Ming Yufang looked at Xie Ruotong, feeling considerably surprised by the words that had just come out of her mouth.
She had never thought about punishing Xie Ruotong.
She had always observed Xie Ruotong’s behavior in the Song Family and was naturally satisfied with her.
The reason she had to punish Xie Ruotong’s maid was, after all, just to give Xie Ruilin an explanation so that she could settle down and safely carry the pregnancy.
The Song Family now only had the offspring in Xie Ruilin’s belly, and they absolutely couldn’t afford any mishap.
Even if the issue might have been Xie Ruilin’s fault, she would no longer insist on probing into it.
"Miss, it’s the servant’s fault, all the servant’s fault. It has nothing to do with Miss, please don’t get punished because of the servant, Miss, I beg of you!" Upon hearing that her own mistress would also be punished alongside her, Qiao’er was entirely unwilling to accept it.
Even if she was wronged, it was something she should bear, and it should not implicate her mistress.
Xie Ruotong glanced at Qiao’er, very determined, "I ask you kindly, Matron, to agree to this."
Since Xie Ruotong had spoken to such an extent, if she refused, she would appear to be the one feeling guilty.
Guilt-ridden, thinking that how she handled this matter was biased.
Since Xie Ruotong admitted her mistake, she would grant her request.
Ming Yufang spoke, "Since you insist, then I will agree to it. However, considering your sense of responsibility, I will slightly adjust the punishment. I originally said to kneel in the snow for 2 hours, now I will change it to 1 hour."
"Thank you for your grace, Matron." Xie Ruotong expressed her gratitude.
By accepting the punishment with her maid, on a personal and logical level, Ming Yufang could not possibly be too harsh in her punishment.
Since Qiao’er had come to the Song Family with her, she couldn’t let Qiao’er suffer too much injustice.
"Ruotong, you are a good girl, a good wife, I do truly acknowledge you in my heart," Ming Yufang said, then added with emphasis, "But in this family, just my recognition is not enough, you also need your husband’s affection. A woman’s whole life is for marriage. You understand what I’m saying, don’t you?"
Of course, Xie Ruotong understood.
Ming Yufang was helping Xie Ruilin today because Xie Ruilin had won Song Yanqing’s affection and was carrying the Song Family’s heir.
But if it were her, if she were the one carrying the Song Family’s heir, her treatment would also be entirely different.
Ming Yufang was reminding her to bear fruits with Song Yanqing as soon as possible.
"Yes," Xie Ruotong replied respectfully.
Which was also her being perfunctory.
Ming Yufang had nothing more to say, knowing that Xie Ruotong was a sensible person, and she took her servant and left.
Xie Ruotong and Qiao’er went together to receive their punishment, kneeling out in the snow.
Today was a heavy snowfall.
Outside it was bone-chillingly cold.
No matter how thickly they were dressed.
Just kneeling on the snow like that, they were still shivering from the cold.
Xie Ruotong was slightly better off; as someone trained in martial arts and having experienced similar hardships while at Ten Extremes Sect, she could endure it.
Though Qiao’er was a servant, she had been sold into the Duke Mansion since she was young and had never suffered from such freezing cold.
Her little face was all red from the cold.
While kneeling, she was also crying, "Miss, it’s all Qiao’er’s fault, it’s all Qiao’er... in the future, in the future..."
But she couldn’t finish her sentence after a long time.
Probably she didn’t know how to avoid Xie Ruilin’s schemes in the future.
Xie Ruotong gave a faint smile, "Don’t cry, conserve your strength. I’m ok, I’ve been through worse when I was trafficked before, just endure a little and it will pass."
Qiao’er’s tears flowed even more fiercely.
She truly felt overwhelming guilt.
And yet her mistress was still comforting her.
In this life, there could be no better master than her own mistress.
She must serve her well, serve her her whole life.
The two of them knelt straight in the snow, amidst the flurry of heavy snowflakes.
In the side courtyard of the Song Family.
Xie Ruilin was drinking a pregnancy-sustaining medicine inside a warm room filled with charcoal for heating.
Song Yanqing had been called away by Song Yuanzhong.
To ask about the matters of yesterday’s midwinter feast at the palace.
In the courtyard, only Xie Ruilin was being meticulously cared for.
Xie Ruilin was naturally in high spirits.
If Xie Ruotong wanted to compete with her for a man, she would make Xie Ruotong regret it deeply.
She laughed wickedly.
Chun Tao hurried into the courtyard from outside and spoke softly by Xie Ruilin’s ear, "Miss, not only did the lady punish Qiao’er, she also punished the eldest lady alongside."
Xie Ruilin’s eyes tightened.
Her gaze revealed even greater excitement. Newest update provided by N0veI.Fiɾe.net
"Now the eldest lady and Qiao’er are both kneeling in the snow, looking extremely miserable," Chun Tao said with undisguised Schadenfreude.
Xie Ruilin laughed openly, feeling even more assured of her prestigious position within this family.