CHAPTER 362: CHAPTER 184: PUNISHMENT

"You!" Ren Zhixian said hatefully, "Don’t think you’re amazing just because you have some money! When I become an official in the future, I’ll have each and every one of you kneel before me and beg!"

Shi Fengju mocked with a sneer, "When that time comes, dear brother-in-law, it won’t be too late to boast! What’s the point of saying this now? Where is my elder sister?"

Ren Zhixian was so furious that smoke could have come out of his orifices, but he couldn’t do anything to Shi Fengju. When asked about Shi Yumei, he coldly replied, "How would I know? Why? Didn’t she go to speak with her mother?"

Shi Fengju said, "She came back, but I don’t know which despicable creature dared to lock the courtyard door and not let her in! Hmph, I didn’t realize that my sister couldn’t return to her own home! Brother-in-law, don’t you think you owe me an explanation for this?"

So it was about this matter! Ren Zhixian couldn’t help feeling annoyed, and of course, he couldn’t admit that he had ordered the door to be locked, so he said, "How would I know whether the door was closed? Perhaps the servants thought she was staying overnight and wouldn’t return! What’s wrong with closing the door? Hmph, can’t she knock on the door herself?"

"So that’s how it is!" Shi Fengju coldly remarked, "So, you’re saying this wasn’t ordered by you, brother-in-law?"

"No!" Ren Zhixian denied without thinking. As if he could admit it when Shi Fengju looked ready to devour someone! He thought to himself: Even if I don’t admit it, what can you do to me?

"That’s good then," as he didn’t admit it, Shi Fengju couldn’t really do anything about it, but he coldly said, "In that case, it must be the servants being ignorant! Go, call all the servants from the banana garden, have them stand in the courtyard!" His icy gaze then turned to the still tremulous Cui Bao, "And you, get to the courtyard as well!"

"This—"

Cui Bao had barely opened her mouth when Ren Zhixian already shouted, "What does this have to do with Cui Bao!"

Shi Fengju indifferently said, "She is also a servant! If a servant disobeys, they must be taught! Whether you go or not, decide for yourself!" This last phrase was directed at Cui Bao.

Cui Bao’s face suddenly changed, and she hurriedly said, "I’ll go, I’ll go!" as she clumsily dressed herself. How could she dare not go? She knew very well that in the Shi Mansion, Ren Zhixian couldn’t protect her!

Seeing Cui Bao actually "surrender" like this and not giving him face, Ren Zhixian was so angry he was speechless.

Shi Fengju gave him a cold glance and then left, while the five or six maids and old women in the banana garden were already shakily standing in the courtyard. Called out from their warm beds in the freezing weather, everyone inwardly groaned, yet no one dared to complain, only feeling terror.

Seeing even Cui Bao, whom the brother-in-law held most dear, running out in disarray to take her place, everybody’s heart tightened even more.

Shi Fengju swept his cold gaze over them and sharply said, "I need not spell out what happened this evening! Seems like you’ve all become audacious from your comfortable days, daring to act so presumptuously without regard for your master! If I don’t teach you all a lesson today, what rules could our Shi family possibly speak of?" Shi Fengju shouted sternly, "Everyone kneel! Kneel until dawn when someone comes to say you can get up! Kneel down!"

Everyone paled and gasped, one quick-tongued servant hurriedly said, "Young master, we are wronged, it was all ordered by the brother-in-law!"

"Yes, the brother-in-law was angry, and we didn’t dare to disobey!"

"Please have mercy, young master, we dare not anymore!"

Shi Fengju watched them silently, waiting until they had defended, pleaded, and admitted their mistakes, only then turning his head to face Ren Zhixian, who was alternately pale and flushed, and lightly smiled, "Brother-in-law, you’ve heard them all? They said it was your command, that can’t be true, right?"

Feeling guilty yet stubborn, Ren Zhixian snorted and turned his head away. He obviously couldn’t admit it! How could he, who studied the sage books, do such a thing? But to deny it in front of all the servants, he felt somewhat at a loss for words!

Shi Fengju sneered coldly, glaring at the servants he ordered, "Still not kneeling down! It seems you really have no master in your eyes, daring to slander your brother-in-law! It’s outrageous! Any more nonsensical talk, and I’ll add thirty more heavy strokes tomorrow!"

The servants were startled, those who were quick to speak forcefully bit their tongues, looked at each other, and had no choice but to kneel down, hating Ren Zhixian to death in their hearts! If they had known this was to happen, why listen to him! Some also secretly regretted their folly, forgetting that this was the Shi Mansion, when did it ever fall to an in-law to dictate things?