Seeing the shattered guqin, Yan Xikun walked over with a heavy heart, stroking the instrument and scolding Rong Furen: "Rong Furen, what has the guqin done to you? Why must you destroy it?"

  "The guqin didn't provoke me, but you did." Madame Rong stepped forward, pushed aside Yan Xijun, and kicked the guqin with her foot while also stomping on it. She even called out to Xi'er to come and stomp on it too.

  Yan Xijun was pushed to the ground by her, and she looked at their master-servant movements in surprise and doubt. She was a person from Aiqin, and couldn't bear to see them treating the guqin like this. She hurriedly rushed forward and hugged the guqin, exclaiming: "Don't! All of you stop right there! Don't treat this zither like that!"

  "Get out of the way, you cheap girl! Otherwise, I won't show any mercy!" Mrs. Rong said viciously, at the same time stretching out her foot to kick the guqin in Yan Xijun's arms. It was unclear whether she had intentionally kicked it off target or not, but her foot ended up kicking someone else in the chest instead.

  Yan Xijun was caught off guard and was kicked by her, causing him to loosen his grip. The guqin fell to the ground once again.

  Rong's wife kicked it away, kicking it under Xi'er's feet, and ordered her: "Quickly throw the zither outside."

  Xi'er was furious. She grabbed the guqin and threw it out of the pavilion with all her might. The pavilion was originally built on a relatively high place. The guqin rolled down the slope until it was blocked by a stone. With a loud crash, it was completely smashed into two pieces.

  "My qin." Yan Xijun couldn't help but let out a sorrowful cry, sitting on the ground, leaning against the railing, staring blankly at the broken guqin.

  Mrs. Rong clapped her hands in satisfaction. She grabbed Yan Xijun's arm and forced her to face herself, saying: "Now that the matter of Qin is settled, it's time to settle your affair."

  "My affair." Yan Xijun looked at her with a puzzled expression and asked in confusion, "Lady Rong, has this servant offended you?"

  "Of course, you little wretch. I'm asking you, are you playing the piano here tonight to catch the prince's attention?" Madam Rong said. If this girl dares to say yes, she will not let her off lightly.

  "Mrs. Rong, you misunderstood. I didn't have that idea at all. Why do you always target me?" Yan Xijun struggled free from her grasp. Every time Mrs. Rong saw her, she would find fault with her. It was really unclear what she had done to offend her.

  "Who was it that targeted you? How dare you deceive me! You said you didn't seduce the prince, then what's your explanation for being here playing the zither tonight?" Madame Rong clearly didn't believe her. Her eyes were fiercely staring at Yan Xijun's face, trying to find out her intention of lying.

  "I am but a fleeting passion. I came here to play the piano and did not mean to disturb you, madam. Please forgive me."

  "Hmph, you're still lying with your dying breath. You were clearly flirting with the prince, but you won't admit it. Let me teach you a lesson, and you'll learn to tell the truth." Lady Rong raised her hand and slapped her hard, slapping her until Yan Xijun saw stars.

  It's not easy to stabilize your line of sight. Yan Xijun gritted her teeth and stared at her, "You dare to hit me."

  "What's the use of hitting you? See if you dare to tell a lie." Mrs. Rong suddenly swung another slap, which landed on Yanshu's other cheek.

  This time, even the fresh blood was beaten out. Yan Xijun was thoroughly annoyed. She fiercely spat the fresh blood in her mouth onto Mrs. Rong's face. Then, she also made a full effort to slap her back with a loud slap. "You're such a vicious and venomous woman, I can't tolerate you anymore."

  "Fine, you cheap girl! How dare you hit me back!" Mrs. Rong stroked her face that had just been slapped, wiping away the blood. She sternly ordered Xi'er: "Quickly teach this cheap girl a lesson and let her know what it means to have a sense of hierarchy. She even dares to lay hands on her master."

  "Pfft, what kind of master are you? Aren't you just a tool for Chu Yicheng's desires? What's there to be proud of?" Yan Xijun also got annoyed and sarcastically said, "If we're talking about status, even Chu Yicheng has to call her 'Your Ladyship'. And this woman dares to speak nonsense in front of her."

  Yan Xijun has had enough. Since it was Mrs. Rong who provoked her first, if she doesn't fight back now, she would be wronging herself.

  At this thought, Yan Xijun immediately got up.

  Mrs. Rong's face turned white and green after hearing Yan Xikun's sarcasm, and she suddenly flared up with anger and rushed towards her. "You cheap girl, see if I don't tear your cheap mouth apart. You only know how to talk nonsense."

  Xi'er also rushed over. Under their joint efforts, they quickly caught Yan Xijun and pressed her against the stone pillar.

  Xi'er is a frontier person, born sturdy. She pinned down Yan Xijun's hands and feet with one hand, saying to Rong Furen: "Madam, now she has been subdued by the slave. If you have any dissatisfaction, feel free to vent it."

  "That's natural. If I don't make her cry out for her father and mother tonight, then I'm not Madame Rong." Madame Rong smiled wickedly as she lifted up Yan Xizhen's face, saying evilly: "This face of yours is too beautiful. As long as you're around, I won't be able to rest easy."

  Yan Xikun's burn on the left side of his face has fully recovered and it can't be seen that he was burned by fire before. This is all thanks to Chu Yicheng's bottle of 'medicine' cream, which made him recover so quickly and without leaving any scars.

  Yan Xijun's whole body was unable to move, only her mouth could speak. She coldly stared at Mrs. Rong and threatened: "If you dare to touch a single hair on me, I will make you die in a terrible way. And I am not someone who can be bullied. You'd better be careful."

  "Haha, you think I'll be afraid of you just because you said that?" Mrs. Rong patted her cheek and sneered: "I'm not someone who grew up being threatened by others. And with you being just a lowly maid, what can you do to me?"

  "Xi'er, you tell me how to punish her, so as to alleviate the hatred in my heart." Madame Rong turned her head and said to her maid.

  Xi'er's small eyes turned around twice with a sly glint, and when she saw the teapot on the table, she suddenly had an idea. She said to Madame Rong: "Madame, isn't she most afraid of the cold? Then let's simply pour that whole pot of cold water on her neck. This weather is just right for letting her get a good chill and wake up her brain. Even you, Madame, wouldn't dare offend her."

  "Hmm, not bad, not bad." Mrs. Rong listened to Xi'er's establishment and applauded in admiration. She immediately went to grab the teapot and was about to pour water on Yan Xizhen's neck when she saw that she was wearing thick clothes and thought that even if she poured water, it wouldn't make her cold.

  Then put down the teapot and said to Xi'er: "We must take off some of her clothes to cool her down, can't let her suffer."

  "Madam, this is a good idea." Xi'er immediately cooperated with Madame Rong. The two of them started to undo Yan Xikun's clothes.

  "How dare you! You two are so bold and evil! Don't take off my clothes!" Yan Xijun struggled desperately, not wanting to be humiliated by them like this.

  She couldn't withstand the strength of two people, and in the tussle between them, her clothes had been stripped off, leaving only a bellyband and a thin white camisole.

  Fortunately, they still had some conscience and didn't take off any more clothes. However, Yan Xijun was already shivering with cold in just that little clothing.