The Changchun Marquis flew into a rage: “You dare!”

The triangular-eyed man put on an indifferent expression: “A murderer pays with his life, a debtor pays with money—since ancient times, these have been matters of natural justice. The marquis is unwilling to repay money on his son’s behalf and even wants to oppress us with power. This is counting on us muddy-legged folk having nowhere to voice our grievances! Fellow townsfolk, am I right?”

The onlookers began discussing among themselves.

These several men coaxing the eldest young master of the Changchun Marquis Estate to gamble were indeed not good people. However, they had already made a scene at the door—if the money wasn’t repaid, should they watch as the son was sold into a male prostitute hall?

The Changchun Marquis’s face turned iron-blue. At this moment, he even had the heart to kill Xu Xi.

For the marquis estate to kill these few thugs would be as simple as crushing a few ants. However, it could only be done in secret. At this moment, with these few thugs making such a public scene, it was still the Changchun Marquis Estate’s face that was lost.

“My lord.” The Changchun Marquis’s wife, Yang Shi, hurriedly walked out. Seeing Xu Xi grasped by the triangular-eyed man, she couldn’t help becoming anxious. “Who are you people? What have you done to Xi’er?”

The triangular-eyed man grinned: “Oh, you must be Young Master Xu’s mother, yes?”

Yang Shi frowned and asked: “What exactly do you want?”

“What do we want? Your son lost five thousand taels of silver at Qianjin Pavilion. We’ve come to collect the debt.”

Xu Xi’s development of the gambling vice had been subtly guided by Yang Shi all along. The day when people would come to the door to collect debts had long been within her expectations.

Even so, hearing that Xu Xi had lost five thousand taels, Yang Shi was still shocked.

This fool—he truly never failed to live up to her expectations.

Taking out five thousand taels would certainly be heart-wrenchingly painful, but if these five thousand taels could be used to drive Xu Xi out of the marquis estate, it wouldn’t be a loss.

“Madam Marquis, will you repay these five thousand taels of silver or not?”

Yang Shi’s expression became serious, and she said coolly: “Release the child, and I’ll immediately order someone to fetch the money.”

The triangular-eyed man was delighted: “The madam marquis is decisive indeed. Everyone says when there’s a stepmother there’s a stepfather, but it seems these words aren’t right.”

Xu Xi, who had maintained a numb expression all along, glanced at Yang Shi.

The Changchun Marquis, with a grim face, tried to stop this: “These people are setting a trap to extort us—”

Yang Shi shook her head: “My lord, nothing is more important than Xi’er. Better to give them the money.”

As she spoke, she gave a knowing glance to her trusted old woman.

The trusted old woman quickly entered the marquis estate and returned shortly.

“Give it to them.”

The trusted old woman handed a small box to the triangular-eyed man.

The triangular-eyed man opened it for a glance, then immediately closed the box, saying with a grin: “The madam marquis truly loves her son. Then we won’t disturb the marquis estate’s New Year celebrations. Brothers, let’s go!”

The triangular-eyed man pushed Xu Xi forward and led the several men in a quick departure.

Yang Shi stared at the hastily departing backs of the several men, a cold smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

Men die for wealth, birds die for food. With such a large sum of silver on their persons, she didn’t believe these men could return safely.

The onlookers had not yet dispersed. Yang Shi raised her voice to instruct the servants: “Quickly take the eldest young master to wash in a hot bath and change into clean clothes. In weather like this, it would be terrible if he caught a chill…”

As the vermilion lacquered gates of the Changchun Marquis Estate slowly closed, many voices praising Yang Shi remained.

“For a stepmother to do this much is truly rare.”

“That time when Miss Luo came to cause trouble, I thought this stepmother was no good. Who would have thought that today, when faced with a five thousand tael gambling debt, she would produce the money just like that.”

“Indeed, being a stepmother is difficult. To be like the Changchun Marquis’s wife is already quite good.”

…

At the same moment the Changchun Marquis Estate’s main gates closed, several household servants quietly slipped out the back door.

The Changchun Marquis’s face was shrouded in dark clouds. Seeing servants supporting Xu Xi about to go bathe, he immediately became furious: “What bath? Bring him inside!”

Upon entering the hall, the Changchun Marquis shouted: “Beast, kneel down!”

The servant supporting Xu Xi released his grip, and Xu Xi collapsed to the floor.

Looking at his son who was like mud that couldn’t stick to a wall, the Changchun Marquis’s eyes were full of disgust.

What could such a son do besides cause trouble and bring shame?

Time after time, it was either apologizing for getting into fights or filling monetary holes—he was a bottomless pit.

Yang Shi observed this with delight in her heart, and took the opportunity to persuade: “My lord, Xi’er is still young. Please don’t be angry—”

“Still young?” The Changchun Marquis’s temper flared up. “He’s already in his teens and still young? Nan’er and the others are so much younger than him—why don’t they cause trouble every few days like he does?”

“Each child has a different nature… My lord should have more patience. In a couple of years, once we marry Xi’er off, things will be better—”

“Enough!” The Changchun Marquis raised his hand. Yang Shi’s series of persuasions instead prompted him to make a certain decision.

A dragon births nine sons, each different. The eldest son was this kind of mud that couldn’t stick to a wall—fundamentally impossible to reform. If he were allowed to continue like this, the entire marquis estate would sooner or later be ruined by him.

The Changchun Marquis stared at Xu Xi kneeling on the ground and said word by word: “Open the ancestral hall. I want to expel this scoundrel from the family!”

Xu Xi’s head shot up, staring at the Changchun Marquis in disbelief.

He had thought that this time his father wouldn’t easily forgive him, but he never imagined he would actually be driven out of the household.

He was his father’s eldest son. Over five thousand taels, he was being driven out, no longer recognized as his son?

For the first time, this stubborn and willful youth felt what true fear meant.

He dared not imagine what would happen if he were driven from the marquis estate.

He had personally witnessed someone who couldn’t repay gambling debts having a finger chopped off with one slash. He had also seen someone who had lost everything die from hunger and cold, their body dragged away like a dead dog.

Losing the status of a young master of a marquis household—would he become like that too?

His previous fearlessness, when it came down to it, was still because he had the marquis estate backing him.

Tremendous fear surrounded the youth, suddenly making him feel a trace of regret for being obsessed with gambling these past days.

Yang Shi was shocked: “My lord, please don’t speak in anger.”

“I am not speaking in anger. This scoundrel is naturally unruly and repeatedly refuses to reform. If he’s not expelled from the family, sooner or later he’ll cause great disaster, bringing ruin to the entire marquis estate and even the Xu clan members. At that point, I would be even more unable to face our ancestors.”

Yang Shi’s eyes flickered: “Such a major matter… shouldn’t we let the eldest miss know?”

The Changchun Marquis had originally felt that a young lady needn’t get involved in such matters and had no qualification to participate. However, thinking that the two were born of the same mother, and the eldest daughter was also close to the Ningguo Duke’s estate, he asked: “Where is the eldest miss?”

“The eldest miss seems to have gone out.” Yang Shi asked the steward, “When the eldest miss went out, did she say where she was going?”

The steward quickly said: “The eldest miss just said she was going out for a stroll.”

“Quickly go call the eldest miss back.” Yang Shi ordered.

The Changchun Marquis became even more displeased, saying coldly: “Not one of them gives me peace of mind!”

In such cold weather, a young lady constantly running outside—truly without the slightest propriety.

The Youjian Tavern was warm and cozy. Xu Fang ate her roasted sweet potato but felt entirely uneasy, her gaze sweeping toward the entrance from time to time.

Someone hurried to the tavern entrance and called out: “Eldest miss, something has happened at home. Please return quickly!”

“What happened?” Xu Fang steadied her mind and asked.

“The eldest young master has committed a grave error. The marquis wants to expel him from the family!”