Chapter 113 Punishing Cuiping
Cuiping brought the porridge over again to honor the second grandmother. Seeing that Zhixia didn't dare to stop her, she waited proudly at the door.
After waiting for a long time, just when Cuiping lost her patience and wanted to force her way in, Zhixia came out and told her that the Second Madam invited her in. Cuiping smiled triumphantly upon hearing this. She had finally lived up to the trust of the First Madam and stepped into the door of the east wing. Perhaps she was too proud, she did not notice that Zhixia closed the door casually and locked it from the outside after she entered.
Cuiping stepped into the east wing, looked up and saw that the living room was very simply decorated. Apart from the necessary furniture, there was no unnecessary decoration. It was not as magnificent as she had imagined. In terms of luxury, it was not even as luxurious as her west room. With fewer things, it seemed spacious and there was a sense of comfort.
Looking around the entire hall, Cuiping was greatly disappointed. She had thought that there must be something strange in the east wing, or that something inappropriate and shameful was placed there, so no one was allowed in. At this moment, she secretly cursed the Second Wife for being a pervert.
There was nothing shameful to see, so why did they have to guard it so desperately? It caused the First Madam and Miss Xiu to worry so much, especially Miss Xiu, who felt as if she had found a treasure in the east wing. She kept thinking about it day and night and couldn't sleep.
He looked up and saw that the Second Madam was already sitting in the hall. He took a step forward, leaned forward slightly, and without waiting for the Second Madam to speak, he stood up straight:
"I pay my respects to the Second Madam."
Seeing Cuiping straighten up so consciously, Mengxi didn't even bother to ask for permission. She also straightened up and sat there calmly, acting like an old lady.
Cuiping held the silver tray for a long time, but when Second Madam spoke no more, she continued:
"I got up early and cooked a bowl of Adenophora Root and Tremella Mushroom Porridge to honor Second Madam. Please do me a favor and give it to me."
As he handed over the silver plate, he looked up at Zhiqiu, wanting him to take it, but he saw Zhiqiu standing there like a piece of wood. He thought, why is this guy so wooden?
After waiting for a long time, she felt that the hall was terribly quiet, as if an invisible aura was pressing down on her. Gradually, she felt a little breathless and her heart began to get scared. Finally, she remembered that no matter how much the First Wife and the Second Master protected and doted on her, neither of them would come to the East Wing at this time.
After all, the Second Wife is the mistress, the real master above her. Here, I am the fish on the chopping board and I can't help but start to doubt whether it is right or wrong for me to insist on breaking in?
The pride and arrogance she had just brought in were gone, but she still straightened her body. Even if you are the mistress, what can you do to me? The Second Master is in this yard. Thinking of the Second Master, she became bolder and looked straight at the Second Madam, and found that she was looking at her.
She finally understood that the Second Madam was sitting there waiting for her to serve her, and she couldn't help but curse herself for being stupid. Although she was also a servant in this room, her status was still higher than Zhiqiu's. Of course, it was her job to serve the Second Madam porridge, but Zhiqiu should at least take the silver plate.
Cuiping also knew that Zhiqiu was trying to make things difficult for her, so she stepped forward and placed the silver plate on the table, picked up the porridge on the silver plate, and handed it over with both hands. Seeing Second Grandma reaching out to take it, she finally let go of the worry that had been weighing on her mind for a long time, and let go of her hands. However, Second Grandma's hands had no strength at all, and with a bang, the bowl of porridge fell to the ground, spilling all over Second Grandma. Cuiping was so shocked that she fell to her knees with a thud. She saw Second Grandma's hands catch the bowl, so how could it spill?
Although she was covered in porridge, Second Mistress still sat there without blinking. But she finally spoke, but not to Cuiping, but to Zhiqiu:
"Zhi Qiu, according to the Xiao family rules, if a servant fails to serve his master and defiles him, how should he be punished?"
"Replying to Second Madam, I don't know the rules and have disgraced my master. According to the rules, I should be slapped in the face and sent back to learn etiquette again."
After hearing what Zhiqiu said, Second Mistress looked at Cuiping and said:
"Cui Ping heard me. Today I am following the family rules. I miss you and have nothing to say. Come on!"
When Cui Ping heard that she was going to be slapped, she thought of Bing Xin Yu Xin's face that was swollen like a pig's head. Zhi Qiu didn't say how many slaps she would receive just now, so it must be intentional. The Second Mistress must be beaten hard. If she was really beaten like that, even if the Second Master and the First Mistress vented their anger for her and punished the Second Mistress, the Second Master might not enter her room again. Who wants to flirt with a pig's head every day?
Thinking of this, Cuiping was a little scared. She turned around and looked towards the door. She wanted to escape when Second Mistress wasn't paying attention. With Second Mistress in the upper room, he could protect her. But when she turned around, she saw that both doors were closed tightly and Zhichun was standing at the door, looking at her with a smile.
Cuiping was startled when she caught a glimpse of Zhichun's confident smile. Could the door be locked? She heard that Second Madam loved to do this. When she thought of this, she finally felt scared and remembered to kowtow to Second Madam.
Why are Zhiqiu and the others so lazy? There are maids in the room, but they don't even know how to sweep the floor. There are so many stones, and she hit her head on them, which hurt her forehead. Then she realized that her hands pressed on the ground were bleeding. Aren't these stones too sharp? Doesn't the Second Madam's feet get hurt when she steps on them every day?
She was afraid of scratching her forehead and disfiguring her face, so she didn't dare to do it anymore. Cuiping didn't care about anything else and hurriedly moved the Second Master out. She thought to herself, after all, she was the apple of the Second Master's eye, and she didn't believe that the Second Madam was not afraid of the Second Master at all!
"I was wrong. Please forgive me, Madam, for this is my first offense and I have to serve you at noon. If you really slap me in the face, it will be bad if you see it."
After hearing this, Second Madam opened her red lips and spoke word by word:
"Cui Ping means that because the Second Master thinks you are pretty, you don't follow the rules? We really need to go talk to the old lady about this."
The Second Mistress said, "After I beat you today, I will go to the Old Madam for protection and see what the Second Master can do to me."
Cuiping was really scared when she heard this. It seemed that the Second Master was useless in the East Wing. Last time, the Second Mistress beat Bingxin and Yuxin, it was the Old Madam who protected them, and nothing happened in the end. She was then taken in as a concubine, and her status was no greater than Bingxin and Yuxin's. What's more, Bingxin and Yuxin were sent by the First Mistress last time, but she acted on her own this time.
Cuiping quickly put her hands in front of her and kowtowed again. It was better to have a broken hand than a broken forehead. If she didn't kowtow, she would be beaten.
"I was wrong. I am willing to be punished. I just ask Second Madam to consider that this is my first offense and not to slap me in the face. Please save some face for me. I thank Second Madam for your kindness!"
After hearing this, Mengxi thought for a moment and said:
"Considering that this is your first offense and you were trained by the First Madam, if you are beaten like this and sent back to learn etiquette, it would be like slapping the First Madam in the face and hurting your reputation, and the Second Master would feel bad. Well, this time I will not slap you in the face and not let you learn etiquette, but if I don't punish you, I'm afraid you won't learn your lesson and become even more unruly, so I will punish you to kneel here for two hours. Are you willing?"
Cuiping finally understood that this second wife was not like the legend said, a little lamb, a vindictive person, a mean person who was punished to kneel the day before yesterday for two hours, and she was found today.
Although my knees were hurt by the stones on the ground, kneeling for two hours like this would be unbearable, but my face is more important than my knees. It is better to have broken knees than to be beaten into a pig's head and unable to serve the Second Master. How could I dare to say no?
Cuiping hurriedly thanked the second grandmother and knelt there obediently.
