Chapter 179 - Going Too Far (4)
Those youths at the martial arts arena clamored after Ji Li constantly, hoping that he would put in some good words for them to the head of the family. As such, they were long accustomed to Ji Li’s tyrannical ways.
Never in their wildest dreams had they imagined they would witness the day that this proud family steward would now be on his knees slapping himself!
Everyone was dumbfounded. The slapping sounds attracted even the tutors of the Ji family. They squeezed their way through the crowds, only to see Ji Li kneeling on the ground with both his hands in open positions, repeatedly striking his red and swollen face.
The tutors were likewise stunned.
It should be pointed out that Ji Li held a relatively high status within the Ji family. Even the tutors had to be respectful toward him in their daily interactions.
The head of the family highly regarded Ji Li. For him to kneel before someone in public, apart from the family head, had he ever expressed such a level of respect for anyone else in the Ji family?
When the tutors recognized the person standing in front of Ji Li, the shock they received was akin to being swept up by a massive tidal wave.
Ji Fengyan?
How could it be her?
The person who was making Ji Li kneel and punish himself was actually Ninth Mistress? The most inferior member of the entire Ji family?
What kind of joke was this?
“Ji… Ninth Mistress, what is going on here?” A tutor bravely spoke up. He had wanted to address Ji Fengyan by name, but instinct made him change his words.
Ji Fengyan turned mildly to look at that tutor, a virtuous smile hung across her fair and clear face. “I don’t know either. I was just mentioning the Ji family rules to Steward Ji, when, without a word, he started hitting himself vigorously. I am also confused.”
Ji Fengyan held a puzzled expression, her eyes full of innocence.
For a moment, the tutor who had spoken was rendered speechless. He could only stammer. “Well… could we get Steward Ji to his feet first? This scene… is embarrassing.”
With mock seriousness, Ji Fengyan nodded and turned to look kindly at Ji Li, who was still slapping himself. “Steward Ji, I know you feel guilty about failing me, but you really don’t need to punish yourself like this. This is enough. Please get up now.”
Ji Fengyan spoke magnanimously, but those who heard her felt somewhat at a lost for words.
No one believed that Ji Li was acting this way because he felt guilty toward Ji Fengyan. To say that the devil possessed him would be more credible.
Meanwhile, Ji Li—who had slapped himself until he was seeing stars—desperately wished to harangue out loud.
Who did she claim felt guilty towards her?
Who did she say wanted to punish himself?
Such grand delusions about herself!
All those thoughts were to no avail, as Ji Li was unable to utter a single word. Both his cheeks were red and swollen from being slapped. Bloody foam dripped from his lips from the many lesions formed inside his mouth. How could he possibly speak like that?
Ji Li was both shocked and troubled. As the steward of the Ji family, had he ever been reduced to such an embarrassing state?
However, he simply could not stop his own ‘self-flagellation’.
Whereas no one understood the abuse that Ji Li heaped upon himself, they also failed to notice the rhythmic fluttering of Ji Fengyan’s fingers—her movements all in perfect unison with every slap by Ji Li during his relentless self-flagellation!