The Concubine's Daughter Travels Through Time and Space and Takes the Road of Confrontation

Mao Feng was escorted to the servants' quarters. After hearing the silence around her, she opened her eyes, sat up, and spat softly. She'd thought she'd hit a snag, hoping to bluff her way out of it, but she'd fallen flat on her face. Mao Feng glanced around unwillingly. There was nothing but a table and a bed. The large, coarse porcelain bowl on the table had a chip on it.

The old woman who had been hiding in the dark came out only after everyone left. She spat fiercely in the direction where Mao Feng left and said, "You lowly little whore, only our Madam is kind-hearted." She turned around and went to the main courtyard to reply.

Zhang nodded to indicate that she understood. In the evening, Aunt Yao sent someone to ask about it. Jinhe only said that someone had been sent to escort him out of the city and he should have been on the official road by now.

I thought the matter was over, but the next day a servant came with a message saying that there was a commotion in the East Courtyard and the old lady had been alarmed. According to the maid, it was normal for the East Courtyard to have a commotion from time to time, but this time it was different and it was particularly severe.

Hearing the news, the old lady was alarmed, and Zhang had to rush over. However, she was a little late. When she arrived, the house was in a mess, with broken porcelain pieces all over the floor, but the situation had been mostly settled. The old lady sat at the top and looked angrily at the standing master. Qin Shi was sitting on the ground with her hair disheveled, and even one of her shoes was missing. A familiar figure was kneeling by the door with his head bowed. Zhang secretly thought that something was wrong.

Mao Feng knelt on the ground, her face concealing her pride, but she was truly blessed. Last night, she had been planning to leave and find Kuai Yinzi somewhere else, but she had unexpectedly run into the drunken master around the corner. She could tell at a glance that the man in front of her was ostentatiously dressed and a womanizer, so she rushed him, and after a while, they had an affair at the gatehouse, which hadn't been discovered until today when the servants discovered it.

Qin no longer cared about her dignity. With tears on her face, she pointed at the eldest master and complained with every word, "It was fine in the past when one room after another carried things into the yard, but now..." She gritted her teeth and said in hatred, "all the good and bad things are thrown into the yard. How can I be called a marquis's wife? I might as well die today." After saying that, she was about to hit the table leg at the old lady's feet.

All the maids and servants in the room came over to pull her over. Zhang Shi was reluctant to go forward but could not just sit back and watch. She picked up the teacup and said, "Old lady, have some tea to calm your nerves."

The old lady was also angry. "They say that children are the sins of past lives. This evil creature has wasted all his years reading the sage books. All his reading has gone to waste!"

The eldest master knelt down and apologized, "I know I was wrong, but I still ask for your punishment." The old lady sneered, "You have many children now. Even if you make me angry to death, what can I do to you?" This was already very serious. The eldest master hurriedly said, "I dare not. It is my unfilial son who makes mother worry about me."

At this time, Qin was slumped in the arms of a group of maids and servants, allowing others to wash her face, as if her heart was dead.

The old lady slammed the table and said, "In my opinion, it would be better to get rid of all the dirty and smelly things in your yard so that it will be clean. I can live a few more years."

Qin crawled forward and laid on the old lady's legs, crying, "Please, old lady, take care of me."

The old lady patted her eldest daughter-in-law on the back and said, "My son, I will definitely teach this evildoer a lesson for you."

The old lady gave the order, and a maid came in a short while later with a box containing six indentures. The old lady handed the box to Qin Shi and said, "Take it."

Qin took the box, her mood calmed down a bit, and then she looked at the little whore who was still kneeling by the door. The anger in her eyes was as real as substance. She turned to look at Zhang and said, "I heard from the servants a few days ago that Concubine Yao brought back a smart girl. I wonder if the second wife still recognizes this smart girl."

Zhang's expression was solemn. "Sister-in-law, be careful what you say. Yao felt very sorry for Miss Xiaofeng selling herself to bury her father, and Miss Xiaofeng was eager to repay her gratitude, so she allowed her to follow. My master has always despised such acts of seeking rewards for favors. Yesterday, I sent someone to reprimand Yao and also sent for a doctor to get medicine for Miss Xiaofeng. But the maid came back and said that Miss Xiaofeng had disappeared. I also sent people to look for her, but there was no sign of her. I never expected—" Zhang said with regret, "it would end up like this."

Qin sneered at the words, "As you said, there is nothing wrong at all. How ridiculous! If it weren't for you——"

Zhang didn't allow her to finish before she turned and knelt before the old lady, her expression solemn. "If you want to know the reason, just ask Miss Xiaofeng. Please give me some advice, mother."

The old lady looked towards the door, her eyes narrowed slightly. "Please ask Miss Xiaofeng to help us solve our doubts."

Mao Feng gritted her teeth, and raised her head with a tearful look on her face. "That day, when I woke up and saw that there was no one around, I thought about my weak body, and how I had been troubled by my aunt's protection along the way, and how my lady had also taken care of me. I couldn't bear to cause trouble to you ladies anymore, so I decided to leave. Who knew--" She covered her cheeks and sobbed, "I bumped into a drunk man when I turned the corner. The man grabbed me and wouldn't let go, muttering the word Yueli in his mouth--" "Wuwuwu" "I am also the daughter of a good family. I beg you ladies to let me leave on my own." After that, she just kept crying and refused to say anything more.

The old lady was already 80% convinced. She looked at her daughter-in-law and said, "I know this matter has wronged you, but it is against the rules of the mansion for women from outside the family to enter and leave the inner house at will. You are also wrong." After a pause, the old lady continued, "Since you have just returned home, I will fine you one month's salary. As for Aunt Yao, you can deal with it yourself when you return."

After hearing what the bitch said, Qin was so angry that she almost fainted. "Lu Lingping, you - you are still thinking about her -" There was chaos in the house again.

Zhang lowered her eyes and thought, Yueli seemed to be the name of a concubine of her uncle in his early years. She was led out of the east courtyard by Nanny Qin without stopping.

When they returned to the west wing, Rong Jie'er was learning calligraphy with Yun Jie'er in the west wing. The sisters' voices could be heard from time to time. Nanny Chang told Cailian, "Madam has been punished because of the concubine. The concubine will be confined for two months to reflect on her mistakes. You should be vigilant and don't make any more mistakes." Cailian nodded hurriedly. Since the master had been punished, the monthly wages of the servants had been greatly reduced, so they naturally felt resentful.

The East Wing Courtyard had lost several concubines but gained a new girl, Miss Mao. According to the rules, she should have been promoted to a concubine, but Qin Shi claimed that she had no connections and her background was unknown, so she didn't sign a contract and only had the servants call her "girl." Girls from wealthy families were treated even lower than concubines, even worse than maids. They were often beaten and scolded, with severe punishments like spankings and kneeling in the sun. Within a few days, they were tortured to the point of being unrecognizable and gray.

That day, because the yard wasn't swept clean, Madam Mao was punished by being made to hold a basin under her head in the sun. Qin Shi lay on the chaise longue, watching Madam Mao in the corridor, feeling quite pleased. Several of the maids were chatting with her, and laughter could be heard from time to time.

Qin spat on the tea foam and frowned, "Why are you using last year's old tea? Just pour it out." Nanny Qin understood what was meant and personally poured a pot of boiling hot tea onto the corridor.

With a loud bang, Mao dropped the copper basin to the ground, and the scalding tea soaked her shoes and socks. Regardless of the pain, Mao subconsciously kowtowed and begged for mercy, "Madam, please forgive me, Madam, please forgive me."

Qin smiled and said to the maids, "Do you think I should forgive her?"

The maids looked at each other, and some of them who couldn't bear it had to lower their heads. Qin's face turned cold.

Nanny Qin said with a smile, "Madam, your health is precious. Why bother getting angry with these little villains? If the basin flips over, just have Madam Mao take it up. However, the original basin we used was a copper one for washing faces. Since Madam Mao made a mistake, let's use a wooden tub for washing feet instead. We can stick to the original two hours."

Qin finally nodded in satisfaction and said, "Just do as Madam says."

Mao was trembling as she was pulled up by the maid. Under the gaze of everyone, she tried to lift the wooden barrel above her head. Her arms were shaking. Just when everyone thought the barrel would be overturned again, the master's voice came from the door, scolding, "What are you doing?"

The maids and old women knelt on the ground in panic, but Qin remained seated and looked at the newcomer.

The eldest master suppressed his anger and walked over to Mao. He waved his hand and overturned the wooden barrel. He sneered and said, "Madam's methods are no worse than those of the cruel officials in the prison. I just don't know what crime Mao has committed."

"Miss Mao has just arrived, and as the mistress, I want to teach her some rules of the mansion so that she won't run around and offend other men. I'm doing this for your own good." Qin's expression was indifferent.