Mo Qinghuan had just raised her hand to stop them when Mu Yanming pressed it down and held it tightly in his palm.
"Yes, sir. I'll go right away." He knew his recent actions had overstepped the mark, so he didn't feel aggrieved.
Anyway, the brothers wouldn't really beat him. They'd just put on a show and it would all be over.
But Mo Qinghuan thought Bai Ke shouldn't be punished.
She forcibly pulled her hand out of Mu Yanming's. "My lord, I don't think you should punish Bai Ke. Even if you don't want to take concubines, their concern for you is not wrong."
Mu Yanming took a deep breath in anger. He stood up, walked to the threshold, and pointed outside. "All of you, get out!"
Everyone left the room, leaving only the two of them inside.
Dan'er went out and closed the door. Mu Yanming walked up to Mo Qinghuan, looking down at her with a cold and handsome face. His tone was as cold as an icicle in the coldest winter. "He said it and you just agreed?"
Mo Qinghuan nodded. "I thought what he said made sense, so I agreed."
He reached out and pinched her chin, forcing her to look up at him. "Have you forgotten what I told you?"
Of course Mo Qinghuan remembered. When Gu Qinglan came to the mansion to provoke them, he had said that she should just be the Princess Regent at ease and leave the matter of taking concubines to him.
"Yes, I remember. But what do you want me to do? Bai Ke and Uncle Zhong have come to me. It shows they've thought this through. You told me not to interfere, but if I directly rejected their suggestion today, what kind of person would I be in their eyes? Jealous, selfish, unable to tolerate others!"
Suddenly, she felt a pang of grievance. He had given her all his love and enough respect, but this problem today wasn't her fault. Why was he being so angry with her?!
Seeing the tears welling up in her eyes, Mu Yanming softened his tone a bit, but his expression remained cold.
"Bai Ke has received his punishment today. There shouldn't be anyone bringing this up again. I'll talk to them later and tell them this has nothing to do with you. Tell them not to talk nonsense in front of you again."
With that, he turned and walked out, pulling the door open. Mo Qinghuan watched his back and gritted her teeth.
She was a modern woman. In the 21st century, monogamy was the norm. She didn't want to share her husband with others.
But she also understood the importance of adapting to local customs. So she knew that if that day ever came, she would have to face it.
By then, their marriage would be just in name.
After receiving fifty blows of the rod, Bai Ke was carried to the side courtyard to rest.
He was lying on the bed, having a hard time figuring out how to apply the medicine.
Mu Yanming pushed the door open and walked in. He quickly pulled up his pants and was about to get up and salute when Mu Yanming waved his hand, signaling him to stay lying down.
"Bai Ke, how many years have you been with me?" His face showed no emotional fluctuations, and his voice was neither happy nor angry.
Bai Ke didn't know what he meant and didn't answer while lying on the bed.
"You've been by my side for so many years. You should know what I hate the most. So don't do such things again. If there's a next time, you can pack your things and leave the mansion."
Bai Ke never expected the situation to be this serious. He knew the lord cared about the princess, but he didn't realize how much.
"Yes, I understand, sir. Please rest assured. This will never happen again."
Mu Yanming nodded in satisfaction and got up to leave. When he reached the door, he turned to look at Bai Ke lying on the bed, who was still worried about how to apply the medicine. "Tell Jing Hua to come and apply the medicine for you."
Then he walked out.
Not long after, Jing Hua came. He walked up to the bed and saw Bai Ke lying there with a resentful face. He laughed without any restraint. "Brother Bai, I heard about what happened to you today. It's not that I'm saying anything, but you really did a stupid thing! It doesn't match your usual heroic image at all."
Hearing Jing Hua's flattery, Bai Ke snorted. "The lord told you to come and apply the medicine for me, not to laugh at me. I think you're getting itchy and need a good beating."
Jing Hua just smiled, his eyes narrowing into crescent moons. He picked up the ointment and immediately pulled down Bai Ke's pants.
While applying the medicine, he said, "I'm not laughing at you. I just want to tell you that isn't it good that the mansion is peaceful now? Why do we have to bring in a woman who will fight with the princess for the lord's favor? What if she's a cruel one and wants to harm the princess's baby? Do you think we'll still have a good life then?"
Hearing this, Bai Ke raised his hand and gave Jing Hua a flick on the head. "You've read too many novels. There aren't that many schemes. Besides, as the Princess Regent, the princess should have the tolerance. How can a mistress fight with a concubine for the lord's favor?"
Jing Hua didn't want to say anything anymore. He realized for the first time that Bai Ke, whom he had always regarded as a brother, was so stupid and naive. He actually believed that the relationship between the women in the inner courtyard was as harmonious as it seemed on the surface.
Seeing that Jing Hua didn't say anything, Bai Ke thought he had believed his words and was about to feel proud.
Then he heard Jing Hua say, "Anyway, it was the lord who said he didn't want to take concubines or let new people into the mansion. So you'd better stop meddling in other people's business from now on."
Bai Ke was stunned. "What? What do you mean?"
Jing Hua told Bai Ke exactly what Mu Yanming had ordered.
It turned out that after Bai Ke was carried to the side courtyard, the lord had issued an order in the mansion that no one was allowed to mention the matter of taking concubines anymore. Anyone who dared to say the word would be immediately kicked out of the mansion.
Bai Ke clenched his fists. He really was meddling in other people's business. If he hadn't been worried about the lord soaking in the cold pool every day and ruining his health, he wouldn't have received fifty blows of the rod and might even have been resented by the princess.
He really was shooting himself in the foot.
After Jing Hua applied the medicine for him, he poured him a glass of water. "Brother, you stay here by yourself. I'll go out on patrol."
Bai Ke lay on the bed listlessly. After a while, there was a knock on the door.
He shouted impatiently, "Who is it?"
Dan'er said softly, "General Bai, the princess's mother has come to see you."
Bai Ke propped himself up reluctantly. "Come in."
Dan'er and Mo Qinghuan pushed the door open and walked in. They came to the bed.
Mo Qinghuan threw a medicine bottle at Bai Ke. "This is Yunnan Baiyao. It's specially for treating injuries from falls and blows. The ointment is for external use, and you should take one capsule a day."
After saying that, she turned to leave when Bai Ke suddenly called out to her.