Chapter 72.1 - Shu Xiang’s Fate (Part I) (2/2)

“There’s no harm,” the Crown Prince laughed heartily. “Bengong is always benevolent. Go ahead, I am here to watch you all receive the corporal punishment.”

Xia Yan was stupefied while Jiang Chao and Jiang Su Su stared blankly for a while. Xia Cheng got so angry that the flesh on his cheeks trembled slightly. The Crown Prince’s move was like slapping him in the face! He had gone so far as to make all of the Xia family’s womenfolk lie on the stools to be flogged, including the young girls who had not married out yet!

“Your Highness…” Xia Cheng still wanted to plead.

“Wangye!” Xia Jiao Jiao fell on her knees in front of Xiao Shao. “You are kind and generous. Since you have just helped Biaomei, please intercede for us and ask the Crown Prince for mercy. Please help us!”

Jiang Ruan watched her action. In the past, when she was in the palace, Xia Jiao Jiao always appeared tyrannical. She had never seen her in such a mess before. After all, it’s said that a dog threatens others based on its master’s power.

Before everyone’s eyes, Xiao Shao took a step back slowly. His elegantly handsome face remained unmoved, as cold as before. He spoke in an indifferent manner, “What does it have to do with me?” It was pure disdain. He actually showed no pity and tenderness toward the fairer sex at all.

Xia Jiao Jiao turned stiff at his words. Her body started to shiver. She looked at Xiao Shao full of anguish and helplessness. It’s a pity that the waterside flower sheds petals for love, while the heartless brook babbles on[2]. She shed her tears in vain.

[2] Luòhuāyǒuyì, liúshuǐwúqíng ( 落花有意，流水无情 ) – idiom, lit. the falling flowers are yearning for love, but the heartless brook ripples on; fig. one side is willing, yet the other one remains indifferent (usually of unrequited love).

“Are you questioning my decision?” The Crown Prince was displeased.

Xia Jiao Jiao was startled. Jiang Su Su cast a pleading glance at Xuan Li but he looked at her apologetically. In a scenario like this, he couldn’t overtly challenge the Crown Prince.

Jiang Su Su gritted her teeth. “It’s my fault. Su Su voluntarily accepts the punishment and asks Da Jiejie for forgiveness.” After speaking, and without looking at the crowd, she walked straight towards the courtyard.

The Crown Prince waved his hand. “Set up the stool. Bengong will see them receive the punishment in person.”

Jiang Chao and Xia Yan looked at each other. They could only grit their teeth and follow towards the courtyard. Shen Rou and several others were very much unwilling in their hearts. However, seeing Xia Yan obediently step forward, they didn’t dare to refuse.

The young manservant in the courtyard soon found a stool and a wooden club to administer the punishment. The ones tasked for it were the Xia family’s own old female servants. Originally, they wanted to show mercy, but the Crown Prince declared, “If bengong sees anyone not doing the task according to the public duty, immediately, they will be dragged out and chopped up to feed the dogs.” Upon hearing this, the servants promptly dispelled that idea from their minds.

Xia Cheng was angry and distressed. Watching his children and grandchildren being punished in the courtyard, his heart was filled with resentment. All these years, his life was smooth sailing. He didn’t expect that by framing a little girl today they would suffer such a great humiliation.

The Crown Prince stood in the courtyard watching lazily. The old female servants were fat and strong. They struck without mercy. Those on the scene were all delicate-skinned and fair-complexioned daughters of a noble family. They had never received such a heavy punishment. Soon, their cries of utter anguish and continuous shrieks were resounding in the courtyard. Jiang Su Su laid on a stool with unbearable pain on her behind. She was more incensed about the humiliation than the pain. In front of Jiang Ruan and these royal princes and Wangye, she had no prestige left. Like a dead pig, she was tied to the stool and tortured. Right then, she made an oath. If this hatred was not avenged, she vowed, she’s not human!

Jiang Ruan stepped out slowly from the crowd and watched Xia Yan’s punishment. Was it painful? The agony they had inflicted on her was a hundred, even a thousand times worse than that. There was no one to offer help nor plead for her when she painfully struggled at death’s door. Xia family, this pain was just the beginning.

Xuan Li walked up to her and asked, “Eldest Jiang Miss, don’t you think they’re pitiful?”

“Those who are pitiful must have something hateful about them.” Jiang Ruan smiled. “Besides, the order is from His Highness the Crown Prince, Ruan niang is powerless.”

Xuan Li choked. It was almost within reach, but for some unknown reason, there was a weird feeling inside his heart. The Jiang family’s eldest di daughter before him had never shown even an ounce of fear in the face of all kinds of situations today. It seemed that from the beginning till now, she had maintained a gentle and proper smile.

At such a young age, either she was extremely cunning or she had foreseen all the possibilities that might happen today. Was it all within her grasp? Xuan Li immediately negated this idea. A myriad of things in the world were constantly changing. How could anyone control everything? He looked again at the smiling Jiang Ruan and doubted his guess just now.

Jiang Ruan looked at what was happening in front of her calmly. Yesterday, she had ordered Lian Qiao to replace that box of pastries. She naturally understood what Xia Yan had intended. Moreover, the Crown Prince suddenly paying a visit to Old Marquis Xia’s fu today was also her handling.

The Crown Prince had a subordinate who usually pretended to be a story-teller at the Dong Feng Lou. She had heard Xuan Li mention it in her last life. When Xia Yan came to inform her about going to Marquis Xia’s fu, Jiang Ruan told Lu Zhu to go to Dong Feng Lou, pretending to be Xia fu’s servant girl, and mention it inadvertently.

The relationship between Xuan Li and Xia Cheng was a bit subtle. This matter was viewed as very sensitive among the princes. Once the news that Xuan Li was paying a visit to Xia Cheng was leaked, His Highness the Crown Prince would naturally come to the Xia fu to join him. However, she didn’t foresee Xiao Shao’s coming.

As for the current Crown Prince, she had heard a lot about his conduct in her last life inside the palace. The Crown Prince had no political insight, moreover, his mind was not very deep. Early on, the Emperor wanted to change the Crown Prince, but his plan failed due to Xiao Shao’s obstruction. Everyone thought that the Crown Prince was unfavored, but it was this unfavored prince who remained at the end when all the other princes in the palace were disposed of one after another by Xuan Li. It remained unknown whether the Emperor had anything to do with it.

The Crown Prince’s main trait was actually considered to be his biggest shortcoming: his simple-mindedness. Similar to Jiang Ruan, the Crown Prince was a part of the royal family and found himself to be unfavoured in front of everyone. He was supposed to have a profound mind, but in fact he was rather simple-minded and emotional.