Chapter 216: Chapter 159: Thirty Lashes

“Young Master Hong, no need for pleasantries. Do you recognize her?” Jun Moling asked indifferently.

Following the direction of the inquiry, Hong Cheng looked at the trembling Mu Jinxuan hiding aside, his eyes cold as ice. “She is Hong Cheng’s newly wedded wife.”

“She has come to my Mansion to accuse you of domestic abuse. Is there any truth to this?” A stern voice arose, and Jun Moling stared intently at Hong Cheng.

Hong Cheng’s expression shifted as he hurriedly denied, “None at all.”

At this moment, Mu Jinxuan could no longer suppress the grievances in her heart and began to sob, “Cousin…”

However, upon meeting Jun Moling’s fierce gaze, her heart trembled, and she quickly corrected herself, “Prince, Prince, Jinxuan is not lying.”

Jun Moling’s eyes were fierce and penetrating as he looked directly at Hong Cheng, “Hong Cheng, I’ve been waiting for you tonight. What do you think of this new wife?”

Hong Cheng pressed his lips tightly, momentarily speechless.

“Mu Jinxuan, do you think I arranged this marriage to target you?

I am someone who values emotions deeply, despite sometimes disliking myself for it.

After my mother and father passed away, my grandfather gave me all his love. Without him, I wouldn’t be who I am today, nor praised as a prodigy who can do anything.

Therefore, when you and your good grandmother spread those rumors, considering my grandfather’s face, I didn’t act against you, but gave you dignity by arranging a marriage for you.

As for Hong Cheng, I did ask his wishes, and he agreed.

After all, good men are not many in this world, but I didn’t expect you to remain unrepentant and to bring this accusation before me.

Since your husband can’t manage you, today I will take it upon myself to discipline this new wife.”

Standing aside, Shen Ruoxi was filled with curiosity, wondering how Jun Moling planned to deal with Mu Jinxuan.

“Mu Jinxuan, today I’ve called so many doctors here to make you completely convinced.” Jun Moling’s voice was sonorous and filled with undeniable authority.

After he spoke, his gaze was sharp. “Someone, drag Mu Jinxuan out and flog her thirty times heavily.”

Mu Jinxuan was dumbfounded in an instant, her face filled with disbelief, “Cousin…”

Just as she was about to speak, she remembered that intimidating gaze and held her tongue, anxiously shouting, “Prince, what exactly did Jinxuan do wrong?”

“Your first offense was daring to block my carriage, which is an act of great disrespect, punishable by death;

Your second offense was irresponsibly making accusations, stopping me to accuse, and the person accused is your husband, for which you should be punished by rolling over iron nails;

Your third offense is falsely accusing your husband because you have no serious injuries on your body, just a scratch on your arm, which does not justify your reckless accusation against your husband.

Combining these offenses, you should be executed. Considering my grandfather’s face, I’m already showing mercy by only flogging you thirty times, take her away.”

Standing beside, Shen Ruoxi pondered silently, always feeling that Jun Moling shouldn’t go through so much trouble to deal with Mu Jinxuan, and that there must be a special purpose behind his decisive actions.

At this moment, Mu Jinxuan was already completely terrified, kneeling on the ground, kowtowing continuously, her voice filled with tears, “Prince, Jinxuan was wrong, thirty floggings could be fatal!”

However, Jun Moling remained unmoved, his gaze cold as frost, seemingly able to freeze a person instantly. “What? If I don’t administer these thirty floggings, do you wish for me to have you beaten to death instead?”

Hearing this, Mu Jinxuan was so frightened that her face turned as pale as paper.

Though they had little interaction in childhood, they at least knew each other.

In her memories, he was never so ruthless and resolute, but now his coldness and ruthlessness truly terrified her to madness.

“Prince, Jinxuan was wrong, wrong, forgive me! Spare my life!” She cried and pleaded at the top of her lungs, filled with regret.

She had really made a huge mistake, always believing that the relationship with Elder Grand Tutor Cui would prevent any fallout with him.

But clearly, she was gravely mistaken.

At this critical moment, who could save her? If her grandmother and Elder Grand Tutor Cui were here, the Prince might show them some leniency, but now, who could save her?

If these thirty floggings were administered, unless the flogger showed pity and held back,

even a strong man could lose his life, let alone a frail girl like her who rarely steps outside.

“Prince, Jinxuan is my wife, in the end, I also bear responsibility.

Since she doesn’t want to live with me, I also plead for mercy, let me take the flogging for her, and we will divorce, granting her freedom.” Hong Cheng suddenly stepped forward.

Mu Jinxuan looked at Hong Cheng in disbelief, seemingly unable to believe her ears.

She had never regarded this man, always seeking higher connections.

After all, people as distinguished as Jun Moling are rare in all of Dayi Country,

and since she had some connection with Jun Moling, she should try her best to seize it.

But at this moment, looking at the man she had despised for years, she felt a wave of confusion about what exactly she wanted to hold onto.

The Jun Moling whom she had admired for years didn’t spare her a single glance.

Even when looking at her, his gaze was filled with disdain, disgust, and coldness.

Just now, so many doctors were instructed by him to undress her for examination. From the beginning to the end, he never regarded her as a person.

On the other hand, her despised husband Hong Cheng, in this life-or-death moment, wanted to take the thirty floggings for her, not blaming her for the false accusation, even wishing to give her a divorce letter, exchanging her freedom.

Jun Moling’s face was cold and stern, with not a trace of warmth, “Young Master Hong, I have always been clear in rewarding and punishing.

Punishing you? How would that convince everyone? Whoever committed the fault should bear the responsibility.

As for your divorce, it has nothing to do with me. Finish these thirty floggings and go home to handle your divorce by yourselves.”

Mu Jinxuan’s face grew increasingly pale, devoid of blood, like a thin piece of paper about to be torn.

Hong Cheng seemed resolute, “Prince, it is my voluntary decision to bear these floggings for Jinxuan, it has nothing to do with you, and I beseech you to allow it.

After all, these thirty floggings could very well take her life.”

Jun Moling suddenly laughed coldly, the laughter particularly piercing in the chilly atmosphere, “I don’t keep useless people. If she can’t survive the thirty floggings at my Mansion, what makes you think you can?

No one has ever managed to leave alive after receiving thirty full floggings in my Mansion.”

Mu Jinxuan felt as though her bones had been removed, collapsing to the ground.

All her calculations, was it not because of her affection for him?

No matter what, it shouldn’t lead to execution, but he was intent on beating her to death.

With the skills of the Mansion’s people, she might not even withstand a few blows if struck with full force.

She glanced at Jun Moling with the last glimmer of hope, but found only desolation in her heart.

She regarded him as a treasure in her heart, but he treated her life as worthless.

Hong Cheng’s resolve was evident, “Prince, life and death are my choices, and I have no regrets.

Punish me instead! After the punishment, may she have nothing more to do with this matter, no matter my fate.”

A cold, pitiless light flickered in Jun Moling’s eyes, “If that’s the case, then I can’t be blamed. Mi Yi, drag him away and flog him heavily thirty times.”

Mu Jinxuan immediately panicked, her forehead “thud-thud” knocking on the ground, the sound so clear in the silence, “Prince, spare my life, spare my life!”

Jun Moling chuckled coldly, “What, you don’t want Hong Cheng to take the punishment for you now, and wish to take it yourself?”

Mu Jinxuan choked in an instant, her lips trembling, unable to utter a complete sentence for a long time, and after a while, she cried out hoarsely, “Prince, it was Jinxuan who was wrong, wrong, please forgive me this once, I dare not again.”

“Forgive you? This time it’s you, next time it could be someone else.

I do not wish to waste time on such trivial matters. Only by killing the chicken to scare the monkeys can they dare not repeat the offense.”

Jun Moling’s attitude was firm, without a trace of concession, a cold light shining in his deep, black eyes.

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