongshan shouted.

Yun Shuyao bit her lower lip tightly and didn't respond.

"Slap! Slap! Slap!"

The rattan cane fell one after another, and his back was quickly covered in blood and gore, the stench of blood filling the air.

Yun Shuwen's hand gradually went limp. He looked at his sister's trembling shoulders, and each muffled thud felt like a blow to his heart.

But his father's gaze was like a knife, forcing him to stay still.

Yun Shuyao swayed as the blood on her back soaked through her clothes, and only then did Yun Chongshan raise his hand to signal her to stop.

"Do you know you were wrong now? Are you still going to make a scene and call off the engagement?"

He was breathing heavily, and his tone softened slightly.

Yun Shuyao struggled to lift her head, her face smeared with sweat and tears, but her eyes remained stubborn.

"I'm not wrong, I won't marry! But Father, why are you forcing me to marry into the Marquis's family? Do you have some ulterior motive?"

"What nonsense are you talking about!"

Yun Chongshan's eyes flickered for a moment, then were filled with anger. He pointed at Yun Shuwen and commanded:

"Hit him! Keep hitting him! Beat him to death! Let's see how long he can keep up this stubbornness!"

"Father!"

Yun Shuwen hesitated.

"My sister..."

"beat!"

Yun Shuwen gritted his teeth, about to raise the rattan stick again.

Suddenly, Yunmu lunged forward and grabbed her son's arm tightly.

"You can't hit her anymore! If you keep hitting her, you'll hurt our daughter!"

She's a young woman, and she'll get married someday!

If I have a scar on my back, my husband will despise me in the future!

Qin then turned to Yun Shuyao, tears streaming down her face.

"My dear Yao'er, just give in!"

Even if Prince Gu and his cousin have some issues, you don't have to take it this far!

Listen to your mother, admit your mistake, okay?

Yun Shuyao looked at her mother's red, swollen eyes, her throat tightened, but she still shook her head.

"Mother, I'm sorry, I have to call off this engagement."

"This is outrageous!"

Yun Chongshan suddenly stood up from his seat, pointed at Yun Shuwen, and commanded:

"Pull your mother away! Keep hitting her!"

Yun Shuwen pried her mother's hands apart, and the rattan cane fell again.

Yun Shuyao suddenly felt a metallic taste in her throat and coughed up a mouthful of blood. The blood splattered on the blue bricks in front of her, like a blooming red plum blossom.

She raised her hand to wipe the blood from the corner of her mouth, and slowly straightened her back, kneeling upright.

"Stop hitting them! Please stop!"

Qin rushed forward like a madwoman, shielding her daughter.

"Hit me if you want! It's my fault for not teaching her properly!"

Sir, if you hit him again, someone will die!

She's getting married soon; if something serious were to happen to her, it would be a huge scandal!

Yun Chongshan looked at his daughter's bleeding mouth, his chest heaving violently, and finally flung his sleeve away angrily.

"Lock her in the ancestral hall! Don't give her anything to eat until you've figured things out!"

"Not even water!"

Yun Chongshan added angrily.

Yun Shuyao, supported by her mother, slowly stood up. The sharp pain in her back made her vision blur, but she still forced herself to speak to Qin Shi:

"Mother, I've dragged you down with me."

"Silly child...you are your mother's child, what are you talking about implicating me?"

"But this isn't a solution. Let's just give in."

Mica wept uncontrollably.

"Mother."

Yun Shuyao gently pulled away from her mother's hand, her voice weak but firm.

"You've been too submissive, that's why your father treats you with such contempt."

You should stop giving your father money and see if he can still act so arrogantly.

After saying that, she straightened her back and walked step by step toward the ancestral hall.

Qin was stunned by these words and stood there for a moment, forgetting to react.

"younger sister……"

Yun Shuyao seemed not to hear the concerned call.

He walked straight past Yun Shuwen without even sparing him a glance.