Reborn as the Regent's Beloved

Upon hearing that Crimson Arsenic had contacted her, Xiao Qingyin turned and ran, but was caught and brought back.

Xiao Qishan believed in his youngest daughter's character. "Qingyin, come here and explain to your grandmother why your Fuyin Courtyard accepted that deadly poison."

With Lv Shu's help, Xiao Qingyin knelt before the crowd.

“Father, grandmother, I sent Yuanshu to get the red arsenic to poison the rats. Yuanshu accidentally mixed the poison with chili powder in the kitchen. I made pine leaf cakes for grandmother out of filial piety, but I accidentally mixed the poison with the chili powder and almost harmed her.”

The more she talked, the more upset she became, while Xiao Fengyi felt increasingly disgusted.

After hearing this, Xiao Qishan also felt that Xiao Qingyin did not do it on purpose, and kindly advised her.

“Mother, Qingyin meant well but did something wrong, please forgive her.”

The old lady didn't speak, but looked coldly at her son.

The air was thick with a stalemate.

Xiao Ye, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up, "After you made the quince leaf cakes, didn't you try any? How come only Grandmother was poisoned, but you weren't?"

Xiao Qingyin looked around, feeling wronged. "Brother, Grandmother loves spicy food, but I don't, so I wasn't poisoned."

"Is it all my fault for liking spicy food?" the old lady sneered, seeing through it but not saying anything.

She also shook her head at Xiao Fengyi, telling her not to act rashly.

This action reminded Xiao Fengyi of the day she returned from the palace, when the old lady told her to swallow her anger and not pursue the matter.

She had secretly resented her grandmother for not standing up for her back then, but now it seems that the old lady was willing to sacrifice even her own interests for the sake of the Xiao family's reputation.

The old lady said that the reason she made Yuanshu take the blame was for the sake of the reputation of the Duke of Xiao's mansion.

If word got out that the granddaughter had murdered her grandmother, at best the Xiao family would be ridiculed by the world for their absurd family values, and at worst the emperor might become suspicious.

Serving as an official in the imperial court is like walking on thin ice; my grandmother dared not take the risk.

Xiao Ye said to Xiao Qishan, "Father, although Qingyin did not do it on purpose, she almost killed Grandmother. She should be punished."

In an effort to ease tensions with his mother, Xiao Qishan reluctantly said, "According to family rules, she shall be given forty strokes of the cane."

In fact, Xiao Qingyin's actions were so egregious that even beating or killing would not have been excessive. The forty strokes of the cane that Xiao Qishan mentioned were actually to save her life.

This was the punishment he gave, and Madam Shen had nothing to say. She only hoped that the forty strokes of the cane would be enough to let the matter drop and save Xiao Qingyin's life.

Seeing her son and daughter-in-law's attitude, the old lady knew they were protecting Xiao Qingyin. Although protectiveness is inevitable, as a mother, the old lady was still heartbroken for her son.

He would disregard his elderly mother's life or death for the sake of his beloved daughter.

Xiao Qingyin had just been flogged twenty times by the Emperor in the palace. Upon hearing that she was to be flogged again, she was thunderstruck. She grabbed Xiao Qishan and Shen Shi's clothes and cried, "Father, Mother, save me."

"Qingyin, I know you have a filial heart, but the fact that you almost killed Grandmother is undeniable. Family law must be enforced." After saying this, Xiao Qishan pushed her away, probably afraid that he would soften his heart if he looked at her any longer…

Madam Shen also shook her head at Xiao Qingyin, her eyes telling her that as long as she could endure forty strokes of the cane, everything would be fine.

Seeing that her parents weren't on her side, Xiao Qingyin stopped worrying and just glared fiercely at Xiao Fengyi.

She secretly vowed to return the forty strokes of the cane to Xiao Fengyi, along with the twenty strokes from last time, with interest, so that she would suffer unbearable pain.

Xiao Fengyi received a chilling look and secretly vowed to make the other person suffer a terrible death.

"Ah... Waaah... It hurts so much, Grandmother, I really didn't mean to poison you."

"Second Miss, you're bleeding, please be gentle with your blows."

Inside the room, Xiao Ye listened to Xiao Qingyin's pleading voice and said to the old lady, "Grandmother, Qingyin really didn't mean it. Please forgive her."

"Alright, I'll spare her for now."

For the sake of the Xiao family's honor, the old lady had no intention of doing anything to Xiao Qingyin. When Xiao Ye said he would punish Xiao Qingyin, she was very happy.

However, Xiao Ye's actions of proposing to punish Xiao Qingyin and then pleading for her actually puzzled and displeased Xiao Fengyi.

Her biggest complaint about Xiao Ye was yet to come.

Xiao Qingyin was beaten half to death. After applying some medicine to her wounds, she was sent to a side room. Madam Shen also went back with her, leaving Xiao Qishan and Xiao Ye with the old lady.

The old lady originally wanted all her children and grandchildren to leave so she could continue to rest, but Xiao Ye stopped her.

"Grandmother, now that Qingyin's matter has been dealt with, shouldn't we deal with Fengyi's staying out all night?"

Xiao Fengyi turned around and looked at her brother coldly, wondering what punishment he intended to give her.

Xiao Qishan was already exhausted, both physically and mentally, and didn't want to pursue anything further. He looked at his son and said, "Xiao Ye, Fengyi went to find medicine for her grandmother last night. There's no need to investigate further."

Fengyi was, after all, his daughter, and he did not want to resort to violence unless absolutely necessary.

Xiao Ye insisted, "No, Second Sister made pine leaf cakes for Grandmother out of good intentions, but her good intentions backfired. Eldest Sister also meant well by looking for medicine for Grandmother, but she couldn't find it. Second Sister has already been given forty strokes of the cane, so it wouldn't be right if Eldest Sister wasn't punished as well."

Her brother always treated his two sisters equally, never favoring either of them. From childhood to adulthood, he gave them the same gifts, and even when they argued, he would argue with each of them separately.

Because Xiao Ye doesn't favor anyone, neither she nor Xiao Qingyin like this older brother.

After listening, Xiao Qishan also felt that there was some truth to it.

She felt sorry for Qingyin when she thought of how she did good but ended up being punished, and she felt that Fengyi should be treated the same way.

“Fengyi, since your brother has said so, I will punish you too. However, you only failed to get the medicine, so I will just hit your palms a few times with the kidnapping.”

The old lady did not want Fengyi to be beaten, saying, "For the sake of Fengyi saving my life, I will spare her the punishment of hitting her palms."

Xiao Qishan, however, was unwilling for his youngest daughter to be punished alone. "Mother, Qingyin has already been punished, and Fengyi must also be punished. If she doesn't want to be punished, she should bring out the medicinal herbs."

Upon hearing Xiao Qishan's words, the girl replied directly, "I have no medicinal herbs to produce."

"Then quickly stretch out your hand so I can hit you a few times." At this moment, the ruler in Xiao Qishan's hand was like a Lingyue sword, gleaming with a faint cold light.

Faced with the ruler, Xiao Fengyi did not extend her hand, because although the matter seemed fair and reasonable, Xiao Ye was unaware of the hidden truth behind it.

Sister Bailian didn't mean well but did bad things; she was destined to do bad things and kill her grandmother.

After a while, seeing that Xiao Fengyi did not extend her hand, Xiao Qishan prepared to take action himself. He ordered the maids in the old lady's room to support his eldest daughter, saying, "You all hold on tight to her."

The maids glanced at the old lady, unsure whether they should arrest the young lady.

The old lady coughed and said, "Let's see who dares to arrest her!"

"Mother, you can't indulge Fengyi!"

Seeing that no one was helping him, Xiao Qishan decided to arrest Xiao Fengyi himself.

"Wait! Don't hit her!"

Just as Xiao Qishan was about to beat his daughter, someone came to the side room of Baoguo Temple and interrupted him.