Severe consequences for all involved, this is called guilt by association

  Several robust women rushed in from outside, walking with a fierce momentum. Xiang Ling was so frightened that she softened and couldn't even speak to beg for mercy. She took a deep breath, forgot her dignity, grabbed someone's hand, and hastily knelt down. "Brother, it was I who insisted on going to the water's edge. They are just maidservants, they can only follow orders. Brother, if you want to punish me, then punish me. Please don't take it out on them."

  Yu's family was also shocked, and followed with advice: "Husband, Linglong these maids are meticulous in their work, Fourth Sister is already used to their service, if you beat them to death like this, Fourth Sister will definitely be very uncomfortable."

  He didn't even raise an eyebrow, coldly saying: "What are you still standing there for? Don't you listen to what I say?"

  She stared at the approaching woman in horror, shocked and frightened, tightly hugging Xiang Linglong, and cried out to Zhī Yì: "Brother, if you want to punish me, then punish me. Please don't punish them! Brother, if you insist on punishing her, you might as well kill me first!" As she spoke, she bit the woman who was trying to pull her away, like a mad tiger.

  At this time, Chen Xiang finally regained a bit of strength, she crawled on the ground, trembling with her voice and begged, "The slave did not persuade the young lady to do something against the rules, the slave is not worthy of death, Master can punish the slave without complaint, just ask Master not to blame the young lady. All sins will be borne by the slave."

  Linglong also trembled with her voice: "Sister Chenxiang is right, it's all my fault. Even if Master beats me to death, I won't have any complaints... Master, I don't want to die, I know I was wrong, please spare me this time..." Linglong wanted to be as calm and composed as Chenxiang, but the fear of death still overcame everything, and in the end she fell to the ground crying uncontrollably.

  Yu also hastily got up and hurriedly persuaded him.

  As the emotions gripped the two of them tightly, Zhī Yì cried out in a loud voice: "Brother, I know I was wrong, really wrong. From now on, I won't dare to do it again. Please brother, don't punish them, if you want to punish someone, just punish me alone."

  Yu's family was also furious and saw that Zhiyi was still unmoved, so they too became anxious.

  Finally, Zhi Yi settled his thoughts and said in a low voice to Ru Qing: "Do you really think that I, as your elder brother, do not dare to punish you?"

  "Brother, if you want to punish someone, just punish me alone, please don't punish them, they were just following orders. Brother, I know you've always been kind to me, that's why you're so angry. Brother, sister really knows she was wrong. Please don't punish them, okay? Sister is begging you."

  As if she was really scared, she didn't expect that Zhiyi would be so angry. Moreover, it wasn't just pretending, but really wanted to take the lives of Xiang Ling and Er, she had already been frightened out of her wits, her mind a complete blank, except for begging for mercy, she couldn't think of anything else.

  Zhi Yi stared at her for a long time, seeing that she finally knew to be afraid, and after venting some of her anger, she said in a low voice: "Alright, considering you've repented, I'll spare the lives of these two people... for now."

  Just as the atmosphere was about to relax, Zhi Yi continued: "But even if they can avoid the death penalty, they cannot escape punishment. Bring these two out and give them twenty lashes. Let them remember that as slaves, when their masters make mistakes, they should correct and advise them, not just try to please them. This time it's a small lesson, but if they do it again next time, it won't be so simple."

  Yu Ru was about to plead for mercy, but after hearing Zhiyi's words, she had no choice but to shut her mouth and watch as Xiang Linglong was dragged out of the courtyard by the servant women. They first tied her up tightly with ropes, then covered her mouth with a handkerchief, and threw her onto a wooden bench. Two servant women, each holding a thick pear-wood club, beat her down swiftly and violently.

  Ling and Rong had always followed Ruqing, although they hadn't lived a life of luxury, they had never suffered before. This time, however, they were beaten until their skin was torn and bruised, their lungs were bursting, and they were gasping for air. Their mouths were covered, so they could only struggle desperately. Ruqing bit her lip, covered her face, and gazed at the veins bulging on their foreheads and the sweat pouring down their faces. Every time the stick came down, their heads would jerk up high, but by the fifteenth and sixteenth blows, they couldn't lift them anymore. Ruqing watched in horror, stumbled out, and cried, "Stop hitting them! Stop hitting them! If you keep going, someone will die!" She flung herself at Ling's body and wailed to Zhiyi, "Brother, really, you can't hit them again. If you do, it'll be murder! Brother, please spare their lives."

  The four women stopped their actions and looked at Zhiyi, waiting for his instructions.

  Yu's family was also tense, seeing that Zhiyi didn't mean to stop, he plucked up the courage and took the initiative to wave his hand: "Stop fighting, stop fighting, hurry up and lift her up to apply medicine. A good girl from a good family, if she becomes disabled, it would be a sin."

  The women looked at Zhiyi again and were hesitant. Yu Shi gritted her teeth and shouted, "What? You even dare not to listen to your own husband's words?"

  The old women saw that Yu Shi was really angry and also saw that Zhi Yi had not expressed his opinion, so they put down the stick, untied the ropes for the two of them, and took them away to apply medicine.

  As if holding back the sweat on her forehead, she didn't know whether she was frightened or startled, and she sat stupidly on the ground, staring blankly at Zhiyi. Having seen this brother's decisive and ruthless character, she also dared not to confirm that after dealing with Chen Xiang and Er Niang, he would let go of other maids.

  As expected, Zhiyuan spoke up again, "Chen Xiang Linglong, as the head housekeeper, did not think to persuade and advise, but instead ordered twenty strokes of the rod, in order to show respect for Yu. As for the other maids..."

  The other maids knelt down one after another, "Master spare our lives, Master spare our lives!"

  As if her heart was about to jump out of her throat, she hastily retreated back into the hall, knelt down in front of Zhiyi and cried, "Brother..."

  Zhī yì lěng móu shè guò qù, "nǐ yě bié jí, děng xià jiù lún dào nǐ le."

  Translation:

  Zhiyi's cold eyes glanced over, "You also don't be anxious, soon it will be your turn."

  "...like swallowing hard,"But..."

  "You can't even protect yourself, yet you're thinking of others. Get out of the way for now, I'll deal with you later." Then, turning to the other maids who were cowering in fear, "Considering you are not the main culprits, I will show leniency. Each of you will receive ten strokes of the cane as punishment. Go and receive your punishment outside."

  Although the ten slaps would take half a life, it was much better than Ling and Rong's twenty slaps. After all, thanks to Zhiyi's cold and decisive nature, she managed to keep her life, which was a great fortune in misfortune. So, the maids got up softly and came to the outer courtyard, where the old women had already set up the benches in a row. The six maids lined up, bent over the benches, and the six old women each held a stick and started beating them down. The maids were beaten until they screamed and wailed, tears streaming down their faces. Now, she finally understood what it meant to be implicated and what family law was all about.