This had startled Aunt Li. Ever since Wen Yulan married into the Zhan family, she had never seen Wen Yulan resort to family discipline, not even towards the second young master.
It seemed Wei Yumeng had truly angered the madam.
However, Wei Yumeng was not just anyone; she was, after all, the legal wife of Zhan Mohan according to the household registration.
She stepped forward, attempting to mediate. "Madam, this... isn't it inappropriate? She just had a miscarriage and is still weak. If she's subjected to family discipline again, I fear she won't be able to bear it. Furthermore, if the eldest young master questions us later, we won't have a good explanation."
But Wen Yulan seemed resolute today, determined to teach Wei Yumeng a lesson.
Her eyes were sharp, conveying a ruthless intent.
"Aunt Li, are you not even listening to me now? Who is the master of this house!"
Aunt Li hesitated, finding herself in a difficult position.
"Madam, but what if the eldest young master asks about it..."
"And what if he asks? It's clear she doesn't respect her elders. How long has she been married, and she already dares to defy my words. If this gets out, people will say I, as a mother-in-law, have failed to discipline my daughter-in-law."
Even Zhan Mohan dared not openly defy her wishes. This Wei Yumeng truly had the courage of a leopard.
Aunt Li had no choice. It seemed Wen Yulan was determined to discipline Wei Yumeng today. However, it wasn't entirely a bad thing; this could be an opportunity to establish the madam's authority.
She went to the ancestral hall in the backyard to retrieve the family discipline implements. Returning, she handed the whip to Wen Yulan. Wen Yulan took it, cracked it sharply on the ground, and ordered Wei Yumeng in a low voice.
"Kneel!"
The shocking sound of the whip echoed in the hall, leaving the other servants trembling just by watching. At this point, even if anyone sympathized with Wei Yumeng, they wouldn't dare to step forward and plead for her.
One of the servants, who was responsible for Zhan Mohan's daily meals and living arrangements, saw that the situation was escalating and turned to leave.
Wei Yumeng had never heard of capital punishment being carried out in such a wealthy household, but thinking about Wen Yulan forcing her to take medicine, she found it unsurprising.
However, she had no intention of kneeling.
Even if she married in as atonement, she still had her dignity. She wouldn't kneel just because she was told to.
"Aunt, even if you intend to use family discipline on me, shouldn't you at least consult Master Zhan's wishes first?"
Wen Yulan's eyes were filled with ferocity. Hearing Wei Yumeng defy her again ignited her temper.
She pointed the whip at two nearby servants. "You two, go and force her to the ground!"
The two servants immediately stepped forward, one gripping Wei Yumeng's shoulder and pushing her down forcefully.
She struggled unwillingly, but she had just undergone surgery. Not to mention this special period, even under normal circumstances, she might not have been a match for two servants.
Her knees landed on the ground with a thud; she couldn't resist any longer.
Wen Yulan smirked sinisterly when she saw Wei Yumeng kneeling.
"Today, I want to see if your mouth is harder than my whip!"
She raised her hand and swung the whip. The whip lashed out like a fiery tongue, hitting Wei Yumeng. She trembled in pain, cold sweat beading on her forehead, biting her lip tightly.
Seeing her attempt to struggle again, the servants pressed her down.
Wen Yulan felt a hint of satisfaction seeing Wei Yumeng in agony.
"Hmph! If you beg for mercy and admit you're wrong, I'll show mercy and let you off."
Wei Yumeng stubbornly lifted her head, her eyes cold and devoid of emotion, which unnerved Wen Yulan.
What kind of look was she giving her? Wen Yulan detested it and raised her hand for another strike.
This time, Wei Yumeng couldn't bear it any longer. The clothes where the whip had struck tore open, and blood seeped from her skin, looking particularly gruesome. Her back bent, one hand propping herself up on the ground, her frail body trembling incessantly.
Her face was as pale as paper, her lips completely bloodless.
The servants watching felt their hearts pound. A whip that thick striking a person, especially Wei Yumeng, who had just miscarried and was still weak.
Aunt Li felt it was enough. If it continued, it might lead to death.
"Madam, she surely knows her mistake now. Let's call it quits, give her a chance."
Wen Yulan snorted. "I said, as long as she apologizes to me and promises never to defy my wishes again, I will forgive her."
Aunt Li went to persuade Wei Yumeng again.
"Madam, you should apologize to the madam. She will definitely forgive you."
Wei Yumeng gritted her teeth, her face trembling. Though she looked like she was on the verge of death, her eyes were remarkably bright.
She gave a sarcastic smile. "Then... then Aunt, shouldn't you also... apologize to me."
Wen Yulan's eyes sharpened. She hadn't expected Wei Yumeng to remain stubborn at this point. Fine, she didn't believe she couldn't handle a mere young girl.
"Since you still don't know your mistake, I'll whip you until you do!"
Just as she was about to swing the third whip, Wei Yumeng's pupils contracted sharply.
"Stop!"
A stern voice cut through from outside, forcing Wen Yulan to halt her whip.
She turned her head and saw Fang Xun pushing Zhan Mohan in. His eyes were sharp and menacing, as if still carrying a chilling wind, making everyone fearful. Wen Yulan's heart sank. Wasn't Zhan Mohan supposed to be at the company? Why was he back at this moment?
Seeing Wei Yumeng kneeling on the ground, held down by two servants, a furious rage surged into Zhan Mohan's eyes.
"Release her!"
The two servants immediately let go. Wei Yumeng, losing her support, collapsed onto the ground. Fang Xun was also startled; Wei Yumeng was covered in blood and had lost consciousness.
He hurried forward and helped Wei Yumeng up. Zhan Mohan ordered,
"Go and call Jing Yan."
"Yes, I'll take Madam back to her room first."
Fang Xun carried Wei Yumeng upstairs.
In the hall, everyone saw Zhan Mohan and lowered their heads in fear, not daring to speak.
Zhan Mohan's sharp, icy gaze swept over everyone, and when it settled on Wen Yulan, it startled her so much that the whip slipped from her hand.
"Mom, Grandpa isn't home, and it seems you've decided to play the head of the household, resorting to family discipline on your own!"
Wen Yulan dared not meet Zhan Mohan's gaze. But she remembered that she was, after all, his father's wife, and for Wei Yumeng's sake, he was questioning her like this for not the first time.
Thinking of this, she tried to suppress her fear of Zhan Mohan.
"Mohan, Wei Yumeng truly doesn't know the meaning of respecting elders. Everyone here heard how she defied my words and talked back to me. In our Zhan family, we've never had someone so ill-mannered. Grandpa isn't here; is it wrong for me, as her mother-in-law, to discipline her?"
Zhan Mohan lowered his head, looking at his long, slender fingers.
"Then I'd like to hear exactly how she defied you and talked back, to the point that you felt the need to resort to family discipline."
Wen Yulan was tired of standing, so she sat down on a chair. Aunt Li poured tea and brought it to her. Wen Yulan took a sip.
"I thought since the child in her belly is gone, she could focus her mind on taking care of you in the Zhan family. So I suggested she stop calling me Aunt and call me Mom, just like you do. But she refused to appreciate it and even dared to demand an apology from me. In this world, I've never seen someone so ill-bred. If I had known she would cause such a scene in this household, I would never have let you marry her."
Her explanation sounded reasonable, and Zhan Mohan couldn't find any fault with it. He could only blame that foolish woman for not knowing how to play the game and deliberately running headfirst into trouble.
He couldn't directly confront Wen Yulan. It wasn't that he couldn't win, but the risks would be too high, leading Wen Yulan to misunderstand something.
Although he didn't have much affection for Wei Yumeng, and her heart had never been with him since their marriage, she was still entangled with Xin Ran. He was worried she might truly cuckold him one day.
"Even so, Mom, you didn't have to resort to family discipline. Her temper is stubborn, but she can be taught slowly. If that doesn't work, we should have waited until Grandpa returned to handle this matter."
"Your grandfather is always busy with matters outside the household, and he's old. Some things are best not to trouble him with."
Wen Yulan resented Zhan Mohan's words. She was, after all, the mistress of the Zhan family. Why was she being attacked by everyone for disciplining a daughter-in-law?
Zhan Mohan calmly reasoned with her, preparing to trap her.
"Since there's no decision on this matter now, and I'm not shielding Wei Yumeng, if she was indeed disrespectful to you, she should apologize. However, since you've used family discipline today, I must truthfully inform Grandpa."
Hearing that Zhan Mohan intended to report the matter to Grandpa Zhan, Wen Yulan's expression changed.
"Mohan, this is just a family matter; there's no need to tell your grandfather."