"Madam!! This looks like Pingyao's clothes!!"
Second Lady Xu nearly collapsed when she saw the dark blue garment, her legs giving way beneath her.
"Someone, quick!! Put out the fire!"
"Pingyao? Pingyao?"
"Young Master! Young Master!"
The Second Master of the Xu Family arrived shortly after. Spotting the clothing in the distance, he remembered Pingyao had worn that color when leaving home earlier. Seeing the servants hesitate to search the rockery, he disregarded any offense to the main branch and declared,
"Whoever finds my son Pingyao—I, Xu Chengshan, will reward them with a thousand taels of silver!!"
Wealth stirs desire, and chaos ensued.
Old Master Xu rushed over, his gaze steady despite the smoke swirling around the rockery. With a composed wave, he ordered,
"Rescuing lives comes first. Search now!!"
He led the way toward the rockery.
"Father, you mustn’t go in! It’s dangerous!" Xu Wei's Father grabbed Old Master Xu’s sleeve in protest.
"Saving lives takes priority. The rockery itself isn’t flammable—only the dry grass around it is burning. Extinguish the outer flames first. I want to see what scoundrel dares defy the Xu Family!"
Shaking off his sleeve, Old Master Xu charged forward. His attendants, unable to stop him, could only follow closely.
Perhaps the clamor of the crowd drowned it out—Old Master Xu missed the faint plea from within.
"Ah!! Pingyao!!!"
The moment they entered, the scene before them struck them dumb.
There, pinning a young boy beneath him, stark naked—was none other than Xu Wei, the young master of the Xu Family’s main branch.
The boy on the ground lay prone, his clothes torn to shreds, fresh whip marks bleeding crimson across his back. His hands were bound behind him, his face mostly obscured by tangled hair.
It was clear he had endured inhuman torment.
Before Xu Wei could react, the Second Master kicked him to the ground.
But when the Second Master scooped up the boy and yanked the gag from his mouth—he realized it wasn’t his son.
Embarrassed, he glanced at Old Master Xu, whose expression darkened like an impending storm.
Damn it—wrong person!
"I am Qin Qingyun, a commoner of Ziwei Village in Fenghe County! Today, I accuse Young Master Xu of violating a child! I know I’ll die here in Xu Manor—because you officials and merchants collude! You’re jackals of the same lair!! I’ll die with grievances unredressed!! I’ll haunt you even as a ghost!!!"
Though too weak to flee, the boy mustered every ounce of strength to scream.
The servants hesitated, unsure whether to silence him, giving the boy a moment to breathe.
"The Xu Family is devoid of conscience!! Heaven will strike you down!!"
"Grandfather!! He’s lying!! He’s just a boy I bought from a brothel!! No commoner!!"
Xu Wei clutched a borrowed robe around himself, desperate to explain.
Some bystanders, unwilling to provoke the Xu Family, slipped away quietly. Others pointed and whispered, eyes darting between the half-naked Xu Wei and the hunched Second Master.
"Tsk tsk, appearances are deceiving."
"So Young Master Xu prefers boys. And one so young—how could he?"
"The constables are here! The constables are here!!"
"We received a report of a missing child at Xu Manor. Old Master Xu, what’s this about?"
Constable Li, leading the group, fawned over Old Master Xu.
"Quick, you lot—gag him!! Take him to the cells for questioning!"
Old Master Xu felt his vision swim. Only now did he grasp the gravity of the situation. Forcing composure, he nodded.
"Constable Li, there seems to be a misunderstanding."
Constable Li patted Old Master Xu’s hand reassuringly.
"The lad’s probably drunk, playing a prank, eh? Just a misunderstanding! We’ll take him in for ‘investigation.’ Look at him—still bleary-eyed! Must still be soused! Hahaha!"
"Thank you, Constable Li. Later, I’d like to speak with the boy myself. If it’s a misunderstanding, we’ll clear it up face-to-face. If this wretch Xu Wei is guilty—I’ll drag him to the magistrate myself!"
Old Master Xu’s meaningful glance wasn’t lost on Constable Li.
Clang!!
In a flash, the frail boy snatched a constable’s blade and rolled to the stunned Second Master’s side.
Before the Second Master—still puzzling over how to appease the main branch—could react, cold steel kissed his throat.
"You! Y-you… don’t be rash!"
The Second Master trembled, casting a pleading look at Old Master Xu.
"Cough! You’d haul me to jail just to kill me quietly?! Well, I won’t play along!! Corrupt dogs, shielding each other!!"
"Back off!! All of you!! Don’t follow me!! Or I’ll slit his throat!!"
Leng Yue dragged the Second Master toward the gate.
When the Second Master squirmed, the blade bit deeper. A warm wetness spread down his legs as he wailed.
"Child! Don’t kill me… please… vengeance has its proper target…"
Leng Yue yanked his collar, snarling.
"Want to live? Tell them to stay back! If I die, I’m taking Xu scum with me!"
"Uncle!! I beg you—call them off! I’m my father’s only heir!!"
Old Master Xu narrowed his eyes, then raised a hand. The servants froze.
"Boy, hostage-taking worsens your crime. Fleeing proves guilt. Release him, and we’ll uncover the truth fairly."
Leng Yue threw his head back and laughed wildly.
"Fair?! What’s fair?! When your grandson raped me, I stopped caring to live. But he deserves to die more!! Hahaha! Old man, the Xu line ends here!! That grandson of yours can’t rise for women—only boys! I’ll live to watch you all perish!! Retribution comes in time!"
The crowd bowed their heads, wishing they’d never witnessed this.
"Preposterous!! You insolent whelp!!"
Leng Yue cackled, deranged.
"Lies?! Hahaha! Ask your precious grandson—I’m not the first! Ask your servants—those ‘missing’ boys over the years, did they really vanish?!"
The moment Leng Yue spoke, Steward Wang crumpled to the ground. His grandson, Little Baby, had disappeared two years prior. They’d reported it, but no leads ever surfaced. Nearby vendors swore they’d never seen the boy.
Xu Wei paled, gaping at Leng Yue.
Old Master Xu took one look at his expression—and knew. Rage surged up his throat.
Thwack!
A mouthful of blood sprayed forth.
"Old Master!!"
"Help him inside!!"
"Fetch the physician!!"
