“What are all of you doing? You’re making Mother look like a bad person!”
Chen Runiang quickly walked over to support the Old Madam. Then she looked at everyone kneeling on the ground.
“You all care about Erlang, but do you think Mother doesn’t? She watched Erlang grow up too. You treat him like the apple of your eye. Do you think Mother treats him like a worthless stone?”
“Erlang made a mistake, so he should be punished. But now that all of you are kneeling too, it makes Mother look like the villain. Get up, all of you. Don’t make things difficult for her.”
Fang Rushi immediately stood up.
“I didn’t think it through.”
Wei Zhouqing also pulled He Wan to her feet.
“Mother, just say the punishment. As long as you don’t beat him to death, I’ll accept anything.”
Wei Xinian was stunned.
“What, Aunt? You can’t decide that for me!”
Getting beaten with a stick hurts a lot too!
Yue Jingque, who was kneeling beside him, suddenly pinched his waist.
“Hiss…”
He was about to ask what she was doing, but when he saw the cold expression on her face, he swallowed his words.
He turned back and lowered his head.
“Burning the ancestral hall was my fault. No matter how Grandmother punishes me, I’ll accept it.”
The Old Madam looked at him.
“You’ll accept any punishment?”
“I will. Just don’t punish anyone else. Big Brother is completely innocent. If he hadn’t been kneeling in the ancestral hall today, even Father’s and Grandfather’s memorial tablets might not have been saved. The tablets are still there because of Big Brother.”
“And Sister-in-law… she was only passing by. She may be a little silly, but she’s strong. She helped the servants carry water to put out the fire. Without her, maybe half the ancestral hall would have burned down. Since only a small part burned, she deserves some credit too.”
“As for Yue Jingque… She’s just too kind and got involved for no reason. This has nothing to do with her. Just send her back.”
Wei Xinian looked up sincerely.
“Grandmother, I only have one request. When you beat me, can you send everyone else away? If people are watching, I’ll be too embarrassed to scream.”
Wei Nancheng: “…”
Li Zhenchun: “…”
Yue Jingque: “…”
Fang Rushi: “…”
Although everyone agreed that Wei Xinian had little common sense, as Chen Runiang had once said, he was kind by nature.
The Old Madam smiled. Even her usually strict face softened.
She walked over and gently touched Wei Xinian’s head.
“Erlang is just like his father. He dares to take responsibility for his actions. But Grandmother still has to punish you. Your uncles, your father, and your grandfather are all honored heroes resting in that ancestral hall. Disturbing their peace is a serious offense.”
“But Erlang, remember this. I’m not punishing you because I want to hurt you or teach you a lesson.”
“I know you’re a good child, and I know you understand your mistake. I’m doing this so others can see. If someone makes a mistake and isn’t punished, then everyone will think it’s acceptable to do the same.”
“You are a son of the Wei family. There are no spoiled children in our family. We raise brave and strong people. Even when punished, you must keep your dignity.”
Wei Xinian nodded.
“I understand. Grandmother, I accept my punishment.”
The Old Madam then looked at the other three young people who were still kneeling. Her eyes stopped on Wei Nancheng.
“What Dulang said earlier was correct. As the elder brother, you failed to set a good example, failed to stop your younger brother from making a mistake, and even tried to protect him afterward.”
“I was wrong.”
Wei Nancheng admitted respectfully.
“In the Wei family, when a man makes a mistake, he takes responsibility himself. Women should not be dragged into it. However, both new daughters-in-law chose to protect their husbands without question. That was also wrong.”
Li Zhenchun lowered her head.
“I know I was wrong.”
Yue Jingque also bowed.
“I am willing to accept punishment.”
The Old Madam looked at the four kneeling before her.
“Erlang burned the ancestral hall and disturbed the spirits of his elders. He will receive thirty strikes.”
“Dulang failed in his duty as an elder brother and tried to cover up his younger brother’s mistake. He will receive ten strikes.”
“Dulang’s wife and Erlang’s wife will each copy the Buddhist scriptures three times to pray for the ancestors in the ancestral hall.”
“Yes.”
…
When the punishment was carried out, Wei Xinian’s wish was not granted.
Not only did the Old Madam refuse to send everyone away, she made everyone stay and watch.
Only Wei Xinian and Wei Nancheng knelt side by side with their upper bodies uncovered. As the cold spring wind blew over them, Wei Xinian shivered.
Standing nearby, Fang Rushi looked at him with disgust.
“Your body is too weak. A little wind and you’re already shaking. If you were on the battlefield and had to cross a river in the middle of winter, you’d freeze to death.”
Li Zhenchun silently agreed.
Although she thought both Wei Nancheng and Wei Xinian looked much weaker than the soldiers from the northwest, her eyes refused to leave Wei Nancheng’s broad shoulders and slim waist.
The harsh winds of the northwest produced strong warriors, but not elegant young men with smooth skin.
A beautiful back and narrow waist like his… if she didn’t admire it now, she might never get another chance.
Wei Nancheng seemed to notice her gaze. He turned his head slightly and looked at her.
Li Zhenchun quickly snapped her head the other way and looked toward Yue Jingque instead.
“Jingque… the moon is beautiful tonight.”
Why were her face and ears suddenly so hot?
She had seen her senior brothers bathing without clothes before and never felt embarrassed.
Now she was blushing just from seeing someone’s back?
Impossible.
It must just be because the weather was too warm.
“Sister-in-law, your nose is bleeding.”
!!!
“My nose is bleeding? Who’s bleeding?”
Wei Zhouqing’s voice was loud. As soon as she spoke, everyone heard her.
Li Zhenchun: “…”
Chen Runiang frowned slightly.
“It’s so cold today. It isn’t even the season for getting overheated. Why would she have a nosebleed?”
He Wan guessed,
“Did she eat too many warming foods?”
Li Zhenchun was about to use that as an excuse when Wei Xinian suddenly twisted around to look at her.
He let out a mocking laugh, then turned back and started whispering to Wei Nancheng.
He hadn’t said anything directly to her, but that laugh already explained everything.
That idiot had definitely misunderstood!
“I drank too much tonic soup!”
Li Zhenchun shouted loudly through gritted teeth.
“It’s been cold lately, and Hongxiu has been making lots of nourishing soup for me. I just got too much internal heat!”
Did you hear that, Wei Xinian?!
Stop whispering to Wei Nancheng!
I’m a young woman! I have my dignity!
Wei Xinian turned back, gave another “Hmph,” and said,
“Big Brother, be careful when you go back later. Someone might try to take advantage of the situation.”
Li Zhenchun nearly fainted.
What exactly had this idiot been telling Wei Nancheng?!
Wei Xinian then looked at the servant holding the punishment stick.
“Come on. Stop wasting time. Finish beating me so I can go back to sleep.”
He sounded fearless, but when the thick six-sided staff struck his back, the pain was far worse than an ordinary paddle.
A flat paddle hit the buttocks.
A heavy six-sided staff struck the back.
The second one hurt much more.
Each strike left a bright red mark across his skin.
Li Zhenchun watched another red stripe appear on Wei Nancheng’s pale back.
She could not bear to look.
Not even for a moment.
She hurried away to wash her face.
When she returned, several more red marks had appeared across Wei Nancheng’s back.
She could not stand still.
Every time Wei Nancheng was struck, she unconsciously stepped forward.
After taking two or three steps, she forced herself to move back again.
From Wei Xinian’s side, she could still hear suppressed groans and muffled cries.
But Wei Nancheng remained completely silent.
The only sound on his side was the heavy thud of the staff striking flesh.
Again.
And again.
The dull blows echoed through the courtyard, making everyone’s heart tighten with every strike.