Chapter 37 Chapter 37 is the only authentic version...
Gu Zhizhuo's eyebrows were curved, and his pupils were bright and twinkling like stars.
She spoke slowly, and there seemed to be a smile in her tone, but to Bai Chang's ears, it sounded like the murmur of an evil spirit.
"Within five days, you must kill her."
"Within five days..."
These words kept echoing in Bai Changjia's heart, over and over again.
How did she know that these black-hearted businessmen would sell such rubbish to her? As expected, businessmen are the most ruthless!
Bai Changjia was kneeling on the ground, with cold sweat oozing from his forehead to his neck.
This time, she was really scared.
Madam Gu was very angry.
What kind of junk is this? It's not even as good as third-grade medicinal materials. It's garbage that will be scrapped if placed in a pharmacy!
She angrily said, "Is this what you said, the Bai Chang family is a good family?!"
These days, when Ji Shi came to visit her morning and evening, she always told herself that the Bai Chang family was a decent person and had never made any mistakes in all the years they had been in charge of purchasing. She said that the girl Zhuo was too violent and would shout for war and killing over a trivial matter.
After hearing this several times, she thought of calling Zhuo Yatou over. She planned to have a good talk with Zhuo Yatou after Ji Shi left, and told her not to be so angry all the time.
What's the result!
"You still think she's such a treacherous slave, and you treasure her?!"
If you are sick, you need to take medicine. If you eat these rotten tree roots, not only will the disease not be cured, it may even cost you your life!
Such an evil slave!
When Madam Gu was still in her boudoir, her mother had told her that clear water holds no fish, and that a housekeeper shouldn't be too harsh, but should at least allow some profit for the people below. She had always believed this, and while she could tolerate the occasional embezzlement of the Bai Chang family, that didn't mean she could tolerate eating these rotten tree roots!
It’s infuriating, so infuriating!
Madam Gu's rage was boiling. She pointed at Ji's mouth and shouted angrily, "Zhuo girl said she wanted to deal with her, but you insisted on keeping her alive, and ended up with something like this?!"
"What are you talking about? Brother Yan'er's illness has never been cured. How can it be cured? You are acting like this, just to blame Bai'er for the family rules and scare me with the death of a child. Cancan and Ranran have all been beaten with bamboo sticks by their grandfather, and they still jump around in life!"
"It's a good thing that Yan Ge'er is your biological son, otherwise, you would think you are playing some kind of torture on him!"
Madam Gu slammed the coffee table loudly, and Ji clutched her handkerchief tightly, saying nothing.
Gu Zhizhuo lowered his eyes silently.
Children of military generals are indeed not raised to be too pampered.
Not to mention her brothers and sisters, even she was once chased around the training ground by her grandfather with a bamboo board because she stole her grandfather's treasured scimitar to play with and hid the scimitar in the泔水袋.
Finally, my grandfather was so angry but couldn't bear to hit her, so he took my eldest brother over and beat him up.
The boys in the mansion were all thrown around by their grandfathers, fathers and uncles and were raised roughly.
Ji was speechless.
She had single-handedly promoted her and treated her as her confidante, but this was how the Bai Chang family repaid her! They were simply insatiable and could never be satisfied!
Bai Changjia raised his head cautiously.
Ji's face was as violent as a storm, as if she would shout at someone to drag her away and beat her to death in the next moment.
Bai Chang's heart was pounding. Five days, truly five days...
Ji's lips were tightly pursed.
When Ji thought about her son's recurring high fever and how the lively child had become sickly, she wanted to tear Bai Chang's family apart.
However, Bai is hers, and she must protect her.
This was a confrontation between her and Gu Zhizhuo. She had been married into the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion for so many years, firmly sitting on the position of the Duke's wife and holding the inner courtyard of the Duke's Mansion firmly in her hands. There was no way she would give it up.
She calmed herself down and said, "Mother, the Bai Chang family..."
Bai Changjia's arms, which were lying on the ground, were shaking constantly, and could hardly support the weight of her body.
Haha. A light laugh escaped from Gu Zhizhuo's lips, and the laughter was infinitely amplified in Bai Changjia's mind. She felt like she was in pitch darkness, desperately trying to grasp the little light in front of her.
"This servant, this servant, knows that you are wrong! Madam, please spare my life!"
She kowtowed hard, and blood immediately flowed from her forehead.
"I am loyal to you. Do you remember six years ago..."
After pausing for a few breaths, Bai Changjia spoke with tears in her eyes, "...I will follow you. I did make a mistake, but please forgive me this time for my loyalty."
"Otherwise, this servant..."
"I'm going to die with my eyes open."
She cried so hard that her eyes and nose were running.
Ji's pupils shrank sharply, and the words she wanted to plead for mercy were stuck in her throat. Her red lips were half open and half closed, and she clutched her skirt with her hands on her knees.
She, she is actually threatening herself!
What? Is he trying to tell her that if he can't save her life, she'll tell everyone and make him look bad?!
Bai Changjia knelt there, half-raising his chubby white face and staring at Ji.
Ji sneered repeatedly.
She had tried so hard to protect her, but she ended up stabbing her in the back. All these years, she had actually raised an ungrateful person! !
The anger in Ji's eyes could not be suppressed. She picked up the tea bowl and threw it out fiercely.
Bai Changjia was caught off guard and felt a sharp pain on her head. The tea bowl rolled off her head and shattered all over the floor.
She felt dizzy and half raised her head. Blood was sliding down her plump, fair face, leaving streaks of red and white.
"Madam!" Bai Changjia's eyes widened. She crawled over to her knees with blood on her face and grabbed her skirt. "Madam, please think carefully... I am loyal to you."
"Your servant..."
Two bloody palm prints suddenly appeared on Ji's plain dress. She didn't even bother to look at them, and said word by word, "I know you are loyal."
She gently wiped the blood off Bai Changjia's face with a clean handkerchief.
Ji's fingertips trembled slightly, feeling somewhat reluctant and embarrassed. Finally, she sighed and said, "Mother, the Bai Chang family has been with my daughter-in-law for so many years. Even if they have no merits, they have worked hard. She has committed a serious mistake that is unforgivable. But our Gu family is a family that has accumulated a lot of good deeds. It is not good to take someone's life at will."
"My wife thought, give him thirty lashes and take away his job as a warning to others."
Madam Gu frowned and nodded.
Even if it was a slave, the Gu family had never had a precedent of beating anyone to death. She was old and couldn't bear to see anyone being killed.
Thirty boards is about the same.
"As you wish."
Ji bowed slightly and looked at Gu Zhizhuo again. She saw that she was drinking tea slowly and seemed to have no interest in how she would deal with the matter.
Ji's eyes were gloomy.
She faced the Bai Chang family and asked in a softer voice, "Bai Chang family. Are you convinced?"
Bai Changjia suddenly felt lucky to have saved her life. Her neck and back were already soaked with cold sweat, and her undershirt was tightly stuck to her skin, wet and sticky.
"Clothes!"
Bai Changjia quickly said, "I know I was wrong!"
Thirty strokes of the cane.
She had been in charge of purchasing for so many years, and she had also used beatings to discipline the maids and old women under her.
Thirty strokes of the board would at most tear the skin and flesh, without even injuring the bones. It would heal after lying down for ten days or half a month.
She said loudly: "This servant is convinced."
Bai Changjia's tense back relaxed and he let go of his hands that were clutching Ji's skirt.
Alas, I was also scared by the older girl.
Madam is right. The eldest daughter plays tricks all day long. No wonder the Third Prince dislikes her. She can barely even secure a spot as the Third Prince's consort. From now on, the palace will still have to rely on the younger daughter.
"Come here." Ji said gently, "Take the Bai Chang family away."
Ji smiled at her with a gentle look. Bai Changjia felt relieved, thinking that even the thirty strokes of the board would not be enough. She raised her sleeve to wipe the cold sweat from her forehead and kowtowed to Ji sincerely.
"I accept the punishment."
The women in Bai Chang's family followed the maid obediently.
Ji slowly stroked the little finger of her right hand, and Nanny Wan understood what she meant and followed her out.
Nanny Wan secretly sighed: The Bai Chang family is courting death.
Once unfaithful, never again! She dared to threaten the lady. If she was allowed to live, if she did it once, there would be a second and a third time...
How can Madam be coerced?
One hundred strokes of the cane will not kill a man.
Thirty strokes of the board can beat someone to death!
Bai Changjia looked confident until she arrived at the torture room and lay on the wooden bench. However, when the first board was hit, she knew she was finished.
This is definitely not the bamboo board used to beat servants in the mansion!
"husband……"
Bai Changjia wanted to speak, but then a piece of coarse cloth was stuffed into her mouth. She saw Nanny Wan's condescending, cold and merciless eyes.
Nanny Wan slowly opened her lips and said calmly, "Go well."
Bang!
Another slap.
The blow almost broke her back, and the pain and fear completely engulfed her in an instant.
Bang!
Nanny Wan watched silently from the side. After the beating was over, she personally reviewed it and returned to Ronghe Hall. After lowering her eyelids at Ji Shi, she turned to the Grand Madam and reported, "Grand Madam, the Bai Chang family member has had a heart attack and is dead."
The lady was startled: "Heart palpitations?"
Nanny Wan wiped away a tear and choked with sobs, saying respectfully, "After five strokes of the cane, Bai Changjia developed a heart attack. I quickly sent for medicine to be inserted, but it didn't save him."
"The person is gone."
The lady was silent for a moment, then sighed, "Alas, the medicine in our house was also purchased by her herself. The medicine was useless and ended up harming herself. This is called retribution for what she sowed. Well, let her be buried properly."
Gu Zhizhuo lowered his eyes, and his long eyelashes cast a faint reflection on his fair face.
The Bai Chang family deserved to die.
In her previous life, when her face had just begun to rot, there was actually medicine that could have saved it. Even if it couldn't be restored to its original state, it wouldn't have festered to the point where it was worse than a ghost. However, the medicine the doctor prescribed had no effect at all. She was drowsy with fever and the pain in her face was unbearable.
The pain was like peeling skin and gnawing bones, and she would never forget it even if she were to live again.
The root of the problem lies in these medicinal herbs.
After her rebirth, she paid attention to it. Her third uncle and his family were staying in the hot spring villa to recuperate. All the medicines that Ah Man took were prepared by her personally. She even had the commonly used honey pills in the lady's Ronghe Hall ready.
In the past few days, it seems that Gu Yan is the only one who has eaten these rotten tree roots.
Gu Zhizhuo finished his tea, pressed his handkerchief to the corner of his mouth, and sighed, "Oh, I said I'd sell it that day, mother. If you had agreed, it would have been much better. No one would have been killed."
She smiled faintly: "If I had known this would happen, would my mother have protected her back then?"
Ji's beautiful eyes were filled with bloodshot, and there was an unconcealable hostility in her eyes.
Gu Zhizhuo's words were like stabbing her chest with a knife, again and again.
"But it's all God's will."
Gu Zhizhuo raised a finger, placed it to his lips, and said softly, "As the saying goes, heaven's will cannot be violated. It is destined that you must bear this sin."
Ji suddenly looked towards her.
She had clearly made up her mind to protect the Bai Chang family, but even if she had to do it again, the moment the Bai Chang family dared to threaten her, it was destined that the Bai Chang family must die.
This is the only way for her to go!
Is this what fate calls destiny? A chill shuddered through her heart. Her son's recent injuries and illnesses were her retribution? She was the one who killed her eldest sister...
No!
Her defenses were broken, and she sternly said, "You've been playing tricks all day long. Do you still have the appearance of a legitimate daughter of a Duke's mansion? In the whole capital, there is no other girl like you! You have no respect for your elders and no sense of shame."
"Mother." Gu Zhizhuo said innocently, "I just felt a little emotional, just saying it casually, please don't be angry."
This time, the Madam turned directly to Gu Zhizhuo and said coldly, "Yuanchu, Miss Zhuo is right. Don't give her a cold shoulder all the time. It scares her."
Scare her? Who could scare her? Ji was so angry that he grabbed his sleeve tightly with his right hand.
Madam Gu continued, "I used to see you being gentle and respectful, managing the house perfectly, but now it seems you're just so-so! If it weren't for Miss Zhuo's alertness, our whole family would have died from eating those rotten tree roots, and you probably wouldn't even notice it.
"If you can't manage it, then don't bother!"
"In a few years, even Cancan's daughter-in-law will be married. So, do you still want to compete with your daughter-in-law for who will be the head of the family?"
On this point, Madam Gu always felt she had done a great job. She used to listen to her mother-in-law, but after Wang Shi came into the family, she immediately handed over the household chores to her. In other families in the capital, mothers-in-law would let their daughters-in-law set the rules, control everything, and even add people to the house. But she never did that! Her son had been away in the northern border for years, and her daughter-in-law was left alone in the capital. It was already pitiful enough.
She never even treated Ji Shi unfairly.
Ji stood up suddenly, causing the armchair to make a dull sound.
Ji hadn't slept well for several days. She was almost on the verge of collapse due to irritability and sleepiness. The accusations from the lady made her head buzz.
The lady was startled. "Why? I only said a few words to you, and you glared at me. Now you can't even say anything?"
Gu Zhizhuo nodded in agreement. "Mother has always doted on her daughter, treating her like her own. Even if Mother is unhappy, I must tell her the truth. If Mother wants to punish me, I will accept it."
"She's just a stepmother, how could she treat you like her own child?" Madam Gu said angrily, "If your mother were still alive, she wouldn't bother with you over such a small matter. You used to pretend, but now you don't want to pretend anymore!"
Ji clenched her hands tightly in her sleeves and said, "Mother, I am feeling unwell. I will take my leave now."
She bowed with gritted teeth, flicked her sleeves, and walked away without looking back.
"Look at her, look at her!"
Mrs. Gu was so angry that she slammed the coffee table, and the tea lid of the tea bowl banged.
Gu Zhizhuo came over and sat on her footstool, coaxing her, "Grandma, don't be angry. The Bai Chang family has been with mother for so many years. Now that she's gone, mother must be heartbroken, which is why she spoke so carelessly."
"Hey, but I can't take my anger out on you!"
Nanny Zhu had a complicated expression on her face.
She was a little confused about the young lady's ways. It had only been a few days, and the lady had treated her so affectionately?
Could it be because Miss Ji is not here?
Gu Zhizhuo said coquettishly, "Grandma, I have something happy to tell you. Be happy."
Oh? Come on, tell me.
Madam Gu was in high spirits. She was almost sixty years old, but the curiosity and clarity in her eyes were still like those of a young girl.
"Our Ah Man's case has been decided by the Dali Temple. The wife of the Marquis of Jing'an was beaten with a stick and is hiding in the mansion crying."
"real?"
Gu Zhizhuo whispered to her, telling her some interesting stories about the Jing'an Earl's family, and then urged her, "Grandma, do you want to go visit?"
Humph, what’s there to visit… The lady was just about to say this when she suddenly realized, “No, I should go!”
After all, they were relatives in the past. For A Liao, she didn't know how many times she had tolerated that guy named Sun.
It's good to kick someone when he's down, she loves it the most!
She couldn't wait to say, "Madam Zhu, prepare the carriage."
Nanny Zhu asked, "Madam, do you want to prepare a gift?"
"What gift should I prepare..." She can't be killed!
"Yes," Gu Zhizhuo said politely, "The wife of the Marquis of Jing'an was beaten with a stick, which was pitiful. Didn't they say last time that they couldn't even get medicine out of the house? We have a lot of medicinal herbs in our warehouse. You can take some with you. It's a small token of your consideration."
"Yes, yes, take that one! It's better to take that one!"
The lady was happy and happily took Gu Zhizhuo with her to open the warehouse in person.
The matching card for the warehouse was in the hands of the head of the household, Ji, but since the lady-in-waiting had given way, Li Mao's family really didn't dare to refuse.
The medicinal materials were all placed in Room No. 3, B. When the door of the warehouse was opened, an unpleasant musty smell hit her in the face, choking her so much that she coughed several times.
The Jiang family is wealthy, and the lady has lived among gold and jade all her life. She has never seen a warehouse filled with so much garbage.
Her anger, which had just subsided, rose again: "Zhuo girl, go and clean up the storeroom in the mansion. I want to see whether the storeroom in our Duke's Mansion is still a storehouse or a garbage dump!"
"yes."
Gu Zhizhuo hummed and spread his hands: "Give me the account books and keys."
Li Maojia hesitated and winked at the little maid, wanting her to go and report to the lady quickly.
Gu Zhizhuo curled the corners of his mouth.
"Grandma." She pursed her lips, as if she was about to cry, "She won't give me the account books or the keys!"
Nanny Zhu: “…”
Qingmei was full of admiration, how amazing! When they were in the East Factory, everyone said that the Supervisor was good at playing with people's hearts and there was nothing he couldn't do. Now it seemed that this Miss Gu was no less capable. Look, she pushed the lady to the front so easily.
And the lady was obviously very happy.
"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid." Madam Gu held her back and said sternly, "Why, my words are useless now? Then tell me, who do you want to listen to? I'll go and beg them myself and see if it works."
"Madam, please forgive me. I never meant that."
Li Mao's wife quickly asked the maid to take out the keys and book. There was a whole bunch of keys, which were very heavy.
There are two keys to the inner courtyard storehouse. One is kept by the lady, and the other is this one.
Gu Zhizhuo didn't even look at it, and gestured to Qiongfang to take it. He happily took the lady's arm and went to pick out the "gift".
A large bag of various medicinal herbs was picked out. Gu Zhizhuo picked out the moldy and insect-infested ones and asked a little maid to carry them. The lady and Nanny Zhu went out with great satisfaction.
You are trying to add insult to injury!
Gu Zhizhuo bowed, watched her leave, then turned back with a smile and looked at the housekeeper.
"Big girl."
Li Maojia smiled awkwardly, glanced at the key and book in Qiongfang's hand, and seemed to be hesitant to speak.
Gu Zhizhuo raised his eyebrows and asked, "Are you waiting for Madam?"
"No, no." Li Maojia waved his hands quickly and said with an apologetic smile, "Miss, which room do you want to start with?"
"Did you know that Bai Chang's family is dead?"
ah? !
Li Maojia's face suddenly turned pale.
She was also at Duanfu Hall that day!
"Li Mao, would you like me to tell your fortune?"
Li Maojia was trembling. She licked her dry lips and said with a wry smile, "Miss, please, please stop joking."
"Whatever."
Gu Zhizhuo smiled faintly, started walking away, and turned to Qiongfang and said, "Go get some big brass locks and lock up every single one of the warehouses here."
Lock?
Qiongfang didn't understand and just agreed obediently.
Gu Zhizhuo shook the key in his hand and chuckled, "I don't trust this lock."
The housekeeper lowered her head and respectfully saw her off.
As soon as she left, the housekeeper quickly sent her maidservant away, saying, "Go and see if the Bai Chang family is really gone."
Her heart was beating like a drum.
The people from the Bai Chang family are the Madam's confidants and right-hand men, and they take care of all the big and small matters in the mansion for her.
Madam, you shouldn't...
You can’t be so cruel!
She wandered back and forth, and soon the little maid came running back in a hurry, saying in a panic, "Mammy, the Bai Chang family is dead."
"Really dead?!"
"yes!"
Li Maojia's strong body shook and he almost fell.
The masters in the mansion were all good-tempered and never took their anger out on others. Over the years, they rarely even used sticks, and they had never beaten a servant to death. How could this happen?!
"Tell me quickly, what's going on?" Her voice was trembling.
The little maid recounted what she had heard, adding, "Madam Wan witnessed the execution. She said the man died of heart palpitations, but I secretly went to the torture chamber and saw… a bloody mess of flesh and blood. It was clear, clear he was beaten to death."
Li Maojia gasped.
In other words, it was the Madam who secretly beat the man to death without telling the Madam!
The one from the Bai Chang family is the Madam’s confidant.
The girl was right!
In five days, the lady really took the lives of the Bai Chang family with her own hands, not a day more, not a day less.
She was not feeling well at all.
The little maid couldn't help but ask, "Mammy, tell me, is the eldest lady really able to tell fortunes?"
"Be careful with your words." Li Maojia interrupted quickly.
It’s hard to say whether this was calculated or not.
However, the eldest girl made everything she said come true. This is her ability and this is her means.
Li Maojia seemed to see the former wife of the Duke, Wang.
"Li Mao's family."
Li Maojia shuddered and looked in the direction of the sound. Qiongfang, who was beside the eldest girl, was saying cheerfully, "The girl said that at the time of Shen Shizheng, she was in Duanfu Hall to meet the internal stewards."
"It's up to you whether you want to go or not."
After Qiongfang finished speaking, she left.
Li Maojia felt uneasy.
The lady was unwilling to hand over the power of management, but the eldest girl obviously did not have the patience to wait any longer.
If the lady refused to give it to her, the eldest girl would come and get it herself.
At dusk, the sunset glow was like a burning flame, but Li Maojia still felt cold all over, as if he was in an ice cellar.
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