Miss Truth -
Chapter 510 - 338: The Biggest Loser
Chapter 510: Chapter 338: The Biggest Loser
Lord Shiyi appeared to be only around seventeen or eighteen years old, his cheeks still slightly chubby as though he hadn’t entirely lost his baby fat. His facial features were much softer compared to Xiao Xuanzhi, and his eyebrows and eyes were especially bright and beautiful. Those eyebrows were not the sharp sword-like brows typical of many young lords in the Xiao Family, but long and gentle, with clear and innocent eyes that seemed completely harmless.
Ran Yan was very surprised. In her estimation, Lord Shiyi was likely a man of great ambition, which was why he would have an involvement with Lady Dongyang. However, his looks were so deceiving that they took her completely by surprise.
Lord Shiyi seemed to detect Ran Yan’s gaze, his eyes shifted slightly as he stole a glance at her. Upon seeing Ran Yan’s delicate and exquisite appearance, he was momentarily stunned, then covertly winked at her, his lips curling into a slight smile, unaware of Xiao Song standing beside her.
Ran Yan was astonished— even in such a situation, he still thought of flirting with his sister-in-law! It seemed he truly was a profligate.
Xiao Song’s brow furrowed, and the temperature in the surroundings seemed to drop a few degrees. His sonorous voice carried a spine-chilling coldness as he broke the silence of the room, "There’s no rush, little brother. After the Clan Leader has dealt with the matter, your elder brother will personally introduce you to your ninth sister-in-law."
The others had also noticed Xiao Shuo’s subtle motion, but from their angle, they couldn’t see his expression. When Xiao Song pointed it out, the room instantly fell into dead silence.
Thump!
Xiao Jing trembled with rage, slapping his hand on the table as he shouted, "Summon the men, Xiao Shuo has behaved improperly in the ancestral hall, showing disrespect to our ancestors—punish him with ten strokes of the cane!"
Showing such disrespect to his brother and sister-in-law in front of their ancestors was intolerable.
Xiao Song, noticing someone slightly straighten up as if to intercede, respectfully stood up first and said, "Please calm your anger, Clan Leader. My brother has always been lively; I believe he was merely curious. A small punishment as a warning might suffice—isn’t caning a bit too harsh?"
His expression was earnest, and his plea seemed genuine as if he truly wished to seek mercy for Xiao Shuo.
But the word "lively" struck Xiao Jing like a knife to the heart. Almost all of the sons from the third branch of the family had died young at the end of the Sui dynasty, leaving only this single survivor. On his deathbed, Xiao Zuo had personally entrusted little Xiao Shuo, who was still in swaddling clothes, to Xiao Jing, asking him to ensure the child was raised well. Even if he couldn’t achieve greatness, he should at the very least be a man of integrity and not bring shame to the Xiao name.
Xiao Zuo and Xiao Jing were born of the same mother and had a very close relationship. Thinking of his older brother’s only living line, Xiao Jing treated Xiao Shuo even better than his own sons.
Xiao Shuo, as a child, was a hundred times more well-behaved and smarter than Xiao Song. Xiao Jing had been very satisfied with him. But as Xiao Shuo grew up, he became increasingly addicted to the pleasures of women, neglecting his advancement. At first, Xiao Jing thought it might be the will of heaven, indicating that the third branch should focus on progeny. Thus, he only scolded him lightly, even arranging for Xiao Shuo to marry a wife from a distinguished family, a woman of grace and beauty, as well as two concubines. Including the maid-servants, he had a total of twelve women; unexpectedly, this only emboldened him to continue liaising with the maids and frequently spending nights in brothels...
Xiao Jing felt deeply ashamed of failing his brother’s entrusted task—it had become a festering wound in his heart, one that he felt he might not be able to face even in death.
Now, with just a light touch by Xiao Song, Xiao Jing’s anger flared even higher, and he coughed a few times in fury before continuing bitterly, "I’m not blind. There’s no need to make excuses for him, beat him!"
Seeing that Xiao Jing’s mind was made up, Xiao Song said no more, his face showing a trace of regret as he sat waiting for the family punishment to be administered.
Xiao Shuo felt great resentment but dared not argue, fearing that Xiao Song would turn ten strokes into twenty.
Ran Yan glanced at Xiao Song, then quickly lowered her eyes to her own sleeves. Before long, dull thudding sounds began to echo, intermittently mixed with Xiao Shuo’s cries of pain.
After only six or seven blows, Ran Yan could faintly smell blood, prompting her to look up. The cane was made of iron with an uneven surface, and the men administering the punishment were stout, muscular fellows. Just a few hits were enough to cause wounds and lacerations, far from the few gentle taps with a wooden stick Ran Yan had imagined.
Initially, Ran Yan thought ten strokes of caning was not a severe punishment. Upon seeing it, she realized that twenty would likely take half a man’s life, and even ten would require at least ten days to half a month of recovery.
"I’ll ask you one more time, why exactly did you meet with Chun Lai?" Xiao Jing stared intently at Xiao Shuo, who was lying on the ground, and asked coldly.
At this moment, Xiao Shuo could still manage a smile, gasping for air as he snorted, "With her looks, do you think I’d fancy her? If she hadn’t asked to meet me, I wouldn’t even consider laying a hand on a maid of her caliber."
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