She stammered, "Zhiyun, what happened to her?"
Marquis Zhongyong stopped beating around the bush with her, saying, "Since you knew you had attacked the wrong person, why didn't you save them in time instead of letting them be tortured to death?"
Zhiyun had just confessed that after Xie Jinyao injured He Ming's fiancée Xia Chun'er, she knew that Xia Chun'er was not a concubine who had run away, but she watched helplessly as the old master and a group of wicked servants took Xia Chun'er away.
Upon hearing this, Xie Jinyao knew that she could no longer hide anything.
She cried, "My daughter was terrified."
“You’re not afraid, you just think she’s just an ordinary person, an orphan with no parents.”
It wasn't until after her death, when you learned of her relationship with He Ming, that you truly became afraid.
Marquis Zhongyong gritted his teeth, "Back then, you weren't afraid of harming innocent lives; you were afraid of being laughed at if word got out, and you were afraid that if I found out about this, I would punish you."
That was what Xie Jinyao thought at the time, which is why she sought help from the Lady of the Marquis.
“You know you’re wrong but don’t correct it. Instead, you make things worse and treat human life like a game. I don’t have a daughter like you.”
"Father!"
Xie Jinyao had never heard the Marquis of Zhongyong speak to her so harshly before. She panicked, "Father, I hit her by mistake, but I wasn't the one who really killed her."
This time, my daughter was wrong, but she has helped many people before, Father.
"You still dare to bring up those bastard things you did?"
Marquis Zhongyong was so angry that his face turned red.
He originally thought his daughter was a good person, but he just learned from Zhiyun and the other maids that Xie Jinyao's so-called chivalry was not based on right and wrong, but entirely on her personal preferences.
Over the years, I don't know how many foolish things I've done, or how many honest people I've cheated.
Many children in the capital had been beaten by her, but he was kept in the dark. In the past, when officials flattered him and praised him for raising a good daughter, he was very proud.
Among those who flattered him were children whose own children had been bullied by Xie Jinyao.
Marquis Zhongyong felt as if his old face had been slapped hard.
"If you hadn't interfered, Miss Xia might still be perfectly fine right now."
Miss Xia?
Xie Jinyao was momentarily bewildered.
She never inquired about He Ming's fiancée's name.
They don't care.
Seeing her reaction, the Marquis of Zhongyong was so angry that his chest ached.
She harmed someone, yet didn't even know their surname, which shows the extent to which she disregarded human life.
Where is there even a trace of dignity and reason? She is clearly a bully, arrogant, and brainless woman in fine clothes.
how so?
How could his daughter do this?
Marquis Zhongyong suppressed the urge to kick her and let out a deep breath. “Starting tomorrow, you will go to the western suburbs horse farm and raise horses with the female slaves. You may return when you have atoned for your sins.”
He looked at He Ming and said, "It is my fault for failing to raise my daughter properly. From now on, you will be in charge of her supervision. If you feel that she has no remorse, then let her raise horses at the horse farm for the rest of her life. I will not say a word."
"Father, no!"
Xie Jinyao hurriedly crawled to his feet, "Father, I am your only daughter, the only legitimate daughter of the Marquis's mansion."
How could she do such lowly work as raising horses and let He Ming decide whether she could come back?
She caused the death of He Ming's fiancée, and He Ming must hate her to the bone; how could he easily give in?
Even if she comes back, with her experience at the horse farm, what kind of future can she have?
People in the capital will laugh at her to death.
No!
She absolutely refused to go to the horse farm, she pleaded.
Marquis Zhongyong looked away. "He Ming, from this moment on, she is under your care."
He was also upset, but he had to give He Ming an explanation.
He had seen He Ming's dejection these past few days and was worried about him. He had even scolded him in frustration, but little did he know that it was his own daughter who was causing the trouble.
He felt guilty towards He Ming.
He couldn't help but punish Xie Jinyao, but he also knew the consequences such punishment would have on her.
His daughter will find it increasingly difficult to marry into a family of equal social standing.
Xie Jinyao's mistake was so egregious that she had to be severely punished.
He Ming was unwilling to accept this; what he wanted was Xie Jinyao's life.
But he also knew that for a noblewoman like Xie Jinyao, this was already a severe punishment.
He knew even better that no matter how disappointed the Marquis was, he wouldn't take Xie Jinyao's life.
Because she was the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Zhongyong.
In this world, people are born unequal.
He cupped his hands in greeting to the Marquis of Loyalty and Valor, and without hesitation, took Xie Jinyao away. He still needed to find the others to take revenge on.
Marquis Zhongyong closed his eyes as he listened to Xie Jinyao's pleas.
When he opened his eyes again, he instructed, "Don't let Liu Shi be idle either. Let her work on the farm every day, farming, washing clothes, cooking, and so on. Let her have a good experience."
The Liu family, mother and daughter, are used to being high and mighty, which is why they regard ordinary people as ants.
Then let them experience being the lower class too.
He looked at Wu Er and said, "I will clear your elder brother's name, but I also want to make it clear to you that I cannot let Liu pay with her life. I can allow you to go to the manor to keep an eye on her."
Whether she gets enough to eat three times a day depends on your assessment of her daily work.
He wasn't protecting Liu, but rather that Liu couldn't die yet.
He is in his prime now. If Lady Liu dies, someone, even someone in the palace, will definitely be eyeing the position of the Marquis's wife.
His youngest son is still small. Although his mother is not by his side, he cannot live without her, and he may even end up in the hands of a stepmother in the future.
Wu Er glanced at Chao Lu and kowtowed, "This humble subject thanks Lord Marquis for upholding justice for my elder brother. This humble subject also trusts Lord Marquis. Even without this humble subject watching over him, Lord Marquis would not show favoritism towards Lady Marquis."
He continued to flatter the Marquis of Zhongyong, saying, "My elder brother is dead, and I am your only family now. I wish to join the army and make a name for myself to support you. I beg you, Your Excellency, to grant my request."
Lady Hou does not have to pay with her life, all because her elder brother is a servant of the Hou family.
It is an unwritten rule in this world that a master does not have to pay with his life for beating or killing a servant.
He could only swallow his anger and think of a way to stand up for himself so that he would have a real chance to take revenge in the future.
Therefore, he wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to join the ranks of the Marquis of Zhongyong, change his and his sister's fate, and perhaps even find his father.
Marquis Zhongyong saw through his thoughts and agreed, "However, I do not keep useless people under my command. You need to start from the bottom. How far you can go depends entirely on yourself."
With no war going on, it's not easy for a lowly soldier to get ahead.
Wu Er also understood this principle, but he was not afraid.
After cleaning up the mess left by his wife and daughter, Marquis Zhongyong seemed to have all his strength drained away. He waved his hand, telling Ye Zhen and Xie Tingzhou to go back and rest, while he called the Luo family couple over.
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