Chapter 626: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 626: Poison Dispersion and the Terrifying Space Upgrade (3)
Faced with her father's skeptical gaze, Mo Yan inwardly sighed. While the reasons she provided were true, they weren't the primary ones. To avoid getting her knees hurt and to prevent her father's impression of the person she liked from souring, she decided to only share part of the truth.
Mo Qingze, contemplating how to lightly reprimand his daughter, was unaware of her inner thoughts. If he had known, he wouldn't have been so lenient and might have opted for a harsher punishment.
Seeing Mo Yan looking pitiful, Mo Qingze, who had always doted on his children, softened considerably. Still, he forced himself to maintain a stern demeanor and said, "I'll forgive you this time, but if there's a next time, don't blame me for enforcing the family rules without regard for your dignity."
The "family rules" Mo Qingze referred to were a disciplinary method he devised for his increasingly mischievous son, involving two thin bamboo boards specifically made for spanking.
Mo Yan felt a shiver run down her spine, recalling the sound of the bamboo board meeting flesh whenever her brother was punished. Her knees already started to ache just thinking about it. She resolved to keep the real reason a secret, at least until Xiao Ruiyuan became her father's son-in-law.
Satisfied with the impact of his words, Mo Qingze showed a hint of a smile and said, "Since you did make a mistake, it wouldn't be right for me to let it go unpunished. You'll kneel here in front of the ancestors' tablets for two hours."
Without looking back at his daughter's troubled expression, he hurried out, deciding to have his younger daughter bring a soft cushion to avoid hurting Mo Yan's knees.
The room became quiet with one less person. Mo Yan glanced at the ancestral tablets, shook her head, and smiled bitterly. She straightened up and knelt properly, reflecting on her actions. She acknowledged that she needed to learn from this experience and not recklessly rely on her space abilities. She valued her life and the well-being of her family too much to continue taking such risks.
Soon, Xin'er sneaked in, carrying a rabbit fur cushion and a soft pillow. Seeing her sister kneeling on the hard floor, Xin'er felt a pang of sympathy. She quickly placed the cushion and pillow under Mo Yan's knees, complaining tearfully, "Father was too harsh. Even if you did wrong, he shouldn't punish you so severely. Kneeling for two hours will make it hard for you to walk, especially after staying up all night. You can't endure this; I need to ask father to let you rest."
Mo Yan gently tapped her sister's hand and said, "I did make a mistake, and father's punishment is justified. Besides, he must care since he sent you with the cushion. Don't defy him on my behalf."
Xin'er pouted, "Father didn't tell me to bring anything. He just said you were here reflecting and warned me not to disturb you. I came secretly, worried he'd take the cushion away if he knew."
Mo Yan chuckled and poked her sister's cheek. "Father could have chosen not to mention my punishment. The fact that he did is his way of hinting for you to bring a cushion. If you hadn't understood, he probably would have brought it himself."
Xin'er clapped her hands in realization, "I knew father wouldn't really let you kneel like this. I'll bring a blanket so you can rest."
Mo Yan quickly refused, "I'm being punished and can't sleep in front of the ancestors; it would be disrespectful. Don't bring a blanket, or father will get angry."
"Alright," Xin'er reluctantly agreed, glancing at the ancestral tablets.
Xin'er wanted to stay and chat with Mo Yan but feared that their father would see it as a sign of insincerity and increase the punishment. Mo Yan noticed her hesitation and reassured her, "If I get bored, I can sneak in a nap. With you here, I won't be able to rest."
Seeing her sister's fatigue, Xin'er quickly said, "I'll leave and close the door. If you can't hold on, just rest for a bit. The ancestors won't mind!"
Mo Yan smiled and patted Xin'er's head, agreeing.
After Xin'er left, closing the door behind her, Mo Yan rubbed the ancient jade mark on her palm, intending to fetch some food from her space. To her surprise, she couldn't access the items inside or enter the space herself. The space was still there, as the connection hadn't been severed, but it seemed to be undergoing an upgrade.
Yesterday, the red markings on the Merit Bead only covered about half of it. Even after saving dozens of people, it seemed insufficient for a fourth upgrade. The only explanation was that one of the people she saved had a merit as significant as Xiao Ruiyuan's, magnifying the effect a hundredfold or more.
Last night, the space was functioning normally when she retrieved the thousand-year ginseng and black lingzhi. If her actions had triggered the upgrade, it could only mean that the person she saved, likely Crown Prince Chu Heng, had a merit value far beyond the ordinary.
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