Chapter Forty-One: I Am Your Father

“I have already explained that I went to the Wan Hong Pavilion today in the company of Prince Yan. As the eldest daughter of the marquis’s household, how could I defy His Highness and bring unnecessary trouble upon the Jing’an Marquis Residence?” Luo Yunqiao had no choice but to explain. Her cold gaze swept over everyone as she said indifferently, “Or is it that, in your eyes, Prince Yan is of no consequence?”

“How dare you!” Luo Chao slammed his hand against the table and roared, “You are clearly trying to bring disaster upon the entire Jing’an Marquis Residence!”

Xiao Muyuan was, after all, the late emperor’s youngest son and commanded a formidable army. The Jing’an Marquis Residence in its current state could never afford to offend him.

“Big Brother… I’m scared…” Luo Yunzhen clutched Luo Zefeng’s sleeve tightly, her eyes already rimmed with red as she trembled. Yet she did not forget to pretend to plead on someone else’s behalf. “Father, if that is the case, then Sister’s visit to the Wan Hong Pavilion was understandable. You should not punish her. As for these two maids…”

“They have served Sister all this time. If Father truly has the heart to punish them, would that not break Sister’s heart?”

“Father, you are broad-minded. Why not show them mercy?”

What a fine scheme to sow discord!

The fury in Luo Chao’s heart indeed burned even hotter.

He had never liked the way Luo Yunqiao relied on Xiao Muyuan’s influence to throw her weight around in the household. Now that he had found an opportunity, he naturally intended to punish her severely.

He sneered. “I gave birth to her and raised her. Could it be that two maids hold a higher place in her heart than I do? Even if I truly sell these two maids off today, Luo Yunqiao, what can you do to me?”

“Father!” A trace of severity entered Luo Yunqiao’s voice. “They merely acted under orders. Even if you intend to punish someone, you should punish me. Besides, I have already explained that this was done at Prince Yan’s request. If you do not believe me, you may go to Prince Yan’s residence and ask him yourself. Why insist on placing all the blame on me?”

She had originally mentioned Xiao Muyuan only as an excuse to avoid punishment. Judging from the situation now, however, it seemed that excuse would not be enough.

She stepped forward and was about to speak when Luo Chao let out an angry roar.

“I am your father, and naturally I have the right to discipline you! Leaving aside the matter of your entering a brothel, the way you speak back to your elders alone is enough to warrant punishment!”

“Fine!”

Luo Yunqiao did not strike an egg against a stone a second time. Though brief, that single word rang out with force. She continued, “Since you are determined to convict me, I have nothing more to say in my defense. But there is one thing: my actions have nothing to do with Jin Xin and Yin Xin. Release them. Otherwise, I shall take this matter to the Yingtian Prefecture and ask its upright magistrate to give me justice.”

Family disgrace must not be exposed to outsiders.

At present, no one yet knew that Luo Yunqiao had gone to the Wan Hong Pavilion. If the matter truly reached the Yingtian Prefecture, the Jing’an Marquis Residence would become a laughingstock.

“Very well.” Luo Chao’s hand trembled despite his efforts to restrain it. He shouted angrily, “Luo Yunqiao has shown no respect for her elders. She is to kneel in the ancestral hall, and she may not rise without my permission.”

The ancestral hall was bitterly cold, and the rain that had fallen in recent days had left it damp as well.

Kneeling on the floor, Luo Yunqiao could not help pressing a hand against her leg.

Yin Xin watched her with tears in her eyes. “Young Miss is being punished because of us. I’ll go and speak to the marquis. I’m willing to bear every punishment—be it a beating or being sold off. Anything is better than letting Young Miss suffer. Your leg has not even healed yet…”

“The marquis truly is unreasonable,” Jin Xin grumbled. “We explained everything clearly. Why does he still insist on punishing Young Miss? And Second Young Master—how did he know we had gone to the Wan Hong Pavilion?”

“That is enough.” Luo Yunqiao interrupted them. “They have been harboring a great deal of resentment these past few days, and today they were bound to vent it. Even if I had invoked His Majesty instead of Prince Yan, they would still have found some fault with me. Besides, their precious daughter has been confined to her quarters repeatedly because of me. How could they possibly endure that?”

“But Second Young Miss deserved it!”

“And what of it?” Luo Yunqiao’s eyes remained tranquil. “That is not how they see it.”

“In their eyes, I am the true culprit responsible for throwing the household into disorder.”

The following day was the fifteenth, and two days later the Little Prince of Nanan was to be married.

The Old Madam summoned the entire family for breakfast, though in truth she intended to discuss the wedding gift.

She looked around the dining table. When she failed to see Luo Yunqiao, her brows drew together in displeasure.

“Where is Yunqiao? Is she still sleeping at this hour?”

“She has become increasingly lawless,” Luo Chao said. “Yesterday she entered a brothel and talked back to her elders. I could no longer tolerate it, so I ordered her to kneel in the ancestral hall.”

Hearing this, the Old Madam found it laughable. She gave a cold snort.

“You have disliked her for more than a day or two. Why bother dressing up your punishment with such lofty excuses? Just because she did not argue with you, do you truly think you are in the right?”

“Mother, keeping such a daughter in the Luo family will only damage the family’s reputation. In my view, what happened last time clearly did not teach her a lesson. She ought to…”

“Be driven out of the Luo family?” The Old Madam finished his sentence, a cold gleam flashing in her eyes.

“I would not dare, Mother.”

Nanny Chen had received her instructions and gone to the ancestral hall to check on Luo Yunqiao. She returned hurriedly, interrupting the Old Madam’s next reprimand.

“Old Madam, the eldest young lady has fainted!”

Everyone in the room froze.

Even Luo Zefeng showed a trace of astonishment. Still, he frowned and said, “What trick is she trying to pull now? We merely told her to kneel for a while. Why is she being so melodramatic?”

“I have already had someone carry the eldest young lady back to her room, and I have sent for a physician…” Nanny Chen hesitated. “Yin Xin is waiting outside. Shall I have her brought in to report?”

“Bring her in.”

Yin Xin was already weeping uncontrollably. She knelt on the floor with her head bowed.

“Old Madam, you must seek justice for our young miss!”

“How could Sister suddenly faint for no reason?” Luo Yunzhen said. “Could it be that you servants failed to care for her properly? Mother, if they cannot even look after Sister, they should no longer be allowed to serve her.”

“Yunzhen, why are you in such a hurry?” The Old Madam’s voice was not loud, yet Luo Yunzhen’s body still trembled. “The matter has not even been clarified, and you are already trying to have the people serving Yunqiao punished. Could it be that you have a guilty conscience?”

Madam Luo immediately shielded her daughter behind her and said with a smile, “Mother, Zhen’er is merely worried about Yunqiao. So many incidents have occurred since she returned. If the people serving her had been willing to advise her, she would not have gone astray. And now, they saw Yunqiao faint and still failed to report it promptly. Clearly they neglected their duty. It is only right that they be punished.”

The Old Madam truly did not wish to listen to their duet any longer. Her gaze fell upon Yin Xin.

“You tell me. What exactly happened?”

“Old Madam, three months ago the eldest young lady went to the Zhaojue Temple to kneel and pray. Aside from the injuries to her face, her leg was also damaged, and the problem keeps recurring. There have been many rainy days lately, and the pain has become unbearable. She knelt throughout the night yesterday and finally could not endure it any longer. That is why she fainted.”

“You are talking nonsense!” Luo Zefeng refused to believe her. “If she had a leg ailment, why did you not summon a physician sooner? We never heard her mention it even once. Clearly, you are merely trying to shirk responsibility.”

“Besides, she did something so disgraceful. Even if she was left with a leg ailment, she brought it upon herself.”