After speaking, she kowtowed a few more times. Dust soiled her forehead, but the clarity in her eyes did not diminish in the slightest.
Old Madam Bai immediately understood and looked at Madam Shen, her expression also turning grim.
What she had said was not just a slap in the face to her eldest daughter-in-law, but also to her eldest son.
In fact, after so many years, the reason the eldest branch had no children was due to her son. However, his eldest daughter-in-law, fearing public criticism of her husband, had shouldered the reputation of infertility entirely, never once defending herself for all these years.
As a mother-in-law, she was immensely grateful.
If she did not protect her eldest daughter-in-law at this moment, Heaven itself would not permit it. She saw no need to waste further words with Madam Shen.
Back then, if it weren't for the fact that Bai Chao Ke had just been born, she would have dealt with that ungrateful wench long ago. What good could come from a lowly maid who dared to climb into the Prime Minister's bed while he was drunk?
Her daughter-in-law, like her deceased mother-in-law, was ignorant of right and wrong, unable to distinguish loyalty from treachery, her heart and eyes filled only with profit, her greed insatiable.
She reached out and helped the kneeling Madam Lin to her feet, her expression gentle and tinged with heartache.
"Since I have handed over the authority of household management to you, you shall have the final say in all matters of the inner court. From this day forward, anyone who dares to disrespect the First Madam shall be deemed to have disrespected the Prime Minister and myself. They shall be dealt with directly by the family law!"
When the usually mild-tempered Old Madam Bai lost her temper, everyone in the courtyard was so frightened that they all knelt on the ground, not daring to utter a single word of dissent.
Madam Shen now regretted her actions deeply. How could she have known the methods of this eldest sister-in-law? She had thought her to be outwardly strong but inwardly weak, only to find she had kicked a steel plate.
"Thank you, Mother. Then your daughter-in-law shall not disturb Mother's chanting. I will immediately take this madwoman to the ancestral hall to administer the family law!"
The Bai family's ancestral hall was located in the westernmost part of the entire estate, so cold and dark that it hardly received any sunlight.
Madam Lin stood before the ancestral tablets of all her family's ancestors, watching the candlelight flicker, and felt the pent-up resentment of a long time finally being released.
Behind her, Madam Shen, who was undergoing the family law, wailed incessantly. Thirty lashes were administered. Her entire back was covered in torn strips of cloth, mixed with bloody flesh, a truly horrifying sight.
The one administering the punishment was a relative of the Bai family, who never bent the law. Thus, when the whip struck for the twentieth time, Madam Shen fainted from the pain. However, his hand did not stop. The prescribed number of lashes was completed, and he continued to whip the unconscious Madam Shen until the full count was reached before finally stopping.
"Send her back, and have the household physician summoned. Use good medicine, and ensure there are no scars."
Madam Lin instructed. Feng Lai, seeing how fiercely the whip had been administered, had long since let go of her resentment. She immediately obeyed the order, beckoning the female servants at the door to bring a stretcher and carry the woman back to her courtyard.
Princess Wen Yi watched with a heavy heart, but she did not speak to stop it. This third sister-in-law had indeed been out of line. If she wasn't severely disciplined, the household would likely continue to be in turmoil.
On the other hand, Bai Si Ru watched with satisfaction. Her temperament was very much like her eldest aunt, Madam Lin; she was fiercely righteous and hated evil. Concepts like making friends with enemies or repaying malice with kindness were entirely invalid to her.
Only when real whips fell upon evildoers did she feel a sense of comfort.
After this incident, Madam Lin's authority in the household rose even further.
All the servants in the Bai mansion were filled with unease.
Deep into the night, an additional double the number of lanterns were lit throughout the estate, making the entire Bai mansion as bright as day.
Madam Shen, who had never suffered such severe injuries, lay on the bed, her back being tended to by Bai Si Han and Dong Qing. Her once fair and tender back was now covered in whip marks, swollen and purple, a scene of utter devastation.
Bai Si Han's tears had not stopped since Madam Shen was brought back. None of the maids and servants in the room dared to step forward to speak up for Madam Shen, for fear that they would be the next to be beaten.
Bai Chao Ke rushed back and saw his wife covered in wounds. His dissatisfaction with the eldest branch filled his chest.
"Madam Lin! I remember today's grievance, and I will repay it a hundredfold in the future!"
He clenched his fists tightly, the veins on his arms bulging, and cast a fierce glance at the courtyard where the eldest branch resided. After a long while, he slowly relaxed his stiffened back and left the room without a word.
Bai Si Han did not understand where her father was going. She applied the medicine a little too heavily, causing Madam Shen to gasp in pain.
"Mother, Mother..."
"Be good, Han'er, Mother is fine..." Looking weakly at her panicked daughter, Madam Shen's worry far outweighed her resentment.
"I'm sorry, Mother. It's all my fault. If I hadn't told you about the Wei family, you wouldn't have been so enraged to find trouble with Eldest Aunt. These lashes should have been on me."
She had few offspring, and this daughter was the one she had doted on and raised with great care, fearing she would suffer even the slightest grievance. That was why she had acted so rashly and confronted Madam Lin, leading to today's disaster.
"What nonsense are you spouting." In her haste, she pulled at the wound on her back, causing her to grimace in pain again.
"Alright, you go down and rest quickly. Mother will be fine in a few days. Don't worry, everything that is rightfully yours will not be lacking. Mother has her ways."
Bai Si Han nodded, placing her full trust in her mother.
After Bai Si Han left, Madam Shen began to ponder again.
She had offended the Bai family terribly this time. It would be difficult to extract anything from them in the short term, but Han'er still needed money for her expenses. All the young ladies in the capital city were dressed so beautifully and charmingly. She suddenly remembered someone.
Greed flickered in her eyes again, and a light of hope ignited. Didn't that boy desperately want to enter the mansion?
Hmph, she would extort from him.
In the eldest branch's courtyard, Bai Chao Ke was currently apologizing to his elder brother and sister-in-law.
"I apologize, Eldest Sister-in-law. It is my fault for not disciplining my wife properly, which led her to speak such slanderous words."
His attitude was so sincere that Madam Lin was somewhat suspicious. She had never had much interaction with this illegitimate third brother and truly did not know his intentions for coming to apologize.
"Third Brother, please rise. The punishment has been administered, and Sister-in-law should be more cautious in her dealings from now on."
"Eldest Sister-in-law's admonishment is correct. In that case, I shall not disturb Eldest Brother and Eldest Sister-in-law."
Bai Chao An, the eldest son of the Bai family, who was sitting and drinking tea, was also not familiar with his illegitimate younger brother. Hearing his words, he naturally rose to see him out.
The awkward politeness between the brothers was evident. It was different from his relationship with Bai Chao He, the fourth son. Even if he were to punch him, it would only be considered brotherly banter.
Looking at the apology gifts sent by the third son of the Bai family, Madam Lin, the First Madam, felt a measure of admiration for his composure.
His own wife had been beaten so badly, and yet he came not to cause trouble, but with such a humble demeanor that one could not afford to underestimate him. Recalling her husband's simple and gentle nature, Madam Lin felt a pang of worry.
"Third Brother is steady and taciturn. Father had instructed us to avoid disputes with him. Anyway, they will be leaving after the New Year. Third Sister-in-law, please be more accommodating."
"Understood."
The couple smiled at each other, their twenty years of affection evident in their clasped hands.