The Zhu Family's Stain

That was barely tolerable, but now she's gone and done something as scandalous as having an affair before marriage!

Absolutely shameless and immoral, she's ruined the Zhu Family's century-old reputation!

As for Grace's mother, she's been bedridden for years, carrying the title of matriarch in name only.

Given that Wan Xuezhen's two daughters are a queen and a consort, and she even gave birth to the Zhu Family's only heir—

Not to mention, all these years, she's been the one managing everything inside and out.

So, she should be made the official wife—that's only fair and deserved.

But Grace's mother, Lena, with her mysterious background and a daughter like that, isn't fit to be the Zhu Family's official wife. She should be cast out!

This proposal was almost unanimously supported by all the family members.

The only one who opposed it was Prime Minister Zhu himself.

......

Grace paused for a moment and asked Tenner, "Where are they now? The council hall?"

"Yep!" Tenner nodded. "When I left, they were arguing like crazy!"

Grace's eyes grew cold. She turned to Hope and Claire, "Have you packed everything?"

"All packed!" they replied in unison.

"Let's go!"

"Huh? We're heading back to the manor now?" both asked. "No one's come to pick you up yet!"

"Pick me up? Forget it! Let's go, we're heading straight to the council hall."

These days, she hadn't been staying at the Zhu Family manor and hadn't seen any of the other Zhu Family members.

But she could easily imagine what they were saying about her behind her back.

She didn't want to see her dad struggle.

If push comes to shove, she could reveal her Celestial Five-Element Root—a rare and powerful Spirit Root that grants mastery over all five elements.

She didn't believe for a second that the Zhu Family would abandon a genius with a Celestial Five-Element Root—a legendary spiritual trait unique to her.

......

The Prime Minister's Residence was originally the ancestral home of the Zhu Family.

Ever since Prime Minister Zhu became Prime Minister, he renovated it to suit the standards of the Prime Minister's Residence and put up the official plaque.

The Zhu Family's ancestral home wasn't just the Prime Minister's Residence—it included a whole complex of other buildings.

There was a martial arena big enough for hundreds to spar at once, and a council hall that could seat thousands...

Grace headed straight for the council hall.

She hadn't even reached the door when she heard her father's voice: "...Lena is my official wife, and always will be! Even if I die, I will never cast her aside!"

Hearing such a declaration right as she arrived, Grace's heart warmed. She strode inside.

Inside were twenty or thirty people: her dad, her second uncle, third uncle, and all the key family members and elders.

When they saw her enter, everyone looked at her with contempt and disgust. It was like even one more glance at her was too much to bear.

"Grace, what are you doing here?" Prime Minister Zhu frowned.

"Dad, I heard the family is forcing you to cast out my mother Lena because of me?"

"This has nothing to do with you! Who told you to come here?" Prime Minister Zhu said sternly. "Go back to the Zhu Family Ancestral Temple and stay there. Without my orders, you're not allowed to return!"

Grace was about to speak when her second granduncle interrupted, "Minghan, how could this not involve her? It's her fault our Zhu Family's reputation keeps getting stained! Since everyone's here today, I suggest we strike her name from the family register!"

Grace glanced at her second granduncle—thin face, a scraggly goatee, and that holier-than-thou look.

How many favors did he secretly take from Wan Xuezhen?

She smiled faintly. "Second granduncle, are you saying I'm the Zhu Family's stain?"

"Aren't you?" he retorted, full of self-righteousness.

"Of course not," Grace replied.

"You're the only useless one in our Zhu Family's generation without a Spirit Root—a mystical trait that lets you sense and cultivate spiritual energy! If it weren't for the Empress having a Celestial Root, you'd have embarrassed us all! How can you shamelessly claim you're not a stain?" he fumed.