Rebirth of the Treacherous Official’s Madam

“Cheng’en Duke Manor Zhu family——–” Looking at his older brother’s expression, Xun Cong carefully replied.

“Pah!”

Xun Che turned his hand and fanned another slap over. Xun Cong was completely caught off guard, immediately falling on the ground, tremblingly carrying a sobbing tone, “Brother……..”

Xun Ying was even more scared, also calling out, “Second brother, you——”

Yu Lingxin increasingly felt that it wasn’t good. Xun Che’s emotions today afraid were even more intense than what she’d thought. She immediately just gave Ming Jinrou a look.

Ming Jinrou blanked for a moment before finally reacting. However, before she could move her feet to go out and instruct the servant girl to go report, she just heard Xun Che shout, “Without my permission, who dares to set foot out of Qingyu Pavilion!”

Ming Jinrou immediately quivered, also not daring to move.

“Fourth young master, kneel properly! Answer me one more time, where did you go today?” Xun Che sternly asked again.

Xun Cong really was scared, his entire body trembling as he forcibly kneeled back up again, “I….I really just went to the Zhu Manor.”

“Shenzhi, you’re being too impatient.” Ming Jincheng somewhat couldn’t bear watching anymore, sweeping a glance at Xun Ying who similarly was about to cry, and Ming Jinrou who was also a bit frightened, “Why don’t you all sit down too.”

“Chen Qiao, bring the rattan whip over.” Xun Che flung his sleeve and turned around, instructing to the outside.

“Brother, brother, second brother, I………” Xun Cong was increasingly frantic, both anxious and scared, also about to cry, “I really didn’t go anywhere else………I just went to the Zhu Manor. In the past, when I snuck out, I did go to other places, but today, I really didn’t!”

Yu Lingxin also couldn’t help but close her eyes, finally interrupting, “He’s asking you, the ‘Zhu Manor’ you went to today, what kind of family are they?”

Xun Cong at this time also didn’t have the mind to think about exactly who this young lady he has never seen before was. When filled with fear, it was just like grabbing onto a trace of light. He hurriedly answered, “The Zhu Manor is Cheng’en Duke Manor, the deceased Cihui Empress Dowager’s maiden family, also……..also Noble Consort Zhu’s maiden family, and the Vice Minister of Revenue’s family, also what, oh, right! Also Wu Wang and Wei Wang’s maternal family!”

Xun Che turned and glanced at Yu Lingxin, “Excessive.”

Yu Lingxin figured that since there weren’t any outsiders at this time, she might as well just directly respond, “He’s already this frightened, even if he can understand, when in a panic, not being able to say it properly, that is also possible.”

Xun Che angrily humphed, but didn’t continue saying anything to Yu Lingxin, instead handing Ming Jinrou and Xun Ying the brush and paper, and saying to Xun Cong, “Talk, have all the friends you made in Maolin Academy listed out. Also, who all you’d met in this recent half year, and where all did you go, all explain clearly one by one. If there’s any place that’s not fully the truth in between———”

TN: All translations outside of are stolen and reposted without permission!

“I won’t dare, I won’t dare!” Xun Cong’s face was still burning in pain from getting slapped just now. On Chen Qiao’s side, he’d already sent in the two finger thick rattan whip. In addition to Xun Che ordering them to not go report just now, Xun Cong at this time finally thoroughly realized how intense his older brother’s anger was today, hurriedly giving in and begging, “Brother, I definitely will tell the truth, just, about that, can I get up first? My knees hurt…………”

Xun Che coldly laughed, “Just think about the things you have done, what face do you have to stand up? Not letting you go kneel in the corridor outside is already leaving you some face!”

Afterwards, he turned and instructed Ming Jinrou and Xun Ying, “He talk, you two write, each write a copy. Later, I’ll let Chai Guangyi take it to Maolin Academy to go verify.” He paused for a moment, gazing towards Xun Cong again, “If there’s the slightest bit untrue, I will just break his legs.”

Xun Cong originally still wanted to pitifully beg a few more words, but hearing Xun Che’s last line, chills suddenly went down his spine. He actually felt that this line wasn’t just empty words said to scare him. His brother really might break his legs.

This actually made him somewhat ignore his sore kneecaps, hurriedly recalling and confessing, also disregarding exactly how many absurd things he ended up saying, as well as how unsightly Xun Che’s face turned after hearing each thing he said. At this time, with his two swollen cheeks, the endlessly panicking Xun Cong’s mind just had one thought, and that was just preserving his own legs.

Ming Jinrou and Xun Ying although were also very frightened, but after hearing Xun Cong’s words, they actually felt that Xun Che flying into a thundering rage like this seemingly was also understandable. The two of them mutually shared a glance and just respectively moved the brush.

Once Xun Cong had everything obediently poured out, a full two cups of tea’s time had already gone by. Xun Che picked up the copy written by Ming Jinrou, sweeping a glance and calling Chai Guangyi in, “Take this and go transcribe two more copies first. Afterwards, take one to Maolin Academy, and even if it’s digging three feet under, still dig out a witness for me. Each and every matter all need to be accurate. As for the other copy, take it to the places the fourth young master mentioned, and verify with each place. I rather want to see, exactly how capable our free-spirited and scholarly fourth young master is!”

Chai Guangyi received the order and left. On Xun Cong’s side, he was also parched and dry in the mouth from confessing. Xun Che’s expression seemingly had also calmed down a little. Everyone felt that this mess today was probably more or less over.

Xun Ying tugged Ming Jinrou’s sleeve again, and at the same time, looked to Ming Jincheng and Yu Lingxin for help, wanting to plead for Xun Cong.

After all, Xun Cong was also a wealthy young master that was used to living comfortably. Since entering Qingyu Pavilion to now, he has practically been kneeling the whole time. When overly scared and frightened, he didn’t think about it, but once he finished confessing everything, he truly was somewhat unable to bear it anymore, his knees aching terribly, his body also trembling, yet he also didn’t dare to plea towards Xun Che.

Xun Che just pretended to not see, picking up the copy that Xun Ying wrote just now and carefully reading through line by line. For a moment, the inside of Qingyu Pavilion was dead silent, just hearing the light sounds of Xun Che flipping through paper, as well as the little movement sounds of Xun Cong constantly adjusting his posture and clenching his teeth while on his knees.

“Second brother.” In the end, it was still Xun Ying that was softhearted. Although she revered Xun Che, she was also worried about Xun Cong. Seeing how Ming Jincheng and Yu Lingxin both didn’t respond to her eye-signal just now, she could only open her mouth herself, “How about letting fourth brother get up first?”

Xun Che didn’t even lift his eyes, turning another page, “Just based on this page, even if I beat him to death, it all won’t be wronging him. Ying’er, do you know why I let you all sit here today, even letting you two write? Some things, even if you don’t like, you still need to be able to comprehend and understand in order to know how to deal with, understand?”

Xun Ying’s heart also tightened inside. She really doesn’t like family conflict and power struggles, but from the day she started managing the Linglong Literature Club according to Xun Che’s request, she has just been working hard in learning more about matters in this aspect. In this moment, hearing Xun Che’s tone, although not as stern as his tone towards Xun Cong, it nevertheless still faintly felt like a heavy order. As such, it wasn’t good for her to continue saying anything for Xun Cong, and could only lower her head and respond, “Yes.”

“Shenzhi.” Ming Jincheng had a heavy look, but still opened his mouth after pondering, “Fourth younger cousin although was wrong, but you also don’t need to go overboard today…………”

Xun Che thoroughly finished looking through the last two pages before finally lifting his eyes to look at Ming Jincheng with a dark expression, “Who doesn’t want to be a good person? If this was your younger brother, how will you deal with?”

Ming Jincheng hooked the corner of his mouth, glancing at Xun Cong who was pitifully looking at him, his forehead already full of sweat, his face full of plea. Ming Jincheng turned his gaze, “Heh, if this was my younger brother, then just directly sort out in the army camp.”

“If fourth young master can endure the army camp’s drills, then it can also be considered bringing honor to our Xun family!” Xun Che coldly snorted and then softly shouted, “Chen Qiao! Take fourth young master into the courtyard and beat him!”

Xun Cong practically broke into tears, “Brother…….brother, spare me today, I already confessed everything!”

Ming Jinrou, Xun Ying, and Yu Lingxin all looked to one another in dismay. Just, compared to Ming Jinrou and Xun Ying who had a bit more astonishment and fear in their expression, Yu Lingxin, aside from slight surprise, when gazing towards Xun Che, her eyes were full of heartache.

Although at this time, the one that was startled, scared, and aching, getting humiliate, and even getting beaten was Xun Cong, Yu Lingxin still felt that the pain in Xun Che’s heart in this moment was probably a hundred times greater than Xun Cong’s.

In the past life, Xun Ying’s tragic death, Xun Cong’s crippled body, exactly how much Xun Che blamed himself inside, and how much pain he suffered, she was probably the most clear. At that time, Xun Che actually didn’t have Xun Ying’s death blamed on Xun Cong that much, because as the eldest brother, while also believing himself to be intelligent and wise, he has always felt that protecting his younger brother and sister was his responsibility.

That’s why, whether it’s Xun Ying or Xun Cong meeting with mishap, Xun Che will all just further blame his own incompetence.

As for Xun Che becoming extremely disappointed in Xun Cong afterwards, it was mainly because of Xun Cong abandoning himself to despair after breaking his legs and becoming disabled, completely unable to pull himself together and move forward. For Xun Che at the time, the poison had already seeped into his heart, his life hanging on a thread, having no hope of recovering. But, their mother Ming Huayue was still alive, so he naturally hoped that Xun Cong, even if unable to inherit the noble title, unable to take a wife and have children, but for better or worse, can still be filial towards their mother, and protect their family property.

But at that time, Xun Cong’s injury was actually also very serious, not just the problem of breaking his legs and having a hard time walking. That injury that time also similarly made him no longer be able to continue their family’s incense fire^[1]. That’s why, afterwards, drowning himself in alcohol to forget his worries all day, living like a walking corpse, wasn’t without any reason.

Just, on this bit, Yu Lingxin, as an outsider, can somewhat understand, but for Xun Che, as a blood related kin, it was inevitable for him to feel responsible to reproach due to the depth of his love, thus unable to come to peace.

At this point now, seeing the usually reserved Xun Che in a violent rage, and can even be said to be ruthless, she just felt her entire heart aching.

At this time, Chen Qiao has already hardened his head and entered to carry out the order, pulling Xun Cong out to the courtyard. Xun Che picked up the rattan whip and threw it over, “Heavily beat!”

There was just this meaning, but no number. Even Chen Qiao who has followed Xun Che for many years was also somewhat uncertain inside. Especially after everything so far today, the delicate and tender, and still relatively young Xun Cong has already suffered quite a bit, his face having both tears and handprints, his body trembling, and his back drenched in sweat. Can he really still beat?

But, Xun Che’s order completely didn’t carry any hesitation. Ming Jincheng and the others also didn’t open their mouth to plea, so Chen Qiao, as an attendant, naturally didn’t dare to say anything. He could only once again apologize in advance, and then raise the rattan whip.

Hearing Xun Cong loudly crying and wailing outside following the sound of the rattan whip breaking the air, the people in the study also felt very uncomfortable. Ming Jincheng was used to seeing punishments carried out in the army camp, and he himself has also once endured the army rod before, so for him, it was a little better. Xun Ying has already started crying, just she didn’t dare to plea again.

Ming Jinrou’s relationship with Xun Cong was actually still pretty good. Although not as familiar like with Xun Che, they were still cousins that grew up together. Seeing Xun Che this severely angered today, although she’d also heard Xun Cong personally confess about skipping class multiple times and wantonly playing around, but in her heart, she kept faintly feeling that there was something off.

Mainly it was because among the noble young masters, Xun Cong was already considered very smart and studious. It’s not like he was really a student from a poor and humble family that needed to rely on the imperial exam. Moreover, looking at it from the academy’s side, he didn’t hold up his studies too much either. It was merely just becoming friends with some other upper class noble children and secretly sneaking out to play, both not sleeping at the brothels and also not flouting the law. The biggest problem in this matter was probably just being a bit too close with the people related to the Zhu family.

This was Xun Cong’s wrong, but it can completely be explained to him properly, then punish him to go reflect on himself and copy a few books. Why go as far as to go make it this serious?

However, what she further didn’t expect that even if like this, Xun Che still felt that it wasn’t enough. After hearing Xun Cong cry out a few times outside, he actually became even angrier, slapping the table and getting up, “Don’t even know how to pretend. Xun Cong, what is exactly is your brain there for?!”

As he said this, he actually went out into the courtyard, kicking aside Chen Qiao, “You have also become capable now?!”

Chen Qiao hurriedly knelt down, lowering his head, not daring to speak. Since Xun Che didn’t give an actual amount on how many times to beat, he naturally didn’t dare to actually hit, just the fourth young master’s cries truly weren’t genuine enough. He also can’t help it!

[1] Basically he also can’t have children. The saying comes from the concept of the descendants offering incense fire to their ancestors.

T/N: The author really likes to measure time by cups of tea, but two cups of tea’s time is about half an hour. 1 cup = 15min.