Chapter 381: Beaten to Death with Sticks

Chapter 381: Beaten to Death with Sticks

The next day, after breakfast, Xiao Yuming hurriedly led his men out. They continued to plaster the news about the Wu family across all the major marketplaces in the capital. By now, many in the capital knew that it was the Wu family who had spread the rumors about Xiao Er, and this was his retaliation.

Many shook their heads at the Wu family's folly. After failing in the struggle for imperial succession, they should have been living cautiously, tails between their legs, instead of staging this spectacle. If they were discontent and seeking to vent, why not aim for something bigger?

Spreading a rumor about Xiao Er’s philandering hardly made an impact; it was a mere annoyance to a man. Hadn’t Xiao Er’s future in-laws, the Xie family, remained completely unbothered?

However, the news Xiao Er released about the Wu family was equally trivial—a gambling addiction for Wu Xiaoliu and a mistress for Wu San Laoye were mere blemishes on the family's reputation, not a crushing blow.

Many believed that these were all the inconsequential matters Xiao Yuming had up his sleeve. But unexpectedly, the news he released today was explosive: Wu Dalao had been involved with the widowed Wu Er Furen for many years—a scandalous taboo.

Such an affair was a gross violation of human decency! If true, it would be the ruin of the Wu family’s reputation, making them pariahs in the eyes of decent society, unfit for marriage alliances.

Many were awaiting the Wu family's reaction, but unexpectedly, before any sign from them, it was the former Empress who was seen being escorted out of the palace.

Early this morning, Ye Deben, the Chief Eunuch attending to Emperor Li Jingyi, arrived at the former Empress's quarters with a retinue, decreeing that Madam Wu was to leave the palace forthwith. The former Empress was now simply Madam Wu.

Naturally, Madam Wu was reluctant. She burst forth, seeking to confront Li Jingyi, "The late Emperor was his biological father. He wouldn't even allow the late Emperor to be interred in the imperial mausoleum, and now he is expelling me, his mother, from the palace. I will let the whole world see what kind of unfilial character he truly is."

Although Madam Wu still carried herself with the dignity of an Empress, her voice, tainted by rage, had lost its former command and could now be compared to the rantings of a fishwife, drawing stealthy gazes from the concubines of the deposed Emperor.

In truth, the concubines of the deposed Emperor were quite keen to leave the palace. What was the point of staying? The Emperor had changed, and with the late Emperor reduced to a deposed status, their continued presence was nothing short of awkward. Freedom outside the palace was preferable.

Moreover, most of them came from reputable families who, upon their departure from the palace, would likely furnish them with residences; they had no need for the "collective lodgings" prepared by the current Emperor. Even those without dependable family support, like Consort Liang, had either savings enough to buy a residence or already owned property in the capital.

Hence, they were rather pleased with the prospect of moving out.

The former Empress, however, was in a different situation entirely. There was no precedent for an Empress to be moved out of the palace, which to her felt like an unspeakable humiliation. Now, as she stood clamoring at the palace gates, she had completely lost the imperial composure she once held.

"Madam Wu, you seem to have forgotten that the late Emperor was deposed, and thus, you are the deposed Empress," Ye Deben stated coolly in front of her. "Besides, the current Emperor's father is the Leisurely Prince. Accusations of his unfilial behavior are baseless."

Madam Wu trembled with fury, shoving Ye Deben aside in her determination to find Li Jingyi. However, after only a few steps, she was barred by soldiers. Ye Deben approached her again, "Don't bother; the Emperor will not grant you an audience."

"Why won't he see me?" Madam Wu demanded through clenched teeth.

Ye Deben sneered, "Don't you understand why?"

The Empress fell silent, biting her lip. She had once suggested to the wife of the Duke of Dingguo that the Third Prince should marry Xiao Yuzhu. And it was rumored that Li Jingyi and Xiao Yuzhu had been childhood sweethearts.

"Madam Wu, may we proceed?" Ye Deben asked.

The former Empress, regaining some composure, realized that even if Li Jingyi did meet her, she would not get what she wanted and might end up in an even worse predicament. Taking a deep breath, she ordered her attendants to pack her belongings and then was "escorted" to the Wu residence.

Upon reaching the Wu Estate, she happened upon the family from Feng, the maternal home of Lady Wu the Third. Present were the elder brothers from the Feng family and their sons, all wearing expressions of rage, clearly there to cause a scene.

Upon seeing Madam Wu, they instinctively started to bow, but halfway through, they realized the impropriety—she was no longer the Empress.

The group turned their backs, leaving Madam Wu with a face as dark as iron. Yet this did not intimidate the Feng family, who clamored for an explanation from the Wu family. Madam Wu inhaled deeply, then inquired of the Wu household steward, "Where is the Third Master's concubine now?"

The steward hastily replied, "Still at the residence outside."

"Bring her back to the estate and beat her to death with clubs," Madam Wu ordered, then turned to the Feng family, "Is this settlement to your satisfaction?"

Hearing her decree, the Feng family internally remarked that there truly was a difference in those who had been Empress; such ruthlessness was unparalleled among the common ranks.

"If that's the case, naturally it's possible," Brother Feng said. "But in the future..."

"There won't be a future instance," Mrs. Wu interjected. "He was merely confused for a moment, taking someone into the house as a concubine should have been enough, without having to arrange for a residence outside."

This was an overt hint at Lady Wu's jealousy. The Feng family naturally felt displeased upon hearing this. Just as Brother Feng was about to retort, a servant from the Wu family ran over in a fluster. He was so rushed that, upon approaching, he couldn't stop in time and collided with the butler.

"Such impatience, what is this behavior?" the butler scolded.

The servant's face was panicked as he blurted out, "Disaster has struck, a disaster!"

Mrs. Wu's heart skipped a beat, having a rough idea of what had happened, she said with a cold face, "What kind of decorum is this, causing a commotion at the gate? Come inside and talk."

As everyone entered through the mansion gates, at this moment, the Wu family patriarch and others were also informed about the Empress being "sent" back home. They hurried to the entrance to receive her. The two groups met, and Mrs. Wu said directly, "Go to the hall."

Seeing the Feng family, Lord Wu's face was dark as ink. He walked over to discuss the situation with them, suggesting they leave first. Brother Feng said they would leave once the matter was resolved. Mrs. Wu glanced at Lord Wu and headed straight to the hall, with the Feng family following closely behind.

Not long after they sat down in the hall, Lord Wu's concubine was brought in, a beautiful woman in her twenties. Seeing her escorted by several matrons, Lord Wu stood up to go to her aid, but Mrs. Wu shouted harshly, "Hold him down."

Though she was no longer the Empress, her authority in the Wu household remained. Hearing her command, the butler guarding outside hurried to stop Lord Wu.

At that moment, Mrs. Wu commanded again, "Beat her, beat her to death!"

As her command was uttered, the concubine was pushed to the ground. Two stout matrons, wielding sticks thick as an adult's arm, started beating her mercilessly. The concubine screamed in agony a few times before her mouth was gagged. Lord Wu, watching his beloved being beaten, glared furiously at Mrs. Wu.

Unmoved, Mrs. Wu said, "If you wish to divorce your wife and marry her, I'll have her released."

Lord Wu remained silent. A concubine could only be a concubine; how could she possibly be married?

Outside, the beating continued relentlessly until the concubine fell silent. Mrs. Wu gestured for her to be dragged away and looked at the Feng family, asking, "Are you satisfied now?"

What could the Feng family say? They offered a few words of consolation to Lady Wu and

The butler looked between Master Wu and Lady Wu the Second, then, with a steeling of resolve, said, "Young Master Xiao... Young Master Xiao has posted a notice, claiming... claiming that Master Wu and Lady Wu the Second have had an affair."

Silence filled the hall, Master Wu's fists clenched tight, while Lady Wu the Second collapsed into her chair, the picture of pitiable sorrow. Then, a voice broke the silence, "Heaven sees all, heaven sees all."

Madame Wu's face bore satisfaction mixed with spite as she rose and approached Lady Wu the Second, delivering two sharp slaps to her face. The crisp slaps echoed, leaving Lady Wu the Second's cheeks swollen.

With tears in her eyes, she pushed away Mrs. Wu Da and knelt before Lord Wu Da with a thud, then looked up at Mrs. Wu, crying, "Cousin, I know I deserve death, but am I not also a victim?"

Her tears flowing, she turned her head to glance at Lord Wu Da with a deeply aggrieved expression, then looked towards Mrs. Wu and said, "When I was alone and destitute, my aunt took me under her wing and raised me. I am eternally grateful to my aunt, cousin, and cousin brother. But the matters of the heart cannot be controlled. The feelings between me and my eldest cousin brother..."

Her words trailed off, but the silence was louder than any words.

She sobbed uncontrollably, Lord Wu Da's face was filled with emotion, Mrs. Wu Da was biting back her fury, while Mrs. Wu remained expressionless.

"Eldest cousin brother said he wanted to marry me, but aunt and uncle disagreed. I know my status does not match his, and I have no complaints," said Mrs. Wu Er with heartfelt sincerity, almost bringing tears to Lord Wu Da's eyes.

She continued, "Later, my second cousin brother proposed to marry me. His health was not good, but my aunt agreed to marry me to him. The Wu family has been kind to me, and I have no complaints. After marrying him, I devoted myself to caring for him, nursing his health, and gave him a son. Cousin sister, wouldn't you say that second cousin brother lived those extra years because of me?"

Mrs. Wu's expression softened somewhat; what Mrs. Wu Er had said was not without merit.

"If second uncle knew that after his death, you committed such an act of adultery, I bet he would turn in his grave," Mrs. Wu Da said with a cold laugh.

Mrs. Wu's face darkened again upon hearing this.

Mrs. Wu Er looked at Mrs. Wu Da with tearful eyes and said, "I know you hate me, I know I've wronged you, and after this, I will have nothing to do with my eldest cousin brother..."

She began to weep again, making Mrs. Wu Da's skin crawl, while Lord Wu Da looked on, unable to bear it.

Mrs. Wu Da wished she could put this shameless pair to death right then and there, turning to the empress and said, "If a concubine must be beaten to death, then what should be done to one who has dishonored herself with her uncle by marriage?"

"Do not be so vicious!" Lord Wu Da shouted angrily, but Mrs. Wu Da was not intimidated, looking at Mrs. Wu she added, "The scandal has already caused an uproar. If we do nothing and let it lightly pass, how can the Wu family maintain its standing in the capital?"

Silence fell over the room once more until after a while, Mrs. Wu said to Mrs. Wu Er, "Hang yourself."

"Cousin brother..."

Mrs. Wu Er clung to Lord Wu Da's legs, wailing heartbreakingly. Lord Wu Da looked down at her, his eyes bloodshot. His hands trembled as he gently patted her back and then said, "Say she hung herself, can I not send her far away to spare her life?"

Mrs. Wu Da sneered, "There are no walls in the world that don't let the wind through."

"So you want her to die, is that it?" Lord Wu Da said with hatred.

Mrs. Wu Da: "Yes, I want her to die."

"Cousin brother... sob... I am a sinner, let me die... sob..."

Lord Wu Da's heart was breaking. Looking at Mrs. Wu Da, he pleaded, "Tell me, what can be done to spare her?"

Lady Wu almost burst into laughter out of frustration; why did it seem as though she was being cast as the villain?

She looked at Madam Wu and said, "You know best how to take control of the situation, please make the decision."

Madam Wu's eyes narrowed as she regarded the second wife, Wu, and said, "If you do not take your own life, then you shall be beaten to death with clubs."

"Cousin..."

The second Mrs. Wu, trembling, clung tightly to Old Master Wu's legs, truly terrified. Old Master Wu, with eyes reddened, looked at Madam Wu and pleaded, "Can't we just..."

"Do you wish to see the Wu family ruined by your hands?" Madam Wu said sternly, "Take her out and beat her to death with clubs!"

As her words fell, several brawny maids rushed in, dragging the second Mrs. Wu outside.

"Cousin... Cousin, save me..."

Old Master Wu turned his back, not bearing to look at her. When the moment of choice arrived, he knew well what to forsake.

The second Mrs. Wu was pinned to the ground, and the sticks fell like driving rain, quickly drawing blood from her back...

"Mother... Mother..."

Just then, Wu Xiao Liu suddenly burst in from outside, rushing to throw himself upon the second Mrs. Wu. Seeing this, Madam Wu immediately shouted, "Grab him!"

Several servants restrained Wu Xiao Liu, and he could only watch helplessly as his mother breathed her last under the relentless blows.

The events that transpired in the Wu family estate spread quickly. Though the second Mrs. Wu was dead, the Wu family's reputation was irreparably tarnished.

……………

In the Duke Dingguo's residence, Tang Shuyi was packing up exam materials for Xiao Yuchen while listening to Xiao Yuming recount the Wu family's affairs. After hearing the story, she commented, "This is the consequence of impulsiveness."

As she spoke, she paused her actions and looked intently at Xiao Yuming, "Does the Empress not understand her current predicament? Of course, she does. She knows that to secure a good future for herself and the Wu family, she ought to tread carefully and weather the storm. But she didn't, why is that?"

"Because of impulsiveness," Xiao Yuming said.

Tang Shuyi hummed in agreement, "After failing to secure the throne and being forced to move out of the palace, having reigned as Empress for so many years, commanding the elements at a whim, she naturally couldn't accept her sudden fall from grace. So, upon receiving news that could vex us, she acted without thought, just to alleviate her momentary rage and unwillingness. But you've seen the outcome."

Xiao Yuming nodded earnestly, "Whenever I feel impulsive in the future, I'll remind myself to stay calm."

Tang Shuyi returned to her seat by the brocaded couch and said, "Others can't help you with this; you must strive to change on your own."

Xiao Yuming nodded obediently. Tang Shuyi added, "Humans are naturally inclined to seek pleasure and shun work, but to excel, one must overcome this nature. Thus, personal growth is always accompanied by pain. But once you've changed and grown, you will see a different landscape."

After hearing this, Xiao Yuming couldn't help but say, "Mother, you truly would make an excellent imperial tutor."

Tang Shuyi laughed heartily, then thought to herself that she merely possessed knowledge that people of this era did not have.

After talking a bit more, Xiao Yuming left to attend to his duties. Now holding a position in the military and with much to learn, he was no longer the idle dandy he had been before.

Tomorrow is the first examination of the imperial examination, which Xiao Yuchen and Xiao Yiyuan are both to participate in. After lunch, Tang Shuyi, with the things she had prepared for Xiao Yiyuan, went to their residence. When she prepared the items for Xiao Yuchen, she made sure to prepare two sets of everything.

Knowing in advance of her arrival, Xiao Yiyuan and the others had been waiting at the gate early on. After exchanging pleasantries, they went in and talked for a while in the hall. Tang Shuyi said to Xiao Yiyuan, "I know it's been hard studying all these years, but no matter how you fare in this examination, it won't define your success or failure."

Xiao Yiyuan clenched his fists; he indeed harbored the thought that his years of diligent study hung in the balance. If he did not achieve a good result, it would be unacceptable to him.

Sensing his tension and excitement, Tang Shuyi sighed inwardly and said, "You are different now; this examination isn't as important as you think. Just go and take it with a relaxed mind. As for other matters, I will handle them as I promised, regardless of the outcome."

Previously, she had said that after the imperial examinations concluded, she would propose the marriage between Xiao Yiyuan and Tang Anle from the Duke Tang's family.

"Thank you, Aunt," Xiao Yiyuan felt much more at ease.

Tang Shuyi smiled, "We are family, no need for such formalities. Just remember not to be nervous."

Xiao Yiyuan nodded with a smile, "Yiyuan understands."

After talking for a while longer, Tang Shuyi left. Afterwards, Xiao Chengming said to Xiao Yiyuan, "There's a saying that marrying the right woman can bring prosperity for three generations, and it's true! Without her, the Xiao family and the Duke Dingguo's household would have been finished."

They were all aware that although Xiao Huai's return from the dead had made the Xiao family more splendid, if it hadn't been for Tang Shuyi's efforts previously, the Xiao family might have collapsed before Xiao Huai's return.

PS: Today's two chapters are combined into one, but there are more words than before.