The Lucky Heiress

Chapter 332: Family Law Punishment_i

Wei Yichen continued, “The Military Prefecture has no ancestral shrine, so kneeling before our ancestors’ spirits is an obsolete regulation. However, the corresponding penalty of being flogged should still be administered.”

Wei Yichen s words felt like a bucket of ice water being poured over Wei Qingwan’s head.

Thirty lashes, how could she endure that?

Wei Qingwan looked at Wei Yichen, who spoke these words, unable to believe that her gentle and warm-hearted older brother would say something so cruel.

Yunshi, who overheard this, was equally shocked. Since she married into the Wei family, she had never seen anyone in the house subjected to such a punishment.

Not to mention a hundred strokes, even thirty would be too much for any ordinary woman to bear.

Yunshi turned to Wei Mingting, “My Lord, isn’t this punishment… a little harsh? Someone could die from it.”

Wei Mingting retorted, “If Ruoruo hadn’t saved him in time, could you guarantee that Yichen would still be alive now?”

Yunshi was rendered speechless.

“Let’s do as Yichen suggested, and administer the punishment of thirty lashes,” Wei Mingting made his decision.

“Father…” Wei Qingwan’s eyes were filled with terror and despair.

However, Wei Mingting’s face was as cold as ice, his expression was resolute and not open to appeal, although pain and reluctance were hidden in his eyes. True, he was reluctant and pained too, after all, Wei Qingwan was his daughter, a girl he had watched grow up.

But he was equally resolute, being a military commander, the head of the family, he knew when he could be lenient and when he should not.

Yunshi quickly suggested, “Then let Nurse Li do it, she is an old servant from the Duke Residence.”

The implication is clear, everybody in the house knew Nurse Li was loyal to Wei Qingwan, so if Nurse Li delivers the punishment, she would certainly go easy on her.

Just as Wei Ruo was about to retort, Wei Yichen beat her to it.

“Nurse Li has been previously punished for deceiving her master, it would not be suitable for her to administer this disciplinary action. Someone else should do it,” Wei Yichen replied.

“Then, Yichen, who do you think should do it?” Wei Mingting asked.

“I believe our guard, Jing Hu, would be suitable,” Wei Yichen answered.

Jing Hu? He was the strongest martial artist in the house, a reputed master with formidable strength.

If Jing Hu did it, Wei Qingwan wouldn’t stand a chance!

Upon hearing this, Wei Qingwan was shivering in fear.

Yunshi quickly said, “Wanwan is a lady, it would be more appropriate for a maid from our household to do it. If not Nurse Li, let it be Nurse Zhang.” “Alright, let it be Nurse Zhang then,” Wei Yichen did not insist.

Nurse Zhang was in her own quarters resting; she had spent the whole night along with the young master, Wei Yilin, looking after things, and had retired to rest in the morning, only after the lord and lady arrived.

She had barely slept for four hours when she was suddenly summoned.

When she heard that she was to administer the house rules to Wei Qingwan, Nurse Zhang thought she was still dreaming.

Only after triple-checking, did she finally believe that her task was indeed to carry out the punishment on Wei Qingwan.

Upon arriving at Cangyun Garden, Nurse Zhang saw Wei Qingwan kneeling in the center of the room and Wei Mingting, Yunshi, Wei Yichen, Wei Ruo, and the maids-in-waiting inside the room.

Nurse Zhang, according to our family rules, the second young miss is to be punished with thirty lashes, so the task falls to you.”

Cuiping handed her a rattan cane.

The cane was around two feet long, slightly thicker than Nurse Zhang’s index finger.

The cane was not smooth. Despite its varnish, she could feel the rough texture and bumps by touch.

Those were remnants of the younger twigs deliberately left while the cane was being made, to cause more pain to whoever was being punished, and serve as a deterrent for future mistakes.

Though Nurse Zhang didn’t come from the Duke’s residence, she was an old servant of the Wei family. She knew this type of cane was exclusive to the Wei family for carrying out family rules, it had been hanging on the wall for several years without use.

And now, unexpectedly, it had come into play.

Nurse Zhang held the cane, unsure about how much force to use, so she looked up at Wei Mingting and Yunshi.

Wei Mingting’s face was icy cold and intimidating; Yunshi, on the other hand, had red eyes from crying.

Unable to discern any instructions from their expressions, Nurse Zhang turned to look at Wei Ruo.

Wei Ruo was sitting idly, calm and didn’t make any gestures.

Hence, Nurse Zhang found herself uncertain about how hard she should strike.

At this point, Wei Yichen spoke, “Nurse Zhang, as my father has commanded you to administer the family law today, you can carry it out according to the house rules.”

“Yes, 1 understand,”.

With Wei Yichen’s guidance, Nurse Zhang felt more confident and knew how much force she must apply.

Nurse Zhang approached Wei Qingwan from behind with the cane in her hand, but as soon as she lifted her hand, Wei Qingwan fainted to the ground like a pile of collapsed mud, even before the cane landed.

Nurse Zhang held the unutilised cane, unsure of what to do. Should she still proceed with the punishment?

Seeing this, Yunshi was heartbroken and almost propped her up, but gathered herself and instead, pleaded to Wei Mingting, “My Lord, Wanwan has fainted.

Should we postpone the punishment?”

Wei Mingting replied, “The punishment must be served today, not a day later.”

Wei Yichen ordered the maids, Cuiping, and the other one, “Help the second young miss stand. Assist her in receiving the punishment.”

Cuiping hesitated, but seeing Yunshi not objecting, she complied with Wei Yichen’s orders and helped Wei Qingwan, who was lying on the ground, stand up.

Nurse Zhang then raised the cane and struck Wei Qingwan’s back.

“Ah- ”

A harsh cry escaped from Wei Qingwan’s lips. Her face was distorted in excruciating pain.

Although Nurse Zhang’s strength couldn’t be compared to Jing Hu, she was no less a working woman with solid strength among her gender.

The very first lash had ripped apart the clothes on Wei Qingwan’s back—no wonder she had cried out so piteously.

Yunshi immediately looked away, unable to bear the sight.

Nurse Zhang did not hesitate and promptly delivered the second lash, then the third…

Wei Qingwan’s shouts became weaker and weaker. She broke into a cold sweat, and her lips paled.

In the end, she had lost all her energy and was entirely supported by the maids.

By the fifteenth lash, Wei Qingwan had fainted again.

Whether her previous spells of unconsciousness were real or feigned, this one seemed genuinely blackout.

Yunshi could no longer hold back her emotions and pleaded with Wei Mingting, “My Lord, stop, please! If you continue, Wanwan would die! She may not be our biological child, but we raised her since she was a baby! My lord, you have always cherished Wanwan. Are you willing to beat her to death like this?” “My lord, Wanwan has made a mistake, but it’s not a capital offense! Please give her a chance to change! I promise that I will discipline her properly in the future!”