Lord Kong of the Secretariat Directorate Mansion signaled with his eyes, and a burly manservant walked over and kicked the main gate open with a single kick.
A person dressed as an old servant came out of the room, followed shortly by another manservant.
The old servant shouted at the newcomers:
"What kind of people are you?"
The burly manservant retreated to the side, and Lord Kong walked out.
When that old servant and the lackey saw the incoming person dressed in lavish official robes, they asked cautiously:
"Esteemed sir, have you perhaps mistaken the person? We are all good people here."
Lord Kong looked the two of them over:
"I have not found the wrong person. Call your master out."
The old servant said tremblingly:
"I-I'll go call my master out right now."
After the old servant went inside, a young woman emerged from within shortly afterward. She had ordinary features, but her skin was fair, and one could tell at a glance that she was very well cared for.
When that young woman saw Lord Kong of the Secretariat Directorate Mansion, her eyes shrank noticeably, but she still forced herself to remain calm as she asked:
"Do you gentlemen have some business coming here?"
Lord Kong had seen the person before him and that expression just now-did she know who he was?
Lord Kong naturally carried the majesty and overpowering aura of someone in a high position, and ordinary people would cower and feel terrified upon meeting him.
Furthermore, he currently wore a dark expression, making him look all the more frightening.
Yet this woman before him, aside from the initial change in her gaze, immediately steadied herself. She showed no fear and instead asked if they had any business coming here?
To be able to rely on such a mediocre face to climb into the bed of a rank-three high official, cuckold him, and give birth to a son for him-it seemed her methods were truly formidable!
Lord Kong had no desire to waste time with such a person and said directly:
"Judging from your expression just now, you know who I am.
Since you know, I won't beat around the bush with you either.
You are still far too green to try plotting against the Secretariat Directorate Mansion and the young lady of the Secretariat Directorate Mansion!
Wanting to pave the way for you and your adulterous spawn is simply a pipe dream!
A woman like you, engaging in illicit liaisons with others without a matchmaker, deserves to be drowned in a pig cage.
Men, take this woman and that adulterous spawn off to see the officials, and let the yamen properly deal with this slut."
"Yes."
Although the Heavenly Phoenix Kingdom had a liberal social climate, the punishment for such women was still extremely severe!
Hearing these words, the woman screamed:
"You cannot treat me this way!
I gave Lord Yu a son after all, and Lord Yu will not let you off."
Lord Kong was about to leave, but upon hearing these words, he turned around and said:
"Are you certain that adulterous spawn is Yu Ling Tian's?
I might as well tell you, Yu Ling Tian found out you cuckolded him and even made him raise another man's bastard, and he has already vomited blood at court and passed out from fury."
When the woman heard these words, she collapsed straight to the ground: she was finished. Her misdeeds were exposed, and no one would come to save her.
Lord Kong turned around and walked out, preparing to head to the second location.
Song Yaoyao said speechlessly:
[Guagua, is it over just like that?
I thought I'd get to watch a massive catfight!
This kind of crushing, bullying slag is really no fun.
I like watching catfishes pull hair and slap faces!]
When Assistant Minister Song arrived, he happened to hear such inner thoughts from Song Yaoyao.
He only heard Guagua say:
[Host, Lord Kong of the Secretariat Directorate Mansion has gone to Jade Lane.
When Madam Kong learned that Yu Ling Tian had three kept mistresses, she went raving mad and is now leading a whole group of maidservants and old hags straight to Apricot Blossom Alley.]
Song Yaoyao grew excited all over again:
[Really? The women should be able to tear into each other! I want to watch a catfight between women!
Why hasn't my dad come yet? He's driving me to death with worry!]
No sooner had Song Yaoyao's inner monologue finished than the voice of Assistant Minister Song rang out:
"Yaoyao."
Song Yaoyao felt that her own old man's voice had never sounded so pleasant before, and she said happily:
"Dad, you're back?"
"Mn."
"Can we go back now?"
"Let's go."
"Dad, I want to go over to Apricot Blossom Alley."
"What are you going over there for?"
"I heard a new pastry shop opened over there, and I want to go take a look."
"Who did you hear that from?"
"Anyway, I just heard about it. Dad, just let me go!"
Song Yaoyao acted like a spoiled child and pulled out all kinds of cute tricks before Assistant Minister Song finally relented:
"Alright."
Assistant Minister Song knew that no matter how he tried to stop her, he wouldn't be able to hold her back, so he simply agreed.
Song Yaoyao kept urging the coachman to drive the carriage faster.
The coachman acknowledged the command.
When they finally reached Apricot Blossom Alley and the carriage stopped, before Assistant Minister Song could even speak, Song Yaoyao had already leaped down from the carriage and, following Guagua's guidance, ran toward Number 28 Apricot Blossom Alley.
From a distance, she saw that a great crowd of people had surrounded Number 28 Apricot Blossom Alley.
Song Yaoyao managed to squeeze her way inside with great difficulty, only to see a poised and lavishly dressed matron straddling a young woman and delivering left-and-right alternating slaps!
Good grief! Weren't ancient noblewomen supposed to be very mindful of their image?
How was she to explain the scene before her?
This, this, this-she had personally entered the fray for a catfight!
The people nearby kept pointing and whispering, and Song Yaoyao asked an older woman nearby:
"Granny, what on earth happened here?"
The older woman looked at Song Yaoyao wearing an official's uniform and hurriedly said:
"Esteemed official, what is it you want to know?"
"I want to know all of it."
"Very well, then I shall tell you, official.
This noblewoman is Madam Kong, and the one pinned down and beaten is the kept mistress of Lord Yu, the Secretariat Directorate's son-in-law.
In the past, we all heard that even though Lord Yu's own wife failed to produce an heir for several years, he remained as infatuated and unwavering toward her as ever.
There were neither concubines nor chambermaids in his household.
At the time, we even praised Lord Yu as a good husband who cherished deep affections and righteousness.
Who could have possibly imagined that Lord Yu secretly kept mistresses, and we hear he even kept three separate houses-this is just one of them."
Song Yaoyao had known this all along, but she still feigned surprise and asked:
"Really?"
"Mn, it's true.
They ought to exterminate all these shameless kept mistresses."
Song Yaoyao could understand. Bound by Yu Ling Tian's status as a high-ranking imperial official, the common folk did not dare discuss him openly, but they held no such reservations regarding these mistresses.
The feeling of eating melons together with the crowd was truly different-thrilling and exciting!
Right now, Madam Kong pulling on that woman's hair and delivering left-and-right slaps wasn't even enough; from time to time, she would also pinch and scratch at that woman's body, a sight that looked immensely satisfying to behold!
The face of that kept mistress on the ground was already swollen like a pig's head, completely unrecognizable from her original appearance.
After a long while more, Madam Kong grew tired of beating her, stood up, and spoke to the old servant nearby:
"Doesn't this slut like to seduce people?
Even though she doesn't look like much, her fox-spirit skills are formidable!
Just to be safe so she doesn't continue deceiving other men, it's safest to carve up her face!"
"Yes."
The old servant stepped forward and propped up the woman, preparing to make her move, when Madam Kong called out to stop her:
"Wait, on second thought, let's just tattoo words directly onto her-tattoo the two characters for 'vile slut'.
Once the tattoos are done, pour honey over the wounds, and then catch some ants to put on her face!"
"Yes."