Chapter 75 Caning
75 Caning
The ground in the courtyard was already dry, except for a few drops of rain on the treetops. It was winter, but there was no warmth, and the cold wind was bone-chilling.
“What’s the matter?” Gu Yanfei stopped on a certain stone step under the eaves. She casually brushed away her hair that was blown by the wind and looked down at Mother Su, who was a few steps away.
In Mother Su’s eyes, she only felt that Gu Yanfei was really stubborn. A trace of disdain appeared in her heart. Her daughter was about to become the princess consort, and would rise to the top from now on. What was Gu Yanfei worth?!
Other than throwing a tantrum in front of Madam Gu, what else could Gu Yanfei do?!
!!
Mother Su raised her hand and pointed at Gu Yanfei’s face, scolding unhappily, “Who are you trying to show off your thorny appearance to?!”
“The Third Lady has never let you down and has accepted you sincerely. Don’t be ungrateful!”
“You have to know your place!”
Mother Su’s aggressive voice grew louder, and she raised her chin boldly.
She had to teach this girl a lesson so that she would never dare to be impudent in front of her and her daughter again.
The commotion attracted some maidservants and old women, who sized them up carefully in twos and threes.
Looking at Mother Su, who was chattering non-stop, waves rose in the depths of Gu Yanfei’s eyes again. It was like a monstrous wave that covered the sky and destroyed the world… A moment later, it returned to calm.
“Drag her away and give her 20 strokes of the cane.”
A soft and faint voice escaped her lips.
The old women and maidservants around them were stunned. They looked at each other in silence.
The Third Lady was the future Princess Consort, so how could they dare to hit the Third Lady’s wet nurse? Wouldn’t they offend the Third Lady for no reason?!
A smart little maidservant hurriedly ran in the direction of the east second room.
“…” Mother Su was shocked at first, but seeing that everyone was standing rooted to the ground, she could not help but smile smugly.
That was true. In the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, who would listen to Gu Yanfei?! She had no need to be afraid at all.
However, while others did not dare to move, Juan Bi did.
Juan Bi approached Mother Su majestically and said at the top of her voice, “A mere wet nurse actually dares to be rude to the Second Lady. According to the rules of the Marquis Mansion, those who offend their superiors will be punished with 20 strokes of the cane.”
Juan Bi quickly snatched a broom from a maidservant who was sweeping and hit Mother Su directly in the butt.
“Pa! Pa!”
Juan Bi did not hesitate at all and slapped Mother Su twice, each blow solid.
Mother Su screamed and tried to dodge, but how could she outrun the agile Juan Bi? She was struck in the calf by the broom again and screamed again.
“Stop!”
Madam Gu’s stern shout came from the central room.
Gu Yunrong held Madam Gu’s hand and quickly walked out of the east room. Gu Yunzhen was a step behind, followed by four or five maidservants and grannies.
“Third Lady…” Mother Su looked at Gu Yunrong aggrievedly as if she had been pardoned. A few strands of hair had escaped from her bun, and the hairpin was askew. Tears appeared in her eyes.
Gu Yunrong looked back and forth between Gu Yanfei and Mother Su. She frowned slightly, her heart as clear as a mirror.
For her sake, Mother Su most likely came to look for Gu Yanfei to help her get the prescription. It was fine if Gu Yanfei did not give her the prescription, but she actually asked a maidservant to hit her…
It was too much.
Madam Gu stood in the middle of the central room, her temples throbbing. She shouted sternly, “Yanfei, what are you doing?!”
Mother Su lowered her head and wiped her tears with a handkerchief. She looked pitiful, but her eyes were rolling around to observe other people.
“Why is she still here?!” Gu Yanfei asked instead of answering.
Of course, she meant Mother Su.
The servants did not know the inside story and naturally did not understand what Gu Yanfei meant. However, Madam Gu and Gu Yunrong understood the threat in Gu Yanfei’s words.
“…” Madam Gu was speechless.
Madam Gu’s eyes flashed as she suppressed her anger and reprimanded coldly, “I thought you were sensible, but it turns out that you’ve been restraining it.”
“Then what do you think we should do with Mother Su?!”
Gu Yanfei smiled instead of being angry when she heard the reprimand that was similar to her previous life.
In her previous life, when faced with Madam Gu’s reprimand and questioning, she was filled with grievance and indignation and did not know how to confide in her. At that time, she was like an ignorant child, hoping that her grandmother would make decisions for her.
And now she had an answer.
“There’s a saying in the ‘Law of Jin’: Those who sell people will be punished with 100 strokes of the cane and be exiled for 3,000 miles.” A faint smile appeared on Gu Yanfei’s face as she asked, “Madam Gu, do you think the laws established by Emperor Taizu are wrong?”
“…” Madam Gu held the prayer beads tightly in her hand, her eyes sinister.
Madam Gu could naturally tell that Gu Yanfei was using the law to threaten her, the biological grandmother. Gu Yanfei clearly meant that if Madam Gu did not follow the family rules, Gu Yanfei would follow the law.
The dilapidated flowers and trees in the courtyard swayed in the cold wind, adding to the oppression and desolation.
Mother Su had forgotten to wipe her tears and looked up blankly.
She originally thought that Madam Gu would definitely help her on account of her daughter, but she did not expect Madam Gu to hesitate because of Gu Yanfei’s few words.
Now she panicked, too nervous to move.
Madam Gu’s expression was dignified, and her lips were pursed into a cold and determined line.
Gu Yanfei had even mentioned the law. It could be seen that Mother Su had already become a sore point for her, so it was better to let her vent her anger and deal with this matter.
Moreover, no matter how bad Gu Yanfei was, she was still of the Gu family’s bloodline. How improper was it for Mother Su, a servant, to make a fuss in front of her!
After a while, she said sternly, “Mother Su was disrespectful to the Second Lady. Drag her away and flog her!”
Mother Su felt as if she had been struck by lightning. Her heart raced and she knelt down weakly, her face pale.
...
With Madam Gu’s order, a few burly maidservants in the courtyard took action without hesitation. They restrained Mother Su from both sides, covered her mouth, and forcefully dragged her out of the courtyard.
Madam Su was at a loss, her entire body was cold, and her limbs were weak. She could only look pleadingly at Gu Yunrong, the tears in her eyes thickening.
This time, she really wanted to cry.
Gu Yunrong looked at Mother Su with a hesitant warmth. As she looked around, her pink neck outlined beautiful lines.
After a while, she seemed to have made up her mind and said gently to Madam Gu, “Grandma, these 20 strokes of the cane are enough to lacerate one’s flesh. Mother Su is just a weak woman who doesn’t even have the strength to truss a chicken. She might…”
She might not even be able to keep her life.
It was only at this moment that Gu Yunrong deeply felt this.
In this Great Jin Dynasty, the master could easily decide the life and death of a person.
Selling, beating, and killing were all matters of the master’s word.
In the hearts of these people, a servant’s life was not a life!
This made it difficult for her to agree.
...