Chapter 848 - 851: Spurned

Chapter 848: Chapter 851: Spurned

Gu Wenheng stood there reprimanding everyone. Gu Ben Can quietly slipped behind Jin Qianqian. "Mother, don’t be angry. I’ll help you vent your anger later."

Jin Qianqian followed his gaze to Song Xiuyang and reached out to grab his arm. "Just don’t cause any more trouble here."

"But she was clearly glaring at you just now, and everything she said was directed at you."

"Her glaring at me a few more times won’t hurt me," Jin Qianqian replied. "She is just an insignificant person. Bothering with her would only lower our own status. Besides, don’t be fooled by how satisfying it was for her to hurl those insults just now; she will have to pay the price for her behavior. Someone like her doesn’t even need you to lift a finger—she’ll ruin herself on her own. If you don’t stand back properly, your father will find out and add more to your coursework."

Gu Ben Can tried to shrink his tall frame behind Jin Qianqian as much as possible. "Mother, I came over to help you vent, you can’t..."

"I can," Jin Qianqian said, no longer looking at him. This brat really needed to be taught a lesson. His father was taking this opportunity to give everyone a good warning. Anyone who was truly sensible wouldn’t be causing trouble here.

Gu Ben Can realized his mother was being serious this time, so he decided he had better behave.

Gu Wenheng spoke at length, tying his reprimand to their current situation, leaving the Gu Family completely stunned. They realized that, without even noticing, they had been carrying so much weight on their shoulders. For the sake of their descendants and for the Gu family to produce more successful individuals in the future, they had to start with self-restraint.

Over the years, everyone had been trying hard to maintain their reputation. However, it seemed that because Gu Wenheng had returned to his hometown recently, they had received so much flattery whenever they went out that it had gone to their heads.

Of course, there were also those present who remained unconvinced, such as Gu Lejia. However, this did not save them from punishment. Gu Wenheng had consulted the old lady, and for the two brothers who had gotten into a physical fight during the deep mourning period, they would each receive twenty strokes of the cane in front of everyone.

"This punishment was decided by me. Do you accept it?" Li Cuicui asked sternly, looking at the two brothers kneeling before her.

"We accept," they both said. Even if they were dissatisfied in their hearts, they couldn’t afford to lose face in front of her.

"It doesn’t matter if you don’t," Li Cuicui said. "Don’t forget, it’s not just your parents in this house, but also an old lady like me. Don’t think that just because our lives are better now, you can act without any scruples. If you ever plot against your own brothers again, I will have the clan elders handle it. Then, it won’t just be a little physical pain."

Even if Gu Dashi had been useless when he was alive, as his descendants, instead of grieving, they were thinking about how to scheme for their own benefit. This had already crossed her bottom line. Li Cuicui, who had never laid a hand on her grandsons, took the initiative to hand down this punishment.

Gu Wenheng could have ordered his guards to do it, but considering the heavy-handedness of his men, he decided to let the Gu Family handle it themselves. This was their first time executing a caning, so everyone was a bit timid.

It was Gu Yuanjin who snatched the cane. "These two unfilial sons should naturally be taught a lesson by me personally." In the past, he had seen the County Magistrate order a caning at the county government, having the boys held down on a long bench while swinging the wooden board himself.

Seeing his erratic and haphazard swings, Jin Qianqian felt anxious for Le Di and Le Family. "You should get Eldest Brother to stop!" Jin Qianqian hurriedly said to Gu Wenheng after watching him strike a few times. "He’s swinging wildly. If he hits a vital spot or bone, it won’t be a joke."

Gu Wenheng had also noticed this. With a single glance from him, Gu Benluo took a deep breath, walked over, and grabbed Gu Yuanjin’s hand. "Uncle, you can’t hit them like this..."

The crowd was speechless. They wondered how hitting them like this wasn’t enough, considering Le Ting and Le Family were already wailing in pain.

"I’m not hitting them lightly," Gu Yuanjin said. "I’m not old yet, and I still have plenty of strength. If you’re worried I’ll miss, just stand aside and watch. I’ll definitely beat them until their skin is torn and their flesh gapes open."

Gu Benluo looked up at the sky in exasperation. When he lowered his head again, his face was solemn. "Uncle, I didn’t say you were hitting them too lightly. It’s just that swinging the board so haphazardly might accidentally injure my two brothers’ vitals. How about I get a guard over here?"

Gu Yuanjin looked a bit embarrassed. "No way. I’ve seen those Mr. Officers at the county government do it exactly like this."

"Uncle, those people might have committed heinous crimes, but a minor punishment is enough for my two brothers as a warning." Seeing that his uncle still wanted to continue, Gu Benluo hurriedly snatched the board from his hands. There were different ways to execute a caning. If one didn’t know the proper technique, it could actually cost a person’s life.

Gu Le Di and Gu Lejia cast grateful glances at Gu Benluo. During those few strikes just now, they felt as though the blows had landed directly on their bones.

Gu Yuanjin wasn’t even given a chance to refuse before he was pulled aside by his brothers.

Xie Ruyi shed tears as she looked at her two sons. "Tell me, you two, why did you have to do this to yourselves?" She had hit her sons when they were young, but those were just superficial wounds. This time, it really hurt their bones and muscles.

However, in front of so many people, even if Xie Ruyi’s heart softened, it wasn’t appropriate for her to plead for mercy. Although her mother-in-law already showed a look of unbearable pity, she hadn’t called for a stop, so Xie Ruyi dared not utter a word either. Meanwhile, the main culprit of this incident, Song Xiuyang, was currently hiding quietly in the corner like a scared quail.

Two guards were called over. With Gu Benluo openly hinting for leniency, they administered twenty moderate strokes of the cane in front of the crowd.

"I hope you all learn your lesson this time. You’re all adults now; use your brains before you act." Li Cuicui had been in low spirits lately and had no energy to coddle her grandsons. After saying a few words, she left with Granny Song.

"Look at you two, angering your grandmother like that." Gu Yuanmu sighed and hurriedly chased after her. "Mother, let me help you back."

"You are still young. You should think about the future instead of focusing solely on the petty matters right in front of you and being influenced by domestic squabbles," Gu Yuanshui said, walking up to his two nephews as they were helped to their feet.

Gu Lejia mocked himself internally. Everyone here had children and hope, while he was childless. What future could he possibly discuss with them?

Gu Wenheng guessed his thoughts at a glance. After sending everyone else away, he kept Gu Lejia behind.

Song Xiuyang wanted to follow closely, but Xie Ruyi dragged her out.

"Do you feel that you were treated unfairly today?" Gu Wenheng had never thought highly of this nephew, but he wouldn’t just let him go astray either. ℯ

"Seventh Uncle, should I feel that it’s fair? My other brothers have children constantly by their sides. I merely revealed a slight thought, wanting to secure a way out for myself, yet I received so much blame."

"But none of this was inflicted upon you by your other brothers," Gu Wenheng said. "Even if you feel it’s unfair, you can only blame fate or yourself. How can you drag others into it?"

"Do you think an adopted heir was all I wanted? There’s a massive difference between a nephew and a biological son. Just like you, Seventh Uncle—can you really treat Luo Luo and the others the same way you treat us? Back then, just because I made a small mistake, you completely despised me."