Chapter 259: The Gossip Arrives 2

Seeing Shu Dong’s nonchalant attitude, Shu Bei was so angry he wanted to bite him. He had underestimated the fool Shu Dong. He had originally thought this fool had surrendered to him long ago and was a useless piece of trash. Unexpectedly, he had been tricked by this fool.

Shu Ming glanced at Shu Bei and called over a few people. "Go and look in Shu Dong’s room and see whether he has the note he mentioned."

Before those people left, Shu Dong shouted, "I think I just left it on the table. You can look for it, but I didn’t close the window, so it might have fallen on the floor."

Upon hearing this, Shu Bei’s pent-up anger finally erupted, and he lunged forward to beat Shu Dong. Although he had been the one on the bottom today and his rear was still very sore, he was more than capable of beating up a rat. Shu Dong was a complete weakling, only good in that one area... When Shu Bei pressed down on him, he instantly let out a wail.

Shu Ming was furious, but he did not intervene. Let them fight if they wanted. What was the point of stopping them now that something like this had happened? It had originally been intended that Shu Bei would be the next clan leader, but he had ended up being betrayed even in his own territory. Shu Ming glanced at Shu Dong, who was being beaten on the ground, with a sinister look in his eyes. He really was a rebellious son! It was good to give him a beating to teach him a lesson, so that he would not dare to think about anything else.

Seeing that Shu Ming did not intend to stop it, the others standing nearby did not dare to step forward to stop Shu Bei either. They just watched as Shu Dong was beaten by Shu Bei and howled in pain.

Not long after, the person who had gone to Shu Dong’s room to look for the note returned.

"Chief, a note really was found in Young Master Shu Dong’s room..."

The man carefully handed over the note, not daring to look at Shu Ming’s expression. On the way back, he had already checked it with several of his fellow clansmen, and the handwriting on it was indeed Shu Bei’s. In other words, Young Master Shu Bei really was...

Shu Ming slammed his hand on the table, his anger rising even higher. Shu Bei stopped what he was doing at the noise and got up to snatch the note. It said:

[Brother, I have long admired you, and the thought of you fills me with irresistible passion. May I come to your room to speak with you? —Shu Bei]

The handwriting was a bit messy, but it was still legible. Combined with what had come before, everyone could understand what it was about.

Shu Bei’s hands trembled as he held the note, his eyes bloodshot, and he tore it to shreds.

"I didn’t write this! I didn’t! I had lunch appointments at my place. Why would I possibly write a note to that good-for-nothing Shu Dong!"

Shu Bei turned his head and glared fiercely at Shu Dong, who lay on the ground convulsing in pain, and then stared intently at his father, Shu Ming. He was afraid his father would not believe him. He knew his father intended to pass the position of the next clan chief to him, so he could not afford to have any stain on his name at this time. He did not care in private, but he absolutely could not have it exposed in public.

Shu Ming’s eyes were half closed, making it impossible to read his emotions. He had already found out what had happened at noon. Shu Bei had invited several members of his circle, including the crocodiles and hyenas, to a meal, and Shu Xi had also been present. According to Shu Xi, they had simply had a proper meal and had not drunk any alcohol, so there was no situation in which drinking could have caused any problems. After the meal, everyone else, including her, had left, and there were witnesses to confirm it. Shu Ming had checked, and it was true. After finishing their meal, those people had left Shu Bei’s courtyard and never come back.

Then Shu Bei had called someone in and asked him to deliver a note to Shu Dong. When the man entered the courtyard, he found Shu Bei sitting there with a pile of wine bottles at his feet. He had wondered why Young Master Shu Bei, who usually did not drink at midday, was suddenly drinking. But because of his status, he had not dared to ask any more questions, so he had gone to deliver the note to Shu Dong and had not dared to get involved in Shu Bei’s affairs. After delivering the note, he had gone about his business and had not gone to Shu Bei’s courtyard again until the incident occurred, at which point he had been brought to the scene.

Meanwhile, Shu Dong had been amusing himself in his own courtyard. When he received the note, he was quite surprised, never expecting that Shu Bei would actually like him. He had not noticed! But then he thought about it again, and Shu Bei was actually quite good-looking. He had had his eye on Nanfeng long ago, so who cared if they were brothers? So Shu Dong went over. Anyway, Shu Bei was the one who had sent the note, and he was not the one who had seduced him.

When he arrived at Shu Bei’s courtyard, Shu Bei was drunk and leaning back in a chair. His clothes were already torn to shreds, and there were many empty wine bottles at his feet. Shu Dong suddenly realized! So it was because he was drunk! No wonder. He had wondered, "Why would Shu Bei suddenly write me a note?" So he had gone over. Then someone had found out about it, and he had been brought here.

Shu Dong got up from the ground, sat down, chuckled softly, and a calculating glint flashed in his eyes. Actually, there was one more thing he had not said. When he arrived at Shu Bei’s courtyard, he had had some doubts, so he asked Shu Bei. Shu Bei looked at him and called out a name. He knew that name all too well. But since Shu Bei was already drunk, he could only let him do as he pleased.

Seeing Shu Dong’s expression out of the corner of his eye, Shu Bei kicked him again.

"Enough!"

Shu Ming slammed his hand on the table again. Everyone in the ancestral hall was startled and lowered their heads, not daring to utter a sound.

"Father... I have something I want to tell you..."

Miss Shu Xi swallowed hard, stepped forward, and whispered. Shu Ming gestured for her to speak, but Miss Shu Xi glanced at the people around her, lowered her head, and said, "Father, can I speak only to you?"

Shu Ming stared at Miss Shu Xi for two seconds, then said, "Come with me."

The two went to the back of the ancestral hall.

"Can you talk now?"

Miss Shu Xi nodded quickly, but was still a little uneasy. "Father... although it’s not good to speak about our own brothers and sisters like this, but..." She paused at this point, perhaps realizing that what she was doing was not a good idea. "I think this might be a scheme orchestrated by Second Brother, and he’s dragged us all into it?"

Shu Ming’s sharp gaze swept over her. Miss Shu Xi shuddered and whispered, "Father, should I continue?"

"Continue." Shu Ming also wanted to know what Miss Shu Xi was thinking.

"Father, although the next clan leader will be chosen between my sister and my second brother, and you prefer my second brother, my sister is also quite capable. It’s hard to guarantee that you won’t change your choice depending on my sister’s performance. After all, our giant rat tribe naturally prioritizes power, and you won’t choose someone just because you like them more... right? At that point, the odds of victory for the two would be fifty-fifty. After all, my second brother had gained some power before, so naturally he doesn’t want to give it up. Plus, my sister has recently gotten into trouble... I’m not very capable, and my younger brother... It’s fine if either my older sister or my second brother gets chosen. Anyway, they certainly won’t treat us badly..."