"Shu girl, come here and sit beside me," the old lady put down her teacup and waved at Liu Yushu with a loving look on her face. Her eyes were filled with warmth as she looked at Liu Yushu.
"Grandmother," Liu Yushu said with an innocent and charming smile, coquettishly in a soft voice. The old lady picked up a pastry and fed it into her mouth. It was a scene of great family harmony. Liu Yushu glanced sideways at Liu Yuyu and the smile on her lips took on a hint of complacency. She felt disgusted at Liu Yuyu's timid look.
Liu Yuyu's face was as white as a sheet and she looked very sickly. She looked even more pitiful than Liu Yumei. Liu Yumei looked at her with disdain, thinking that Liu Yuyu was really good at feigning weakness.
"Alright, everyone, take your seats," the old lady said. Everyone then sat down at the table and prepared to have dinner.
Liu Yushu thought that tonight's dinner might be a Hongmen Banquet, specifically set for Concubine Sun.
The maids served the dishes.
Liu Yushu saw that most of the dishes on the table were her favorites. She looked at the old lady, who smiled at her. She immediately felt happy.
Just as she was about to pick up her chopsticks, she saw a maid come in and report, "Old lady, Concubine Sun is here. She's waiting outside."
The old lady didn't even lift her eyelids. She coldly replied, "Let her in."
"Yes."
Concubine Sun was carried in on a sedan chair by her maid. Her face was deathly pale, her eyebrows knitted in extreme pain. Her eyes were swollen like peach pits and she kept grimacing. She didn't look like the gentle and beautiful woman she used to be at all.
The sedan chair shook when it was put on the ground. She immediately let out a pained whimper and tears rolled down her face. There were several soft cushions under her.
Liu Yushu was puzzled. How dare Concubine Sun come in on a sedan chair in front of the old lady? How bold she was!
Taking a closer look, she was shocked. The cushion Concubine Sun was sitting on was covered in blood. The blood had soaked through her skirt and stained the cushion.
How terrifying! What had happened to her?
The old lady put down her chopsticks, wiped her mouth, and said seriously and sternly, "Since everyone who should be here has come, I'll say a few words."
"Yes, mother," Liu Daqiang replied respectfully. He owed his success to the old lady and was of course grateful to her.
As for the others, they didn't even dare to breathe loudly.
"I'm old and I've been devoutly following Buddhism for years. I just want some peace and quiet. I don't want to hear about any fighting or evil things," the old lady said, looking at Concubine Sun with disdain. "I've been away for a few days and you've managed this household in a complete mess. You're not fit to manage the household. From now on, just stay in your courtyard obediently." She gave a look to Nanny Xie beside her. Nanny Xie immediately walked over with a smile on her face, but her eyes were as sharp as knives when she looked at Concubine Sun. "Concubine, the old lady is giving a lecture. Why are you still sitting? Hurry up and kneel down. That's the proper way."
"Ah?" Concubine Sun looked up, trembling all over. She was already in so much pain that she was about to faint. How could she have the strength to kneel down?
Concubine Sun looked at Liu Daqiang. "My lord, please save me. I'm about to die," she wailed.
Liu Daqiang turned his head away. He clearly didn't want to go against the old lady for Concubine Sun.
To put it bluntly, no matter how much Concubine Sun was favored by Liu Daqiang, she was just a concubine, a plaything that could be casually mistreated. He would dote on her when he liked her, but once it came to his own interests, he would mercilessly kick her away.
At this moment, Liu Daqiang would definitely not care about Concubine Sun.
"Old lady, I know I was wrong. It was my fault. Please forgive me," Concubine Sun pleaded when she saw that Liu Daqiang ignored her. The old lady frowned, not showing any sympathy at all but rather getting annoyed at her crying.
Nanny Xie raised her hand and slapped Concubine Sun hard across the face. Half of Concubine Sun's face immediately turned red and the fingerprints were clearly visible.
Nanny Xie still had a faint smile on her face. "You're not allowed to talk back in front of the old lady. Please behave yourself, Concubine."
Liu Yushu watched coldly, feeling extremely happy. She thought Nanny Xie had done a great job. A shameless person like Concubine Sun deserved to be taught a good lesson.
Concubine Sun knelt on the ground, crying silently. She covered her face and didn't dare to make a sound. Her daughter Liu Yuyu was so scared that she was almost out of her wits. She didn't even think about pleading for her mother.
"Mother, let's have dinner quickly," Liu Daqiang said with a very forced smile. He picked up his wine cup and toasted the old lady. "Don't let her ruin your appetite."
The old lady gave a cold laugh. "I won't be in the mood to eat if I don't finish what I have to say." Her words left Liu Daqiang speechless.
"You're a woman who has given birth. There are some parts of your body that you won't need in the future," the old lady's words were like a whip lashing at Concubine Sun. She trembled uncontrollably. More blood seeped out from her lower body and her face became even paler and more haggard than when she first came in.
"I'll pray to the Buddha every day to cleanse your soul and forgive your sins. But if your body is dirty, I'll have to clean it every day," the old lady said calmly with a nonchalant tone.
These words made Concubine Sun shiver violently and she fainted on the ground. Nanny Xie waved her hand, signaling the servants to drag Concubine Sun out. A trail of blood was left on the ground.
Liu Yushu was terrified when she saw this scene. Now she knew how the old lady punished Concubine Sun. She didn't even dare to imagine such pain.
It was really a living hell. According to the old lady's words, it seemed that Concubine Sun would be "tortured" every day from now on.