Jiaming didn't care whether he answered or not, as if the question wasn't even directed at him. She continued, "Your Granny Sun and Little Li are in even more pain because you secretly followed us and disappeared. They will be punished, beaten, and will bleed."

Xiao Hongxuan had never seen a caning, but he had bled and been cut by something. The feeling was in one word—pain. He was immediately frightened and turned pale. He stopped sobbing and was able to look Jiaming in the eye, but tears streamed down his face.

Jiaming understood his concerns. She reached out and touched the top of Hongxuan's head, saying solemnly, word by word, "Don't do that again."

"Mmm." The little guy nodded vigorously.

Jiaming then gave Hongxuan a verbal lecture. After explaining the reasoning, she reverted to her motherly demeanor, took out a handkerchief, and gently wiped away Hongxuan's tears. After wiping away his tears, she hugged him back and carefully took off Hongxuan's pants.

Although she had been very careful when she hit him, using only skillful force, and he was completely fine after the pain subsided, she was still worried that something might have gone wrong. But upon closer inspection, she found his buttocks were only slightly red, and immediately put aside her last worry, carefully adjusting Hongxuan's clothes again.

"Gurgle..." Xiao Hongxuan hadn't eaten anything the whole way here, and he was hungry.

Jiaming was about to ask Hongtao to take out some food from the hidden compartment of the carriage when she saw that Hongtao looked absent-minded and worried, and immediately understood her concern.

As she took out some snacks for Hongxuan, she said to Hongtao, "Don't worry, the Fujin is always smart and knows what she's doing. At most, Granny Sun and Little Li will get a beating, but they won't be in any danger."

Hongtao knew her master was wise; past experiences told her that her master was always right.

So, when Jiaming said that, Hongtao believed it.