Chapter 777: Rewarding Merit and Punishing Faults

But there was no help for it; the Clan Leader was in Jiangzhou, so they could only listen to the young lady.

……

Nianci had hidden a large number of people outside the Ji Family, but when these people attacked back, they could not find where Shi Yuke was.

She heard the wind blowing and disguised herself to escape.

But this time she was not as lucky as before; when Shi Yuke prepared to crawl out through a dog hole, she was caught by Nianci's people.

"Shi Yuke, you're something else, able to bend and stretch, can even crawl through a dog hole, right?"

Shi Yuke had long since lost her high-and-mighty air from a short while ago; to avoid being recognized, her face was smeared with dirt.

She wore the clothes of the lowest-ranking women of the Ji Family, with a sky-blue headscarf wrapped around her head; just looking at her appearance, she seemed to be over fifty, so it really wasn't easy to recognize her.

However, no matter how superb the makeup technique was, it was useless if the people around her were unreliable.

The people she used had come for wealth and status in the first place, so how much sincerity could they have for her?

Seeing that things were going poorly, they immediately defected and took the initiative to surrender to Nianyin's people!

These people even nearly fought each other to compete over who would be the first to report the "rebel."

Catching Shi Yuke hadn't taken any effort at all.

Shi Yuke was brought before Shi Youxuan; without waiting to be scolded, she took the initiative to kneel and kowtow to beg for mercy: "Sister, please forgive your sister this one time. It has nothing to do with me; I was just a puppet. All of this was forced by Zhu Yiwen. I know I was wrong, please spare me..."

It was the same old routine, without a shred of originality.

When triumphant, she would bare her fangs and brandish her claws, arrogant and insufferably conceited.

Once defeated, she would immediately beg for mercy; this was Shi Yuke's consistent "skill."

She was like this when she was small, and she was still like this when she grew up; despite experiencing many things and suffering many losses, she simply hadn't improved.

Shi Youxuan had lost count of how many times she had heard these words, and not a single ripple stirred in her heart.

"Where are Zhu Yiwen's two sons hidden?" she asked.

When she first learned of those two children, the older one was ten; now he must be fifteen.

The younger one was twelve; at such an age, a child's personality is basically formed. Although the faults of the father should not involve the children, they were, after all, Zhu Yiwen's own flesh and blood; if the seeds of hatred were buried in their hearts, they would be a scourge sooner or later.

Shi Yuke widened her eyes in surprise: "Zhu Yiwen has children? No wonder he wasn't willing to have children with me; so he already had children..."

Before she finished speaking, she realized this was not the time to say such things and promptly shut her mouth.

Back when she was with Zhu Yiwen and undergoing his training, Shi Yuke had tried every possible way to get close to him, showing favor through both hints and direct actions.

Zhu Yiwen hadn't opposed it, but he hadn't refused either.

He even gave her hope, making her think that as long as she performed well, she could gain the favor of the Head of the Family and eventually sit in the position of the Head of the Family's wife.

From beginning to end, she hadn't known a single thing about Zhu Yiwen having two children.

Shi Yuke's little schemes were as childish as children playing house in Zhu Yiwen's eyes.

He saw through her but didn't expose her, and even utilized this trait of hers to give her hope.

Zhu Yiwen had calculated well, but he just hadn't calculated that he would die so early!

Shi Yuke truly didn't know; she wasn't faking it.

Shi Youxuan was slightly disappointed and ordered: "Lock her in the Dungeon, don't give her food for three days, and wait for the Clan Leader to return to deal with her."

Shi Yuke was terrified: "You are trying to kill me! Shi Youxuan, you are too wicked. When you were in my hands, I didn't torture you; how can you return evil for good..."

This woman didn't know what was good for her.

The aunt would be back in three days; she had originally intended to kill her, but seeing her perfectly fine without a single hair harmed, then Shi Yuke would be dead for sure.

Seeing her tortured to the point of exhaustion, she might even be able to save her own life.

Shi Yuke didn't understand this, and Shi Youxuan didn't bother to explain it to her; there was no need.

Some people simply didn't deserve for others to speak to them properly; they wouldn't understand anyway.

Three days later.

It was originally scheduled for the Clan Leader to return today, but she did not.

Shi Yuke was weak from hunger after three days, yet she was still bitterly begging for a little food; she was too hungry!

Shi Youxuan had someone bring her a bowl of congee that was about to go sour, without even any pickled vegetables.

She gulped it down ravenously; whether there were vegetables or not was no longer important, having something to eat was better than anything else.

"Bring another bowl."

"There is no more."

The guard left directly; Miss Xuanxuan had ordered them to bring her a bowl of such congee every hour, as long as she didn't starve to death.

"This is too much, abusing a prisoner."

Shi Yuke hugged her knees and huddled in the corner, only daring to mutter in a low voice, not daring to protest loudly.

She knew that she couldn't be too high-profile in her current situation; her primary goal now was to stay alive, and everything else could wait until later.

"Why hasn't the Clan Leader returned yet? Go further ahead to meet her, send more men..." Nianci ordered.

The Clan Leader had originally said she would be back in three days, but five days had already passed and she still hadn't returned; she was afraid something bad had happened on the road.

Ji Yingjie had a bad temper; they had called once to ask, and she said she had some business to attend to and would be delayed for two days.

As for what specific business it was, the Clan Leader didn't say, and they didn't dare to ask.

Another two days passed.

Ji Yingjie finally returned, followed by two timid boys.

Anyone with a discerning eye could see at a glance that these were Zhu Yiwen's sons.

The two children looked very much like him.

"Lock these two brats in the pigsty and raise them with the pigs from now on," Ji Yingjie ordered.

A father's debts are paid by his children; although Zhu Yiwen had died by her hand, she still felt that was too easy on him, so she captured his two children to keep in captivity at the Ji Family.

It was not truly to "raise" them, but to find ways to torment the two children.

Although Zhu Yiwen died by her hand, Ji Yingjie was not satisfied that he had died so easily!

She had originally intended to bring Zhu Yiwen back to the Ji Family, then torment him slowly, and return the pain he had inflicted upon her a thousandfold.

However, the situation at the time was special, and the result was that a single blade strike ended his life; he got off too easily.

After washing up and changing her clothes, Ji Yingjie returned to the position of Clan Leader and began to reward merit.

The four old, weak, sick, and disabled people who came from L Country were each rewarded with a basket of gold, silver, and jewelry.

Ji Yingjie was generous, and even the four people who were accustomed to seeing fine things were very surprised; they thanked the Clan Leader and returned with their rewards.

Nianyin had rendered meritorious service and was reinstated to her former position; she remained the future candidate for Clan Leader, but from now on, she could enjoy all the benefits of the Clan Leader!

Nianci was appointed as the Chief Great Elder of the Ji Family, which was Nianyin's former position.

Others who had firmly supported the Clan Leader during the rebellion were also rewarded according to the extent of their contributions, and not a single one was left out.

Everyone was rewarded for their merit, except for Shi Youxuan, who received nothing.

Ji Yingjie would not leave out her niece; what she gave Shi Youxuan was a grand gift.

She called her niece into the secret chamber, took out a map, and let her look at it: "Have you memorized it?"

"I have memorized it."

Since she had memorized it, Ji Yingjie tore up the map and threw it into the fireplace to burn.

"That is the location of the Ji Family Treasure; only you know it, and this is the key." Ji Yingjie unclasped the necklace from her neck and solemnly hung it around Shi Youxuan's neck.

This "gift" was truly too heavy, weighing down upon her.

Shi Youxuan hurriedly tried to take it off: "No, I cannot accept this; you should keep this for yourself..."