14 Chapter 13

While the master and servant happily prepare things to bring to their new home, Qi Fan is pacing back and forth outside her mother's courtyard she glares at her father's trusted servant who is preventing her from seeing her mother.

Upon entering the inner room Qi Lou slaps her first wife. "You ruined everything!" he shouted at her face as he delivered another slap to Fa Qing's other cheek. Her delicate face is now swelling and covered with snots and tears, she tries to run away from her husband but failed to do so when Qi Lou grab her wrists and flung her to wall. Her breathing hitch as her back hits the wall, she can guess that now she have one or two broken bones.

"I... I'm so sorry husband their insults to us especially to Fan'er hurts me... I just to avenge my daughter!" Fa Qing knows that her reactions give way for Qi Chen and Xi Hui to confirm who hurt their daughter.

"Avenge?! You slut!" Qi Lou kicks her as she cowers in the corner. "All you had to do is just shut your mouth but you didn't! Look at what you have done, Father is disappointed in me and I bet Shou have heard what happened this morning!"

"Husband... We can still salvage everything we just need to apologize right? I'll go to Xi Hui courtyard with Fan'er while you look for Qi Chen. Even I have to kowtow a hundred times I'll do it!"

"Even if you kowtow to them a thousand times or a lifetime it is too late! Because of you the whole Qi fu will suffer!" Qi Lou face darkened more and glares at his stupid wife. If only he didn't go against his father wish to marry the di daughter of Li during his youth he wouldn't have to suffer now for having a stupid wife. Fa Qing was once the famous courtesan in Red Peonies brothel, Qi Lou bought her freedom through bidding as he have fallen in love with her. That's why even with years of being the first branch's madam she can't hide her commoner's attitude when provoke.

"What do you mean we can't sal..."

"The scroll they have forced Father to sign is a separation of families scroll and it is noted included there that all Qi Chen's businesses will still be his and all the family businesses that been manage by him will be returned to the original state before he took over! Do you know what that means!"

Qi Lou almost snap at the dumbfounded expression of his wife but tries to calm himself as he doesn't to kill his wife.

"They planned this long ago...?" Fa Qing's eyes widen upon the realization. "Does that mean Xiuying of storming in the main hall and bawling this morning was all an act?" she face her husband who is now sitting at the corner of her bed, both of fists clutching the duvet that its all now crumpled.

"Impossible! Cousin and Xi Hui might be both intelligent and shrewd but their daughter has always been easy to fool. They were just waiting for the right time to slap that scroll against our faces! And your good daughter and Guanting's intimate interactions was seen by her and all of the servants! You could have warned your daughter but you didn't!"

"You will stay in your courtyard for two months!" Qi Lou started to walk out of Fa Qing's courtyard but stops and faces her wife's servants. "Make sure your Madam don't step out of this courtyard until I says so or you will have your heads off!"

"Yes First Elder!" All the servants bowed as Qi Lou disappeared from their sight. Fa Qing can only sobs in the corner while her most trusted servant Ji mama instructs one of the maids to go the residence's physician.

Outside the First Madam's courtyard Qi Lou sees her daughter's gloomy face that makes his anger slightly dissipate.

"Go with me to my study." he firmly said and started to walk towards his study while Qi Fan follows her father. The maidservant behind her can see her wring the handkerchief until the painted lilies becomes unrecognizable.