As soon as the Chancellor’s words fell, both Qi Yun and Yao Shi were shocked and alarmed!

Second Young Master Qi had been renowned for his exceptional talent throughout Jiangzuo since childhood. After entering officialdom, he had risen steadily and rapidly, always being the family’s pride. When had he ever suffered family punishment? Even Qi Ning and Qi Le at most only received ruler strikes on their palms from their father when they weren’t making progress—none had ever received the family disciplinary whip!

Yao Shi had been holding back from protecting her son all evening, feeling that he had indeed gone too far in the spring examination matter. But now hearing the Chancellor wanted to bring out the family disciplinary whip, she could no longer restrain herself and immediately stepped forward to intervene.

But the Chancellor, who usually quite indulged his wife, remained unmoved this time. Seeing his eldest son hesitating in place, he simply went out of the principal hall himself to fetch the whip from the ancestral shrine.

Seeing the Chancellor stride angrily toward the door, Yao Shi knew today’s matter could not end well. She quickly said to Qi Ying, “You leave first! Go back to Fenghe Courtyard to avoid this. Let me persuade your father more, and when his anger subsides you can…”

But before she could finish speaking, her son stopped her. Qi Ying knelt in place without moving a step, only saying gently to Yao Shi, “Mother need not worry. It’s fine.”

This made not only Yao Shi anxious, but Qi Yun as well. He was about to follow his mother’s words and urge his second brother to quickly leave the mansion to avoid trouble, when he saw his second brother turn away from their mother and secretly give him an obscure look that seemed to hide deep meaning, startling Qi Yun.

Deep meaning?

What schemes was Jingchen still concealing?

Qi Yun couldn’t understand at the time, but he deeply believed his second brother was no confused person and had his own methods in doing things. He therefore gave up trying to persuade him further and instead began helping to comfort their mother. They had barely spoken a few comforting words when they saw their father return with heavy steps, carrying the family disciplinary whip.

The family disciplinary whip wasn’t very long, but was extremely thick and tough. Just a glance was enough to imagine that one strike would tear flesh and split skin!

Seeing this, Yao Shi nearly fainted. She heard her husband holding the whip and looking at Jingchen say, “I’ll ask you one final time—will you change this list or not?”

Yao Shi shed tears. Though supported by her eldest son, she still felt the world spinning. Looking at her second son, she cried out, “Jingchen! Just listen to your father once!”

But it was useless.

Qi Ying still knelt in place, his brow lowered but not yielding an inch, only saying four words: “Family and nation have laws.”

The hall fell silent again. Qi Zhang added one “Good,” then unrolled the family disciplinary whip, saying coldly, “Indeed, family and nation have laws.”

Both spoke the same words, but with different meanings: Qi Ying emphasized national law, while his father emphasized family law.

Qi Zhang’s expression was emotionless as he said to his eldest son, “Take your mother to rest.”

Qi Yun was startled, then understood his father’s meaning: Mother was gentle and had always doted on the children. Not to mention her own son Jingchen—even when Jing’an and Jingkang were beaten and scolded, she couldn’t bear to watch. How could she bear to see Jingchen whipped today?

Qi Yun understood and, though reluctant, prepared to escort their mother out as instructed.

Yao Shi wept continuously, insisting on not leaving, wanting to block the Chancellor from using family punishment. Qi Yun didn’t know what to do for a moment, then saw his second brother signal him again, also wanting him to escort their mother out.

If Mother stayed, Father might still relent; if Mother left, he would definitely not escape this family punishment today!

Jingchen he…

Qi Yun’s heart wavered, but ultimately trusted his younger brother. Steeling himself, he half-persuaded, half-forced their mother out of the hall.

Just as they stepped out the door, they heard the sound of the whip from inside—that thick whip falling on flesh again and again, making heavy sounds.

Their mother’s wails grew heavier beside him. Qi Yun’s heart also ached with shock. Unable to bear listening further, he quickly led their mother hastily away.

By night, the Qi mansion was completely silent, only the ancestral shrine blazing with lights.

The Qi family was a century-old noble house. Even before Great Liang’s southern migration, they already had the fine reputation of “four generations, three dukes.” Now they were even more prosperous and prestigious. Inside the family ancestral shrine, countless memorial tablets were arranged high and low, as if silently proclaiming the glory of this surname.

And Second Young Master Qi knelt there alone.

He knelt perfectly upright, just as upright as when handling official documents in his office, just as upright as when addressing the world’s examination candidates from Mingyuan Tower that day. Only his back was now covered in bloody marks that had seeped through his court robes, wounds layered densely one upon another.

His complexion was also pale, with a layer of fine sweat on his forehead. If one looked carefully, they would find that his beautiful phoenix eyes had also lost some of their spirit—probably from extreme pain, causing some exhaustion and distraction.

But he still knelt upright, without even the slightest sway or slackness.

After an unknown amount of time, footsteps came from outside the ancestral shrine. Qi Ying didn’t turn around, already knowing the visitor was his elder brother.

Indeed it was so.

Qi Yun entered the ancestral shrine and also performed kneeling rites to their ancestors, then stood beside Qi Ying. He heard his younger brother ask, “How is Mother?”

Qi Yun looked down to see him covered in wounds, yet at this moment his heart was concerned about their mother, and felt another wave of bitterness.

He sighed and answered, “She cried half the night, constantly begging Father to let you get up and stop kneeling. Later she collapsed from exhaustion. Father called a doctor to examine her. She just woke up a while ago and is fine now.”

Hearing their mother had fainted, Qi Ying’s expression changed slightly. He lowered his brow but didn’t speak again. After a long silence, he said, “…Thank you for your trouble, Elder Brother.”

Seeing Qi Ying’s current condition, Qi Yun’s heart also felt painfully tight.

This younger brother had been remarkably talented since childhood, always composed and leisurely in everything he did. Though he was more than eight years older, he was far inferior to him in many matters. He had never seen Jingchen in such a wretched state—but tonight he had suffered family punishment and was now being made to kneel in the ancestral shrine by their father.

Qi Yun stood with hands behind his back, brow tightly furrowed, sighing deeply as he asked, “Jingchen, you’re not a reckless person, but this spring examination… why did you act so extremely?”

Qi Ying’s tone was calm and unruffled as he answered, “As I said, I merely graded fairly.”

Hearing this, Qi Yun frowned even more deeply, saying, “I know you’re different from others. Though you don’t say it, you’re actually someone with great righteousness in your heart. I also know you’ve long seen the court’s ailments and have wanted to promote commoners and eliminate accumulated abuses—but Rome wasn’t built in a day! Even if you want to correct these matters, you needn’t be so hasty. Otherwise, not only will you struggle to see results, but you’ll also bring fire upon yourself! Don’t you understand the principle of gradual progress?”

“Do you know what outsiders are saying now?” Qi Yun was both urgent and pained. “They’re not only saying the Qi family intends to side with Prince Duan’s faction, they’re also calling you someone who seeks fame and reputation, saying your purpose in this move was to perfect your own clean reputation!”

“They’re furious and desperate, all trying to blacken your name!”

Qi Yun was upright by nature and, as an elder brother, had always protected the younger brothers in the family. He was especially concerned about Qi Ying, sometimes even more protective of his reputation than Qi Ying himself. He really didn’t want to hear outsiders slandering him this way, and deeply knew his younger brother was definitely not such a shallow person.

But despite his agitation, Qi Ying remained as calm as still water.

He said mildly, “Reputation in life and after death is not worth mentioning. I don’t value it either and let people praise or blame as they will. As for family position, I imagine once today’s family punishment is spread tomorrow, the rumors about the Qi family siding with Prince Duan’s faction will collapse without attack. As long as there are further measures to reassure the Fourth Prince, it will be acceptable.”

These words startled Qi Yun.

Concentrating his thoughts, he suddenly understood: No wonder Jingchen had refused to yield in his words today—he had deliberately provoked their father’s anger! He had even intentionally made their mother leave, having decided from the start to accept this family punishment!

He had done it on purpose! Deliberately making their father furious, deliberately making their father punish him, all to extract the Qi family from the spring examination results and take all the blame upon himself!

Understanding this connection, Qi Yun was shocked and alarmed, with an ominous feeling in his heart. He stared intently at Qi Ying and asked urgently, “What exactly are you plotting? Further measures to reassure the Fourth Prince? What measures? What else are you planning to do?”

Four consecutive questions, each more pressing, but Qi Ying seemed unwilling to say more.

He only looked up at his elder brother, each word carrying the weight of a thousand pounds: “Elder Brother, rest assured, I will never implicate the family.”

When he said this, his expression was detached, but the force in his words was heavy. Qi Yun felt even more ominous, looking at Qi Ying and saying, “Of course I know you won’t! I’m worried about you! Don’t destroy yourself!”

Qi Ying responded with silence, his face pale but his expression very determined, as if he had already made up his mind and wouldn’t change even if Mount Yu collapsed before him.

Qi Yun really didn’t know what more to say. Just as he was filled with alarm and doubt, he heard commotion outside the ancestral shrine. Looking back, he saw their fourth brother Qi Le shouting and running toward the shrine.

Right, there was also Qi Le.

Fourth Young Master Qi had also participated in the spring examinations this year but failed to make even the third rank. Qi Le was originally someone without much ambition and wasn’t particularly interested in official advancement, but he had always wanted to marry Miss Zhao as his wife. Their aunt Zhao Qishi had said beforehand that if he couldn’t pass the examinations, he shouldn’t think of marrying Yao’er.

Qi Le had sacrificed much for this spring examination, reading and writing essays from dawn to dusk daily, working much harder than other noble family children, and even compared to humble candidates, he wasn’t lacking. He had thought that with his second brother as chief examiner, he could at least borrow some influence—even if he couldn’t make the first or second ranks, he should at least make the third rank. But unexpectedly, he failed completely, his efforts coming to nothing.

Seeing such results, in a moment of impulse he first ran to the Zhao family. But no matter how he pleaded, their aunt wouldn’t relent, only saying his engagement with Yao’er was hereby canceled, then shutting the door on him. He was in agony and went out drinking all night, only returning home at this hour. Hearing his second brother was also home today, he naturally couldn’t help feeling resentful. Emboldened by alcohol, his anger flared even higher, and he immediately rushed to the ancestral shrine to demand an explanation from his second brother.

Why! Second Brother knew he was fond of Yao’er and was counting on passing the spring examinations to marry her—why couldn’t he show mercy and help him! For Second Brother, this would just be a small favor, and he wasn’t really that incompetent either. His essays were good, and Teacher Wang had said he had hope of passing on his own merit! Why did Second Brother refuse to help him and even reject him!

Qi Le rushed toward the ancestral shrine in grief and anger. Qi Ying heard the commotion but said nothing, only waving his hand lightly behind his back. Then Bai Song emerged from the shadows, subduing the angry Fourth Young Master in two moves and carrying him out of the courtyard where the ancestral shrine was located. Qi Le cried and shouted all the way, still audible from far away.

Qi Yun watched all this helplessly, feeling even more helpless. He turned to look at Qi Ying and said, “Treating him this way, aren’t you afraid he’ll hate you in the future?”

“Jingkang has talent—he was just originally playful, which made him seem incompetent,” Qi Yun sighed. “Actually, he could have passed this time, couldn’t he? You deliberately rejected him? To suppress noble families and convince people, you couldn’t let your own family members pass… You sacrificed Jingkang, didn’t you?”

Qi Ying frowned slightly but remained silent.

Elder Brother was right, but not entirely.

He certainly didn’t deny that he had wronged his fourth brother in the spring examination matter: If Qi Le were just an ordinary noble family child, he might have let him be listed in the third rank. But precisely because they were blood relatives, such matters required even more careful avoidance of favoritism. Qi Le was indeed not bad, but still far from good enough—at least not good enough to be beyond criticism, so ultimately he still let him suffer this grievance.

But this wasn’t the complete reason.

The Zhao family’s nature was poor, not something someone of Jingkang’s temperament could handle. Even if they formed a marriage alliance now, there would inevitably be many troubles later. His nature was pure—if he found it difficult to bear the pressure then, he would spend his whole life in melancholy without resolution.

He had actually considered much for his fourth brother long ago, but these were things not suitable for outsiders to know. Therefore, Qi Ying remained silent as before, keeping his head lowered in silence.

Qi Yun’s sighs grew even heavier.

Inside the ancestral shrine, lights blazed brightly. The two brothers, one standing and one kneeling, were observed by countless ancestral tablets arranged high above, as if the ancestors were looking down upon their descendants.

Author’s Note: Next chapter full of dramatic confrontations~

What is Lord Qi thinking?