Shen Guiya’s face had turned completely pale. She’d originally planned to return and change clothes, but unexpectedly, Madam Gu was blocking her way in the eastern courtyard. With a single command from her, the household servants rushed forward and pressed her to the ground.

Damn it all! She hadn’t fastened her robe properly at all. When pressed down like this, the ties loosened and a large expanse of snow-white skin directly spilled out from her chest.

“Shameless thing!” Madam Gu watched from the front. Her already vigorous anger was stimulated even fiercer by this scene. She immediately flung down a jade pendant: “Someone like you, where do you deserve to be a daughter-in-law of my Gu family!”

“Crack!” The jade pendant fell and shattered into pieces. Shen Guiya raised her eyes to look and only saw half a piece with the character “Gu” carved on it.

That was the jade pendant symbolizing the eldest daughter-in-law of the Gu family. Madam Gu had personally given it to her when she still had a belly, and she’d always kept it in the main house.

What did this mean? Out of nowhere, why would Madam Gu fly into such a rage?

Gu Chaodong hadn’t managed to dissuade her, but instead walked to Madam Gu’s side. When his gaze touched upon Shen Guiya’s clothing, his expression changed drastically.

Under that robe, one could see straight through—she actually wasn’t wearing an inner skirt. Saying she was helping him with work—even if he, Gu Chaodong, had failed the imperial examinations, as the son of a prime minister, would he need to rely on his own woman selling her charms?

To think he’d actually been somewhat moved just now!

“Mother-in-law…” Shen Guiya struggled, trying to speak, but her robe grew looser and looser. Many maids and household servants in the hall were watching. She immediately panicked: “What on earth is happening…”

“What’s happening?” Madam Gu sneered coldly: “You deceived your superiors and concealed the truth, your intentions utterly reprehensible! Clearly not pregnant, yet you conspired with the household physician to deceive everyone, forcing Dong’er to marry you, and then even faked a miscarriage to frame others! I’ve already written the divorce letter. From this day forward, you Shen Guiya are no longer my Dong’er’s wife!”

Shen Guiya’s eyes widened as she watched a ledger get thrown down. A kind-hearted maid beside her turned a page for her, landing exactly on the page reading “menstruation regular, blood and qi flowing smoothly.”

A physician could determine this? Shen Guiya was shocked, looking in horror at Physician Liu beside her. Physician Liu had no mind to look at her. After she finished reading those words, he distressedly picked up his ledger and took it back.

This physician had indeed examined her pulse as soon as he arrived at the residence. She hadn’t known pulse-taking could reveal such things! Even modern technology wasn’t this advanced, right? The child was already lost and yet they could still catch her with evidence? Television dramas really were all deceptive.

Gritting her teeth, Shen Guiya refused to admit it to the death: “Mother-in-law, please let Guiya explain. How could Guiya possibly joke about her own child? This physician only came later, hasn’t been at the residence long. How could he be as reliable as the old physician from before? If he wants to slander Guiya, Guiya has places to appeal!”

Madam Gu snorted coldly: “No need to rush. I’ve already sent people to fetch the previous physician. His hometown isn’t far from here. By dawn you’ll be able to see him.”

Only then was Shen Guiya completely dumbfounded.

“As for you, not only did you stay out all night, you’re also dressed so lewdly—you’ve already violated the seven grounds for divorce.” Madam Gu said coldly: “According to the Gu residence’s rules, violating the seven grounds means receiving twenty strokes of household punishment, being given divorce papers, and being driven from the residence!”

“No!” Shen Guiya struggled with all her might, but was pressed down firmly by the household servants and couldn’t get up at all. Madam Gu didn’t even leave her time to argue, directly ordering the servants to bring up the punishment rod.

“Beat her! This creature has thoroughly disgraced the Gu family!” Madam Gu shouted furiously.

“Husband!” Shen Guiya panicked beyond measure and called out to Gu Chaodong. Just now at the inn he’d been moved too! After all, she was wholeheartedly thinking of him, wanting to help him secure the position of Vice Minister of Justice. Even if she’d dallied with someone, that was also unavoidable means, wasn’t it? In modern times, wasn’t this kind of thing common?

Who knew Gu Chaodong wouldn’t even look at her, only clenching his fists and standing beside Madam Gu, not making a sound even when the rod fell.

This coward!

Shen Guiya felt Gu Chaodong must not dare contradict Madam Gu. This useless man—why had she been so blind back then?

“Ah!” The rod struck her buttocks, hurting so much she wanted to curse. In that instant, Shen Guiya missed modern times. At least they didn’t beat people like this there.

But if she returned to modern times, she’d just be a low-income temporary worker at a cosmetics shop again. How could that compare to the fine clothes and rich food of ancient times? Shen Guiya gritted her teeth. Even if she really was divorced this time, she’d take her makeup box with her. That box contained all the benefits she’d gained from managing accounts, plus the formula for essence oil. Leaving here, she could still get by!

However, even if she had to leave, she couldn’t leave in such a wretched state. Whoever was sabotaging her from behind, she would definitely find them out!

It never occurred to Shen Guiya that this was her own fault. If others caused her to be punished, it must be others’ fault.

The rod fell again and again. Her clothing came loose, letting the household servants and stewards beside her see everything. The maids watching all blushed. Gu Chaodong’s face simply turned ashen.

“Ah!” The screams carried far. Shen Guiyan and Gu Chaobei heard them the moment they stepped into the residence. In the middle of the night, weren’t they afraid of waking the Prime Minister?

Baoshan was guarding the entrance. As soon as she saw them return, she immediately rushed over: “Miss, Miss, quick, go watch the excitement!”

“What excitement?” Shen Guiyan asked.

“The excitement of good and evil getting their due rewards.” Baoshan happily supported one of her arms: “Didn’t someone frame Miss last time, making Miss suffer twenty strokes of household punishment for nothing?”

“Yes.”

“The one screaming now, that’s retribution coming.” Baoshan winked: “Everyone ran over to watch instead of sleeping, saying it’s quite scandalous inside!”

Retribution? Hearing these screams, Shen Guiyan knew it was Shen Guiya who’d met with disaster. However, this wasn’t retribution—it could only be called repayment.

“Shall we go take a look too?” Shen Guiyan turned her head to look at Gu Chaobei beside her.

Gu Chaobei yawned, somewhat drowsily saying: “What’s there to see about her? Sooner or later this was bound to be her fate.”

“Still worth seeing.” Shen Guiyan smiled: “After all, she’s worth at least one or two silver taels.”

With his eyes half-open, Gu Chaobei let Shen Guiyan drag him along.

Shen Guiya had already received five strokes. The pain made her disregard everything. She exerted all her strength to rise and kicked the household servant aside with one foot. What’s more, she stripped off her robe and flung it directly at Madam Gu’s face. Wearing only the sexy bikini underneath, she covered her buttocks and angrily said: “This lady has had enough! What gives you the right to beat people?!”

Everyone in the room was stunned. Shen Guiyan arrived just in time to witness this scene and couldn’t help but widen her eyes.

Gu Chaobei beside her instinctively turned around, then thought this wasn’t right—he was a debauched libertine! What was he turning away for? He decisively turned back around, watching this farce with a composed expression.

“How dare you!” Madam Gu trembled with rage all over. Gu Chaodong’s expression was even more unpleasant as he picked up her clothing, wanting to go forward and drape it over her.

“Get away from me!” Shen Guiya shoved Gu Chaodong aside with one hand, saying in exasperation: “Don’t forget what you promised me when you wrote that mutual divorce agreement! Only I have the right to divorce you—you’ll never get to divorce me!”

The household servants outside had all been dispersed by the steward. As Shen Guiyan and Gu Chaobei walked in together, Shen Guiya suddenly whipped her head around to look over.

“I know now—it must be you, this vicious woman, who caused this!” Shen Guiya glared at Shen Guiyan, wanting to pounce on her with bared fangs and brandished claws, but was grabbed by both hands by Gu Chaodong.

Shen Guiyan didn’t even lift an eyelid. She entered and nodded slightly toward Madam Gu: “Madam.”

Madam Gu trembled with rage all over. Shen Guiya’s entire body had essentially been seen by everyone. Who would dare want her now? Simply shameless to the extreme!

The household servant holding the punishment rod was still there, head buried low, at a loss. There were still fifteen strokes left undelivered!

“I won’t let you off.” Shen Guiya squeezed out this sentence through gritted teeth.

Shen Guiyan raised her head to look at her, smiled faintly, and made no sound, only forming words with her lips.

What a coincidence—I won’t let you off either.

This was only just the beginning. She wouldn’t harm people, but she would absolutely strip away all of her filth, leaving nothing, making everyone see clearly so they wouldn’t be deceived by her again!

Shen Guiya was startled by her lip movements. After being stunned for a moment, she heard Madam Gu above say: “Tie her up. After finishing the household punishment, lock her in the woodshed!”

“Yes.” The maids beside her wanted to take over. Only then did Shen Guiya struggle again, screaming as if possessed: “No! No!”

Her hair was disheveled in disarray, and the bikini on her body was also on the verge of falling off.

Shen Guiyan couldn’t help but glance at Gu Chaobei. Any man would be unable to control himself at such a scene.

But Gu Chaobei was actually standing beside her drowsily, his eyes already closed.

After being busy for half the night and then going out drinking, he must be tired.

Shen Guiyan smiled faintly and reached out to hold his hand more tightly.

Gu Chaodong gritted his teeth and pulled her back, growling in a low voice: “Are you possessed or something! Acting like a crazy woman!”

A flash of inspiration struck her mind. Shen Guiya paused for an instant, then went along with this idea and immediately became even more frenzied, shouting incoherently: “I’m an immortal sent from the heavens! Clothed in clouds and garbed in wind! You mere mortals, why don’t you quickly kneel down? Wah-yah-yah-yah—”

Shen Guiyan: “…”

Steward Gu looked at Shen Guiya’s crazed appearance and hurriedly stepped forward: “Madam, in this humble one’s opinion, the eldest young madam is truly possessed!”

Madam Gu was stunned. Her belly full of anger hadn’t subsided yet. She steadied herself and looked—Shen Guiya was rolling her eyes and shouting wildly. Didn’t she look exactly like someone possessed!

“Quick, take her directly to the woodshed!” Madam Gu frowned: “This is no small matter. Go fetch a Taoist priest!”

Baoshan was astonished. Standing behind Shen Guiyan with hands on hips, she said: “Just like that, she’s possessed?”

The household punishment wasn’t even finished yet!

“Madam, eldest young master, please see clearly—our young miss has been unable to eat or sleep peacefully recently. She must be possessed!” Yushu, who hadn’t dared to speak until now, only then knelt forward: “Miss wasn’t like this before. Only in recent days has her behavior been strange, not even keeping this servant by her side to attend to her.”

Possession had existed since ancient times, and the ancients were superstitious. Madam Gu immediately became serious: “Find a Taoist priest to examine her first before deciding. I also feel that Guiya wasn’t like this before. She must have evil wind in her body.”

Shen Guiyan frowned.