Even if you go to jail, there is a time limit for that sentence, and being exiled three thousand miles away will not cost a person's life.
Madam Gu was stunned, thinking that Gu Yunyan was just a little girl, so it was inevitable that she would be soft-hearted.
Thinking that Madam Gu was hesitating, a glimmer of hope rose in Su Niang's gloomy eyes, trembling.
"Third sister, this is wrong."
A gentle female voice firmly retorted, the voice was neither light nor heavy, but it was powerful.
Gu Yunmeng looked in the direction of Gu Yunzhen in surprise.
Gu Yunzhen stared at Gu Yunzhen steadily and said in an orderly manner: "Su Niang is a slave who has offended her master, and a subordinate who has offended his superior. If she is not severely punished to serve as a warning to others, then won't everyone follow suit?!"
As Gu Yunzhen spoke word by word, the shock in Gu Yunzhen's eyes grew stronger, as if he didn't recognize her anymore.
Gu Yunzhen was a gentle person and was always kind to her servants. Gu Yunzhen thought that at least she would stand on her side and be the same as herself.
Gu Yunyan asked in a daze, "Big sister also thinks she deserves to be beaten?"
"Of course." Gu Yunzhen nodded affirmatively.
She raised her hand and pointed at the tearful Su Niang outside the house, and said firmly: "Grandfather once said that the way to rule subordinates is to clearly distinguish rewards and punishments, and never let selfishness get in the way and confuse right and wrong."
"Does the third sister have any selfish motives?"
Her tone remained gentle throughout, but the meaning of this last sentence was as sharp as a sword.
"..." Gu Yun'er's eyes opened even wider, as if a hidden illness in his body was suddenly revealed in broad daylight, with no way to hide.
Gu Yunmeng subconsciously wanted to say no, but when the words came to his lips, he hesitated, with a conflicted expression.
Madam Gu pressed the palm of her hand and looked at her with soothing eyes, meaning that grandmother knew what was going on.
Gu Yunmeng pursed her lips, as if something was about to come out rapidly surging in her eyes, and a sad emotion was rippling between her brows, but in the end she did not speak.
Su Niang felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar. The last glimmer of hope in her heart was extinguished. She seemed to have lost her soul and forgot to struggle.
The old women dragged Su Niang to the entrance of the yard roughly.
Gu Yun'an helped Madam Gu sit down at the head of the main hall. She looked at Gu Yunzhen, who had a calm face, and then at Gu Yanfei, who had already sat down to drink tea, as if he didn't care about the outcome.
Her eyes flickered rapidly several times, and she was filled with anger as she asked herself: Was it because of her own selfishness, or were they too cruel? At this moment, for the first time, Gu Yunyan felt out of place, and for the first time, she had a profound realization: She was different from them...
“Bang!”
The sound of hitting a board outside startled Gu Yunmeng and he looked in the direction of the sound.
The sticks, as thick as arms, hit the flesh with a slapping sound, one after another, each hit was solid and merciless, accompanied by the loud counting of the old woman: "One, two, three..."
Su Niang had her pants taken off and was pressed on a bench. Her hair was mostly disheveled and even her hairpin had fallen to the ground. She looked like a mad woman in a state of panic.
She let out screams of pain, each one shrill, like fine needles piercing the softest part of Gu Yun'er's heart.
No matter how many faults Su Niang has, to her, she is a good mother.
Mrs. Gu also noticed Gu Yunyan's abnormality and sighed in her heart: her sister Yunyan is still too soft-hearted. When she marries into the Kangwang Mansion, she will eventually have to face these things.
Madam Gu waved her hand silently, and Nanny Li immediately understood what she meant and sent away all the idle people around.
In the main hall, only Madam Gu, Gu Yanfei and her four grandparents and grandchildren were left.
The sound of sticks outside and Su Niang's screams never stopped, making the atmosphere in the house heavy.
Madam Gu said indifferently, "Yan Fei, I know you resent Su Niang, and this is human nature. Today, Grandmother will let you vent your anger."
"but……"
Her voice suddenly turned cold, and she continued, "Although Su Niang was wrong, you should also remember that when Yangzhou was in chaos, it was she who fought her way out of the bloodbath and brought you out of Yangzhou..."
"She did make mistakes, but she saved you and raised you, so you should be grateful. A girl shouldn't be so violent and kill people indiscriminately, or else the retribution will come upon you."
Every word she said was piercing, and it was obvious that she was trying to warn Gu Yanfei, but at the same time, she used both kindness and force to reward Gu Yanfei with a sweet date, so that she would stop.
"Eleven, twelve..." The counting sounds outside never stopped and were clearly heard in the house.
Su Niang's screams became weaker and weaker, and her exposed buttocks were beaten red and swollen. Some of the younger maids outside could not bear to watch.
Gu Yanfei smiled faintly.
Madam Gu thought that Gu Yanfei would bow his head, and she also thought that she would just walk away in disdain, but she didn't expect Gu Yanfei to slightly nod and say, "I appreciate your advice."
Gu Yanfei put on a light smile, leaned his body and propped his elbow on the coffee table, his right hand resting his chin, and continued: "Madam, don't be too violent, so as not to kill people indiscriminately and suffer retribution in vain."
Madam Gu's face darkened immediately, and she scolded in a deep voice: "How insolent!"
She was her grandmother, an elder, and a junior was actually criticizing an elder! How ignorant of etiquette! Gu Yanfei counted on his fingers and continued, "This June, Ziyu cut the madam's nails and bled. The madam ordered thirty lashes. After Ziyu was sent home, she was seriously injured and died before she reached the age of 15."
"Last December, the maid in my second uncle's study 'bumped' into the Madam, and the Madam ordered her to be made mute and sold."
"Last July, the large warehouse in the inner courtyard had fallen into disrepair and there was a thunderstorm, which caused a leak and destroyed a lot of materials. The Madam ordered the He Danian family member who was guarding the warehouse that day to be caned, and the man was beaten to death."
“…”
Every word of Gu Yanfei's echoed in the house, and the air in the main room gradually solidified, as if a storm was about to come.
At this time, the maid outside also counted to "twenty", the sound of sticks stopped, and the courtyard also became quiet. Su Niang slumped on the bench like a dead fish, her drooping arms trembling slightly.
Everything was quiet inside and outside the house.
Madam Gu's face turned from blue to white, then from white to purple, with the colors changing wonderfully. Every word Gu Yanfei said was like a slap in her face, making her ears buzz.
Gu Yanfei chuckled and said in a half-truthful tone, "Juanbi was right about one thing just now. The recipe I gave to my elder sister was given by Ling Xiao Zhenren. When I was in Huaibei, Ling Xiao Zhenren not only gave me this beauty-enhancing recipe, but also taught me the skill of fortune-telling."
"How about I tell Madam's fortune?"
(End of this chapter)
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