Xu Fang’s head buzzed, and the color instantly drained from her face.

Expel her younger brother from the family?

In this world where clan law was greater than state law, how miserable a person who lost their family’s protection would be was self-evident.

Xu Fang’s mind went blank. With a pale face, she bid farewell to Luo Sheng: “Miss Luo, I have some matters at home. I must return first…”

Admiration appeared in Luo Sheng’s eyes.

To judge a person’s character, one looked at how they behaved in urgent moments.

At such a time, Xu Fang still remembered to greet her—clearly someone who could keep her composure.

Luo Sheng walked to Xu Fang’s side and said in a low voice: “Miss Xu, placing someone in a desperate situation is not necessarily a bad thing.”

Only when placed in a desperate situation could one find new life.

Xu Fang stared at her in a daze.

Luo Sheng whispered a few words, then moved aside to clear the way: “Since Miss Xu has family matters, you should return quickly.”

Xu Fang hurriedly left with the servant who had brought the message.

Kou’er quickly came over and whispered a few words in Luo Sheng’s ear.

“They really followed? Yang Shi is truly ruthless and vicious.” Luo Sheng curved her lips in a cold smile. “Let’s go watch the excitement.”

Did Miss Luo need a reason to watch excitement? Naturally, if she wanted to go, she would go—deciding and departing immediately.

The snow continued falling, carried by the wind directly into people’s collars.

Xu Fang hurried back to the Changchun Marquis Estate. The servants she encountered on the way all cast strange looks at her.

She understood what this meant.

Once her younger brother was removed from the family register, she, the eldest miss, would become even more like duckweed without roots.

But at this moment, she had no time to care about such things at all, and trotted into the hall.

Inside the hall, it was warm as spring, yet an oppressive atmosphere rushed toward her.

Xu Fang immediately saw the youth kneeling on the ground.

“Eldest brother—”

The Changchun Marquis, his face stern, looked at his eldest daughter who had entered carrying the chill from outside, and shouted: “So you know to come back!”

“Father, I heard that you want to drive eldest brother out of the family—”

“That’s right.” Having made the decision, the Changchun Marquis actually felt relieved, his face entirely cold. “This scoundrel actually went gambling and lost five thousand taels of silver. If this continues, sooner or later he’ll bankrupt this entire family!”

“Father, eldest brother was momentarily confused. Please give him one chance.”

The Changchun Marquis laughed coldly: “Momentarily confused? Since childhood, how much trouble has this scoundrel caused? How long will he remain confused? Gambling is different from other things. I’ve never seen anyone addicted to gambling who could stop.”

Xu Fang dropped to her knees with a thud, tears streaming down her face: “Father, eldest brother is your son—he’s not some stranger…”

At this moment, she became even more aware of how heartless this so-called father was.

Of course, those standing outside the situation knew that gambling addicts were hard to cure, but facing one’s own son, how many could unhesitatingly sever the father-son relationship?

Indeed, her caution and prudence all these years had been correct. If she had naively thought he cared about the father-daughter bond, she would likely have already lost her life.

Facing Xu Fang’s pleading, the Changchun Marquis remained unmoved, saying with a cold expression: “Expelling this unfilial son from the family is for the good of the entire marquis estate. I am the head of this household and must take responsibility for the entire Xu family. I cannot be lenient and indulgent just because this scoundrel is my son.”

“Father, eldest brother is only fifteen years old. If he’s driven out, he’ll have no way to survive—”

The Changchun Marquis impatiently interrupted Xu Fang’s words: “Fang’er, you need not persuade me further. I’ve already decided.”

Xu Fang looked toward Xu Xi with tears streaming.

Xu Xi knelt motionless, like a clay statue.

“Eldest brother… say something!”

Hearing Xu Fang’s words, Xu Xi looked toward the Changchun Marquis with a pale face, hope hidden in the depths of his eyes.

Even at this moment, he still didn’t believe he would be driven out by his father.

Not until he watched with his own eyes as the Changchun Marquis wrote out the expulsion document did the youth’s face turn deathly pale.

Xu Fang knelt and moved before the Changchun Marquis, pleading bitterly: “Father, I beg you to give eldest brother one more chance to reform.”

The Changchun Marquis said coldly: “The expulsion document is written. There’s no possibility of changing it!”

Xu Fang raised her head and said through gritted teeth: “Father, if you insist on expelling eldest brother from the family, then simply expel me from the family as well.”

Xu Xi’s head whipped toward Xu Fang, his eyes full of shock.

He had never imagined Xu Fang would say such words.

In their youth, when he was left alone and lonely in the marquis estate, eldest sister had only concerned herself with running to the Ningguo Duke’s estate to curry favor with their maternal aunt. Now she would actually volunteer to be driven from the family for his sake?

If a man being expelled from the family faced a miserable situation, for a young woman there was almost only one path—death.

The youth stared at his sister in a daze, his emotions incredibly complex.

The Changchun Marquis’s face darkened as he stared at Xu Fang: “Fang’er, are you threatening me?”

Xu Fang knocked her head once against the ice-cold floor. When she raised it again, her smooth forehead was already red.

“How would this daughter threaten Father? This daughter truly cannot bear to see younger brother, at such a young age, be expelled from the family to fend for himself. Please, Father, expel me from the family as well, so that I can care for younger brother in the future—”

“I don’t need you to care for me!” Xu Xi roared, interrupting Xu Fang’s words. “My affairs have nothing to do with you. I don’t need you to interfere!”

By this time, Xu Xi had already forgotten the fear of being expelled from the family, instead drowning in an even greater fear.

Even if he wasn’t satisfied with this sister, she was still his only sister. He didn’t want to watch her seek her own death.

“Enough, stop making a scene! Someone, help the eldest miss back to her room.” The Changchun Marquis looked at the pair of children indifferently and ordered coldly.

Of course he wouldn’t expel his eldest daughter from the family as well.

The eldest son’s disgraceful behavior today had been witnessed by all the neighbors. Even if he made this decision, no one would gossip about it. But if he drove out his eldest daughter as well, the Ningguo Duke’s estate would certainly come asking questions, adding unnecessary trouble.

Soon, a bundle was tossed before Xu Xi.

“Eldest young master, if you please.”

Xu Xi sat motionless on the ground, indifferent to the servant’s words.

The steward gave a look, and two servants immediately pulled Xu Xi up, supporting him as they walked outside.

Yang Shi struggled to suppress the smile in her eyes, her face full of worry: “My lord, letting Xi’er leave just like this—what will become of him in the future?”

The Changchun Marquis’s face was covered with frost, without a trace of hesitation: “Let him be!”

The legitimate eldest son held extraordinary significance for any estate, but all expectations for this son had been worn away with each instance of trouble he caused.

Now, he only wished he had never had this son, or at least that this son’s existence wouldn’t affect the marquis estate in the slightest.

Xu Xi allowed the servants to support him as they walked outside, yet he kept turning his head to look at the Changchun Marquis.

What he saw was a face so cold it was heartless.

Only now did he finally understand—he had been completely abandoned by his father and had become a stray dog without a home.

The youth numbly rotated his eyes, looking toward Yang Shi who stood shoulder to shoulder with the Changchun Marquis.

But he had already been dragged too far away. Yang Shi’s expression was entirely blurred in his eyes.

The vermilion lacquered gates of the Changchun Marquis Estate didn’t open; only the side door opened. Xu Xi was pushed out through the side door just like that.

The people outside didn’t notice that Xu Xi had been driven out and didn’t stop to watch the excitement.

Xu Fang broke free from the old woman helping her back to her room and chased out: “Eldest brother, wait—”

People immediately perked up with interest.

Was there more excitement to watch at the Changchun Marquis Estate?