Marrying for someone else and being a widow? Stepmothers open classes to raise children

The firelight shone on Gu Zhiyi's face, and her eyes were cold, as if they could pierce through the gloom of the night.

She didn't ask any more questions and let Luluo pull her out of the room.

Many maids and servants from the mansion had gathered in the yard. Some of them were holding buckets of water, and some were holding hemp baskets, and were busy putting out the fire.

Gu Zhiyi stood aside, watching the flames greedily devour her wedding room, but her heart was unusually calm.

Soon, the fire was put out, thick smoke rose into the sky, and all that could be seen was a mess.

At this moment, a young man in gorgeous clothes came with his arms folded, followed by several guards in black, making a grand scene.

Gu Zhiyi knew without a need to guess that this man was undoubtedly Xie Yunce, the second son of the Duke's Mansion. He was naughty by nature and was known as the Little Bully!

Xie Yunce walked up to Gu Zhiyi, glanced at her with contempt, and sneered: "You are so unlucky. You have just married into the Duke's Mansion and encountered such a thing. However, this can't be blamed on me. Who made you my stepmother?"

Gu Zhiyi suppressed her anger, raised her head, looked straight at Xie Yunce, and said calmly: "Xie Yunce, the thug who caused trouble in the wedding hall today was the one you paid for, right?"

Xie Yunce puffed out his chest in a haughty manner, with a hint of sneer on his lips. He looked Gu Zhiyi up and down, then said slowly: "Yes, that gangster was indeed hired by me. It's a pity that you escaped!"

Gu Zhiyi clenched her hands into fists, her nails digging deeply into her palms, but she still tried to remain calm.

She knew that at this moment Xie Yunce was waiting for her to break down emotionally to prove his victory.

She took a deep breath and said slowly, "You admitted that you hired someone to cause trouble. Then I want to ask you, were you the one who set the fire just now?"

Xie Yunce's eyes widened. He didn't expect Gu Zhiyi to ask him so directly. He was stunned for a moment, then he put his hands on his hips and laughed: "Yes, I set the fire. What's wrong? What can you do to me?"

After saying that, he stuck out his tongue at her, full of provocation.

Gu Zhiyi still said calmly: "Just admit it."

"Just admit it?" Xie Yunce raised his voice, with a hint of teasing in his tone, "Do you think your questioning can scare me? Let me tell you, I, Xie Yunce, never do anything I dare not admit. Since you asked, what if I admit it?"

Gu Zhiyi raised her eyebrows slightly and looked at him calmly: "You are quite courageous. You dare to set fire to my room. Aren't you afraid that I will tell the old Duke and make you pay for it?"

Xie Yunce didn't expect Gu Zhiyi to be so calm. Her tone seemed as if she was discussing "today's weather" with him in a relaxed manner.

He was a little stunned, but he recovered quickly and said with his eyes wide open: "Do you think Grandfather will punish me for your words? Don't dream, I am the second son of the Duke's Mansion and the future heir. He loves me so much! If you dare to disobey me, I guarantee that you will not be able to take a single step in the Duke's Mansion!"

Gu Zhiyi smiled softly, and found a bramble as thick as a baby's wrist from somewhere, narrowed her eyes, and said, "Really? In that case, let me, your stepmother, teach you a lesson on behalf of the old Duke!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a cold light flashed in Gu Zhiyi's eyes, and the whip in her hand hit Xie Yunce's body like raindrops.

"Wow—"

"boom!"

Xie Yunce's body trembled and he fell heavily to the ground. He was stunned at first, and then the real pain came like a tide, and then he came to his senses.

Oh my god, he got beaten!

Xie Yunce clenched his teeth, clenched his fists, his face was as pale as paper, and sweat dripped from his forehead like soybeans.

"You crazy woman, you are so bold as to hit me! You can hit me as much as you want, I... am not afraid of you! Ouch, it hurts so much!" Xie Yunce cursed, his voice trembling slightly, but his eyes still maintained stubbornness and unyielding spirit.

"You first hired someone to humiliate your stepmother, and then set fire to the house maliciously. Shouldn't you be punished? You have done such a disgraceful thing and have tarnished the reputation of the Ningguo Mansion. Today I want to let you know what family rules are!"

The servants and maids around were so frightened that their faces turned pale. They dared not speak a word, let alone step forward to dissuade them.

"Don't hit me, young master!"

"Madam, please think twice!"

Xie Yunce's guards rushed forward at this moment, but were frightened by Gu Zhiyi's glare back at them. They stopped and looked at each other in surprise.

"Madam, I'm afraid it's not appropriate for you to do this!" The leader wanted to help, but did not dare to pull Gu Zhiyi, and was so anxious that sweat beads appeared on his forehead.

Gu Zhiyi sneered, glanced at the guard leader, and said in a cold tone: "Is it wrong? What's wrong with me teaching my own son a lesson?"

The leader was speechless and unable to refute.

A guard behind him couldn't help but say, "Madam, the Second Young Master is your stepson after all. If you do this, I'm afraid it will cause criticism."

Xie Yunce's body kept shaking, and the guards' hearts trembled with it.

"Madam, please stop hitting me! The young master will die of pain!" the leader of the guards begged bitterly.

Gu Zhiyi turned a deaf ear to him and became even more ruthless.

At this moment, the old lady's voice suddenly rang out: "Quick! Stop it!"

"Grandma!" Xie Yunce screamed as if he had seen a life-saving straw.

The old lady hurried towards her grandson, her face full of heartache.

The appearance of the old lady instantly quieted the originally noisy scene.

Gu Zhiyi stopped the whip in her hand, and Xie Yunce took the opportunity to escape. He threw himself in front of his grandmother and burst into tears.

Xie Yunce looked aggrieved. He pointed at Gu Zhiyi and complained loudly, "Grandma, she...she was so merciless to me that she beat me to death! You have to make the decision for me!"

The old lady was heartbroken when she saw that Xie Yunce's body was covered with marks from the thorns.

He frowned slightly, his eyes moved between the two of them, and finally landed on Gu Zhiyi, and said with a hint of reproach: "Tell me, what's going on?"

Gu Zhiyi took a deep breath, straightened her back, and looked at the old lady with a firm gaze: "Old lady, the man who slandered me at the wedding banquet was hired by the second young master, and he was also the one who set the fire in the bridal chamber. He just admitted these two things. Since he has made a mistake, as his mother, I naturally have to discipline him so that he will remember it."

The old lady was startled when she heard this, and looked at Xie Yunce who was hugging her thigh and acting like a spoiled child in disbelief: "Cer, did you really do all this?"

Xie Yunce's face, which was originally covered with tears, suddenly became terrified after hearing the old lady's questioning, and he stammered: "Grandma, I...I..."

The old lady frowned, turned to face Gu Zhiyi, and asked in a deep voice: "Zhiyi, what do you think, how should this matter be resolved?"

Gu Zhiyi thought for a moment and replied calmly: "Madam, since Xie Yunce has made a mistake, he should be punished accordingly. Otherwise, how can he remember the lesson and not make similar mistakes again?"

The old lady pondered for a moment and said, "What should we do according to your idea?"