Hearing this, Bitao, who had just stood up, knelt down again. "Please punish me, mistress."
Chen Wanrong: "???"
Why did she kneel down again? Wasn't a hundred taels of silver enough?
Bitao was also full of confusion. So the mistress had been tricking her just now?
The hundred taels of silver was gone with a "pop"?
Just as she was daydreaming, Chen Wanrong said, "Get up quickly."
Hearing this, Su Nansheng tentatively asked, "Mother, do you mean that I indulged... the Second Young Mistress?"
She indulged Su Hele?
"Isn't it? She was going crazy there. You should have just slapped her then to let her calm down," Chen Wanrong said in disappointment.
Why was she still being polite? Just slap her!
Su Nansheng: "Just... slap her?"
Of course she wanted to slap her directly, but Su Hele was still the Second Young Mistress of the Marquis Mansion after all...
"What are you afraid of? I'm here!"
Chen Wanrong naturally understood her concerns and said with full confidence.
Su Nansheng was slightly stunned. It was the first time she had encountered such an obvious backing.
No, it was the second time. He Xun had also said yesterday that she should do as she pleased.
Thinking of this, the anger that had risen from the quarrel with Su Hele just now suddenly disappeared, replaced by a growing sense of pleasure.
A bright smile appeared on Su Nansheng's face.
"Okay, next time I'll definitely give her a big slap."
She didn't need to be cautious or consider her status and situation. She could just follow her heart and slap Su Hele directly.
Bitao stood up again. It turned out that it wasn't that the mistress thought the young mistress had indulged Su Hele. Her hundred taels of silver was back.
The ten lashes were quickly done. In a short while, Su Hele was dragged back again.
Her face was as pale as paper and her body was trembling. The silk dress on her back was torn in several places, and faint red marks were showing but there was no blood.
Obviously, those old maids just wanted to give her a warning and didn't use much force. Otherwise, how could she still be awake.
Chen Wanrong had calmed down. She glanced at Su Hele and said in a deep voice,
"Since you feel sorry for the horses, don't take the carriage anymore. Just walk."
Su Hele's eyes were full of tears and her face was full of disbelief.
"Mother, you've already punished me just now. Why do you still have to do this?"
But Chen Wanrong ignored her and continued,
"Besides, you have to report to me every time you go out. You can't go out without my permission."
"You're putting me under house arrest. You can't treat me like this!"
Su Hele got anxious. Her voice suddenly rose and her face became ferocious. She was no longer elegant.
"Humph, still have the strength to argue with me. It seems the beating was still too light. Pay attention next time," Chen Wanrong glanced at the old maids, who immediately said in unison that they would.
Then she just stared coldly at Su Hele without any warmth in her eyes.
"Are you not convinced?"
Su Hele was intimidated by that look and immediately calmed down. She trembled and said,
"Daughter-in-law knows her mistake."
Chen Wanrong sneered and didn't say anything more.
Just then, Concubine Li came late. She gave Su Hele a hard look.
"Are you crazy? How dare you ride a horse and break into the gate. I think you don't want your life anymore."
After saying that, she smiled and apologized to Chen Wanrong.
"Mistress, I just heard about this, so I'm late."
Actually, she came late on purpose. Su Hele definitely deserved to be taught a lesson, but it was better for Chen Wanrong to do it. She didn't have to be the bad guy in front of He Jin.
Chen Wanrong naturally understood Concubine Li's thoughts, but she didn't care.
"It's okay to be late this time. But if she causes trouble and implicates He Jin again, it might really be too late."
The smile on Concubine Li's face faded. She said coldly,
"Mistress, don't worry. I'll watch her closely from now on."
She wanted to implicate He Jin? No way!
...
After leaving Qionghua Courtyard, Su Nansheng walked briskly. Her hand was still swinging in the air. No one knew what she was doing.
Seeing this, Bitao asked with concern,
"Young mistress, what's wrong with you? Did you hurt your hand just now?"
Su Nansheng stopped and leaned towards Bitao. She whispered,
"I'm practicing. Next time when I slap Su Hele, it must be cool and neat."
Bitao: "..."
She was the one who got the hundred taels of silver, but why did it seem that the young mistress was happier than her.
Thinking of the silver, Bitao also walked briskly.
A hundred taels of silver! How should she spend it?
Behind them, Su Hele and Concubine Li looked at Su Nansheng with hatred in their eyes.
...
In Yurong Courtyard, He Jin frowned as he listened to Concubine Li tell what had happened in the mansion today.
"You said, isn't Su Hele too unruly? Although I don't know how she coaxed you before, but look at her now. Does she look like a polite and elegant person? I've always said that she is two-faced and has a bad heart. Now do you believe me?"
Concubine Li was thirsty after talking so much. She took a sip of tea and saw that He Jin just frowned and didn't say anything.
Seeing this, Concubine Li didn't care. Instead, she smiled and said,
"A Jin, it's been three months since you got married. You should admit this, right?"
He Jin's finger moved. It had only been three months, but why had Su Hele changed so much?
Or was she like this before, just acting in front of him in order to marry him?
He Jin sighed deeply and said coldly,
"I understand what you mean. Let's do it according to the previous agreement."
Concubine Li was stunned at first, then overjoyed. The corners of her mouth turned up. She couldn't wait to find the roster and choose concubines for He Jin.
But she held back her excitement. Instead, she changed the subject and whispered,
"Su Hele definitely deserves to be punished, but Chen Wanrong punished her with the family law without waiting for me to arrive. This is too disrespectful to me, an aunt."
"Humph, He Xun has been in favor with the emperor recently. Naturally, she is fearless," He Jin said sarcastically. It was just good luck. Why was she so arrogant?
"So, you have to think of a way. You can't let that martial artist always suppress you. You are the Second Young Master of the Anshun Marquis Mansion. With this status, there will surely be people who will come to you on their own initiative.
Don't just recite poems and compose verses with that Su Hele all day long. It's useless. You should make more friends with noble people," Concubine Li advised earnestly.
This was also the reason why she hated Su Hele. She only knew how to hook He Jin and waste time in the mansion. She never thought about the future.
Now the heir of the Marquis Mansion hadn't been established yet. They could still live on the public funds. But what about in the future?
If He Xun was established as the heir, could he tolerate them?
He Jin turned his head and said proudly,
"I don't look up to ordinary noble people."
Naturally, there were people who wanted to make friends with him, but their status was lower than his. And those truly powerful people didn't take the initiative to find him.
So he would rather not make friends. He was the Second Young Master of the Marquis Mansion. He couldn't do things like flattering and currying favor.
Concubine Li looked at him. He turned his head and she couldn't see his expression clearly.
But Concubine Li understood what he was thinking. She said coldly,
"As long as you can inherit the title in the end, no one will ask how you got it."
He Jin turned his head and met Concubine Li's fierce face.