Forced to be a concubine? I turned around and married the scumbag's father.

forecourt.

Yinzhi was tied to a bench, her face ashen.

Gu Wanru knelt on the ground and wailed, "Father, Yinzhi is only thinking of my husband. Besides, it was Gu Hua's maid who took the wrong soup bowl. You can't blame Yinzhi!"

Gu Hua and Zhou Zhilan happened to hear the whole thing, so they stopped and watched from the side.

Gu Hua was puzzled. If the wrong soup bowl was picked up, then who was the soup originally meant for?

Gu Hua saw a beautiful woman dressed in a light red ruqun kneeling beside Gu Wanru.

It's Yaoyao.

In her previous life, after she was forced to become a concubine, she was often isolated and bullied by the women in Mu An's harem.

Sure enough, only she could have such filthy things.

Mu An stood behind Mu Junyan with her head down.

Mu Junyan, dressed in a black robe, sat on a chair, his fingers rhythmically tapping the armrest.

His cold eyes and silent, imposing presence made everyone present afraid to breathe.

The deep voice spoke slowly: "When the ancestral emperor bestowed upon my grandfather the title of Duke of Yong, he specially made this iron whip to enforce the Mu family's rules. The Mu family army has always been disciplined, and so has the Duke's mansion."

This whip has never been used on a woman, but anyone who dares to violate the Mu family rules will be punished according to the family law! Each lash penetrates half an inch into the flesh, tearing out skin and tendons; death is the only outcome, leaving one crippled. It teaches people a profound lesson about what it means to be worse than dead, ensuring they never dare to misbehave again.

Akabane brandished a spiked iron whip in front of Ginji.

Those sharp iron spikes, covered with dark, old bloodstains, almost made Yinzhi faint from fright.

Gu Wanru was so frightened that her sobs stopped, and she stared blankly at the iron whip.

Mu An's face turned pale.

When he entered the mansion, Mu Junyan made him recite the Mu family rules.

When his father was alive, he repeatedly instructed him to memorize the Mu family's military regulations.

This iron whip, a symbol of the Mu family's discipline, is enshrined in the ancestral hall. Throughout his many years in the Mu family, Mu Junyan has never used the family discipline against him.

Zhou Chunyu frowned: "Aunt Yin, you should tell the truth. The Duke always keeps his word. Military law and family law are equally strict."

Yinzhi's lips trembled as she looked at Gu Wanru.

Gu Wanru gave her a threatening look, then her expression suddenly changed, and she clutched her stomach and started crying.

"My stomach hurts, Father. Please let your wife leave. She is carrying your eldest grandson."

The physician from the Sun family suddenly appeared out of nowhere, grabbed her hand, and checked her pulse.

She then stood up and bowed to Mu Junyan: "The fetus is fine."

Gu Wanru couldn't cry anymore.

"beat."

Mu Junyan uttered a single word, and Chi Yu lashed out with his whip.

With a piercing scream, the iron whip flew through the air, splattering blood, and chunks of flesh hung from its barbs.

Gu Hua's face turned pale, and she covered her mouth, feeling nauseous.

The lash didn't strike deeply enough to injure the lungs, but it left the entire back a bloody mess.

Yinzhi fainted from the pain.

Gu Wanru sat down on the ground with a thud, trembling with fear.

"Give her a bowl of ginseng soup."

As soon as Mu Junyan finished speaking, Zhou Chunyu gestured to the nanny carrying a bowl of ginseng soup to come forward, pinch Gu Wanru's chin, force her to open her mouth, and poured the soup directly into her mouth.

The more lucid Yinzhi became, the more acute her sense of pain was; a single lash made her wish she were dead.

Mu Junyan turned to look at Mu An.

The early autumn night was chilly.

Muan's back was already soaked with sweat.

He was so frightened by his father's sharp gaze that he knelt down with a thud.

"Father, it has nothing to do with me. It's that vile woman Yinzhi who did all this."

Mu Junyan laughed angrily: "A mere concubine dares to drug me and Miss Gu?"

Who believes it!

Gu Wanru's eyes were filled with tears, concealing the hint of hatred that flashed across them.

Mu An's eyes darted around: "It's Yinzhi who wants to make your relationship with your sister-in-law happen."

Mu Junyan jumped up and kicked him hard in the chest, his face turning ashen and his chest heaving.

These are the children he raised!

"not like this."

Yao Yao, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up.

Everyone looked at her.

She spoke as if nothing had happened, her voice sweet and coquettish: "Yinzhi said that the young mistress ordered her to ask me for some things that would allow men and women to be intimate. I didn't dare to give them out randomly, as such things can be used in various ways. I asked who she wanted them for, and if it was just for pleasure, a little would be enough."

But Yinzhi said that the young mistress wanted it for Miss Gu Er, and it needed to be strong to satisfy the young master. "I dare not disobey the young mistress's order. But I specifically instructed that Miss Gu Er is delicate, so it should be used sparingly."

"You bullshit!"

Gu Wanru was furious. Despite being pregnant, she jumped up and pointed at Yaoyao's nose, cursing her.

"You lewd and shameless slut, you brought such a vile thing into the Duke's mansion and dare to slander and implicate me! It is clearly you and Yinzhi who conspired to send my poor sister to my husband's bed."

"It was Yinzhi who made a mistake when she went to fetch the soup, mistakenly delivering the soup meant for the young master to the father instead, which is how the father discovered your scheme!"

Yinzhi, who had been given ginseng soup and was now unusually lucid, glanced at Gu Wanru, lowered her head with tears in her eyes, and had no more thoughts of living.

Gu Hua felt a chill run through her body.

Mu An still wouldn't give up.

Zhou Zhilan was so angry that she wanted to personally go up and whip Yinzhi.

It's absolutely abominable.

"You bunch of vile women caused all this trouble, and you dare to implicate me! I know nothing about this, and I didn't even drink that soup! Gu Wanru, you vile woman, you want to kill me!"

Mu An panicked and rushed forward to hit Gu Wanru, but Zhou Chunyu grabbed her wrist.

"Young master, the young mistress is pregnant. If something were to happen to her, wouldn't you be heartbroken?"

Mu An angrily withdrew his hand: "This immoral woman is unworthy to give birth to the eldest grandson of our Duke's family! Father, I want to divorce her!"

"Husband, how dare you divorce me!"

Gu Wanru stared wide-eyed, unable to believe that Mu An would say such a thing.

Mu Junyan turned his head and saw Gu Hua, who was leaning against the artificial hill, biting her lip to hold back her tears.

My heart sank.

"Discipline them according to family rules." He finished speaking, stood up, and strode towards Gu Hua.

Gu Hua looked at him with teary eyes.

Mu Junyan grasped her wrist and whispered, "Don't look."

After saying that, he grabbed her and started to leave.

Gu Hua didn't want to watch anymore and was pulled away quickly by Mu Junyan.

But then, a series of piercing cries rang out from behind, each time the screams reached their peak and then abruptly stopped, followed by the sound of splashing water and Zhou Chunyu ordering people to force-feed him ginseng soup...

This cycle continued, and the screams grew weaker and weaker.

Gu Hua's face turned pale, and her legs grew weaker and weaker, making it difficult for her to keep up with Mu Junyan's pace.

Suddenly she stumbled, couldn't help but cry out, and fell forward.

With a swift turn, the tall figure stretched out his arm and lifted the person up in his arms.

Nestled in his warm and large embrace, Gu Hua didn't want to struggle. She snuggled into his arms and cried silently.

With a stern face, Mu Junyan carried her all the way into Ya Yun Pavilion, placed her on the bed, and tucked her into the quilt.

"Don't think about anything, just get some sleep."

He tucked her in, then turned and left.

Gu Hua felt a lump in her throat.

He seemed very unhappy.

She didn't know anything about what happened between him and Mu An, but regardless of whether Mu An could inherit the title, he enjoyed the wealth and honor of the Duke's mansion, which showed that Mu Junyan truly regarded him as a son.

What about Mu'an?

I embarrassed him in front of everyone just now, which really hurt his feelings.

Gu Hua got up, sat for a while hugging the quilt, and felt that her mood had calmed down and her body was fine, so she got out of bed and put on her shoes.

Donghua and Dongqing only dared to come in after Mu Junyan left. When they saw that she had gotten up, they quickly went to help her.

"I'll go check if the snacks are ready."

"But……"

"I promised to make some snacks for the Duke as a late-night treat."

She shouldn't just take advantage of him; it would be good if she could help him relieve his stress.

Donghua and Dongqing had no choice but to accompany her to the kitchen.

Guanshanlou (Viewing Mountain Pavilion)

There were no lights on in the study.

Gu Hua carried the food box to the door and was somewhat disappointed to see that it was dark inside.

Just as I was about to turn around, I heard a hoarse voice from inside: "Come in."

Gu Hua took a breath and quietly pushed the door open to go inside.

It was faintly visible that Mu Junyan was sitting in the darkness, but he did not move.

"What's the matter?"

His tone was calm and even, but Gu Hua could sense the heaviness in his voice.

Gu Hua said softly, "I made two kinds of snacks for the Duke as a midnight snack."

In the darkness, all was quiet.

However, Gu Hua felt the powerful pressure emanating from Mu Junyan, and the feeling of fear and the urge to escape returned.

Suddenly, a flash of light appeared.

Mu Junyan lit a cloud and crane lamp on his desk.

Gu Hua's heart, which had been in her throat, eased a little. Seeing that he didn't object, she carried the food box and approached the desk.

Open the food box and take out a plate of small and delicate butterfly pastries and a plate of savory crystal buns.

Mu Junyan's eyes darkened slightly, and he suddenly reached out and pulled the person into his arms.

Gu Hua gasped softly, the food box in her hand clattered to the ground, and she landed on his lap.