Wang Qin, dressed in a pink scholar's dress, swayed her hips as she entered the hall. Her already unattractive face was covered in a thick layer of powder, making her look as if she were painting a wall.
Ignoring everyone, she sat directly opposite Feng Jin, instantly filling the hall with a pungent scent of cosmetics.
Feng Jin, disgusted, covered her nose. "Who stepped in dog excrement? Why does it stink so much!"
"Dog excrement..." Wang Qin exclaimed, startled, and quickly stood up to check the sole of her shoe. It was clean.
Realizing Feng Jin was teasing her, Wang Qin's heavily powdered face contorted.
"You dare to mock me? My father is a minister, and my aunt is the Empress. Believe me, if I report this to my aunt, your entire Ling family will suffer!"
Wang Qin had always been arrogant and overbearing, relying on her status. However, today she had crossed Feng Jin, who was even tougher than her.
"Oh really? You have quite the nerve, threatening the Ling family. The Ling family has served with distinction, shedding blood and sweat on the southern border to secure your present comfort. I'd like to see how you'll make the Ling family suffer when this reaches the Emperor!"
"You... you're bullying me with the Ling family's power and disregarding the Empress. If the Empress learns..."
Feng Jin rolled her eyes. "Bullying you? When you do or say anything, you should have reason. You claim I've insulted you, but who witnessed it? Who heard it? Do you expect me to accept this accusation based solely on your word? That's too convenient!"
"Furthermore, you are merely a concubine, a mere secondary consort. Upon entering earlier, you failed to pay your respects to the main consort. Disrespecting the hierarchy and showing no deference to the principal wife is a grave offense. I, on the other hand, am the Jia Ning County Princess, personally ennobled by His Majesty. My status is above yours. My husband is a first-rank official, while your father is merely a second or third-rank minister. There is a clear distinction in status. You point fingers at me and engage in verbal conflict. Even if this matter were brought before the Empress Dowager, I would not be afraid!"
Wang Qin instantly panicked. She hadn't expected Feng Jin to be so formidable, incapacitating her with just a few words, leaving her no room to retort.
Wasn't it rumored that Feng Jin was a crude, ignorant country girl with no education? How could there be such a vast difference upon meeting her today?
Feng Jin gave Lin Yuwei a look, signaling it was her turn.
"Concubine Consort Wang, for disregarding hierarchy, family law dictates ten strokes of the rod." Lin Yuwei sat in the main seat, her voice deep, truly possessing the demeanor of a main consort.
"You dare to beat me? My aunt is the Empress, she will uphold justice for me and will not let you off!"
Even facing imminent punishment, Wang Qin continued to shout, constantly dragging the Empress into it as a shield, as if she were afraid no one knew the Empress was her aunt.
The Empress, a person of such deep calculation, would send such a foolish person to gather information. Was her mind clouded, or was her confidence so great that she believed everyone else to be foolish?
"Even if the Empress were here today, reason would prevail. Guards, restrain her and beat her soundly!"
Lin Yuwei, already annoyed, seized the opportunity to properly discipline Wang Qin.
Two wet nurses who had accompanied Lin Yuwei, stepped forward and firmly restrained Wang Qin, dragging her onto the punishment bench.
"You insolent servants, I will tell the Empress and have you beheaded!"
"My aunt is the Empress, my father is a minister, who among you dares to beat me."
Wang Qin, even when restrained, was unruly, constantly shouting.
"Beat her!" Lin Yuwei commanded, and the rod fell heavily upon Wang Qin.
Instantly, the hall was filled with Wang Qin's screams of pain.
"Ah..."
"Lin Yuwei... Feng Jin, ah... I am not done with you..."
"Ah..."
After ten strokes, Wang Qin fainted from the pain, her pink long skirt stained with blood.
"Reporting to the Consort, the ten strokes have been administered!"
Feng Jin stepped forward and felt Wang Qin's pulse. "She's fine, just fainted from the pain."
Truly unable to withstand punishment. She couldn't even endure ten strokes and fainted. So useless.
"Drag her away and summon a physician to treat the concubine consort."
Lin Yuwei waved her hand, signaling for someone to drag Wang Qin away.
"Since the concubine consort is injured, she is not fit to serve the Prince. Let her recuperate properly."
After these ten strokes, Wang Qin would be quiet for a while.
When Chu Chenyi arrived, he saw the almost lifeless Wang Qin being carried out.
"What happened?" Chu Chenyi asked the two of them, puzzled.
"She slandered Sister Feng Jin and disrespected this Princess Consort. I merely administered family punishment to teach her a lesson. Why... judging by the Prince's expression, are you perhaps feeling sympathetic?" Lin Yuwei said with an unfriendly tone. If Chu Chenyi dared to say he was sympathetic, she would beat both of them.
"No," Chu Chenyi replied without hesitation.
Chu Chenyi's gaze fell upon Feng Jin, who was looking on with schadenfreude, and he knew that Feng Jin must have instigated this matter. Otherwise, given Lin Yuwei's personality, she would never have meted out such severe punishment. However, teaching Wang Qin a lesson was for the best, preventing her from continuing to leverage the Empress's influence and stir up trouble.
"When she recovers, she will definitely go to the Empress to cry about this. Have you two thought of how to deal with it?" Chu Chenyi asked them.
"She is your concubine consort. Do you, as the Prince, not even have the ability to discipline your concubine consort?" Feng Jin looked at Chu Chenyi with disdain. This man was too useless.
"I..." Chu Chenyi was speechless, his face losing all color. He forced himself to say, "Of course, I can manage her. But this matter was instigated by you. You deal with the Empress yourself and do not involve our Jing Prince's mansion."
Chu Chenyi pushed all the blame onto Feng Jin. He had witnessed Feng Jin's intelligence and skill in creating a ruckus, so letting her handle the Empress would be far better than letting Lin Yuwei do it.
"Your conscience has been eaten by dogs. If Sister Feng Jin hadn't kindly saved you, you wouldn't even have your life now. To say such things is truly excessive. I ordered Wang Qin's beating today. Even if it escalates to the Empress Dowager, I will stand by my decision."
One person acts, and one person takes responsibility. Although she was a woman, she still possessed this integrity, unlike some people who cowered in fear.
Chu Chenyi looked at her with helplessness. She was truly stubborn.
"A dignified Prince, yet so fearful of trouble!" Feng Jin looked at Chu Chenyi with disdain. "If I had known you were so useless, I wouldn't have bothered saving you."
"You have backbone, you act impulsively, and you don't consider the consequences of your actions. Don't expect this Prince to clean up your mess!"
"Your Highness Prince Jing, rest assured. I will protect my wife for the troubles she has caused."