The clingy concubine ran away, and the sickly prince lost control.

In the morning light, Luo Qingyan walked gracefully in: "Greetings, Madam."

She slightly bent her knees, which perfectly outlined her shapely waistline beneath the hem of her skirt.

The old lady nodded, her sharp gaze sweeping over Luo Qingyan, but she didn't ask her to get up. With her slender waist and pert buttocks, she was a good mother and indeed better than her sister.

She wasn't told to get up. Luo Qingyan knelt down and lowered her eyes, not daring to look at the old lady. It seemed that she was being taught manners.

Cui Rou, standing to the side, noticed the old lady's cold and stern face, still as imposing as ever, and secretly rejoiced. She glared at Luo Qingyan with a sly look in her eyes, thinking, "I knew it! Even if Auntie wanted to leave an heir for Brother Yuan, she wouldn't disrespect the newcomer."

She slowly stood up, walked to Luo Qingyan, circled her and looked her up and down, then scolded, "Kneel down now."

Luo Qingyan remained calm. She hadn't done anything wrong, so why should she kneel?

"Miss Cui, did I do something wrong?"

Cui Rou's fair face flushed red. The daughter of a minor official was really bold. Didn't she even open her eyes to see where she was? The Duke of Xun's mansion. If it were anyone else, they would have already knelt down and waited for their master's punishment. How dare she ask the reason?

She had never encountered anyone who dared to question her before. Cui Rou was stunned for a moment, then stammered, "Brother Yuan has never liked this blue embroidered gold-threaded outer robe, and he would never wear it when paying his respects. Is this how you dressed Brother Yuan?"

No one understands Yuan-gege better than her.

Cui Rou's tilted chin seemed to press down on Luo Qingyan's head.

"Miss Cui, when I helped the young master change his clothes, he didn't mention that he disliked this outer garment," Luo Qingyan said, glancing at Pei Shiyuan.

If you don't like it, why don't you say so?

"It's alright." Pei Shiyuan's expression was cool and aloof. He was not as irritable as usual this morning, and he even forgot to pick out what clothes to wear. Luo Qingyan quickly put them on him.

"snort!"

Cui Rou pulled at her handkerchief and plopped back down in her seat. This was the second time her brother Yuan hadn't sided with her.

What's so great about a daughter from a poor, humble family? She's not even as good as a maid in the Cui family.

Pei Shiyuan was on her side again. Luo Qingyan's expression remained unchanged, still obedient, but her heart was already turbulent. It seemed that having offspring wouldn't be too difficult.

"Get up! Whatever Yuan'er is willing to wear is fine." The old lady's authoritative voice came from above.

"Thank you, Madam." Luo Qingyan stood up, glancing out of the corner of her eye at Cui Rou, who was furious. This Miss Cui was truly spoiled.

"Aunt, what happened last night has spread throughout the manor. It was this woman who insisted on sleeping with Brother Yuan, which caused him to vomit blood." Cui Rou couldn't hold back her anger and blurted out.

"Rou'er," the old lady said coldly, reminding her that a young lady should not speak of what happens in the bedroom.

"Aunt," Cui Rou persisted, "I am also ashamed to say this, but it concerns Brother Yuan's safety. I must say that Luo Qingyan is ill-mannered. She should be punished by copying the precepts of female virtue and then disciplined and taught by the matrons of the manor. She should not be so vulgar."

They called her vulgar, but the Duke's mansion was anxious to produce an heir for the young master, so they had to hurry.

If you're not vulgar, why don't you do it yourself?

Before entering the manor, she made a point of looking at the fire avoidance diagram several times. This kind of thing is just like that; you have to learn it when you get married too.

On their wedding night, who knows who might be more "vulgar"?

Luo Qingyan mentally berated Cui Rou several times, telling her to stop pretending.

The old lady picked up her teacup, blew on it leisurely, took a sip, and then glanced at Luo Qingyan. Last night's events had indeed been bold; Luo Qingyan's behavior was truly beyond her expectations for a young lady.

Cui Rou's words are not without merit, and some discipline is necessary.

"Granny Zheng, take Concubine Luo to the ancestral hall to copy the precepts of female virtue."

Luo Qingyan gave Pei Shiyuan a pleading look, but Pei Shiyuan coldly turned his face away. Was he not going to help her this time?

You're a man, don't you understand matters between men and women? Let them punish me.

You were so clumsy last night, you can't possibly not know how to do it!

She was a bit impatient; she just wanted to give birth to an heir for the Duke's mansion as soon as possible, even though she also had her own selfish desire to secure a future in the Duke's mansion through having an heir.

Seeing that Pei Shiyuan ignored her, Luo Qingyan lowered her eyes and could only accept the punishment.

Actually, Pei Shiyuan didn't think Cui Rou's words made sense. Rather, he wanted Luo Qingyan to be punished so that she would be disheartened and leave the Duke's mansion.

This girl is quite difficult to deal with. She even dared to be forceful with him last night. She probably won't leave unless she suffers a bit.

He doesn't have much time left, why leave behind an orphan and a widow without the care of a father or husband?

Luo Qingyan followed Granny Zheng all the way to the ancestral hall.

It's just copying the virtues and precepts for women!

It wasn't a huge punishment, better than kneeling under the scorching sun in Luo Mansion with Shi Ziqiang.

They remained silent the whole way. Zheng Mama's cold and stern aura was just like that of the old lady. Indeed, like master, like servant.

The ancestral hall was dimly lit.

A futon, and a woman's ring on a small table.

The writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone are ready.

"Please, Consort Luo!" Granny Zheng said solemnly in a low voice. She had thought that the girl who came to keep a child would coax and please the young master before consummating their marriage. But she hadn't met this girl before and was going to force herself on her without cultivating any relationship.

It was already incredibly lucky that the prince didn't kill her with a single sword strike.

Luo Qingyan nodded, then knelt down on the prayer mat. The moment her knees touched the mat, her beautiful face contorted in pain, her brows furrowing slightly.

The prayer mat was concealed with hidden needles, far sharper than pebbles; they were truly vicious.

Who did it? The old lady?

However, everyone in the capital knew that although the old lady of the Duke of Xun's mansion was strict in everything and had strict rules, she had not been known for being vicious.

Why not give it a try?

"Granny, copying the precepts for women is a punishment, how can I kneel on the prayer mat? Just kneel on the ground!" Luo Qingyan observed Granny Zheng's expression.

"If you're not afraid of the cold, hard ground, then go ahead." Granny Zheng said and turned to leave. It seemed that this girl could still be saved. She knew how to be strict with herself. The Duke's mansion was not like the Luo mansion, where everything was lax.

They still care about her; it seems this isn't the old lady's doing. It must be Cui Rou. Luo Qingyan thought.

When she came to the Duke's mansion, the person she disliked the most was Cui Rou.

That's really vicious.

The instruction to copy traditional female virtues, seemingly a minor punishment that the old lady readily agreed to, was actually a way to harm her behind her back.

Since Granny Zheng agreed, she would kneel on the ground and copy the document, but she didn't need to worry about the cold, hard ground.

She came prepared.

A noble family must be extraordinary; since they've come here seeking survival, how can they not make thorough preparations?

Luo Qingyan pulled out two palm-sized knee pads made of cowhide from the slender waistband of her skirt. The back of the pads was sewn with a layer of soft cotton, making them more comfortable against her knees and making it much easier to kneel.

When her mother, Madam Sun, was in a bad mood, she would take it out on her, and kneeling as punishment was a common occurrence. At first, she suffered a lot, her knees bleeding and oozing pus. Before she went to work as a handyman at the clinic, she could only find some herbs, crush them, and apply them to her knees.

Later, Sun's repeated unreasonable punishments hurt her heart, making her defensive towards kinship and maternal love. She no longer blindly listened to the so-called "filial piety" and instead accepted real punishment.

When she was forced to kneel, she would put on knee pads; when she wasn't given food, she would hide dry rations.

Luo Qingyan lifted her skirt, revealing legs as white as lotus roots, so smooth they seemed to be able to be squeezed for water. One couldn't bear to knead them any longer. Her knees were slightly red; despite her efforts to remain graceful, she had still been pricked by a needle.

"Do you think her knee is bleeding profusely right now? Try piercing it through."

"Definitely. Let's see how they seduce the young master now. They might as well kick them out."

A woman's mocking voice came from behind her, and Luo Qingyan quickly put on her knee pads and knelt on the ground.

It was Cui Rou. Luo Qingyan thought for a moment, then took the futon with the hidden needles and obediently knelt down on it.