The hall fell into silence again while outside the door, Yu Si Yu heaved a long breath yet felt rejoice for having such an elder brother like Yu Pin Yan. If it was another household, who in the family will take so much trouble to find out the truth or insist on believing in her innocence under layers of slander. Perhaps a small sedan chair would have long been dispatched to take her out of the door with a few hundred taels. Furthermore, for the sake of saving the family reputation, she might have been drowned in the pond.
It is really a blessing to have grown up under the protection of her elder brother. Yu Si Yu couldn't help but cover her face and cry when she thought of this, regretting all the suspicions and jealousy that she had of her grandmother and elder brother in the past.
With reverence, Feng Momo handed her a handkerchief.
When the last bead finally stopped rolling, the crackling sound echoing in the hall also ceased abruptly. Only then did Yu Pin Yan look towards the terrified Yu Miao Qi and wriggled his hooked up index finger slightly, "Come over to this Marquis."
His cold menace expression and the soft coaxing tone brought an inexplicable sense of familiarity when Yu Si Yu suddenly remembered Yu Xiang was exactly like her elder brother now before she flare up, hence she couldn't help but squinted her eyes and snickered, secretly stating that Yu Miao Qi is going to be out of her luck.
Yu Miao Qi dared not disobey. She walked slowly to the front of the hall, her mind kept thinking of words of excuse when she was fanned out unexpectedly.
Yu Pin Yan has been practicing martial arts since childhood and the strength of his hand is unimaginable to ordinary people. Merely in a blink of an eye, Yu Miao Qi's cheek swelled up like the leavened steamed bun dough and a big cut split out at the corner of her mouth as blood stained her teeth red.
Covering her face and looking over in horror, she obviously did not expect Yu Pin Yan to actually strike at a weak woman like her.
While Lin Shi screamed and lunged towards her daughter but was stopped by Old Madam's walking cane who reprimanded sternly, "You will sit down for me! Yan'er will teach his younger sister a lesson and no one is allowed to interfere!"
Lin Shi was burning with anxiety and wanting to shove the cane away but was hit hard on the kneecaps by Old Madam that she immediately fell to her knees in pain.
Outside the door, Yu Si Yu's breathing became heavier as both the expression of hatred and relief appeared on her face. Inwardly she applauded the actions of her Elder Brother and Grandmother.
Merely feeling her ears buzzing, Yu Miao Qi's brain became even more muddled that she could not think at all. When she heard Yu Pin Yan commanded herself to go closer, she was clearly scared to death and could not control her limbs but to move over gradually.
Yu Pin Yan forcefully grabbed her lower jaw then speak word by word, "Yu Miao Qi, this Marquis has long known what kind of person you are. The decline of the Shen family was due to your vain attempt to seek connection with the Crown Prince and your adoptive father died unjustly because of your deceitful actions while your adoptive mother who wished to send you home was infuriated to death when you took away the silver for her medical treatment. Let's just put aside those past events for the time being. When you know Shen Yuan Qi is also in the Capital, you let others disseminate the information of him being a slave in Xue manor with the intention of ruining his career. As the saying goes, 'the grace of nurturing is greater than the grace of birth', yet you can just abandon the Shen couple who raised you and also do the same to the elder brother who grew up with you. Such a sinister and vicious heart has already reached the point of utter conscienceless. You can just splash dirty water on Xiang'er's head, yet you don't know I will never be the least bit suspicious of her. It's time for you to tear off this hypocritical face of yours to avoid disgusting the people all around you."
Yu Miao Qi was simply scared out of her wits at these words. She thought Lingnan is far away and no one should know about her past since almost all members of the Shen family are dead but who knew Yu Pin Yan has investigated clearly and unambiguously, yet merely withholding the information. As such, it makes sense about his and Old Madam's cold rejection of herself ...
Just like being stripped naked in public, Yu Miao Qi was so ashamed and resentful that she tried to huddle up with both her hands wrapping around her shoulders.
Yu Si Yu who was outside the door revealed a fearful expression for gaining this new understanding of the extent of Yu Miao Qi's insidious viciousness. She is not a beast but simply worse than that!
Lin Shi could not believe at first and cried out frantically, "The Shen couple were precisely the culprits who had harmed Qi'er. What's wrong with Qi'er abandoning them? It's fortunate that they were long dead, if not, I too want them to pay the price..."
"You shut up!" Old Madam smacked Lin Shi's mouth with her walking cane, knocking a gaping hole in her incisor tooth before she spoke in a cold voice, "It is said that with such a mother, there will surely be such a daughter. Having this kind of vicious-hearted mother like you, Shen Miao Qi is naturally not much better. Evil creatures, one and two are all evil creatures!"
"No, no, I didn't do it. Elder Brother, I really didn't do it!" Yu Miao Qi was still putting up the last-ditch.
The ghastly-faced Jin Momo plopped and fell to her knees all of a sudden, kowtowing and said, "Marquis, this matter really has nothing to do with Madam and Young Miss. Everything is Nubi's idea. Nubi could not bear the sight of you guys doting on Miss Xiang'er wantonly yet abandoning Young Miss without care and also unable to stand the extortion of Eldest Young Miss day after day by grasping the leverage of Young Miss, hence Nubi set up this chain of schemes to help Madam and Young Miss get over all their worries. Everything is done by Nubi. Because Nubi was afraid that the family would refuse to contribute, so Nubi coaxed them by saying this was the order of Young Miss and Madam. They naturally will not refuse as they are devoted to both Young Miss and Madam. Nubi is the one guilty. Asking Marquis for condemnation!"
Yu Pin Yan released the grip on Yu Miao Qi and turned to look at Jin Momo. Breathing a sigh of relief, Yu Miao Qi then hurriedly rushed into Lin Shi's arms. Lin Shi, however, was dumbfounded seeing Jin Momo coming forward to take the blame.
Her whole family has fallen into the hands of the Marquis and there will not be any possibility of escaping, thus it will be better to die with them and in a way this will also complete the bond between the master and the servant. Calming down, Jin Momo kowtowed once again and earnestly requested, "It's all done by Nubi. Madam and Young Miss were completely unaware of it, asking Marquis for condemnation."
"Good, very good." Yu Pin Yan smiled astutely and waved his hand, "Since you are determined to seek death, this Marquis will fulfill you. As for whose handiwork these matters were, this Marquis has his own conclusion. Although this Marquis is cruel and ruthless, I will still not go to the extent of killing my own mother and younger sister."
Both Lin Shi and Yu Miao Qi revealed the expression of survivors after a disaster.
Shooting a glance at both of them, Yu Pin Yan continued, "However, if there is a next time, this Marquis will absolutely not be merciful and can't do without chopping a few discontented hands."
Lin Shi and Yu Miao Qi hurriedly hid their trembling hands in their sleeves.
Feng Momo immediately sent someone to tie Jin Momo up while Yu Pin Yan urged Old Madam to rest in the room before ordering the mother and daughter to follow him to the dungeon. Hiding within Lin Shi's arms, Yu Miao Qi and Lin Shi stumbled towards the door when they heard Old Madam's unhurried speech, "Hold on, untie the purse around your waist before leaving. It's merely a scrap of paper, why are you still pretending to carry it around and actually playing me like a monkey."
Yu Miao Qi's whole body stiffened as she stood frozen for a long time before regaining her senses. She pulled off the purse and handed it to Ma Momo whose eyes were full of mockery. Ma Momo took out the scrap of paper inside and unfolded it for her master to see before tearing it into pieces in passing.
After tossing around for so long, she actually tormented herself all along. Only then did Yu Miao Qi understand that Yu manor is completely different from Shen family and it's no longer a place where she is allowed to have everything going her way. She has treated and hoodwinked everyone as fools but who knows that others have treated and watched her like a jumping clown.
She has long lost her face completely!
Thinking of this, Yu Miao Qi's blood surged up and almost exploded her already swollen cheek. Hiding within Lin Shi's embrace, she timidly walked out and just when she crossed the threshold, she came across Yu Si Yu who was glaring at her. She deliberately avoided her yet was repeatedly blocked by her.
"Yu Si Yu, are you defying the Heavens!" Lin Shi rebuked angrily.
"I am precisely defying the Heavens, what are you going to do then? Kill me if you have the ability!" Yu Si Yu laughed grimly then ruthlessly spat a mouthful of thick phlegm on Yu Miao Qi's face and cursed, "Slut! Bitch! A creature worse than a dog or pig! I, Yu Si Yu will be at odds with you from now on!"
As Yu Pin Yan was standing by the side and watching coldly, Yu Miao Qi dared not retort but only used her sleeve to silently wipe away the thick spittle.
Yu Si Yu smiled contemptuously and apologized to her elder brother before running towards Yu Xiang, who was not far away then gesticulating while she talked about something. Yu Pin Yan waved at his younger sister then brought both mother and daughter along with Jin Momo to the dungeon.
"Jin Momo had committed murders behind her master, thus her crime is too serious to be pardoned and shall be punished by a hundred beatings with the wooden staves." Sitting down on the wooden armchair, he spoke coldly.
On both sides of the prison cells held all the children and grandchildren of Jin Momo, there were more than a dozen people and all of whom were here. After hearing those words, they hurriedly pounced towards the door of the prison cells to beg for mercy, and called for help from Lin Shi and Yu Miao Qi.
Lin Shi and Yu Miao Qi huddled together, shivering in fear.
"Sit down and take a good look at what sins you guys have actually created." Yu Pin Yan patted the two chairs beside him.
With fear and trepidation, Lin Shi and Yu Miao Qi sat down and looked at him with implored eyes from time to time.
Yu Pin Yan, however, ignored them as he beckoned his hand and said, "Execute."
The guards tied Jin Momo to a chair then swung the staves and struck her with a bang. At first, Jin Momo persevered with gritted teeth but after thirty hits, she began to beg for mercy then her tongue was bitten off after fifty hits yet she was still breathing and stared fixedly at the mother and daughter with a pair of bloodshot eyes.
A short while later, only a muffled cracked sound was heard where her spine actually broken and the badly mangled body severed into two while pieces of flesh splattered everywhere by the waving of the swinging staves.
The family members of Jin Momo on both sides of the prison cells dared not witness such a horrible sight. They hugged each other and cried while several young children had already fainted out of fear.
Lin Shi and Yu Miao Qi naturally did not dare to watch too, each had their heads turned and their eyes shut.
Yu Pin Yan did not care about Lin Shi. He stood up and walked to Yu Miao Qi's side, clasping her lower jaw to forcefully turn her face around and ordered in a cold voice, "Open your eyes, otherwise this Marquis will personally dig out your eyeballs." Holding the official title All Commander, Yu Pin Yan knows better than anyone on how to destroy a person's will or make the other party feel worse than death without hurting the skin and flesh.
Tremblingly, Yu Miao Qi eventually opened her bloodshot eyes to look at the person who had been savagely struck into two. A hundred strokes finally finished, she raised her neck and panted heavily yet seeing Yu Pin Yan leisurely lowering his rolled up sleeves and carefully smoothing out the folds. His tone was unprecedentedly gentle, "As such, this Marquis will no longer pursue your previous crimes. These people are also at your disposal, whether to kill or release will all depend on your words."
To kill or release? Yu Miao Qi fell into a more painful struggle. Should these people be released, they harbored resentment and knew too much of the shameful secret, thus they would inevitably be detrimental to herself in the future but to kill them off, she would then appear to be heartless and faithless.
But in the heart of Yu Pin Yan and Old Madam, she herself has long become the kind of heartless and faithless person, so what's there to hide? After all, her own safety is more important!
After making up her mind, Yu Miao Qi gritted her teeth and said, "Kill."
Snapping her head around, Lin Shi looked at her with a stunned gaze. Jin Momo had nurtured/breastfed Lin Shi since she was a child and her two daughters were like sisters to Lin Shi. According to Lin Shi, she would naturally release them and give some compensation then let them leave the Capital forever. At any rate, they would at least have a way out but she never expected her daughter would choose to have them killed.
No matter how partial she is towards her daughter, Lin Shi could not help but feel traces of chillness in her heart.
Yu Pin Yan laughed superficially and clapped his hands, "Indeed this Marquis' Di[1] younger sister. Ruthless enough. In that case, all will be beaten to death without exception and you will continue to watch the punishment. This Marquis will leave first."
He walked to the door and ordered several guards, "They are not allowed to leave until the sentence is over. If Yu Miao Qi refuses to open her eyes, use the bamboo sticks to prop her eyelids up. There's no need to be polite."
Those guards undertook the task with profound voices as Yu Miao Qi slumped into the chair instantly.