Marrying a treacherous official

"Mother, what wrong did my dowry maid do that she deserved to be dragged out and beaten to death by the old women?"

Yunji didn't kneel down to beg for mercy from Madam You, and even her dying maid didn't utter a single plea for mercy, so she couldn't possibly bow down to Madam You.

In her past life, she couldn't protect Hua Chao, and she was beaten to death by Granny Wang. In this second life, even if it costs her her life, she will not let Madam You harm them in the slightest.

She demanded in a piercing, knife-like voice:

"Forgive my ignorance, but please enlighten me, Mother: which ancestral precept or family rule did Huachao and Chunxuan violate that warrants being dragged out and beaten to death?"

"They've already brought trouble to their master, aren't they enough to deserve their deaths?"

"Mother is a noblewoman with a bad memory. The attendants who entered the palace that day were all maids and nannies from Minghe Hall. Huachao and Chunxuan were ordered to stay at the mansion to await orders."

Despite her exhaustion and the dizziness from the high fever, Yun Ji argued with red eyes:

"What does my disrespect in the palace have to do with them? If Mother insists on blaming someone, then it is the old nanny who served me who went back to the mansion first, leaving me to fend for myself in the blizzard and causing me this trouble. Mother should drag that old nanny out and beat her to death."

She glared fiercely at the old nanny who had gone to Qinghui Courtyard to deliver the message, frightening the old nanny so much that all color drained from her face.

"Nonsense!"

Madam You slammed her hand on the coffee table and scolded, "Such disrespect for elders and talking back to your mother-in-law—is this the kind of legitimate daughter your Gu family raised?"

"My mother is being unfair, and I'm not even allowed to say a word in her defense?"

Yunji not only did not retreat, but also took two steps forward.

Her body was about to give way, and with a hoarse voice, she was still trying to excuse Hua Chao and Chun Xuan:

"It was the thin spring shirt I picked out. I only pretended to be delicate because I saw that the master was wearing a gray fox fur coat when he went out. I just wanted to get his pity. If Mother wants to punish someone, punish me alone."

"It's good that you've accepted it."

That was exactly what Madam You wanted to hear. Triumphantly, she said, "Take the First Madam away and confine her to the West Garden. Without my permission, no one is allowed to approach the West Garden."

Hua Chao and Chun Xuan, fearing that the old women would take the lady away from her side, supported her on either side, and could feel the steam rising from her body even through her clothes.

The West Garden is located in the northwest corner of the Cui family mansion. The north wind blows in through the doors and windows, making the entire front hall as cold as an ice cellar.

Chunxuan pieced together the futons on the ground and helped Yunji lie down on them.

She took the tea offered in front of the small Buddhist shrine, warmed it with incense and candles, and carefully fed it to Yunji. The tears she had been holding back could no longer be contained and streamed down her face.

Through the tightly closed lattice doors, amidst the howling wind and snow, one could faintly hear Hua Chao arguing with the gatekeeper.

"Make way! I need to fetch a doctor for the Madam to examine her."

"The Lady of the Marquis has ordered that no one is allowed to approach the West Garden, not even the physician."

"My wife's fever hasn't subsided. If we delay treatment and something happens to her, I, the master, will definitely take all your heads!"

"Hold her down! They've already locked her up in the West Garden. Do they really think they can get out of there?"

The gatekeeper ordered two sweeping maids to hold Hua Chao down on either side, and then slapped her twice across the face.

"You've completely disgraced your master, Madam! And you still dare to use your master's power to bully me? Say another word, and I'll tear your mouth apart!"

"Are you trying to force the First Madam to her death?"

Hua Chao struggled desperately, trying to break free from the grasp of the maids on either side, "You dare to try and force the First Madam to her death?"

"Of course I wouldn't dare harm the Madam. I'll bring her three meals a day, and her medicine too. Whether she recovers or not depends on her fate. You two, hold her up tight—"

The old woman guarding the gate rolled up her rough hemp sleeves, looking as if she wouldn't stop until she beat Hua Chao to death. She raised her hand high, but was stopped by a hoarse voice.

"The ancestral tablets are enshrined in the small Buddhist hall in the West Garden. How can such a tranquil place tolerate the nanny's insolence?"

Yunji, supported by Chunxuan, went out to the porch and looked at her coldly, saying:

"Since the Lady of the Marquis is not strict in her management and the servants have lost their discipline, I will discipline you properly on behalf of the Lady of the Marquis, and each of you will be slapped twenty times."

The gatekeeper and the sweeping maid were immediately thrown into a panic.

Hua Chao broke free of her restraints, stepped forward, and slapped the gatekeeper twice. She was about to hit her again when the gatekeeper quickly retreated, took the sweeping maid, and left the front yard. She closed the gate and locked the three of them inside.

Chunxuan helped Yunji into the house and laid her down, then stormed out and kicked the mahogany door twice.

She carried out the instructions as the lady had given:

"The Lady of the Marquis confined the First Madam to the West Garden to make her reflect on her mistakes. And you, you gatekeeper, have dared to lock the First Madam in the courtyard without permission, without bringing her water, adding charcoal, or providing warm bedding. Are you trying to freeze the First Madam to death?"

Chunxuan wasn't even afraid of death, so why would she fear this old woman guarding the gate? She angrily cursed:

"If you don't send over some warm clothes soon, I'll climb over the wall and go find the old lady to reason with her!"

Whether it was Yunji's intimidation or Chunxuan's words that worked, the gatekeepers successively brought warm clothes into the West Garden.

The medicine that was delivered was thin, the food was lukewarm when it was cold, the bedding couldn't keep us warm, and even when the pine charcoal was burned, it would produce a pungent smoke.

Chunxuan refrained from cursing aloud, afraid of upsetting her mistress, and brought the hot medicine to her, serving her the medicine.

Hua Chao rummaged through the bedding she had just received, but no matter how she laid it out, it wasn't thick enough. She looked around the empty room and said:

"Chunxuan, let's squeeze in together and lay out two mattresses. The other four quilts can be used by the madam to keep warm."

"The ground was cold, so we put three mattresses on the cushions and covered ourselves with three more. The three of us squeezed together at night."

Yunji put down the soup bowl and said.

There is a clear distinction between master and servant, and a proper order of rank; neither Hua Chao nor Chunxuan could possibly comply.

"Madam, this servant dares not."

"If Granny Kong finds out about this, Hua Chao and I will be beaten half to death."

Yunji's decision was not to be easily changed. "Why not? Consider it as you being my bed warmers for once."

Three quilts were placed on the middle cushion, and Hua Chao and Chun Xuan shared half of the quilt with Yun Ji. The three of them huddled together in the front hall where the north wind was howling to keep warm.

Yunji poked Huachao's forehead and said, "You shouldn't have cut off all your escape routes just to protect me."

Hua Chao said thoughtfully, "If I hadn't stood up for you this time, would Madam have been spared from being confined to the West Garden?"

Yunji remained silent for a moment. She said nothing, yet she said everything.

In order to save their lives, she had to confess to Madam You that she had deliberately endured the cold to seduce Cui Zeming. With this information in Madam You's hands, she could not escape punishment.

Hua Chao said with deep regret, "It was all my fault that you harmed Madam."

Yunji gently shook her head. "Whether you are here or not, Madam Hou will not let me go. If she can't kill me, she will find a way to make me suffer from a chronic illness."

Chunxuan nestled nervously to the side and asked, "Madam, when will Master come to rescue us?"

Yunji was speechless for a moment.

Cui Zemin has never tolerated Madam You, let alone her touching anyone in his courtyard. He will definitely come to her rescue.

As for when he would come to her rescue, the thought of her disrespectful behavior in front of the palace, which had caused him to lose face, made her unsure when he would come to her aid, given the shallow affection between them.