Wei Kun was indifferent to the sounds coming from outside, his resolve firm, he said: “Even if she was unaware of this matter, she didn’t show proper care for Ah Luo, that’s for certain. If she can’t manage the servants of her own courtyard well, I can blame her incompetence. If I don’t divorce her, should I keep her so she can go on harming Ah Luo?”
Madam Liu added: “This is no small matter. It’s better to discuss it with Father and Mother before coming to a conclusion…”
Cries kept coming from the courtyard. Nurse Dou was old, she couldn’t endure the rod punishment. Several hits already brought her to death’s doorstep. Madam Du glanced at the entrance. She wanted to tell the servants to hit lightly, but Wei Kun’s orders were ‘beat to death’. Would the servants dare disobey? So whether she pleaded for Nurse Dou or not, the rod would keep hitting steadily, and soon she would be bruised all over.
Madam Du was holding onto the door with water chestnut flowers design. The March day was cold,while the sun was blindingly bright from above. Her head dizzy and her body weak, she fainted on the ground.
*
In the blue-screened room, Ah Luo was lying next to the window, looking out to the row of kneeling servants. She was listening to the rod hitting the bodies, finding the sounds delightful and refreshing to hear.
Nurse Dou thought hiding behind Madam Du would save her? Naïve.
Madam Du couldn’t save herself, where would she find the ability to help her? She was already useless. No matter whether Nurse Dou lived or died, or how ugly her death would be, these were now beyond Madam Du’s control.
Wei Luo was grinning. Under the bangs, a pair of clever eyes were spinning around. One didn’t need to guess, to know that evil thoughts were definitely lurking there.
Wei Changhong was standing behind her, silent for a long time. At last, he couldn’t help but ask: “Ah Luo, why did madam want to sell you? Is it because she’s not our mother?”