The midsummer sun was scorching the earth, and the weather was as hot and humid as a huge steamer.

There was a faint sense of uneasiness in the air.

"Quick..." Chu Lingxiao squeezed out the words with difficulty, his face as pale as gold paper, "Go and bring Chu Qianchen back!"

Chu Lingxiao felt his heart suddenly tighten and sink, and he felt even more uncomfortable. The next moment, his eyes went dark and his body fell to one side.

The servant was frightened and didn't care about the blood on his face. He called out in a lost voice: "My Lord, My Lord..."

"Quick, go call the doctor!"

The servant called out in a disorderly voice, but Chu Lingxiao had already fainted and could not hear any sound.

The Marquis's mansion was suddenly in chaos.

Shen turned a blind eye to this, casually stroked his sleeves, and only said two words: "You deserve it."

Shen was too lazy to pay attention to him and walked straight towards the inner courtyard.

Nanny Chen behind her looked back at the fainted Chu Lingxiao with complicated eyes and whispered, "Madam, the second young lady...she was right."

Chu Qianchen had seen through everything. She said that the emperor had been planning this marriage for a long time and was determined to succeed. He would never let anyone ruin this marriage.

It is true.

Shen walked forward against the wind and said calmly, "There's more to come."

As Shen said, the good show has just begun.

More than half an hour later, another imperial edict arrived at full speed. This time, the person who came to deliver the eunuch was another unfamiliar middle-aged eunuch.

In the imperial edict, the emperor reprimanded Chu Lingxiao for his audacity and disobedience to the emperor's order, and fined him one year's salary and gave him twenty strokes of the cane.

These eunuchs were very experienced in caning and after the words "Imperial Order" were uttered, two agile eunuchs immediately pressed Chu Lingxiao to the ground.

The servants in the Marquis' Mansion knelt on the ground. No one dared to speak, let alone look at Chu Lingxiao and the eunuchs.

Next, the eunuch raised the stick in his hand high up, and then hit it hard...

“Snap! Snap!”

One stick after another hit Chu Lingxiao's buttocks roughly, and each hit was solid...

Chu Lingxiao's heart-wrenching screams echoed in the yard, but he didn't dare to hide at all and could only grit his teeth and endure it.

“Snap! Snap! Snap!”

The eunuchs counted as they beat him, and they didn't stop until they had hit him with twenty strokes of the stick.

After the twenty strokes of the cane, Chu Lingxiao was breathing out more than he was breathing in, and he looked like he was barely breathing a thread.

The middle-aged eunuch was used to this, and without the slightest hint of emotion or softness, he said calmly, "My Lord, you should know your time."

He didn't stay any longer. After he finished speaking, he walked away with his men in a haughty manner, leaving the servants of the marquis' mansion kneeling on the ground speechless.

Until the lady's anxious and worried voice broke the silence:

"Ling Xiao!"

The old lady, wearing a purple jacket, was supported by her maid and walked towards this side quickly, panting.

The lady's graceful face was filled with distress, and she said with concern, "Quick, help the Marquis up!"

Chu Lingxiao felt pain all over his body, as if he had lost half his life, and collapsed on the ground like a dead fish.

The servant just helped him up, but he grimaced in pain and groaned.

"Be gentle, be careful!" Madam Tai said hurriedly, "Ling Xiao, what do you think?"

"Where's the doctor? Have you hired one?"

The lady was heartbroken. She felt so hurt when her son was beaten that she wished she could suffer the punishment for him.

The servant replied hurriedly, "Madam, we have already gone to get the doctor, he should be here soon."

The lady was so panicked that she was at a loss for words. She asked helplessly, "What on earth is going on?" How could the emperor...

"Chu Qianchen..." Chu Lingxiao murmured.

Before the lady could react, Chu Lingxiao asked the servant impatiently, "Did you bring Chu Qianchen back?"

Although the imperial edict just now did not explicitly mention that the emperor punished him with a cane because of Chu Qianchen's matter, but based on the words of Eunuch Ni and the middle-aged eunuch, Chu Lingxiao knew that it was most likely because of this matter.

What he didn't understand was, why?

Even if the emperor wanted to humiliate Prince Chen by appointing a concubine as Prince Chen's consort, why did it have to be Chu Qianchen? !

The lady also understood that this was Chu Qianchen's fault and she murmured "what a sin".

"Not yet." The servant replied hesitantly, "The second steward has personally led people to Yanghe Manor, and there should be news soon."

"Send someone to urge them!" Chu Lingxiao urged, accidentally pulling the wound on his buttocks, causing his facial features to twist slightly.

Chu Lingxiao was upset. He thought about what the emperor said on the day of the marriage, then about Eunuch Ni, and then looked at the imperial edict he had just received. He was panicked and afraid: This imperial edict was a warning from the emperor. If Chu Qianchen did not show up at the birthday banquet tomorrow, would the emperor...

The more Chu Lingxiao thought about it, the more anxious he became, and the uglier his expression became.

"Ling Xiao, don't worry, we will bring him back soon." The lady said kindly, and then hurriedly ordered the servants, "Hurry, help the Marquis to the house."

So, under the command of the lady, the servants worked together to help Chu Lingxiao back to his room and let him lie on the couch.

Soon after, the doctor arrived.

The old doctor carefully treated Chu Lingxiao's buttocks wound, applied ointment, and instructed the servant to change the medicine twice a day. It took him half an hour before he left.

Chu Lingxiao lay on the couch, motionless, looking dazed and as if all his energy had been drained away.

He had never suffered such a thing in his life, and it was all because of that little bitch Chu Qianchen!

There was a dark tide in his eyes, and he clenched his hands into fists and punched the couch hard.

This punch again agitated the wound, causing waves of piercing pain in his buttocks.

Chu Lingxiao took a breath.

"Lingxiao, don't move!" The lady hurriedly held Chu Lingxiao's shoulders and comforted him in a kind voice, but Chu Lingxiao was still frowning, and asked from time to time whether Chu Qianchen had returned.

When he asked for the tenth time, the second butler finally came back from Yanghezhuang.

The second steward, dressed in a green robe, walked in a hurry with a complicated expression. As soon as he returned to the Marquis' Mansion, he heard that Chu Lingxiao was punished with a cane by the emperor's order.

"My Lord," the second butler reported apprehensively, "the second young lady is seriously ill and cannot move. She cannot come back."

The second butler lowered his head, not daring to look at Chu Lingxiao's expression.

What?! Chu Lingxiao's face turned pale, his hands began to tremble in panic, and a thought popped up in his mind: Could it be that Shen Shi has already taken action against Chu Qianchen?

Then will Chu Qianchen...

He felt as if his whole body was soaked in ice water, and the coldness penetrated into his bones.

Chu Lingxiao took a deep breath and said hurriedly: "Quick, go and bring Chu Qianchen back to the Marquis' Mansion..."

That’s right, we must drag Chu Qianchen back even if we have to.

"Yes, sir."

The second butler just responded when Chu Lingxiao called him hurriedly: "Wait!"

Chu Lingxiao changed his mind again and felt that it was inappropriate.

What if... What if Chu Qianchen died on the road, then it would be the end! !

Chu Lingxiao became more and more panicked as he thought about it. His heartbeat quickened. He frowned and said, "Go and call Doctor Xu back. Ask him to accompany me to Yanghe Manor."

"Send someone to talk to the Madam..."

Chu Lingxiao originally wanted to ask Shen to accompany him to Yanghezhuang, but thinking of Shen's cold face, he was too lazy to put his warm face on someone else's cold butt, so he kept silent again.

The lady felt sorry for her son, who had suffered a great hardship today, so she advised, "Ling Xiao, you should rest here. I will just go to Yanghezhuang to pick up Sister Chen."

"Mom, I have to go there in person." Chu Lingxiao insisted.

Unable to persuade Chu Lingxiao, the lady could only let him do as he pleased. She gave numerous instructions to the servants who were accompanying them, asking them to take good care of the Marquis.

Chu Lingxiao got into the carriage with the help of the servant. The servants of the Marquis' Mansion had already laid thick cushions in the carriage and let Chu Lingxiao lie down in the carriage.

Even so, Chu Lingxiao still felt uncomfortable along the way.

As the carriage sped along, the car inevitably vibrated. Every vibration would affect the wound on Chu Lingxiao's buttocks, as if thousands of needles were piercing his body, which was extremely painful.

But at this moment, all these torments were nothing. Chu Lingxiao was more afraid that Chu Qianchen really could not be saved, and that the title of the Marquisate would be destroyed in his hands.

Chu Lingxiao was uneasy all the way.

It took the carriage half an hour to reach Yanghezhuang.

Chu Lingxiao, who had been tortured all the way, was already sweating profusely. Even his shirt was soaked with sweat, and he looked in a miserable state.

When the steward of the manor heard that the marquis had arrived, he panicked and hurried over to greet him in person, bowing and nodding. He also prepared a sedan chair and carried Chu Lingxiao to the courtyard where Chu Qianchen lived.

This is a courtyard located in the northeast corner of the village. Although the location is a bit remote, it has the advantage of being backed by a small lake with half a pond of lotus flowers planted in the lake and a pavilion built by the lake.

Chu Qianchen was standing next to the pavilion, in front of a hibiscus tree, with a graceful figure.

She was leisurely cutting branches with the scissors, her small and delicate chin slightly raised, her slender neck as graceful as a swan.

The bright and brilliant sunshine sprinkled down gently, casting a layer of light golden powder on the surrounding flowers and trees as well as her, making it look like a painting.

When the wind blew, petals fell like rain, landing on the girl's hair, shoulders, and dress. They were extremely pure and gorgeous, and she was truly the most beautiful among all the other girls.

Looking at the girl in front of him, Chu Lingxiao's eyes widened and he was stunned.

The second butler who came with him was also stunned and couldn't believe it.

Chu Lingxiao glared at the second housekeeper fiercely. Didn't he say that Chu Qianchen was too sick to get up? !

The second butler said tremblingly: "My Lord, it was Miss Amber who said that the second young lady was too sick to get up."

The last time the second butler came to Yanghezhuang, he didn't see Chu Qianchen at all. The only person he saw was Amber. At that time, Amber said that the second young lady was seriously ill, and the second butler believed it.

After all, the second young lady was "exiled" to the farm. Now the Marquis is willing to take her back to the Marquis' Mansion. Any normal person would not pretend to be sick, right?

6◇9◇Book◇Bar

He was a man, and there was a difference between men and women, so it was inconvenient for him to go into the house to see Chu Qianchen, so he had to return empty-handed.

The second butler was sweating profusely and looked terrified.

Chu Lingxiao didn't understand at all that he had been fooled by Chu Qianchen!

At this moment, the rage in his heart suddenly surged up, and the emotions that had been accumulating since Eunuch Ni delivered the oral order to the Marquis' Mansion suddenly burst out, burning him to the point of losing his mind.

"You rebellious girl!"

Chu Lingxiao took a few steps forward in anger, rushed to the pavilion, and swung the crutch in his hand at Chu Qianchen, forgetting even the pain in his hip.

The second butler and others in the back gasped and looked at Chu Qianchen with a little sympathy.

Chu Qianchen deftly blocked Chu Lingxiao's crutch with a pair of scissors.

"Father," she glanced at him with a sidelong glance, smiling brightly, "I am young and weak. If I get hurt, how will you explain to the Emperor?"

The corners of her phoenix eyes tilted slightly upwards, as if filled with a floating shadow of water, so beautiful that it made people's heart palpitate.

To Chu Lingxiao, her words sounded like a threat!

A naked threat!

"You..." Chu Lingxiao widened his eyes and stared at the girl one step away. He felt like he had never known this daughter before.

The girl in front of him smiled gently and seemed gentle and harmless, but her eyes were cold and clear, like a wolf cub.

She was completely different from the shy and weak person I remembered.

When did Chu Qianchen become like this? !

Chu Lingxiao's thoughts were in a mess and his expression was dazed. He didn't come back to his senses for a while.

Chu Qianchen casually pulled back the scissors that were blocking the cane, and Chu Lingxiao's cane fell to the ground. He was completely caught off guard and staggered forward.

The servant beside him quickly supported him and called out nervously, "My Lord!"

Chu Lingxiao grabbed the servant's arm with his backhand and steadied himself.

He came to his senses then, feeling embarrassed and angry. The wound on his buttocks hurt even more, and he felt as if his body was being torn in two.

If it weren’t for Chu Qianchen, he would have suffered much more than this!

Chu Lingxiao held his breath, veins bulging on his forehead, like an angry and mad beast.

Chu Qianchen continued to prune the branches.

“Crack, crack…”

She calmly cut off the dead leaves on the branches, and then cut off a branch with half-opened flowers and placed it on the wooden tray in Amber's hand.

Chu Qianchen was calm and collected, only focusing on pruning the branches, as if there was nothing more important in the world;

Chu Lingxiao was furious and glared at Chu Qianchen fiercely. He really wanted to beat this unfilial and disrespectful girl to death with his own hands. He raised his crutch slightly, but dropped it to the ground again.

He wanted to hit Chu Qianchen just now just because of a momentary impulse and hot-headedness.

After the impulse, he gradually calmed down.

The emperor has ordered Chu Qianchen to go to the palace to attend the birthday banquet tomorrow. If he really beats this girl up, and she goes to the palace with injuries tomorrow, and if the emperor finds out, she will be the one who will suffer in the end!

Thinking about the twenty strokes of the cane he received today, Chu Lingxiao's face twisted again.

Hatred, reluctance, anger, hesitation, fear and other emotions flashed across his face...

Finally, he weighed the pros and cons and finally endured it.

He will settle the score with Chu Qianchen after tomorrow’s birthday banquet.

She is just a weak woman who is powerless and yet she lets himself be rubbed!

"Chu Qianchen, get on the carriage and follow me back home!" Chu Lingxiao said in a commanding tone, his voice so cold that it seemed to make ice chips fall out.

Chu Qianchen ignored him and continued to prune the branches at a leisurely pace.

“Click, click.”

Wherever the sharp scissors blade passed, broken branches and leaves were scattered all over the ground.

The girl was so focused, as if nothing was more worthy of her attention than the hibiscus tree in front of her. When the breeze blew, the delicate flowers on the tree trembled gently in the sunlight, and the sky was full of mist.

Chu Qianchen picked another branch with five or six buds, cut it off casually, held the hibiscus branch between his fingers and played with it for a while, and said nonchalantly: "Father, I am sick, so I will not go back, so as not to infect the mansion with the disease."

She didn't even look at Chu Lingxiao and lied with her eyes open.

The second butler standing by was stunned. If he had not seen it with his own eyes, he simply could not believe that the usually weak and docile second young lady dared to speak to the Marquis in such a way and did not take the Marquis seriously at all!

Chu Qianchen's words were like pouring a bucket of hot oil on Chu Lingxiao.

His anger was rising again, and he suddenly raised his voice and ordered the servants: "Come here, take the second girl away for me!"

Chu Lingxiao had previously thought that Chu Qianchen was seriously ill, so he brought a few maids and old women with him to Yanghezhuang, thinking that they could take care of Chu Qianchen. Now they have come in handy.

The two burly old women quickly responded, looking at Chu Qianchen with strange eyes, thinking that the second young lady was simply crazy.

Any girl, whether she marries a rich man or a poor man, needs the support of her parents' family.

Besides, the second young lady married into Prince Chen's Mansion in the name of getting married. No matter whether Prince Chen can survive or not, without the support of the Marquis, she will not have a good life in Prince Chen's Mansion in the future!

The two maids approached Chu Qianchen aggressively, and one of them said with a fake smile: "Second Miss, I'm sorry! You should go back to the Marquis' Mansion with the Marquis."

Chu Qianchen smiled slightly, but said nothing.

Her response was to casually slam the scissors in her hand into the red-painted column of the pavilion next to her.

The sharp blade of the scissors sank deeply into the wooden pillar, as if poking tofu.

Chu Qianchen frowned and said calmly, "Amber, this pair of scissors is too blunt. Change it."

Amber glanced at the scissors stuck in the wooden pillar, nodded seriously, and handed a new pair of scissors to Chu Qianchen with a smile, "Miss, I just sharpened this pair of scissors today, they must be sharp."

Amber also gave the two old women a sympathetic look.

Chu Qianchen raised the new pair of scissors in front of his eyes, looked at the sunlight above, curled his lips in satisfaction, and his eyes became brighter under the reflection of the scissors blades.

The sharp scissors blade reflected a dazzling light in the sunlight, shining coldly.

“……” The two old women stopped in fear.

They believed that their flesh was definitely not as hard as the wooden stake, and if the scissors were inserted into their hearts, it would be fatal!

The second young lady is the future Princess of Chen. Killing a slave is nothing. Let alone the Prince of Chen's Mansion, even the Marquis' Mansion will cover it up. Their deaths will be in vain.

The two old women swallowed their saliva, exchanged glances with each other, and timidly dared not move forward, and looked at Chu Lingxiao again.

Chu Lingxiao secretly cursed these two old women for being useless.

“Crack!”

Chu Qianchen took the new pair of scissors and neatly cut off another thumb-thick branch, repeating calmly, "I'm sick."

Chu Lingxiao's brows were deeply furrowed, and he stared at Chu Qianchen without blinking, with scrutiny, speculation, and consideration.

After a while, he gritted his teeth and said, "Are you crazy?!"

Chu Lingxiao finally understood that Chu Qianchen had not changed, she had always been like this!

The docile sheep-like girl she used to be was all an act. She pretended to be cowardly and to be filial to her aunt. The real her was simply a wolf cub, an ungrateful person, and a jinx!

Chu Lingxiao's eyes were deep, and his dark pupils contained a darkness that others could not understand.

He suppressed his anger and said slowly, "I don't care whether you are sick or crazy, anyway, you must come back to Beijing with me today!"

Chu Qianchen cut off another branch of flowers, put it under his nose and sniffed it, and sighed: "It smells so good!"

She simply ignored Chu Lingxiao, as if he didn't exist at all, and handed the flower branch in her hand to Amber, "Amber, smell it."

Amber glanced at Chu Lingxiao's face, which was so dark that it seemed to be dripping with ink, from the corner of her eye, and was filled with admiration for her own girl.

(End of this chapter)