Yang Jingyuan silently walked forward.
“Third Young Master, did you raise your hands against your Second Uncle and Fourth Brother today?”
Hearing this question, Yang Jingyuan’s heart ached. He truly feared his stepmother would punish him without investigating the truth. He shook his head: “I did not.”
“So many people witnessed it, yet you dare lie to our faces!” Madam Zou sprang up, pulling Yang Jingting’s arm forward. “Is my Silang a fool? Would he fall to the ground for no reason?” She dabbed her face with a handkerchief, “Sister-in-law, you must discipline Yang Jingyuan today!”
Yang Jingshan grew anxious: “Mother, Third Brother never lies or shirks responsibility. I’ve asked about it. He didn’t strike Second Uncle—Second Uncle misunderstood him, and before he could explain, Second Uncle tried to hit him. He merely blocked Second Uncle.”
“What about me? He knocked me down!” Yang Silang shouted.
“Enough.” Madam Yang said contemptuously, “Isn’t it just that you have a courtyard full of witnesses, making it impossible for Third Young Master to defend himself? Don’t you just want me to punish him? Third Young Master, at worst you’ll take a beating with the rod, to appease your Second Uncle, Second Aunt, and Fourth Brother. Can you take it?”
Yang Jingshan was stunned. How could his usually forceful mother not protect Third Brother and instead seek to smooth things over? Was it because of the many family matters, wanting to put on a show? If so, the Third Brother would have to suffer this injustice. At least they could instruct the servants to go easy, avoiding serious injury.
Her words both gave a face to the second branch by punishing him while also protecting him in tone. Yang Jingyuan had always known his stepmother was an extremely formidable woman.
Can you take it?
The old Yang Jingyuan would have proudly answered: “Stir-fried bamboo shoots with meat! My favorite dish—bring two plates!”
The revenge for a father’s murder cannot be shared under the same sky. Yang Jingyuan thought, why should he take an undeserved beating? He glared at Yang Silang: “Fourth Brother, was I the one who knocked you down?”
“Yes! If Mother hadn’t rushed over in time, you would have hit me too!” Yang Silang met his gaze defiantly.
Yang Jingyuan suddenly moved, grabbing Yang Silang’s waistband and lifting him.
“Mother! Help!” Yang Silang flailed helplessly in the air, his face turning pale with fright.
Everyone in the hall was startled.
“Third Young Master! Don’t be rash!” Madam Yang’s heart pounded, fearing Yang Jingyuan would lose control and truly harm Yang Silang, escalating the situation.
Yang Jingyuan raised an eyebrow: “I can’t take an undeserved family punishment, can I?”
What did he mean?
Yang Silang understood, crying out in panic: “No! No! Third Brother, ah…!”
His body suddenly went airborne, accompanied by a scream and a “thud!” as he hit the ground. Yang Silang rolled twice and clutched his leg, howling, “Help! It hurts! Mother, it hurts so much!”
Yang Jingyuan knew exactly how much force he’d used—however long he’d have to lie in bed from the rod punishment, Yang Silang wouldn’t be able to leave his bed before his injuries healed. Yang Jingyuan rolled his eyes.
“Silang! What’s wrong?” Second Master Yang and Madam Zou were so frightened their hearts nearly stopped, calling repeatedly for a physician as they lifted Silang.
At this point, Yang Jingyuan said carelessly: “I’ve struck Silang—how many rod strikes should I take? I’ll accept them all!”
“You, you…!” Madam Yang was speechless with anger and called out loudly, “Rebellious child! Bring the punishment rod!”
A foot-wide bench was brought to the courtyard. Yang Jingyuan walked out without looking back. Passing Second Master Yang, he bent down and said softly: “Second Uncle, I have two elder brothers. My elder brothers both have legitimate sons. The second branch only has two sons, and the Sixth Brother is only eleven. Think carefully.”
He straightened up and walked out laughing: “In eighteen years, I’ve never experienced the family punishment rod—let me try it today.”
Second Master Yang was chilled by his laughter. Looking at Silang crying endlessly in pain, he shuddered violently. Prince Sheng was right—Yang Jingyuan alive was the greatest calamity. He must find a way to eliminate Yang Jingyuan. He turned to Madam Yang coldly: “Sister-in-law, handle it as you see fit!”
Servants brought a sedan chair and helped Yang Silang into it. The second Master and his wife left with him.
Though the Second Master left, the Third Master stayed behind.
“Matron Chen, go supervise. Fifty strikes with the rod, not one less! This rebellious child, he’ll be the death of me!”
The rod fell with whistling sounds.
So this was the family punishment rod? It didn’t hurt that much, well, maybe a little. It hurt more after several strikes. Still bearable. Better than Yang Silang breaking his leg. Thick skin, no damage to tendons and bones—by the time he’s bouncing around again, Yang Silang still won’t be able to get out of bed. Yang Jingyuan’s mind wandered with these thoughts.
“Forty-seven!”
When the servant counting reached forty-seven, the bamboo rod cracked in two.
“What happened?” Matron Chen asked.
The servant examined the rod: “Matron, this rod has been used for a long time.”
Matron Chen returned to the hall to report: “There are still three strikes left, should we…”
Madam Yang glanced at the impassive Third Master Yang and said: “The remaining three strikes must be delivered. Get another rod and continue!”
Matron Chen complied. When she walked out of the hall again, she saw Yang Jingyuan lying on the bench, pale-faced but silent, his expression determined. Her heart stirred slightly. She recalled how the eldest master had traded his assets for the chance to live with Concubine Liu in Lefeng Garden. He truly resembled the eldest master, more than the first or second young masters. When the eldest master decided on something, not even nine oxen could pull him back. He let go of such vast assets without hesitation.
She understood the madam’s thoughts better than anyone these past twenty years. The madam’s feelings toward Yang Jingyuan were too complex. Initially taking him from Concubine Liu to raise him poorly, she had developed genuine feelings. She treated him as a son while remaining wary of him.
Since the madam had taken away the assets the master left for Third Young Master, causing Concubine Liu to choose suicide, she shouldn’t expect Third Young Master to only recognize her as mother and forget his birth mother.
As soon as the Third Young Master returned today, Master Shu had sought him out for private conversation. He would eventually learn about those assets, eventually learn how the madam had misled Concubine Liu into choosing immediate suicide.
Blood is thicker than water. Concubine Liu might not have the grace of raising him, but she had the grace of giving birth to him. If he harbored resentment toward the madam and determined to avenge Concubine Liu by taking the Yang family assets from the eldest young master, with his martial arts skills, who could stop him?
If the madam couldn’t bring herself to do it, she could.
When Matron Chen instructed the servant to get a new punishment rod, she gave him a meaningful look.
Three more strikes. Yang Jingyuan thought hazily, almost done.
The sky had completely darkened, and he vaguely saw the white silk lanterns on the corridor swaying in the wind. Thanks to following his master’s in martial arts training, he had developed a strong body. Fifty strikes—he’d heard that many servants couldn’t even endure thirty strikes of the family punishment rod. Big Brother must have secretly instructed them to go easy. Once his injuries healed, he would keep a close watch on the second branch and protect Big Brother.
The new rod was brought, and the servant looked at Matron Chen. Seeing her slight nod, the servant raised the rod with force.
The rod was heavy, and as the servant raised it, his arm muscles bulged and veins stood out on his neck.
Just as the rod was about to fall on Yang Jingyuan, the servant’s vision blurred as someone suddenly appeared, pulling Yang Jingyuan off the bench. The rod struck the bench with a crack, breaking the thick wooden bench in two, and revealing the white wood inside. The rod’s momentum continued, striking the ground and cracking the bluestone tiles.
Yang Jingyuan was pulled to the ground, the fall jolting him more awake. He stared blankly at the broken bench and bluestone tiles, his mind empty. If no one had pulled him away, his spine would have been broken.
The noise alarmed those in the hall, who all came out.
Shu Ye let go, hands on his hips, breathing heavily: “Damn, heavy as a dead pig!”