The atmosphere at Duke Yingguo’s residence was frighteningly oppressive. Madam He stood to the side, looking toward her mother-in-law with both fear and anticipation, hoping with all her heart that she could persuade Shen Xiaohai not to further pursue what Shen Qingrang had done today.

The Duchess of Yingguo had always doted on her grandson, especially this legitimate grandson who had come with such difficulty. She had always protected him as if he were the apple of her eye. At this moment, she lived up to expectations by standing in front of her grandson’s bed and sneering coldly at her son twice: “You’ve really made something of yourself—you’ve learned to take your anger out on your son. If we had beaten you every time you made a mistake when you were young, let’s see if you would have grown up at all! A man of your age, you’re not even as good as Old Madam Chen. At least she knows to protect her own, but look at you!”

Madam He timidly wiped her tears and interjected: “The family punishment has already been administered, and we’ve already apologized to Earl Changning’s mansion. Why don’t we just let this matter rest…”

Shen Xiaohai let out a heavy cold snort, and Madam He’s remaining words vanished into thin air. Her face reddened and she didn’t dare persuade further.

“Mother only knows that Old Madam Chen protects her own, but does she know what price she paid for that protection?” Shen Xiaohai’s attitude toward the Duchess of Yingguo was not as tense as when facing Duke Yingguo, yet there wasn’t much warmth either. His voice was cold and hard: “A place as the final disciple of the great scholar Tang Mingzhao—that’s a compensation we couldn’t produce even if we chased after it for ten years!”

The Duchess of Yingguo was choked by these words and didn’t make a sound for a long while. Only after a considerable time did she say with a stern face: “She’s just a little girl. If it really doesn’t work out, I’ll personally go speak with Old Madam Song.”

After all, they were close family friends with a relationship that went back to their youth. Could they really tear their faces apart over the children’s foolish quarrels? Why must they be so servile?

Shen Xiaohai knew his mother lacked insight and didn’t expect to make her understand reason. He shook his head somewhat impatiently: “What’s the point of going to say anything now?! Originally it was our little Seventh who was presumptuous toward their young lady. This matter can be made big or small—the best approach is for me to take him to their door to apologize. What’s the use of those empty gestures?!”

Having been repeatedly contradicted by her son, the Duchess of Yingguo felt her dignity couldn’t take it. With a stern face, she stood up: “You’ve grown now, you act to show others face, even your father can’t dissuade you, so naturally you’re even less willing to listen to this old woman’s words! Since that’s the case, handle it yourself. Whether you beat him or kill him, he’s your son anyway!”

Madam He hurriedly went to support her, but was forcefully brushed aside by the Duchess of Yingguo. She was annoyed that this daughter-in-law didn’t dare speak up when she should and only knew to fear her husband. With a cold glare at her, she supported herself on a maid and angrily stormed out.

Madam He was scared out of her wits by her mother-in-law’s glare. Hearing that Shen Qingrang had already begun crying, she hurried over and gathered her courage to plead: “Master! The beating was truly severe—he knows he was wrong!”

“If I don’t beat him severely, he won’t learn his lesson at all!” Shen Xiaohai slapped Shen Qingrang on the back of his head and turned to look at Madam He: “Speaking of which, this is all because you spoiled him! What did I tell you before? Have you forgotten it all?!”

Madam He mumbled a few times but ultimately couldn’t speak.

Instead, Shen Qingrang cried while shouting: “It has nothing to do with my mother! I just find that stinking girl unpleasant to look at—what’s so good about her?! She acts high and mighty and bullies people every day, yelling fiercely at Little Eighth, following me around like a mangy dog that I can’t shake off!”

After he finished speaking, he inexplicably felt something was off—counting it up, in these past six months he had seen Song Chuyi a few times, but Song Chuyi no longer pestered him relentlessly as before. Not only did she not pester him, it seemed she couldn’t even be bothered to say a few words to him.

“That she’s willing to follow you is your good fortune!” Shen Xiaohai’s anger flared. He swiftly kicked the soft couch, nearly kicking him flying off it.

Shen Qingrang stubbornly stretched his neck, very unconvinced: “What’s so good about her?! I feel disgusted whenever I see her!”

“So you listened to someone’s instigation and framed her?! You’re a man, yet your ears are so soft, consorting with girls from the powder room—you should be ashamed!” Shen Xiaohai was so angry he laughed instead: “I’m laying it out here today—I don’t care what you think in your heart, but you’d better restrain yourself outwardly! If you continue being so reckless, you won’t need to be the Heir Grandson of Duke Yingguo anymore!”

These words hit Madam He’s fatal weakness. Upon hearing this, she immediately recalled the predicament from years ago when she couldn’t bear a son for many years—back then, it was just that close…

Seeing Shen Xiaohai sweep his sleeves and leave, Madam He wanted to chase after him but didn’t dare. After contemplating for a long time, she ultimately sat by her son’s bed and heavily sighed: “You should restrain yourself. You know your father’s temperament. If you continue to be so disappointing, be careful he really won’t give you the title!”

Shen Qingrang was most annoyed by hearing about this matter. He turned over wanting to lie facing inward, but inadvertently touched his wound and immediately grimaced in pain.

Madam He hurriedly had the maids come apply medicine to him. She wanted to say a few more words to him, but he had already closed his eyes pretending to sleep.

She had always been helpless with both Shen Xiaohai and Shen Qingrang. Seeing this, though anxious and distressed, she could only sigh and cover her son with a thin blanket.

Shen Qingrang hadn’t actually fallen asleep. He wasn’t heartless—of course he knew how serious a warning his father’s words just now had been. From childhood, he had known his family was somewhat different from others. His mother hadn’t been able to bear a son for over ten years and had been forced to stop giving contraceptive medicine to the concubines, so he had an elder illegitimate brother above him.

Shen Qingyun had spent seven or eight more years with their father than he had, and had always known how to read expressions and curry favor, making him much better at winning people’s favor.

The reason he had listened to Mingyu’s words this time—first, their relationship was indeed good and he truly disliked Song Chuyi; second, he had also wanted to take the opportunity to disgust Shen Qingyun—Shen Qingyun kept so many catamites and often misbehaved when Madam Yang wasn’t around. If that annoying girl from the Song family happened upon it, Shen Qingyun’s reputation would be ruined.

Unfortunately, man’s calculations were inferior to heaven’s. That girl from the Song family had actually learned to be so cunning and shrewd. Not only did she not fall for the trap, she even caught that maid and forced her to confess, pulling up the radish and bringing out the mud, also implicating the Li family sisters and Chen Mingyu.

He irritably shook his head, but his fists clenched tightly—of course he couldn’t let his elder brother take the position of Heir Grandson. Only a fool would give away glory and wealth.

Wasn’t she just a little girl from the Song family? Wasn’t it just going to apologize? He would endure his disgust for Song Chuyi and secretly made up his mind. After all, women were like clothes—if you liked one, you married her and kept her well; if you didn’t like her, you just married a few more, it was all the same.