Chapter 556: Chapter 553: Punishment_1 Chapter 556: Chapter 553: Punishment_1 Luo Fugui heard these words and secretly let out a sigh of relief.
But before he could celebrate, he heard Bai Qingyan continue, âLuo Fuguiâs death penalty is pardoned, but his live punishment is inevitable. Cut off his tongue, break his legs, and throw him out of the Dong Mansion. From today onwards, he is not allowed to step into the Dong Mansion again!â Bai Qingyan finished speaking and then set her sights on Qiu Huan. âQiu Huan is Nanny Wangâs niece; I will not deal with her⊠Grandmother should handle it!â
As soon as Bai Qingyanâs words fell, two sturdy servants came in immediately, dragging Luo Fugui out.
âChangmao! Changmao!â Luo Fugui cried in fear, âChangmao, I am your uncle! I did all this so you could gain a foothold in the Dong Mansion! Save me! Save me! I wonât dare anymore! I wonât dare anymore!â
Seeing Dong Changmao unmoved, Luo Fugui cried out again, âPrincess of Zhen, please understand! It was that bitch Qiu Huan who brought the undergarments to me, saying she had a way to help me marry the personal maid of the Princess of Zhen! Princess, please spare me!â
Qiu Huan trembled all over, kowtowing straight away. âNo! This maid did not! Itâs all Luo Fugui framing me! Aunt⊠Aunt, please plead for me!â
Kneeling on the ground, Dong Changmao looked extremely embarrassed. Dong Changlan helped him up, âCousin didnât say she would punish you! She knows it has nothing to do with you; you donât need to be so fearful.â
Madam Dong looked at Qiu Huan, who was curled up into a ball, and spoke slowly, âQiu Huan, your aunt has served by my side for many years, indeed with great effort. She has done her best for you. She once arranged for you to serve in my room, but your ambition was too great. My courtyard could not contain you. Now, not only did you steal, but you dared to collude with an outsider to scheme against the maid by the Princess of Zhenâs side, ruining her reputation. According to my old temper, I would drag you out and beat you to death in front of the whole mansion as a warningâŠâ
âItâs all this old slaveâs fault!â Nanny Wang cried as she knelt down, âThis old slave always cherished this one daughter left by her brother and protected her blindly, making this ignorant dead girl dare to plot against the Princess of Zhenâs maid. This old slave knows Madam Dong and the master, as well as the lady, have been lenient many times because of this old face. I have no face to plead for this dead girl again. Please, Madam Dong, punish her according to the rules! Otherwise, I have no face to serve by your side anymore.â
After speaking, Nanny Wang kowtowed heavily.
âNanny Wang, get up! I am old now, and there are not many people I can talk to. I canât be without you! Besides, this was Qiu Huanâs doing; it has little to do with you!â Madam Dong said, looking at Qiu Huan. âYour brother only left this one daughter. If you take care of her and marry her off, it would be worthy of your brother. I will decide to cane Qiu Huan fifty times. If she survives, I will marry her to Liu Zhuangtouâs son. Though itâs a second marriage, Liu Zhuangtouâs son is honest and a good match!â
âNo! No, Madam Dong! That Liu Zhuangtouâs son is a fool! Aunt⊠he is a fool!â Qiu Huan cried with wide eyes, pleading with Nanny Wang. âAunt! Aunt, you are my only relative! You canât watch me jump into the fire pit! Letting me marry a fool is worse than letting me die! Aunt, this is watching me die!â
Nanny Wang nodded. According to the rules, Qiu Huan caused such a big trouble, implicating the reputation of the Princess of Zhen. It would not be excessive even to beat her to death. However, Madam Dong, considering Nanny Wang, still arranged a marriage for her. Though Liu Zhuangtouâs son was a fool, his family was substantial, and it was a good family!
âThank you, Madam Dong!â Nanny Wang kowtowed to Madam Dong.
âNo! No, Aunt, you promised my father to take care of me! You canât watch me marry a fool!â Qiu Huan cried loudly.
Nanny Wang gritted her teeth and raised her voice to have Qiu Huan dragged out.
As Qiu Huanâs cries faded away, only then did Dong Qingyue speak, âSend Aunt Luo to the village. She need not return unless necessary.â
Dong Changmaoâs face turned pale, and he looked at his father with wide eyes, only to see Dong Qingyue speak about sending Aunt Luo to the village as if it were a matter of throwing away some unused item.
His throat rolled, wanting to step forward to plead for Aunt Luo, but before he could take a step, Dong Qingyueâs piercing gaze shot over. Dong Changmao stood there with clenched teeth, not daring to move.
Dong Changmao didnât understand why Madam Dong could have leniency for Nanny Wang, sparing Qiu Huan, yet his father treated his own concubine so harshly. Aunt Luo was the woman next to his pillow after all!
âFather!â Dong Changlan knelt before Dong Qingyue. âAunt Luo knew nothing of this matter. I think Fatherâs punishment of Aunt Luo is unfair.â
Dong Changmaoâs eyes welled up with gratitude as he looked at his elder brother.
Bai Qingyan glanced at her uncle, then at the tear-filled eyes of Dong Changmao, understanding that her uncle did this to deepen the bond between the brothers.
After all, Dong Changlan always protected his brother and would naturally voice his unfairness for Dong Changmao. Dong Changmao would thus respect and be grateful to his elder brother even more. Over time, Dong Changmao would surely follow Dong Changlan loyally.
This way, in the future, Dong Changlan would have Dong Changmao as his most loyal assistant in whatever he did.
Especially now, with the matter in the Southern Border to be organized after the autumn harvest, Dong Changmaoâs loyalty to Dong Changlan was crucial for this to be accomplished quietly.
Thatâs why Uncle called Dong Changmao back when the incident occurred.
Uncle took great effort to ensure these brothers were united.
Seeing her uncleâs intentions, Bai Qingyan did not intercede further. Dong Changlan straightened up and said, âEven if Aunt Luo was wrong, it was only out of sibling affection that she allowed Luo Fugui into the mansion. If Father must punish⊠it would be better to confine Aunt Luo to the mansion for a month, and in the future, she must not allow Luo Fugui into the mansion again! Changmao is about to get married, so I beg Father to give Aunt Luo some dignity for Changmaoâs sake.â
Dong Changmao saw Dong Qingyueâs frowning expression and hurriedly knelt down, âFather, Aunt Luo is at fault. I know I shouldnât plead for her, and even if Father confines Aunt Luo to the courtyard for life, I beg you not to send her to the village!â
âWhat do you think?â Dong Changmao turned his head to Bai Qingyan.
âChanglan has a point!â Bai Qingyan looked at Dong Changmao. âObjectively speaking, Aunt Luo was not involved in this matter. Yet she came to grandmotherâs courtyard to plead for mercy when she found out. Even now, she is kneeling in the sun. Even if she is truly guilty of oversight, she has been punished enough.â