Zhang San, please behave yourself!
Chapter 336 - 322: "Smart" Baili Family

Chapter 336: Chapter 322: "Smart" Baili Family

Under the cover of night, within the ancestral hall of the Baili Family.

The sound of slapping, as if something was striking skin with heavy blows.

At the same time, there were sounds of someone grinding their teeth in pain echoing through the hall.

"Take it easy."

"Easy? Humph! I wish I could whip this unfilial son to death!"

Slap—

The elder’s plea from the side did not make the man holding the long whip hold back, instead, he raised the whip in his hand and lashed it once more across the back of Baili Chengfeng, who was already beaten until his skin burst open and bled on the ground.

"This unfilial son! If it weren’t for the trouble you caused back then, our Baili Family would have stood tall in the Town Demon Office for many years. Why bother having to go to the Town Martial Office now!"

"That’s the Town Martial Office, almost in direct opposition to the Town Demon Office!"

The more Baili Tu, the head of the Baili Family, spoke, the angrier he became, lashing out several more times at Baili Chengfeng, who was already lying prostrate on the ground.

Baili Chengfeng, who had been whipped countless times, was now in so much pain that he could only moan, unable to utter a word.

Many of the family elders present couldn’t bear to watch and spoke up, "Family Head, do we really have to listen just because the imperial relatives speak up? You must know, over the years, our Baili Family has been loyal only to Emperor Kaihuang! Not loyal to anyone else!"

"That’s right! It’s because of our unwavering loyalty that the Baili Family has its standing today. Family Head, there might be a way to resolve this issue!"

Baili Tu cast a glance at the rebellious son lying on the ground, snorted coldly, and then turned towards the many young descendants who were already trembling with fear in the ancestral hall.

"I will personally go and speak to Emperor Kaihuang about this matter. As for you all, stay out of trouble lately, do not stir up incidences everywhere, and most certainly do not bring any trouble to the family! Especially that Zhang San, stay as far away from him as possible, and do not provoke him, understand?"

The young people of the Baili Family nodded their heads in rapid succession.

Baili Tu threw the whip smeared with fresh blood onto the floor of the ancestral hall before leaving.

And the eldest elder, along with the other family elders, also left.

But the eldest elder did not return to his own room. Instead, he took a roundabout way to Baili Tu’s place.

"Family Head, from the tone of your speech just now, it doesn’t seem like there’s a chance of turning things around. Is our Baili Family really going to give up everything in the Town Demon Office and go to the Town Martial Office? If we go to the Town Martial Office, I’m afraid our Baili Family won’t even be able to secure a Principal Officer’s position!"

Baili Tu, still fuming, sat down and shook his head with a sigh, "I am well aware of that. But the problem is, this time, Chamber Head Changle herself has asked. You know her status."

The elder snorted disdainfully, "She’s just a deposed Empress Dowager from the previous dynasty, who after Emperor Kaihuang’s ascension was made Princess Changle. She insists on calling herself Chamber Head Changle. Just a dethroned Empress Dowager, what’s there to be afraid of?"

Baili Tu’s eyes widened as he looked at his uncle from the clan, finally understanding why the young people of the Baili Family were increasingly getting into trouble outside.

The elders have no sense of measure!

"Uncle, you seem to have forgotten that Chamber Head Changle is also Emperor Kaihuang’s eldest daughter, who was married off to the Northern Zhou emperor and once served as an Empress, haven’t you?"

"Of course, I remember, but Northern Zhou is in the past, and now is the Great Sui! It’s our Great Sui!"

Baili Tu listened to his clan uncle’s words and felt a headache coming on.

"Uncle, please be sensible! In the past, when Wang Mang usurped the Han, his daughter was the former Empress, later granted the title of ’Chamber Head of the Imperial Family.’ When Emperor Kaihuang initially gave his eldest daughter the title of Princess Changle, she insisted on calling herself ’Chamber Head of Changle,’ clearly accusing Emperor Kaihuang’s actions of resembling those of Wang Mang!"

At this point, Baili Tu stood up and looked at his clan uncle, speaking sternly, "Although she is the eldest daughter of Emperor Kaihuang, by scolding Emperor Kaihuang this way, have you seen Emperor Kaihuang get angry? Even my Baili Family went out of our way to protect the Chamber Head of Changle for quite a while."

"Don’t you understand? In Emperor Kaihuang’s eyes, he owes his eldest daughter an apology; thus, he lets her have her way. If she calls herself ’Chamber Head of Changle,’ he officially grants her that title; if she wishes to engage in commerce, he lets her establish the ’Yu Family’; and even recently, when the Chamber Head of Changle took people to Northern Zhou’s imperial mausoleum to offer sacrifices, a minister who impeached her was run over and had his leg broken by a horse from the Town Martial Office the very next day. Do you really think Emperor Kaihuang is that mild-tempered?"

"Emperor Kaihuang is patient with his eldest daughter because her son died by His Majesty’s hand. Emperor Kaihuang owes the life of his eldest daughter. Surely you don’t believe that my Baili Family holds more importance in Emperor Kaihuang’s eyes than his eldest daughter? Since the Chamber Head of Changle has spoken up, there’s no room for discussion. At the necessary moment, by lending a hand, our Baili Family might avoid decline after joining the Town Martial Office."

Elder Bai, who stood beside him, finally understood the pros and cons after hearing Baili Tu’s words and nodded slightly.

Little did they know, at that moment in the Baili Family’s ancestral hall, after all the elders had left, everyone looked at Baili Chengfeng, who lay on the ground covered in blood.

They wanted to help, but because of this fellow, the Baili Family now had to leave the Town Demon Office and join the Town Martial Office.

The Baili Family had considered themselves a part of the Town Demon Office, always uncompromising when encountering people from the Town Martial Office.

In the entire Capital, only Li Moxian and the future father-in-law, Principal Officer Ximen, were the people whom the Baili Family would treat with courtesy.

But now, to join the Town Demon Office was something utterly incomprehensible to the brain.

What’s the difference between setting someone’s house on fire yesterday and rushing over to help rebuild it today? Aren’t they afraid of being subjected to petty retaliations to death after joining?

Therefore, as everyone watched Baili Chengfeng, who seemed to have fainted, no one wanted to bother with him.

"If we really end up joining the Town Martial Office, what are we going to do?"

"Let’s wait for the Family Head’s news. Perhaps if he pleads with Emperor Kaihuang, we won’t have to join," someone suggested.

"But how can this make any sense? Just because Baili Chengfeng encountered a member of the Imperial Family, and then demands our Baili Family to join the Town Martial Office, we must comply? Even if it’s Imperial Relatives, you can’t be so unreasonable!"

Suddenly, a sharp individual stepped forward from the crowd.

"I remember now! Have you heard about what happened with the Wen Family not long ago?"

"It’s about Head Wen Chudao of the Wen Family announcing at his eldest son and grandson’s funeral that they cannot seek revenge on Zhang San, as there is no proof that Wen Ruchu died at his hands, given that the Wen Family’s original heir apparent died by Zhang San’s doing."

"Yet the most intelligent young member of the Wen Family analyzed Wen Chudao’s true intention: anyone who can kill Zhang San will be the heir to the position of Head of the Wen Family."

In that moment, a glint of wisdom flashed in the eyes of countless young people.

They had a realization!

So this was what the Baili Family Head meant!

What were they waiting for?

It was time to reach out to the Zheng and Wen families!

Zhang San, the grandfathers of the Baili Family are coming for you!