Volume One, Chapter Four: A Reward of Crimson

Seeing the situation turn dire, Li Pianran immediately shot a sharp glance at the servant wielding the staff.

The servant understood at once and brought the board down heavily.

Madam Rong gasped sharply, unable to utter another sound.

Everyone assumed she had fainted from the pain.

At this moment, Li Pianran collapsed to the ground, sobbing with pitiful abandon.

“Husband, you know I have always treated Yi’an as my own, providing for her better than even Wan’er. Every year, just making new clothes for Yi’an costs several thousand taels of silver—how could I possibly feed her kitchen slop? It must be Madam Rong’s wicked heart, bullying Yi’an for her simple mind, secretly feeding her slop, and now trying to blame me. Please, husband, see the truth!”

Once she finished her tearful plea, Li Pianran collapsed in a faint.

Su Huairen glanced at his eldest daughter’s expensive silk attire and found Li’s words convincing.

Now that both the servant and the concubine were unconscious, he considered the matter settled and was ready to let it rest.

“Yi’an, what do you say—”

“What a fine way to silence the witnesses!” Su Yi’an cut him off in a clear voice, glancing at Madam Rong. “Do you really think you can get away with pretending to faint?”

“Dead—is she dead?” Su Huairen, stunned, hurried over to check Madam Rong’s breath and instantly turned pale.

He had always prided himself on being a benevolent and upright official, treating his servants with kindness; never before had a servant died in his household. If word of this got out, his good reputation would be ruined…

They had actually beaten someone to death!

The servants exchanged alarmed glances, each fearing for their own safety.

Su Yi’an, unhurried, broke off a dried twig as thick as a toothpick and strolled over. Squatting down, she lightly jabbed the pain point at the back of Li Pianran’s neck.

Instantly, Li Pianran felt as if someone had stabbed her with a sharp object; she shrieked and leapt to her feet.

“Husband! Su Yi’an is trying to kill me!”

Su Yi’an looked at Su Huairen with wide, innocent eyes, spreading her hands to display the little twig.

“Father, do you think this could really kill someone?”

Anyone with eyes could see it clearly couldn’t.

Coming to her senses, Li Pianran crawled forward on her knees, clutching Su Huairen’s legs and wailing,

“Husband, I’ve served you almost twenty years and given you a daughter. Even if I haven’t accomplished much, I’ve worked hard for you. You can’t just beat me to death… I swear, I never fed Yi’an kitchen slop. If I’m lying, may I die a terrible death! I even faint at the sight of blood—how could I have used a hairpin to scratch Yi’an’s face? As for Wan’er, that’s even more impossible. She’s always been kindhearted, unable to even step on an ant. Yi’an must have had one of her fits, harmed herself and imagined it was us, mother and daughter.”

Su Yi’an’s gaze was full of contempt as she sneered coldly.

“Li, your shamelessness rivals the city walls. Even with ironclad evidence, you still try to argue. If you and Su Wan’er jump into the pond and swim a few laps, maybe I could convince myself that you two fished me out yesterday and my disfigurement has nothing to do with you.”

Li Pianran immediately began wailing and repenting.

“Husband, I was foolish and wanted to take the credit. Yi’an jumped into the pond herself—I only sent someone to pull her out. I was wrong. But her disfigurement truly has nothing to do with us. She did it to herself and is trying to blame us!”

Su Huairen looked lost and uncertain.

Su Yi’an’s expression was resolute, her words ringing with authority.

“Father, the pig cage used to drown me is still at the bottom of the pond. I tore it open. It’s tied with three large stones. Send someone to retrieve it and see for yourself!”

Su Huairen ordered men to dredge the pond, and indeed, it was so.

But Li Pianran still clung to her story with unwavering conviction.

“Husband, I never did this! That pig cage—she must have sunk it there beforehand to frame me!”

Su Yi’an shot a sharp glance at the crowd.

“Father, why not ask these servants properly what happened yesterday? And if you lack enough men to wield the boards, I can always borrow some from the two princes.”

She kept mentioning the two princes. The Prince of Chu was known for his kindness and wasn’t a threat, but Su Huairen feared she might report to the Northern Guardian Prince. That cold-blooded god of war was infamous for his ruthlessness—if he found out, he would surely storm in with his sword and behead him.

Reputation was the least of his worries now—his life was at stake!

“Yi’an, there’s no need to trouble the princes with such a small matter. There are enough men in my own courtyard.”

Suddenly adopting a stern, unprecedented air, Su Huairen called loudly,

“Men! Bring out the benches and boards! All the strong servants, come here!”

The moment the servants realized the master meant business, they all fell to their knees, terrified of ending up like Madam Rong. In a flurry of confession, they all pointed at Concubine Li and her daughter, saying it was they who had scratched the young lady’s face and ordered her drowned in the pond.

Su Huairen’s expression turned to horror; fearful of being implicated by Li Pianran, he thundered angrily,

“Insolent wretches! How dare you plot against the young lady! Men, give Li Pianran the full Red Staff punishment!”

At last, Li Pianran could hold out no longer. Terrified, she clung to Su Huairen’s legs, weeping in desperation.

“Husband, I’ve served you for nearly twenty years and borne you a daughter. If I haven’t earned merit, I’ve at least suffered for you. You can’t beat me to death…”

With a furious kick, Su Huairen shoved her away, eyes flashing,

“It’s you, wicked woman, who corrupted my Wan’er! As for Su Wan’er—disrespecting your elder sister, even if you were led astray, it cannot be overlooked. Dock a year’s allowance, confine her for a year to reflect, and have her copy the Virtues for Women ten times daily!”

“And as for the rest of these wicked servants, each is to receive twenty heavy strokes, then sent to the manor farm for hard labor!”

Two servants dragged the wailing, sobbing Li Pianran to the bench and began the beating.

After three strokes, blood appeared. As Li Pianran screamed and wailed, she cursed,

“Su Yi’an! You vile wretch! Today you have framed me to death! Even if I return as a vengeful spirit, I won’t let you go! May you die a miserable death!”

Su Yi’an watched her with icy detachment.

Such a person did not deserve to live.

Feeding kitchen slop was the least of it—the body bore bruises new and old, evidence of frequent beatings. What’s more, over three years, traces of eighteen deadly poisons remained in her organs. If not for the antidote the original host had taken, she would not have survived with mere madness and amnesia—the grass on her grave would be eight feet tall by now!

Letting this venomous woman die just once was already too merciful.

At that moment, around the corner of the wall, Su Wan’er was secretly watching.

She was trembling all over, biting her handkerchief, tears streaming down her face as she shrank into a ball.

Never before had she seen her gentle father so furious. She was terrified he would punish her too and dared not step forward to plead.

Her tear-filled eyes brimmed with hatred, and in her heart she vowed:

Su Yi’an, you vicious wretch! You’ve bewitched Father into killing my mother! I will make you pay and avenge her death!

After years of a pampered life, Li Pianran’s body was frail; after a dozen strokes, she had breathed her last.

Su Huairen looked toward Su Yi’an, eager to please.

“Yi’an, your father was always busy with official duties and was deceived by Li. I let you suffer. But today, I have dealt harshly with these wretches—are you satisfied?”

Su Yi’an nodded.

Two lives for one—perhaps now the original soul could rest in peace.

Su Huairen breathed a sigh of relief, his tone turning gentle, as if coaxing a child.

“In the future, if the princes ask about your face, just say you hurt yourself during one of your episodes, all right? Otherwise, they’ll kill your father, and then, if anyone bullies you, there’ll be no one left to stand up for you.”

Su Yi’an sneered inwardly.

Ha! This so-called father—does he think I’m still a fool?