"It's because of me." Xiao Jin'an trembled slightly, not even looking at Qingcheng from beginning to end. "My son was wrong. He almost plunged the entire palace into dire straits. I beg father to punish me."
The beating finally happened.
Nine whips, each one made the skin and flesh burst.
Lin Chunhuan was terrified watching from the side, but she did not step back. During this time, a drop of blood fell on her fingertips. It was warm and had a faint fishy smell, which scared her.
But it also made her uncontrollably excited and trembling.
She could see the resentful look in Xiao Jinan's eyes when he looked at her. This man probably still believed that Xiao Cen had to marry her out of necessity because he was committing the crime of disobeying the imperial order.
If it weren't for her deliberate seduction last night, she might have thought so too.
But although she was not smart, she was not blind or deaf. She could see Xiao Cen's concentration when he looked at her, and she could hear Xiao Cen calling her name over and over again.
But it doesn’t matter…
Lin Chunhuan pinched the blood beads on his fingertips and pretended to be frightened. His heart gradually calmed down. This was just the beginning.
Xiao Jinan is just the first one.
"Your Majesty!"
When the tenth whip was about to fall, Lin Chunhuan finally stood up and grabbed Xiao Cen's arm, "Stop hitting him, the prince must have realized his mistake."
"The child is grown up now, so we still need to save some face in front of outsiders."
Lin Chunhuan said the second half of the sentence while almost lying on Xiao Cen's arm. She was small, and in order to reach Xiao Cen's ear, she had to stand on tiptoe, with half of her body pressed on Xiao Cen's arm.
The soft touch and the feather-light breath made Xiao Cen feel itchy in his heart.
"Since Ah Huan is begging for mercy, I'll let him go this time."
Xiao Cen let out a long breath and lightly kicked Xiao Jinan on the calf. "Greet your mother and go to the ancestral hall to reflect on your mistakes."
"……yes."
Xiao Jinan's whole body was shaking.
Xiao Cen's whipping move was a perfect move that killed three birds with one stone. He didn't hold back any strength at all. Xiao Jinan only knew some fists and feet. After today, he wouldn't die, but he would be skinned alive!
Seeing the man in front of her full of resentment and unwillingness, yet unable to do anything about her, Lin Chunhuan narrowed her eyes and smiled. She didn't ask him to kowtow, but instead supported him with a kind face, "Okay, don't embarrass the child."
"As a mother, how can I really argue with a child?"
Lin Chunhuan glanced at Xiao Cen coquettishly, then looked at Housekeeper Yu, "Hurry up and help the young master in, and let the palace doctor take a look."
"Your Highness is too harsh. I hope the child doesn't get any serious illness."
Lin Chunhuan kept calling Xiao Jinan "child", which made Xiao Jinan's face change several times, but he couldn't say anything. As for Qingcheng, seeing that no one was paying attention to her, she followed Xiao Jinan into the house.
"The princess is truly understanding. If someone had run away from my marriage in the street, I would have skinned him alive, but the princess actually let him go so easily."
"She is so kind to other people's children. Princess Pingyang must be a good person!"
"That's right, Prince Pingyang has good vision. This kid is just not as good as me..."
There are many similar remarks, and people always believe what they want to believe. So even though Lin Chunhuan's performance just now was so exaggerated, because it was in public, almost no one doubted her intentions.
She was too frank in her challenge, so frank that it didn't seem like she was being difficult.
As soon as they got on the carriage, Xiao Cen took her hand in his palm and squeezed it, "Have you calmed down?"
"I knew the prince did it on purpose."
Lin Chunhuan pouted but did not pull her hand away. She said she was angry or complaining, but she looked more like she was acting coquettishly. She snorted softly, and the beauty said coquettishly, which made Xiao Cen swallow his saliva unconsciously.
"Now that the prince has openly punished the prince, I can no longer bear grudge against my escape from the marriage, let alone bring it up again in the future." Lin Chunhuan lowered her head and exhaled, "Well, after all, you are family. I can't blame the prince for anything."
"Ah Huan said this, but he is deliberately hurting my feelings."
Lin Chunhuan turned her head awkwardly and looked outside. She knew what Xiao Cen meant.
It is true that those few whippings just now were to help Xiao Jinan to make a big deal out of a small matter. Lin Chunhuan understood Xiao Cen's approach.
After all, from Xiao Cen's perspective, they would be a family living under the same roof in the future, and she embarrassed Xiao Jinan right from the start.
With such a deep gap between them, there will probably be chaos in the future.
But he had been punished today, and the past was past. Lin Chunhuan could only get on with his life if he stopped dwelling on his past mistakes.
I have to say that Xiao Cen’s idea is right.
But he didn't know that just a few lashes could not erase the pain of Lin Chunhuan being made a laughing stock and humiliated time and time again in her previous life, nor could it alleviate the hatred of being alone in an empty house for many years without being able to have a child, and being slandered for adultery and sent back to her parents' home.
Although neither Xiao Jinan nor Qingcheng was the one who ultimately killed her.
But both of them are responsible for her death and all the insults she suffered. They must bear the responsibility and cannot let it go easily!
But at this time, there was no need for her to go against Xiao Cen.
There is still a long way to go.
Later, when Xiao Cen has his own child and finds out that Xiao Jinan is a hopeless case, will he still protect him?
Lin Chunhuan pursed her lips and looked out stubbornly, but her tone gradually softened. "I know, the prince deliberately waited for me to persuade him before stopping. He was helping me establish my authority."
"I will always remember your kindness, Your Highness."
Xiao Cen beside him breathed a sigh of relief and held Lin Chunhuan's hand tighter. "Fortunately, Ah Huan is smart and didn't embarrass me."
Lin Chunhuan sniffed and turned around, seeing her red eyes and even the tip of her nose slightly red from holding back her tears. She looked as aggrieved as a little rabbit.
Xiao Cen opened his mouth, his heart numb with the pain.
He even felt a little regretful. He shouldn't have held back on his strength just now. He should have beaten that bastard Xiao Jinan to death!
"I can let go of what happened before, but..." Lin Chunhuan pursed her lips, a probing look in her eyes, "Your Highness ran away from his marriage for that beautiful girl. Who knows what he'll do for her in the future. Your Highness, are you planning on letting that girl marry you?"
"Your Majesty."
Before Xiao Cen could speak, Lin Chunhuan suddenly held his hand and said, "From what I've seen today, I think the girl might be pregnant. You should consider this carefully."
Xiao Cen suddenly raised his head, his brows furrowed so tightly that they could kill a fly. "Ah Huan, are you sure?!"
"Although I do dislike that female doctor, this kind of thing... cannot slander a woman's reputation for no reason!"
It's no wonder that Xiao Cen refused to believe it at once. At this time, even Xiao Jinan and Qingcheng themselves probably didn't know about this. Otherwise, Xiao Jinan wouldn't have gone to so much trouble to force her to agree by using the matter of returning home. If it weren't for the memories of her previous life, Lin Chunhuan wouldn't have dared to say it so directly.
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