Chapter 357: Family Discipline

"Mother is right to scold me. It's all my fault—I shouldn't have given birth to Ji Yuntang and upset you. Please punish me as you see fit."

The Old Madam Ji picked up the ruler and struck Madam Meng's palms several times, leaving them red and swollen, yet Madam Meng didn't dare make a sound.

This wasn't the first time Madam Meng had been subjected to this kind of punishment!

In fact, whenever she did anything that displeased the Old Madam Ji, she would be subjected to the family's discipline.

Whether it was being struck with a ruler or whipped, Madam Meng never dared fight back.

Because if she resisted, the Old Madam Ji would complain to Ji Nanchuan that she was unfilial to her mother-in-law.

Madam Meng would then get another beating from Ji Nanchuan.

Over the years, she had learned to play it smart and no longer resisted the Old Madam Ji. Once the old lady got tired of hitting her, she'd stop!

The Old Madam Ji struck Madam Meng more than thirty times before putting down the ruler.

She let out a disdainful snort. She knew Madam Meng was used to taking it lying down and would never dare talk back.

In this marquis manor, aside from the servants, Madam Meng, the mistress of the household, was at the bottom of the pecking order!

If not for the fact that she had given the marquis three grandsons, the Old Madam Ji would have driven her away long ago!

The Old Madam Ji took the teacup handed to her by a maid, took a sip, and said to Ji Nanchuan, "Chuan'er, your wife is way too out of line. You must keep her in line better in the future."

Madam Meng's hands shook with fear.

Ji Nanchuan replied respectfully, "Your son will do as you say."

He cast a glance at Madam Meng, a look as cold as ice, and her shoulders shook in fear.

Ji Nanchuan figured the Old Madam Ji had found out about Ji Zihang's imprisonment and Ji Yuntang's win because Madam Meng hadn't kept the servants in check, and the news had gotten back to her.

It was all Madam Meng's fault. She was unfit to be the lady of the house, allowing the household to fall into chaos.

Just as Ji Nanchuan was pondering how to punish Madam Meng, a servant came rushing in, looking frantic.

"My lord! My lady! Something awful has happened!"

"Something's happened to the Second Miss! When we found her, she was covered in injuries and still unconscious."

Upon hearing this, the Old Madam Ji's mind went blank!

Her vision went black, and choked with rage, she fainted on the spot.

Madam Meng hurried over to hold her up and called for the maids to summon the household physician.

"Quick, go get a doctor, now!"

Ji Nanchuan, however, had no time for the Old Madam Ji. Alarmed, he grabbed the servant by the collar and demanded, "Wasn't the Second Miss invited to the Qianqiu Tower by the Crown Prince? How did something happen to her?"

"And didn't I order you to bring the Second Miss back to the manor? What exactly happened?"

The servant had no idea. With a pitiful face, he said, "My... my lord, please calm down. I have no idea what happened either!"

"We did go to fetch the Second Miss, but when we arrived at Qianqiu Tower, she was nowhere to be found. When we asked around, we learned her carriage had headed out of the city!"

"We followed the carriage tracks and finally found the Second Miss in a mass grave. When we discovered her, she was stuffed inside a sack, beaten black and blue..."

The servant's voice grew quieter with each word, and his body trembled harder as he could feel the rage pouring off Ji Nanchuan.

He thought Ji Qingqing was both lucky and unlucky.

Lucky, because Ji Nanchuan, when he learned that Ji Qingqing had been named Crown Princess by Luo Jingshen, worried she might be in danger out there and sent the manor's servants to Qianqiu Tower to bring her home.

That was how they had found Ji Qingqing and saved her life.

Unlucky, because Ji Qingqing was beaten black and blue. The beauty she was so proud of was now unrecognizable, and she looked a complete mess.

She had just been promised the position of Crown Princess by the Crown Prince, but the imperial edict hadn't come down yet.

Luo Jingshen was known for loving beautiful women. If Ji Qingqing's face were ruined, would she still have any hope of becoming Crown Princess?

What the servant could figure out, Ji Nanchuan could too.

He kicked the servant away and roared, "Pass on my orders: keep this quiet. No one is to speak of the Second Miss's injuries, and the Crown Prince must not learn of it."

"If I find anyone gossiping behind my back, they will be put to death!"

"Yes, yes, my lord. I'll pass the word along right away."

The servant fled in panic, while Ji Nanchuan yanked a token off his belt and tossed it to Madam Meng.

"Take my token and go yourself to the palace to find a trustworthy imperial physician. Say that Mother is ill and needs treatment."

"Qingqing is the family's best hope now. No matter the cost, we have to fix her face."

Though Madam Meng was resentful, she understood how serious this was.

They were counting on the Crown Prince to get Ji Zihang out of prison, and Ji Qingqing's position as Crown Princess couldn't be jeopardized.

Without a word, Madam Meng grabbed Ji Nanchuan's token and left.

The entire manor was in chaos, the atmosphere shifting from initial joy to a heavy, oppressive mood.

The happier Ji Nanchuan had been just moments ago, the angrier he was now.

When he saw Ji Qingqing, that anger hit its peak.

Ji Qingqing's face was a total mess.

Her hair was disheveled, blood was trickling from her mouth and nose, her eyes were swollen like walnuts, and bruises covered both cheeks.

Ji Nanchuan looked once and couldn't stand to look a second time. He clenched his fists and turned his face away.

"Who would dare bring down our Yongning Marquis household!"

The only person he could think of was Ji Yuntang.

After Madam Meng returned with the imperial physician, the physician immediately got to work on Ji Qingqing.

After checking her pulse and examining her injuries, Ji Nanchuan asked anxiously, "Physician, how is my daughter's face?"

The physician said, "Fortunately, the Second Miss's face only has surface wounds. I will prescribe some ointment, and after using it for a while, the swelling will go down."

Upon hearing this, Ji Nanchuan and Madam Meng both breathed a sigh of relief.

Ji Qingqing's face was fine, which was a stroke of luck in the midst of their misfortune!

Before the imperial physician left, Meng Shi gave him a large sum of banknotes to keep the matter confidential.

Knowing that Ji Qingqing might be the future Crown Princess, the physician agreed without hesitation.

After settling Ji Qingqing, Ji Nanchuan immediately summoned Meng Shi to his room.

"Come with me!"

She dared not defy his orders, lagging behind him, slow and unwilling.

Ji Nanchuan got annoyed just looking at her meek, downcast attitude, lacking any semblance of a lady of the house. He grabbed Meng Shi by the arm and demanded:

"What are you scared of? I'm your husband—I'm not gonna eat you."

Meng Shi: "..."

Ji Nanchuan wouldn't eat her, sure, but his moods were all over the place—when he was in a bad one, he'd hit her.

------------