But then he thought about his old father's disdain for him and his fiery hot temper. Mu YingRui retreated back his extended foot.
It would be a lie to say he wasn't afraid. That year when he took in two concubines and neglected Dier, Old General Mu beat him twenty times with military rods. He could not get out of bed for half a month.
Now, if he thought about that beating, his whole body shivered. If he didn't receive Dier's attentive treatment, the doctor said one of his legs would be lame.
The military rod was unlike any other stick in the Manor. It was thicker than an adult's arm and was wrapped with barbed metal on top. As soon as it hit the buttocks, several dozen small blood drops immediately appeared. He suffered this terrible pain for six times before he fainted away.
Mu YingRui was afraid of his father's temper and that he would hit him again. He had to angrily tell Wang Yiping, "Don't be angry. I will solve this matter. I will definitely not let you be wronged."
How was Mu YingRui going to solve this matter? That was, he went to find Zi You. If Zi You personally asked for the slaves, not only Née Liu, but even Old General Mu would not refuse.
Mu YingRui thought of sending for his daughter now. Zi You was still in class with the female slaves. He had someone fetch her to the study, telling her Laoye wanted to see her.
Zi You bluntly said, "Tell father to wait. I'm practicing martial arts now. I can't go."
After an hour, Zi You would finish her class. Mu YingRui sent people over to urge her. But not only Née Liu found out, Old General Mu did too.
Née Liu told Old General Mu about Wang Yiping wanting maidservants. Old General Mu angrily wanted to immediately find Mu YingRui. But Zi You stopped him, "Grandfather, father must have been influenced by mother again. You can't afford to be angry with them. You don't have to go. I will go. I want to see what father and mother will say."
Zi You leisurely went to Mu YingRui's study.
As she walked in, Mu YingRui angrily shouted, "Kneel! You disobedient and unfilial thing!"
Zi You calmly kneeled. She asked innocently, "If daughter is wrong, may father please discipline. But the crime of being disobedient and unfilial, daughter cannot afford to bear. Father, please express where daughter was unfilial?"
Mu YingRui's hand slammed the table. He self-confidently scolded, "Father wants to see you. You refuse many times. You let father wait for you. If this isn't being unfilial, then what is it?"
Zi You was not panicked and unhurriedly replied, "Daughter was practicing internal strength. If interrupted halfway, the results would range from being lightly injured to severely going mad. Tomorrow is the Mid-Autumn Festival. If daughter is injured or goes mad, wouldn't the whole Manor's elders be busy worrying for daughter and have a bad holiday? That is really unfilial. Daughter could not immediately come see father but didn't the servants explain to father? If father says daughter is disobedient and unfilial based on this matter, then daughter cannot accept the blame."
Zi You's words almost made Mu YingRui collapse. He pointed violently at her, "Is this the attitude you should have as someone's child? Your elder says one sentence, but you return so many?"
Zi You's face was filled with grievances. She said with hidden bitterness, "Father is considered an official of the common people. When you judge cases and someone has a grievance, do you not let them cry injustice?"
"You…you…" Mu YingRui, this prefecture's official, was made speechless.