Chapter 5: The Staff
Li Xiong stood there with a gloomy expression. Until now, Li Xin had not uttered a single word, let alone plead for mercy. This young man possessed a resolute and strong character. Li Xiong felt a twinge of regret in his heart. Comparing his three legitimate sons, the eldest, Li Peiru, was cultured and refined, having studied under the great scholar Wang Tong, and was expected to become a valuable asset to the court in the future. The second son, Li Peiran, was indeed well-versed in both literature and martial arts, but at this moment, he did not seem like someone capable of handling significant matters. As for the fourth son, Li Peiyong, true to his name, was merely a brute, relying on his limited skills to act recklessly in Shouyang County, frequently engaging in bullying and oppression. If he were not a member of the Li family and the nephew of the head of the Liu family, he would have likely been imprisoned long ago. In reality, none of these sons were the best candidates to inherit the family business. Instead, the illegitimate son before him exhibited a resolute character and was extremely ruthless, meeting the requirements of a family head. Unfortunately, he was a bastard son, and he had already been neglected in the past. This time, Li Xiong had favored Li Peiran, and it was likely that the illegitimate son now harbored deep resentment towards him. Even if he were a talented individual, he could not be utilized.
"Wait, my lord! It's just a worthless scoundrel; why waste money to find Master Yao?" The madam voiced her strong opposition after hearing this.
"Go and invite Master Yao to come here," Li Xiong said after a moment of thought, summoning a servant. The goatee behind him, who rarely disagreed, despite wishing for Li Xin's demise, ultimately refrained from opposing after being ridiculed by Li Hao and others, as he still considered the reputation of the Li family in Shouyang.
Li Xiong's expression turned awkward. As the head of the Li family, how could he be unaware of the circumstances surrounding this matter? However, Li Xin had harmed too many people; if no punishment were imposed, it would likely become a problem in the future regarding whether Li Xin could even remain in the Li family.
"Wait a moment." A hurried voice came from behind, and a middle-aged woman dressed plainly hurried over with an anxious expression. It was Li Gaoshi. She glanced at Li Xin and, upon seeing the bloodstains at his waist, couldn't help but exclaim, "Xin'er, are you hurt?"
"A worthless wretch, let him die; how can he be compared to my son? My lord, in my opinion, thirty strikes are too light; it should be as the third uncle said, fifty strikes, not a single one less." The madam said through gritted teeth. Madness gleamed in her eyes; fifty strikes would be enough to beat Li Xin to death, and it would be a death by beating.
Madam, my lord, how are you?" Li Gaoshi looked at Li Xiong, her gaze rarely revealing a hint of pleading.
"Come on! It's just thirty strokes." Li Xin gently pushed Li Gaoshi aside, looked around for two trees, and swiftly removed his clothes, wrapping them around his waist, instantly revealing his fair and strong back. As she gazed at the flowing lines on it, Miss Pei's face rarely showed a hint of flush. The two servants quickly brought hemp ropes to bind Li Xin's hands to the two trees.
"Hit him." Li Xiong's expression was grim as he coldly glared at the two servants beside him. Li Xin's nonchalance and indifference stirred a flicker of shame and anger within him. Would begging for mercy diminish his status? Observing Li Xin's demeanor, the slight guilt and regret that had initially lingered in Li Xiong's heart vanished without a trace, replaced by fury.
Li Gaoshi beside her had transformed from a state of panic to calmness, his gaze steady. He glanced at Li Xiong without any expression. The indifference of the madam, the sullen demeanor of the man with the goatee, and the coldness of the other Li family members—contempt and regret—were all noted by her. She even showed no reaction towards Li Hao and Miss Pei standing nearby, quietly standing there like an iceberg, making it difficult for others to approach.
"Mother, it’s nothing, just a minor injury," Li Xin quickly stepped forward to support Li Gaoshi, feeling a deep sense of shame within himself. It was not the injury that mattered, but the fact that Li Gaoshi was worried about him due to his exhaustion, which was truly unacceptable. He wanted nothing more than to eliminate everyone in front of him right then and there, but he held back. This was the late Sui Dynasty, where the aristocracy treated human lives as mere grass; these people could easily kill him with just a little maneuvering. His own death was of no concern, but he did not wish to implicate Li Gaoshi. Thus, he could only passively endure everything. He wanted nothing more than to eliminate everyone in front of him right then and there, but he held back. This was the late Sui Dynasty, where the aristocracy treated human lives as mere grass; these people could easily kill him with just a little maneuvering. His own death was of no concern, but he did not wish to implicate Li Gaoshi. Thus, he could only passively endure everything.
Li Xiong saw that Li Xin's back was a bloody mess, his entire body sprawled over Li Gao's thin frame. Li Gao's emaciated body could hardly bear Li Xin's weight, yet he did not call for help. Although he moved very slowly, he remained resolute. His frail body seemed to harbor immense strength.
Li Xiong and others felt a hint of embarrassment on their faces, yet they dared not express their anger. One was from the Wenxi Pei family, and the other from the Zhao County Li family, both of which were among the five prominent families and seven esteemed clans, holding a status far above that of the Shouyang Li family. They were ridiculed by these two individuals, and the crowd found themselves powerless. Only the Liu family, watching the departing Li Gao family, displayed a look of triumph on their faces, while Li Xin, whose back was covered in blood, felt even more pleased. It was perhaps the greatest source of her frustration and regret that she had not killed Li Xin.
"Xiner." Li Gaoshi caressed Li Xin's handsome face, her eyes filled with tears. How could she not see the hatred in Li Xin's heart? This only made her feel more powerless, unable to protect her own son
The Li family of Shouyang is indeed extraordinary Li Hao glanced at the crowd and said coldly
Bang! Li Xin felt a tremendous force strike his back, the impact penetrating through his internal organs. He sensed that his entire back had gone numb, and he couldn't help but bite his lip tightly.
These individuals must have been quite ruthless. Miss Pei said disdainfully: "Although they are all of the same bloodline, and there are distinctions between legitimate and illegitimate offspring, thirty strikes is truly excessive. Moreover, these servants have clearly been brutal; this is a matter of Li Xin's life!"
Unfortunately, she underestimated Li Xin's physical strength and the methods of body tempering passed down from the Overlord. What she did not know was that later, Li Xiong secretly ordered someone to ease the situation. In reality, Li Xin's injuries were not as severe as they appeared, and Master Yao, a renowned physician from Shouyang, had received a life-saving favor from Li Xin in the past regarding his daughter. When faced with such a situation, he would spare no effort in treating Li Xin.
No matter how angry Liu was, she did not dare to oppose at this moment and could only secretly pray that Li Xin's injuries were severe enough that he could not escape this calamity and would be beaten to death by thirty strikes of the rod. Moreover, it is true that for an ordinary person, the likelihood of surviving after receiving thirty strikes is very low. She believed that since Li Xin had just recovered, facing another blow would almost certainly lead to a fatal outcome
"Be quiet," Li Xiong coldly snorted. "Even a tiger does not eat its own cubs. Do you want me, Li Xiong, to become a laughingstock in the world? Do you wish for the Li family of Shouyang to never return to the Li clan of Zhao County?"
As Li Xiong thought of this, he cast a glance at the two enforcers wielding their staffs and the librarian, ready to take action. Suddenly, he caught sight of Li Gaoshi's weathered face. After a moment's reflection, he sighed deeply. Even a tiger does not eat its own cubs; he had already wronged the mother and son over the years. Why must he strike again? With this thought, his clenched right hand immediately relaxed.
Once again, a tremendous sound reverberated against his back. Li Xin felt another massive impact from behind, causing him to let out a muffled groan as his entire back went numb. Blood flowed from the azure robe wrapped around his waist, instantly soaking the entire garment.
Li Hao's expression fluctuated between gloom and brightness, yet he did not voice his thoughts. Such matters frequently occur among prominent families; the legitimate son is indeed the legitimate son, while the illegitimate son remains an illegitimate son. In order to secure a favorable status for their own sons, the main wives will go to great lengths to eliminate those illegitimate sons. However, the actions of the Shouyang Li family have been rather excessive, and it is evident that Li Xiong is no better. It is truly laughable that such a person still harbors hopes of returning to the embrace of the Zhao Jun Li family.
Hmph! At this moment, Liu finally realized that if there were no outsiders present, his actions would naturally be inconsequential. However, with Zhao Jun's Li Hao and the Wenxi Pei family here, who would dare to recklessly kill Li Xin and let it be known? Would the Shouyang Li family still care about their reputation? It could even implicate the Zhao Jun Li family. Even if the Liu family were to be powerful in Shouyang, the Li family would not disregard Li Xin's life or death because of this matter
Bang
The two servants opposite clearly noticed Li Xiong's gesture, and their grip immediately loosened considerably. Although their momentum was still formidable, the force they exerted on Li Xin's back was significantly reduced. However, Li Xin could no longer feel it; his entire back had gone numb, and he was now relying solely on immense willpower to hold on. Fortunately, he had been consistent with his training during this period, coupled with the physical endurance methods left by the Overlord. Otherwise, he would not have been able to endure until now and would have long been beaten to death by the two servants.
"Mother, it is only thirty strokes, no need to plead for him." Li Xin glanced around and said to Li Gaoshi, "The child has tough skin and thick flesh, thirty strokes are nothing, the child can endure it."
Finally, the two servants withdrew their hands, but Li Xin, who had been tied to the tree, had long since lost consciousness and was completely fainted. Li Gao's wife gently stepped forward and took Li Xin down from the tree. His entire body collapsed onto her, causing her to sway slightly, yet she still exerted great effort to support Li Xin.
Three days later, the madam finally received news that Li Xin's injuries had improved under the careful treatment of Master Yao, and he had awakened. The madam was furious and killed one of her maids in a fit of rage. However, the event had already occurred, and despite her anger, the madam found herself powerless. She could only contemplate what kind of schemes and tricks she could employ to ensure that Li Xin would be killed next time, thus avenging today's grievance. In her heart, she even harbored resentment towards Li Xiong and others; had it not been for Li Xiong secretly instructing someone to summon Master Yao, Li Xin would not have survived to this day. Yet, the event had already transpired, and despite her anger, the madam found herself powerless. She could only think of what kind of schemes and tricks she could use to kill Li Xin next time, thus avenging today's grievance. In her heart, she even harbored resentment towards Li Xiong and others; had it not been for Li Xiong secretly instructing someone to summon Master Yao, Li Xin would not have survived to this day.
"Master, Xin'er has already been injured, can the punishment not be waived?" Li Gaoshi looked at Li Xiong, her gaze icy, and coldly snorted, "Regardless of the circumstances, Xin'er is also a member of the Li family, and equally a descendant of the Master. Master, treating one so preferentially over the other, do you not fear being ridiculed by others?"
The Shouyang Li family is indeed remarkable; today I have witnessed it. However, they are merely a group that bullies orphans and widows. Miss Pei could no longer bear to watch, casting a disdainful glance at the crowd before turning to leave