Chapter 34: A Lesson

"I do not admit it."

The three words hit Su Dingqin’s fury like two bowls of scalding oil. On one side stood Su Zhiyi, fighting back tears with a forced show of strength; on the other was Yu Shengsheng, stubbornly refusing to concede. The scales of justice in Su Dingqin’s heart tilted without a moment's hesitation.

"You won't admit it? I’ll make you admit it!"

He turned to his personal guard, snatched the horse whip tucked into the man's belt, and gripped it tightly. "I will ask you one more time: do you admit it, or not?"

Yu Shengsheng struggled to stand, her voice steady. "I do not."

Su Dingqin raised the whip, ready to strike. Yu Shengsheng closed her eyes.

Suddenly, Su Dingqin’s wrist was caught. He spun around in shock and rage, meeting the mocking, half-smiling eyes of Lu Xingzhan.

"Su Dingqin," Lu Xingzhan said with a casual tone, "is she your enemy? I don't claim to be a saint myself, and I’ve done my fair share of trouble, but I have never, like you, struck a woman in public." He paused, his gaze hardening. "Especially your own sister."

Su Dingqin sneered and jerked his arm away, breaking free from Lu Xingzhan’s grip. "Young Master Lu, this is the Su estate, not a teahouse. I am disciplining a member of my own household; surely that does not require the intervention of the Jingzhao Prefecture, does it?"

Lu Xingzhan narrowed his eyes. "Who are you being so cryptic with, Su Dingqin? I don’t take kindly to your attitude! Are you out of your mind? Even a servant girl knows to question those caught together, yet you fixate only on this fool." He leaned in closer. "You would rather believe a maid than your own sister, is that it?"

Su Dingqin’s breath hitched. *Was he really like that?* How could that be? Of course he trusted Shengsheng, but Zhiyi was so aggrieved, and Rujian was merely her maid after all.

The Crown Prince’s gaze swept past Lu Xingzhan and settled on Yu Shengsheng. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth; she looked pitiful, yet she still refused to yield. A dark desire churned within the Prince. He longed to snatch the whip from Su Dingqin and beat her himself. *Is she defying me because of Lu Xingzhan? Does she think that by latching onto the Lu family, she can escape my grasp?*

The Prince’s eyes glinted with amusement. Even if it were the Lu family, or even after Kong Dezhao arrived in the capital and married her, he would still find a way to make Yu Shengsheng his plaything. Someone this amusing was not easily found. He would never let her go until he had had his fill—and even then, only he would decide when it ended. Escape or rescue were simply not options.

"Young Master Lu," the Prince spoke calmly, "this is a domestic matter of the Su family. In this Prince’s opinion, those who do not know the full story would do well to keep silent."

Lu Xingzhan let out a sharp laugh. "Your Highness, I’m afraid I cannot agree. Storytellers often say that when one sees an injustice, one should draw their sword to help. If everyone kept silent, the court officials might as well be mutes, and the censors wouldn't have to be such a nuisance."

Others might fear the Crown Prince, but Lu Xingzhan did not. While he was careful not to provoke him so severely as to give the Prince a handle against him, a little sarcasm was perfectly acceptable.

The Prince’s smile deepened, his gaze burning. Su Yanshu stepped in at the right moment. "Sheng-sheng, apologize to your brother quickly. Do not be so stubborn. We still have the boat trip ahead; don’t ruin everyone’s mood."

Yu Shengsheng looked up at him, her eyes as dark as the night. "I have done nothing wrong. What is there to admit?"

Before Su Yanshu could reply, Su Dingqin’s whip descended.

*Crack!* The lash struck Yu Shengsheng hard. Her summer gown was thin, and though the horse whip was slender, it left a raw, bleeding welt on her delicate skin. A surge of searing pain washed over her, and sweat beaded instantly on her forehead. She dug her fingers into the dirt, her knuckles white.

Before she could catch her breath, the next strike came.

"Will you admit it?"

"I... do... not!"

Lu Xingzhan watched the two bloody welts form, his heart clenching with indignation. Just as he was about to speak again, a voice rang out from the crowd: "If she won't admit it, beat her until she does!"

Everyone turned to see the Old Matriarch and the Lady of the Su house approaching. They had not intended to attend, but the Old Matriarch knew the true purpose of this lotus-viewing banquet and had kept a close watch on proceedings. Hearing that the Crown Prince had arrived, she had expected everything to go smoothly, never imagining that Shen Zhiyuan would be dragged into such a scandal. Enraged, she had come to see for herself, arriving just in time to hear Yu Shengsheng’s refusal.

Upon seeing Yu Shengsheng on the ground, the Old Matriarch’s expression darkened. The Lady of the Su house immediately burst into tears. "Sheng-sheng... Dingqin, how could you beat her like this?"

Su Zhiyi let out a long, shuddering breath, a smile appearing on her lips—one that looked far more painful than crying. "Grandmother, Mother, it is my fault. It is all because I am useless..."

Seeing her daughter suppress her tears, the Lady of the Su house felt her heart break and rushed to embrace her. "Silly child, how could this be your fault?"

The Old Matriarch’s momentary surprise vanished. She glanced at Shen Zhiyuan and Rujian, suppressed her anger, and turned back to Yu Shengsheng. "I told you long ago that you were not to covet a marriage with the Shen family, though we would not treat you poorly. We have already found you a suitable match."

"Yet you harbor resentment, bringing such shame upon Master Shen and making both the Shen and Su families a laughingstock. How can we overlook such a grave error?"

The Old Matriarch looked at Su Dingqin. "Beat her! The Su family has strict discipline and is even more rigorous in the education of our children. When it comes to character, there can be no negligence!"

The Lady of the Su house sobbed, "Mother, could we perhaps..."

The Old Matriarch shot her a sharp look, and she fell silent, lowering her head.

Su Dingqin raised the whip again. Each strike landed with a sickening thud, adding new welts to the old. Yu Shengsheng bit her fingers until they bled, refusing to make a sound.

Jin Baobao’s eyes turned red. "Young Miss!" She screamed at the crowd, "Are you all blind? That shameless woman Rujian was the one carrying on with him! What does that have to do with my Young Miss?" She turned her gaze to Shen Zhiyuan. "You, you dog! If you have any manhood, tell the truth! What kind of trash are you?"

The Old Matriarch trembled with rage, pointing a finger adorned with prayer beads at her. "Someone, seize her and beat her as well! And pull out her tongue first!"

The Old Matriarch usually maintained a facade of kindness, but she had never been insulted so blatantly in all her years; the mask had finally slipped. Su Dingqin’s men rushed forward to grab Jin Baobao.

"Don't..." a faint sound escaped Yu Shengsheng’s lips.

No one could hear what she said, but Su Dingqin could guess. He redoubled the force of his strikes.

Leaning in her mother’s arms, Su Zhiyi lowered her lashes, masking the cold, triumphant glint in her eyes. Even if it hadn't been Yu Shengsheng who was defiled, being beaten like this in public would ruin her reputation forever. As for Shen Zhiyuan, it didn't matter; she never liked him anyway and had no intention of marrying him. Using this incident to make everyone believe she was the victim was far more beneficial.

Jin Baobao was seized and dragged to Yu Shengsheng’s side. Just as the Old Matriarch raised her hand to give the order, a voice rang out from beyond the moon gate:

"The Su family is certainly a lively place today!"