Chapter 113: Take Aunt Zhao out of the hall and give her fifty lashes
Zhou Xiaoxiao seemed to mention the previous incident unintentionally. Aunt Bai tugged at her daughter's clothes when she heard it, but Zhou Xiaoxiao seemed to not understand what her mother meant at all and continued to talk about the matter between the two aunts.
"Mrs. Zhao destroyed all of Mrs. Liu's monthly allowance. Mrs. Liu was furious and seemed to have hit Mrs. Zhao. Mrs. Zhao was even reprimanded by the mistress for this. Unexpectedly, not long after..."
Zhou Xiaoxiao spoke in a dull voice, but everyone remembered this incident as soon as they heard it. In recent years, Aunt Zhao relied on the fact that she and the mistress were from the same family, and she was very arrogant and did not take the other concubines seriously.
For her, Aunt Liu offended her, and now that the other party no longer had Zhou Junyuan to rely on, she might really do something to Aunt Liu out of anger.
Perhaps she just wanted to start the fire to teach Aunt Liu a lesson, but she didn't expect that the fire could not be put out, leading to Aunt Liu's tragic death.
But no matter what Aunt Zhao had in mind, she killed Aunt Liu! As a woman in the harem, Aunt Zhao's frequent killings were a little frightening.
"You bitch! What are you talking about here! Who would bother with her about what happened that day?"
Aunt Zhao also remembered what happened in the warehouse that day, and she felt anxious and angry.
Among the concubines, Aunt Bai and Aunt Liu did not like to fight, but when they heard someone scolding their daughter, they still stood in front of her unhappily.
There was a slight flicker in Liu Mingyue's eyes as she glanced at Zhou Xiaoxiao, who was looking particularly dull with her head down.
In the past, she had never paid much attention to her half-sister, who usually looked insignificant. However, judging from what happened today, she did not seem to be as dull as she appeared.
Seeing that everyone was looking at her silently, Aunt Zhao panicked and quickly knelt down in front of Zhao Yinlian.
"Madam, please don't listen to that idiot's lies. I assure you that I absolutely did not do that! The fire had nothing to do with me, and the money I gave out was not decided by me!"
Aunt Zhao was certain that she was not the one who did it, and that Zhao Yinlian was from the same family as her and would protect her.
She had calculated everything, but she had missed one thing: if Zhou Baili hadn't married into the Marquis's Mansion, Zhao Yinlian might still have spoken for her. After seeing Liu Mingyue's madness, Zhao Yinlian was really scared.
She was in Zhou's house, protected by servants, and Liu Mingyue could not do anything to her, but Zhou Baili's situation was very dangerous. Zhao Yinlian was worried that if she didn't give her an explanation, Liu Mingyue would go crazy and murder her daughter and grandson when she returned.
"Zhen'er is someone close to you. Who else can order her around except you? You're still trying to make excuses! You never take others seriously in the mansion and always want to be the center of attention. Don't you know you're wrong?"
Zhao Yinlian turned her head away and avoided looking at Aunt Zhao's shocked expression, and in a few words she convicted Aunt Zhao of the crime.
Watching the farce in the hall, Liu Mingyue felt even more happy with the sarcasm. She didn't expect that she would be attracted to this group of people so quickly.
"Madam?" Aunt Zhao was dumbfounded and didn't understand why Zhao Yinlian said that.
But she soon understood.
"You caused a death and showed no remorse, and you also brought disaster to the Zhou family's reputation. The women in the family have been so scheming against each other that they have even killed others. Do you know what kind of crime this is? Today, I will punish you with thirty lashes of the cane!"
Zhao Yinlian gave the order, and the servants waiting outside the small hall immediately rushed in. Aunt Zhao fell to the ground, and then she realized that she was going to abandon herself to save her daughter!
"Crown Princess, what do you think of this punishment?" Zhao Yinlian didn't even look at Aunt Zhao, but turned around to ask Liu Mingyue if she was satisfied with the punishment.
Liu Mingyue sneered in her heart. Zhao Yinlian felt that she was too easy to deal with. In fact, her mother was dead, and Aunt Zhao, the "culprit", only needed to be beaten with thirty sticks. What a wishful thinking.
"My mother died, and a life was consumed by the fire. Madam Zhao said lightly that thirty lashes of the cane was too cheap, right? Or is thirty lashes of the cane enough to replace a life for you, Madam Zhao? Think it over carefully before making a decision."
Liu Mingyue stood up straight with her clothes tucked in, and the blood of the corpse stained on her plain clothes became even more visible to everyone.
How could Zhao Yinlian not know what Liu Mingyue meant? If she didn't give her a satisfactory answer, she could easily take Zhou Baili's life when she returned. A person without any worries could do anything.
"What does the Crown Princess want?" Zhao Yinlian felt that Liu Mingyue was getting too demanding, but for the sake of her daughter, she had to tolerate it.
"My mother's life cannot be erased by thirty lashes of the cane, but since Madam Zhao is willing to resolve this matter, I can't be too ungrateful and aggressive. I will just give her fifty lashes of the cane, and the matter will be over."
Liu Mingyue turned around and sat down at the bottom. When they heard that he was going to be beaten with fifty sticks, everyone was secretly shocked.
As a daughter, it is not too much to ask the murderer to pay with his life. Thirty strokes of the cane is a light punishment, but fifty strokes of the cane is too much for an ordinary person to bear, especially a woman in the harem. After fifty strokes of the cane, the person will die. This concession is better than nothing.
"Liu Mingyue! Don't think that you can go back to the Zhou Mansion and bully others just because you became the Crown Prince's Consort. Liu's death has nothing to do with me. Why are you so anxious to kill me? Are you really seeking justice for Liu or do you have other selfish motives?"
Aunt Zhao was still clear-headed and knew that since Zhao Yinlian wanted to abandon her, she would not withdraw her order.
But she refused to accept it. She thought that everything was caused by Liu and her bitch. She hated this mother and son.
"Since the Crown Prince's Consort got married, every time she comes to the Zhou Mansion, she always causes unrest in the whole family. When did my aunt do anything to you, Liu? You want to kill her without any evidence, you cruel and vicious woman!"
Zhou Qianqian protected her mother, without the arrogance and cunningness of the past to sow discord and watch the show. She lived a comfortable life as a concubine in the mansion because she was humble in front of Zhou Baihe.
She always hoped that her biological mother was her stepmother, but she had never hated Zhao. After these fifty strokes of the cane, she would be left without a mother.
Faced with the responsibilities of this mother and daughter, Liu Mingyue's face was cold and she was not moved at all.
"My mother died in the Zhou Mansion. This matter is full of doubts. I don't insist that Aunt Zhao confess her guilt. Someone must pay for my mother's life today. As for who that person is, you decide, or I can give you some advice!"
Cold words came out of Liu Mingyue's mouth one by one. Zhao Yinlian was already frightened by Liu Mingyue and was uneasy. After hearing what she said, she dared not delay any longer.
"Mrs. Zhao, you can't tell me where Zhen'er is. You are inextricably linked to this matter. Just admit it! Someone, take Mrs. Zhao outside the hall and give her fifty lashes."
Zhao Yinlian closed her eyes. She didn’t like this half-sister, but she didn’t hate her either.
Pushing her out to die today was a helpless act. If someone had to die, that person could only be Aunt Zhao. Her precious daughter could not afford any mistakes.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
