SGEIRS -Chapter 454 Sold Off

Gu Jingxi stood at the study door, his face dark and his gaze icy as he looked at Xiazhu, who knelt shamelessly before him, undressing and offering herself to him.

Shameless as she was, he ordered Xiazhu to put her clothes back on and leave. Yet she dared to disobey and tried to press forward.

Not only that, she had used vile tricks to add something to his tea.

What audacity!

He spoke, his voice cold: “Xiazhu has behaved disgracefully. Drag her away and give her twenty lashes. Tomorrow, deliver her to the Madam and have her sold off by the old matchmaker.”

At his words, the maids and elder women present were stunned. Xiazhu was the head maid—normally, even the chance to be sent to a rural estate would have been a punishment. But to sell her off directly? If it were another maid, her fate would surely be no better.

Xiazhu turned pale with fright. A maid sold off for making a mistake—no matter if someone bought her back—would no longer be a respectable head maid in her new master’s household. She fell to her knees with a thud: “My lord, I know I was wrong. I was blinded by my own foolishness. Please spare me this once! I swear I will serve you and the Madam properly from now on.”

Gu Jingxi remained unmoved. He turned to the two strong elder women beside him, his expression grim: “Haven’t you covered her mouth yet and dragged her to be punished?”

The two women snapped to attention and hurried forward. One held Xiazhu down while the other stuffed a sweat cloth into her mouth, then they dragged her away.

Tears streamed down Xiazhu’s face as she struggled in panic, still hoping to plead with her master. But she had no strength against the labor-hardened women and was quickly restrained and easily dragged away.

The other maids were shaken. They had never imagined that normally gentle and refined Master would be so terrifying when angered.

Chunliu, who had come running upon hearing the commotion, saw the scene and felt a pang of worry. She didn’t need to ask anyone—the outcome was clear. Xiazhu had sealed her own fate.

Since being brought into the mansion, they had supported each other and shared a deep bond. Chunliu naturally hoped Xiazhu would realize her mistake and have a good ending—but in the end, things had gone against her wishes.

Wealth and glory cannot be forced, yet Xiazhu could not see through this.

Being a mistress was actually less respectable than being a head maid close to the master. A head maid in the master’s presence commanded respect even from other household members, while a mistress, serving only through her beauty, was despised—just like the favored concubines in the Young Master’s wing, none of the household members thought highly of them.

The commotion in the study had already reached Meng Jinyao, but she was not surprised. Maids climbing into bed with their masters—such things happened in most wealthy households. Her husband had previously been unwell, so the maids had behaved properly. Now that he had fully recovered, the maids were restless. She had sensed this, and only needed an example to serve as a warning—unexpectedly, tonight one appeared.

Ningdong asked: “Madam, shall I go check on it for you?”

Meng Jinyao shook her head gently: “No need. I trust that Master will handle it properly.”

Ningdong, fuming, said: “Xiazhu always seemed so honest. I never thought she’d do something like this! And I even took care of her when she caught a cold earlier. If I had known, I wouldn’t have bothered with her at all.”

“People are unpredictable. Who can guess what someone will do next?” Meng Jinyao said, picking up a pastry and tasting it carefully. She frowned. “This pastry is too sweet—too cloying. Tell the kitchen to use less sugar next time.”

“Yes, Madam. I will inform the pastry cook next time,” Ningdong replied.

Meng Jinyao set down the half-bitten pastry and said, “Still, the pastries from Yipinzhai are the best. Our cook can’t replicate them. Even if the sweetness is the same, the texture is different.”

Ningdong nodded: “Yipinzhai has been successful daily because of their secret family recipe. That’s why the cook can’t replicate it.”

Meng Jinyao agreed: “That’s true.”

Before long, Gu Jingxi returned. His face was dark, and he waved the maids away.

Seeing him so angry, Meng Jinyao hurried forward to console him: “Don’t be upset, Husband. It’s not worth damaging your health over a maid.”

Seeing her calm, Gu Jingxi felt both frustrated and touched. His voice lowered as he asked: “A-Yao…you’re not going to ask if anything happened with that maid?”

Meng Jinyao smiled gently: “If it were before, I would have asked. But now, it’s unnecessary. I trust you are not that kind of person. If you truly couldn’t resist, you would have told me openly about taking a concubine, not after the fact.”

At her words, Gu Jingxi pulled her into his arms, looking pitifully at her: “A-Yao, I feel miserable. Have mercy on your husband.”

Meng Jinyao quickly reassured him: “You’re not miserable. I haven’t misunderstood you. It’s the maid’s fault. If you’re still upset, I’ll have someone go find the matchmaker tonight and sell Xiazhu off immediately. Out of sight, out of mind. Is that acceptable?”

Gu Jingxi replied: “I’ve already had her given twenty lashes. Tomorrow she will be delivered to my sister-in-law to be sold off.”

Meng Jinyao was satisfied with this punishment. A scheming, flirtatious maid deserved to be sold. After this, the other maids would learn to curb their inappropriate ambitions—unless they became the next Xiazhu.

Seeing him looking at her expectantly, Meng Jinyao added: “This pastry is quite sweet. Having a little makes it easier to bear.”

“It’s not my heart that aches,” Gu Jingxi said, holding her hand and moving it downward. “It’s…here that aches.”

Meng Jinyao realized what he meant, eyes wide in shock. Though she didn’t know exactly what he was doing, she understood the situation.

She tried to pull her hand back, but Gu Jingxi wouldn’t let her. Stammering, she asked: “Husband…what…what’s wrong?”

“Later I’ll explain. For now, have mercy on your husband.”

With that, he led her into the inner room to address this urgent matter.

Since she was pregnant, Gu Jingxi restrained himself. After a while, he stopped, holding her hand and pleading pitifully: “A-Yao, just have a little mercy on your husband.”

Seeing him so pitiful, Meng Jinyao couldn’t help but continue indulging him. After a long while, her hand grew tired, but he coaxed her to continue.

For a moment, she didn’t know whether to pity her hand or him.

When they finished, Gu Jingxi had a maid bring hot water to clean her, then told her about Xiazhu adding aphrodisiac to the tea.

Meng Jinyao was shocked. She hadn’t expected a maid to be so bold.

Gu Jingxi added: “This kind of drug only works on those without strong willpower.”

Meng Jinyao rubbed her wrist: “Then you’ve already given in too. My hand is sore.”

Gu Jingxi’s gaze turned pitiful again: “A-Yao, could you really let your husband take a cold bath?”

Meng Jinyao: “…”

Of course she couldn’t. Early winter nights in the capital were cold. A cold bath would surely make him ill.