flstandardbreds Chapter 183 Acting vigorously and resolutely
Chapter 183 Acting vigorously and resolutely
Fang Heng opened the door, and Fang Qiong breathed a sigh of relief: "Big brother, it's good that you're still here. I was really worried that you had already left the capital!"
Fang Heng: "No, I will definitely accompany you back to the Marquis's residence and see you move into the Begonia Garden smoothly before I leave! If the Begonia Garden is not cleaned properly, I will definitely punish those servants before I leave!"
Fang Qiong: "Big brother, if anyone goes against us when we get back today, why don't you just sell them out?"
Fang Heng: "Alright, let's make an example of them!"
The brother and sister returned to the Marquis's residence, but instead of using the main gate, they deliberately chose a secluded side gate to enter. Furthermore, Fang Heng specifically instructed the gatekeeper: "We're back. Don't tell anyone for at least two quarters of an hour!"
The gatekeeper, filled with awe for Fang Heng, quickly nodded respectfully, "Yes, Your Highness, I certainly won't tell anyone!"
The two walked silently, overhearing people slandering them and their mother along the way. As they went, Fang Heng arrested people, tying them up with ropes he had prepared beforehand. After arresting two or more, he strung them together, and by the time they reached Haitang Garden, a long line of eleven people had been strung together.
Fang Heng tied the eleven people to the crabapple tree at the entrance and stood there listening for a while. Inside, there were two very sharp voices mocking Fang Heng and his sister.
One said, "Stop doing this! So what if he's the heir? His mother isn't favored, and he doesn't get along with the Marquis. The Marquis has long wanted to make Concubine Li his legal wife and has long wanted to make the eldest son the heir! Just wait and see, I believe that in less than two years, the heir will be replaced!"
Someone chimed in, "That's right. The young master and his wife are about to abdicate, so what's a young lady who's not being pampered? Stop cleaning, it's clean enough already! The current Begonia Garden is definitely much better than that rural house in Zhangshu County. She can live in that rural place, so why can't she live here? Don't spoil her, or she'll grow up to be arrogant and bully us!"
Then someone else said, "But the young master said that if we dare to bully the young lady, he will definitely not let us off easily!"
Then a sharp voice rang out: "That was just a bluff! What audacity a prince who is not favored by the Marquis would have to not let us off easily?!"
"Insolence!" Fang Heng silently walked in, catching the last man red-handed before he could even finish speaking. Fang Heng grabbed him, pulled him out, and kicked him, sending him flying more than ten feet away, whereupon he immediately spat out a mouthful of blood.
Fang Heng: "Although I am not the Marquis's favorite, I am still the Marquis. Before I am replaced by the eldest son born to a concubine, I am still the Marquis of Zhongxin's son! Anyone who dares to openly gossip and insult me will have to bear serious consequences!"
Ignoring the excruciating pain in his chest, the man immediately prostrated himself on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly: "Young Master, I know I was wrong, please forgive me this time, I will never dare to do it again!"
Fang Heng strode over and stopped in front of him, looking down at him and said, "It's not impossible for me to forgive you this time, but you have to point out who was just slandering and insulting me, my wife, and the Third Miss?"
Fang Qiong is the third young lady in the Marquis's mansion.
Upon hearing this, the man's eyes flickered, and he stammered, "Young Master, this... this humble servant doesn't know!"
Upon hearing this, Fang Heng grabbed his right arm without saying a word, and with a clever twist, broke his arm.
The man immediately screamed like a pig being slaughtered, drenched in cold sweat from the pain.
Fang Heng coldly laughed: "Now, do you understand? If you still don't understand, everyone in your family, regardless of age or gender, will have an arm broken. And they'll all get kicked in the chest! After that, your whole family will be sent to the harsh, cold Northeast to do hard labor. I mean what I say, I never lie!"
Upon hearing this, the man was immediately terrified and cried out in despair, "Young Master, I know, I know! I heard everything clearly! Zhang San, Li Si, Wang Mazi, and Zhao Geda, they were all involved! Oh, and Niu Dadan was involved too! They all said even worse things than I did! Young Master, I've told you everything, could you please fix my arm? And could you please spare my family?"
With a few thuds, several figures knelt down in the crowd. Those people were naturally Zhang San, Li Si, Wang Mazi, Zhao Geda, and Niu Dadan.
Fang Heng glanced at him coldly and said indifferently, "Besides what happened today, who else in the past hated me, Madam, and Third Miss the most? Tell me, and if you're not lying, I'll not only fix your arm, but I'll also give you a reward!"
He paused, then gave the kneeling men a sharp look: "You can also expose them. If you satisfy me, I can give you a lighter punishment. Otherwise, not only will you get kicked in the chest, but your arms will be broken, and your families will be punished severely!"
Zhang San quickly raised his head and said eagerly, "Young Master, I know..." He rattled off a string of names as soon as he opened his mouth.
Seeing this, Li Si, Wang Mazi, Zhao Geda, and Niu Dadan also hurriedly rattled off a string of names.
Fang Heng was well-prepared, having already prepared pen, ink, paper, and inkstone, and recorded the names and general details mentioned by the people.
"Alright, considering your merit in exposing these things today, you will all be given lenient punishments. Each of you will receive twenty strokes of the cane and be expelled from the mansion! As for the rest of those who were exposed, once the facts are verified, each of them will receive fifty strokes of the cane and then be sold to the harsh and cold Northeast!" Fang Heng said with a wave of his hand, displaying great authority.
Then, he turned to his two guards and said, "Go and investigate whether what these people have said is true!"
Coincidentally, at that moment, the housekeeper arrived after hearing the news.
Fang Heng then said to the steward, "You've arrived. Please gather all the servants in the mansion immediately. Be quick, within a quarter of an hour!"
The butler quickly bowed and replied, "Yes, Your Highness, please wait a moment!"
Fang Heng then said to the guards who hadn't yet left, "The steward has arrived, so you don't need to go. Guard the gate of Haitang Garden and don't allow anyone to leave!"
The guards bowed and replied, "Yes, sir!" The two men turned and went to the main gate, standing guard on the left and right. The two tall men were like two iron towers, making those who tried to escape feel intimidated.
Soon, hundreds of people gathered in the front courtyard. Masters, maids, cooks, guards, and servants all came together.
"Those whose names I call, step forward!" Fang Heng swept his sharp gaze across the crowd, looked at the notebook in his hand, and began to read: "Niu Tian!"
Upon hearing the name, a sleazy-looking middle-aged man felt uneasy and hesitated to step forward.
Fang Heng shouted again, "Is Niu Tian here?!"
Someone nudged Niu Tian and said, "Niu Tian, the young master is calling you!"
Niu Tian hesitated before stepping forward, feeling uneasy.
Why would the young master seek him out for no reason? Logically speaking, the young master shouldn't know him. What could he possibly want?
Fang Heng pointed to a spot about ten feet away: "Niu Tian, stand back a bit, stand over there!"
Niu Tian didn't hesitate this time and stood up.
Fang Heng continued shouting, "Xiongshan!"
Xiong Shan glanced at Niu Tian and saw him standing there looking perfectly fine. He immediately felt relieved and quickly stepped out of the crowd to stand beside Niu Tian.
Fang Heng continued reading the names, reciting more than fifty names in a row. While he was reading the names, his two guards, as well as Fang Qiong and her maids and servants, subtly and tacitly formed a circle around these people.
Fang Qiong has a maid named Mu Jin who is very skilled in martial arts. She was specially chosen by Zi Su to be her personal bodyguard.
As usual, Mu Jin stayed close to Fang Qiong, never leaving her side, in case of any unforeseen circumstances.
After reading out the names, Fang Heng said to Niu Tian and the others, "Someone has reported that you have been extremely disrespectful to me, my wife, and the Third Miss. You have spread rumors, cursed and insulted me, doing everything you can to humiliate me! I have called you here specifically to give you a chance to defend yourselves. If you feel you have been wronged, stand up and testify face to face!"
Upon hearing this, Niu Tian immediately shouted, "Young Master, which bastard is speaking ill of me? I have always been very respectful to Madam, Young Master, and Third Miss, and I have never said anything disrespectful!"
Fang Heng waved his hand and said to the people who had reported him, "He doesn't admit it. What do you suggest we do? Have you wronged him? Or is he just making excuses?"
The person who reported the incident immediately objected, and Zhang San said, "Your Highness, Niu Tian is making excuses..."
After some investigation, it was confirmed that Zhang San and the others were telling the truth. Fang Heng then ordered: "Each of them will receive fifty strokes of the cane, and then be sold to the harsh and cold Northeast to do hard labor!"
Niu Tian was a trusted subordinate of Aunt Li's eldest son. Aunt Li and her eldest son were unhappy about it, but Fang Heng ignored them completely and dealt with them all swiftly and decisively.
Before leaving, he even beat up Young Master Fang: "The reason Niu Tian dared to act that way was all because you instigated him. Otherwise, how would a servant like him have the audacity to target the mistress of the house? If you hadn't instigated him, he wouldn't have had any reason to be so disrespectful to me, the mistress, and the third young lady!"
The eldest young master's mother, Li, was also beaten by Fang Heng's servants. The reason was that among the fifty-odd people who were reported and exposed, more than thirty were Li's people, so the mastermind behind this must be Li!
Li was beaten twenty times, until she cried out in pain and looked utterly pathetic. She gritted her teeth and shouted, "Fang Heng, you scoundrel! When the Marquis returns, you'll be in for a world of hurt!"
Upon hearing this, Fang Heng's face darkened immediately, and he shouted sternly, "Add another ten strokes of the cane, and twenty for opening your mouth!"
Seeing the old woman in charge of the execution frozen in shock, he glared at her angrily: "What are you still standing there for? Do you intend to take the punishment in her place?!"
The old woman was terrified, and her hands moved faster, striking harder than before. Good heavens, the young master's eyes are terrifying! They're like a wolf's, filled with murderous intent, so frightening!
Besides, Aunt Li is usually bossy and domineering towards her servants, and has offended countless people. Just a few days ago, she was bullied by the head maid who serves Aunt Li, so naturally, she would hold Aunt Li responsible for this for the rest of her life. If Aunt Li hadn't instigated it, and she had no grudge against that head maid, why would she have bullied her so viciously?
Aunt Li, who had lived a life of luxury for over ten years, was now stripped of her skirt and left only in her long johns to be flogged. Although Fang Heng had already turned his face away and didn't even look at her, she still lost all face in front of everyone. The cane was raised high and then brought down heavily, the beatings making her feel like she didn't want to live anymore.
Fang Heng left his two bodyguards with his younger sister, Fang Qiong, and left the capital alone for Zhangshu County. He planned to depart at this time, stay overnight at the Good Days Restaurant in Lishu County, and return to Zhangshu County before lunch the next day.
Although Fang Heng had left, the steward, Uncle Xiang, dared not neglect Fang Qiong. He immediately dispatched fifty diligent people to the Begonia Garden to finish the work efficiently.
The entire Begonia Garden looked clean and tidy; even the well in the garden had been cleaned again. The withered garden had also been tidied up and planted with flowers, trees, and shrubs transplanted from somewhere.