Chapter 1, Punishment

No matter how absurd and shameless Second Brother usually is, and no matter how little he is favored by the people in the residence, he cannot engage in such filthy acts

Xiliang Mo opened her eyes and met a pair of eyes filled with the same fear and anxiety as her own. After holding back for a while, tears streamed down her cheeks like a spring: "Bai Mei... Wuwu."

Xiliang Mo felt her heart racing with anxiety, yet she could only nod like a garlic clove, not daring to provoke Ziyue's anger. She quickly followed Ziyue with a few obedient little steps.

Xiliang Mo bit her lip, lowering her head even further, when she heard another gentle female voice say: "Danmei, Mother and the elders are all here, do not be unruly." The voice was soft like the spring rain of March, intoxicating to the ears.

Xiliang Mo was increasingly apprehensive as she was led into the room by Ziyue. In light of such a significant event, all the members of the household had gathered in the main hall. The only exceptions were Duke Jingguo, who had accompanied the Emperor to the summer resort in Heyuan, and the Duke's wife, who had been bedridden for many years. Everyone who was supposed to be present was there, and seated at the upper right side was the second wife, Madam Han, who managed the household affairs.

She seemed to be directing several rough women to restrain Liu Momo

"Miss, do not cry, do not cry, it is all right!" Bai Mei, the personal maid of Xi Liang Mo, reached out her hand to embrace the slender and pale figure of Xi Liang Mo. Bai Mei, who was also only fourteen, appeared more resilient than Xi Liang Mo, despite her own face being filled with fear.

Xiliang Mo's heart was in her throat; if those people discovered her tattered blood-stained clothes

Xiliang Mo smiled wryly as she hurriedly put on her relatively intact outer garment. Indeed, if the people in the residence were to find out, even though her second brother had a notorious reputation for bullying both men and women, she would likely be unable to escape the label of a little harlot who seduces her own brother. While this title might not be too damaging for others, for her, it would surely lead to a fate worse than death.

Ziyue coldly interrupted, "Miss, just come with us." As the eldest maid of the second wife of the master, Ziyue maintained the most basic etiquette on her face, although she never concealed her disdain for this neglected young lady. However, she did not bully Xiliang Mo as other servants did. Meanwhile, the maids and housemen around Ziyue had already taken on fierce expressions, almost ready to rush forward and drag Xiliang Mo away.

Having said that, Bai Mei suddenly reached out to close the window. In her shock, Xi Liang Mo had not yet regained her senses, and before she could say anything, she fell abruptly into the courtyard outside the room

In this residence of the Yasukuni Public House, apart from Bai Mei and her biological mother—Liu Momo, the wet nurse of Xi Liang Mo, as well as the rough servants Bai Rui and Bai Momo outside the courtyard of Xi Liang Mo, no one referred to Xi Liang Mo as the young lady. Although she was born as the eldest daughter and was the biological daughter of the madam, she was treated like a mere plaything by everyone.

Indeed, after a moment, the second lady coldly spoke: "This wretched maid, Bai Mei, failed to seduce the master and has committed acts of violence against others; she shall receive thirty strokes of the board."

The two girls in the room were startled and quickly ran to the back window, which was originally intended for ventilation and was shared. The window frame appeared somewhat high for a fourteen-year-old girl with underdeveloped stature. Bai Mei supported Xi Liang Mo at the waist and helped her step on her hands to reach up.

Xi Liangmo secretly glanced at the Second Madam. The Second Madam hailed from a prestigious and powerful family, which had produced three empresses. Her beauty could almost be described as exquisite; even in middle age, she retained the freshness of spring dawn. However, her expression was one of cold indifference. The incident involved her second son, yet there was no sign of anger on her face. Nevertheless, her icy gaze made Xi Liangmo involuntarily shiver.

The various shouts and screams, mixed with the tragic cries of Bai Mei and the pleas of Liu Momo, caused her to tremble all over as she crawled and rolled her way out of the flower bushes in the backyard

For a long time, Xiliang Mo trembled all over, feeling as if the sound of her chattering teeth could be heard by everyone.

A dull thud echoed, and the weight on my body suddenly lightened, as a familiar yet anxious whisper sounded in my ear

In Bai Mei's eyes, there were tears of lingering fear, yet she bit her lip and calmly said: "Yes, Miss, we must hurry, Granny Liu is keeping watch outside. If anyone sees you like this, we might all lose our lives."

Wuwu... A flickering candle flame, like a bean lamp, danced in the air. Xiliang Mo felt an unbearable heat enveloping her body, while her frail limbs seemed to be bound by some unseen force. She curled up in pain, and as her fingers brushed against her skin, she suddenly realized something was amiss. Her body was burning with heat, yet her touch felt like snow, smooth and cold. In her ears, a man's low growl echoed like that of a beast.

Xi Liang Mo took a breath of relief, secretly glancing at the well, confirming that the blood-stained clothes had been thrown to the bottom of the well and remained undiscovered, before lowering her head and following along the path.

The one who brought the person was indeed the second lady's personal maid, Ziyue. Ziyue stood gracefully, dressed in a light purple long dress, with a silver-white embroidered jacket cinched at the waist, which accentuated her round, jade-like face, making her appear even more elegant. Her demeanor was more akin to that of a young lady than that of Xiliang Mo.

Ziyue signaled to a maid beside her, and the maid respectfully led the people into the courtyard, beginning to search around.

Xiliang Mo fled back to her secluded courtyard, her heart in a state of turmoil. Her gaze fell upon the clothes hanging out to dry, and she hurriedly tore them down, flustered as she tidied herself up. Just as she had barely finished organizing herself, she heard the courtyard door being kicked open with a loud "bang".

Upon hearing about the registry office and the subsequent handling by the second lady, the expressionless or distracted attendees could not help but show a slight change in demeanor. In such a cold February winter, kneeling in contemplation for a month, even if one were to survive, it is likely that their legs would be crippled. And what of that registry office? How could it allow a respectable young lady to witness the execution of the white plum?

"Xiliang Mo, what are you up to? Is it possible that Second Brother's injury is related to you? Did you instruct that wretched maid to seduce Second Brother?" The cold laughter of the young girl suddenly echoed in the hall, it was the Fourth Miss of the Jingguo Duke's residence, Xiliang Dan

After a considerable amount of time, the old woman led someone out and shook her head at Ziyue. Only then did Ziyue cast a cold glance at Xiliang Mo before turning and heading towards the Second Madam's courtyard

Miss! Miss, are you alright

Xiliang Mo's face turned pale, she bit her lip and timidly said: "Sister Ziyue, did the Second Madam call for me for something? It's so late..."

She smiled sadly once again and said, "Miss, you must remember that you are the daughter of General Phoenix Wing, and you must not allow yourself to be bullied any longer."

She hurriedly got up, her eyes blurred with tears as she desperately jumped up to knock on the window

Thus, the tragic wails of the woman outside the hall became increasingly clear, mingled with the sound of the whip striking flesh

Only a few terrified screams could be heard from within the room, amidst a chaotic uproar

The heavy pressure and the pain from her skin made her struggle to open her eyes. Through her blurred vision, she saw the man pressing down on her. A surge of extreme fear and shame rose within her subconscious: "No... Second Brother, you... let go of me, I am Xi Liang Mo!"

No...! Yet her voice was as faint as a candle in the wind, Xiliang Mo trembled as she looked at the beam of the house, despair engulfing her like a tide. Could it be that today she would truly die here?

Xiliang Mo was suddenly struck by a strong smell of blood in her nose. She turned to look and discovered that the head of the person lying on the ground was covered in blood. She was taken aback and quickly grabbed Bai Mei's hand, noticing that Bai Mei's hand was covered in fresh blood. She immediately trembled even more violently: "Bai Mei, did you hit Second Brother...? !"

The inner courtyard has become a complete mess

At that moment, the two were tidying up when they heard the anxious voice of her nurse, Granny Liu, from outside the door: "Miss, hurry and leave, someone is coming..."

Oh my, Second Young Master

Someone has died! Help!

However, Bai Mei took a few steps back, her round face filled with an unwavering determination that was not typical for a fourteen-year-old: "Miss, you saved Bai Mei's life from the Second Miss back then. Bai Mei and her mother cannot allow anything to happen to you. From now on, if Bai Mei can no longer serve by your side, I only hope that you take care of yourself, Miss."

Xiliang Mo stared in disbelief at the sharp little face of Bai Mei and said: "What did you say..."

Startled, Xiliang Mo took a step back, but stumbled over the wooden barrel behind her and fell to the ground.

Outside the door, there was a chaotic uproar, while inside, Xiliang Mo grew increasingly anxious as she tried to pull Bai Mei, but she was unable to do so after several attempts. The door was on the verge of being burst open at any moment. Suddenly, Bai Mei's expression changed; she abruptly withdrew her hand, bit her lip, and stepped back resolutely. She said to Xiliang Mo, "Miss, you must leave quickly. If you don't leave now, it will be too late. I will hold them off here!"

Seeing her elder sister from Xiliang speak up, Xiliang Dan let out a cold laugh and fell silent, merely looking disdainfully at the embarrassed and shriveled Xiliang Mo. With such an incident occurring, this mouse, Xiliang Mo, was undoubtedly doomed.

Xi Liang struggled to climb up several times before finally succeeding. She hurriedly bent down to pull Bai Mei, but then she heard the overlapping footsteps outside the door, along with the sharp reprimand of Ziyu, the favored maid of the second young master: "Liu Momo, what are you doing at the second young master's door in the middle of the night... Huh, where does that heavy smell of blood come from?"

How could he do such a thing to himself

The woman's sharp reprimand turned into confusion by the second half of her sentence

Xiliang Mo felt a sense of relief, and a look of relaxation appeared on her sharp and slender face. If Bai Mei could endure the thirty strokes of the board, there was still hope. Could it be that the second madam is rarely so compassionate?

Upon arriving at the inner courtyard, one could see that the expressions of the maids and servants along the way were all somber, and the few houseboys who rarely appeared in the inner courtyard also wore grave faces. The entire courtyard was quiet, with only the faintest sound of footsteps audible, creating a gloomy atmosphere

The person on her seemed completely oblivious, relentlessly ravaging and gnawing at her.

The expression of joy and anger is more frightening when concealed beneath a calm exterior, making her even more intimidating. She has never dared to raise her head in front of the Second Lady

Ziyue seemed to have long been accustomed to the timid demeanor of Xiliang Mo when meeting people, and did not raise any suspicions. She merely frowned slightly and said coldly, "Miss, the second madam requests your presence."

Xiliang Mo's expression could not escape the notice of the Second Madam. Ziyue respectfully presented the tea, which the Second Madam gracefully accepted, and then added lightly: "The lowly servant has behaved improperly. After the punishment, she will be sent to the outer courtyard's brothel to be sold on a chosen day. Liu Mama has not taught her daughter strictly and has conspired to harm her master; death is the consequence. As for Mo Jie'er, her governance has been lax, allowing the servant to harm her kin. After the punishment, she will be made to kneel in front of the ancestral hall for a month to reflect. A decision will be made after the master returns."

Only the old woman Liu outside the door anxiously said: "Miss Ziyu... this... this is..." After a long time, she was unable to articulate the reason, when suddenly outside the door, Ziyu angrily shouted: "You old thing, how dare you block my way? Get out of my way!"

Before dawn, the dim candlelight illuminated the hall, casting an eerie glow that resembled ghostly flames. It shone upon the expressionless faces of the seated individuals, resembling a gathering of malevolent deities and vengeful spirits in the hall of Yama. The silence was so profound that the sound of a pin dropping could be heard.