Chapter 42 Slapping the Zhang Family in the Face
Recalling the past, Song Yi pinched her palms until they hurt, and her voice choked with sobs.
"Does Father think it's just a few taels of silver? Doesn't he even ask why I made a scene in Bianjing Prefecture? Doesn't he even ask if Madam really wants to seize my dowry shop?"
Zhang cried out that she was wronged and covered her face to weep.
"My God, this is such a terrible injustice! Ever since I married into the Song family, my husband has seen how I've treated Yiyi."
I treated her better than Hui'er, yet she ended up being wrongly accused like this!
"Rather than being wronged like this, I'd rather the master just divorce me. I have no face to stay in this house any longer!"
Zhang made a gesture to get up while crying.
Vice Minister Song grabbed her, his face darkening as he slapped Song Yi across the face.
*Smack*
Song Yi was knocked to the ground by the powerful slap.
Five clear finger marks appeared on her fair face, which then swelled up.
"You bastard, your mother worked so hard to raise you, and this is how you repay her?"
What did you just call her? Madam? You didn't even call her Mother anymore?
"You ungrateful wretch! How could my Song family have raised such an ungrateful, heartless wretch like you?"
Minister Song roared, veins throbbing on his forehead.
Song Yi covered her face, tears blurring her vision, making it impossible to see Song Shilang's expression; all she could hear was his angry shouts.
It was as if they were scolding a natural enemy.
But he is clearly her biological father.
Song Yi sniffed and tried to wipe away her tears, but they still smeared her face with tears.
He simply stopped wiping, slowly stood up, looked up at Minister Song, and said with a wronged expression:
“I was in a hurry to raise money to pay my husband’s fine, so Qian Mama and Manager Liu found Zhang Jiulang to force me to sell the shop.”
They offered a very low price, but I refused to sell, and they threatened to beat me and Ke'er.
“I…I was terrified at the time. I mentioned my father, but Zhang Jiulang said that my father and mother both knew about it.”
Song Yi looked even more heartbroken than Zhang Shi when she cried.
“Zhang Jiulang is making false accusations and wronging Father. If this gets out, won’t outsiders think that Father is trying to seize his daughter’s dowry?”
If this gets back to the imperial court, Father's reputation will be ruined. I only reported it to the authorities because of my father; who knew this matter would... would actually implicate my wife.
Song Yi looked annoyed.
"If I had known this would happen, I certainly wouldn't have dared to report it to the authorities. Even if it damaged the reputation of the government, Father would have had a way to explain it, wouldn't he?"
Vice Minister Song's expression changed.
"Is this really true?"
He is a man who cares most about his reputation and his official standing.
He looked at Zhang with displeasure.
"How did Zhang Jiulang get involved? What did you instruct him to do?"
Madam Zhang was seething with hatred, but her face still showed a wronged expression.
"I am innocent! Zhang Jiulang is just a petty scoundrel. I have never even seen him before. This must have been a scheme he conspired with Mama Qian and Manager Liu!"
"I'll go back tomorrow and ask the Zhang family to come and apologize to you, sir."
"Let's deal with the immediate matter first. Tomorrow, there will surely be many officials waiting to see you make a fool of yourself."
She subtly steered the conversation back on track.
Vice Minister Song's expression sharpened, and he came to his senses.
"Madam's reminder is reasonable."
He took it for granted and gave the order to Song Yi.
"Now that you have paid the fine, return the remaining money to your mother; it is her private savings."
Write another handwritten letter of repentance, saying that you were misled by Granny Qian and Manager Liu, and that they misunderstood our family, so that the Bianjing Prefecture would drop the previous case and destroy the files.
With just a few words, Madam Zhang persuaded Vice Minister Song to change his mind.
Song Yi's arms trembled incessantly at her side. Although it wasn't unexpected, she still felt nauseous.
In his heart, the father never cared about the truth, even if Zhang called a deer a horse.
For example, at this moment, when Madam Zhang said that the money was her own personal savings and not the profit from her shop, her father chose to believe her without hesitation.
She used to be naive and didn't understand why.
But now she understands, she understands completely!
Song Yi bit her lip hard to suppress the pain and grievance in her heart, and slowly straightened her neck.
For the first time in his life, he refused Vice Minister Song.
"I don't."
Minister Song was stunned for a moment, then flew into a rage.
In his mind, his eldest daughter from his first marriage was timid, weak, and dull-witted, and she cried at the drop of a hat, which was annoying.
The only redeeming quality is that he is obedient.
So when he heard Song Yi's rejection, he was stunned for a moment, and then flew into a rage.
"How dare you! You dare to defy me, you unfilial wretch!"
Vice Minister Song raised his hand and slapped him again.
Song Yi's pupils widened.
Kerr said that she was caught off guard and it was an accident when she was slapped for the first time.
If you just stand there and wait to get a second slap, then you're a fool.
She doesn't want to be a fool.
Minister Song lost control of his hand and slammed it heavily onto the display shelf, causing the items on it to make a soft, rumbling sound, and making his entire palm numb and painful.
hiss.
Song Yi trembled slightly against the side of the display shelf, her eyelashes still wet with tears, and her back soaked with cold sweat.
I can't imagine how painful that slap must have been on her face.
Madam Zhang, with tears in her eyes, pulled Song Shilang aside and said, "Forget about the money, consider it my way of helping Song Yi."
Besides, we didn't give any subsidies to outsiders; they are children we raised from a young age.
She is, after all, the wife of the Marquis's heir. If you hit her, what will people think of us if word gets out?"
Two lines of tears slowly fell from Madam Zhang's eyes, her gaze towards Minister Song filled with heartache.
"It's nothing for a woman like me to suffer a little grievance. I can just stay home. It's just that it's a pity for you, sir, to have to endure the ridicule and exclusion from your colleagues every day."
These words only fueled Song's rage.
"What's wrong with the heir apparent's wife? I am her biological father, and it is my right to discipline her. Today, I will use family law to teach her a lesson!"
Vice Minister Song grabbed a rattan cane hanging on the wall and lashed it hard in mid-air.
The rattan, soaked in tung oil, slammed hard against the blue brick floor, sending up a few sparks.
Song Yi turned pale with fright.
The Vice Minister Song asked angrily, "I'm asking you one last time, are you going to pay the money or write a letter of repentance?"
Song Yi's eyes were red, and she bit her lip tightly, remaining silent.
"You won't write it, huh? I'll beat you until you do!"
Vice Minister Song raised the rattan cane.
"No, sir!"
Zhang made a two-step attempt to stop him, but was pushed aside by Vice Minister Song.
The rattan cane lashed out with a sharp crack as it struck Song Yi's back, instantly ripping her light purple jacket to shreds.
The burning pain in her back made Song Yi's vision go black, and she almost fainted.
"Don't hit our lady!"
Zilan, who was guarding the corridor, rushed in without hesitation and hugged Song Yi tightly.
The vine lashed out at Zilan.
"Purple Orchid!"
"It's alright, Your Highness's wife, I'm not afraid of pain."
Song Yi and Zi Lan hugged each other tightly.
"Are you trying to play the master-servant buddy here? Then let's fight."
Song, the Vice Minister, was furious and swung the rattan cane down again.
Song Yi held Zi Lan in her arms, biting her lip tightly, letting the blood seep into the corner of her lips.
My entire mouth was filled with the taste of metal filings, both salty and fishy.
For the first time, she deeply felt that her biological father wanted to beat her to death.
My heart aches so much, but the tears have stopped without me even realizing it.
It turns out that people can't cry when they are in extreme pain.
Her vision went black, and she fainted.
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