Upon hearing that Liu Feng had passed away, Lin Yuqiao felt a pang of sadness and personally copied a scroll of the Rebirth Sutra for him that night.

In any case, the entanglements of adults should not involve a child who has not yet grown up. In fact, because he was young and died young, Liu Feng did not even have a proper funeral.

There was still no sign of the lockdown being lifted for Lin Yuqiao's courtyard. Several days had passed, and she had not been convicted. Although she herself was panicking, she was still trying her best to endure it, but her subordinates were starting to feel the strain.

Seeing that for two consecutive days, the afternoon snacks consisted of only four items, including lampwick cake and plum blossom biscuit, Lin Yuqiao couldn't help but frown.

"Where is Granny Fang? Why is it the same again? And the plum blossom cakes don't look fresh either."

Granny Fang had always been in charge of the kitchen and the menu; this had never happened before. The daily meals and snacks were varied, which was both a standard allowance and a sign of respectability.

"Consort, these people are going too far!"

Qingming, who was serving nearby, knew the reason and couldn't help but tear up before he could finish speaking.

These concubines, who grew up in luxury and privilege, had never suffered such injustice.

"What happened?"

Hearing Qingming's words, Lin Yuqiao knew something must have happened. She sighed, wondering if anyone could ever live in peace again.

Just as she was asking the question, Granny Jiang came in carrying a box of Qiqiao pastries.

"Consort, this is something that Granny Fang urged our own kitchen to make again. The ones sent from the main kitchen before were just too awful."

According to the rules of the Prince's Mansion, although Lin Yuqiao's courtyard had its own kitchen, it wasn't very big; it was only big enough for cooking. There wasn't enough room to make desserts or anything like that.

It's not that we don't have enough manpower, it's that we don't have enough space.

Therefore, all her snacks had to come from the main kitchen of the mansion and were supplied on time every day.

Although the main kitchen had a set allowance, in reality, she could order whatever snacks she liked according to her own taste. Every month, Granny Fang would prepare a snack list for her, and then she would bring people to receive and check the delivered snacks every day.

"Those people outside are all flattering and belittling you, they all think you're the one who ruined the Third Young Master, so lately they haven't been putting much effort into the things they send. It's not just the pastries, Granny Fang also said that the dishes sent to the kitchen aren't the ones that were ordered in advance, not only are they less, but they're also not fresh."

After wiping away her tears, Qingming looked at Lin Yuqiao cautiously, as if worried that she would jump up and overturn the table at any moment.

Hearing Qingming's words, Lin Yuqiao almost laughed in anger. She hadn't even convicted them yet, and these servants were already getting agitated.

"Go tell Granny Fang to send someone to the main kitchen to order the food tonight. I'll make a list in a bit, and that's all we'll eat. I don't believe these people would dare to openly cause me trouble like this."

She lost her appetite for snacks. After drafting a series of elaborate dishes like "Phoenix Tail Shark Fin and Almond Buddha's Hand" that they didn't usually eat together, she asked Granny Fang to take the menu and ask someone to urge them to hurry up.

Although she ordered quite a few dishes, there was still a long time before dinner, so there was still time to prepare them now.

"Is there anyone dishonest in our compound?"

Turning her head, Lin Yuqiao asked Granny Jiang about the recent situation in the courtyard.

According to Granny Jiang, besides the old people who were already in the courtyard, several of her dowry members also started to cause trouble.

"The indenture is still held by me, and you dare to be dishonest."

Lin Yuqiao could hardly believe it; even with such strict control, these people still wanted to cause trouble.

Lin Yuqiao pulled up Granny Jiang, who was kneeling on the ground begging for forgiveness, but did not blame her.

She knew that people's hearts were unpredictable and that they couldn't be suppressed by means alone. She was still burdened with the blame, and those people were worried that they would be implicated if she fell from power.

"I should show some respect now, otherwise, after a while, those people will think I'm someone they can just mess with at will."

Just as Lin Yuqiao made up her mind to deal with the people in the yard, the main kitchen also received the menu she had ordered.

Looking at the long and labor-intensive dishes such as "Phoenix Tail Shark Fin, Almond Buddha's Hand, Auspicious Dragon Double Flight, Mountain Delicacies Spicy Dragon Sprouts, First-Class Imperial Bird's Nest, Clay Pot Stewed Deer Tendon, Shredded Chicken and Silver Ear Fungus, Osmanthus Fish Strips, Eight-Treasure Rabbit Cubes, Jade Bamboo Shoots and Bracken Ferns, and Braised Fish Lips," the kitchen manager, Granny Yu, twitched at the corner of her mouth.

Eating such a grand meal on an ordinary day, it seems Consort Lin is deliberately trying to cause trouble.

"Even though the prince has confined her to her quarters, she still won't behave. I wonder how long she can live peacefully as a concubine. She really thinks she's someone important."

Liu, the old nanny, couldn't help but mutter a few words as well. She looked at Yu and said, "Consort Lin's courtyard has its own kitchen. Now that someone's come looking for trouble, it must be because of Granny Wu's desserts today. You can just make half of these dishes. The other half is too much trouble, so just leave it. Just say that the Third Young Master just went there, and even the Princess Consort is eating vegetarian food. How can a concubine like her eat so much meat and fish?"

The pastry shop manager, Granny Wu, was a maid who accompanied the princess in her dowry years ago. When she heard that Consort Lin had harmed the third young master, she was already furious.

However, after waiting for several days without hearing that the Prince had punished Consort Lin, he thought of avenging the Princess. But he didn't dare to go too far, so he simply made the same portion of pastries again with the leftover ingredients from yesterday and sent them over.

When she heard Liu Mama tell her that the concubine had come to cause trouble in the afternoon under the pretext of ordering food, Wu Mama curled her lip and said, "After doing such a heinous thing, how many more days can she keep jumping around? The only reason we're not dealing with her now is because the prince and princess are busy. She won't be well for long. What's there to be afraid of! If you ask me, we don't need to cook a single thing for her. Just pretend it never happened. Anyway, she can't leave the house."

Granny Liu touched the tip of her nose; she wasn't as bold as Granny Wu. Granny Wu had the Princess Consort backing her up; who did Granny Liu have? As long as Consort Lin wasn't convicted, Granny Liu couldn't afford to offend her.

When Lin Yuqiao heard that only half of the dishes she ordered had been served that evening, she was already mentally prepared. The kitchen staff hadn't gone too far; the dishes were always served early, and some were still steaming hot.

"The kitchen staff said that since the Third Young Master has just passed away, the Princess Consort is on a vegetarian diet. You shouldn't eat too much, so they changed the dishes to some green vegetables."

Looking at Lin Yuqiao's expression, Granny Fang carefully repeated what the old woman who delivered the vegetables had said, trying to make her words as gentle as possible.

Although she was very dissatisfied, Granny Fang felt that there was nothing obviously wrong with the kitchen. Since the matter of the Third Young Master was already complicated by the concubine's actions, it was best to keep a low profile.

"Hmph, should I thank them? It's understandable that the princess died and her son was on a vegetarian diet, but I've never heard of a stepmother being subject to the same rules."

In ancient times, children who died young were considered unlucky and could not even be listed on the official funeral register. They were generally not allowed to be buried in the family cemetery. Liu Feng being able to be buried near the imperial mausoleum was already a great honor, and there was no rule that elders had to observe mourning for their child's death.

“I know you think it’s not good for me to stand up for myself at this critical juncture, but the more I back down, the more they will bully me. If it were possible to convict someone, the prince would have convicted me on the spot. The indenture has been given to him for some time now, and I don’t believe that Duo’er can keep her mouth shut. The prince and the others must know the truth.”

In fact, Lin Yuqiao had also hesitated, wondering if she should hold back for now. Liu Heng didn't seem like someone who couldn't distinguish right from wrong; he must have his reasons for doing this. If she made too much of a scene and caused him trouble, he might just get tired of her.

But she still couldn't swallow her anger. Ever since the day the princess accused her of harming Liu Feng, Liu Heng hadn't uttered a single word in her defense. She's been carrying this burden ever since; has he ever considered the injustices she's suffered?

Worried that Lin Yuqiao would make a scene, Granny Jiang also wanted to persuade her. She sighed silently, "I won't make a scene either. During Qingming Festival, go and make a list of all the items that haven't matched the description that have been sent from outside recently, and send someone to the Princess Consort to tell her about what happened tonight. The evidence is right here. I just want to ask, now that even a kitchen manager in the manor dares to make decisions for the master, does she actually care about anything?"

After leaving for Qingming Festival, Lin Yuqiao casually sat down at the table and ate a few bites of food, but still felt extremely upset.

"Go and call everyone in our courtyard over here, and have them all stand in the courtyard."

After the meal, Lin Yuqiao asked Granny Jiang to gather everyone together to reassure them.

She herself didn't know how long the courtyard would be sealed off, but if she didn't clean up the situation now, it would be too late if things got out of hand later.

Sitting on a chair in front of the house, Lin Yuqiao looked at the maids and old women standing silently on both sides with their heads down, and slowly began to speak.

"I consider myself a good-natured person, and I try my best to be tolerant of everyone, thinking that everyone is doing well. But there are just a few people who, because they don't care about their dignity, insist on making trouble for themselves. Do they think I can't handle them?"

She paused for a moment, then continued, "I know what you're worried about, but if that matter really had something to do with me, and the evidence was conclusive, would I still be safe and sound? I'm putting this out there today: if any of you look down on me and want to climb the social ladder, just tell me frankly, and I might actually grant your wish. If you want to stay with me, you have to abide by my rules."

"If anyone wants to leave, they can say so."

After Lin Yuqiao finished speaking, she waited for a while. Everyone lowered their heads. Several maids and old women had strange expressions, but no one spoke.

"Since no one wants to leave, let's settle the score properly. If we're going to set rules, we need to be clear about rewards and punishments."

Seeing Lin Yuqiao's expression, Granny Jiang immediately took the list that had been prepared in advance, read out a name, and made her step forward.

Jiang Mama didn't stop until seven people had stepped forward. She glanced at Lin Yuqiao, received her signal, and then began to point out the mistakes each person had made, even specifying the exact date and time.

After listing their crimes, Granny Jiang looked at their trembling faces and said, "Am I right? Do any of you have anything to say in your defense?"

One of the third-class maids, named Zhuluo, knelt down with a thud, her face pale, and pleaded with Lin Yuqiao, "Consort, it was my fault. Please forgive me this time. I promise I will never do it again."

After Zhu Luo admitted his mistake, the others were somewhat alarmed and knelt down one after another, crying and begging to admit their mistakes as well.

"Without rules, nothing can be accomplished. If you make a mistake, you have to learn a lesson, otherwise who knows if someone will make the same mistake again next time."

Ignoring their pleas for mercy, Lin Yuqiao continued to have Granny Jiang proceed with the next steps.

"Lan Lin and Bi Yuan have been absent from their posts without permission several times. According to the rules, they will be fined half a year's salary and twenty bamboo sticks."

“Zhu Luo, Rui Zhu and Granny Chen cut corners in their work and even started gossiping about the concubine. Forty bamboo slats are no longer enough.”

"Granny Jiang deliberately slacks off while working and has neglected her duties at the second gate multiple times due to drinking. Forty bamboo lashes are enough to keep her here."

Lan Lin, Bi Yuan, Zhu Luo, and Granny Jiang were all part of Lin Yuqiao's dowry, and their indentures were with her. Zhu Luo couldn't be kept any longer, so she was sold again, while the others were handed over to the steward of the Prince's mansion.

Hearing the punishments announced by Granny Jiang, the group trembled with fear and knelt down, begging for mercy. Lan Lin and Bi Yuan fared somewhat better, but the other four, about to be driven out, wailed in despair.

"Since you did such a thing, I thought you were all fearless. If you're still afraid of being kicked out, then what were you all doing before? Everyone else did a good job, so you'll get an extra month's salary this month."

After calculating the rewards and punishments, Lin Yuqiao did not order everyone to retreat. Instead, they stayed in the courtyard and watched as the people were beaten with bamboo canes.

When maids and old women were punished, they had to remove their outer trousers and be struck on their buttocks and lower backs with a two-foot-wide bamboo stick. The stick was not heavy; forty blows to the buttocks would not draw blood, but the wounds were extremely difficult to heal.

If the internal injuries and bruises caused by bamboo boards are not treated effectively immediately, they will slowly fester from the inside out. If left untreated for too long, the person will become disabled.

Several old women dragged the people onto benches, pinned them down, and took turns torturing them. The cries and pleas for mercy were incessant, and some even wet their pants.

Everyone else watched this scene with pale faces. Lin Yuqiao also felt the wails around her were chilling. She forced herself to remain calm, her palms were covered in cold sweat.

Only then did she truly feel that she had taken the first step.

Since things here are beyond her control, she must learn to truly integrate herself into the community.

Since Liu Feng's burial, the princess has fallen ill and has been in a daze for several days, drinking more medicine than eating rice.

Overhearing Lin Yuqiao's message from another room, Granny Zhou couldn't contain her anger. Even if she hadn't killed the Third Young Master, the murderer was from the Marquis's mansion; how could she possibly absolve herself of all responsibility? Now that the Princess Consort was ill, she was still causing trouble, deliberately trying to make things difficult for her.

After Zhou Mama sent away the maid who had delivered the message, she cursed inwardly at the stupidity of the kitchen staff. Couldn't they have done it without leaving a trace, so that Consort Lin would have no way to complain or find fault?

Now that Consort Lin has spoken so bluntly to the Princess, we can't just ignore it; she might escalate the situation further.

Therefore, she planned to personally visit Granny Yu, the head of the main kitchen, and as for the princess, she would not tell her so that she could focus on recovering.

However, although the princess drank the medicine, she did not fall asleep. She waited for Zhou Mama to come in and give her a reply after she was called out.

When the princess asked about it, Granny Yu could no longer hide it, so she told her in a casual way.

“Granny, you’re being foolish. The Prince still cares about Madam Lin. He’s only sealing off her courtyard because of the current situation. She’ll be out sooner or later, so why should we do something that won’t do us any good? Granny Yu and the others will all be fined half a year’s salary and made up for double the amount of things that are missing in Madam Lin’s courtyard.”

After saying all this in one breath, the princess felt a little out of breath, and Zhou Mama quickly patted her back to help her catch her breath.

"Your Highness, please don't worry, I'll take care of it right away. You should focus on getting better. No matter how much the Lin family tries to cause trouble, they won't be able to surpass you."

After drinking a bowl of tea, the princess lay back down.

"Granny, go and check on Zhen'er and Ji'er again, and bring one of them over in a few days."

The princess's words made Zhou Mama feel a little uncomfortable. Zhen'er and Ji'er were maids who had been prepared long ago, but the princess had not made up her mind to use them.

Now that she was actually needed, Granny Zhou felt heartbroken. Looking at the princess's increasingly thin and haggard face, she finally nodded in agreement.

Since her youngest son passed away, the princess has felt an overwhelming sense of weariness.

Liu Heng's attitude towards Liu Feng saddened and disappointed her. Even though Liu Feng was not as valued as Liu Yan, he was still the eldest son of the legitimate wife.

Her son died innocently, yet he couldn't even grieve; his first thought was his own plan. Later, he endured it all for the sake of his plan, neither making a fuss nor punishing the heir of Marquis Chenliang and his wife.

She could understand why he was reluctant to punish Lin, but the fact that he spared even Lin's family members left her feeling resentful.

Previously, the princess had always thought Liu Heng was a rare and virtuous man, a gentleman, gentle and refined. But now, for the first time, she felt that Liu Heng's heart was so hard.

He was a cold-hearted man at all; it's a pity that she had been blinded and deceived by his outward hypocrisy.

Thinking of how tragically her son died, his eyes bulging out of their sockets, the princess felt a chill run through her.

She was already quite old, and this illness had completely drained away any remaining color in her skin, so the princess decided not to force herself to agree to Liu Heng's demands any longer.

Now, she'll find a beautiful concubine to share Lin's favor. Once her son gets married, she'll have no other hope and can simply enjoy her grandchildren.

The princess's sudden open-mindedness only made Granny Zhou even more alarmed.

After all, the princess is not yet thirty years old. Although she is not as young and beautiful as Lin, the prince has always respected and loved her. Having another son would not be so hopeless.

"Your Highness, you..."

Granny Zhou didn't finish her sentence, but the princess already knew everything about her.

"I feel much more at ease now. Don't worry, Granny. I am, after all, the Princess Consort. Even if all the Lins were combined, they couldn't surpass me."

After the princess fell asleep, Granny Zhou continued to stay by her bedside.

In another courtyard, Han Shiyi was alone in her room, weeping, her hand still caressing a worn-out red baby bib.

Ever since she heard that the princess's youngest son had passed away, she has taken the memory out of her every day.

Finally, that woman got her comeuppance.

In order to give birth to the eldest son of the legitimate wife, the princess secretly administered infertility drugs to all her concubines and maids. By the time they discovered it, several years had passed, and their health had deteriorated.

Therefore, none of the women who served them in their early years were able to give birth to a son or daughter. It wasn't until the princess had a son and Consort Jiang entered the household that they gave birth to the second son, Liu Kang.

The prince was a gentleman of noble character. Although she was his first woman, she never dared to have any improper thoughts. She only hoped to have a child, regardless of gender, and that would make her content for the rest of her life.

But she waited and waited, hoped and hoped, and even though she tried her best to take care of herself, she still couldn't get pregnant.

As she grew older, the prince stopped visiting her, and she could only make children's bibs and grieve in silence.

She felt an increasing hatred for the princess, who had crushed their hopes just to give birth to a son for her own sake.

She had long hoped that the princess would suffer retribution for such a wicked act. Finally, one of her sons also died.

Han Shiyi felt that her heart, which had been churning and raging for many years, had finally calmed down, and she was able to sleep peacefully at night without hatred.

Consort Jiang, too, was tossing and turning in bed, secretly filled with joy.

Because Liu Feng and Liu Yan were of similar age, but Liu Feng was the eldest son, even though Liu Yan was quite talented, he was still overshadowed by Liu Feng.

The princess was a master of putting on a show. Although she appeared to be quite lenient and kind to Liu Yan, she was always trying to block him and wanted Liu Feng to stand out in front of the prince.

It's one thing for her to have lived an unhappy life, but her son absolutely cannot suffer the same fate. They are both children of the prince, so why should only the princess's children be valued more? Her son is actually better off.

Before they moved to the front yard, she diligently urged Liu Yan to study hard every day. If Liu Feng memorized ten articles, Liu Yan would have to memorize thirty, so that her son could gain more recognition in front of the prince.

It's heartbreaking to see Liu Yan working so hard at such a young age. Countless times, Consort Jiang secretly prayed that if Liu Feng didn't exist, Liu Yan wouldn't have to work so hard and would be more valued by the Prince. Even if he didn't inherit the Marquis's mansion, he would still have a bright future.

Now, finally, Heaven has shown mercy, and Liu Feng, who stood in Liu Yan's way, is gone. Even if Consort Lin or someone else has a son in the future, by the time they grow up, Liu Yan will already be married and have children, and they won't be able to get in his way anymore.

In the dark tent, Consort Jiang's eyes were bright.