Before Xue Wu could finish her words, she was interrupted by Ling Xijie, who was furious. "You are just talking nonsense here. I never hit you, not at all!" She yelled at Xue Wu, her face flushed with anger. She looked at Ling Shumo with grievance, trying to squeeze out a few tears, but she couldn't cry because she was too angry. "Mother, I am innocent. They are ganging up on me. Please help me."
A bitter smile played on Xue Wu's lips. He ignored his own weakness, his legs softened, and he knelt upright in front of Ling Shumo. "Your Majesty, if the wound on my head wasn't caused by the Fourth Princess, then who did it? Although Cheng'er wasn't raised by me since she was a child, she is my biological daughter. Blood is thicker than water. She's been kind to me, so how could she possibly hit me with a wine jar? Madam Shu made up such a lie. It's simply ridiculous."
Hearing Xue Wu's words, Ling Shumo's slightly furrowed brow finally relaxed. Fortunately, fortunately, her daughter wasn't the heartless type who would murder her biological father.
But then, thinking about Xue Wu's injuries, which were caused by her other, more beloved daughter, Ling Shumo's face turned ugly again. "Ling Xijie, I am so indulgent to you on weekdays. You are so bold that you even dare to murder your stepfather. What's next? Will you even ignore me, your mother?"
Ling Xijie felt like it was just snow in August. She felt even more wronged than Dou E and couldn't help but shout, "I didn't do it. I really didn't do it. Mother, you have to believe me! I was wronged."
Ling Shumo turned her head away, no longer looking at Ling Xijie, and coldly ordered the attendant, "Come here, send the fourth princess to guard the imperial tombs of our Ling family's ancestors. In the days to come, let her reflect on her mistakes in front of our ancestors."
Ling Xijie's face, which had originally turned red with anger, instantly turned pale after hearing what Ling Shumo said.
Pei Jiuyan's expression also changed drastically. He knelt down at Ling Shumo's feet with a plop, tears already flashing in his eyes. "Your Majesty, Xijie is still so young. How could you bear to let her guard the imperial mausoleum?"
Guarding the imperial tomb is not just about standing in front of the ancestral tablets. In order to show respect to the ancestors, the royal family members guarding the imperial tomb must clean the tomb themselves and cannot delegate it to the attendants.
Although the emperors of previous generations were dead, their majesty remained unchallenged. Their afterlife accommodations were to be kept spotless, without even a hair's worth of dirt. Their daily meals and utensils were to be as luxurious and expensive as they had been in life. Regular mourning, prayers, and sacrifices were also held.
How could a child like Ling Xijie, less than six years old, endure such heavy labor? If he endured such hardship for a few years, Ling Xijie would probably die from exhaustion.
Ling Xijie was her greatest support for the rest of her life. Pei Jiuyan grabbed Ling Shumo's trouser legs and cried like a pear blossom in the rain, which was pitiful. "Your Majesty, I know that Xijie has committed an unforgivable crime, but sending her to guard the imperial mausoleum is too harsh a punishment. She might lose her life, Your Majesty! I dare not ask for your forgiveness, but I only ask that you change her sentence to a lighter one. She can go to the Lingyin Taoist Temple and practice asceticism with the Taoist priests for a few years. Facing the statue, Xijie will definitely reflect on her mistakes."
Pei Jiuyan said this and glared at Ling Xijie fiercely, "What are you still standing there for? Hurry up and kowtow to your mother. You know that your mother loved you the most in the past." After he said that, seeing that Ling Xijie did not move, he hardened his heart, bit his hand and slapped his daughter.
The sound of the slap hitting the cheek was particularly loud. Pei Jiuyan hit Ling Xijie so hard that half of his cheek immediately became swollen. Blood seeped out from under the skin. A few drops of blood flowed out through the tiny wound, flowing down his cheek to his chin, staining Ling Xijie's collar with glaring red spots.
This was the first time Ling Xijie had been beaten in her life, let alone such a harsh slap. She felt as if her cheeks were being bitten by millions of insects and ants at the same time, and she screamed in pain.
Seeing that he still hadn't followed her instructions, Pei Jiu slapped her across the other side of her cheek. This slap was even harder than the last, causing Ling Xijie's head to tilt to the side. She could only feel her ears ringing, unable to hear anything outside. But this slap finally woke her up.
At this point, no matter what she said, the Queen Mother wouldn't believe her. It would be better to admit her mistake quickly, perhaps even gain leniency.
Ling Xijie ignored the severe pain in his cheeks and started kowtowed to Ling Shumo.
Not long after, Ling Xijie's forehead was bleeding.
Pei Jiuyan's heart was broken as she watched from the side, but she didn't dare to stop them. Instead, she shouted, "How could I have given birth to such a troublesome daughter like you? You really brought shame upon me. Cheng'er is your biological sister, and you actually had the heart to lay hands on her? And then there's your second father Xue's injury. There are many ways to resolve conflicts between you and your sisters, but how can you take your anger out on Cheng'er's second father just because of your hatred for Cheng'er? If Cheng'er and your second father Xue don't forgive you, then you can die here. I will no longer recognize you as my daughter. I will pretend that I never gave birth to you."
Pei Jiuyan's words brought a hint of solemnity to Ling Xihe's eyes. Pei Jiuyan's implication was that Ling Xijie's original intention wasn't to kill his stepfather or disrespect Ling Shumo, the empress, but rather that a conflict between the sisters had implicated Xue Wu. His evasive and shifty approach was a masterful one.
Ling Shumo's gaze fell on Ling Xijie. The child's head and face were now covered in blood, and the mere sight of her was even somewhat creepy. After all, she was her beloved daughter for many years, and Ling Shumo finally felt the need to do the same. "Where's Doctor Qin? Why don't you hurry over and check on the Fourth Princess?"
Shi Qi had been observing Ling Shumo's expression. Hearing a hint of relief in her tone, he immediately helped Ling Xijie, who was kneeling on the ground, up.
Doctor Qin had already prepared the hemostatic ointment. Upon hearing the emperor's order, he took gauze and liquor and began to treat Ling Xijie's wound.
The blood soon dyed the gauze bright red. Ling Xijie's little face became distorted due to excessive pain, and he let out a suppressed, hoarse cry of pain. The tone had changed due to the pain, and it was hard to believe that it was the sound of a half-grown child.
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