Xiangyun was sprawled on the flagstones, making it inconvenient to speak. Seeing the young mistress remained silent, the others dared not step forward to answer. However, Xiangling, standing nearby, immediately stepped forward, bowed, and replied, "Reporting to Young Master, the young mistress is currently punishing Sister Xiangyun for what happened at noon." As she spoke, she couldn't help but cast a rather resentful glance in Lin He’s direction.

The people nearby heard this and all looked towards Wen Ningxuan. Even Shunzhu and Shuncai, who were holding the wooden paddles for the beating, paused, paddles in hand, and looked towards Wen Ningxuan.

Since this was the young mistress's first time punishing someone, and they knew these women were intended to be the Young Master’s concubines, everyone was keen to see what attitude the Young Master would take.

Upon hearing this, Wen Ningxuan glanced towards Xiangyun and spoke in a cold voice, "Since it is the young mistress’s instruction, then everything is to be handled according to the young mistress’s decision. Continue with what needs to be done."

The moment Wen Ningxuan finished speaking, Xiangyun, who was lying on the bluestone, instantly stopped crying. She looked up at Wen Ningxuan with an expression of disbelief before resignedly lowering her head. Meanwhile, Xiangling and the others stared at Wen Ningxuan with eyes full of grievance, while the rest stood silently in the courtyard with their heads bowed. Shunzhu and Shuncai raised their wooden boards and resumed the beating.

Lin He, seated at the stone table, had just been thinking that if Wen Ningxuan had asked even one more question, Xiangyun wouldn't be the only one having a bad day. Upon hearing Wen Ningxuan’s words, she lowered her head, bit her lip, and gave a sly smile. Wen Ningxuan noticed her smile, shook his head with a hint of resignation, and walked towards the stone table.

Wen Ningxuan sat down beside Lin He, not looking at her, but instead snatching the teacup from her hand and drinking the tea himself. Lin He raised her head and gave him an almost-smile look, then took a fresh cup and gestured for Ziyu to pour tea.

Immediately, Wen Ningxuan stopped Ziyu with a look. Then, he refilled his own cup and brought it to Lin He’s lips, his eyes fixed on her, brimming with amusement. Lin He glanced at him; given the presence of so many people, she did not push his hand away, taking the cup and sipping a few times.

Although all the servants nearby kept their heads lowered, their eyes were fixed on the pair. Upon witnessing the actions of the Young Master and Young Mistress, they finally grasped a crucial reality: in this courtyard, to thrive, one must absolutely never offend the young mistress. If truly unavoidable, it would be better to offend the Young Master than to provoke the young mistress.

This was because when the Young Master punished someone, if the young mistress was in a good mood, she might intercede. But when the young mistress punished someone, the Young Master would only yield to her, not even bothering to ask for the reason—as Xiangyun’s fate clearly demonstrated.

Xiangyun, being beaten under the young mistress’s orders, had hoped the Young Master’s return would spare her punishment. But since returning to the courtyard, the Young Master hadn't spared her even a glance, focusing only on placating the young mistress. It was a futile hope, especially since Xiangling had tried to lodge a complaint with the Young Master. Now, she likely wouldn't be able to utter a single word.

Watched by the entire courtyard, moments later, Xiangyun’s beating concluded. Lin He dismissed everyone, instructing them to return to their duties. Ziqing was also sent away to handle errands, leaving Ziyu to attend to her.

Once everyone else had left, with only Xiangyun and the few maids remaining in the courtyard, Lin He stood up and said, "Xiangyun, haven't you always been waiting for your Young Master to return? My judgment ends here. If you have anything you wish to say to your Young Master, you may now take your time and speak." With that, Lin He, followed by Ziyu, began walking toward the main building.

Lin He had only taken a few steps when she heard Xiangyun’s small sobs mingled with a plaintive cry, “Young Master, I merely cooked a meal for you today. I truly don't know what grave offense I committed to deserve such punishment from the young mistress?”

Immediately after, Lin He felt her arm being grasped. The person holding her arm spoke with extreme coldness, “Since you enjoy cooking, from now on, aside from anything the young mistress requires, all the rough work in the kitchen will fall to you. Not just in this courtyard, but you will handle the heavy labor in the servants’ kitchen as well. You will do everything alone; no one is permitted to assist. Should anyone offer help, they will be severely punished alongside you.”

Having spoken, he did not look back once, dragging Lin He toward the upper floor. Lin He lowered her head and smiled slightly, thinking, Didn't you always wait for the Young Master to return? Are you satisfied with his punishment now? Lin He was curious to see the expressions on Xiangyun and the others' faces, but as her arm was being pulled, she was swept upstairs before she could get a clear look at them.

The two reached the upper floor, and Wen Ningxuan slammed the door shut. Ziyu, downstairs, had been debating whether to follow and attend to them. Hearing the door shut, she realized it wasn't necessary and planned to head to the kitchen to help her elder sister cook.

However, as she passed through the courtyard, she noticed Lingxiao standing there, still watching Xiangyun and the other maids, his expression carrying a trace of pity. Ziyu immediately felt a spike of displeasure. She deliberately took a detour through the courtyard, and as she passed Lingxiao, she stepped heavily on his foot several times before walking happily toward the kitchen.

Lingxiao had indeed been feeling sorry for Xiangyun and the others, thinking these maids truly lacked perception. They had been in this courtyard for so long, yet the Young Master likely couldn't even distinguish who was who. Still, they acted as if they mattered to him. If they had known their place, their lives wouldn't have been so difficult. Now that they had offended both the Young Master and the Young Mistress, their future would be grim.

As he pondered this, a sharp pain shot up Lingxiao’s foot. He looked down to see that troublesome girl, Ziyu, again. After stepping on him, she even shot him a provocative glance before swaggering away. Lingxiao twitched the corner of his mouth; this girl—if she dared to step on his foot again, he would certainly make her pay.

Upstairs, Lin He was pulled up by Wen Ningxuan, the remnants of her smile still lingering on her face. Wen Ningxuan shut the door, turned, and trapped her body between himself and the door, looking at her as he asked, "What are you smiling at? What's so funny?"

Because they were standing so close, Wen Ningxuan’s breath, laced with his words, completely enveloped Lin He’s face, making her feel slightly flustered. She reached out and pushed him gently. "Stand back first before we talk."

"And what if I don't stand back?" Wen Ningxuan said, pulling his arms in slightly, bringing them even closer.

Due to their proximity, their bodies were pressed tightly together, making Lin He extremely uneasy. Worse still, as they leaned in, Lin He distinctly felt a firm object pressing against her waist. Being a married woman, Lin He immediately understood the implication.

This scoundrel! At a time like this, he was still thinking about such things. Lin He’s face flushed, and she shot him an irritated glance.

Seeing Lin He’s shy demeanor, Wen Ningxuan raised his finely shaped eyebrows, his beautiful phoenix eyes holding a glimmer of amusement. He stopped teasing her, gently pulled her into his embrace, and whispered, "He’er, are you still angry?"

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