If this woman had shown fear or disgust when he was wallowing in self-loathing and on the verge of collapse, Mu Yunhe might never have escaped the shadow of that day. But the seemingly unreliable Luo Zhiheng became composed, considerate, and gentle like a confidante at the crucial moment, undoubtedly pulling Mu Yunhe back from the brink of self-harm!
She saved his life again! 15242321
Although Mu Yunhe still disliked Luo Zhiheng and even felt disgusted by her scandalous past, he couldn't deny that his opinion of her had changed. However, he couldn't admit it. He had come to understand Luo Zhiheng's personality better; she could be carefree and cheerful whenever there was nothing wrong, and would beam at the slightest hint of sunshine. He could only maintain a somber demeanor to ensure he always saw the serious and gentle Luo Zhiheng.
Although he didn't know why he liked to see Luo Zhiheng like this, Mu Yunhe was a young master from a prominent family, so he naturally preferred the refined and elegant demeanor Luo Zhiheng displayed at this moment, rather than the roguish and bandit-like Luo Zhiheng.
"As long as we persevere, we will surely find a way out?" Mu Yunhe murmured, seemingly unsure, but his gaze was sharp and urgent.
Luo Zhiheng smiled, her gaze firm and courageous: "Yes, as long as we persevere. You and I, the two of us, if we hold on, we will definitely be able to win."
Mu Yunhe's gloomy face gradually cleared, but he began to cough intermittently. His body was not as good as it seemed; he still felt pain, and it seemed to have flared up more often in the past two days. This was because he was no longer using the medicine given by Doctor Liang, and all the previous medications had been discontinued. Mu Yunhe's body was now without the support of medication; it wouldn't get better, but it wasn't necessarily safe from getting worse.
Luo Zhiheng quickly patted Mu Yunhe's back, and after a while, seeing that he felt better, she brought him some water to drink.
"Are you feeling better? Do you want to eat?" Since he had been eating porridge for several days, Luo Zhiheng felt that Mu Yunhe should be able to eat normally now, after all, he wasn't someone who didn't eat before.
Mu Yunhe nodded, his face pale and weak, but thankfully he had pulled himself out of his daze. This time, watching Luo Zhiheng feed him, Mu Yunhe no longer had the intense emotions he had before. He simply opened his mouth calmly, swallowed, and chewed slowly. The food was fragrant; how long had it been since he had tasted the flavor of seasoning?
Time seemed to stand still at this moment. The two seemed like a couple who had been married for many years, silently understanding each other. One patiently fed the other while the other ate quietly. Their eyes never even met, but there was a faint warmth between them that even couples who had been married for many years might not have.
Because Luo Zhiheng spilled a bowl of rice, and gave the rice to Mu Yunhe, Luo Zhiheng had nothing to eat. She couldn't ask for more, otherwise people would suspect that she had eaten too much and that something was amiss. So Luo Zhiheng could only wait until evening to eat, feeling hungry.
Before sunset, Luo Zhiheng left only a few honest but powerless old women and Xiao Xizi in the courtyard, and drove everyone else out of Mu Yunhe's yard. She wanted to gradually take control of this small courtyard; only in this way could she better protect Mu Yunhe.
Of course, Luo Zhiheng still couldn't fully trust the few people who were left behind. She also announced that from today onwards, her meals would no longer need to be supplied by the Prince's Mansion. She would cook for herself in Mu Yunhe's courtyard and use her monthly allowance to buy food. She wouldn't need to go through the Prince's Mansion's public funds. The young prince's medicine also had to be decocted in this courtyard, but everything the young prince needed still had to go through the public funds.
A series of actions followed swiftly and decisively, plunging the entire Prince's mansion into an eerie atmosphere. The Grand Steward, Consort Li, remained unusually silent, while Luo Zhiheng's seemingly lawless behavior was somehow flawless. Who dared say the Prince's decision was wrong? Who dared to run afoul of Luo Zhiheng under her nose? Her actions today, making an example of someone, had been very effective.
Luo Zhiheng personally supervised the expulsion of the group of maids and servants of unknown allegiance. Then, she ordered her wet nurse and maids, along with the remaining servants, to thoroughly inspect the vacant rooms and conduct a deep clean. Luo Zhiheng was taking precautions to prevent anyone from leaving behind anything malicious.
Luo Zhiheng actually found quite a few things. Surprisingly, someone dared to steal from Mu Yunhe. Mu Yunhe rarely worked in the fields or went out much, and in the darkness of his room, he didn't care much about material possessions. This made it easy for those cunning servants to steal from their master.
Luo Zhiheng stood in the courtyard, sneering. Her expression was more serious and mocking than ever before. She was playing with a small jade lotus in her hand. She said to the maid who had stolen something, "You've got some nerve. Tell me, what else did you steal? You'd better tell me the truth, or if I find out something, you won't have a chance to speak again."
Mu Yunhe is too weak, and the Princess Consort is too soft, so Luo Zhiheng must be tough in certain situations and intimidate people to keep the demons and monsters in the palace in check. If there are really many shameless people who want to bully them, she doesn't mind giving people the impression of being ruthless killers, at least enough to make them keep their distance.
The maid was so frightened that her face turned pale, and she trembled as she cried out that she was innocent: "I only took this one, I really didn't take any more!"
Everyone else was about to leave when this incident happened. Luo Zhiheng ignored the girl and instead said to Xiao Xizi, "Close the door. Now that we've discovered the theft, we need to figure it out before we leave. This courtyard isn't a place anyone can come and go as they please. You came clean, but you're leaving with a full load. Hmph, do you really think this princess is so easy to bully?"
Luo Zhiheng sat leisurely on the stone steps in front of the main gate, dressed in white, looking ethereal and untouched. She was relaxed and at ease, with one leg propped up on the second step and her hand, which was playing with a jade lotus flower, resting on that leg. She looked as if she was about to have a drink and a long talk with someone. Although it was an improper posture, she made it look grand, natural, and wild.
Under the blazing sunlight, she sneered, suddenly placing the jade lotus on the steps beside her, her voice cold and sharp: "Today I will let that slave who dared to play tricks on and deceive his master know that it's easy to get in but hard to get out of this door!"
What is her status now? She's Mu Yunhe's wife, the little princess. Mu Yunhe's things are naturally hers. But these people actually dared to steal her things! This is like trying to teach a master carpenter to use his axe in front of Lu Ban, or showing off his skills in front of Guan Yu—utterly overestimating themselves! Trying to rob her, this bandit aunt, of things she hasn't even seen before? Aren't they all courting death? If she lets these people actually take the things, how will she face her bandits in her den?
The servants blocking the doorway, who hadn't wanted to leave just a moment ago, were now trembling with fear, wishing they could leave the courtyard immediately. Their reluctance stemmed partly from their own masters; their mission was to monitor and harm Mu Yunhe. Another reason was indeed related to the treasures. They all knew that Mu Yunhe's room was never short of treasures, and things were constantly being sent there—gifts from the Princess and rewards from the Prince. But the young Prince was a fool, never appreciating these things and completely oblivious to their value. How could this not tempt these people, who already disregarded Mu Yunhe, to harbor wicked intentions?
It's fair to say that, apart from a few honest ones, almost none of the servants here had clean hands or feet.
Luo Zhiheng's sharp gaze swept over the panicked faces of the group. She knew what was going on, and her contempt for Mu Yunhe deepened. This idiot, how could he not even know how badly he had been tricked? These bastards were practically riding on his neck, and he was still completely unmoved.
Luo Zhiheng felt indignant whenever she thought about the countless treasures falling into the hands of these bastards.
"Hurry up and speak! Are you waiting for me to whip you?" Suddenly, a sharp and domineering voice rang out. Luo Zhiheng's eyes widened, exuding a powerful aura that frightened the group of people, making them turn pale.
"I'll give you a chance. Now, if you just tell me what you took and where you got it, and then hand it over, I can let you off the hook by giving each of you ten lashes and then selling you off," Luo Zhiheng said softly again, her tone no longer impatient.
Her words caused everyone's expressions to change again, their gazes towards Luo Zhiheng filled with anger and malice. Did she think she was so magnanimous? Did she really intend to torment them to death? The servants glared angrily at Luo Zhiheng, their eyes also filled with disdain, seemingly disbelieving that Luo Zhiheng would actually dare to hit them, after all, they all had other masters.
But they thought Luo Zhiheng's conditions were unfavorable, and while they were cursing Luo Zhiheng in their hearts, they heard her continue: "But if you Tang Ru and your ilk don't know what's good for you and refuse to take the initiative, then I won't waste my breath on you. I'll hand you all over to the government and order them to give each of you thirty strokes of the cane first, and then interrogate you. No matter what the result is, if any of you steals even one thing, you will be labeled as a thief, convicted, imprisoned, and never be able to turn your lives around."
Upon hearing this, everyone's face turned ashen.
"My dear family members," Luo Zhiheng said with a smile, "have you all thought this through? I've been very merciful. You only have one chance, but if you don't cherish it, or if you think I'm not capable of imprisoning you, then go ahead and try. If you are convicted, you will be slaves for life."
"Now, if you all point fingers at each other and name whoever you know stole, I will immediately pardon her from ten strokes of the cane. But if you know but don't report it, you will pay the price for your cover-up. You should also know that we have a fair and just Consort Li in our palace. As long as I hand that person over to Consort Li, she will surely give the fairest judgment. I remember that this morning Consort Li had someone beaten to death."
Luo Zhiheng used both threats and inducements, her attitude firm and her words factual, until someone couldn't take it anymore and knelt on the ground with a thud. The maid was young and choked back tears, crying, "I'll tell you everything! I only took a pair of jade ruyi scepters from the young prince's room, on the day of his wedding. I didn't take anything else. I also saw that old woman from that day take a gold-inlaid jade lamp. That's all I know. Please, Your Highness, spare my life!"
Before Luo Zhiheng could speak, Granny Wang began to snarl, "You little slut, you whore! I've taken good care of you all this time, and you dare to smear me like this? I'll skin you alive today!" The old woman then lunged at the girl.
Luo Zhiheng frowned and shouted angrily, "Stop! What kind of behavior is this? Xiao Xizi, hold those people back! That old woman Wang, slap her ten times! This is too presumptuous! Do you even respect me, the Princess Consort? I haven't even spoken yet, and you dare to be so insolent! Who gave you the guts!"
Xiao Xizi led his men forward and restrained Granny Wang. They slapped her ten times with a flurry of blows, making Granny Wang cry out in pain. Perhaps she was extremely upset, as she muttered angrily, "Does she really think she's a princess? She's nothing but a fake, an imposter. She'll be divorced sooner or later."
Luo Zhiheng narrowed her eyes, but before she could speak, Mu Yunhe's hoarse voice came from the silent room. It was methodical yet cold and cruel: "There's no need to interrogate this person. She spoke rudely to the little princess. Just have her beaten to death. Carry it out right here in this courtyard."
Even if Mu Yunhe is not the best, he is still a legitimate prince. As long as he doesn't die, he is the master of this palace. The servants may grumble about him in their hearts, but no one will dare to disrespect him on the surface. Therefore, if he speaks, it will be more powerful than if Luo Zhiheng speaks a hundred times.
Now that Mu Yunhe has spoken, every word he utters is an overly obvious and undisguised defense of Luo Zhiheng!
Everyone was shocked!
Luo Zhiheng was exactly the kind of person Mu Yunhe had imagined—she'd take a swoon if given a little encouragement. Seeing that Mu Yunhe was actually helping and protecting her, she immediately perked up, her imperious manner turning into one of smugness as if she'd just found a hundred taels of gold. She became even more arrogant and domineering, saying, "Did you hear that? The young prince is listening too. Don't think that just because the young prince doesn't know what you've been doing, he doesn't know."
She knew Mu Yunhe was protecting her, so she was very happy. She didn't hide her joy. In this ancient world, to be unconditionally protected and firmly on a man's side was undoubtedly a blessing. Therefore, she couldn't let Mu Yunhe down. If someone treated her with respect, she was willing to repay them tenfold.
"Young Prince, please spare me! I was sent by Consort Li to serve you your meals. Please forgive me for serving you for so long..." Granny Wang begged for mercy.
But Mu Yunhe's icy voice, devoid of any humanity, rang out again, leaving no room for argument: "Kill him immediately with a beating!"
Xiao Xizi and the others looked a little pale. This was the first time in all these years of service that the young prince had acted so resolutely. In the past, the young prince was always gentle and smiling. Today, the young prince was actually going to go on a killing spree because of Luo Zhiheng?
When exactly did this insignificant Luo Zhiheng, who should have been despised and scorned, come to be valued so highly by the young prince?
The crowd didn't understand, but they all fell silent in fear. Their ears were filled with Granny Wang's clamor, which soon turned into screams of agony, and the terrifying sound of a board hitting flesh and blood, sent chills down their spines.
A thief's arrest led to a bloody incident, but this incident also made everyone with different intentions afraid to act recklessly in this courtyard. They no longer dared to arrogantly claim to be someone's man. Now, no matter who they were working for, they could die if they made a mistake.
The beating didn't stop until Granny Wang was completely dead, and no one took the initiative to dispose of her body. Everyone knew they were waiting for Luo Zhiheng's instructions.
The nude man glanced at the corpse and then said, "If anyone dares to speak disrespectfully again, this will be their fate. I'll ask you one more time, who else stole anything? Quickly confess what you've stolen and I might let you go. Don't think that just because the young prince doesn't know what those things are, you can get away with it."
One by one, people actually confessed, and some of the items were handed over. Those who couldn't hand over their items also explained where they went—either they were sold, or they were given away through connections. What's even more amusing is that they were given to some of the head maids in the Prince's mansion.
"Little Xizi, aren't you the one who keeps all of the young prince's things? Don't you know what's inside?" Luo Zhiheng's tone shifted, directly questioning Little Xizi. Could this kid be working for someone else too? Otherwise, how could he not know something like this?
Xiao Xizi was already terrified of Luo Zhiheng. She trembled and knelt on the ground in fright: "This servant really didn't know. Although I have found that some things have been missing, how can this servant manage such things? There is a gift list, though. I remember the origin of each item clearly. This servant has been very careful in keeping this. Would the little princess like to see it?"
Luo Zhiheng's eyes lit up, and she quickly said, "Bring it here quickly. By the way, where is the young prince's storeroom?"
"It's in the room next door. It's not usually locked because the Princess and the Prince often send things over. I was busy taking care of the young prince, so I came back and didn't pay much attention to that room. Who knew things would go missing..." Xiao Xizi replied with a face full of regret and self-blame, and then brought over the gift list.
Seeing that the gift list was quite detailed, Luo Zhiheng then looked at the storeroom, which was full of items. After a moment's thought, she decided, "Since the rest of you won't talk about it, let's reconcile the accounts. Xiao Xizi, you, the wet nurse, and the maids, help reconcile the accounts with the gift list and organize them so that we can keep track of things in the future. Now we can also find out exactly what's missing."
This was a huge undertaking, as the warehouse was quite large, and it would probably take three people a very long time to organize it. Luo Zhiheng then sent someone to find the Princess, explaining the situation and requesting that she send a loyal and reliable person to help. At this point, the Princess was the only person Luo Zhiheng could turn to for help.
Soon, Mrs. Hu arrived with her people and immediately began reconciling the accounts.
Inside the warehouse, a flurry of activity was underway, while those outside were in a panic. They were all like ants on a hot plate, completely at a loss. Luo Zhiheng watched coldly from the sidelines. Someone had already brought her a chair; she was like a ruthless and cold-blooded overseer, her gaze instilling fear in the group.
Before sunset, the warehouse was finally organized, and Luo Zhiheng was quite satisfied with the data. She smiled and carefully put the new gift list into her arms. These were Mu Yunhe's things, and they were hers too! So many treasures! She was rich!
When Hu's mother and the others saw Luo Zhiheng's cat-like expression of comfort and smug delight, they couldn't help but find it adorable and endearing. But they were also puzzled. What was wrong with the little princess? Why was she smiling like a cat that had just stolen some cream?
But when Luo Zhiheng saw the gift list containing the missing and missing items, her pretty face turned ashen, like a storm had passed through and rain had fallen. Her hand holding the gift list trembled slightly.
One thousand three hundred and eighty-six, one thousand three hundred and eighty-six items...
So much was lost!!
Luo Zhiheng's anger was barely concealed. With so many items and so few people, each person must have stolen at least sixty items on average! These people probably wouldn't dare to steal anything on a regular basis, right? And yet, they only confessed to a mere twenty or so items.
No one could have imagined that a small jade lotus flower would lead to such a horrifying theft! What wealthy family would be robbed like this? Is this still a residence? It's practically a den of thieves! If they bought all those treasures, each of them could become an incredibly wealthy man! These audacious bastards!
"How dare you! You're all heartless wolves and dogs! Who gave you the audacity? Huh! Who gave you the audacity?!" Luo Zhiheng slammed the gift list down, stood up abruptly, pointed at the group of people, her face pale with anger.
"Xiao Xizi! Immediately report to the Princess and ask her to send someone to invite the officials. Recover what you can, and if you can't, it doesn't matter. Don't let any of these people get away. Lock them all up in jail to await trial! Aren't they stubborn and argumentative? Then let them stop talking and go to the yamen to talk to the officials with their big rods!" Luo Zhiheng was furious, and her demeanor was truly imposing and stern.
Some of his words froze the blood of a group of people, filling them with terror.
Luo Zhiheng felt a pang of heartache. So many things! The gift list was almost entirely filled with small, exquisite items, many with clearly marked values—they wouldn't be an exaggeration to describe them as priceless. She was a bandit, a robber, and she had robbed valuable things, but she never stole; she openly robbed. She was forced into banditry, but they never harmed anyone. They only robbed those with wicked intentions and ill-gotten gains. They would even help the suffering people after they had eaten their fill.
But who are these people? They clearly eat Mu Yunhe's food and use Mu Yunhe's things. Although they are servants, they signed indentures and willingly became servants—that was their choice. Yet they dared to be so outrageous! Not only did they steal from Mu Yunhe, but they also treated Mu Yunhe's place like a vault? Allowing them to steal at will? And after stealing, they shamelessly and brazenly continued to stay by Mu Yunhe's side.
They're shameless and despicable! They have absolutely no respect for Mu Yunhe, they don't take Mu Yunhe seriously at all, and they might even think that what they stole was their due? How can such people be allowed to live? They're a bunch of scourges! If one day they find her and Mu Yunhe in their way, will they kill them too? 11.
They're really bold!
Luo Zhiheng would show no mercy to such people! They must be severely punished!
"Your Highness, spare us! We'll tell you..." A group of people knelt on the ground, knowing they could no longer hide the truth and were about to speak. They were only concerned with stealing and having money to spend, forgetting they were merely servants, and that stealing from their masters was punishable by death. They didn't know how much they had stolen, but years of stealing made them feel restless if they didn't steal for a while. Now, however, they were filled with fear, but it was too late.
"Want to talk now? Too late! I won't listen to your nonsense anymore. Our young prince and the Mu family don't even consider those things a threat, but you must pay the price for your actions! Xiao Xi, pass on my message: this matter needs no cover-up. Let them know how much was lost, and let them know the fate of these people. This royal residence is truly lawless; the master acts like a servant, and the servant acts like a master!"
"And that corpse, hand them over to the authorities as well. Tell the official that if he doesn't get to the bottom of this, I, Luo Zhiheng, will personally go to his office and smash it up!" Luo Zhiheng said fiercely, grabbed the gift list, and stormed back to her room.
The door slammed shut, and outside came cries and pleas for mercy. No one showed them any compassion; this was a case of reaping what you sow. No matter how good someone else's things are, they're not yours. You secretly took them, thinking you'd gotten away with it, but little did you know that the net of heaven is vast and its meshes are fine, yet nothing escapes it; what you owe will eventually have to be repaid!
Luo Zhiheng, on the other hand, simply did what a mistress of the house should do.
Everything that happened in Mu Yunhe's courtyard was not hidden, nor could it be hidden. In a short period of time, the entire palace was shocked by this shocking theft, and there was a deathly silence inside and outside the palace.
This matter quickly spread outside, shocking the court and the public alike! If even the Mu family had such an astonishing and sordid affair, what about other wealthy families? Although Mu Yunhe's situation was due to special circumstances, didn't other families also have their own special circumstances?
Luo Zhiheng was unaware that her swift and decisive actions had shaken the entire capital of the Mu Dynasty. Countless high-ranking officials and nobles underwent massive purges in their private quarters, and the results were utterly appalling! Almost every household had something missing, and even an elder statesman's official seal was lost!
The emperor learned of this matter and was furious. He immediately amended the law, adding a clause to restrict servants. The law was very harsh: if a servant dared to steal again, regardless of the reason, both hands would be cut off, and the servant would be exiled to the frontier to serve as a human oxcart driver. Their descendants would never be allowed to enter officialdom and would be considered lowly people!
Luo Zhiheng, who discovered and initiated this matter, soon received an imperial decree!
Chapter 1 is here! There will be one more chapter today. Please leave a comment and vote! Please come back soon, my darlings! Hua Sha misses you all! Mwah!
099 Establishes authority with a single kick!
Updated: 2013-06-12 12:49:52 Word Count: 3598
With Prince Mu away from home, the arrival of the imperial edict truly surprised the women of the Prince's mansion. No one knew what the edict meant, but Consort Li, with her extensive connections, had already guessed that it must be related to Luo Zhiheng's disturbance in the inner courtyard.
"Hmph, she really thinks she's tough? She's been hated for ages and doesn't even know it. Just watch, this imperial decree will make Luo Zhiheng suffer a hundred bitter pills without being able to complain. Why didn't I think of that? Luo Zhiheng is so arrogant, she needs to be dealt with like the Emperor. Hehe, this saves me a lot of trouble." Consort Li said to her trusted head maid with a strange laugh.
"Your Majesty is wise!" Ever since the case of the corpse, the head maid has dared not speak casually in front of Consort Li.
Hua Kai, however, displayed even greater loyalty and wit than before: "Your Highness is already a noble lady, and Luo Zhiheng is simply courting death. She wasn't properly married to our young prince, yet she dares to cause such a ruckus. Isn't she just asking for death? His Majesty must be furious now. The decree he issued earlier was quite frightening. Luo Zhiheng is definitely going to suffer the consequences this time."