Chapter 19: My Lord, Your Servant Has a Craving for Eight-Treasure Duck

Xue Shuyao hung her head, remaining silent. Liu Wuyi could obtain everything she desired without lifting a finger, while no matter how hard Xue Shuyao struggled, she could never bridge the gap.

The family law of the Marquis of Pingyang residence had been passed down through generations, and the bastinado was a frequently used instrument. The wooden rod was coated with clear lacquer, designed for a comfortable grip, with the wide end wrapped in a layer of cowhide. Only twenty strikes were needed to leave the skin merely bruised and swollen, while the internal tissues were completely shredded.

The guard put his full strength into a strike against Xue Shuyao’s waist and buttocks, and she let out an involuntary cry of pain.

After three strikes, her screams became increasingly shrill. Zou Yuheng finally could not help but turn his head to look, only to see Xue Shuyao’s shoulders and back being held down, her hands flailing in a spasm of agony.

Seeing this, the Old Madam of the Zou family coldly barked, "Stuff her mouth."

A servant lifted a sour, foul-smelling cloth and shoved it into Xue Shuyao’s mouth. She saw the look of pity in Zou Yuheng’s eyes and tried to curl her lips into a smile, but she failed.

Her head drooped once more. All sound was stifled within her mouth, yet the silent agony pierced the hearts of all who watched.

She had once thought that by leaning on the heir to the Marquis of Pingyang, she could escape the mire and trample everyone else beneath her feet. Yet, before Tantai Jianan, that same man acted as fawning and obedient as a dog. Now, she had to rely on a shred of conscience from this "dog" to save her life. Whether it would work, she did not know, but she would gamble her wretched life on it.

She was defiant, and she was unwilling to give up. If she were to die in the ancestral hall today, so be it; but if she could survive...

After an unknown amount of time, Zou Yuheng’s hesitant voice broke the silence: "Grandmother, she saved my life in front of Lord Tantai. This should count as a sufficient lesson; please, spare her."

The Old Madam laughed at her grandson’s stupidity: "You still want to protect her?"

Because of the disaster Zou Yuheng had caused, Nanny Wu had already reported everything he had done outside over the years, as well as Lady Lin’s method of raising him. The Old Madam was deeply dissatisfied. Family members could be slowly disciplined, but this woman, both ruthless and venomous, must not be allowed to live.

"Grandmother, I beg you, show some pity for your grandson."

Lady Lin stood by, watching her son act the fool, filled with anxiety but not daring to speak up to stop him. If she spoke now, the Old Madam would have her confined as well. Back when the Old Madam was in charge of the household, her son was still young and did not understand the Old Madam’s true power.

"Did you not hear the Heir?" the Old Madam said, her face cold. "Why haven't you beaten that wicked creature to death yet?"

After countless strikes, Xue Shuyao’s hands hung limply on the ground; she was already breathing more than she was inhaling.

"Stop it, all of you!"

As if they hadn't heard him, not a single person hesitated or stopped.

Zou Yuheng grew frantic, lunging forward into the courtyard, trying to pull the guards away. Seeing this, Nanny Wu signaled two men to grab him.

On the other side, as the guard’s rod was about to descend again, Zou Yuheng instinctively threw himself over to block it, not believing that anyone would truly dare to strike him.

"AHHHHHHH!"

A blood-curdling scream echoed throughout the entire Pingyang Marquis residence.

The Old Madam stood up in shock, and Nanny Liu, at her side, helped her walk quickly outside. Lady Lin had already rushed out to embrace her son, weeping, and looked at the Old Madam with a trace of resentment: "Mother, I beg you, spare this woman."

"Daughter-in-law will see to it that she is kept strictly confined within the estate; she will never be let out to cause trouble again."

The Old Madam’s previously concerned expression turned icy: "A child of wealth should not sit on a dangerous wall. Heng'er, you have disappointed your grandmother too much."

"Lady Lin, from today on, you will also return to your own courtyard for confinement."

Leaving these words behind, the Old Madam swept away with her entourage in a grand procession.

Whether it was tears or sweat blurring her vision, Xue Shuyao could no longer see the scene clearly, but she smiled happily.

Liu Wuyi, we have a long road ahead of us.

When Tantai Jianan returned to the residence, it was already sunset. The two sat at the table preparing for dinner. Liu Wuyi was accustomed to Tantai Jianan’s rule of silence during meals, so she happily picked up her spoon to scoop some Eight-Treasure Duck.

Ever since she arrived at the Tantai residence, her meals had been anything but simple. For the first half-month, even when eating alone, Liu Wuyi had four dishes, one soup, and a dessert.

The residence employed a famous chef from the Jiangnan region. Because Liu Wuyi’s appetite had become finicky after her fright, she had suffered quite a bit, and the chef would frequently present new dishes for her to try. Later, when she began dining with Tantai Jianan, a few more dishes were added. The chef had even more room to showcase his skills, and it was discovered by chance that the Eight-Treasure Duck suited Liu Wuyi’s taste perfectly.

From then on, this dish was always on the table at dinner. Liu Wuyi ate a spoonful of the filling; the sticky rice was savory, fresh, and tender, wrapped with various ingredients. Each chew offered a different flavor, and she loved this sense of surprise.

Liu Wuyi was immersed in the satisfaction of eating delicious food, her almond eyes narrowing with delight.

"What did the Chief Physician Zhou say when he came to check your pulse today? How did you injure your left hand? Are there any other injuries on your body?"

Hearing the question, Liu Wuyi paused, then turned her gaze toward Tantai Jianan, who was sitting at the head of the table.

Tantai Jianan had a face as fair as jade, handsome and refined. His long, deep eyes were fixed quietly upon her, appearing serious and focused. Liu Wuyi was stunned once again to see her own reflection clearly in his pupils.

Tantai Jianan tilted his head, his thin, rosy lips curling into a sharp remark: "Are you stupid? Why are you always daydreaming?"

In Taiyuan Prefecture, there was a type of deer called the 'Pao' that was presented as tribute this year. Its body was covered in short, yellowish-brown fur, except for its white rump. When it encountered an enemy, it would turn its rear toward the threat and spread that patch of white, hoping to scare the enemy away.

While naive, they were also extremely curious animals. They would run over out of curiosity at the sound of human activity; even if struck by a hunter’s arrow from afar, they would run back to see who had shot them.

The more he thought about it, the more he felt Liu Wuyi resembled that Pao deer, and he actually laughed out loud.

Liu Wuyi watched the beauty tilted his head and whispered to her, her heart blooming with joy, no longer hearing a word of what he had said.

Later, the look of his lowered eyes and faint smile was so genuine that it startled her back to reality. Liu Wuyi looked down in confusion, poking at the Eight-Treasure Duck in her bowl with her spoon.

"Thanks to the guards and Chuntao for protecting me with their lives, and Chunhua finding you, my lord, to save me, I was not injured. Physician Zhou also said there is nothing serious, and I just need to drink a few doses of calming medicine."

"Also, the Embroidered Uniform Guard by your side recognized me and arrived in time to clear the situation," Liu Wuyi added after a moment of thought.

"As for the injury on my hand..." Liu Wuyi paused, looked up, and smiled back: "My lord knows, I am timid. When I am scared, I like to dig my nails into my palms. Doing it for too long makes it look like this."

Tantai Jianan was noncommittal. She was clearly bold when she should be bold and timid when she should be timid. Thinking this, he felt Liu Wuyi was no longer like the Pao deer.

He liked people who were a bit smarter; being too stupid made one lose patience.

"As for why I was daydreaming?" Liu Wuyi looked at him with a mischievous smile: "Of course, it is because my lord’s handsome face has bewitched me, and I lost my focus."

Such bold words made Tantai Jianan’s throat tighten, unable to utter a word. The last time he had heard such a direct evaluation of his appearance was when he was in his teens.

The godson of the Chief Eunuch of the Imperial Household Department liked young, beautiful eunuchs. Tantai Jianan had cleverly orchestrated the downfall of the Chief Eunuch by framing him for dereliction of duty before the Emperor, and used this as a "letter of merit" to defect to Gong Haozhi, the Chief Eunuch of the Department of Punishments.

That godson naturally fell into his hands, and because of the ruthlessness he displayed during the execution, he gained Gong Haozhi’s appreciation.

Since then, no one dared to discuss his looks; whenever he was mentioned, it was always with a sense of dread.

Tantai Jianan wanted to reprimand Liu Wuyi for being rude and frivolous, but in her eyes, there was only sincerity and appreciation.

Tantai Jianan’s face turned cold. He threw his ivory chopsticks onto the table and dropped a single comment: "Incorrigible." Then he flicked his sleeves and left.

He thought Liu Wuyi was not like a Pao deer, but rather that she had been reincarnated as one—daring, reckless, and oblivious to death.

Liu Wuyi curled her lips; she was no longer very afraid of this man’s anger. After all, the last time he was angry, he hadn't done anything to her.

"The lord is right, this servant was wrong."

Tantai Jianan was about to turn out of the doorway when he looked back at Liu Wuyi and said: "Do not go out for a while. Stay in the residence and recover for a period."

Liu Wuyi agreed, though she sighed inwardly, worried that her brother might not know her current situation and might be very anxious.