Speaking of which, this is the first time I have seen my father hit someone. In the past, when my father got angry, he would at most scold me a few times and then have the servants make me copy the "Women's Admonishments". I gripped my elder brother's sleeve nervously, and he turned and held onto my hand, protecting me firmly behind him. I heard him say, "My mother and Ah Ying's mother are the same person, the legitimate Miss Wei Jinyun of the Ning'an Marquis Manor. Even if she wants to be our mother in a worst-case scenario, her position must surpass that of the Ning'an Marquis Manor. What qualifications does she, an unknown person, have to be our mother?"

After Big Brother finished speaking, he gently patted my hand and said, "Aying, don't be afraid. You still have Big Brother. Big Brother will always protect you." I used to not understand why Big Brother, who has always been humble and polite, would argue with Father. All I knew was that I stood behind Big Brother with my head lowered, too afraid to look at Father, and even more afraid to look at the woman standing behind Father.

Although many years have passed since this incident, it has rooted itself firmly in my heart. Every time I recall it, there is a tinge of bitterness. I remember vividly how furious my father was at the time. He summoned two guards and tied my eldest brother to a mimosa tree in the courtyard. Then, he ordered the two guards to whip him with a bullwhip. I stood by my brother's side, clearly hearing the muffled sound of the whip striking his body. Throughout it all, my brother held onto my hand and said, "Aying, don't cry. It doesn't hurt, big brother."

I clearly saw that there was a faint red color seeping through the moon-white shirt of Big Brother. But Father showed no intention of stopping, and the woman he brought with him simply covered the face of the girl named Zhu Zhu with her hand. There was even a hint of a proud smile on the corner of her lips. It made me extremely uncomfortable. I don't even know where my courage came from, but I let go of Big Brother's hand and ran to Father, saying, "Dad, Ayin was wrong. Ayin doesn't want a younger sister anymore. Can you let go of Big Brother, please?"

At that time, being young, I naturally didn't understand the meaning of this sentence when it reached my father's ears. All I knew was that my father's face grew stern as he looked at Big Brother, who was tied to a tree, and said, "Hit him, keep hitting him. I don't believe I can't teach you a lesson until he calls Mother Hongniang!"

In a daze, I even felt as if I heard the sound of flesh tearing on Big Brother's body. I didn't understand why Father got angry, why he forced me and Big Brother to call that woman named Hengniang as our mother, why Big Brother argued with Father, and I especially couldn't understand why Father, who had always protected me in his hands, started protecting that girl named Zhuzhu. I looked at Big Brother's pale face, bit my lip, and knelt before Father as if I had done something wrong, even though I didn't know why I had to kneel. But deep down, I had a feeling that if I followed Father's wishes, Big Brother wouldn't have to endure any more beatings. Clenching the hem of Father's clothes, I looked up at him and whispered, "Father, if Aying calls her mother, will you let Big Brother go?"

Without waiting for my father to speak, my eldest brother on the side spoke first. He said, "Aying, get up. Don't kneel, and don't call her mother. We only have one mother, and she is not worthy, nor can she bear the title of a mother like you." I'm not sure where my young self at the time got the idea, but I completely ignored my eldest brother. Instead, I held onto my father's clothes and asked again. Father seemed pleased and reached out his hand to help me up. I pushed him away and turned towards the woman he brought back. I knocked my head against the ground three times in a firm manner and said, "Daughter Aying has kowtowed to Mother. I humbly ask Mother to not mind these small matters."