Chapter 276: Chapter 276 Severe Punishment
Xie Jingchen really couldn’t help but feel like spitting blood.
With a flick of his hand, he tossed Su Jin, who he was holding, onto the bed.
Though the bed was soft, it was still a wooden plank bed. Being thrown onto it, her backside hit hard, causing Su Jin to grimace in pain.
She glared at Xie Jingchen.
Xie Jingchen, holding his forehead, walked off with large strides.
He was indeed quite ill.
He actually asked her for a cure for impotence.
No matter where she learned her medical skills from.
The doctor who taught her shouldn’t have taught her this.
The door creaked open and then shut with another creak.
Su Jin couldn’t help but laugh.
Compete with her?
You’re still too young!
But impotence...
Su Jin laughed for a long time and then began to ponder this matter.
If her guess was correct, it should be that Third Master fell ill,
Thinking of how Third Master had diarrhea while taking aphrodisiacs, if there weren’t any side effects, he must have had very strong mental resilience.
With the Old Madam fainting combined with Third Master’s illness, doctors and Imperial Physicians came to the Duke Zhen Country Mansion one after another.
The Old Madam was just overwhelmed with anger and sadness and would be fine after a few days of recuperation.
Third Master’s illness was more troublesome, and the doctors and Imperial Physicians were all at their wits’ end.
Though each doctor and Imperial Physician was bribed and instructed not to let the news spread, not everyone’s lips are that sealed.
As one thing led to another, the matter spread.
In the evening, the sunset was like brocade, splendid and dazzling.
Young Master Su sat on the rockery, sighing long and deep.
It was already dinner time, why hadn’t his mother come to the Jibei Marquis Mansion to take him back yet?
It’s tolerable if his father doesn’t want him, but could his mother be so cruel as well?
A little maid ran over and said, "Young Masters, it’s time for dinner."
Young Master Shen looked at Young Master Su, "Aren’t you coming down yet?"
With a move, Young Master Su leaped down from the rockery, making the maid’s heart leap with fright.
Young Master Shen was full of admiration.
They were about the same age, but such a high rockery—his parents didn’t allow him to climb it, yet Young Master Su could jump up and down without a care.
The two went to eat.
Usually, everyone at the Jibei Marquis Mansion ate separately, but today was a rare family meal.
In the words of the Old Madam, it was to have a family feast, to lively things up.
Young Master Su sat next to the Old Madam, who kept feeding him, doting on him immensely.
Old Master Shen and Third Master Shen kept staring at Marquis Jibei, sensing something was amiss.
Earlier, they’d called an Imperial Physician to take Marquis Jibei’s pulse, and though he said nothing, he gave them a sound scolding after the physician had left.
Young Master Shen looked at Young Master Su, "Stay with me tonight, will you?"
He really liked this little friend.
Young Master Su looked at him and asked, "Can you take a kick?"
Young Master Shen, "...?"
"Take a kick?" He didn’t quite understand.
"I’m a restless sleeper," Young Master Su said.
"How restless?" Young Master Shen asked.
"I spend most of the time sleeping on the floor."
"...."
Everyone held their breath, trying not to laugh.
Marquis Jibei said, "You’ll sleep with me tonight."
"Huh?" Young Master Su was dumbfounded.
Equally stunned was Young Master Shen.
He’d never even slept with his grandfather.
When Marquis Jibei said something, he meant it; Old Madam didn’t object, so no one else said anything either.
After dinner, everyone went back to their quarters.
Young Master Su stayed to chat with the Old Madam.
That night, he went to bed with Marquis Jibei.
Marquis Jibei soon realized that what Su Yang said was true.
"Restless" didn’t even begin to describe it; his sleep was more intense than a battle.
Marquis Jibei was kicked until his whole body ached.
He was rubbing his shoulder and waist as he went to morning court.
Many ministers noticed and asked, "Old Marquis, are you feeling unwell?"
"It’s nothing," Marquis Jibei laughed.
Could he say he got kicked by a child not yet seven years old while sleeping?
Marquis Jibei greeted others with a smile,
but not so much with Marquis Dongxiang.
With a son sleeping so violently, couldn’t the father teach him better? Is it really great for him to wake up on the floor every day?!
The floor was cold. Wasn’t he worried about Yangyang getting sick?
Marquis Dongxiang knew Yangyang had slept with Marquis Jibei. He also knew Yangyang was a restless sleeper, but seeing how badly Marquis Jibei got kicked, why couldn’t he stop laughing?
But soon, Marquis Dongxiang couldn’t laugh anymore.
He was impeached again.
At least seven or eight ministers stood up to impeach him.
Of course, it was about the protection money business at the Dongxiang Marquis Mansion.
The ministers beseeched the Emperor to severely punish Marquis Dongxiang.
The Emperor looked at Marquis Dongxiang, "What’s really going on here?"
Marquis Dongxiang glanced at the Emperor, then turned to the ministers, "Who told you all I’m charging protection fees?"
"That’s what’s being said all over the street!" the leading accusing minister declared.
"What exactly have you heard? Report it to the Emperor truthfully," Marquis Dongxiang said lazily.
The Emperor said, "Speak up."
The minister then reported to the Emperor every detail of what happened on the street.
When he finished, Marquis Dongxiang smiled and said, "Under the emperor’s very nose, local bullies run rampant, oppressing the people, and no one cares."
"My Dongxiang Marquis Mansion’s servant, seeing injustice, gets impeached; they even want the Emperor to punish me."
"You ministers are in office to protect bullies, aren’t you?"
The faces of those ministers turned purple.
Duke Chong looked at Marquis Dongxiang and said, "Bullies should be severely punished, but if the Dongxiang Marquis Mansion collected protection fees, it should be penalized!"
Marquis Dongxiang looked at him and said, "My Dongxiang Marquis Mansion’s servant merely said that street will be protected by me from now on. Which word implies collecting protection fees?"
"Knowing full well that court officials are waiting to catch me off guard, do you think my Dongxiang Marquis Mansion would foolishly give you an opportunity to impeach me?"
"Besides, how much money would a little protection fee be? The gold and silver left by the Chong’s Mansion are enough for my Dongxiang Marquis Mansion to live off comfortably for decades," Marquis Dongxiang said.
"Such small change doesn’t even catch my eye."
Such sheer wealth and confidence.
Swish!
A sharp blade seemed to stab directly at Duke Chong’s heart.
Duke Chong was so angry he almost spat out blood on the spot.
The Emperor’s mouth twitched.
Now that’s truly having a sharp tongue.
"Impeaching without clarifying the facts first, three months of salary deductions will serve as a warning!" the Emperor declared.
The ministers quickly knelt to admit their mistake.
The national treasury saved some expenditure again.
The Emperor was in a great mood.
Jibei Marquis Mansion.
A carriage slowly came to a stop.
The maid helped Mrs. Tang down, watching the golden plaque of the Jibei Marquis Mansion gleam in the sunlight.
Mrs. Tang walked in with a smile.
Madam Shen came out to greet her, saying, "Dongxiang Marquis’s wife is here."
Mrs. Tang smiled at her, "Yangyang’s mischievousness must have been a hassle for the mansion."
Madam Shen chuckled, "Not at all, Young Master Su’s innocent and adds charm to the mansion like nothing I’ve ever seen. Your son Su Jin doesn’t even need to be mentioned."
Indeed, I’m very curious to know how Dongxiang Marquis Mansion nurtures such children.
"""