Poor Xie Chenghui had never been beaten in his life. But Xie Fengran wasn't one to indulge him, so Xie Chenghui received his very first solid beating.
At first, he stiffened his neck and refused to admit his mistake. But in the end, he begged piteously until his throat was hoarse from crying.
Xie Fengran was as hard - hearted as iron. She remained unmoved, her face solemn as she slapped his little bottom ten times in a row. The little butt was covered with handprints.
After that, she looked at Xie Chenghui, who was hiccupping from crying, and asked, "Will you listen to reason from now on?"
"Yes, hic, yes!"
After the beating, Xie Chenghui finally realized who was in charge. Although he was domineering and unreasonable, a little devil, he was quite good at gauging people's expressions.
When in the Yun family's courtyard, he never dared to provoke his cold and aloof step - mother. Now he understood that this beautiful elder sister in front of him was different from his step - mother. His step - mother would leave him alone as long as he didn't provoke her, but this sister wouldn't.
Right then, he sobbed and rubbed his eyes, then reached out his little hand towards Xie Fengran. "Hug, sister, hug!"
When Xie Chenghui wasn't being naughty, he was a very cute and soft little boy. Especially with those tear - filled eyes, even though Xie Fengran was extremely angry before, she couldn't get angry now.
She reached out and picked up Xie Chenghui, gently holding his little bottom, and asked softly, "Does your bottom hurt?"
Xie Chenghui nodded, pouted and was about to cry again. But Xie Fengran didn't give him the chance and continued, "Do you still want to be beaten in the future?"
"No." Xie Chenghui shook his head like a rattle. "The marquis won't be beaten."
"Heh, kid, you're still thinking about becoming a marquis. Aren't you afraid your father will beat you again if he hears that?"
Xie Fengran was both angry and amused. She carried Xie Chenghui into the room, let him lean on her, and then told Lanfang to find some cooling and swelling - reducing ointment to apply on Xie Chenghui.
The siblings leaned against each other. Xie Fengran asked, "Who told you that you could become a marquis?"
Xie Chenghui replied in a clear voice, "The wet - nurse! I'm the marquis."
"Oh! The wet - nurse told you that you're the marquis, right?" Xie Fengran narrowed her eyes. She had an idea in mind but didn't correct Xie Chenghui. She continued, "To be a marquis, you need to know a lot of things. What can you do?"
"I can eat. I can eat by myself."
Xie Fengran blinked. Lanfang and Liuyi beside her couldn't help smiling. It was Lanfang who stepped forward and said, "Miss, the young master has just turned three. It's already very remarkable that he can eat by himself. You can teach him slowly."
"Alas, the ancient sages said that children should start enlightenment at three and go to the study at five. It seems it's all lies. If I don't teach him slowly, what else can I do?"
Xie Fengran was a bit frustrated. She ordered Lanfang, "You go to the big kitchen first and tell them to prepare some food suitable for children. Then ask someone to set up the small kitchen in the yard. Ask the Second Aunt to send a good - skilled maid over. Since I've taken on this burden now, I have to take good care of him."
The Xie Chenghui in her arms was already nodding off. After causing so much trouble and crying for a while, he was already very sleepy.
Xie Fengran didn't need Lanfang's help. She carried Xie Chenghui to the bed in the inner room by herself. She came out only after seeing that he was sound asleep.
"Liuyi."
"Your maid is here."
"Take a little maid and pack up the wet - nurse's things. Send them to Concubine Yuan. Tell her that from now on, she'll follow Concubine Yuan."
Liuyi saw that Xie Fengran looked unhappy and quickly replied, "Yes, your maid will go after Lanfang comes back."
"No, you go now. Call Hexiang in to serve."
There were only two senior maids in Tingfeng Courtyard, Liuyi and Lanfang. There were four second - class maids below, and Hexiang was one of them.
Liuyi replied yes, walked out, told Hexiang a few words, and then went to deal with the wet - nurse.
On this day, Xie Fengran punished Xie Yunxi, beat Xie Chenghui, and sent the wet - nurse to Concubine Yuan's courtyard.
Concubine Yuan knelt outside Xie Yi's study and cried for a long time. The wet - nurse wanted to imitate Concubine Yuan and kneel outside Tingfeng Courtyard, but Xie Fengran had someone carry her to the Second Aunt's courtyard in the west.
This wet - nurse was found by the Second Aunt, and Xie Fengran dealt with her without hesitation.
When the Second Aunt heard the wet - nurse's tearful complaint, she was furious and wanted to go to Xie Fengran to complain. But before she could leave the courtyard, she was stopped by the Second Uncle.
The couple whispered to each other for a while, and then the Second Aunt gave up. She was also a bit scared.
The next day, Xie Fengran received a message from the Second Aunt asking if she needed another wet - nurse.
"The Second Aunt really has a long reach." Xie Fengran sent the maid away and complained to Lanfang, "Now I finally understand why Grandmother sent Chenghui to me. With Mother's laissez - faire attitude, I don't know what kind of person Chenghui would turn out to be in the end."
Xie Fengran picked up a crystal bun for Xie Chenghui, tapped his forehead, and said, "Sister has to go out today. You stay at home obediently. If you're good, sister will bring you Li's mutton when I come back."
Xie Chenghui's eyes lit up. He reached out his little hand and grabbed Xie Fengran's sleeve. "Chenghui wants meat, wants meat."
Xie Fengran was melted by his cuteness. She couldn't help but reach out and rub Xie Chenghui's little face. "If you're good at home, sister will buy it for you."
Xie Chenghui immediately sat up straight. "Chenghui will be good."
Xie Fengran nodded. She was relieved. She was really afraid that the beating yesterday had scared the child.
But this child was tough - skinned and carefree. Instead, he liked to stick to her after being beaten.
After feeding the little one, she let Lanfang take him to play, and then got up to change her clothes.
"Miss, where are you going today? The old madam used to keep a tight rein on you. She never let you out except for necessary banquets. You've been out several times these days. I'm afraid the old madam will scold you."
Liuyi was a bit worried.
Xie Fengran shook her head. She let Liuyi change her clothes and joked, "I'm going to Guanlin Bookstore today. They sell the works and strategies of Scholar Sun. Your miss wants to get into the women's college. It's not just about showing my face."
After getting ready, she first went to Qingsong Courtyard to visit the Old Madam, and then went out.
Unexpectedly, as soon as the Hou Mansion's carriage left the street corner, it was forced into a nearby alley by another carriage.
The coachman originally wanted to wait for the other carriage to leave first, but he found that the other carriage had no intention of leaving. Instead, it was coming towards them. Only then did he realize something was wrong. He shouted into the carriage, "Miss, a carriage has forced us into this alley, and that carriage is coming towards us."
"Who are they? Is there any emblem on the carriage?"
"It's just an ordinary carriage with no emblem on it. Miss, what should we do?"
Xie Fengran thought for a while and said firmly, "Reveal our identity. Tell them that we're from the Dingguo Marquis Mansion."
The coachman shouted loudly, "Which mansion does the carriage opposite belong to? We're from the Dingguo Marquis Mansion. Could you please make way?"
At this time, a soft laugh came from the opposite carriage. Then a low male voice said, "What a coincidence. I'm exactly looking for the Hou Mansion's carriage."