Chapter 308 Execution of the Caning
"Father, how cruel you are!"
Gu Xiuming suddenly cried out in a mournful voice, then burst into laughter. His maniacal laughter made everyone present frown. The eunuch who delivered the imperial decree hadn't left yet; was he trying to prolong his life by making such a scene?
Gu Jingxi stood up, turned her head, and glared at him with a warning look in her eyes: "Xiu Ming, shut up!"
Now that things have deteriorated to this point, Gu Xiuming spoke recklessly, laughing through his tears, and said hatefully, "Father, do you really consider me your son? I think you treat me like a dog that you can summon and dismiss at will, and that you can send away whenever you don't like me anymore!"
After these words were spoken, the surroundings fell silent for a moment.
With Meng Jinyao's help, Old Madam Gu rose to her feet, her face contorted with anger. She demanded, "Xiuming, I truly never imagined you would be such an ingrate! Even now, you still blame your father? Was it your father who forced you to make a mistake and frame your mother? Have some conscience! If your father didn't treat you like a son, why would he have personally taught you? And when you were sick and unconscious, why did he stay by your side day and night to care for you? Couldn't he have just adopted someone else after you died?"
Gu Xiuming was speechless after hearing this.
At this moment, people from both the first and second wives remembered that Gu Xiuming had once suffered from a sudden and severe illness, and Gu Jingxi had taken leave to stay home and take care of him. This showed that Gu Jingxi still cared about this son. If this son hadn't done a series of absurd things, Gu Jingxi wouldn't have given up on him.
Gu Jingxi didn't want to hear his unfilial son go crazy again, lest he make his old mother sick. He asked the eunuch who was announcing the decree, "Eunuch, should these two wretches be punished with caning now? Let's begin. I don't think they'll know they're wrong until the cane hits them."
The eunuch, who had originally intended to watch the show, nodded upon hearing this. His shrill voice rang out again as he ordered the men he had brought from the palace: "Execute the caning punishment on Young Master Gu and Madam Li!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the eunuchs who had followed him stepped forward and dragged out Gu Xiuming and Li Wan'er, who were still kneeling. They quickly removed their thick winter clothes, leaving only their thin clothes, before proceeding with the punishment. This was to prevent the thick clothes from reducing the pain during the caning and thus achieving the desired effect.
Old Madam Gu, being of advanced age, could not bear to witness such a scene and was helped away by her maid. Xiu Yuan's wife, Madam Jiang, who was six months pregnant, could not bear such a sight either and left first to avoid disturbing her pregnancy. The remaining members of the Gu family watched the execution, which served as a warning to everyone to think twice before acting in the future.
The caning began, and the paddle struck the buttocks hard, with Gu Xiuming and Li Wan'er's screams echoing one after another.
Gu Xiuming received thirty strokes of the cane, while Li Wan'er received twenty. Her caning ended before Gu Xiuming's, but she also fainted from the pain. Although Gu Xiuming did not faint, by the end, he was in so much pain that he could barely scream. He lay on the ground, looking like he was about to die, his eyes fixed on Gu Jingxi, filled with intense hatred.
The caning on the buttocks is actually much lighter than the caning on the back. Twenty or thirty strokes of the cane would not be life-threatening, but one of them was a delicate person and the other was a pampered young nobleman, so it seemed that the punishment was much more severe than that of the others.
After the execution, the two were taken away from the Changxing Marquis's residence. Five days later, they would be escorted by special guards to their place of exile, Yazhou.
Unfilial piety is an unforgivable crime. Even if there is a general amnesty, they will not be pardoned. They will spend the rest of their lives in Yazhou, loving each other, and will never be able to return to the capital.
After they were taken away, the people from the first and second branches of the family looked at Gu Jingxi and his wife, but didn't ask them anything. They just comforted them, told them to calm down and not to get angry and hurt themselves, and then returned to their respective courtyards.
Seeing that everyone had left, Meng Jinyao raised her eyes to look at the man beside her. Seeing that his expression was indifferent and she could not tell whether he was happy or angry, she reached out and took his finger. "Husband, let's go back too."
Gu Jingxi nodded gently and said softly, "Ayao, I'm going to see Mother. You go back first."
Meng Jinyao nodded obediently, "Okay, you go ahead, I'll go back first." She had only taken two steps when she asked again, "Husband, do we need you to wait for us for dinner tonight?"
Gu Jingxi replied, "I'll go say a few words to my mother and be right back. It won't take long."
Hearing this, Meng Jinyao nodded again: "Then by the time you get back, it will be almost time for dinner. You should go to your mother's place."
-
Shou'an Hall.
When Madam Gu learned of Xiu Ming's actions last night, she was so angry that she couldn't sleep. She was also in poor spirits today. She just returned after hearing the imperial edict, and she looked as if she had aged several years.
When she was choosing from among her children, she picked Xiuming, who looked somewhat like her son. Over the years, she had been very satisfied with Xiuming, her well-behaved grandson, and she doted on him. However, in the past year, Xiuming had done so many absurd things.
Last year, Xiu Ming kowtowed to her and A Yao to admit his mistakes and said he sincerely wanted to repent. She really believed him. Little did she know that it was just a smokescreen. It can be seen that Xiu Ming in the past year is the real Xiu Ming.
Until last night, she was completely disappointed in Xiu Ming.
When Gu Jingxi came over, he saw that his mother looked tired. He gently turned his prayer beads, bowed, and sat down. He said apologetically, "Mother, Xiuming's matter has troubled you."
Madam Gu said with a look of regret, "Yao Ling, I really shouldn't have let you choose him. Now the reputation of the Marquis's mansion has been ruined by him, and you have been punished by the Emperor for failing to raise your son properly."
Gu Jingxi comforted her, "Mother, we are human, not gods. We don't have the ability to predict the future. Everything is preordained. Don't think too much about it."
Seeing his mother still looking remorseful, he smiled and said, "Our family is not short of money. It's nothing for me to be fined a year's salary. I think it's good to stay at home for half a month to reflect on my mistakes. Just consider it as a half-month rest. I can also spend time with Ayao. Although I can't go out, I can be leisurely and carefree, without the burden of official documents."
Hearing her son speak so casually, Madam Gu's tense emotions eased somewhat. After thinking for a moment, she carefully asked, "Yaoling, was the exile your idea or the Emperor's?"
“It is naturally the Emperor’s will, but it is my will to exile Consort Li and Xiu Ming to the same place.” Gu Jingxi lowered his eyes slightly and said meaningfully, “I think their love is stronger than gold and they should not want to be separated. As an elder, I should help them.”
Upon hearing this, Madam Gu paused, wondering why she had detected a hint of gloating in what was clearly a kind remark.
Forget it, what an ingrate. She couldn't be bothered to pay any more attention to him, or she would really get sick from anger. Instead, she said with great relief, "My son finally got married. Luckily, A Yao had evidence yesterday. Otherwise, if they had succeeded in framing her, A Yao would have been completely ruined. But you also need to comfort A Yao. No matter how calm she seems on the surface, she must be terrified inside."
Gu Jingxi nodded and said, "I understand, son."
Old Madam Gu was worried about her daughter-in-law, so she didn't say much to him and directly gave him the order to leave: "Alright, go back and comfort Ayao. I'm fine, you don't need to worry. I've lived most of my life and seen all kinds of storms."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com