Hey, Wu Erniu, youve been absent-minded all day. What is it that you are thinking about?

Someone slapped Wu Erniu on the back with great force causing him to totter.

NoNothing.

You must be missing some girl.

Ha-ha

At dusk, servants who had just finished their work grabbed this opportunity to make fun of Wu Erniu. In his embarrassment, Wu Erniu gave a smile, his eyes gleaming with alarm that he had failed to conceal, which even he himself was unaware of.

One of those servants who had been surrounding Wu Erniu teasing him skeptically looked at Wu Erniu, feeling that the reaction of Wu Erniu was a little weird.

On that night, after all servants had supper, Wu Erniu was, as usual, the last one to go to the bathhouse.

Why are you still here, Wu Erniu? asked the man who had previously found the behavior of Wu Erniu somewhat weird.

You go first. Ill be there soon, Wu Erniu answered.

The man flicked a glance of perplexity at Wu Erniu and then left.

Wu Erniu wiped the sweat from his forehead and fished a note out of his inner pocket. After he read the words on it, his countenance grew slightly more composed. Then he crumpled the note up into a ball, stuffed it into his mouth, chewed it and swallowed it.

Like how he did it the day before, Wu Erniu torn a strip of cloth off his clothes, wrote a couple of words on it in blood, stuffed it into his inner pocket and then went to the bathhouse.

When he walked out of the bathhouse, there was nobody else around. He vigilantly looked left and right, which was yet another thing he did the day before, and then wormed his way into the thicket.

What had escaped his notice was that there was another person who sneaked out of the bathhouse and had been quietly following in his wake. The man mumbled, This guy has been acting absent-mindedly during daytime and furtively at night. Hes definitely been in fornication with some handmaid working in this mansion. Let me find out which girl is stupid enough to have an eye on this moron Wu Erniu.

Oblivious of the stalker, Wu Erniu felt his way to the foot of the wall and meowed several times. Someone outside meowed in response and with that Wu Erniu wrapped the strip of material around a stone and threw it outside.

Like the day before, after hearing a thud and another meow given by the person outside, Wu Erniu sighed with relief and then left the foot of the wall.

Hes not fornicating with a handmaid? Then what is it that Wu Erniu is doing? A figure wormed his way out of the shadow and stared fixedly in the direction of the outer wall, deeply perplexed.

There were meows on both occasions. Did that moron come here to feed some cat? If so, why was he doing it so stealthily? And hes been absent-minded all day long.

At this very moment, someone walking in his direction spotted the figure and yelled, Whos there?

The man wondering in confusion was taken aback by this yell. He hurriedly turned around and found that there were two people coming. One of them was carrying a lantern and the other one was wearing stewards clothes.

Steward He, he smiled obsequiously and walked over to pay his respect to the steward.

The one who was addressed as Steward He was in charge of miscellaneous affairs in the kitchen of Ling family, which was an important duty. As a trusted henchman of Ling Zhaowen and Fu Caiwei, he had always had a stern look on his face and dealt with everything in a businesslike, serious manner, which was why all servants somewhat feared him.

Seeing that it was this steward who had spotted him, the man who had mumbled to himself in suspicion just now couldnt help feeling mentally disturbed, though there was an obsequious smile on his face.

Ma Sanshui, why are you still here at such a late hour of the night? Steward He fixed a penetrating gaze at him.

Ma Sanshui buckled at the knees. IIve just finished my bath and Im on my way back.

Speak the truth! This dark narrow path does not lead to the quarters! Steward He snapped, his eyes so piercing that he seemed to be staring right into Ma Sanshuis soul.

Ma Sanshuis face paled visibly. Since he wasnt here to do any bad things, he couldnt help but tell the truth after Steward He put pressure on him. I I followed Wu Erniu to this place. Wu Erniu was stealthily doing something over there at the foot of the outer wall last night, and I noticed that his mind had been wandering all along during daytime today, so Id been paying some extra attention to his behavior. A moment ago I saw he come here again and I stalked him trying to find out what he wanted to do.

Steward He knitted his eyebrows. Wu Erniu? What did he do at the foot of the wall?

I didnt see it clearly. Originally, I had thought that he was here to meet someone, but he only stayed here for a short while and then left. There was nobody else. I merely heard a couple of meows, answered Ma Sanshui.

Meows? Steward He became suspicious. No wild cats would come here at this season. Lets go and check.

Yes, the man carrying the lantern for him replied and then looked at Ma Sanshui.

Ma Sanshui immediately took the hint and led the way for them.

After worming their way through the thicket, they arrived at the foot of the outer wall. Steward He took the lantern himself and carefully checked the perimeter but didnt found anything suspicious, and neither did he find any cat footprints on the wall.

Are you sure what you heard were meows? Steward He asked Ma Sanshui again.

Ma Sanshui first nodded and then said in a somewhat uncertain tone of voice, That thing sounded a little weird. It gave a couple of meows and then disappeared.

The face of Steward He darkened. He searched the spot with great care one more time and then ordered, Go and wake all of them. Have them gather together at the mess hall. Remember dont disclose anything to Wu Erniu. Otherwise, youll have to take dire consequences! After hearing his words, Ma Sanshui realized that this seemed to be turning into a serious matter. He couldnt help feeling a little scared. Steward He, Wu Erniu didnt do anything bad, right?

Its not your place to decide whether he did anything bad or not. Move! Now! Steward He glared at him.

Frightened, Ma Sanshui ran away immediately.

After the duration of burning joss stick (roughly 5 minutes), all servants assembled in the mess hall. Apart from Steward He, there was also another steward present whose surname was Li. This Steward Li was the eldest son of Butler Li and all servants of Ling family respected him very much. On the sight of Steward Li, those servants were briefly stunned. Though they had no idea what it was that had happened, everybody had sensed that it must be something urgent, since the two people had grim faces. Nobody dared to be the first one to speak.

Let me ask you something. Did anybody hear any meows in the past few days? asked Steward He.

Meows? All servants shook their heads in confusion, offering negative responses.

Wu Erniu also shook his head. It was just that the look on his face was somewhat unnatural.

Then did anybody see any cats? Steward He asked another question.

Wu Erniu shook his head again like everybody else, but fine beads of sweat were oozing out of his forehead.

Steward He and Steward Li saw both times that he shook his head, even Ma Sanshui who was standing beside him could tell that something was wrong.

Wu Erniu is trying to hide something! he thought.

All right. Now, except for Wu Erniu, everybody go and wait outside, Steward He ordered.

Wu Erniu felt a shiver from head to toe and began to panic, his eyes darting back and forth. Flustered, he couldnt help asking aloud, Why? I didnt hear any meows or see any cats either!

This remark was very loud and also very abrupt. All others looked at him in confusion, and naturally they saw his rather unnatural countenance, feeling that he was acting a little weirdly.

Neither Steward He nor Steward Li responded to Wu Erniu. They just stared at him with piercing eyes.

More fine beads of sweat oozed out of his forehead. He moved, intending to leave the hall with other servants.

Wu Erniu, where do you think you are going? Steward He asked coldly.

Wu Erniu didnt dare to take another step, standing there at a loss what to do. When everybody else left, there was nothing he could hide behind. He was in now in full view of Steward He and Steward Li.

Wu Erniu, heres my question for you. Why did you stealthily go to the foot of the wall in the backyard last night and tonight? Steward He began to interrogate him.

I didnt go to the foot of the wall in the backyard. There must be some kind of mistake, steward. Wu Ernius legs were trembling, but he stubbornly tried to deny it.

Is that so? It seems that infliction of torture is inevitable. Guards! Steward He yelled. The look on his face instantly went cold and severe.

Two tough hombres immediately walked in from outside, each having a stick in hand.

Flog Wu Erniu ten times.

Yes!

The two strong men walked over with an apathetic face. One of them aimed a kick at a bench which slid up to Wu Erniu facing him vertically. The other man kicked the back of Wu Ernius knees and forced him into lying prostrate on the long wooden bench.

Steward, Steward Li, please help me. I have no idea what I did wrong. On what basis does Steward He think I deserve this punishment? shouted Wu Erniu, who was forcibly pinned against the surface of the bench, unable to move.

On the basis that you furtively did something but refuse to admit it. If you confess right now, Ill have them stop. If you dont, Ill show you no mercy. Steward He threatened him, staring him with an icy look in his eyes.

II didntI didnt do anything. You wronged me! Heedless of due formality, Wu Erniu began to resist fiercely.

Beat him!

Slap! A blow ruthlessly landed on Wu Ernius body.

Ah Wu Erniu let out a pained cry.

The stick was made of wood of high density, so when the strong man raised it high up and swung it downwards, the blow was uncommonly heavy. Blue veins stood out on the forehead of Wu Erniu due to the great pain.

Slap, slap, slap

Blows were landed on Wu Erniu one after another, each followed by an anguished screech of him, which sounded exceptionally horrifying. Servants standing outside the mess hall were so nervous that they were involuntarily trying to make their breathing shallow. None of them knew what it was that Wu Erniu had done wrong.

Ma Sanshui was the only one who had a vague idea, his face ghastly pale. He was not a fool and had already deduced something from the immediate action Steward He had taken Wu Erniu fornicated with some outsider!

Ten blows were meted out to Wu Erniu and executed right away. No mercy whatsoever was shown.

When the punishment was over, Wu Ernius forehead was covered in cold sweat. Fighting against agony had cost him so much mental strength that his consciousness began to blur.

Are you going to tell me the truth? Or would you prefer another ten blows? Steward He fixed him with a cold stare.

Wu Erniu, who was groaning in agony gripping on to the edges of the bench with all the strength he had left, looked at the stick in the hands of the tough hombre, and said in a quivering voice, Ill confess. Ill confess.

Steward He waved his hands, gesturing for the two strong men to back off.

Now, tell me the truth. I want every detail.

SomeSomeone offered me a hundred taels of silver to provide him with information on Ling family. Gritting his teeth, Wu Erniu falteringly finished making this remark with difficulty. After this confession, his face went ashen, as if he had seen the consequences that he would have to face.

Whos that person? When did he make contact with you? What have you told him? Steward He angrily questioned.

II havent found the time to tell him yet