Two maids dragged a disheveled man with his hands bound, while Cuizhi pulled a woman in a light red dress with disheveled hair, covering her face. The maids forced the man to kneel on the ground, and Cuizhi threw the woman to the ground, where she prostrated herself, clutching her face.
Li Yuxin looked at the two people on the ground with interest, smiled and ordered, "Lock them up separately and keep them under close watch. Bring them to the main court for retrial tomorrow morning."
It was late at night, and Li Yuxin was in no mood to stay up all night to investigate the adultery. After returning to the room, Li Yuxin immersed herself in the bathtub, and the disgusting smell of blood completely dissipated.
It was a dreamless night. The chirping of birds outside the window was lively. Li Yuxin looked at the women in the flower hall. One of them, Yang Yi Niang, was missing. Today was not a day for greetings, so Li Yuxin naturally understood their purpose.
Li Yuxin gestured to the two people who had been watching her to speak. Concubine Zhou and Concubine Ru looked at each other, and then Concubine Ru spoke: "Madam, was the master seriously injured yesterday? Have you arranged for us to attend to him?"
Li Yuxin put down the red-glazed teacup with painted flowers and said gently, "Master's injury is not serious. The master has ordered him to recuperate in the study. If you all care about him, please chant the Amitabha Sutra a hundred times a day to pray for him. The outer courtyard is full of men, so it would be inconvenient for you to go there."
All the women replied to Li Yuxin in unison: "Yes, ma'am." Aunt Ru bit her lip, looked at Li Yuxin, then at Aunt Zhou, and then shut up.
After the women left, Li Yuxin sipped the rose water before ordering the two people, who had been imprisoned the previous day, to be brought to the corridor. She sat on a mahogany chair brought by a maid and looked down at the two people below. The man was short but sturdy, his dark complexion revealing his strength. The woman, now slumped on the ground, looked as if she were a walking corpse, speechless and dejected.
Mother Liu stepped forward and asked, "Tell me, Madam Cihe didn't torture you. You should know what's right and wrong."
The woman shrank back in silence, while the man kowtowed and said, "I am guilty, please forgive me, Madam."
Mother Liu stepped forward and kicked him, then said sternly, "Stop talking nonsense and tell me everything."
The man raised his head, revealing a simple and honest face, and whispered, "I am Concubine Yang's cousin. We have been engaged since childhood, but Concubine Yang fell in love with the master, so her parents sent her to the mansion. I will never dare to do it again. I beg the madam to be lenient with her."
Mother Liu looked at Li Yuxin, and Li Yuxin gestured to Aunt Yang. Mother Liu stepped forward, pinched Aunt Yang's chin, and lifted her head. Mother Liu said impatiently, "Hurry up and tell me. I don't have that much time to waste here with you."
Concubine Yang sobbed and said, "Husband, Madam, I have always had my cousin in my heart. My cousin is now twenty-five years old, but he has always been waiting for me. I couldn't bear it and made a mistake. Madam, please punish me if you want. It has nothing to do with my cousin."
As Yang Yi Niang spoke, she knelt down and kowtowed, saying as she did so, "I would rather die than live. I only beg Madam to be kind and release my cousin."
Seeing that Concubine Yang's head was bleeding, the man twisted his bound body towards Concubine Yang, shouting, "Cousin, don't hurt yourself. If you want to die, I will die."
Aunt Yang looked at the man with tears in her eyes, smiled brightly at him, and said, "Take care, cousin." Aunt Yang suddenly stood up with a resolute attitude, and was about to crash into the pillar under the corridor.
The man's eyes were bloodshot as he shouted, "Cousin!"
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