“Are you saying that the crimes you committed are my fault, Xie Jun’s, for not teaching you properly?”
“Your son didn’t say that.”
Xie Jun laughed coldly: “Fine, if you want to return to the Xie family, then you must follow the Xie family’s rules.”
“Father’s teaching is correct.”
Xie Jun’s voice was ice-cold, looking at his own son as if viewing an enemy.
“Open the ancestral hall, bring out the family law.”
——
Nanyi had just hidden herself under the offering table when a great procession of people entered the ancestral hall. Nanyi didn’t dare look outside, only holding her breath and listening to the movements outside.
“I’ll ask you one more time. Today, if you are a Qi envoy, everyone in the Xie household will fear and respect you, but please return to where you belong. If you want to return to Wangxue Manor as a descendant of the Xie clan, then first receive punishment and confess your sins before the ancestors.”
“Your son willingly accepts punishment.”
Xie Queshan swept aside his robes and knelt in the ancestral hall.
Hearing Xie Queshan’s voice, Nanyi was startled. After hesitating, she still gently lifted a corner of the tablecloth and peered out through the gap.
No matter what upheavals occurred, Xie Queshan always maintained that unruffled expression.
Xie Jun shouted angrily: “Remove his clothes!”
Two servants stepped forward to remove Xie Queshan’s upper garments.
Nanyi was somewhat terrified, even she could feel the thunderous rage, afraid such anger might affect her too, and hurriedly withdrew her hand to hide back in the darkness.
Then came the sound of wooden rods striking flesh from outside. The rods struck heavily, each blow producing a muffled sound of skin splitting and flesh tearing.
Yet the person being punished didn’t make a sound.
Didn’t it hurt?
Nanyi twisted the fabric in her hands tightly. The rod wasn’t falling on her body and had nothing to do with her—she should be gloating that someone could subdue the great demon, but why was she nervous?
As if possessed, Nanyi once again lifted a corner of the gap and looked out.
Xie Queshan was bare-chested, lying prone on a long bench. His hands gripped the bench edges tightly, veins nearly bulging on the backs of his hands. He kept his head down, his temples covered densely with cold sweat. Even someone usually so calm couldn’t suppress the pain on his face at this moment. His back was covered with shocking bloody welts, but he still hadn’t made a sound.
No one in the ancestral hall dared speak. Even Xie Sui’an was shocked by this scene, her expression slowly changing from initial satisfaction to some reluctance to continue watching. She wanted to say something but was stopped by Lu Jinxiu, who gave her a warning look and shook her head. Xie Sui’an could only swallow her words.
Lu Jinxiu retreated to the back of the crowd and quietly left the ancestral hall.
Xie Queshan’s gaze had been fixed on one spot, all his attention controlled by his iron will, but another heavy blow finally made him unable to suppress a muffled groan, and his gaze scattered elsewhere. He suddenly saw a pair of eyes behind the tablecloth gap—those eyes were watching him.
He actually couldn’t see through these crystal-clear eyes.
They gazed at each other like this. In the entire noisy ancestral hall, only he knew of her existence, and only she saw the vulnerability in his eyes face-to-face. They were at a safe distance where neither could harm the other. At this moment, they were actually equal, like two drowning people sinking together. Perhaps because his body hurt too much, an absurd thought suddenly flashed through his mind: if the human world was this bitter, if Western Paradise was a lie, then he wanted to pull her down to hell with him.
With a bang, the wooden rod broke.
Xie Jun remained unmoved and instructed those beside him: “Continue.”
Xie Queshan gasped for breath, his mouth filled with the strong taste of blood, yet he laughed.
“Father, do you want to beat me to death?”
“Even if you, this unfilial son, died ten thousand times, it wouldn’t be enough to apologize to our ancestors!”
“Even vicious tigers don’t eat their cubs. Would Father have the face to meet our ancestors?”
“Continue!”
The servants also hesitated somewhat, but since the lord had ordered it, they could only comply. They raised the wooden rod again and struck down heavily.