Chapter 12 Making an example of someone!
“Taoye, in this world, apart from your own parents, no one will be kind to you for no reason, especially in the relationship between a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. The Grand Princess of Deyang is kind to me, but there are conditions. I am the daughter-in-law she chose, someone to be used to deal with Zhan Xingzhuo.”
Yao Qingling was grateful for the Grand Princess's kindness to her, but also felt guilty towards her; however, she was clear-headed.
When she was younger, she was immersed in the warm atmosphere of that year and felt that fate had finally been kind to her.
But in the past two years, Qingling has experienced ups and downs, falling from the heights of happiness into the mud. In addition, after hearing some things from others, she gradually understood some things.
Five years ago, the Zhou family was implicated in a corruption case, and the Zhan family broke off their engagement. Zhan Xingzhuo was worried about Zhou Zhining and became deeply involved with her. Later, Zhou Zhining married Wang Xuan, saving the entire Zhou family. At that time, Wang Xuan was deeply in love with Zhou Zhining. Seeing that she was happy and had a son a year later, Zhan Xingzhuo felt that her position was secure and let it go.
At this time, the Grand Princess of Deyang seized the opportunity and quickly arranged a marriage for him to prevent future troubles; Zhan Xingzhuo also relented and agreed to marry and have children.
The Duke's Mansion, a century-old prestigious family, held an extremely high position in Shengjing. One would think that a family of such standing could easily find a daughter from a similarly prominent family. So why did the Grand Princess Deyang choose the Marquis of Zhongyong's family, which had little to no established background, as her in-laws?
Yao Qingling recalled the first time she met Princess Deyang. At that time, she had just turned 18, and her aunt took her to Princess An's flower-viewing banquet. Princess Deyang's dog ran away and was found by Qingling.
She played with the dog for a while, and that's how she met the Grand Princess who was looking for her dog.
Later, when the two families finalized the marriage agreement, others jokingly said it was a red thread pulled by a dog, but Qingling once felt that it was fate.
This relationship gave her a blissful, dreamlike start to the year that followed, only to later discover that it wasn't like that at all.
Princess Deyang chose her because she was the daughter of the late Marquis Zhongyong, possessing status but lacking parental love and support. She yearned for kinship and affection; anyone treated well would be devoted to her.
The Grand Princess of Deyang uses the warmth of family affection to bind Qingling.
Regardless of Princess Deyang's original intentions, her care for Qingling was genuine, so Qingling not only didn't resent it, but also enjoyed it.
After her parents passed away, she realized that everyone's affection for her was conditional, and she had long since accepted this aspect of human nature.
But this warmth will disappear as she becomes unable to deal with Zhou Zhining or bring Zhan Xingzhuo back... The Grand Princess of Deyang will lose patience with her and be disappointed in her.
Zhan Xingzhuo is her biological son, and her affection for him stems from her love for him.
So-called protection is not permanent.
Therefore, she could not give up the idea of divorce just because Princess Deyang liked her for a moment.
Yao Qingling glanced at Tao Ye, shook her head, and turned to look outside the carriage.
Tao Ye felt somewhat bewildered and confused. She also disagreed with Qing Ling's statement that both parents were good.
“My own parents sold me; they took ten taels of silver from Li Yazi in town,” she said resentfully.
Even though she now lives a life of luxury with the prostitute and has a secure livelihood, she still cannot forgive her parents for selling her.
This abandonment is an indelible wound for all the children who were sold into slavery.
Qingling gently squeezed her hair to comfort her, and Taoye suddenly said with emotion, "But after hearing what Miss said, it seems that the Grand Princess of Deyang is really good to her son-in-law and has gone to great lengths for him."
"Think about it, if he had married a woman from another noble family back then, who could have tolerated them for so long? Those noble families wouldn't stand for this kind of treatment. If they were being trampled on like this, they would have started fighting long ago. If that were the case, Princess Deyang and the Duke would have had headaches every day and would have been a laughing stock."
Thinking about it this way, Taoye felt even more sorry for her young lady.
This isn't about enjoying life; it's clearly about feeling like she has no one backing her up, so she can be manipulated at will.
She closed the jewelry box, set it aside, and no longer found it valuable or beautiful.
The carriage returned to the manor, and Taoye put the jewelry box into the storeroom and placed it on the shelf on the left.
Qingling felt a little tired and went to take a nap.
The maid who delivered pastries to the Duke's mansion walked back on her own two legs. With each step she took, the food box seemed to grow heavier, almost dragging her arms down.
She went to report back to Zhou Zhining.
“The old women at the Duke’s mansion wouldn’t accept me, they wouldn’t even let me in the door. They were so mean, they made me come back and said they were going to beat me.”
Zhou Zhining was not surprised that the items were returned again.
She wasn't sad; it was just a waste of some ingredients. She spent her days recuperating at home, with nothing to do and plenty of free time.
Yao Qingling made such a big fuss, and the rumors were spreading like wildfire. Zhou Zhining had to do something to reduce the Duke's resentment towards her. The effect might not be very good, but she had to show her sincerity.
She believed that perseverance would eventually wear down the stone, and that the Grand Princess of Deyang would feel her sincerity; she was sure she would move the Grand Princess.
Zhou Zhining sat upright, exuding the elegance of a noble lady. She was so beautiful that even the little maid couldn't help but be moved.
She's still so beautiful even after having a child; no wonder the son-in-law in this household doesn't care about his wife and only dotes on her.
Zhou Zhining glanced over indifferently: "You'll be punished? Why?"
The maid replied, "They said I shouldn't ride in the master's carriage, and that they'd have to discipline me by hitting me with a board to teach me a lesson."
But the maid didn't think it could come true.
In this mansion, the lady doesn't act like a lady, but the lady who is staying here acts more like a lady.
"...But the master made me ride in the carriage, so they can't hit me."
The maid felt that Zhou Zhining could support her, and as long as she served Miss Zhou well, she would have a good life ahead of her.
"They also mentioned a spring banquet... Oh, and that old nanny gave the lady a very beautiful box, saying it was compensation. Where was she injured or wronged? What compensation is there? Wasn't she the one who caused all this trouble?"
Although the maid entered the mansion late, she was clever and quickly figured out the situation in the mansion, including the "wrestling incident" that had happened not long ago.
Zhou Zhining clenched her fists, never before feeling such jealousy.
Yes, it was her son who fell, so why is Yao Qingling feeling wronged?
She tricked Zhan Xingzhuo out of his favorite jade pendant, and the Grand Princess of Deyang even gave her jewelry!
Yao Qingling has taken all the benefits that should have been hers, yet he still treats her with disdain!
As the master and servant were talking, someone suddenly entered the courtyard.
The head maid stood in the courtyard and called Zhou Zhining out, and also called out the little maid.
In front of Zhou Zhining, she conveyed the mistress's message: "The mistress said that the maid Jin Kui disrespected the rules of the manor and rode in the master's carriage without permission. The mistress instructed that when Jin Kui returns to the manor, she will be punished with twenty strokes of the cane."
Jin Kui's eyes widened, and she suddenly became frightened: "No way, you're really going to hit me?"
She cried and begged Zhou Zhining to speak up for her, but was quickly dragged to the middle courtyard by two servants.
She was pinned to a bench, with a guard standing on either side holding a paddle. She struggled but couldn't move, and cried even harder.
With a sharp crack, the sound of the board striking flesh rang out, and the maid screamed in agony, tears streaming down her face.
Before I could even catch my breath, the next lash came down.
The sounds rose and fell.
Zhou Zhining remained expressionless and did not plead for mercy, but her palms were almost crushed by her nails.
Yao Qingling made her move in her yard; it was a warning to others!
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