Chapter 64: Chapter 56, Lock the Door l
Zhu Xiuyun’s foot was fine, it was just cut by a piece of the broken porcelain pot. It bled a lot, but it wasn’t serious.
After instructing the servants to send Tutor Zhu and his daughter home by carriage, Yan Zhigao turned and headed for Songhe Courtyard.
When the old Madam Yan learned that Yan Zhigao had slapped her precious granddaughter, she couldn’t sit still. After inquiring about the incident and finding out it was again related to the people from Shuangxin Courtyard, she didn’t say another word and had Nanny Sun summon Aunt Lin.
The old lady did nothing, asked nothing, and simply ordered Aunt Lin to kneel in the yard.
At this moment, Aunt Lin had already been kneeling for half an hour.
Yan Zhigao hurried over, and Aunt Lin’s face had already turned pale.
“Mother, what are you doing?”
Old Madam Yan looked at Yan Zhigao with a cold sneer, “If you can slap my granddaughter without asking for the reason, why can’t I have your concubine kneel? Look how distressed you are. I’m telling you, your heart is so cruel. No sooner said than done, Daohua’s face is now so swollen she can’t be seen in public.”
As she spoke, the old lady couldn’t help but shed tears.
“From her childhood to now, I’ve never had the heart to lay a finger on Daohua. My delicate girl, and you slapped her in front of so many people. How is she supposed to face others now? You heartless wretch.”
Seeing his elderly mother in tears, Yan Zhigao was in great distress and quickly knelt down, “Mother, I slapped Daohua because she deserved to be punished…”
Old Madam Yan quickly interrupted, “I’m making Lin Family’s wife kneel because she deserves to, she’s made this old lady very unhappy!”
Yan Zhigao was at a loss, “Mother, can you please not spout nonsense?”
Hearing this, Old Madam Yan stood up abruptly, trembling as she pointed at Yan Zhigao and reproachfully said, “Yan Zhigao, are you now willing to abandon your own mother for the sake of a concubine?”
Seeing that the old lady was extremely angry, Yan Zhigao dared not say anything more provocative, immediately softening his tone, “Mother, please don’t be angry. I misspoke. You can punish me however you wish, just please don’t be upset.”
Fearing that the old lady would hurt herself in her anger, Nanny Sun quickly helped her to sit down on the step, “Old Madam, don’t be hurried. Whatever you want to say, let’s talk it over with the master.”
The old lady’s breathing smoothed out somewhat, but her expression remained exceptionally grim as she coldly looked at Yan Zhigao, “I ask you, why did you slap Daohua?”
Yan Zhigao, “Daohua injured Tutor Zhu’s daughter with a flowerpot. At that moment, if I hadn’t given Tutor Zhu an explanation, wouldn’t the Zhu Family settle the matter?”
At these words, the old Madam Yan couldn’t hold back her tears again, “So, to appease your subordinate, you hit my Daohua with such force? She is only nine years old, how can she withstand your beating?”
Yan Zhigao, thinking of the red imprint on his eldest daughter’s face, felt somewhat uncomfortable. Indeed, he had been too angry at the time and had not held back his strength.
Old Madam Yan held back her tears, “I know Daohua better than anyone. She would never hit someone with a flowerpot. Tell me, who is the one slandering Daohua with these accusations?”
Yan Zhigao hesitated for a moment. The words had come from Yishuang, but of course, he didn’t believe that Yishuang was lying. In his eyes, Yishuang had always been a well-behaved and sensible girl, and it was impossible for her to make such accusatory statements against her elder sister.
Seeing her eldest grandson silent and not speaking, Old Madam Yan knew he was protecting Yan Yishuang. Thinking of the beaten Daohua, she felt deeply disappointed.
“Go, call the three girls who were in the pavilion at the time here,” the old lady told Nanny Sun.
Nanny Sun nodded and swiftly went out.
Soon, Yan Yishuang, Yan Yile, and Yan Yihuan were brought into the room.
With such a serious incident, everyone in the Yan Family, except for the beaten Daohua and Madam Li who was caring for her, gathered in the old lady’s courtyard.
As soon as the three girls entered the room and saw Yan Zhigao kneeling on the ground, they immediately knelt down as well.
Old Madam Yan’s face was stern, “Yishuang, I ask you, why did you say it was your eldest sister who smashed the Zhu Family girl’s foot?”
Yan Yishuang seemed somewhat frightened, shivering as she glanced at Yan Zhigao beside her.
“Slap!”
Seeing her like this, Old Madam Yan slammed her hand onto the table, “I’m asking you a question, why are you looking at your father? Do you think this old woman is going to eat you?”
Yan Yishuang started to cry in a low voice, frightened. She didn’t expect the situation to become so serious. At that time, having received a hint from her younger uncle, she didn’t understand what it meant and instinctively said those words.