Heir of Marquis Jing’an, Shao Jingyuan, hurriedly dodged: “Father, just because Shao Mingyuan’s illegitimate status has been exposed, you want to take your son’s life?”

“Shut your mouth!” Marquis Jing’an slashed over with his blade.

“Marquis, please show mercy!” The heir’s wife, Lady Wang, held her several-month-old infant daughter and blocked in front of Shao Jingyuan.

The baby was frightened into heart-wrenching cries.

Marquis Jing’an hastily withdrew his blade: “Lady Wang, this has nothing to do with you!”

Lady Wang pleaded tearfully: “Marquis, your daughter-in-law shouldn’t interfere when you’re disciplining the heir, but blades have no eyes. The heir is the father of your daughter-in-law’s three children—I cannot watch him come to harm…”

“Sigh!” Marquis Jing’an heavily sighed, threw his blade to the ground, and shouted sternly: “Someone come! Escort the heir’s wife back to her room!”

“Marquis—”

Marquis Jing’an glared furiously at Shao Jingyuan: “Beast! If you had any backbone at all, you wouldn’t let your wife shield you!”

Shao Jingyuan’s face alternated between red and white as he said to Lady Wang: “You go back to the room first.”

“Heir—”

“Go back!” Shao Jingyuan couldn’t stand the humiliation and roared fiercely.

Lady Wang stiffened, suppressed her anger, and left holding the child.

Marquis Jing’an didn’t pick up the blade he’d thrown to the ground. Instead, he lifted his leg and kicked Shao Jingyuan.

Shao Jingyuan was kicked to the ground, letting out a miserable cry.

A circle of servants gathered not far away, all not daring to intervene, but their secretly exchanged glances revealed sympathy for the heir.

The Marquis was truly too heartless—no wonder the Marchioness had angrily hidden herself in the small shrine to eat vegetarian food and chant Buddhist scriptures.

Marquis Jing’an kicked again. Shao Jingyuan rolled on the ground, groaning in pain.

“Beast! You won’t live peacefully—do you have to stir up great chaos to be satisfied?”

Shao Jingyuan knew he couldn’t escape this beating, so he simply stopped dodging and let Marquis Jing’an’s kicks land on him, gritting his teeth: “Father, what exactly did your son do wrong?”

“Even now, you refuse to admit your fault?”

Shao Jingyuan raised his head: “Just because your son got drunk and accidentally revealed Shao Mingyuan’s identity, you want to beat your son to death? Father, I am the heir; he’s nothing but an illegitimate son. Why have you always been so partial?”

“Shut your mouth!” Marquis Jing’an slapped him.

“Father, please don’t beat eldest brother anymore!” Shao Xiyuan grabbed Marquis Jing’an’s arm.

Marquis Jing’an looked at Shao Xiyuan with contained anger.

After the New Year, Shao Xiyuan had grown considerably taller. He looked like he had completely shed his childish innocence and become a youth in his prime.

“Father, though the eldest brother was wrong, it was just an unintentional mistake. Even if you beat him to death, everyone already knows the second brother’s identity.”

Marquis Jing’an ignored his youngest son’s words and glared furiously at Shao Jingyuan: “Rebellious son! Did you count on exactly this point when you schemed against your brother?”

Shao Jingyuan lowered his eyes, his tone turning cold: “Father is overthinking. Your son truly spoke carelessly after drinking.”

Hah! What kind of brother was Shao Mingyuan? An illegitimate son who had stolen his true second brother’s identity, causing his originally respectful parents to become so estranged, yet still enjoying the world’s admiration, by what right?

He wanted his shameful identity exposed and his reputation ruined!

Footsteps approached, and the servants’ voices all carried some hesitation: “Second Young Master—”

The father and three sons suddenly looked over to see Shao Mingyuan striding toward them.

Today, he wore a bamboo-green robe that made him appear like a clear moon and gentle breeze, impossible to look away from.

Watching Shao Mingyuan approach like this, the servants inexplicably had a thought: Second Young Master’s birth mother must have been extremely beautiful—no wonder she could bewitch the Marquis.

“Father.” Shao Mingyuan walked to stand before Marquis Jing’an and paid his respects.

“Mingyuan, why did you come over?” Facing his son at such a time, Marquis Jing’an felt awkward.

Shao Mingyuan’s expression remained calm as water as he said gently: “Father, I’d like to speak privately with eldest brother.”

Marquis Jing’an glanced at Shao Jingyuan, somewhat hesitantly.

Shao Mingyuan smiled: “Father, rest assured. I just want to have a word with the eldest brother.”

Marquis Jing’an sighed: “You two talk then.”

Shao Mingyuan walked before Shao Jingyuan, bent down, and reached out to help him up.

Shao Jingyuan brushed away Shao Mingyuan’s hand: “I can get up myself—no need to trouble you.”

Shao Mingyuan straightened without saying anything.

Shao Jingyuan stood up, wearing an indifferent expression: “Let’s talk in that pavilion over there.”

The two walked into the pavilion, neither leaving everyone’s sight nor needing to worry about their conversation being overheard.

Shao Jingyuan crossed his arms and said coldly, “Shao Mingyuan, I don’t know what we have to talk about. Speak quickly if you have something to say.”

“Eldest brother—”

Shao Jingyuan waved his hand: “Why be so hypocritical? At this point, you’re still calling me eldest brother?”

A bitter smile escaped Shao Mingyuan’s lips: “Even if I’m illegitimate, I’m still my father’s son.”

From childhood to now, he had never hoped for deep affection from his stepmother and two brothers, but he was unwilling to see such a scene of brotherly discord.

“Eldest brother, who were you drinking with that day?”

Shao Jingyuan was startled, then sneered: “What? You can’t do anything to me, so now you want to target my friends?”

“Eldest brother, I hope we can talk calmly.”

“Calmly? Shao Mingyuan, I might as well tell you honestly, just thinking about how you’ve disgusted my mother for over twenty years under the name of my blood brother, whenever I see you, I just want you to get lost. I’ll never talk calmly with you in this lifetime!”

Shao Mingyuan’s thin lips pressed tightly together. After Shao Jingyuan finished, he curved his lips slightly: “Since eldest brother doesn’t want to talk calmly, I’ll speak directly. This incident is aimed at me, and you’ve become a blade for the other party to use. If I don’t find the mastermind, this blade will not only wound me but also harm Marquis Jing’an’s residence.”

Shao Jingyuan sneered: “Shao Mingyuan, you don’t need to frighten me. Isn’t it just that your shameful, illegitimate identity has been exposed? The famous Marquis Guanjun has a stain on him, so you can’t sit still. Unfortunately, some people are born lowly—no matter how capable they are, it’s something they can never change.”

Shao Mingyuan’s gaze toward Shao Jingyuan turned cold: “Eldest brother, you are the heir of Marquis Jing’an. I thought personal likes and dislikes should come after the resident’s future—”

“Don’t talk to me about the residence’s future. Could everyone knowing you’re illegitimate affect the residents’ future? Ridiculous! I think you’re worried about affecting your future. Alright, I have nothing more to say to you. If you have any shame left, could you please not come here anymore in the future?”

Shao Mingyuan stared steadily at Shao Jingyuan and chuckled lightly: “Very well. Since the eldest brother is unwilling to speak, I won’t force it. There are no walls in this world that don’t leak wind—I’ll eventually investigate what I want to know.”

Shao Mingyuan left the pavilion, took leave of Marquis Jing’an, and walked toward the entrance. Shao Xiyuan ran over.

“Second brother, are you leaving already?”