TSWPF -Chapter 240 Fury

Liu Zhishan staggered in, calling out as he walked, “Grandfather, Grandfather—how are you?”

When the old man saw Liu Zhishan, his brows knitted together and he said coolly, “Shouting like this here—where is your sense of propriety?” He had no fondness at all for Liu Zhishan, this spoiled wastrel.

He truly did not know how Old Master Liu had taught him, letting this grandson cause trouble everywhere.

Choked by the old man’s words, Liu Zhishan opened his mouth to retort, but when he met his grandfather’s displeased gaze, the words at the tip of his tongue were forcibly swallowed back down.

The person he feared most was his grandfather.

“He won’t die,” Liu Zhen said, his brows furrowed deeply. Toward this grandson, he was utterly disappointed. “Liu Zhishan, you’re becoming more and more capable, aren’t you? If something like this happens again, I’ll let you fend for yourself.”

This grandson was about to completely disgrace him.

When he got back, he would definitely speak to his eldest son—simply throw this boy into the military camp and let him be tempered there, so he would stop running around causing trouble.

Scolded by Liu Zhen, Liu Zhishan shrank his neck, lips pressed tight, not daring to argue back.

If he did, the punishment would only be worse.

After berating him for a while and seeing his head lowered and shoulders hunched, Liu Zhen slowly closed his eyes and gradually suppressed the fire in his heart.

Under normal circumstances, he would certainly be able to endure it—he would never scold people in front of outsiders and bring shame to the Liu family. But today he was in no mood for restraint; he only wanted to vent the anger in his heart.

“Imperial Physician Xue, I feel much better now. Can these needles be removed?”

The grandson had already received his beating; it was time for him to go back as well.

The old man glanced at Liu Zhen, hummed in acknowledgment, and quickly removed the needles from his body.

Liu Zhen slowly sat up, put on his clothes, thanked the old man, and then left the palace with Liu Zhishan.

As soon as they returned to the Liu residence, Liu Zhen turned back and gave Liu Zhishan a cold look, making his heart tremble. He had no idea how his grandfather intended to punish him this time.

“Go kneel in the ancestral hall for three days before coming out.”

As soon as those words fell, Liu Zhishan’s mother, Jiang Yingying, hurried over. Seeing Liu Zhen, she greeted him. After Liu Zhen nodded, she nervously grabbed Liu Zhishan’s hand.

“Shan’er, how are you? Quick, come with Mother to apply medicine. We can’t let any illness or lingering pain remain.”

Joy surged in Liu Zhishan’s heart. As long as his mother took him away, he wouldn’t have to be punished anymore.

But before he could nod, Liu Zhen’s cold words poured over him like icy water.

“Didn’t you hear me clearly? Go kneel in the ancestral hall for three days and three nights before coming out.”

Liu Zhishan stiffened and looked to his mother Jiang Yingying for help.

Here, only his mother could save him.

“Father, Shan’er is still injured. How about… how about waiting until he recovers before punishing him?” Jiang Yingying hurriedly pleaded with Liu Zhen. How could she possibly watch her precious son be punished?

Even an ordinary person couldn’t endure kneeling in the ancestral hall for three days and three nights, let alone her injured son—it would practically cost him his life.

Liu Zhen swept Jiang Yingying with a cold glance. “If he had injured Mr. Luo today, kneeling in the ancestral hall wouldn’t be the end of it—the entire Liu family would have to be buried with him.” From the bottom of his heart, he had never been satisfied with the wife his son married later—she lacked even a shred of the dignity expected of the eldest daughter-in-law. “Even if both his legs had been broken today, he would still kneel for me.”

With that, he no longer looked at Jiang Yingying’s pale face and strode away.

Jiang Yingying clenched her fists tightly, glaring resentfully in Liu Zhen’s direction. Only when his figure disappeared did she withdraw her gaze. She gently patted Liu Zhishan’s hand and comforted him softly. “Shan’er, don’t worry. When your father comes back, I’ll have him plead with your grandfather. It won’t be long before you can come out.”

Liu Zhishan nodded with a bitter face. “Mother, then hurry and get Father to come.” His backside was still injured—if he had to kneel in the ancestral hall, his legs would truly be ruined.

“I will, I will. Don’t worry.”

“Mother, I’ll wait for you.”

After Liu Zhishan was sent to the ancestral hall, Jiang Yingying returned to her room with a darkened expression. At the same time, she ordered someone to keep watch at the gate—once Liu Wenjie returned, he was to be brought straight to her courtyard.

“Madam, how can the young master’s body endure this?” Jiang Yingying’s wet nurse said with a pained look. “The old master is truly too cruel. The young master is injured, yet he still punishes him.”

“Nanny, watch your words. Walls have ears.” Although she too hated Liu Zhen for being so ruthless and biased, she would never speak such words aloud.

She always remembered what her mother had taught her: sail cautiously for ten thousand years. If these words ever reached Liu Zhen’s ears, then she…

Startled by Jiang Yingying’s sharp reprimand, the wet nurse’s face paled. She quickly and fearfully promised it wouldn’t happen again.

After all, this was the wet nurse who had raised her. Jiang Yingying didn’t go too far. She admonished her a few more times, and only stopped when she saw the wet nurse had taken her words to heart.

Some time later, her personal maid hurried in to report that the master had returned, but had been summoned by the old master.

Hearing this, Jiang Yingying’s body slumped. This was bad—now she had no way to plead for Shan’er.

Shan’er would have to suffer through three full days.

Angrily, she flung her hand. With a clatter, the teapot and cups smashed onto the floor, shattering everywhere.

That damned old man… ever since she married into the family, he had never given her a pleasant look. Truly… it infuriated her to death.

“The old master, the eldest master has arrived.”

“Let him in…”

As soon as Liu Wenjie entered the study, he saw his father writing. He knew his father had a habit—whenever his mood was bad, he liked to practice large calligraphy.

Why was his father in a bad mood again today?

Only after finishing a large character—Calm—did Liu Zhen set down the brush. He raised his head and looked at his eldest son, Liu Wenjie. “That fine son of yours has caused trouble again.” Toward this eldest son, he was also somewhat disappointed.

Especially because the eldest son had failed to shoulder his responsibilities as a father to the eldest grandson, and instead overly indulged his younger son, letting him idle about and stir up trouble all day—this left him deeply disappointed.

Hearing this, the smile on Liu Wenjie’s face froze. He cursed inwardly—what had that brat done again?

Truly not a single day without trouble.

“Father, I will definitely discipline that brat properly. Rest assured.”

Liu Zhen let out a cold laugh. “How many times have you said that to me? When have you ever truly disciplined him? Hm?” He took a deep breath to keep himself from getting too agitated, lest he cough up blood again. “I’m telling you—once he comes out of the ancestral hall, send him straight to the military camp for training.” He had reached the limit of his patience with Liu Zhishan.

If that temperament wasn’t corrected soon, his entire life would be ruined.

“This… Father, he’s still young. How about waiting another two years?”

“Young?” At that, Liu Zhen slammed the table and pointed at Liu Wenjie, cursing outright. “He’s already sixteen—still young? How old was Hao’er when he went to the battlefield? Do you, his own father, still remember?”

The look Liu Zhen gave Liu Wenjie was full of mockery.

Sixteen, and he still dared say “young”? Wasn’t he afraid of biting his own tongue saying that?

Thinking of the eldest son who was now distant from him, Liu Wenjie lowered his head, not daring to speak.

Casting another dissatisfied glare at Liu Wenjie, Liu Zhen exhaled heavily, then sat back down and said coldly, “If you don’t straighten out his nature, one day the Liu family will be dragged to death by him.”

Startled, Liu Wenjie hurriedly asked, “Father, th-this… what exactly happened?” He had just returned from handling affairs and hadn’t heard the news. What kind of trouble had that brat caused to make Father so furious?

“Riding a horse recklessly in the busy streets—he nearly knocked into Mr. Luo. The matter went straight to His Majesty, who ordered him to be beaten with ten strokes as punishment,” Liu Zhen said. Thinking of what the Emperor had told him, of the younger son who had died young, then looking at the eldest son before him, his heart ached… truly…

“This time, it was thanks to the quick reaction of Mr. Luo’s guards. Otherwise, had Mr. Luo been struck, what good end would the Liu family have had? Tell me…”

Hearing this, cold sweat broke out all over Liu Wenjie. This was no small matter!

That brat had really caused a huge disaster this time.

No matter what, he could no longer let that brat off lightly just because of his wife’s pleas.

“Father, everything will be as you say. Once Shan’er comes out of the ancestral hall, I’ll send him to the military camp to be tempered.”

This time, Father had truly made up his mind. There was no way it would be easily changed—better to go along with his wishes and let him cool off.

The tightness in Liu Zhen’s face eased slightly. He hummed in agreement and waved Liu Wenjie away.

After Liu Wenjie left, Liu Zhen collapsed back into his chair, staring at the ceiling. He let out a heavy sigh. If Jing’er were still here, the Liu family… the Liu family wouldn’t be like this—glorious on the surface, yet already rotten within.

If he hadn’t been so forceful back then, pushing Jing’er so hard, Jing’er wouldn’t have left home. If he hadn’t left, he wouldn’t have died young.

This… this was all his fault. All his fault!

Liu Zhen raised a hand to cover his aching eyes, his face full of pain.

After the feeling passed, he picked up his brush again and wrote a letter to his eldest grandson, Liu Zhihao, asking clearly about his younger son’s affairs.

Until these matters were clarified, his heart would not settle for a single day.

Once the letter was finished, he summoned the steward and ordered it to be delivered to Liu Zhihao at full speed.

When Liu Zhihao, in the military camp, received this urgent letter and opened it to read, his heart skipped. How did Grandfather know about this matter? Who had told him?

He knew it could no longer be concealed. He could only write back everything he knew and tell Liu Zhen the truth.