"Si Chen."
Lin Wanyu didn't respond. Lu Huaijin's impatient voice echoed in the room.
Before Feng Yunyun could react, Si Chen grabbed her by the neck and dragged her to the door.
Lu Huaijin looked down at her, his eyes cold. "At this juncture, still unrepentant. Give her thirty lashes and send her back to her family."
An ordinary man would struggle to bear ten lashes. Now that Lu Huaijin had sentenced Feng Yunyun to thirty lashes, he was clearly determined not to let her live.
Hearing this, Feng Yunyun turned as pale as earth and immediately fainted.
Si Chen picked her up and handed her to the maids outside the door. Then he took the maid out as well.
The room instantly returned to its previous silence, so quiet that a pin drop could be heard.
Lu Huaijin put down the cup in his hand. The crisp sound made Lin Wanyu's heart skip a beat.
He stood up, straightened his sleeves, gave her a solemn look, and walked out.
When she heard the courtyard door close, Lin Wanyu slumped pale - faced into a chair. Her eyes slowly fell on the remaining bloodstains at the door.
She really couldn't stay in this prince's mansion any longer.
One wrong step could lead to an abyss. She had to find a way to get Lu Huaijin to let her leave.
An hour later, Lin Wanyu still hadn't recovered from what had happened. The courtyard door was pushed open again. A maid in a cyan ruffled dress stood at the door. "Miss, I'm Chunqiao. I'm here on the prince's order to bring you some clean clothes."
Hearing this, Lin Wanyu quickly got up and greeted her. "Please thank the prince for me, sister."
After delivering the clothes, Chunqiao didn't leave. Her fair little face was serious. "The prince also told me to come and teach you etiquette. You've been tired today. Please rest first. I'll come tomorrow."
Hearing her words, Lin Wanyu's heart sank further.
Now that he had sent someone to teach her rules, it seemed he wouldn't easily let her go.
She turned around and looked down at the clothes embroidered with intricate patterns on the table. A mist gradually rose in her slender eyes.
She wondered how her younger brother was doing alone in Yangzhou.
When she left, she had given him a lot of silver. But he was still young. Could he take care of himself?
Early the next morning, Lin Wanyu was awakened by a knock on the door.
Normally, she would get up at dawn. But she had been tired the previous day and had slept deeply last night. She had overslept today.
Looking at the sun, it seemed to be mid - morning.
Lin Wanyu quickly got up, put on her clothes and shoes, and rushed to the door to open it.
Besides Chunqiao who had come last night, there was also a sharp - faced old woman in a brown brocade robe.
"The princess has ordered. Please come to the front yard with me now, miss."
Looking at the old woman's expression, Lin Wanyu's heart sank.
"Thank you for delivering the message, ma'am."
As she followed the old woman out of the courtyard, Lin Wanyu was extremely anxious. It wasn't until she reached the front yard that she realized Chunqiao hadn't followed.
A wild thought suddenly flashed through her mind, but she quickly suppressed it.
A man like Lu Huaijin would never break the rules for a low - ranking maid like her.
She lowered her eyes and waited at the main hall door, her hands folded on her abdomen, thinking about how to deal with the situation.
The princess must be summoning her to blame her. All she could do now was pray for the princess's mercy and spare her life.
After half an incense stick's time, the door of the main hall slowly opened. The fragrance wafted out along with the maids.
"The princess summons you into the hall."
Lin Wanyu nodded slightly, took small steps, and walked in.
When she had come before, she hadn't felt anything. But now, being here alone, she felt as if she had entered an ice cave.
Walking to the middle of the hall, she knelt down as usual, bowed deeply, and said, "This maid pays respects to the princess."
He Shulan picked up the teacup and skimmed the tea leaves. Her noble eyes were dark, making it hard to tell her mood.
For as long as she drank the tea, Lin Wanyu knelt.
After about an incense stick's time, He Shulan put down the teacup in her hand and looked up at the motionless figure on the ground. "Did you forget all the words I taught you last night in just one night?"
Lin Wanyu's heart sank. She didn't know how to reply.
If she said she remembered, then for not serving Lu Huaijin and oversleeping, she would surely be accused of incompetence and laziness. If she said she didn't remember...
Lin Wanyu didn't even need to think further.
"This maid has done a poor job. Please punish me, princess."
Ordinary maids would cry and beg for mercy when they made a mistake. He Shulan didn't expect this girl to be so sensible, knowing that she couldn't escape today.
"Since you know your mistake, go outside and kneel while reciting The Admonitions for Women fifty times."
Hearing this, Lin Wanyu felt as if she had received a pardon. She bowed deeply again.
"Yes."
In this man - eating den, being able to keep her life was already a great blessing.
It was midsummer. There was not a breath of wind in the air. It was extremely stuffy. The cicadas were singing in the trees. Several servants were holding sticky poles, searching for the cicadas' hiding places.
Lin Wanyu lifted her skirt and walked into the yard. When she knelt down, a maid brought a book and handed it to her.
"Miss Lin, start."
Lin Wanyu thanked her and started to recite the book.
She held her back straight, not afraid of others' gazes. Her fair and delicate face showed calmness and composure.
The maids beside her couldn't help but be mesmerized by her.
Such beauty was rare even in the entire capital.
When Lu Huaijin returned to the mansion, the sun was high in the sky. It was mid - afternoon, the hottest time of the day.
As soon as he entered Yuncheng Residence, Chunqiao, who was guarding the door, quickly stepped forward and bowed. "Your Highness."
Lu Huaijin frowned slightly. "Why are you here? Didn't I tell you to teach Miss Lin etiquette?"
Hearing this, Chunqiao reported truthfully. "Miss Lin overslept this morning and didn't serve Your Highness. The princess found out and she's being punished in the front yard now."
Lu Huaijin frowned tightly, turned around, and walked towards the front yard. Chunqiao and Chuncheng followed closely behind.
Following the corridor, as soon as they entered the front yard, they heard a woman's gentle voice. Looking in the direction of the sound, they saw a slender figure kneeling in the sun, reciting.
The figure was swaying, but the back was still held straight without any slack.
Lu Huaijin's eyes flickered. He stood there without moving forward. "Did she say anything?"
Chunqiao shook her head. "Miss Lin didn't say anything."
Lu Huaijin frowned. "Didn't she defend herself?"
Chunqiao lowered her eyes and didn't reply.
She hadn't been there at the time and didn't know the situation. But if Miss Lin had defended herself, she probably wouldn't be kneeling here to be punished.
It was the hottest time of the day.
Lu Huaijin sighed, strode to Lin Wanyu's side, and said in a deep voice, "Get up."