"Second brother, please show mercy!" The three wives stopped the men who were beating him with sticks. While stopping them, they loudly begged for mercy from Sheng Huairen.
Seeing her husband's legs covered in blood, Miss Sanniang was filled with tears. She felt she had done something wrong. She continued to plead, "Brother, my husband knows he's wrong. Please let him go. He will never gamble again, brother!"
Sheng Huaifeng, who was lying on the ground, felt terrible pain in his legs and body. The screams of the Third Housewife made him feel even more uncomfortable. He said hoarsely in anger, "Get out!"
Sheng Huairen gave a wink to housekeeper Song, and two maids came forward to drag the third wife away. The third wife was dragged away in a miserable state, and kept saying, "Second brother, eldest brother, the master won't do it again, just forgive him..." The voice disappeared only when she was dragged away.
Sheng Huaifeng fainted and was awakened by a basin of water. He was then caned again until he had been beaten fifty times. Only then was he carried out of the outer courtyard of the ancestral hall while he was dying.
Sheng Huaizhong came out of the ancestral hall only after there was no more noise outside. After nodding to Sheng Huairen, he slowly left with his cane.
Sheng Huairen stood in the yard with his back to the ancestral hall for a full hour before leaving. Before leaving, he looked back at the Sheng family's ancestral hall tablet.
The third wife, with swollen eyelids, dirty clothes and tear-stained face, broke free from the hands of the maids, glared at the two maids, and then hurried to Xu Wen's courtyard. After entering the courtyard, she heard the little maid say that Xu Wen went to Li Yuxin's house in the main courtyard, and then she went to the main courtyard without stopping.
The panting third wife entered the hall and yelled at the top of her lungs, "Second sister-in-law, second sister-in-law, hurry..."
Li Yuxin and Xu Wen, who were talking, looked up and were startled by the appearance of the Third House's eldest lady. They stood up and Li Yuxin asked with concern, "What's wrong with you? Why are you so disheveled? Nanfeng, take the eldest lady to the inner room to freshen up."
Before Nanfeng could accept the order, the third wife waved her hand and said, "Sister-in-law, I'm fine." She turned to Xu Wen and said, "Sister-in-law, you have to help me. My second brother beat the husband half to death. How can I live?" After saying that, she reached out to grab Xu Wen's hand.
Xu Wen dodged the Third House's eldest lady's hand and leaned sideways. She asked calmly, "Sister-in-law, what happened? You have to tell us so we can find a solution."
The anxious Third House's eldest wife frowned and replied, "Isn't it because of Second Sister-in-law? Second Sister-in-law told Second Brother about the Master's gambling, and Second Brother took the Master to the ancestral hall to be disciplined. Second Sister-in-law, we can't delay any longer. If we don't go over now, the Master will be beaten to death."
It was really a case of taking good intentions for granted. It was clearly the Third Lady who asked Xu Wen for help, but now it was Xu Wen who was blamed. Xu Wen, who had always been upright, would not take the blame for this. "Sister-in-law, you came to me late last night and begged me to tell your second brother about Third Brother's gambling. When you came to me, you should have thought about the punishment you would receive. If you hadn't come to report Third Brother, Third Brother wouldn't be in this situation today. Besides, the country has its laws and the family has its rules. What should be done is what should be done. I can't do anything about this matter even if you beg me."
Just as the third lady was about to make a scene and throw herself on the ground, the third lady's maid came in, bowed and announced: "Madam, the third master has been carried back to the main courtyard." Upon hearing this, the third lady immediately steadied herself, held the maid's hand and walked out of the hall.
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