HBWMA -Chapter 395 Family Discipline

“Bang—bang—”

Two consecutive gunshots were fired from the high tower.

Bai Mi’s expression changed drastically as he shouted at Fu Sui’er, “Run!”

Fu Sui’er held tightly onto Jiang Huashan. “I’m not leaving! Even if I die, I’ll die with her!”

As soon as her words fell, two bullet trails sliced through the air, passing on either side of Fu Sui’er. The bullets cut through the airflow and sent strands of scattered hair flying apart.

“……”

Bai Mi fell silent for a moment, then looked up toward the tower a thousand meters away.

On the other side, Xia Xingshen had already changed direction when Fu Sui’er disrupted the situation. He knew that with more and more people getting involved, the best chance to kill Jiang Huashan had already been missed.

Just as he rounded a corner, a black shadow suddenly emerged in front of him.

“Fired a shot and now you want to run?” Zhou Yanheng pointed a gun at his forehead. “Did I agree to that?”

Xia Xingshen’s gaze darkened slightly as he slowly raised his hands.

Zhou Yanheng was about to pull the trigger when Xia Xingshen suddenly stepped forward, pressing his forehead against the gun barrel.

“So it seems tonight’s matter is still unknown to Young Master Zhou?”

A dark light flashed in Zhou Yanheng’s eyes, his expression unreadable. “You’re from the Zhou family? Then you’re even more deserving of death.”

Xia Xingshen said calmly, “The value of me being alive is definitely greater than death.”

As he spoke, he suddenly pulled off his mask.

“Why doesn’t Young Master Zhou go back and ask the old master before making a decision?”

He had revealed his true face. With the Zhou family’s power, killing him would be as easy as turning a hand.

“Bang—”

At that moment, a gunshot rang out from the direction of the tower.

Xia Xingshen looked up at the night sky. Dark clouds rushed past, and the rain was about to stop.

He sighed lightly, a faint trace of regret in his smile. “Looks like Old Du has also been taken out. To still be able to send people to ambush the tower at this time, Shen Lanxi and the others’ crisis should already be resolved. Young Master Zhou should make a decision quickly, or there won’t be any time left to play once they arrive.”

After a moment of thought, Zhou Yanheng lowered his gun. “Get lost.”

Xia Xingshen seemed to have expected this outcome. He lowered his head and put his mask back on. “Thank you, Young Master Zhou. Until we meet again.”

The heavy rain began to subside, and Xia Xingshen’s figure was gradually swallowed by the darkness.

Zhou Yanheng stood in place for a while. Just as he was about to turn away, a rustling sound suddenly came from the bushes in the corner. His eyes darkened, and he walked toward it.

“Who’s there? Come out.”

“I didn’t hear anything. I don’t know anything.” Gu Yuzhu crawled out of the grass in a frenzy, clutching her pierced palm, her expression distorted, dragging herself forward with both hands and feet.

“How is it you again?”

Zhou Yanheng clicked his tongue and pointed his gun at her forehead.

“Don’t kill me! I promise I won’t say anything, I’ll behave, I’ll listen! Please! Please!”

The previous shot had already shown Gu Yuzhu how terrifying Zhou Yanheng was. Seeing the gun aimed at her again, she panicked completely, throwing herself onto the ground and clinging to his legs in desperate pleading.

Zhou Yanheng frowned and kicked her away. Just as he was about to shoot, he suddenly thought of something. He crouched down and stepped on her injured hand.

“Can you really behave?”

Gu Yuzhu trembled in pain, nodding desperately while crying, “Yes, I can, I promise!”

Zhou Yanheng stood up and slowly released her hand. “You said it yourself.”

Gu Yuzhu lay on the ground, not daring to look up.

After dealing with this side, Zhou Yanheng turned back toward the courtyard gate.

“Shanshan!” Fu Sui’er was holding Jiang Huashan, screaming at the top of her lungs. “Is anyone there?! Brother Lanxi! Brother A-Ling! Brother Qingyu!!! Is anyone there?! Help her! Help her!!”

Zhou Yanheng’s expression changed slightly. Just as he was about to step forward, he saw a group of people rushing over from the stone path.

He paused, hesitated for a moment, then retreated back into the courtyard.

To ensure the scene was secure, Bai Mi ordered his subordinates to capture the sniper on the tower himself went after another assassin.

Old Gu, carrying a submachine gun, chased one of them all the way to the inner courtyard pond and killed him there. When he returned, he happened to run into people from the Shen family arriving.

His identity was sensitive. With such a major incident tonight, if he were caught on the spot, the old lady on the throne would likely beat him into a pulp.

After thinking it over again and again, Bai Mi also chose to retreat.

Yet for some reason, he still felt an inexplicable emptiness in his heart, as if something had snagged him.

Bai Mi felt a little lost and turned back to look at the girl in the rain.

Strange—now that the wind and rain had eased, why were her wings still there?

Eight hours later.

Qinyuan.

The caretakers in the inner courtyard moved in and out. No one dared to make a sound as they worked in an orderly manner along the corridors.

In the flower hall, a large crowd gathered. Shen Zhuang sat upright in the main seat, his expression cold and stern. The others wore grave expressions, heads lowered in silence.

“Get on your knees.”

At this command, Shen Lanxi, Shen Guiling, and Shen Qingyu immediately stood up and knelt down with a thud.

Shen Zhuang asked, “Whose idea was it to take over the Northern District villa?”

Shen Lanxi lowered his head. “Mine.”

Shen Zhuang nodded. “Shen Zhi, go invite the third son and his wife over.”

Shen Lanxi’s expression changed slightly as he looked up at Shen Zhuang. “Grandfather…”

Shen Zhi looked troubled, but at a time like this, anyone who tried to dissuade him would be courting death. He lowered his head and rushed out of the flower hall. Not long after, he returned holding two ancestral spirit tablets.

“Place them properly.”

“Yes.” Shen Zhi carefully placed the tablets at the head position.

Shen Lanxi looked at the familiar names engraved on them and kowtowed three times with reddened eyes.

Shen Zhuang said, “Because of your parents, I have never been willing to lay a hand on you. But you have made a grave mistake today. It cannot go unpunished. Shen Zhi, bring the family discipline.”

“…Yes.” Shen Zhi, torn and hesitant, finally took down the red wooden rattan whip from the rack.

Shen Zhuang said coldly, “Give him one hundred lashes first. Let him learn his lesson!”

“Old Master, th-this won’t do!” Shen Zhi dropped to his knees while holding the whip.

Shen Lanxi was the only remaining bloodline of the eldest branch. Shen Zhuang normally wouldn’t even speak harshly to him. One hundred lashes—who would dare strike?

“There’s nothing that won’t do! Strike him!” Shen Zhuang roared in fury and grabbed a teacup from the table, smashing it hard toward Shen Lanxi.

Shen Lanxi closed his eyes. The cup struck his forehead, splitting the skin open, yet he did not flinch or dodge.

Gao Zhi, guarding outside the hall, was so frightened by the scene that his inner panicked voice nearly exploded on the spot.

It’s over, it’s over!

The old master has completely lost it. This time, the young master is doomed.

Gao Zhi swallowed nervously and cautiously stepped back. Too terrifying—he should find somewhere to hide quickly, so he wouldn’t get dragged into this.

“Gao Zhi.”

Just as he had that thought, Shen Zhuang suddenly called his name. Gao Zhi froze in terror and mechanically stepped into the flower hall.

Before Shen Zhuang could even speak, Gao Zhi dropped to his knees.

“Old Master, please be clear—this matter was entirely the young master and Young Master A-Ling and Young Master Qingyu acting on their own. I tried to stop them, but they wouldn’t listen.”

“…”

Shen Lanxi’s brows twitched slightly.

Shen Zhuang’s expression remained unreadable as he slowly said, “Since that’s the case, you’ll carry out the hundred lashes. Let’s see if he dares to ignore advice again in the future.”

Gao Zhi: “…”