Chapter 54: Teaching a Lesson to the Bad Guys
Wei Shulian burst into tears. At that moment, her mother, Mrs. Wu, came running over, crying and begging for mercy, "Old Madam, Old Madam, Lian’er must have been confused for a moment! She’s always had a delicate constitution and can’t endure punishment! This is all, all my fault for not teaching her properly as her mother. Every mistake, every fault, it’s all mine! If you want to beat or punish someone, let me, her mother, take it for her, ah."
Looking at her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Wei found her exasperating. However, since her son was fond of her, she could only say coldly, "You can stop pleading. She will definitely receive her punishment today. As for you, it’s not my place to reprimand you. When Wei Lao’er returns, I will tell him about today’s events. You should think carefully about it yourself."
Upon hearing this, Mrs. Wu collapsed to the ground and began to wail and sob.
To say the Wei family truly didn’t know Wei Shulian was bullying and isolating Wei Shulan would certainly be impossible. They didn’t intervene, firstly, because they felt it was just a matter of sisters vying for favor within the inner residence—nothing serious. Secondly, Mrs. Wu had always been skilled at maintaining a facade; in the eyes of Mrs. Wei and Country Gentry Wei, she had always treated Wei Shulan very well. As for Wei Shulan, she had no birth mother to protect her and wasn’t particularly distinguished within the Wei family. Being timid by nature, no one stood up for her when Wei Shulian bullied her. Now that Zhao Zhitong and Qiao Muchen had caused such a commotion to defend Wei Shulan, the matter was widely known, and Wei Shulian was bound to be punished.
After dealing with Wei Shulian, Mrs. Wei looked at her eldest maternal grandson, feeling both distressed for him and angry. She then turned and ordered the servants to send the wailing Zhou Zhenxuan back to the Zhou Clan. He wasn’t a Wei family child, so any reward or punishment should be decided by the Zhou Clan themselves.
As for the two servants who had helped Wei Shulian and Zhou Zhenxuan and participated in the fight, she had them all punished with a caning.
Seeing the wrongdoers receive their punishment, Zhao Zhitong grinned at Wei Shulan, a victorious smile on her face.
Wei Shulan’s eyes instantly reddened. After Wei Shulian had said those things, she had started to worry that Zhao Zhitong, like her other former companions, would abandon her. But Zhao Zhitong hadn’t. Not only did she refuse to believe Wei Shulian’s words, but she had also avenged her and fought for her sake.
She was deeply moved and silently resolved in her heart that Zhao Zhitong would be her lifelong best friend. She would protect Zhao Zhitong just as Zhao Zhitong had protected her today!
Country Gentry Wei had servants send Qiao Muchen home first, while Zhao Zhitong went back with her grandfather.