"However, Sister Li, since you haven't completed your punishment by the deadline, there will be a punishment as well. Hmm, I'll punish you by making you copy it two hundred more times! That will bring the total to five hundred. Of course, you still can't leave the Pear Garden while you're copying the scriptures."
Jiaming was both delighted and speechless. She was delighted because Li Shi had been punished even more severely, but speechless because—collecting five hundred? What was that all about?!
Li, who also couldn't understand the joke, was completely bewildered by the words of the Fujin.
In other words, her confinement to copying scriptures is estimated to be extended for at least another month.
A bitter feeling lingered in my heart, and I was annoyed that I had said the wrong thing. Ugh, it's all because Guarjia was too talkative, which made me angry and say the wrong thing.
Immediately, he felt a pang of regret. Knowing full well that Lady Guarjia was not someone to be trifled with, why had he been so arrogant as to cause trouble for her again? He was courting death.
I never expected the Fujin (wife) to be so cunning. However, it's quite interesting how she keeps Li Shi hanging on like this.
Hmm, I've got it. I'll get involved too.
The example of killing the chicken to scare the monkey is a warning to others. Li's situation is even worse. Others who want to cause trouble for her will have to think twice. Well, there will be less trouble and more peace and quiet in the future.
So, Jiaming glanced at Li Shi with a smirk and then looked at the Fujin and said, "Fujin, I think punishing Li Shi like this is not enough."
The princess asked in confusion, "Oh?"
Li glared angrily at Jiaming. Damn it, the punishment was already quite severe, why is she still clinging to her?
Damn the Guarjia clan, those damned Guarjia clan... Li cursed Jiaming with every word she could think of.
The others in the room looked at Li with pity. Ha, of all people to mess with, she dared to provoke the Guarjia clan. Li was really courting death! Then, their eyes lit up with excitement.
Hehe, there's going to be a good show to watch.
Jiaming remained oblivious to Li's anger, and answered the Fourth Prince's question in a serious tone: "Sister Li did more than just curse the Fourth Prince; she dragged him into it as well."
Enraged, Li didn't think twice and glared at Jiaming, blurting out, "Guarjia, don't talk nonsense, I didn't."
The princess's eyes flickered; she seemed to understand.
The others in the room also remembered what Li had said earlier, and immediately looked at her with disdain. Heh, Li is in trouble, tsk tsk tsk, another mistake on her record.
Even knowing that everyone understood, she still continued in a serious tone: "She said that the Fourth Prince would definitely not be able to complete the Fourth Prince's punishment task, and even if he did, his hand would be ruined. Isn't this indirectly cursing the Prince for being ruthless, crippling his own son, and being an unkind father?"
Li was dumbfounded.
The Fujin and others: Hehe, we knew that was what it meant. At the same time, they mourned for Li Shi. Tsk tsk tsk, look at the consequences of offending the Guarjia clan. They buried Li Shi, who had caused her trouble, right there in the original pit.
The women in the backyard were delighted with this, after all, they and Madam Li were not on good terms.
The Fujin was no exception; she went along with it and immediately scolded Li Shi again.
Jiaming was delighted, and so were the others in the room.
After scolding Lady Li, he continued, "Given that you not only cursed the Fourth Prince, but also reflected the lord's cruelty, your original punishment was too lenient. This is unacceptable."
Li felt like vomiting blood. Her condition was already quite serious, wasn't it? Where was it any less serious?!
The next second after the bad feeling came, sure enough, the princess's voice was heard, "We still need to punish you more severely. Think about it, the Diamond Sutra is a bit short. You should copy the Ksitigarbha Sutra instead."
Upon hearing this, Li felt as if she had been struck by lightning.
"It's not over yet," the Princess Consort continued, "Of course, it's impossible to complete 300 repetitions within this month. I'm not that cruel as to punish you by breaking your hands. So, I've decided there will be no deadline."
Li: "..." Whether it has a time limit or not makes no difference.
Jiaming and the others thought so too, but the Fujin did not.
"Since I've already been so kind as to grant such a long extension, it's not appropriate to shorten the rest any further. Otherwise, the punishment wouldn't seem so severe."
What does that mean?
Li Shi, Song Shi, and the others all cast questioning glances at the Fujin, and Jiaming was no exception, though she had a vague idea in her mind.
Sure enough, the princess then said, "So, the Diamond Sutra that you couldn't finish 300 times originally, you need to copy it 200 more times to make it 500 times. In other words, the 500 times you were supposed to copy were replaced with the Ksitigarbha Sutra, so you still have to copy it 500 times."
Li really felt like vomiting blood this time; she could taste a metallic sweetness in her throat.
The Ksitigarbha Sutra is so long, 500 times, which means that she would have to stay home and copy the sutra and eat vegetarian food for several months. Li swallowed the bitter taste in her throat.
Having obviously thought of this, Song and the others grieved for Li's plight, but then instantly became happy that in the next few months, with less of Li sharing the emperor's favor, the emperor would be able to visit them more often.
Jiaming lowered her eyes, a knowing look flashing across them. At the same time, she secretly gave the Fujin a thumbs up in her heart; she was satisfied with this punishment.
Because copying Buddhist scriptures requires kneeling, which is said to be a sign of piety. Also, one must be vegetarian during the copying period. Furthermore, Li was to be confined to her home for several months to copy the scriptures, which meant she would suffer, while I wouldn't have to see Li around for several months. I couldn't be more satisfied.
Just as she was thinking that, Jiaming suddenly had another idea, and then she contradicted herself.
She decided to retract her earlier statement that she was "absolutely satisfied," and that Li Shi should impose some other punishments.
So he opened his mouth and said, "My lady, I have something else to say."
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