Chapter 17
Prince Jun Is an Old Man?
Second Madam was furious beyond measure. She immediately brought her people and stormed out angrily.
Sure enough, she saw Fu Zhao Ning striding straight into her courtyard. Xiao Tao followed beside her, and both mistress and servant were carrying weapons in their hands.
Behind them was a young man whose clothing looked refined and expensive.
The angry curses that were about to burst out of Second Madam’s mouth were immediately swallowed back the moment she saw Qing Yi.
In front of outsiders, she always maintained the image of a loving elder toward her nieces and nephews. Besides, she could not lose the dignity of the Second Madam of the Fu family.
Still, why had an unrelated man entered the Fu residence so late at night?
Fortunately, Qing Yi did not follow them into the courtyard. He stopped outside instead.
As a man, entering the women’s courtyard late at night would indeed be improper.
The moment Fu Ming Zhu saw Fu Zhao Ning in her wedding dress, her eyes turned red with jealousy.
This wedding dress clearly was not the one Fu Zhao Ning had worn earlier today when she was supposed to marry into Xiao Wang Manor.
This dress was far more luxurious and noble. The golden embroidery on it was exquisite and beautiful, nothing like the shabby one from before.
“Zhao Ning, I heard you abandoned Xiao Shizi and turned around to throw yourself into the arms of an old prince.”
Fu Ming Zhu’s attention was completely focused on Fu Zhao Ning and she had not yet noticed Qing Yi.
“Old… prince?”
Fu Zhao Ning repeated the title.
She suddenly remembered Prince Jun’s incomparably handsome face.
He looked only a little over twenty. That should not count as old, right?
Because Fu Ming Zhu’s voice was quite loud, Qing Yi outside the courtyard heard the words clearly as well, and he was stunned.
Their master was already considered old at this age?
“Second Madam, I came here to demand someone back.”
Fu Zhao Ning ignored Fu Ming Zhu and stared fixedly at Second Madam.
“Zhao Ning, you just married into a prince’s residence today, and now you no longer recognize your elders? You won’t even call me Great Aunt anymore?”
Second Madam frowned.
“Cut the nonsense. I don’t have the patience to waste words with you right now. Where did you sell Aunt Zhong to? And where did you lock up Hu Zi?”
“Great Aunt has no idea what you are talking about.”
Second Madam covered her mouth and laughed.
“You’re already a married woman now. Once a daughter marries out, she’s spilled water. So stop interfering in the Fu family’s matters. If you really care, just take care of your grandfather.”
“They’re only two lowly servants. There’s no need for you to make such a huge fuss over them.”
Seeing Fu Zhao Ning anxious made Second Madam feel delighted inside.
Fu Zhao Ning had already married out. Sooner or later, the entire Fu family would fall completely into her hands.
What was wrong with her dealing with two servants?
“Xiao Tao, where is Brother Hu locked up?”
Fu Zhao Ning directly asked Xiao Tao.
“In the woodshed over there.”
Xiao Tao had secretly gone to look earlier, so she knew where Hu Zi was being held. The moment Fu Zhao Ning asked, she immediately pointed the direction out.
That side was near the small kitchen beside Second Madam’s courtyard.
“Let’s go.”
Fu Zhao Ning decided to rescue Hu Zi first.
The moment Second Madam saw her leading Xiao Tao toward that direction, she panicked and no longer cared about Qing Yi watching.
She immediately shouted at her maids and servants.
“Quickly stop her! Are all of you dead?”
The maids and servant women instantly rushed toward Fu Zhao Ning.
They had done this kind of thing many times over the years.
While blocking Fu Zhao Ning, they would secretly pinch her, twist her flesh, kick her, and scratch at her body with their nails amid the chaos.
Every servant in Second Madam’s courtyard had long become vicious and cruel like her.
Memories of everything the original Miss Fu had suffered surged through Fu Zhao Ning’s mind, and anger exploded inside her.
She grabbed the broom and viciously swung it toward them.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
She swung the broom so fast that afterimages appeared.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The broom struck those evil servants mercilessly, beating them until they screamed nonstop.
“Aiyo!”
“Ah! It hurts to death!”
“My face!”
Fu Zhao Ning wielded the broom with the momentum of a great saber, beating them until they cried for their parents.
At the same time, she raised her foot and kicked a servant woman hard.
Thud!
The servant woman fell to the ground, tripping several others with her. They all tumbled together into a heap like stacked meat.
Carrying fierce momentum, Fu Zhao Ning rushed to the woodshed door, which had been barred shut with a wooden stick.
She yanked the stick away and kicked the door open.
Bang!
A strong smell of blood drifted out from the dark woodshed.
The moment Fu Zhao Ning smelled it, her expression changed.
“Qing Yi!”
Qing Yi had still been shocked while watching her ferociously beating people. Hearing her call now, he immediately snapped back to his senses and hurried over.
Fu Zhao Ning pulled down a lantern hanging outside and shone it inside.
In one corner of the woodshed lay a person wearing old blue cloth clothes.
Both pant legs were covered in blood. His clothing was torn in several places as well.
He lay there motionless, almost as if he had already stopped breathing.
“Miss, it’s Brother Hu!”
The moment Xiao Tao saw Hu Zi’s condition, tears streamed down her face again.
Had they beaten Brother Hu to death?
Fu Zhao Ning quickly walked over and reached toward Hu Zi’s neck.
Her heart relaxed slightly.
“He’s still alive.”
Then she looked at Qing Yi.
“Qing Yi, please carry him back to our place.”
“Yes.”
Qing Yi said nothing more and immediately stepped forward.
He lifted Hu Zi onto his back and quickly walked outside.
Hu Zi’s legs were covered in blood, but Qing Yi showed no disgust. Instead, he sighed inwardly.
The legs were obviously broken.
Even if this young man survived, he would become crippled.
It seemed Fu Zhao Ning truly had an extremely difficult burden on her shoulders.
“Stop right there! You are not allowed to leave!”
Second Madam suddenly ordered people to block Qing Yi’s path.
“And who are you exactly? What right do you have to interfere in the Fu family’s matters?”
“So late at night, you’re together with Zhao Ning…”
“Could it be that you have some shameful relationship with her?”
