As she held the boy, his clothes soon became soaked as well.
The boy began shivering in Lian Niang's arms, and a moment later, he opened his eyes.
"Wang'er, are you all right?"
"Mother, I'm all right."
"Wang'er, are you cold?"
Watching this display of maternal affection and filial devotion, Madam Liu interrupted:
"Spare me your loving mother and devoted son act!"
Lian Niang and Wang'er both turned toward the voice and saw Madam Liu.
The moment she saw Madam Liu, Lian Niang's pupils contracted. She asked nervously:
"Why have you brought us here?
Aren't you afraid the master will blame you when he finds out?"
Madam Liu sneered.
"Now you know fear?
Why didn't you think to be afraid when you were framing me?
I hadn't intended to stoop to your level, but you refused to leave me alone, falsely accusing me again and again.
Even a clay figurine has a spark of temper, and I'm no clay figurine.
Servants, separate this mother and son."
"Yes."
Several serving women stepped forward and pulled Lian Niang and Wang'er apart at once.
Lian Niang and Wang'er cried as though their hearts were being torn out.
Madam Liu gave a derisive laugh and said:
"Servants, teach this bitch called Lian Niang a proper lesson!"
"Yes."
Two serving women restrained Lian Niang while another stepped forward and slapped her across the face, alternating left and right.
The serving woman cursed her all the while:
"You filthy slut! Not only did you seduce the master, you repeatedly framed our madam.
Just because we didn't stoop to your level, did you really take us for sickly cats?"
After a few slaps, Lian Niang's face had swollen badly.
After a dozen or so, one of her teeth had been knocked out.
Lian Niang had been beaten