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Wen Sitong’s sister-in-law looked at Wang Jinhe with gratitude. “Thank you, County Princess.”
“You’re welcome. Uncle Wen, how about this? Take some time to gather the Qi family members. Since she wanted to steal something from my child, we are the victims and can demand an explanation from her family,” Wang Jinhe suggested a different approach.
Simply sending Qi Rong back to her family might not result in any punishment, and it could ultimately implicate Wen Sitong’s sister-in-law. However, if the family members were called to handle the matter, the outcome would be different.
“Alright.”
After about half an hour, Qi Rong’s parents rushed over. Upon seeing Wang Jinhe, their eyes lit up. They were about to greet her when Wen’s father spoke up, “We called you here to inform you that from today onwards, our families have no further ties. My daughter-in-law is also severing all relations with your family. There will be no further communication between us.”
Wen’s father’s words caused a slight change in Qi Rong’s father’s expression. “What do you mean by this, Uncle Wen?”
“On the day my son-in-law came to our house to finalize a good day, your daughter did something. What she did has nothing to do with us.”
“What does what Qi Yuan did have to do with Rong Rong?” Qi’s father looked at Wen’s father dissatisfied and said.
Qi Yuan looked at her father with a sarcastic expression. He was convicting her without even asking her. It seemed to be a long-standing habit.
Qi Yuan was used to it, but Wen Jian was not pleased. “The one who did wrong is not my wife, but your precious daughter, Qi Rong.”
“Trying to steal from the County Princess’s child in front of them.”
Qi Rong’s father looked at Wen Jian in disbelief, then turned to Qi Rong and asked through gritted teeth, “What is going on?”
“Father, don’t listen to their nonsense. This man looks good and seems very wealthy. I want to marry him,” Qi Rong exclaimed excitedly, pointing at Su Yu.
She had never seen such fine fabric on anyone’s clothes before. If she married him, she would surely be able to wear such fine clothes. Plus, she could outshine Qi Yuan.
Qi Yuan dared not look at Su Yu’s expression. This woman really dared to think.
“Do you even know who he is?” Qi Yuan couldn’t bear to see Qi Rong’s embarrassing behavior and couldn’t help but speak up.
“What kind of person could he be? What does it have to do with you?” Qi Rong retorted.
“Qi Rong, you have some nerve. You dare to covet even the husband of the County Princess. My husband and I were married by imperial decree, and the Empress Dowager issued an edict forbidding anyone from interfering in our lives. Are you defying the imperial decree?” Wang Jinhe looked at Qi Rong coldly and asked sarcastically.
Qi Rong’s father couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Defying the imperial decree was a serious offense that could lead to execution and the extermination of one’s entire family.
“You’re just envious,” Qi Rong said angrily.
Then, looking at Su Yu, she asked, “Sir, are you…”
“Where did this ugly creature come from? Yuan Xu, throw her out, she’s annoying,” Su Yu interrupted, pinching his throat to mimic her voice.
Wang Jinhe reached out and pressed Su Yu’s hand, then looked at Yuan Xu beside her. “Give her a beating before throwing her out. It’s too lenient to just toss her out like this.”
Yuan Xu kicked Qi Rong, making her kneel on the ground. He then kicked her in the back, causing her to fall prostrate. Yuan Xu waved his hand, and two people came forward with paddles and began to beat her.
Qi Rong’s father hurriedly knelt in front of Wang Jinhe, pleading, “County Princess, spare my daughter. She won’t dare to do it again.”
Seeing Wang Jinhe unmoved, Qi Rong’s father could only pin his hopes on Qi Yuan.
“Yuan, no matter what, she’s your sister. If she’s beaten again, she’ll be ruined,” he said.
Qi Yuan smiled sarcastically. “Father, you’re making a fuss over nothing. Twenty paddles won’t kill anyone. What are you worried about?”
“Qi Yuan, you…”
“When I was nine, that woman slandered me, and you had me beaten thirty times. I’m still alive and well, aren’t I? I was only nine and didn’t die. Can a person in their teens be killed by a beating?” Qi Yuan said coldly.
Qi Rong’s father looked somewhat embarrassed. In the end, it was found that Qi Yuan had nothing to do with the incident. He couldn’t bring himself to apologize and could only reprimand Qi Yuan for not speaking up earlier.
At the time, he hadn’t thought much about it, but upon reflection, he felt extremely embarrassed. He hadn’t given Qi Yuan a chance to speak, and he didn’t believe her words. Even if she had spoken, he wouldn’t have believed her, and the result would have been the same.
“From now on, I sever my father-daughter relationship with you,” Qi Yuan said, kneeling and looking at Wang Jinhe. “In Xuan Empire’s law, severing ties with parents warrants fifty lashes. I am willing to accept the punishment.”
Qi Rong’s father stared blankly at Qi Yuan, completely disregarding Qi Rong’s screams from being beaten.
Trembling, he pointed at Qi Rong, his body shaking. “You… You would endure to be punished just to sever ties with me?”
“Since my mother passed away, I haven’t had a father. You are just Qi Rong’s father,” Qi Yuan said.
Wang Jinhe turned to Su Yu. “Is that true?”
Su Yu nodded. “Yes, but if parents are unkind and force their children to sever ties, the punishment can be mitigated at the discretion of the law.”
Wen Jian breathed a sigh of relief and then knelt beside Qi Yuan. “County Princess, since my mother-in-law passed away, my wife has suffered abuse in the Qi family. She has been physically abused since childhood. When it was time for her to marry, her stepmother almost married her off to a seventy-year-old man. Qi Rong’s father was aware of this and strongly supported it for the sake of the ten thousand taels of dowry. When my wife refused, she was locked up and beaten.”
Realizing that mere words might not be convincing, Wen Jian rolled up Qi Yuan’s sleeve, revealing numerous scars covering her arm.
The onlookers gasped in shock at the sight of the scars. How many times had she been beaten to have so many scars?
“What a great father.”
“It truly confirms the saying, ‘where there’s a stepmother, there’s a stepfather.’ Other men probably pale in comparison to this stepfather,” Wang Jinhe said sarcastically.
“Qiu Yi, administer ten lashes,” Wang Jinhe instructed Qiu Yi.
“Yes.”
Feeling reassured, Wen Jian then spoke up, “County Princess, can I take the punishment for my wife? She is pregnant.”
The severely injured Qi Rong, barely clinging to life, screamed, “It’s impossible! Qi Yuan is like a hen that can’t lay eggs. How could she be pregnant?”
“You’re in for a disappointment. My wife’s health has long been restored.” Since Tongtong and her brother-in-law’s engagement, their family had been consuming health improving vegetables and fruits. Her brother-in-law even arranged for a doctor from the County Princess’s residence to treat Qi Yuan, ultimately restoring her health. A few days ago, when Qi Yuan felt unwell, he took her to see the doctor, only to discover that she was one month pregnant.
Qi Rong looked at Qi Yuan with resentment. “How could you be so lucky?”
Wang Jinhe looked at Wen Jian. “Punishing Qi Yuan is just following the rules. If you want to take the punishment for her, it won’t be lenient. Have you thought it through?”