CH 12

A "click" was made by the teacup in his hand.

When Li Jingyun came to his senses again, he gently set it aside before raising his head and enquiring, "Detained to where?"

Liu Chenghe stretched his palms out, "This is your mansion, how would I know so much? However, given that she didn't cause any disturbance, it's possible that General Li was the one who relayed the word."

Yin Huayue is a Stewardess, the darling of the lady in the main courtyard, if his father only really want to pass some words, can someone really detain her away?

A little irritated, Li Jingyun's fingers unconsciously caressed the chair's armrest as if he were about to stand up, but for some reason, he sat down once again.

Wen Guzhi gave him a curious glance before turning abruptly and asking Liu Chenghe, "What kind of slave?"

"I only gave it a quick glance and couldn't make out the face." However, Liu Chenghe commented, touching his chin, "The waist is incredibly tiny, covered in a light green belt, like a soft willow leaf."

He motioned with his hand, "It is estimated that one hand can hold a great part of it."

Turning his head, Li Jingyun gave him a blank stare.

"..."

His back became inexplicably cold, and Liu Chenghe rubbed his hands together while wondering, "It is March already, why is it still cold."

Wen Guzhi sighed, looking at him and then the Third Young Master before deciding to pull Liu Chenghe. "He has something wrong here; there is no need for the Third Young Master to be concerned about him."

"What's wrong with the Third Young Master?" Xu Changyi looked around before tapping his own brow, "Who is wrong here?"

Wen Guzhi grinned at him and said, "No one, let's go shopping on Luohua Street while it's still early, so that we won't disturb the Third Young Master's rest."

"Leaving just like that?" Liu Chenghe was astonish, "Didn't you say that you want to discuss matters with the Third Young Master, and you still want to travel to Qifeng Tower together?"

"Another day." The two of them were grabbed by Wen Guzhi, who then pressed the backs of their heads for a nod while saying, "Farewell."

Following the salute, they took off without a trace.

The chaotic Eastern Courtyard is now back to being peaceful.

Li Jingyun sat for a while before angrily tossing the hem of his clothing.

It's simply a maid, and after she leaves the house, he won't be stopped from leaving, which is a wonderful thing. Additionally, Lady Zhuang was protecting her, and even if she visited the Punishment Office, some individuals would still offer her water.

He is not worried.

***

The Punishment Office had no lights, and the sun in the west was trembling.

In the dimly lit room, Huayue was kneeling on her knees with an elegant stance and a soft grin. Xun Momo would have assumed she was there to sip tea if it weren't for the blood trickling from her forehead.

"There is nothing to talk about." Xun Momo shifted her gaze away "Usually, you don't make mistakes, but when you do, they're significant ones. Even Madam cannot shield you from harm."

Hua Yue laughed as she stretched out and wiped the blood from the tip of her nose. "There is always a way to survive," she said.

"How is there a means of surviving? The Eldest Princess raised Miss Han of the Han Family. If she can't stand you, then Jinghua as a whole can't stand you."

Use one hand to cover the sky? Curving her brows, Huayue says, "How about I go and beg her?"

"Would you still be here if you had this opportunity?" Xun Momo was unable to take it. "It is best to ease up rather than struggle."

When she held out her palm and said, "eight," Hua Yue lowered her eyes and grinned slightly resentfully. "I can chew twenty whips, even if I grit my teeth, but these eighty whips, even a strong servant would have no life. Momo wants me to bear with it, but how can I bear with it?" she asked. Because my life is so valuable, I can't stand to lose it.

Her tiny face became pale when the moonlight from the high window fell on it.

"After so many years, you haven't been beaten any less, but every time you haven't spoken a word, the people in this yard assume you're not frightened of pain," Xun Momo replied, a little taken aback.

"Who's not terrified of pain..." Huayue drew the corners of her mouth together, and her final voice sank and was filled with sighs.

Since she was a young child, she has been most scared of pain. If she banged into something, she will sob uncontrollably all over the couch until she gets whatever she wants.

It didn't matter, though, because she had been beaten so severely that she was unable to cry any longer.

No one came to coax her; she had to learn to survive on her own.

Hua Yue turned her head to the side and thought for a while before pulling out the Bamboo-Jade Leaf Hairpin on her head and handing it to the other woman, saying, "The eldest princess merely stated eighty whips, but she didn't say where to strike or how to hit it."

"Momo do me a favor, 'll take the 20 whips today, and the rest I will return at a later day, okay?"

After spending in the Punishment Office for so many years, Yin Huayue was the first person to negotiate with her. Xun Momo looked down at her, feeling both amused and a little sorry for her.

In this Liang Dynasty, the life of a servant was the most worthless, and could be killed by their masters if they were not happy and not even allowed to express their grievances. The majority of those who have entered this world have either had their hearts reduced to ashes or have become psychologically unstable.

However, Yin Huayue did not. She only needed to take one breath if she wanted to live; neither dignity nor protection were necessary.

Although Xun Momo intended to decline, the other person appeared to have anticipated her response. Her low brows and light brown eyes filled with earnestness as she looked up, and the hand holding the Bamboo-Jade Leaf Hairpin shook a little.

Stewardess Yin was unlike anybody had ever seen her before, turning from a straight sword to molten iron in an instant, with every splash of water distressing everyone in its path.

After a lengthy pause, Xun Momo raised her hand, ruffled her sleeves, and dipped her hand—and the Bamboo-Jade Leaf Hairpin—into it.

"Momo, thank you." Huayue arched her eyebrows and kowtowed to her respectfully.

***

After the night had passed, nothing seemed to happen in the General's Mansion; the servants came and went in a systematic way, and the flowers in the courtyard were still perfectly in bloom.

When the Young Master awaken in the morning, he is still angry. He was furious when he awoke and destroyed everything nearby.

Not daring to approach him, Badou put the water basin aside and prepared to flee as soon as he entered the room.

"Stop."

"Young Master, it's time to get up, the general has arrangements, and you are heading to the training ground today," Badou said as his body tightened.

Li Jingyun wiped his face angrily and raised his eyes to ask, "Where are the others in the yard?"

"Answering Young Master, Wuche are sweeping, while the other two are proceeding to the main courtyard."

What else?

Li Jingyun scowled as he peered towards the foot of his bed. In the past, there ought to be a person kneeling here.

Badou's legs shook, and he leaned against the door, staring at him perplexed.

Li Jingyun glanced at him and became even more angry, "What are you frightened of?"

"A-Answering Young Master, this servant is not afraid."

Looking at this circumstance, practically peeing his trousers, and you say you're not afraid? Li Jingyun stuck his tongue against his teeth, pulled his robe and got out of bed, grabbing him, "This Young Master feels you deserve some lesson. Follow me to Punishment Office."

This time, Badou is truly peeing in his trousers and his legs are too flimsy to support himself. "Young Master...Young Master, spare my life!" he cries.

This Young Master ignored his pleadings for pity and dragged him out, disgusted as he walked, "You are a man, are you still terrified of the Punishment Office?"

"Young Master, which servants in the entire Jinghua do not fear the Punishment Office?" Badou was very aggrieved and shivered, "The punishment there is really heavy."

"Spineless, the last time Stewardess Yin was whipped, nothing happened."

Badou shook his head once again as his eyes widened, "Who said she was fine? Young Master didn't notice, but Stewardess Yin had a swollen back for several days, and the pain was so painful that she could not even bend down. She even had a high fever in the second half of the night, If it weren't for servants who discovered it immediately, the person would likely have vanished."

Li Jingyun paused before saying, "What nonsense, why didn't I see it?"

Badou cried in a fit of tears, "What can you see when you fell asleep?"

"..."

Li Jingyun stepped up his pace as he turned and walked forward.

Xun Momo had been awake the entire night and was just about to fall asleep when she peered out the corner of the window and noticed that the Young Master had brought another servant.

"Hey." She hurriedly got up to greet him, "Why did the Young Master come personally again?"

Throwing Badou to the ground, Li Jingyun said, "This slave is too timid, so I sent him to train, as not to tremble in front of this Young Master and look annoying," as he nonchalantly looked around.

"This..." Xun Momo was embarrassed, "What did he do wrong?"

"Nothing."

"...We have rules in the Punishment Office, and don't punish servants who never do anything wrong."

Li Jingyun said with a "tsk" after moving two steps to the side, "Yin Huayue did not make any mistakes, why was she dragged away and has yet to be seen?"

After a brief moment of shock, Xun Momo calmly looked over and noticed the Seven-Bamboo Link hanging around his waist.

All of the individuals in this yard are intelligent. Xun Momo clasped the Bamboo-Jade Leaf Hairpin in her cuff and smiled, "This servant has never seen the Stewardess."

She stated, but she then swiveled around and cast a quick peek back toward the dark room.

Li Jingyun came to try his luck, but he hadn't anticipated the individual would be present. Unexpectedly, he turned to face the Momo, lightly coughed, "She belongs from the Eastern Courtyard, despite all. You should let me know even if she is brought in for questioning. Lest this Young Master wake up early and discover there are fewer people carrying water, and feel uncomfortable."

He finished his sentence and moved toward the dark room.

"Young Master." Xun Momo pretended to stop him, "Even though you are the lord of this mansion, you can't breach the regulations of the Punishment Office."

"What rule?" Li Jingyun chuckled and avoided her, "Am I stopping you from carrying out your execution, or am I stopping you from conveying your message?"

The moment these words were spoken, the surrounding servants were startled and bent their heads.

Li Jingyun chuckled even more lazily when he saw this, saying, "Just casually taking a look, see how nervous you are."

When the words were spoken, he pushed the latch on the door to the darkroom, and with a "creak," the door cracked open.

You could just make out a curled-up form when the light entered the room.

The black hair was also dispersed and mixed with coagulate blood. and there were several terrifying traces on the ground mixed with dust and withered grass. The individual was dressed in the squirrel robe he had seen the day before. It is incredibly fresh and gorgeous, blood-soaked like the wildest begonia.

From the chin to the earlobes, the half of the face that is buried in the knees was so white that it could be mistaken for the light.

Li Jingyun stopped his laughter.

He tapped the door lock and made a loud noise, but the figure inside was still silently rolled up.