Chapter 215 - Two Hundred and Eleven: The Eldest Brother is Like a Father
Tang Luo glanced at the crowd trying to stop him and turned to his mother, Xu Shuhui, saying, “I need to discipline my brother. Please step aside.”
Upon hearing this, Tang Xing, who was lifted by his collar into midair, turned pale immediately.
After hearing Tang Luo’s words, Xu Shuhui’s heart fluttered, and she involuntarily let go of Tang Luo’s arm. In their clan, men held power outside while women handled affairs inside, and an elder brother was considered a father figure—a rule recognized and adopted by their lineage.
To a large extent, the capability of an eldest brother in a clan directly determined his ability to cultivate competent siblings. Undeniably, Tang Luo was the best in his generation, and more so, Tang Xing’s brother. When he needed to discipline his brother who committed a mistake, no one else has the right to interfere—not even her mother.
Still, Xu Shuhui was worried. In her heart, Tang Xing was still a child, so she anxiously advised Tang Luo, “He’s still young. Don’t frighten him.”
After speaking, Xu Shuhui reluctantly let go and stepped aside, but her eyes remained fixed on her youngest son.
Seeing even the matriarch stepping aside, the stewards could only follow suit, backing off and crossing their hands in their front, showing an attitude of profound reverence.
Tang Luo stared at the visibly pale Tang Xing and coldly said to the crowd, “Are you all having problems with your memory?!”
In my hands is not merely an eleven-year-old boy, but a peak martial artist of the Mortal Realm who can easily slaughter hundreds of ordinary people if he sets his mind to it. Are you all actually thinking that merely being picked up by me would cause him any harm?”
Tang Luo exerted force on his right arm, spun, and tossed Tang Xing away. The tremendous power flung the young boy into the sky, spinning like a dried leaf in the wind.
Just as the startled crowd was about to rush forward to rescue him, as if to attest to Tang Luo’s words, the airborne Tang Xing quickly regained his balance, deftly did a somersault, and landed firmly.
Observing the boy’s nimble maneuver, people were reminded that the boy before them is not an ordinary aristocrat, but a martial artist who completed the Foundation Building at the age of nine and had trained in the Martial Hall for two years. Even though he was young, his proficiency could not be underestimated.
People were fooled by his cherubic appearance and his mother’s coddling attitude and momentarily forgot these facts.
“Come over here!” Tang Luo, raising an eyebrow, coldly instructed the now-stationary Tang Xing.
Upon hearing the command, Tang Xing trembled and slowly journeyed to the stage, step by step, until he was standing in front of Tang Luo.
After Tang Luo cast his icy gaze at each steward, he began to speak again, “You all seem to think that our young master here is the victim and the maidservant seduced him willingly, apparently committing an unforgivable sin.”
“Can any of you tell me why, if this maid truly intended to seduce a young master, she didn’t choose to come to my room but instead chose the young master’s room?”
This soul-baring accusation left some of the managers exchanging uneasy glances.
Tang Luo then sternly asked Tang Xing who had moved to his side, “Lift your head! Tell me, weren’t you aware that martial artists should not indulge in sensual pleasure before transcending the Mortal Realm?”
The eleven-year-old boy was too scared to lift his head and could only stutter out, “I… I knew.”
“I said, lift your head!” Tang Luo raised his voice and shouted at Tang Xing.
As soon as Tang Luo asked the first question, Xu Shuhui was already in tears. But she covered her mouth, not allowing a single sound to escape.
And watching her eldest son’s harsh rebuke towards her youngest, she could only close her eyes in anguish, for she was neither naive nor foolish, she understood why Tang Luo was so angry and wanted to discipline Tang Xing. Never having been treated harshly by his brother before, Tang Xing couldn’t help but burst into tears. Terrified and shaking, he managed to lift his head, turning his pleading gaze on his mother, only to find her, though in tears, with her eyes tightly shut.
He had to face his angry brother alone again, his legs shaking and fear flashing in his eyes. He never knew his brother could be so terrifying when he was serious.
Expressionless, Tang Luo coldly asked, “Now tell me. How did a little maid manage to enter your room without your permission?”
The only one who could soothe his brother was his mother, but she kept her eyes tightly shut. Feeling his brother’s severity, Tang Xing, trembling, answered, “I… I let her in.”
“Wuu~” Miao Zhu could no longer hold back her sobs, letting her grievances explode.
Hearing Miao Zhu’s cries, the boy’s face darkened further.
At this point, everyone finally understood what truly happened, yet the managers seemed to have a different opinion.
“Eldest young master-” Manager Xu respectfully chimed in, “Even if the young master let Miao Zhu into his room, the mistake is not his. As a servant, she should have known the rules of the mansion. Instead of reminding the young master to exercise self-restraint, she sneaked into the young master’s room to consort with him, blatantly ignoring the prohibition. The one who commits the crime knowing full well the rules is also guilty!”
As household servants, their primary duty is loyalty; to put it simply, in their eyes, their masters are infallible. Even if they do make mistakes, it’s because their servants failed to perform their duties adequately.
Not only Manager Xu, even Manager Chang spoke out, “Eldest young master, it’s too harsh to punish the young master over a servant’s mistake. We urge you to reconsider.”
Even Liu Niang, who had been defending Miao Zhu, tearfully pleaded, “Eldest young master, you discern truth like autumn’s chilly dew. Although Miao Zhu is guilty, we beg you to spare her life.”
Tang Luo looked at the pleading faces of the managers and coldly replied, “Do you think I’m punishing Tang Xing because of a servant girl? If you don’t know the whole story, then shut up!”
Equality among all beings? This is indeed a beautiful wish, but when in history has there been an absence of social hierarchy?
Today, all Tang Xing did was sleep with a servant girl. No matter how it’s interpreted, it was just that, sleeping with a servant girl.
Tang Luo glared at the boy and angrily said, “As martial artists, we stand between heaven and earth. What is killing people and causing heads to roll? In a chaotic world, who can claim innocence? Even if you are sexually involved with a servant girl or if you devastate the world, I won’t punish you! Remember, a real man can do anything as long as it doesn’t weigh on his conscience. There are no taboos! So this punch today is to punish you for not taking responsibility!”
With his spine making cracking noises, Tang Luo unleashed his Mortal Realm strength without mercy. He threw a punch at the young boy’s chest, and the force sent him flying.
“Crack!” Upon hearing Tang Xing crashing heavily onto the ground, Xu Shuhui’s heart trembled. But she dared not open her eyes. She was just a woman; she could only provide love for her son. She didn’t have the ruthless decisiveness. This was a lesson that only a father could teach. However, Tang Sen was often reticent, which had resulted in Tang Xing’s personality being somewhat weak and being dependent. Although she enjoyed her son’s dependency, she knew it wasn’t a good thing for a boy.
Tang Xing, who flew after taking the punch, tasted a sweetness in his throat and coughed up a mouthful of blood.
The massive Mortal Realm energy had injured his internal organs. His chest felt as if it was about to split open, and it seemed like his ribs could break at any moment.
“Come here by yourself!”
The cold voice echoed again. Tang Xing lifted his head with difficulty, and saw his emotionless brother standing in the middle of the hall..