"What did you say? This official didn't hear you clearly."
Shen Qingping crossed his legs and cast a sidelong glance at Madam Zheng.
"My son is—"
Before Madam Zheng could finish, Zhao Zhi interrupted angrily, "Shut your mouth!"
It was Madam Zheng who had urged him to subject Zheng Fang to flogging, claiming that scholars couldn’t endure such humiliation and pain and would confess immediately.
He had mentioned Zheng Fang’s scholarly status, but how had Madam Zheng responded?
She said she was Zheng Fang’s aunt and that if anything went wrong, she would take responsibility as a member of the Zheng Family for approving the flogging.
Yet now, when it came to her own son, she suddenly changed her tune!
"If a mere county magistrate can flog a scholar, why can’t this official do the same?"
Ignoring Madam Zheng’s desperate struggles, Shen Qingping ordered his men to bring Zhao Ge, the son of Zhao Yao and Madam Zheng, to the whipping post.
"Father, Mother... what happened to you?"
Zhao Ge turned pale at the sight of his bloodied parents, then trembled as he looked at Zhao Zhi. "Uncle, why were my parents beaten?"
"This official did it."
Shen Qingping chuckled. "Do you know about Zheng Fang’s case?"
"I, Zhao Ge, have no such cruel cousin!" Zhao Ge reacted vehemently at the mention of Zheng Fang’s name.
But Shen Qingping slowly rose and approached him.
"You envy him."
"Nonsense! I would never—"
"You envy him for passing the imperial exams in one attempt, and because the chief examiner, Ye Shijie, has already brought him fame. Barring any mishaps, he would become a provincial scholar this time."
Shen Qingping curled his lips mockingly. "As for you, there’s a ninety percent chance you’ll fail this exam."
"You’re inferior to him."
"How dare you belittle me like this? That Zheng Fang—his mother died long ago, and my uncle never liked him! He’s just a worthless failure. His past successes were pure luck!" Zhao Ge, being of the same generation as Zheng Fang, loathed his excellence.
"So, you had your parents frame Zheng Fang. Your father killed Wang Dazhu, your mother killed Wang Dazhu’s wife, and you lured Zheng Fang to the crime scene to pin the blame on him—am I right?"
The air grew deathly silent at his words.
......
"Princess, Young Master Shen is... truly formidable." Baoxia’s eyes sparkled with admiration before she turned to Yue Qing. "Qingqing, don’t you think so?"
Hearing herself called "Qingqing," Yue Qing shuddered.
"Young Master Shen may seem erratic, but he must already have substantial evidence. The truth is likely exactly as he stated." Yue Qing spoke slowly. "By not presenting the evidence outright, he’s enjoying the futile struggles of those on the brink of death."
Who would have thought the illustrious Grand Tutor Shen could raise such a mischievous son?
"This family has always been treacherous. Let the teacher teach them a lesson."
Song Shihuan had no intention of stopping Shen Qingping. She knew his methods well—but so what?
The Qin Prince's Mansion’s sword must be sharp to strike with lethal precision.
After all, she and her father would always protect their teacher.
Yue Qing’s pupils dilated in shock. She hadn’t interacted much with the Qin Prince's Mansion and had assumed Prince Qin was the true mastermind. Throughout their journey to Qingshui County, it had seemed like Young Master Shen was leading.
Only now did she realize the true strategist behind the Qin Prince's Mansion was none other than Princess Fu'an herself.
Her respect for the princess deepened.
......
Meanwhile, Zhao Ge was still reeling from Shen Qingping’s accusation, his evasiveness not escaping notice.
"I didn’t do it!" Zhao Ge forced himself to stay composed.
"Oh."
Shen Qingping seemed indifferent. "Tie him up and flog him too."
A single lash had Zhao Ge writhing in agony, his screams piercing the air.
Watching his nephew’s suffering, Zhao Zhi felt a chill crawl down his spine.
Scholars truly couldn’t endure such humiliation and pain—Madam Zheng’s words had come back to haunt her own son.
Yet the three of them endured the torture, clinging to their lies.
After two full hours of flogging, with physicians repeatedly tending to their wounds, Madam Zheng finally broke at the sight of her son’s battered form.
"It was me... I acted alone! My son had nothing to do with it!"
Zhao Yao and Zhao Ge exhaled imperceptibly in relief.
But Shen Qingping only gave them a meaningful look. "Nian'an, take Madam Zheng away for interrogation."
Then, to the guards: "Why are you standing around? Keep whipping them!"
"My lord, my wife has already confessed! Why must we still be flogged?" Zhao Yao dared to ask.
"Because this official feels like it."
Those four words sent a collective shudder through the onlookers.
A living demon—truly a living demon.
......
At the Zheng Family residence:
"You unfilial wretch! Go confess your crimes and beg Young Master Shen to spare your aunt’s family!" Zheng's Father slapped Zheng Fang across the face, sending the weakened scholar—already frail from imprisonment—crashing to the ground.
"Father, I didn’t kill anyone! I only went to the riverbank because someone left me a note promising a rare manuscript!"
"Lies! Your aunt would never deceive anyone!" Zheng's Father’s eyes burned with disgust, as if Zheng Fang were no son of his.
"Of course. To you, I’ve always been a stain on your honor."
Zheng Fang struggled to his feet. "I was raised by Grandmother. You’ve never been a father to me. Without her protection, you’d have barred me from the exams. Fine. Consider me no longer your son."
"You—you dare renounce me?!"
"I do."
Zheng Fang met his father’s gaze squarely. "The court has sent investigators. My name will be cleared. If you slander me as unfilial now to ruin my career, do you think Princess Fu'an and Young Master Shen will let it slide?"
"No one can touch me now."
His spine straightened. "And when I rise to power one day, Old Man Zheng... you’d best watch your back."
The gentle fox had bared its fangs.
Without a backward glance, Zheng Fang walked out of the Zheng Family home.
Behind him, Zheng's Father staggered, barely catching himself. His concubine steadied him. "Master, the young master is still your son. A son is closer than a sister, and he’s so talented..."
"Even you betray me?"
"This servant wouldn’t dare."
She lowered her head, hiding her resentment. She too had a son—one who could have thrived with an influential brother. Instead, they were driving away their golden goose.
Fools.
