Springtime Affairs in a Noble Family

"My lord, I..."

As soon as Aunt Zhao spoke, Song Shulan frowned. He ignored Aunt Zhao and let Cui Lingrong do as she pleased.

Aunt Zhao hurriedly kowtowed to Cui Lingrong, "Madam, please spare my life! I was... I was confused for a moment. Please forgive me this time, for the sake of our past relationship. From now on, I will serve you like a slave without any complaints."

With each blow, Aunt Zhao's forehead was covered in blood.

Cui Lingrong showed no sympathy whatsoever. If General Xie hadn't been there today, he and his brother might not have been able to protect Yu Jie'er's reputation.

Should we sympathize with Aunt Zhao, who was forced into this situation?

Cui Lingrong wouldn't do that.

Aunt Zhao visits Wutong Garden every few days; everyone knows that Aunt Zhao is trying to curry favor with Princess Rongjia.

"Aunt Zhao, you've served the Marquis for several years, so I'll spare your life out of consideration for that," Cui Lingrong said. "But you can't stay in the manor anymore. From now on, you'll go to the estate, but you'll have to earn your own food, clothing, and other necessities. Whether you do laundry, embroidery, or weaving, it's all up to you."

Upon hearing this, Aunt Zhao's vision went black, and then Aunt Qiu pressed her philtrum again.

In the years that Aunt Zhao had lived in the Jiangyuan Marquis's mansion, Cui Lingrong had never skimped on her monthly allowance, so she didn't have to work in the dark for money. After a few years of comfortable living, her fingers had become slender and fair. How could Aunt Zhao possibly bear to do rough work now?

Moreover, if someone who has committed a crime comes to the village, how can the others let her have an easy time?

"Madam, please, spare me!" Aunt Zhao cried as she crawled forward, but Cui Lingrong didn't give her a chance to plead and directly ordered the old women to drag Aunt Zhao away.

As Aunt Zhao's cries subsided, Song Shulan said, "Wang Shanxi's wife and Qingxue both serve the princess. Why don't we let... let the princess handle this?"

Wang Shanxi's fingers were tortured. She knew she was going to be punished, but after serving Princess Rongjia for so many years, she still hoped the princess would spare her life.

She looked hopefully toward the door, but no one came out.

Qingxue kept her head down, clenching her teeth tightly, showing no intention of begging for mercy.

Cui Lingrong looked up at Song Shulan, "Doesn't Your Excellency feel guilty towards Yu'er?"

Song Shulan awkwardly turned her head away, "Then what do you suggest we do?"

When Prince Rong arrived at Wutong Garden, Cui Lingrong knew that she couldn't do anything to Princess Rongjia. She had long wanted to cut off Princess Rongjia's right and left arms. This time, Princess Rongjia had delivered the handle to her door herself. How could she let it go so easily?

Especially Wang Shanxi's wife; every time before, she was the one who stepped in to help Princess Rongjia.

"The confession states that Wang Shanxi's wife was the mastermind, and she was the one who kept instigating the princess. This kind of unruly servant cannot be allowed to live. If she is not severely punished, how can we appease the people?"

Cui Lingrong coldly swept her gaze over Song Shulan. When she looked at Wang Shanxi's house, her eyes were like those of someone looking at a dead person. "Just take two stools from this yard. Wang Shanxi's wife will get fifty lashes. Qingxue..."

Throughout, Qingxue didn't say a word. Cui Lingrong looked over and said, "Qingxue will only get twenty strokes of the cane. Whether she survives or not depends on her own fate. If she survives, she'll be sent to the manor to do hard labor."

Twenty strokes of the cane might save Qingxue's life; Cui Lingrong has other uses for Qingxue.

But Wang Shanxi's family must die; if she doesn't act ruthlessly today, she will harm herself in the future.

Song Shulan didn't want to get involved in this matter; he left it to Cui Lingrong to handle as she pleased.

Cui Lingrong stayed behind to watch Wang Shanxi's wife, He Qingxue, being tortured.

When Wang Shanxi's wife was being given twenty-six strokes of the cane, she fainted. Cui Lingrong had a bucket of water poured over her to wake her up. "Wang Shanxi's wife," she said, "if you have anything else to say, I might be able to reduce your punishment. Look at you, your loyal master doesn't even show his face. How disheartening!"

Wang Shanxi's face was covered in tears and snot. She wanted to live, but she couldn't betray the princess. The lives of her entire family were in the princess's hands.

She couldn't even lift her head, and could only prostrate herself as she said, "Madam, you've won today, but can you keep being so lucky? This old servant will go to the underworld and wait to see when you'll come looking for me!"

"Good, you're very good." Cui Lingrong gave a look, and the old women continued to beat her with the cane.

Inside the house, Princess Rongjia listened to the screams and her hatred for Cui Lingrong grew even stronger.

She wanted to leave, but her mother's people held her back. Chen De's wife blocked her way, saying, "Princess, don't be confused. They are already your abandoned pawns. This incident has already created a rift between you and the Marquis. If you go and argue with the eldest mistress, the Marquis will be even more annoyed."

"But they have served me for so many years, and I can't bear to just listen to them like this." Princess Rongjia and Wang Shanxi's wife still had some affection for each other.

"It was an honor for Madam Wang to die for her master. It will be her good fortune if you promote her son and daughter-in-law in the future." Chen De's wife will stay and replace Wang Shanxi's wife. She needs to bring the princess to her senses. "As long as you're well, you'll have your chance to turn things around. Then, why worry about not having a chance for revenge?"

"Yes, you're right. I underestimated them." Princess Rongjia wished she could grind Cui Lingrong to dust. "I didn't expect Cui Zeyu to actually bring Xie Yunting here."

I wonder if Xie Yunting will go around spreading rumors about what happened today.

Princess Rongjia's eyebrows twitched incessantly, and Cui Lingrong made her kneel in the ancestral hall with her eyebrows twitching, for a whole month.

Poisonous woman!

The screams outside stopped, and Madam Qiu came in to inquire, "Princess, Madam Wang is dead. The eldest mistress sent me to ask whether you ordered Madam Wang's body to be disposed of, or to be thrown into a mass grave?"

"Stay here!" Princess Rongjia said through gritted teeth.

"The eldest mistress said that if you want to deal with it, you should pay for it yourself. A wicked servant like Wang Mama is not worthy of using the manor's money." Qiu Mama was very pleased. Her mistress had won against Princess Rongjia and also let the Marquis see Princess Rongjia's true colors. From now on, no one could shake the eldest mistress's position.

Princess Rongjia really wanted to go over and tear Qiu Mama's mouth apart, but she really didn't have the strength at the moment. Chen De's wife said, "Thank you for your trouble, Madam. The princess still has this much money."

"Okay." Madam Qiu withdrew and followed her mistress to visit Sister Yu.

Song Yu kept looking at the doorway until her mother appeared, then hurriedly asked, "How is it, Mother? It proves I didn't hit the princess, right?"

Cui Lingrong looked at her daughter with affection. "Yes, it's all proven." She took her daughter's hand and told her in detail what had happened that day. "Fortunately, your uncle brought General Xie with him, otherwise it would have been very difficult to break this deadlock."

Song Yu cried.

She nestled in her mother's arms and cried bitterly.

Despite the truth coming out, she was not happy, because what she experienced today was the most humiliating thing she had ever done in the past ten years.

She was especially disappointed in her father. If her mother hadn't insisted on seeking justice for her, how could she have the face to face anyone in the future?

"Alright, alright, you'll ruin your eyes if you keep crying." Cui Lingrong gently wiped away her daughter's tears. "Your great-aunt once told me not to cry easily, and to only cry when it can solve the problem. You've been sad today, remember this, and I'll be at ease when you grow up."

"Okay, I won't cry anymore." Song Yu smiled at her mother, then became worried again, "You talked back to Father and Grandmother today, what will you do in the future?"

"The way things were before is the way things will be in the future." Cui Lingrong smiled helplessly. "In the Marquis's mansion, your father is the head of the family. Although I hope you can live a more honest life, it's hard to have a good life in the inner quarters without these methods. Remember my words: when your father and grandmother send people to see you, you can get angry, you can throw a tantrum once or twice, but don't do it a third time."

Song Yu pursed her lips. "I feel like I'll never be able to get close to my father again."

The thought of her father wounded her deeply; that kick had shattered her heart.

"You don't need to be genuinely close to him. Instead, you should learn to exploit his guilt to your own advantage," Cui Lingrong sighed. "Yu-jie, I can't protect you forever. You have to be strong on your own."

Song Yu nodded. "I know."

The mother and daughter talked for a while, and by the time Cui Lingrong left, it was already late at night.

She returned to Qiushuangzhai and was somewhat surprised to see a figure sitting inside.

Upon entering the room and seeing Song Shulan holding a book, Cui Lingrong recalled Song Shulan's words from earlier that day and asked expressionlessly, "My lord, why aren't you resting so late? Is there something you want to tell me?"