Chapter 16

“Your Highness, with today’s events, Pei Huan must return to the residence. As for the porridge distribution…”

“You may go, I’ll have someone take care of it.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

After bowing to Xiao Nanye, Jiang Peihuan led everyone back, including Wang Qiang’s family.

Jiang Sijin had already returned to the Jiang Mansion on horseback, informing old madam of everything. When Jiang Peihuan led everyone into old madam’s Chrysanthemum Hall, the entire Jiang family had already gathered.

“Grandmother.”

Jiang Peihuan knelt down before old madam

Seeing her actions, Jiang Sijin hurriedly knelt as well. Jiang Ruyun hesitated, as she was pregnant, but ultimately knelt down too.

“Sister Huan, please stand.”

“Sijin, you too.”

Seeing Jiang Peihuan and Jiang Sijin stood up, Jiang Ruyun tried to stand as well, only to be scolded, “Jiang Ruyun, kneel! Who allowed you to stand?”

Old madam eyes were filled with anger as she stared at Jiang Ruyun.

“Mother, I don’t know what Ruyun did wrong. If you want to punish…”

“You kneel too!”

Seeing Jiang Ruyun kneeling, the Second Madam intervened, but was ordered to kneel as well by old madam.

The Second Madam was shocked and indignant. “Mother, even if you punish her, there must be a reason. What did my daughter do wrong?”

“You still dare to talk back?”

“What did she do wrong? The good daughter you raised actually dared to hire someone to hurt and murder.”

“Mother?”

Hearing old madam’s words, the Second Madam was shocked. “Ruyun has always been well-behaved. How could she do such a thing?”

“Well-behaved? You have the nerve to call her that?”

“Bring them in.”

Wang Qiang’s family was brought in. When Wang Qiang had received the silver earlier, he was overjoyed. But once inside the General’s Mansion, he regretted it.

Standing before old madam, he didn’t need to be questioned. He pointed at Xi Er and said, “It’s not my fault. She gave me the silver and told me to do it.”

“I don’t want the silver anymore. Just leave me alone.”

As he spoke, Wang Qiang took out a bag of silver. Nanny Xu immediately brought it to old madam.

Opening the bag, Nanny Xu softly confirmed, “Old madam, this silver is indeed from our mansion.”

“You evil ungrateful creature!”

“Jiang Ruyun, confess the truth.”

Old madam angrily threw the silver in Granny Xu’s hand at Second Madam and Jiang Ruyun.

Witnessing the enraged old madam, Jiang Ruyun’s eyes were filled with panic.

Initially, Second Madam believed her daughter was falsely accused, but after seeing Jiang Ruyun’s expression, she knew it was true.

Jiang Ruyun was her daughter, and she had to stand by her.

Second Madam Zhou Rongfang slapped Xi Er’s face without hesitation. Xi Er was knocked to the ground, blood oozing from the corner of her mouth.

Second Madam Zhou Rongfang directly slapped Xi ‘er’s face. Xi’ er was directly knocked to the ground, and blood seeped out from the corner of her mouth.

Seeing this, Wang Qiang’s family trembled, huddling together in fear.

“Madam, I didn’t do it.”

“You dare deny it? Don’t think you can act so recklessly just because your parents are in the Mansion.”

Xi Er wanted to defend herself, but hearing her parents mentioned, she fell silent.

Jiang Peihuan, sitting on a chair, observed the scene with cold, unyielding eyes.

Without thinking, Jiang Sijin spoke up, “Second Aunt, you can’t say that. There’s at least a few hundred taels of silver here. Xi Er is just a maid; where could she get so much money?”

“If she doesn’t have it, her parents might.”

“This…”

Jiang Sijin wanted to continue, but Jiang Peihuan stopped her, forcing her to sit down in frustration.

Old Madam’s eyes grew colder as she watched the scene in front of her. “Xi Er, tell me, did you really do this on your own?”

“Xi Er, you must tell the truth.”

The Second Madam glared at Xi Er under old madam eyes.

Xi Er’s eyes were filled with despair. In the end, she finally lowered her head. “Yes.”

“Inform her parents to come and take her away. Expel the whole family from the mansion.”

“Yes, old madam.”

Granny Xu glanced at Xi Er, shook her head, and left.

Xi Er was quickly led away. Old madam turned to Jiang Ruyun and said, “As a daughter of the Jiang family, you should preserve our reputation, not tarnish it. Huan Er, fetch the family rules.”

“Yes.”

The Jiang family’s rules were not written, but a bamboo whip, handcrafted by Jiang Peihuan’s grandfather.

The bamboo whip was one meter long and as thick as a thumb.

Upon seeing the bamboo whip in Jiang Peihuan’s hand, Jiang Ruyun’s face turned pale.

“Huan Er, hit her!”

“No, no… You can’t hit Yun Er.”

Hearing old madam’s words, Second Madam face turned paled. Jiang Ruyun couldn’t be beaten now; if something happened to the child in her womb, everything would be lost.

“I am the princess consort of Huainan Prince, who dares to hit me?”

Jiang Ruyun, held by Second Madam, suddenly pushed her mother away and looked at Jiang Peihuan with a smug expression.

“Heh… Even if you haven’t married into the Huainan royal family yet, as long as you carry the Jiang name, you must follow our family’s rules.”

“Huan Er, hit her!”

Old Madam’s face had turned pale with anger, her hand pointing at Jiang Ruyun trembling.

“Ah…”

Seeing old madam so infuriated by Jiang Ruyun, a cold glint appeared in Jiang Peihuan’s eyes. The bamboo whip in her hand lashed Jiang Ruyun’s back.

Jiang Peihuan showed no mercy, and with the whip’s strike, Jiang Ruyun let out a pitiful scream.

Not a single person in the Jiang family sympathized with her.

The Wang Qiang family had already left, leaving only the Jiang family’s in the Chrysanthemum Hall.

“Yun Er?”

Witnessing Jiang Ruyun being beaten, Second Madam’s eyes filled with worry, heartache, and a touch of panic.

“Jiang Ruyun, today I will teach you the rules of the Jiang family.”

Old madam expression improved slightly, watching Jiang Ruyun scream in pain.

At that moment, Second Madam pushed Jiang Peihuan away.

“Elder sister?”

Seeing this, Jiang Sijin rushed forward to support Jiang Peihuan.

Old madam suppressed anger flared up again. “What’s the meaning of this? Do you want to defy our family like Jiang Ruyun?”

“Mother… Yun Er, she’s pregnant!”

“W-what did you say?”

Old madam was stunned. As she stared at Jiang Ruyun, soaked from head to toe, Second Madam spoke up, “Yun Er is carrying Huainan Prince’s child. You can’t let Jiang Peihuan hurt her. If something happens to the child, how will you…”

“Grandmother?”

“Old Madam?”

Before Second Madam could finish, old madam fainted.