Chapter 123 - 115: The County Magistrate’s Wife’s Reward

Chapter 123: Chapter 115: The County Magistrate’s Wife’s Reward

Meng Nan watched and shook his head. It was no wonder the Bai family could do such a despicable thing; every one of them was utterly selfish.

As the saying goes, the fish rots from the head down.

Old Mrs. Bai, the matriarch, was a piece of work. How could her children and grandchildren be any better?

In other families, the younger generation would vie to shield their elders from harm, but not a single one of the Bai family’s youths was willing to do the same.

The two constables ordered all the Bai family members to lie facedown. As they didn’t have the large paddles used for this type of punishment, they used the scabbards from their waists instead. The scabbards, made of animal hide wrapped in sheet iron and iron rings, were far more painful on soft flesh than any wooden paddle.

Old Mrs. Bai took ten strikes. While not enough to make her pass out, the pain left her dizzy and seeing stars, too afraid to move. With every slight twitch, the agony in her rear felt like a sharp blade slowly carving through her flesh.

Miserable howls rose and fell within the courtyard. Watching from the outside, Bai Zhi was blooming with joy. Finally. They were finally getting a taste of what it was like to be beaten.

She knew that feeling better than anyone—the previous owner of her body, the original Bai Zhi, had been beaten to death by them in this very way.

No matter how miserably they howled today, she couldn’t summon a shred of sympathy or pity. All she felt was that they deserved it, that this was their just deserts.

Once the punishment was over, the two constables returned to their positions behind the Jin guard, their postures ramrod straight and their expressions as imposing and cold as ever.

Meng Nan addressed the Bai family members sprawled on the ground. "Today was just a small lesson for you. I hope you remember it. Do not make the same mistake a second time."

Old Mrs. Bai was in too much pain to speak, cold sweat pouring down her forehead. Yet, not daring to ignore Lord Meng, she could only nod her head repeatedly, grunting nonstop in affirmation.

Meng Nan turned, satisfied, and said to the Jin guard, "Alright, the case is closed. Take these one hundred taels of silver to Miss Bai. This is a reward for her from the County Magistrate’s Wife."

The moment Meng Nan’s words fell, the Bai family members all looked up in astonishment. They watched, wide-eyed, as the Jin guard presented the tray holding one hundred taels of silver to Bai Zhi.

’What was going on now? Why would the County Magistrate’s Wife reward Bai Zhi with one hundred taels of silver for no reason?’

The villagers were a sea of envy and jealousy. One hundred taels of silver! Most of them had never seen so much money in their entire lives. The gleaming silver ingots filling the crimson tray were enough to make anyone drool.

Curiosity naturally got the better of them. Why would the County Magistrate’s Wife give Bai Zhi so much silver? Everyone was deeply puzzled.

So, a bolder person asked, "Zhi, what good luck have you run into? Even the County Magistrate’s Wife is giving you a reward?"

Before Bai Zhi could answer, the Jin guard holding the tray chimed in, "Today, Miss Bai saved the Lord County Magistrate’s young son. The madam is grateful to Miss Bai, so she has rewarded her with one hundred taels of silver."

So that was why. Bai Zhi had saved the Lord County Magistrate’s young son. No wonder the County Magistrate’s Wife was so generous.

Bai Zhi accepted the tray from the Jin guard. ’Meng Nan is doing this on purpose,’ she realized. ’By giving me the one hundred taels in front of the entire village, he’s not only explaining the money’s origin but also indirectly telling everyone that I, Bai Zhi, am a benefactor to the County Magistrate’s family. From now on, anyone who wants to harm me will have to think twice.’

’Of course, this is mainly for the Bai family to see. It’s to make them give up any thought of harming me, and also to make them realize what a terrible mistake it was to kick me out of the family. Let them be consumed by regret and torn apart by hatred.’