Chapter 1: The Third Young Master of the Chen Family
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone froze in place, a new layer of cold sweat forming on their foreheads, yet they did not dare to raise their hands to wipe it away
Upon entering the door and passing through the garden, I arrived at the main hall, where indeed many people were seated. They had originally been engaged in some debate, but as Chen Mubai walked in gracefully, they suddenly fell silent.
Chen Mubai gently brushed his sleeve and spoke slowly, "The eldest young master has never memorized the Disciples' Rules since childhood. Has he been memorizing these few lines for quite a few days now?"
Chen Mubai opened his innocent eyes and answered in a crisp voice, "Tang Ke took me to pick a young girl, saying it was a gift for my coming-of-age ceremony. That girl is fair and tender, truly beautiful..."
In contrast to his calm and leisurely demeanor, the young man holding the umbrella was sweating profusely, "Young Master, please stop putting on airs! Hurry up and go inside!"
After Chen Muyun took a few deep breaths, he suddenly realized who had reminded him. He abruptly turned his head to look at Chen Mubei, who appeared so nonchalant, as if this matter had nothing to do with him at all
Chen Muyun was exposed, blushing and struggling desperately, "You are simply... simply..."
"Enough!" The usually silent Chen Mingmo seemed to shift his gaze from Dong Minghui and circled it around to Chen Mubai, "Mubai, your aunt has just passed away, and you are behaving so recklessly. Get out and copy the Book of Filial Piety ten times!"
Chen Mubai's tone shifted as he raised his head, his face filled with remorse. "Father is right. Since I have made a mistake, I must face it. I will go to the United States to reflect on my actions. I will leave today"
It is indeed the season of continuous rain, and the gloomy weather over the past few days has left people feeling rather dispirited. Nestled in the tranquil and elongated willow-shaded alley is a royal garden, which is the old residence of the Chen family in the city. It is said to have been passed down through generations, having withstood over a hundred years of wind and rain, and it still appears grand and elegant today
Chen Mubai raised his eyes to meet those deep and piercing gaze, showing no sign of fear. "How about finding someone and plucking their eyes out one by one to send to Uncle Dong to relieve his resentment?"
Outrageous and unprincipled
... ...
Chen Mubai leisurely continued for him, "Birds, beasts, are not as good."
We all grew up stepping on the traps of conspiracy, being schemed against along the way. Whose acting skills are inferior to whom? You can feign illness and appear indifferent, while I dare to act innocent and create a fuss. Everyone is a master of performance!
Chen Mubai indeed reined in his smile and immediately assumed a look of melancholy and sorrow, his brows slightly furrowed, thus displaying the expression appropriate for mourning.
Sitting opposite, Chen Muyun is the eldest son of Chen Mingmo, and his mother hails from the Dong family, making her the head matriarch of the Chen family. It is not an exaggeration to say that the Dong family is as wealthy as a nation; whether in the underworld or the legitimate world, the Dong family always commands a degree of respect. With the support of the Dong family, Chen Muyun naturally holds himself in high regard and is imperious.
However, a trace of ripples merely flashed in Dong Minghui's eyes as he looked at Chen Mubai with a cold smile
As she spoke, a hint of an ambiguous smile played at the corners of her mouth, her eyes slightly raised at the edges. Against the backdrop of the peach blossom mole, there was a touch of flirtation, making her originally exquisite face even more radiant. However, this stood in stark contrast to the solemn atmosphere surrounding her.
For Chen Mubai, in relation to Chen Mingmo, he is actually considered a middle-aged father. However, due to Chen Mingmo's well-maintained appearance, it is not obvious. What everyone can see is that in the past two years, Old Chen has increasingly treated his younger son with special regard. Chen Mingmo has always been fair and impartial, but this obvious "special regard" raises the question of whether this preferential treatment is a cherished treasure or a thorn in the flesh. A group of people, unable to discern or guess, can only remain still and quietly observe the situation.
In the evening, a tall and upright young man returned from outside, stepping through the rainwater with steady and unhurried footsteps, accompanied by a boy of similar age who ran alongside him, holding an umbrella.
At this moment, the two large red lanterns in front of the Wangfu Gate have inexplicably been replaced with white lanterns, swaying in the wind and rain. From time to time, people come and go, all dressed in plain white garments, their expressions solemn.
Chen Mubai blinked innocently at him with a pure expression, and after a while, she timidly asked, "Uncle Dong, why does your face look so pale? Are you feeling unwell?"
Chen Mingmo sat in the seat of honor and glanced at him, succinctly uttering a single word, "Sit"
Chen Mingmo slightly raised his eyes and met his gaze for a few seconds, his expression complex, yet he did not say anything
The Chen family has always had numerous descendants, and where there are many people, there are bound to be many disputes. Everyone of some standing in the city knows that the Chen family is a den of tigers and wolves, with intense internal strife. The several cousins engage in both open and covert struggles with great enthusiasm. Moreover, the subordinates affiliated with the Chen family each have their own supporters, which has intensified this internal conflict. If it were not for the current head of the family, Chen Mingmo, keeping things in check, it is likely that chaos would have already erupted.
Only after everyone in the room had left did Chen Mingmo hesitantly speak up, "Are we all... falling for this kid's tricks?"
The middle-aged man sitting behind Chen Muyun sneered and said, "The third young master of the Chen family is indeed quite eloquent"
These three factions are engaged in both overt and covert struggles, yet Chen Mingmo remains steadfast and unmoved. After a while, he finally speaks calmly and without disturbance, asking, "Where have you gone?"
After speaking, he turned around to open the door, not bringing any luggage with him, as if he was just stepping out for a moment and would return soon
Chen Hetushu .com .com Mu Yun could no longer contain his impatience and jumped up in a fluster, pointing at Chen Mubai and interrupting him, "You ... you ..."
Chen Mubai's mother was Chen Mingmo's mistress. By the time he entered the Chen family, he was already old enough to remember. How could Chen Muyun's mother swallow this grievance? She claimed to treat him as her own, but who could truly know the affairs within the deep courtyard? It is already remarkable for a child without support to grow up in such a grand residence, let alone Chen Mubai, who has become increasingly outstanding over the past two years, employing increasingly ruthless and vicious methods, reminiscent of Chen Mingmo's former style. Some of the older subordinates in the Chen family hold this young man in high regard. However, in recent years, this young man seems particularly calm and low-key, avoiding the spotlight, like a ferocious beast lying in wait in the shadows, ready to strike at any moment.
It is said that when Dong Minghui was young, he was once kidnapped. Initially, the Dong family was unwilling to pay the ransom, but later the kidnappers sent two of his teeth to the Dong family, prompting them to obediently pay the ransom. Not to mention how miserable those kidnappers ended up, this experience has become an everlasting pain in Dong Minghui's heart. For so many years, no one dared to mention it, but now it has been casually brought up by their beloved Third Young Master, who is playfully poking at it with a small knife. Truly, heroes emerge from youth!
To be like this is to be worse than a beast
Chen Mubai raised his chin slightly defiantly, "What? That girl was noticed by you first? Let me make it clear, even if you noticed her first, I still cannot allow it."
You..." Chen Muyun gave Chen Muzhao a glance, but Chen Muzhao continued to cough and lowered his head, not even looking at him.
Chen Muzhao is the son of Chen Mingmo's elder brother. From birth, he has been a fragile child, using his weak and sickly appearance to conceal a heart as venomous as a snake's. He was originally meant to be the eldest son and the legitimate grandson of the family, but his father passed away early, and Chen Mingmo seized the position of the leader, holding it for several decades. On the surface, he shows great respect for Chen Mingmo, yet their branch subtly exhibits signs of decline, though it is not without the support of some vassals who are dissatisfied with Chen Mingmo's actions.
To oppose is to act in defiance of the natural order
Chen Mubai glanced around, and indeed, everything that should be there and should not be there was present.
The people indoors were taken aback once again. What exactly is going on? During such a sensitive period, which is a crucial moment for dividing the territory, Chen Mubai just left like this?
Chen Mubai walked slowly to the empty seat reserved for him and had just settled down when the pale-faced young man sitting in the wheelchair next to him covered his mouth and nose and coughed a few times, sounding both real and feigned. Then, in a hoarse voice, he said, "The scent of dust on the Third Young Master is rather strong"
This is utterly unacceptable
Chen Mingmo, with his iron-fisted approach, fought his way through the challenges of the past to ascend to the position of the leader. His profound scheming, numerous strategies, and ruthless methods have allowed him to advance further in the political arena, attaining a high status. To this day, everyone respectfully refers to him as "Old Chen." Beyond his age and experience, the public's sentiment towards him is more one of fear than respect, with the fear often outweighing the respect.
Chen Muyun stood up with red eyes, tears streaming down her face, "Third brother, since the day you entered the Chen family, my mother has treated you as her own. On this day, it takes three invitations and four requests for you to agree to return. What exactly do you mean by this?"
Chen Muzhao did not refute this; instead, he began to cough violently again, but in between coughs, he cast a glance at the person opposite him
Chen Mingmo gazed thoughtfully at the wind and rain outside, wondering, "Why do I feel like I am missing something..."
Chen Muyun clearly did not recognize the situation, "Dad, does copying the Classic of Filial Piety ten times make everything alright after he has committed such a heinous act? Aren't you being too biased?"
Chen Mubai showed no signs of regret on his face, smiling as he glanced around the room, and finally nonchalantly directed his gaze towards Chen Mingmo's face
The middle-aged man standing beside me spoke to comfort, "You are overthinking it."
Today marks the day of his mother's funeral
Perhaps out of exasperation, Chen Muyun suddenly found herself at a loss for words
Chen Mubai has never been someone who cares about the opinions of others. In his view, being worse than a beast is still being worse than a beast, and there are not many who can achieve such a state. This can also be seen as a form of affirmation for him
The farce comes to an end, leaving everyone somewhat bewildered, unsure of what this Third Young Master is really up to.
"As soon as the madam encountered trouble, the third young master acted in such a manner, it is simply..."
The crowd was initially taken aback, and then they began to furrow their brows and discuss quietly among themselves
Chen Mubai turned to look at Chen Muzhao, his face filled with a mix of confusion and a hint of grievance, saying, "I haven't complained about the strong smell of medicine on you, so why do you still find fault with me?"
"You shut up! When my mother was alive, you never called her 'Mom' even once. You never even glanced at her when she was ill. Is this how you show filial piety? As the ancient saying goes, 'When a parent is ill, one should first taste the medicine, serve day and night, never leave the bedside, mourn for three years, always grieve, change one's residence, abstain from wine and meat, fulfill all funeral rites, offer sincere sacrifices, and treat the deceased as if they were alive...'" Chen Muyun muttered this while casting a sidelong glance at Chen Mingmo. "As the ancient saying goes, 'When a parent is ill, one should first taste the medicine, serve day and night, never leave the bedside, mourn for three years, always grieve, change one's residence, abstain from wine and meat, fulfill all funeral rites, offer sincere sacrifices, and treat the deceased as if they were alive...'" Chen Muyun continued to mutter this while glancing at Chen Mingmo.
As he reached the door, the young man suddenly stopped, peering out from beneath a black umbrella with a face that was delicately featured. A hint of mischief danced in his eyes, and a very faint peach blossom mole adorned the outer corner of his left eye, exuding an air of captivating charm. He glanced at the white curtain hanging at the entrance and unexpectedly revealed a smile that was filled with a sinister allure.
Chen Mubai listened to him finish reciting before giving a look of appreciation and concluding, "Well recited."