Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Punishment Ling Jiaxuan brought Madam Zhang, her daughter, and Xiong Yong to Ling Taian’s study. Ling Taian was seated upright behind his desk, drinking tea as he waited for Ling Jiaxuan to capture the people who had caused trouble in the Ling Residence. What Ling Taian never expected was that those people would be Madam Zhang and her daughter. In his fury, he slammed his teacup onto the table. “Your Father is here! The three of you still aren’t going to kneel?” Ling Jiaxuan shouted angrily. Madam Zhang and Ling Ziqi knelt down resentfully and unwillingly. As for Xiong Yong, there was no need to say anything—his knees had already gone weak, and he had long since dropped to his knees. Ling Taian glared at Madam Zhang and her daughter and shouted, “Madam Zhang, you are merely a woman of the household. How dare you deal such a vicious hand against the legitimate daughter of the Ling Residence? And you, Ling Ziqi—you are a sheltered young lady. Instead of properly learning needlework and etiquette, how did you learn to be so vicious as well?” Madam Zhang sneered. “Master, I have served you in this household for more than twenty years and even borne you two daughters. Yet you only dote on that wretch Ling Jiayue. My daughter was even implicated because of that wretch. I merely wanted to vent the hatred in my heart.” Ling Taian shouted furiously, “I thought I had indulged you far too much in the past. I never imagined you would be a poisonous woman with a Buddha’s mouth and a snake’s heart!” Ling Ziqi watched Ling Taian and Madam Zhang argue without end. Terrified, she trembled and curled up on the floor, not daring to say a word. Seeing Ling Taian’s fury growing more intense, Xiong Yong no longer cared about the benefits Madam Zhang had promised him. All he could do was kowtow and beg for mercy. “Master, I’m only a minor steward of the garden. Madam Zhang and Miss ordered me to do it. I didn’t dare disobey!” Hearing Xiong Yong plead for mercy, Ling Jiaxuan’s anger flared. He kicked Xiong Yong to the ground. The kick was evidently too hard, because Xiong Yong spat out a mouthful of blood. Even after being kicked down, Xiong Yong continued begging Ling Taian for mercy. Madam Zhang shouted angrily, “Xiong Yong, you cur! Have you forgotten the benefits you accepted from me? And now you’re actually kicking me while I’m down!” “Madam, everything has been exposed. There’s no way to hide it anymore. I only want to stay alive. I’m just begging Master to spare me.” Only then did Ling Taian properly turn his attention to Xiong Yong. “You cur! How dare you help Madam and Miss stir up trouble in my Ling Residence? Guards, drag him out and beat him to death!” “Master, no! Please don’t! I’ll never dare do it again!” Xiong Yong continued pleading, still unwilling to give up. Ling Jiaxuan raised a hand, and several attendants entered and dragged Xiong Yong away. Xiong Yong continued begging for mercy as he was taken out. Ling Taian frowned. “He’s too noisy.” One of the guards reached out and dislocated Xiong Yong’s jaw. Xiong Yong could no longer make a sound, and only then was he dragged out in peace and quiet. After dealing with Xiong Yong, Ling Taian looked at Madam Zhang and her daughter again, his eyes filled with disappointment. Madam Zhang knelt on the floor, her eyes full of resentment and hatred, while Ling Ziqi curled up on the ground, trembling. Ling Ziqi was terrified and had long since cried until her face was streaked with tears. She raised her head toward Ling Taian and said, “Father, Mother and I were only blinded for a moment. We won’t dare do it again. Please spare us.” “Blinded for a moment? Ling Ziqi, if I had been bitten to death by that venomous snake, would ‘blinded for a moment’ not sound far too light? Is the life of the legitimate daughter of the Ling Residence really worth so little in your eyes?” As she spoke, Ling Jiayue and Madam Liu entered the study. “Master, you promised your concubine. No matter who was found to be responsible today, you would show no mercy.” Madam Liu looked at Ling Taian as she spoke. “Madam Zhang, I have indulged you far too much in the past. And Ling Ziqi, I have been far too permissive with you as well. That is why the two of you have become so ignorant of your limits that you dared plot against the legitimate daughter of the Ling Residence!” Madam Liu shouted angrily at Madam Zhang and her daughter. Madam Zhang, however, argued back, “I entered the residence only a few years after you, yet I still have to remain beneath you? Even the daughter I bore cannot compare with your daughter. How could I not hate that? And Ling Jiayue, you wretch—how could you have such strong luck? Even the snake couldn’t kill you. How could that possibly make me content?” “Thank you for your concern. As you can see, I’m doing perfectly well. Even if you die, I won’t.” Ling Jiayue’s voice was calm. Madam Liu moved in front of Ling Jiayue protectively, like a mother hen shielding her chick, and said to Ling Taian, “Master, have you gone soft? You must deal with Madam Zhang and her daughter today. Otherwise, I will deal with them myself. This is not only for Yue’er’s sake, but also for the peace of our Ling Residence.” Ling Taian said in anguish, “Enough. Madam Zhang will be sent to one of the estates and forbidden from returning to the residence for the rest of her life. Ling Ziqi will be confined to her own room. She may come out after reflecting on her actions.” “Master, Madam Zhang and her daughter have gone too far. How can you simply let them off like this? This punishment is far too light!” Madam Liu said unhappily. Ling Jiaxuan also agreed. “That’s right, Father. Madam Zhang and her daughter have stirred up trouble throughout the residence. How can you let them off so easily? What’s more, they tried to harm the legitimate daughter of the Prime Minister’s Residence. If this matter gets out, the reputation and good name of the Ling Residence will be completely ruined.” Ling Taian’s brows drew tightly together, as though he were considering the importance of the matter. Seeing that Ling Taian seemed to be wavering, Ling Jiaxuan continued, “Father, setting aside the reputation and good name of our Ling Residence, you are the Prime Minister. If this matter reaches the Emperor’s ears, it will also damage your reputation as an official. Once the Emperor learns of it, he will only say that you have failed to keep your household in order.” Ling Taian finally made up his mind. “Enough! You mother and daughter dared plot against the legitimate daughter of my Ling Residence—you are truly bold beyond the heavens. Madam Zhang is to be sentenced to death. Ling Ziqi is to be sent to a nunnery, where she will spend the rest of her life before the green lantern and the Buddha.” Hearing Ling Taian’s decision, Madam Zhang looked at him in disbelief and murmured, “Master, I have served you for so many years. How can you treat me like this?” As she spoke, she collapsed limply onto the floor. Ling Ziqi finally began to sob aloud. She crawled on her knees to Ling Taian, clung to his leg, and cried, “Father, I won’t dare do it again! You can’t treat me like this, and you can’t do this to Mother either!” Ling Taian seemed reluctant, but when he thought of the negative impact this matter would have, he remained unmoved. Madam Zhang had already lost all hope in Ling Taian. She glared at Ling Jiayue and said hatefully, “Wretch, you were lucky this time and escaped death. Just wait. You won’t be this fortunate forever. I’ll be waiting for the day you suffer misfortune.” Hearing this, Ling Jiayue slowly walked over to Madam Zhang and her daughter. Looking down at them, she said, “Madam Zhang, Ling Ziqi, ever since I returned home, the two of you have made things difficult for me in every possible way. And today, you even dared collude with Xiong Yong to plot against me.” Ling Jiayue paused before continuing, “I could overlook the petty squabbles you picked with me at home. But today, you treated the reputation of my Ling Residence and my Father’s official standing as toys. What makes you think you are important enough for the Ling Residence to risk everything just so you can trample it underfoot?” Ling Jiayue turned toward Ling Taian and said resolutely, “Father, Madam Zhang and her daughter have never put the interests of the Ling Residence first. They even dared toy with its future. Today, they must be dealt with properly, so that the reputation of the Ling Residence can be restored!” “Yue’er is right, Master. Don’t hesitate any longer,” Madam Liu urged. “Enough. Take them away,” Ling Taian said.