Volume One, Chapter Eight: Do You Still Want to Get Beaten?

Xie Qiqi looked toward Xie Wentao, who was leaning against a gallery pillar and staring at her, and pleaded for help.

"Second Brother, please go and check on Yan'er for me. Get a doctor for her!"

Xie Wentao gave a scornful laugh. "What, do you want that girl to know you were punished by Mother to kneel, so she can go get Grandmother to save you?"

"Xie Qiqi, I knew you wouldn't accept your punishment quietly. Sure enough, you’ve only been kneeling for half an hour and you’re already hatching schemes... Hmph, I won't fall for your tricks!"

Ever since Mother sent Xie Qiqi away years ago, Grandmother had disliked Mother. If she found out that Mother had forced Xie Qiqi to kneel, she would surely hold a grudge against Mother again. Xie Wentao felt that Xie Qiqi had malicious intentions, and he added another sin to her tally in his heart: unfilial.

Xie Qiqi said urgently, "I am not hatching schemes. Second Brother, Yan'er is still young. Eldest Brother gave her twenty heavy lashes; I’m worried she won’t survive it..."

Xie Wentao picked at his nose and sneered, "If you were truly worried about her, you wouldn't have taught her to lie! Xie Qiqi, Yan'er is only suffering because of you. You’re still putting on a hypocritical act—you are truly deceitful!"

That young girl Yan'er used to serve Yue Yue and had always been honest and dutiful. Ever since she started following Xie Qiqi, she had been corrupted and was even capable of deceiving her masters. It was only because Eldest Brother was merciful that she only received twenty lashes; if it were him, he would have had her sold off long ago.

Xie Qiqi was anxious and indignant, and her voice rose. "Second Master..."

Nanny Zhong opened the door and came out, glaring at Xie Qiqi with annoyance before rebuking her in a low voice.

"Fourth Miss, the Mistress has just taken her medicine and fallen asleep. If you have any filial piety left, stop shouting and disturbing her!"

Upon hearing this, Xie Wentao snapped, "Xie Qiqi, shut your mouth! Say one more word and I will send you to the ancestral hall. Don't think about coming out until you have finished kneeling for three days!"

Xie Qiqi opened her mouth but remained silent. She had already experienced Xie Wentao’s ruthlessness; if he threatened her like this, he would certainly carry it out. If she were really sent to the ancestral hall, who else could Yan'er count on to save her? There was only an hour and a half left; she would just have to endure it.

Xie Qiqi lowered her eyes and knelt stiffly, praying in her heart that Yan'er could hold on until she returned. Time slipped away bit by bit. Xie Qiqi felt freezing cold, and her legs had gone completely numb. Xie Wentao originally wanted to goad her a few more times, but seeing her kneeling obediently, he lost interest and left, leaving his personal servant behind to watch her.

There was no movement from inside Mother's room. Xie Qiqi had only eaten half a bowl of red date porridge since she woke up, and she was famished. After she had been kneeling for she did not know how long, the door finally opened.

Yue Yue stepped out, wrapped in a fox-fur cloak. Seeing Xie Qiqi, she let out a soft exclamation.

"Sister, you’re still kneeling? It’s been three hours. Oh... I accidentally fell asleep and forgot to come out to tell you to go back!"

Three hours?

Xie Qiqi looked at Yue Yue with fury, only to see that Yue Yue made no effort to hide the provocation on her face. Her expression seemed to say, "I did it on purpose. If you’re not satisfied, come and bite me!"

Xie Qiqi looked at the Second Brother’s servant. The servant had his hands behind his back and was staring at the sky, his demeanor exactly like his master's. Xie Qiqi understood; without the Second Brother’s instruction, how could the servant have acted this way?

Xie Qiqi’s body went limp, and she slumped onto the snowy ground. She rubbed her knees with both hands, knowing the priority was to regain feeling in her legs so she could return to check on Yan'er.

When she felt sensation return, she crawled up and stumbled toward her quarters. Her legs were weak, and she fell countless times along the way. By the time she reached Jifeng Courtyard, she was covered in dirt. She ignored everything, rushing into Yan'er’s room and calling out, "Yan'er... Yan'er..."

No one answered.

In the dim light, Xie Qiqi saw a figure lying on the bed. She lunged forward, calling out in a trembling voice, "Yan'er!"

The person on the bed was silent and motionless. Xie Qiqi’s heart sank into an abyss, and her legs gave way, causing her to collapse by the bedside. She braced herself, trembling as she placed her fingers against Yan'er’s slender neck. A faint pulse beat against her fingertips.

Her tears spilled over uncontrollably. Yan'er was still alive!

Xie Qiqi didn't have time to think; she climbed up and went to her own room to find medicinal salves. There was only half a bottle left, but she didn't care; she grabbed it and rushed back to apply it to Yan'er. Yan'er’s back and buttocks were battered and bloody; Xie Qiqi cleaned the wounds and applied the medicine through her tears. Sensing that Yan'er’s breathing had become stronger, Xie Qiqi finally let out a sigh of relief.

She dragged her exhausted body to change clothes, intending to go to the kitchen to find something to eat. As soon as she stepped out, she encountered Xie Wentao, who frowned and scolded her.

"Xie Qiqi, Mother was injured while praying for your blessings, and you’re hiding away instead of serving her?"

"What, you haven't learned your lesson from the punishment and want another beating? Get out of my sight and go serve Mother at once!"

Xie Qiqi glanced at him indifferently and turned to walk toward her mother’s courtyard.

It was true that her mother had been injured while praying for her; in terms of both reason and sentiment, she ought to go and serve her.

Xie Wentao continued to grumble behind her, "You are both daughters, why don't you learn from Yue’er, who is so filial and sensible..."

Yue Yue was still serving Mother, while Xie Qiqi, as the biological daughter, was hiding in her courtyard being lazy. Contrasted against one another, it was clear who was more filial.

Xie Qiqi turned a deaf ear to Xie Wentao’s accusations. As she walked, she wrapped her two broken fingers with strips of cloth. Old Man Xi, who had helped her tend to horses, had taught her some medical knowledge, and she had always treated her own injuries in the past.

When Xie Qiqi arrived at her mother’s bedroom, she met Nanny Zhong, who was carrying a basin of water, at the door.

"Let me do it."

Xie Qiqi took the heavy wooden basin from Nanny Zhong and carried it inside with great effort. Yue Yue was chatting with Yue Huijuan; seeing Xie Qiqi enter, she stood up quickly and said, "Sister, let me do it. You are not well, go and rest!"

Nanny Zhong chimed in, "Fifth Miss, you’ve been attending to the Mistress all day; you should be the one resting. Let the Fourth Miss show some filial piety!"

Nanny Zhong felt sorry for Yue Yue, who had been there all day, while Xie Qiqi, the biological daughter, had been lazily hiding away, so she felt it was only right to make her serve the Mistress. Yue Huijuan looked at Yue Yue, who was covering her mouth to hide a yawn, and felt a pang of pity.

"Yes, Yue’er has worked hard all day, you should go rest so you don't get sick from exhaustion!"

Yue Yue smiled sweetly. "It is my blessing to serve Mother; I don't feel tired at all!"

Yue Huijuan chided, "There will be plenty of opportunities to be filial to Mother later... Go and rest, come back tomorrow!"

Yue Yue shot a "guilty" look at Xie Qiqi and yawned again. "Sister, I’ll leave the hard work to you. I’m going to rest now; I’ll come back tomorrow to take my turn attending to Mother..."

Xie Qiqi ignored her. With her head bowed, she placed the wooden basin at Yue Huijuan’s feet and knelt halfway to remove her shoes.

Yue Huijuan hesitated. "Qiqi, you don't have to do this; just let Cui'er handle such things!"

Cui'er, the maid who had come in with tea, held no affection for Xie Qiqi. She cast a look of disgust at her and said coldly, "Mistress, the Fourth Miss hasn't had many chances to show filial piety to you in the past, so you should let her have this opportunity! This servant dreams of washing her own mother's feet, but I no longer have the chance..."

Cui'er’s mother had passed away long ago, and her tone turned somber as she spoke.