Chapter 6: The Death of the Disorderly

Fragmented memories suddenly surge forth at this moment

A fierce exchange of words left one feeling utterly disoriented, while Zhao Zhongxin, who had always prided himself on his eloquence, felt his face flush red. He opened his mouth, only to realize that he was unable to refute the first half of the statement.

The sergeant Cheng He, clad in a suit of crimson leather armor, was quite pleased with himself. He believed that this lowly fellow, accustomed to being submissive, would surely leave quietly and dejectedly. In doing so, he would also curry favor with Zhongxin, who currently had a promising chance of becoming the crown prince.

Bang! The incident occurred so suddenly that it was impossible to evade, and there was even no time to extend a hand to block it with an arm guard. A blood-red whip mark instantly appeared on his unhelmed face.

Zhao Yang, who was angry about the disarray of the lineup, happened to witness this scene. In his astonishment, he also heard Zhao Wuxu's voice, which still carried a hint of youthful innocence.

Thus, he could only endure with all his might, contemplating countermeasures, his hands tightly gripping the reins and the whip, the excessive force causing his knuckles to turn white

"It is truly a case of being sold by someone and still having to count the money for them." Although Wu Xu felt a sense of injustice in his heart, he could not act out immediately

On another occasion, she rode freely in the wild with abandon, only to be struck hard by the legitimate wife, who was none other than Zhao Zhongxin's mother, causing her mouth to bleed: "Vile servant! Your nature remains unchanged!"

Is there no fault in your imperial army?

Zhao Wuxu never expected that riding alone on horseback would be so unwelcomed by others

It is said that Fourth Sister Ji Ying pleaded for that despicable illegitimate son, which allowed him to appear in today's hunt, but in the blink of an eye, he has caused trouble. Although Zhao Yang would not truly act against his own kin for the sake of righteousness, a beating is certainly unavoidable

Cheng He was completely stunned, and Zhong Xin was momentarily shocked. Affected by this drastic change, the members of the convoy were somewhat dazed. They did not even notice that the ceremonial procession of the Grand Minister of State of the Song Kingdom had arrived at Mian, and Zhao Yang's carriage was approaching.

However, Zhao Wuxu's response was a whip strike that was swift, precise, and fierce

The deeds of our ancestor Zhao Dun have all been brought to light, can they be opposed? Can they be belittled? When it comes down to it, don't all members of the Zhao family have a part of the bloodline of the Rong and Di tribes? To despise the lineage of Zhao Wuxu is equivalent to slapping oneself in the face

Baseborn wretch, before the coming-of-age ceremony, just honestly shovel dung in the filthy and lowly stable!

Being inexplicably plotted against and becoming the target of public scorn, Zhao Wuxu was furiously insulted by this person in front of him. However, Ji Ying had previously educated him that in the rites and laws of the Spring and Autumn period, as a younger brother, showing disrespect to an elder brother is considered a grave sin. When an elder brother scolds, the younger brother must accept it unconditionally; this is what is known as the virtue of filial piety and brotherly respect

Indeed, upon hearing this, Zhao Zhongxin, who was in the same vehicle, let out a disdainful snort, and the other scholars and officials in the war chariots also displayed a contemptuous smile as if to say, "So that is how it is"

The one who has arrived is Zhao Yang, whose face is as cold as frost. His beautiful beard trembles slightly when he is angry, and the originally noisy convoy suddenly falls silent.

However, his appearance alongside the books gives the impression that he is a stone that anyone can tread upon

When he arrived at Mianshang with Yu Xi and Mu Xia, appearing before the orderly Zhao family convoy, they were first met with a moment of silence, followed by a burst of hearty laughter

He boldly mocked, saying: "Ladies and gentlemen, the mother of the unrefined young man is a woman of the Di clan. As the saying goes, like mother, like son; it is only natural for him to inherit her nature. We should show some understanding towards him"

At that moment, a voice filled with anger was heard: "What are you doing?"

The most excessive of all was the second son, Zhongxin, who fiercely tore at the folds of Zhao Wuxu's trousers and loudly reprimanded him in public: "You base-born wretch, dressed in barbarian attire and riding alone on horseback, truly disgraceful to the dignity of the noble clan. Hurry and dismount to change your clothes!"

This morning, Uncle Zhao's suggestion truly turned out to be a poisonous fruit! At this point, Wu Xu has completely seen through his insidiousness and cunning.

The charioteer of Zhao Zhongxin is Shangshi Cheng He, who knows that Wu Xu holds a very low status within the clan and has always been despised by both the legitimate wife and Zhongxin

This statement is a veiled criticism, clearly directed at Zhao Zhongxin

The current situation is that as the commander of the troops, the family of Sima is not even allowing Zhao Wuxu to join the Zhao family convoy. The three men on horseback can only awkwardly pace around the periphery, enduring the pointed remarks of the Zhao family's retainers and the gentry.

Having disregarded the excruciating pain on his cheek, he tumbled off the war vehicle, lying motionless on the cold, muddy ground

The servant deserves to die

Cheng He sighed in relief, bowed deeply, and despite the pain of having his fief stripped away, he could only feel grateful that he had salvaged his own life.

Zhao Yang turned his gaze towards Zhao Wuxu and said: "As for you, this illegitimate son, on the day of the hunt, you rode in alone, breached our chariot formation, and disrupted our order. Do you know your crime?"

The legitimate eldest son, Beru, upon seeing this, hurriedly instructed the imperial guards to position the war chariot in the middle, separating his two brothers who were on the verge of drawing their swords and bows. However, this only further disrupted the order of the Zhao family’s convoy, and even the family steward's repeated reprimands could not regain control.

In the Spring and Autumn period, it was quite rare to travel on horseback alone; the gentry preferred to sit in various comfortable carriages, dressed in long robes with wide sleeves, fully displaying their noble demeanor. In their view, those who rode alone were either defeated soldiers or hurried, disheveled travelers

However, according to the family law, your crime does not warrant death. Today, there are distinguished guests from the Song state present, making it inappropriate to carry out the punishment. Therefore, I will first revoke one hundred households from your fief. As for the other matters, we will settle accounts with you upon your return

Old Uncle Lu is a man of integrity. He persistently invites Wu Xu to dismount, to find a cart or a carriage to ride in. However, if that were the case, Wu Xu would be treated like an immature boy, unable to gallop at the forefront of the hunt

The scars on the face dripped steadily, the bright red blood flowed onto the ground, yet now it quietly raised its head and exchanged a glance with its owner, Zhao Zhongxin

Zhao Zhongxin was well aware of his father's temperament. Zhao Yang despised disorder in the ranks the most. Cheng He had already been punished, and that lowly son of a concubine, who was the primary culprit behind the chaos, would certainly not escape punishment either

He must also thank the genealogy of the Zhao family that his grandfather often read to him in his previous life. While he may not dare to speak of other matters, he can recite the general history of the Zhao family of Jin state with his eyes closed.

He adjusted his intense breathing due to excitement, "In front of my son, to speak ill of his mother is a great disrespect. As a vassal, to insult the son of the lord is a serious transgression. Brother Zhong, I shall teach this impudent Yu Rong a lesson for you!"

Look at your appearance; this is hardly a leisurely state! It is clearly a case of 'disorder amidst formation,' just like the people of Zheng who were routed and fled in panic by my Jin army during the Battle of Yanling.

In the military law of the Jin State, it is inscribed with a knife and brush: those who cause disorder shall be executed by decapitation

Do you know that my ancestor Zhao Xuanzi was also the son of the Di woman Ji Kui, of lowly status? Yet when he was later established as the head of the clan, wielding power in the Jin state and commanding respect among the feudal lords, who would still dare to look down upon him?

Without fear, he raised his head and pointed at Cheng He with a bloodied whip, reprimanding him: "Do you know that the late monarch, Duke Wen of Jin, was also the son of a great fox spirit? He was in exile for nineteen years, enduring humiliation, yet when he triumphed at Chengpu and dominated the world, who dared to look down upon him?"

To have made the sovereign so angry, the vassals of the Zhao family all displayed expressions of shame. When the ruler is insulted, the subjects are distressed; when the ruler is insulted, the subjects may die. That resolute steward even prepared to draw his sword and take his own life.

The little schemer Zhao Shuqing revealed a sinister smile at the corner of his mouth. Although the carefree demeanor of his opponent caught him off guard, nonetheless, his scheme had already succeeded halfway with the * diagram * book.

At this moment, Shu Qi was watching Wu Xu make a fool of himself with a smile that did not reach his eyes, yet he remained silent

Is that so

It is said that the soldiers of the Zhao clan place great importance on order, which is a commendable quality with minor flaws

Regardless of her status, as a child, how could one allow their deceased mother to be so dishonored

Laughter entered the ears of Wuxu, causing him to feel a sharp pain. In the memories of this life, his mother from the Di people, though her image was vague, still held an important place in his heart: she helped the young Wuxu mount a small pony, taught him to ride and shoot, ... and in the twelfth month, she sewed warm woolen winter clothes for him ...

He could only grip the bow and arrow, glaring fiercely at Zhao Wuxu, wishing to shoot several holes into him

"What of it if my mother is a concubine? How could you look down on me for that?"

Zhao Zhongxin gritted his teeth and spoke first: "Reporting to Father, the one who disrupts the order is without mercy!"

Zhao Wuxu began to understand why his descendant, Zhao Wuling Wang, two hundred years later, faced collective resistance from the nobility of the entire nation after introducing the Hu clothing and cavalry archery, ultimately leading to a coup that resulted in him being starved to death at the Sand Dune Palace.

What Wu Xu just said is indeed correct; it is a great absurdity and a significant breach of decorum

This whip released all the helplessness, fear, and the accumulated grievances he had endured in recent days after crossing over. He made a decision: no longer would he be timid and hesitant; if those annoying rituals attempted to bind him again, he would crush them all!

Everyone turned around to take a look, some hurriedly got out of the car, while others bent down.