Bang!

  The courtyard, which was originally filled with whispers, suddenly fell silent. Everyone stared at Mozi, who was lying on the ground in a sorry state, most of them looking puzzled and completely unaware of what had happened.

  Those big girls who were waiting on the Double Happiness Building thought that when Madam called for Mozi to come forward, it was definitely to give her a reward. After all, the story told by Mozi seemed to be liked by Madam and the young ladies.

  Ai Liu, who was following behind Fourth Granny, and Ai Xing, the eldest maid of the Zhang family, who had been surpassed by Mo Zi, couldn't help but smile with schadenfreude at this turn of events.

  Because Mozi was slapped by his wife, and it was a severe slap, without any mercy.

  The white lotus suddenly inhaled a breath of air. The green chrysanthemum even let out an "ah" cry.

  Qiu San Niang stood beside Zhang Shi. Under the flickering lamp, no one could see her expression clearly. But she didn't move, not even a little, and even stopped Xiao Yi from rushing forward.

  Crackling sound

  The wick of one of the lamps jumped up and down.

  Zhang's bewildered eyes finally cleared, and she casually put down her raised left hand. The previous slap was given with her right hand, but it didn't feel satisfying, so she wanted to give Mozi another slap with her left hand. Who would have thought that this person would fall to the ground? Could it be that she used more force than she thought, yet her palm doesn't hurt at all? Looking again at Mozi, he was covering his face with his hand, and the back of his hand was slightly swollen, probably bruised.

  "Mrs. Zhang was satisfied, her voice sharp and cold. 'Shameless thing! You think you can talk your way out of this and deceive the master and his guests? Who knows what kind of lewd book you got those flowery words from? And you dare to bring them up in conversation? Are you trying to compare yourself with those singing girls outside? What's the point of winning? All you're doing is making people think that our household produces low-class prostitutes, ruining your master's reputation for no reason.'"

  Mozi didn't say a word, as if she had been stunned, and looked down at the ground with her head lowered.

  Qiu Sanniang heard Zhang's last sentence and her mouth curled up in a cold smile.

  Zhang's side face came to look at Qiu San Niang, and that cold smile had already disappeared.

  "Third Sister, with your two older sisters gone early, you are the eldest daughter of the household, and all the younger sisters will look up to you as an example. You've been following Master for many years, and the maids by your side have never been disciplined. Those who know you think it's because you're kind-hearted; those who don't know you think you can't teach them properly. I've wanted to talk to you about this for a long time - you should discipline the servants more, but now that you've been back home for half a year, things have come to this point today. It's really unbearable, and it makes me so angry that I had to take action. You saw it tonight too, didn't you? Clearly, she's a shrew who won't let her husband take a concubine, but then she comes up with some 'Lock South Branch' poem, and is being all coy and flirtatious. There must be ulterior motives behind this new development - that clever maid of yours is very cunning, taking advantage of Ai Liu's absence to sneak into the Swan Pavilion and seduce Master. The story says not to take a concubine, but I think she's trying to climb higher, aiming for the phoenix tree." Everyone was saying that Third Sister couldn't manage her servants properly, and that Mo Zi had ulterior motives.

  "Mother, this is not your fault. If you didn't like the behavior of my younger brothers and sisters, you should have told me earlier. Am I supposed to let people walk all over me? Besides, even if mother had reminded me, no matter what, tonight I wouldn't have let Mozi come upstairs, making mother angry and losing face in front of guests."

  Mei Zi sighed silently, bowing her head. This temper of Qiu San Niang's was indeed something to behold. Since she had chosen to endure it, she might as well see it through to the end. The same words could be expressed in a gentler tone, and there would be no need for everyone to know that the two women were at odds. Although their relationship was strained, every single person within the Qiu Manor knew exactly what was going on.

  Qiu San Niang couldn't bear it, but Zhang Shi was better than her in this regard. Not a bit annoyed, she still had the appearance of a kind mother: "What's the big deal if I lost face? It's just a pity that my younger sister liked Liu Niang and Qi Niang more."

  Qiu San Niang really wanted to pull out the hair of the woman in front of her. She said that Wei Shi liked Liu Niang and Qi Niang more, but it was actually she who had pushed people to Wei Shi's side. And after mentioning the name Qiu Shui Yun to Wei Shi, she stopped talking about herself. Now, however, she was splashing dirty water on Mo Zi's head.

  "Anpo, go get me the family law stick. Today I must beat this thing to death and avenge my son." Thinking that one slap would not be enough to vent her anger, and also provoked by what Qiu San Niang had said, Zhang Shi was furious and wanted to kill the chicken to scare the monkey.

  The women in the quiet finally made a noise, starting to whisper to each other, because anyone thought it was just Zhang's punishment for a small maid, but now they want to bring out the family law stick.

  The last one to be beaten with the family law stick by Zhang was the most arrogant maid in Qiu's house. In front of Fifth Granny, two robust women beat her a full fifty times. When she was carried out of the compound, it looked like she wouldn't survive.

  Mei Zi raised her head at this time.

  Qiu Sanniang saw that her complexion was normal, neither fearful nor stubborn, with a calm and bland expression. It seemed as if she wasn't the one who was about to be punished by family law at all. She really wanted to ask Mozi how he could not be afraid at all? Was it because she had offended Zhangshi and implicated him?

  This family rule, the five-foot-high rod passed down by the grandmother to the legitimate wife, Qiu San Niang naturally couldn't be beaten by Zhang Shi. But a little maid, beating her crippled and useless, Zhang Shi could have her way. Moreover, once she was called out, Qiu San Niang couldn't disobey the rules left behind by the grandmother.

  Never had Qiu Sanniang been so helpless and at a loss, but at this moment she saw Mozi's lips move slightly. She closed her eyes lightly, turned around, and sternly ordered the three maids behind her, who were on the verge of tears, to stop pushing her.

  Zhang's self-satisfaction, Zhuang San Niang had no choice but to take out her frustrations on other maids for no reason, feeling quite relieved in her heart.

  Before long, An Pozi summoned two robust servant women to carry the family law rod. With a loud thud, they dropped the rod beside Mo Zi's body. The sound was so heavy that it made the timid maids shrink back.

  "Madam, grandmothers, girls, please keep a distance, lest you get frightened." said Anpozi.

  "Just drag him over here." Zhang was ruthless and wouldn't be afraid of this, "This behavior cannot be tolerated. Although it's his first offense, I won't show any mercy. Give him eighty lashes!"

  The whispers suddenly got louder. This is going to drive people to death.

  Bai He rushed out from the slanting room, knelt on the ground with a thud, and kowtowed desperately. "Madam... Mozi has always been careful to keep her place... she wouldn't do such a thing... there must be some misunderstanding... Madam... please spare Mozi..."

  Jiuyin didn't stop her, and then there was a second one, but it was deliberately released by her.

  Green Chrysanthemum also rushed forward, prostrating herself on the ground, "Madam, if you really want to punish, Green Chrysanthemum is willing to take Mozi's punishment for her."

  Baihe hastily followed up by saying: "I, Baihe, am also willing. I beg of you, madam, have mercy."

  Mozi didn't expect Baihe and Lüjing to go this far for her. Although she had a good relationship with them, she didn't think much of their loyalty to Qiu San Niang, even privately criticizing it as servile. Now that the two women have stepped forward to protect her like close sisters, Mozi feels both ashamed and deeply moved.

  "Third Daughter, these maids of yours are too arrogant, you've spoiled them so much that they have no sense of propriety." Zhang Shi didn't expect the maids of Qiu San Niang to be so united, and her anger grew even more uncontrollable. "I'll just kill them all at once, and then let your mother-in-law choose some new ones for you."

  Obviously wanting to cut off her hands and feet, making her useless, Qiu Sanniang's hatred was not much smaller than Zhang's.

  "What's going on? I haven't even entered the door, and I can already hear the noise!" Qiu Wu stepped into the courtyard, looking around at everyone standing outside, it was quite lively.

  Qiu Si closely followed behind him, and as soon as he saw the person sitting on the ground, his face immediately turned stern, but his eyes became mysterious and unpredictable.

  "Mother, it's late," he said, "we'll talk about it tomorrow."

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