Reborn in Each Other’s Bodies: A Mother and Daughter’s Deadly Revenge - Chapter 5

Taoniang immediately dropped to her knees, kowtowing so hard her head thudded loudly against the floor as she pleaded:

“Madam, spare me!

“This servant has always followed the masters’ orders, prioritizing the Sixth Young Miss in all matters. She is this servant’s very sky—I’ve never forgotten my duty!

“If this servant has done wrong, I beg Madam to enlighten me—I swear I’ll correct my mistakes!

“Please, for the sake of the Sixth Young Miss, grant this humble servant some dignity…”

Her words were cunningly crafted—emphasizing that she was merely a servant obeying orders. If she acted on command, how could she be at fault?

And finally, she dragged Sheng Mingzhu’s name into her plea for mercy.

After all, if the head nurse of the household’s legitimate daughter, the stewardess of Haitang Courtyard, were publicly beaten, what face would Sheng Mingzhu have left?

Unfortunately, Taoniang didn’t know that the current matriarch was no longer the same woman who had once cherished her daughter above all else.

This “Madam” not only didn’t care about Sheng Mingzhu’s reputation—she actively longed to see it trampled into the mud.

“Are you all deaf? Can’t you hear Madam’s orders?”

Seeing the darkening expression on her mistress’s face, Qingying barked at the servants and stepped forward to personally restrain Taoniang.

Only then did the maids and stout mamas inside and outside the room snap into action.

Usually, these servants saw how doted-upon the Sixth Young Miss was, and how even her nurse, Taoniang, enjoyed high status in Madam’s eyes. So at first, they had frozen in confusion.

But now, spurred by Qingying’s shouts, they rushed forward to pin Taoniang onto the punishment bench.

“Beat her!” Sheng Minmin commanded coldly.

A burly mama raised the paddle and began striking.

Taoniang had never suffered like this in her life—she’d never even been slapped before.

She screamed, howling and begging between blows:

“Madam, this servant was wrong! Please, for the Sixth Young Miss’s sake, spare me this once—”

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

Sheng Minmin remained silent. The paddle continued mercilessly, each strike landing heavily on Taoniang’s body. The woman’s face turned deathly pale, drenched in cold sweat, her eyes wide with terror…

She stared desperately at the “Madam” seated above her, pleading: “Madam, I beg you—for the Young Miss’s sake, spare me! Please…!”

Taoniang’s wretched state and desperate cries sent a shiver of pleasure down Sheng Minmin’s spine.

As she savored the spectacle, she leisurely lifted her teacup, took a sip to the “celestial music” of Taoniang’s wails, and found the tea inexplicably sweet.

So this is the taste of vengeance.

How delightful—almost addictive!

She decided then: even if she couldn’t openly clash with the Sheng family yet, she could certainly beat Taoniang regularly.

Only the blood of her enemies could momentarily quell the tsunami of hatred in her heart.

After a dozen strikes, Sheng Mingzhu and her three brothers rushed into Mudan Courtyard upon hearing the news.

“Mother, no! Please spare Nanny!”

Sheng Mingzhu’s face was streaked with tears, her eyes red and swollen—clearly, she’d been crying the whole way.

Her three “dear brothers”—Sheng Mingzhu’s loyal attack dogs—naturally wouldn’t stand by idly.

The eldest, Sheng Mingjian, spoke first: “Mother, Nanny Taoniang was personally chosen by you. She’s cared for Younger Sister diligently. If she’s truly erred, won’t you forgive her this once for Younger Sister’s sake?”

Hah!

No wonder Sheng Mingjian had placed third (tanhua) in the imperial exams at just eighteen in their past life.

Sharp-minded and quick-tongued, he immediately pointed out that Taoniang had been her selection—implying that punishing Taoniang was tantamount to slapping her own face.

Those three Sheng brothers, all legitimate heirs, had grown into exceptional men.

The two elder pursued civil offices, the youngest became a military officer—three razor-sharp blades at Sheng Mingzhu’s disposal.

What a pity.

This time, they’ve met her—reborn.

In this life, she’d dismantle these “heavenly favorites” piece by piece, making them repay tenfold, a hundredfold, for the suffering she’d endured!

Sheng Minmin stayed silent. The servants didn’t dare stop. The only sounds were Taoniang’s screams, the paddle’s sickening thuds, and Sheng Mingzhu’s sobs.

Only after Taoniang had endured all twenty strikes and fainted did Sheng Minmin finally scold Sheng Mingzhu with a darkened face:

“Sixth Girl, you’ve disappointed me deeply!

“Since childhood, I’ve given you the finest clothes, food, and tutors to cultivate you properly. Yet it seems you’ve learned nothing—has all that etiquette training gone to the dogs?

“Look at yourself—wailing like a commoner over a mere servant! Where is the dignity befitting a noble young lady?”

Sheng Mingzhu, who’d been coddled her entire life, had never faced such harsh reprimand. With a loud “Waaah!”, she cried even harder.

“Wuuu—Eldest Brother, Third Brother, Fifth Brother! Mother’s bullying me! She doesn’t love me anymore! I want Father…!” she hiccuped between sobs.

Sheng Mingjian faintly sensed something odd about his mother today. That morning, she’d claimed illness and skipped breakfast with them.

When they returned from the academy in the afternoon, there’d been no servants sent to fuss over them as usual. At dinner, Mother’s gaze had felt… unsettling.

And now this. His younger sister had once shattered Mother’s favorite white-jade vase, yet Mother hadn’t even scolded her then. Why such severity today?

While Mother’s words weren’t wrong—Mingzhu’s habit of crying was unseemly—she was still young. Couldn’t Mother teach her gently? Why publicly humiliate her by beating her nurse and reprimanding her?

The thought made a trace of resentment flicker in Sheng Mingjian’s eyes.

Being older, he could suppress it. But the impulsive Sheng Mingbo, who fancied himself closest to Mingzhu, couldn’t hold back.

“Mother, Younger Sister is still a child. If there’s an issue, can’t you teach her patiently? Must you shame her like this?”

He outright challenged her, then added: “You’ve been in such a foul mood today—beating people, shouting. Younger Sister isn’t some lowly servant—”

Sheng Mingjian’s heart sank. This is bad.

Sure enough, their mother’s expression turned stormy.

“Kneel—

“I carried you for ten months, birthed you in agony, and treasured you like jewels. And this is how you repay me—with defiance and disrespect?

“Had I known you’d turn out like this, I should’ve strangled you at birth! At least then I wouldn’t be driven to an early grave by your insolence!”

The words were nuclear in their weight.

A reputation for filial impiety could ruin their futures.

Sheng Mingjian’s face drained of color. He yanked his brothers down to their knees with a thud.

“Mother, please calm your anger! This son and his brothers deserve punishment—scold or beat us as you wish, but don’t harm your health…!”

Even Sheng Mingzhu was shocked into silence.

The servants trembled, pressing their foreheads to the floor as if trying to burrow into the ground.

Watching the three brothers who’d once looked down on her now groveling at her feet, Sheng Minmin realized with icy clarity:

The power of “Mother” was even more potent than she’d imagined.

How wonderful. She’d have no shortage of ways to control them from now on.

Just then, Sheng Yong—finally “hurrying over” after being notified—made his belated entrance.