Hearing this, Qin Feng flew into a rage.
"That unfilial son! Go, bring him here. I'll question him face to face!"
The head steward trotted off in a hurry to look for him.
Outside the study, Qin Feng sat on a chair. Yang stood beside him, looking anxious. From time to time, she cast a pitying glance at Qin Ziqi.
Qin Ziqi's wound on his shoulder was not deep. The bleeding had stopped and it was already bandaged.
Qin Feng punished him to kneel.
Qiluo knelt behind him, still covering her face with a handkerchief and hanging her head, as if she was terribly frightened.
But there was nothing but coldness in her eyes.
Qin Feng was different from Yang. He cared about his reputation and honor. He would not spoil his children blindly.
If the news that his son had attempted to rape a maid got out, it would damage the century - old honor of the Duke of Rongxiang's Mansion.
Qin Feng also did not allow Qin Ziqi to fool around with maids before he got married.
His son was well - known as a gentle, elegant, and talented gentleman in public. It was his pride. But in private, he had done such beastly things.
Qin Ziqi's duplicity had really infuriated him.
Since Qin Feng's anger was mostly directed at Qin Ziqi, the punishment for Qiluo would naturally be lighter.
Yang felt sorry for Qin Ziqi. With tears in her eyes, she pleaded, "My lord, he has been kneeling for half an hour. Ziqi knows he's wrong. He has to attend the Second Prince's famous - painting banquet tomorrow. Please forgive him this time."
Qin Feng was still angry. He scolded Yang.
"I've been busy with official affairs and left the inner courtyard to you. Is this how you manage it? As the saying goes, a doting mother often spoils her son. That's exactly you!"
Yang glared at Qiluo fiercely. "It's all this maid. She's dressed like a vixen, trying to seduce Ziqi."
Qiluo raised her head. There was firmness on her delicate face, and a hint of cold mockery and disdain hidden in her eyes.
"If the lady wants to protect the eldest young master's reputation, just drive this maid away. I won't argue or complain."
She didn't defend herself at all, but every word was so forceful that it made Yang feel even more ashamed than if she had cried and argued.
Qin Feng couldn't help but take a few more glances at Qiluo.
"You're the mistress of the house, yet you're not as sensible as a maid!"
Qin Feng's scolding without mercy made Yang's face burn with shame.
He couldn't really do anything to his own son, but he had to punish him severely so that he would learn his lesson.
"Let this unworthy son kneel here for two hours. Don't give him anything to eat or drink!"
Yang didn't dare to stop him.
"This maid, although she is also at fault, was forced into this situation. Just give her a light punishment as a warning."
He didn't want to be criticized for mistreating servants.
"You should also discipline Yan'er properly. She always takes her anger out on the maids. Where is her dignity as a young lady from a noble family? The Queen hates arrogant people the most. She suffered a setback at the banquet last time. If she still can't win the Queen's favor, the position of the Crown Prince's consort will surely be given to someone else!"
Yang felt extremely angry.
She disliked Qiluo even more.
It was all because of this insignificant maid that her husband had gotten angry, punished her son, and even scolded her daughter!
Such a trouble - making vixen must be gotten rid of!
As soon as Qin Feng left, she told the stewardess to call a human trafficker and sold Qiluo.
Out of sight, out of mind!
Qiluo neither cried nor made a fuss. She quietly followed the human trafficker away.
The human trafficker was overjoyed. "I haven't had such a beautiful girl in my hands for several years. If I sell her to the Red Rouge Tower, Mama Lin will surely like her."
At the Red Rouge Tower, Mama Lin was really overjoyed when she saw Qiluo's appearance.
This beautiful and charming girl was even more attractive than the most famous courtesan in the Red Rouge Tower!
The human trafficker got two hundred taels of silver and left contentedly.
Mama Lin looked at Qiluo with a smile. "You're such a well - behaved girl. You neither cry nor make a fuss. Have you accepted your fate so quickly?"
Qiluo gave a faint smile.
After leaving the wolf's den of the Duke of Rongxiang's Mansion, the difficulties she was facing now were nothing.
Although she didn't know Mama Lin, she knew Shen Yuhe.
Shen Yuhe was a great benefactor of the Red Rouge Tower.
"Could Mama Lin take me to see Miss Shen? If you take me to her, someone will surely redeem me. You just need to make one more trip, but you won't lose any money. What do you think?"
Mama Lin narrowed her eyes and thought highly of this little girl.
Late at night, the side gate of the Rong's old mansion was knocked.
Cheng Simian had already gone to bed, but was woken up by Shuyi.
Steward Chen led a little girl into her courtyard.
Shen Yuhe was also with them.
"Yuhe, is something wrong?"
A sensitive nerve in Cheng Simian's mind was touched, and her voice became a bit nervous.
She and Shen Yuhe had become acquainted because of Wen Cong's suicide and Cheng Jingxuan's case. And because Wan Chu was their common friend, their relationship was very close.
If it wasn't something very important, why would Shen Yuhe come in person so late at night?
Shen Yuhe didn't look the least bit nervous. She stepped forward, took Cheng Simian's hand, and comforted her, "I'm fine. I've brought someone for you. Take a look. Do you still remember her?"
A few more lamps were lit in the courtyard. Cheng Simian saw the little girl's face clearly and was quite surprised. "You're Qiluo from the Duke of Rongxiang's Mansion?"
Qiluo stepped forward and knelt in front of her.
"I'm no longer a maid in the Duke of Rongxiang's Mansion. Lady Qin sold me. Now only you, miss, can give me a way out."
Cheng Simian helped her up with her own hands. "What happened? Tell me slowly."
"Miss, I heard some things in the inner courtyard of the Duke of Rongxiang's Mansion. They might be useful to you. Please promise me first that you'll give me a way out."
Shen Yuhe laughed. "You're quite smart, girl. You've learned how to bargain."
Qiluo was afraid that Cheng Simian wouldn't want to offend the Duke of Rongxiang's Mansion and wouldn't take the risk to help her.
The first impression Cheng Simian gave her was that she was cold, noble, and hard to approach.
She had to come up with something that would interest Cheng Simian to gain her trust.
Cheng Simian was a bit confused. She looked at Shen Yuhe.
Shen Yuhe told her about Qiluo's experience in the Duke of Rongxiang's Mansion.
"That beast Qin Ziqi couldn't hold back any longer and tried to assault Qiluo. Lady Qin is so muddle - headed that she blamed everything on Qiluo. Qiluo was sold to the Red Rouge Tower. Fortunately, Qiluo knew that Mama Lin knew me. She asked Mama Lin to take her to me. Qiluo insisted on seeing you and said she had something important to tell you. I saw how serious she was, so I brought her here."
Cheng Simian couldn't help but think of the famous - painting banquet tomorrow.
The Qin family was going to join hands with the Second Prince to set a trap for her.
Qiluo must have heard something.
The information she had must be very valuable.
"How much silver were you sold for in the Red Rouge Tower?"
Qiluo's eyes lit up. "Two hundred taels."
Cheng Simian told Shuyi to open the box, took out a banknote worth two hundred taels, and gave it to Steward Chen. She also gave him a silver ingot worth ten taels.
"Early tomorrow morning, take this silver to Mama Lin. Thank her for running errands for me so late at night."
Although Mama Lin was a madam in a brothel, she had a noble character. She not only bravely testified in court for Shen Yuhe but also came to report in time when Yu Qiaor bought aphrodisiac incense to harm her.
Cheng Simian was grateful to her.
Steward Chen took the money and left.
Cheng Simian invited Shen Yuhe and Qiluo into the room.
Qiluo knelt down again and kowtowed three times seriously.
"Thank you, miss, for saving my life."
"Don't say such polite words for now." Shen Yuhe was a bit impatient. "Qiluo, quickly tell us. Is Qin Xuanyan going to harm Mianmian?"
Qiluo nodded heavily. "Tonight, Lady Qin told the maid to find a pornographic picture engraved on a wooden board. The board was as small as a handkerchief. I also heard her say that Qin Ziqi is going to attend the Second Prince's famous - painting banquet. Miss, are you also going to attend this banquet?"
Cheng Simian thought for a moment and suddenly understood.
"I know what plan Lady Qin has come up with for Qin Xuanyan."