The hall once again fell into silence. Outside the door, Yu Siyu finally let out a long sigh of relief. She rejoiced at the fact that she had a big brother like Yu Pinyan. If it were any other family, they wouldn't have bothered to investigate the truth. They wouldn't have insisted on believing in her innocence despite all the layers of slander. They probably would have sent her away with a few hundred taels of silver a long time ago. Even worse, they might have drowned her in a pond in order to restore the family's reputation.
Being able to grow up under her big brother's protection was truly a blessing. Thinking of this, Yu Siyu couldn't help but cover her face and weep. She regretted all the suspicions she had towards her Old Ancestor and her big brother in the past.
Mama Fung respectfully handed her a handkerchief.
The last prayer bead finally stopped rolling, and the crackling sound that reverberated through the room came to an abrupt end. Only then did Yu Pinyan look towards Yu Miaoqi, who was scared silly. He gestured slightly with his index finger, "Come over here."
His cold and ruthless expression and soft coaxing tone gave off an inexplicable sense of familiarity. Yu Siyu suddenly remembered how Yu Xiang looked before he flew into a rage. Wasn't he exactly the same as her big brother now? She couldn't help but squint her eyes and secretly laugh. She secretly thought that Yu Miaoqi was going to be unlucky.
Yu Miaoqi didn't dare to disobey. She slowly walked to the front of the hall. Her mind was constantly thinking of excuses, but she was suddenly sent flying.
Yu Pinyan had practiced martial arts since he was a child. His strength was unimaginable. In the blink of an eye, Yu Miaoqi's cheeks were swollen like a steamed bun. The corner of her mouth split open, and blood dyed her white teeth red.
She covered her face and looked over in horror. She clearly didn't expect Yu Pinyan to hit a weak girl like her. The Lin Clan screamed and rushed towards their daughter, but the matriarch stopped them with her walking stick. She sternly scolded, "Sit down obediently! Yan 'er wants to teach his little sister a lesson. He won't allow anyone to interfere! "
The Lin Clan's heart was burning with anxiety. He reached out to push the crutches away, but the old lady hit his kneecap hard. The pain made him kneel on the ground immediately.
Outside the door, Yu Siyu's breathing became heavier. An expression of hatred and relief appeared on her face. In her heart, she was applauding the actions of her elder brother and ancestor.
Yu Miaoqi only felt a buzzing sound in her ears, and her mind was in a mess. She couldn't think at all. When she heard Yu Pinyan order her to get closer, she was clearly scared out of her wits, but she couldn't control her hands and feet. Little by little, she inched closer.
Yu Pinyan forcefully grabbed her chin and said word by word, "Yu Miaoqi, this marquis already knew what kind of person you are. Your Family Shen declined because of your futile attempt to curry favor with the Crown Prince. Your adoptive father died in vain because of your deceitful actions. Your adoptive mother originally wanted to send you home, but you snatched away the money to treat her illness. She died of anger while still alive. Let's not talk about the past for now. You knew that Shen Yuanqi was also in the capital, so you had people spread the news that he was once a servant in the Xue Estate. You wanted to ruin his career. As the saying goes, the kindness of raising someone is greater than the kindness of giving birth. You could even abandon the Shen Clan couple who raised you. You could also do such a thing to your older brother who grew up with you. Your heart is so vicious that it's devoid of conscience. You only care about pouring dirty water on Xiang 'er's head, but you don't know that I have never suspected her in the slightest. It's time for you to tear off this hypocritical face of yours, so that you don't go around disgusting people. "
Yu Miaoqi was scared out of her wits when she heard these words. She thought that Lingnan was far away, and that most of the Family Shen people were dead. She thought that no one should know about her past. Who would have thought that Yu Pinyan had investigated her thoroughly from the beginning? It was just that he kept it a secret. As such, his and the Old Lady's cold rejection of her could be explained …
It was as if she was stripped naked in public. Yu Miaoqi was so ashamed that she wanted to die. She desperately hugged her shoulders with both hands and tried to curl up.
Yu Siyu, who was outside the door, showed a terrified expression. She had a new understanding of Yu Miaoqi's sinister viciousness. She was not a beast. She was worse than a beast!
The Lin Clan was in disbelief at first and then crazily shouted, "The Shen Clan couple were the main culprits who harmed Qi-er. What wrong did Qi-er do to abandon them? They have long died. They are lucky. If they did not die, I will make them pay the price … "
"You shut up!" The Old Lady used her walking stick to hit the Lin Clan's mouth until her front teeth chipped. Then she coldly said, "It is said that like mother, like daughter. With such a vicious mother like you, Shen Miaoqi naturally would not be any better. Evil beast, both of them are evil beasts! "
"No, it's not like that. I did not do it. Eldest Brother, I really did not do it!" Yu Miaoqi was still struggling.
The pale-faced Mama Kim suddenly knelt down and kowtowed, "Master Hou, this matter indeed has nothing to do with Furen and Young Miss. Everything was this servant's idea. This servant could not bear to see all of you indulge in Miss Xiang 'er and abandon Young Miss. Also, this servant could not bear to see Eldest Miss blackmail Young Miss every day. This servant set up this series of schemes to help Furen and Young Miss. Everything was done by this servant. Because this servant was afraid that the family members would not help, this servant coaxed them to say that it was Young Miss and Furen's orders. They are loyal and devoted to Young Miss and Furen and naturally will not refuse. This servant is guilty. Master Hou, please punish! "
Yu Pinyan released the hand that was clamping Yu Miaoqi and turned to look at Mama Kim. Yu Miaoqi let out a huge sigh of relief and hurriedly threw herself into the Lin Clan's arms. When the Lin Clan saw Mama Kim take the blame, they were instantly dumbfounded.
Their entire family had fallen into Master Hou's hands. Not a single one of them would be able to escape. They might as well die with them and fulfill their master-servant relationship while they were at it. Mama Kim composed herself and kowtowed again, "It was all this servant's doing. Furen and Young Miss were completely unaware. Master Hou, please punish this servant."
"Good, very good," Yu Pinyan smiled playfully and waved his hand, "Since you're bent on seeking death, this Marquis will fulfill your wish. As for who did this, this Marquis has his own conclusions. Although this Marquis is vicious and merciless, this Marquis has not reached the point of personally killing his own mother and sister. "
The Lin Clan and Yu Miaoqi both looked as if they had just survived a disaster.
Yu Pinyan glanced at the two of them and continued, "However, if there's a next time, this Marquis definitely won't be merciful. I can't avoid chopping off a few restless hands."
The Lin Clan and Yu Miaoqi hurriedly hid their trembling hands into their sleeves.
Mama Fung immediately sent people to tie up Mama Kim. Yu Pinyan urged the elderly madam to rest in the room, then ordered the Lin Clan and their daughter to follow him to the dungeon. Yu Miaoqi hid in the Lin Clan's arms and staggered towards the main door, but she heard the elderly madam slowly say, "Wait a minute. Untie the pouch at your waist before you leave. It's just a piece of scrap paper. Why are you still pretending to keep it? You're actually treating me like a monkey. "
Yu Miaoqi's entire body stiffened. She stared blankly for a long while before regaining her senses. She pulled off the pouch and handed it to Mama Ma, whose eyes were filled with ridicule. Mama Ma took out the scrap paper inside and unfolded it for her master to see. Then, she casually tore it into pieces.
After being tormented for so long, it turned out that she had been the one tormenting all along. Only then did Yu Miaoqi understand that Prefecture Yu was completely different from Family Shen. It was no longer a place where she could get whatever she wanted. She treated everyone else as fools and fooled them, but how could she have known that they were watching her like a clown?
She had already lost all her face!
Thinking of this, Yu Miaoqi's blood rushed to her head, and her already red and swollen cheeks almost burst open. She hid in the Lin Clan's arms and shrunk her head as she walked out. When she crossed the threshold, she just happened to meet Yu Siyu, who was glaring at her. She wanted to avoid her, but she was repeatedly blocked by her.
"Yu Siyu, you're rebelling against the heavens!" The Lin Clan angrily reprimanded her despite her cowardice.
"I am rebelling against the heavens. What are you going to do about it? If you have the ability, then kill me! " Yu Siyu sneered. She ferociously spat a mouthful of thick phlegm onto Yu Miaoqi's face and cursed, "B * tch! B * tch! You're worse than pigs and dogs! From now on, I, Yu Siyu, am irreconcilable with you! "
Because Yu Pinyan was standing to the side and watching coldly, Yu Miaoqi didn't dare to refute. She only used her sleeve to silently wipe away the thick phlegm.
Yu Siyu revealed a contemptuous smile, then apologized to her brother. Only then did she run towards Yu Xiang, who wasn't far away, and gesticulate as she said something. Yu Pinyan waved at his sister, then led the Lin Clan's mother and daughter, as well as Mama Kim, to the dungeon.
"Jin Clan, you betrayed your master and killed someone. Your crime is unpardonable. You will be flogged a hundred times," he said coldly as he sat down in an armchair.
Mama Kim's children and grandchildren were locked up in the cells on both sides. There were dozens of people in the family, and not a single one was left out. When they heard these words, they hurriedly rushed to the cell door to beg for mercy, then called for help from the Lin Clan and Yu Miaoqi.
The Lin Clan and Yu Miaoqi hugged each other, trembling in fear.
"Sit down. Let's see what kind of sin you have committed." Yu Pinyan patted the two chairs next to him.
The Lin Clan and Yu Miaoqi sat down, trembling with fear. From time to time, they would look at him with pleading eyes.
Yu Pinyan ignored them. He waved his hand and said, "Carry out the punishment."
The bodyguards tied Mama Kim to the chair and began to flog her with their clubs. At first, Mama Kim clenched her teeth and held on. After thirty flogs, she began to beg for mercy. After fifty flogs, she bit off her tongue, but she still didn't die. Her blood-red eyes stared fixedly at the Lin Clan's mother and daughter.
After a short while, there was a muffled cracking sound. Her spine had been broken, and her mangled body had been split into two. There were even pieces of flesh that were sent flying in all directions by the swinging club.
Mama Kim's family members were all in the cells on both sides. They didn't dare to witness such a tragic scene. They hugged each other and cried. There were even a few young children who had fainted from fear.
The Lin Clan and Yu Miaoqi naturally didn't dare to watch. They each turned their heads and closed their eyes.
Yu Pinyan didn't care about the Lin Clan. He stood up and walked to Yu Miaoqi's side. He forcefully clasped her chin, turned her face around, and coldly ordered, "Open your eyes. Otherwise, this marquis will personally gouge your eyeballs out." As an official commander, no one knew better than Yu Pinyan how to destroy a person's willpower. He knew how to make the other party suffer a fate worse than death without hurting the flesh.
Yu Miaoqi trembled. In the end, she opened her bloodshot eyes and looked at the person who had already been beaten in two. After a hundred beatings, she raised her head and gasped for breath. However, she saw Yu Pinyan slowly roll down his rolled up sleeves and carefully smooth out the creases. His tone was unprecedentedly gentle, "As such, this marquis will no longer pursue your previous mistakes. These people are also at your disposal. Kill them or let them go, it's all up to you."
Kill them or let them go? Yu Miaoqi sank into an even more painful struggle. If she let them go, these people would harbor resentment and know too much. They would definitely harm her in the future. If she killed them, she would appear to be heartless.
However, in Yu Pinyan and the old madam's hearts, she had long become a heartless person. What was there to hide? In the end, her own safety was more important!
After Yu Miaoqi made up her mind, she gritted her teeth and said, "Kill them."
The Lin Clan abruptly turned their heads and looked at her with astonishment. Mama Kim had raised the Lin Clan from a young age. Her two daughters were like sisters to the Lin Clan. If it were the Lin Clan, they would naturally release them, give them some compensation, and let them leave the capital forever. In any case, they would have a way out. However, they didn't expect that their daughter would choose to kill them.
No matter how biased they were towards their daughter, the Lin Clan couldn't help but feel a chill in their hearts.
Yu Pinyan chuckled lowly and clapped his hands, "As expected of this marquis's younger sister. So ruthless. Since it's like this, then they'll all be beaten to death. You can continue to watch the execution. This marquis will leave first. "
He walked to the door and ordered the imperial bodyguards, "Don't let the two of them leave until the execution is over. If Yu Miaoqi refuses to open her eyes, use a bamboo stick to open her eyelids. There's no need to be polite. "
The imperial bodyguards solemnly acknowledged. Yu Miaoqi instantly went limp in her chair.