Pei Zhiyan ignored her. The old woman was very dexterous. Seeing Du Lingxuan fainting, she picked up a basin of cold water prepared beforehand and splashed it on Du Lingxuan's face with a splash.
Du Lingxuan took a sharp breath and suddenly opened her eyes.
There was still a piece of coarse cloth stuffed in her mouth. It was the end of winter and the beginning of spring, and the cold was still thick. The basin of cold water made her whole body tremble.
She whimpered a few times, but it didn't help. Then the old woman finished slapping the remaining slaps. In the end, Du Lingxuan even felt that the wounds on her face were so numb that they didn't hurt anymore...
After the face - slapping was over, the old woman stepped back. Wei Qing was supported by a maid and walked over. She threw herself in front of Du Lingxuan, looking at her with teary eyes. "Xuan'er, my Xuan'er. You've suffered so much..."
"Madam Wei, don't interfere with the execution." Mo Qing's cold voice came from the side. His gaze fell on the maid supporting Wei Qing, and the latter was very observant and quickly pulled Wei Qing away.
Wei Qing covered her nose with a silk handkerchief and sobbed softly. Du Lingxuan didn't get a moment's rest. She was dragged by the person holding her and forced to lie on a long bench. Then two jailers walked over with wooden rods.
Du Lingxuan lay on the bench, and the fear in her eyes deepened. She looked at the wooden rods taller than a person and tried to struggle to avoid them, but the jailers' gazes bound her. No matter how she wriggled, it was useless.
The jailer in charge of the execution glanced at Pei Zhiyan. Seeing him nod, he tightened his grip on the wooden rod and instantly struck Du Lingxuan. Du Lingxuan's originally fearful eyes suddenly widened. Her body involuntarily arched upwards. Even though the coarse cloth was stuffed tightly, at this moment, she opened her mouth wide in pain, and the coarse cloth fell out.
Before she could react, the next rod fell. Du Lingxuan couldn't help but scream. She looked at Wei Qing not far away and stretched her hand towards her from afar. "Mother... Mother, save me..."
Her fingers trembled. Wei Qing couldn't bear to look directly. After ten strokes, Du Lingxuan fainted.
At this time, the jailer splashed another basin of water on her, but it was useless. She was completely soaked, with bloodstains on her face and water dripping from her hair. She didn't wake up.
Finally, Wei Qing couldn't hold on anymore and knelt down. She cried and bowed her head. There was no more pride in her tone. "Lord Pei, please spare her life. If you beat her any more, Xuan'er will die..."
She crawled on her knees for two steps and bowed her head again. "His Majesty has already spoken. My lord, even if you don't show me any face, you should at least respect His Majesty's will. You can't beat Xuan'er to death, right?"
Pei Zhiyan's expression remained unchanged. He just slowly stood up. "Then for the remaining ten strokes..."
Wei Qing stared closely at his mouth. The expression on her face relaxed a little, but then Pei Zhiyan's words made the corners of her mouth that hadn't even lifted yet droop again.
"Wait until she wakes up tomorrow and then beat her." Pei Zhiyan calmly arranged. Wei Qing's face turned ashen, and she slumped weakly in the middle of the hall.
Du Lingxuan was dragged away and temporarily locked in a cell. Pei Zhiyan was also about to leave. Before walking out of the hall door, he paused and calmly said, "Madam Wei, prepare a doctor and some wound medicine."
These words instantly made Wei Qing unable to hold on. She fell towards the maid beside her. Holding her handkerchief, she clearly understood the sarcasm and meaning behind Pei Zhiyan's words.
He wouldn't show any mercy.
Pei Zhiyan didn't return to his mansion until evening. Song Ruotang was worried that he would have a conflict with the Du family, so she had been waiting at the door early. Seeing him getting off the carriage with a cold expression, she greeted him worriedly, but didn't immediately ask him. She only saw that he was wearing thin clothes and put the prepared thin - furred fox fur cloak on him.
Pei Zhiyan lowered his eyes and looked at Song Ruotang's gentle face. The ice in his heart that had always been hard slowly melted. He reached out and held Song Ruotang's hand. Song Ruotang's eyelashes trembled slightly. She looked up at him and slowly held his hand back. The two walked into the door together.
After walking a few steps, Lin Yun came with a maid. Her gaze landed on their clasped hands for a moment and then left. She greeted them with a smile. "My lord, you're back."
Pei Zhiyan nodded. After what happened to the Du family today, he didn't want to see anyone from the Lin family either.
The Lin family and the Du family were of the same kind.
Seeing his somewhat cold expression, Lin Yun pursed her lips and didn't say a word. Pei Zhiyan directly led Song Ruotang past her, and Lin Yun couldn't help but follow behind them.
When they reached the middle of the garden, she carefully said, "My lord, the second younger sister..."
Pei Zhiyan paused and turned around with a hint of sarcasm on his lips. "What? Do you want to plead for her?"
Lin Yun quickly shook her head. "No, no. I just didn't see the second younger sister, so I couldn't help but ask. Please don't be angry, my lord..."
"She's in the prison of the Court of Judicial Review." Pei Zhiyan turned back and continued walking. His tone was neither happy nor angry. "After the execution is over tomorrow, someone will pick her up."
Lin Yun stood there, watching Pei Zhiyan walk away. As she expected, Pei Zhiyan couldn't divorce Du Lingxuan.
But it was also a bit unexpected that Pei Zhiyan actually confronted the Du family directly and really punished Du Lingxuan.
A smile appeared on Lin Yun's lips. Du Lingxuan was such a fool. She could only rely on her family background...
After Pei Zhiyan and Song Ruotang returned to the Qingyi Courtyard, Song Ruotang helped him untie the belt of the fox fur cloak. Pei Zhiyan pursed his lips and finally said, "I can't divorce her..."
Song Ruotang's hand paused. She looked up and saw the unwillingness and guilt in Pei Zhiyan's eyes. He met her gaze and then slightly turned his head away. "Du Yanting went to plead with His Majesty. I can't divorce her..."
"We can't rush this matter." Song Ruotang untied the belt of the fox fur cloak and draped it over her arm. Her tone was calm. Pei Zhiyan clenched his fists. "But she did such a thing to you..."
Song Ruotang folded the fox fur cloak and placed it on the table. Then she turned around, walked to his side, and put her arms around his waist. "I know you feel bad for me, but the Du family is very powerful. It's impossible to divorce Du Lingxuan all at once."
She looked up, with a smile in her eyes. "Didn't you already teach her a lesson for me?"
Pei Zhiyan didn't say a word. Song Ruotang sighed again. "The Du family went to plead with His Majesty. I'm sure you're under a lot of pressure..." Song Ruotang buried her face in Pei Zhiyan's arms. Her voice was a bit muffled. "Zhiyan, you're my only support, so you must be okay..."
Pei Zhiyan naturally understood this truth. He had always deeply hated the power of the Lin and Du families and also knew the reason why they dared to act recklessly against Song Ruotang.
This time, Du Lingxuan was just a warning. Even if he couldn't divorce her, he had to let Lin Yun and Du Lingxuan know that there would be no good end for bullying Song Ruotang.
So he would rather go against the imperial order than punish Du Lingxuan. It was not only a rebellion but also a warning.
Song Ruotang gently tightened her grip on Pei Zhiyan's clothes. Although she said so, she knew that if she wanted them to leave the mansion, she still had to start from the inner courtyard...
At that time, it would depend on Pei Zhiyan's cooperation.
Pei Zhiyan turned his head and looked at the sky outside. He raised his hand and gently stroked Song Ruotang's head. "It's getting late. Go to sleep."