The Tale of A Villainess ✔️

Ch 39: Xi Ning's Return, Bruise

**

The next day, Xi Ning returns with the Seventeenth Prince to visit the Manor. Although they looking like a mesmerizing pair, I notice that there seems to be something strange about Xi Ning.

Seeing Madam and Master Yuan bow politely to the Seventeenth Prince and his wife, I swiftly mimic their movement. The Prince pardons us, taking a seat on the guest seat. He asks the same of us.

Madam and Master Yuan chuckles, sitting and conversing to the Seventeenth Prince about his recent achievements. I take a seat to the right of Xi Ning, whose left is her husband.

Ah, my baby--my creation. I have not seen her in such a long time! I miss you!

I smile, "Ning'er, as beautiful as always. How have you been?" I tilt my head to glance at her, realizing her eyes are resting on the ground.

"Greetings, elder sister." Her wistful tone denotes plight, yet she stretches a faint smile. "I have been well. You seem very happy. Did something good happen recently?"

I scratch my head and laugh, "Can't say so. What are you looking at?" I wave at her face, attempting to drag her attention from the ground to me. She does not look at me in the eyes even when I try to do so. Something is wrong.

I whisper, "Did something happen in the palace?"

She shakes her head. Suddenly, I notice a patch of makeup powder on her left cheek. I let out a chuckle, "Silly you. There is still some powder left on your face," I lift my hand to brush the powder off. She reacts with a twitch and attempts to push my hands away but she is a second too late.

I cover my mouth, expressing a horrid expression across my face. My heart crumbles. I feel as if a part of me is beaten up.

She has a bruise across her cheekbone, with a hint of purple remaining under her left eye.

"No!" She quickly covers herself. Her voice catches the attention of the Seventeenth Prince as well as Madam and Master Yuan. Everyone stares at her with such identical expressions of non-comprehension. Madam Yuan utters, "What's the matter, Ning'er?"

Xi Ning slowly releases her arm, exposing her face. By now, all of them see Xi Ning's bruise. Madam Yuan gasps shockingly. Does Master and Madam Yuan even know that their youngest daughter is being treated in such way?

I stare at the mirthless Seventeenth Prince, "You did it, didn't you?!" Lifting my arm up in an attempt to disparagingly point at him but someone's hand grabs mine.

I glance back; it is Xi Ning's hand. "Sister, stop! You can not rely on violence."

Violence? Does Xi Ning think I was going to hit him? No, I meant to point at him.

Thinking that I was going to hit a royalty, Madam Yuan says with vexation, "Impudence! You dare to attempt to hit a member of the royalty?"

"Wait, you didn't let me explain. I was not—"

Master Yuan yells and beckons for the servants, "Come! Punish the Elder Miss with sixty hits with the wooden staves!"

Xi Ning frowns, "Father, sister didn't mean it. Please don't punish her!" Madam Yuan holds Xi Ning's hand and diverts her attention away from me, "My daughter, fault is fault. Your elder sister never learns her lesson."

I laugh pathetically, "I did nothing wrong. The worst form of injustice is pretended justice. Go ahead, punish me. The last thing I will stand for is injustice."

"Enough! Get her right now!" Bellows Master Yuan.

Outside in the cold, I am pressed against a flat bench with my bottoms up. The two male servants beside me hold a humongous wooden staves.

I close my eyes when they begin to harshly swing on my buttocks.

One!

Aish, I can already feel the bruises.

Two!

I bite down on my lips and hold in my grunts.

Three!

I attempt to breathe and become numb to the pain, but to no avail.

By the time they scream "Forty", I couldn't bear it anymore. Cold sweat begins to form, despite the environment being fairly cold. Blended with exhaustion, pain causes me to become dizzy.

My eyes open and close, open and close. I gulp down, almost on the verge of losing my consciousness.

**

Rong Yi departs from his carriage, awaiting for the Yuan Manor to open. He can hear two people yelling numbers.

He questions a servant outside the Manor's door, "What's going on in there?"

The servant's eyes widen and he bows, "I am not sure."

When Rong Yi hears a sudden grunt, he recognize that the voice belongs to Yuan Zi Yan. "Can you let me in?"

The servant clears his throat, "No one can enter the Manor, I apologize."

Rong Yi cannot year his beloved Zi Yan's voice anymore. He figures something is wrong. He pulls out his sword and points it at he servant's neck, "Are you going to let me in or not?"

The servant panics, raising his hand in defense. "Sir, I cannot open the door even if you force me. This is Master Yuan's command!"

Out of desperation and frustration, Rong Yi pulls a jade pendant from his sleeve pockets. Upon reading the words carved on the jade pendant, the servant kneels and bows. Soon after, he opens the Manor doors.

Forty four!

"Stop right there!" Rong Yi runs and points to the servants whose hands are in the air. They see Rong Yi, but they continue to swing at Zi Yan.

Pulling out his jade pendant again, his command is abided by. The two servants quickly kneel down and bow upon seeing the pendant.

"Your majesty!"