Chapter 19: Thunderous Means, Killing the Chicken to Warn the Monkey

Shen Ning put down her chopsticks, wiped the corners of her mouth leisurely with a handkerchief, and then looked up at Mama Wu.

Her eyes were cold, her face devoid of any emotional fluctuations.

“Since you know I am the Regent Consort, you should kneel down first to pay your respects and listen to the rules I set.” Shen Ning’s voice was cold, like that of the Grim Reaper from hell. “Those who committed insubordination last night are all dead. Do you wish to join them, Granny Wu?”

Mama Wu’s face turned ugly in an instant. “Is the Regent Consort using the power of the Duke’s estate to not take anyone seriously?”

Shen Ning looked at her expressionlessly, her gaze icy and merciless.

“I am the stewardess of the Regent’s estate, and I oversee all matters, big and small, within the inner courtyard.” Mama Wu felt her authority was being challenged and looked at Shen Ning as if she were an ant. “While the Regent Consort is the mistress, even mistresses can’t get everything right when they first arrive.”

Shen Ning’s voice was indifferent. “Shi Qin, Shi Qi.”

The two maids bowed their heads. “Yes.”

“Granny Wu has provoked and threatened the Regent Consort, committing insubordination. Drag her out and give her thirty lashes.” Shen Ning commanded coldly. “Have all the grannies and maids of the inner courtyard come over to witness the punishment being carried out, to serve as a warning to others.”

“Yes.”

“You dare?” Mama Wu took a step back in shock, her voice sharp as she emphasized, “I am here by the Empress Dowager’s order to manage the miscellaneous affairs of the Regent’s estate’s inner courtyard. The Regent Consort has no right to punish me!”

Shen Ning’s voice was indifferent. “Drag her out.”

Shi Qin and Shi Qi grabbed her from either side and dragged her out.

“Princess Consort, if you dare hit me, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager will not spare you!” Mama Wu struggled and screamed, her tone finally tinged with fear. “The Empress Dowager will never spare you—”

“Bind her with ropes.” Shen Ning commanded calmly. “Since someone is so eager to provoke me, today is a good day for this new Regent Consort to establish her authority.”

Soon, two maids brought over a spring bench, and Shi Qin and Shi Qi forced Mama Wu to lie face down on it. Amidst her furious roars, they skillfully tied her upper body securely with ropes.

With this, no matter how much she struggled, she could only kick her legs in vain.

“Summon all the housekeeper grannies, first-rank maids, second-rank maids, and cleaning servants of the Regent’s estate.” Shen Ning ordered as she walked out and stood in the courtyard. “Many people still don’t know what happened in the bridal chamber last night. Today, we will execute the estate’s family law in public, so that everyone can recognize who the mistress of the house is.”

The servants of Golden Courtyard had witnessed Shen Ning’s methods last night, and coupled with the Regent’s words from last night, it was undoubtedly a show of support for the Consort. Even the two princesses had knelt down to kowtow and admit their mistakes to the Regent’s Consort. Who among the servants would dare to disrespect the Regent’s Consort?

At Shen Ning’s command, someone had already run out to relay the order. Before long, grannies and maids began to arrive one after another, and even the cooks from the kitchen were called over.

The courtyard was packed with people.

All eyes were on Mama Wu, who was tied to the spring bench. The crowd’s expressions varied—surprise, hesitation, anxiety, unease, anticipation, each gaze reflecting different thoughts.

“Granny Wu is the stewardess of the estate, so she came to provoke me early in the morning.” Shen Ning said as she sat down in a chair and accepted a cup of hot tea from a maid. “I usually don’t like noise or trouble, but when someone provokes me, I won’t be lenient.”

As soon as she finished speaking, two maids wielding bamboo rods struck Mama Wu’s backside fiercely.

“Ah!” Mama Wu immediately screamed in agony.

Two servants squatted on the ground, holding down her wildly kicking legs with all their might.

The bamboo rods continued to lash Mama Wu’s backside, eliciting continuous screams from her: “Ahhhh!”

The crowd in the courtyard was deathly silent, their faces pale, their expressions filled with fear and unease as they stood silently. The only sounds were the whipping and Mama Wu’s screams, which echoed in everyone’s ears.

“Ah! Regent Consort, I… I was sent by the Empress Dowager, you can’t hit me, ahhhh!” Mama Wu screamed hoarsely, her face soon turning deathly pale. “The Empress Dowager won’t spare you, she definitely won’t spare you—ahhhh!”

Under the robe, there was only a thin pair of trousers. The heavy bamboo rod hitting her body felt like oil poured over a fire. Before long, blood began to seep out from her backside.

“Originally, it was decided to be thirty lashes.” Shen Ning said, holding a tea cup and casually scraping the foam with the tea lid. “But since Granny Wu refuses to repent, today we will continue until she knows her mistake. If she accidentally dies, drag her out to feed the dogs.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the servants of the estate were frightened.

Everyone’s eyes were on Shen Ning’s face, finding it hard to believe that such a young girl could be so heartless. The daughter of the Duke’s estate was clearly young, with a stunning and delicate appearance, looking as if she knew nothing of the world, yet she spoke with such ruthlessness.

Mama Wu dared to commit insubordination for two reasons: first, relying on the Empress Dowager’s power, and second, probably thinking that Shen Ning was young and could be bullied, so she dared to act old and arrogant.

For the past two years, Mama Wu had been managing the estate in the Regent’s absence, with the Empress Dowager’s backing. Everyone in the estate listened to her, which was why she dared to offend the Regent Consort on the second day of her marriage.

However, the new Regent Consort’s decisive actions were beyond everyone’s expectations. Could it be that after being violated by bandits, she was stimulated and thus…

“Ah!” Another strike, and Mama Wu’s back was already stained with a large patch of blood. Her entire body was covered in cold sweat, her face deathly pale, and her lips bitten bloody from the pain. “Regent Consort, the Empress Dowager… won’t spare you…”

Shen Ning drank her tea with her eyes lowered, showing no reaction to the threat.

Governing a household is like governing an army, it requires thunderous means to kill the chicken to warn the monkeys.

It instills fear in everyone, preventing chaos, and ensures peace and order in the future.

She didn’t want to put on airs of superiority, but she also detested the constant provocations. Since they dared to do this, they must have the courage and not fear death.

“The Regent Consort has married into the estate and will be the mistress of the Regent’s estate from now on. Granny Wu, as a wicked servant, has bullied her master and committed insubordination, a crime punishable by death!” Shi Qin, standing beside Shen Ning, coldly surveyed the surroundings. “The Regent has ordered that the Regent Consort’s status in the Regent’s estate is equivalent to his own. Therefore, disrespecting the Regent Consort is the same as disrespecting the Regent. According to the rules, the punishment can range from a slap in the face to a beating, and in severe cases, death by beating. Anyone who is tired of living is welcome to test the law!”

“This old servant doesn’t dare.” Someone knelt down with a thud. “This old servant will follow the Regent Consort’s lead and will never dare to disrespect the Regent Consort. Please, Regent Consort, understand!”

“Please, Regent Consort, understand!”

“Please, Regent Consort, understand!”

With a clatter, a group of people knelt down. All the grannies and maids who had been standing in the courtyard knelt down, vying to express their loyalty.

Shen Ning remained silent.

Mama Wu was now breathing more out than in, her screams weakening, her body convulsing like a dying fish from time to time.

“Granny Wu, do you know your mistake?” Shi Qin walked up to Granny Wu and asked coldly, “If you know your mistake, the Regent Consort will spare you.”

Mama Wu was covered in cold sweat, her hands clawing at the spring bench, her voice trembling: “I am the Empress Dowager’s person, you have no right to hit me…”

Shen Ning’s face was expressionless: “Continue.”

Several grannies in the courtyard were horrified.

Mama Wu had already been beaten like this, and they were to continue?

Mama Wu was like a fish out of water. Upon hearing these words, she suddenly struggled as if she had a moment of clarity, staring fiercely at Shen Ning: “You really dare to beat me to death, the Empress Dowager won’t spare you—”

“Stop!” A blue-clad woman, surrounded by several maids, hurried over, stepped into the courtyard, and rushed to Mama Wu’s side. “Aunt Wu, Aunt Wu.”