Feng Jin looked down at the few people, her voice light, yet it weighed on everyone's hearts like a thousand pounds of gold.
Ling Yan immediately panicked, "Anyone who dares to talk nonsense, I'll cut out your tongues!"
"You scoundrel, how dare you interrupt me? You disrespect the family head. Guards, seize her and give her ten slaps to the face!"
As Feng Jin's words fell, maids stepped forward and restrained Ling Yan.
"Anyone who dares, my father won't let you off!"
"Hit her. I'll take responsibility for whatever happens," Feng Jin's demeanor was fearless.
*Slap... slap... slap...*
Each slap was delivered with full force. Ling Yan's already unsightly face swelled like a pig's head.
Feng Jin didn't want to look another moment.
Although Ling Yan was displeased, seeing Feng Jin's power, she dared not speak another word.
"You were the one who hit the second young lady. Putting aside other reasons, it's not an exaggeration to beat someone to death for bullying their master. Guards, drag her out and give her ten strokes with the staff, then find a slave trader to sell her."
"Young Madam, spare me! Young Madam, this servant dares not anymore, Young Madam..."
The screams were incessant, and everyone's hearts began to panic. Some guilty parties knelt on the ground, trembling.
"Who were the two who restrained the second young lady earlier?"
"Young Madam, spare us! We only disrespected the second young lady on the orders of the cousin."
"Young Madam, spare us! Young Madam."
Feng Jin looked coldly at the two kneeling on the ground, "Tell the truth, and I'll spare you."
"It was... it was the cousin who fancied the second young lady's embroidery and demanded it. The second young lady refused, so she had us restrain her and slap her. Aunt Bai tried to stop her and was also slapped by the cousin."
"You ungrateful wretches!" Ling Yan exclaimed in anger.
"You two servants bullied your master. Considering you didn't commit a grave offense and have now seen the error of your ways, you will be fined three months' salary and sent to serve in the outer courtyard. Ling Yan, for attempting to rob and instigating servants to commit violence without remorse, you will be punished with ten strokes of the discipline rod and kneel in the ancestral hall for three days."
"You dare punish me, Feng Jin? My father will not let you off!"
Feng Jin's head ached from her shouting, "What are you standing there for? Drag them away."
"Yes, Young Madam."
After everyone dispersed, Feng Jin stepped forward and helped up the mother and daughter who were kneeling on the ground, "Aunt, my sister has suffered injustice."
"Young Madam, you are too kind. Young Madam, you have upheld justice for us. Second Master Ling will not let this go."
Aunt Bai said with some worry. Second Master Ling had managed the Ling family for many years, and Ling Yan was always arrogant and overbearing. After this grievance, there would undoubtedly be endless trouble.
"If I feared them, I wouldn't be in charge of the Ling family. I will have a doctor come to treat the injuries on Aunt and sister shortly. The Old Master Ling will summon you before long; you only need to speak the truth. I will make plans for you."
"I understand, sister-in-law," Ling Wan said hastily.
"Wan'er, you must not be rude. You must call her Young Madam," Aunt Bai pulled Ling Wan, speaking with a slight tone of reprimand.
"It's alright, Aunt. Wan'er should indeed call me sister-in-law. Aunt and Wan'er, please rest first. I have some matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave."
After Feng Jin returned to her room, she had been seated for less than half an hour when someone from the Old Master's residence summoned her.
When Feng Jin arrived, Old Master Ling was seated in the place of honor in the main hall. On his right sat Ling Mohan, Ling Wan, and Aunt Bai. On his left sat the Second Master and his wife, along with Ling Yan. Further back stood a dignified and elegant lady, accompanied by a graceful young man. It was likely the wife of the Third Branch.
As Feng Jin stepped into the hall, the Second Madam, Zhao Shi, cursed, "You little slut, you harmed my son, and you still want to harm my daughter!"
"Second Aunt, mind your words!" Ling Mohan's slightly angry voice rang out. He stood in front of Feng Jin, shielding her.
"All of you, be quiet!" Old Master Ling said sternly, "Look at the injuries on all of your faces. Feng Jin, tell me exactly what happened."
He was already in his sixties and still had to worry about these juniors.
Feng Jin recounted the entire incident. With the testimony of Aunt Bai and her daughter, Ling Yan's guilt was confirmed.
"Ling Yan, what your sister-in-law said is true!"
Old Master Ling said with disappointment, "Ling Yan is becoming more and more excessive, injuring someone in public over a trivial matter."
Although Ling Wan was a concubine's daughter, she was still his granddaughter, and he always treated them equally.
"Father, they were just girls arguing. But Feng Jin, for such a small matter, slapped Yan'er and also gave her ten strokes with the discipline rod. Look at how she has injured Yan'er."
Zhao Shi, with snot and tears, recounted her grievances.
"Second Aunt, your ability to twist facts is quite something. If what you say is true, then the injuries on Ling Wan's body were just for fun, and Ling Yan accidentally fell."
Feng Jin said with disdain. They were truly a family; despicable and shameless were in their nature.
"How dare you talk back to an elder? Ling Wan is merely a concubine's daughter, while Yan'er is the legitimate daughter. There is a distinction between status. If Yan'er fancied something of hers, it was her fortune."
Zhao Shi was now embodying the image of a rogue shrew perfectly, with not a hint of the demeanor of an official's wife.
Second Master Ling's expression suddenly changed. He slapped Zhao Shi across the face.
"Husband..." Zhao Shi was stunned.
"What distinction between legitimate and concubine-born? All children in the family are the same, they are all the blood of the Ling family."
Old Master Ling himself was born to a concubine and had suffered much mistreatment from the main wife. Because of his status as a son born to a concubine, he had faced many setbacks in his official career.
His current achievements were all hard-won through battles fought with his life.
Due to the severe persecution of legitimate and concubine-born offspring, Old Master Ling had never taken a concubine after getting married. He only had four sons and one daughter born to the main wife, the Old Madam.
Zhao Shi's words about distinguishing between legitimate and concubine-born offspring had undoubtedly touched upon Old Master Ling's taboos.
"All the children in the family are of the Ling family bloodline and should be treated equally. Ling Yan, you robbed Ling Wan's embroidery design and assaulted your sister first, and then you were disobedient and disrespectful. You will kneel in the ancestral hall for three days as Feng Jin suggested."
"Grandfather..."
"Speak one more word, and you'll kneel for another day."
Ling Yan, frightened, dared not speak further and stood aside meekly.
"Second, you have failed to discipline your wife and daughter. Ling Wan is injured to this extent, and you are not without blame. You will compensate them two hundred taels of silver. Do you have any objections?"
"Father's judgment is fair. Your son has no complaints."
Second Master Ling, having suffered a loss, had to swallow his pride.
"That's enough, I'm tired too. You all sort out the rest yourselves. Not a single one of you is worry-free."
Old Master Ling said with displeasure and left in anger.
He had intended to use this incident to suppress Feng Jin and ideally regain control of the household. Instead, he had tried to steal a chicken only to lose the bait.