Chapter 6

Now, what Pangu Chen said was entirely reasonable, but the charge of defying the ancestral precepts and rebelling against the family was a bit too heavy. Any of these charges would be enough to warrant death many times over, but it was just what Pangu Chen said.

That person was extremely angry but had no way to argue, as the ancestral precepts were clear. No one dared to dispute them. If anyone were to take this seriously, even if they were not executed, they would suffer some punishment.

Just as that person was speechless, another wife of Pangu Yu, who could also be considered Pangu Chen's stepmother, came to the rescue, "It was just a slip of the tongue, no need to take it seriously. The ancestral precepts also state that if a collateral branch has outstanding achievements, the main branch must arrange a marriage to maintain the family's cohesion."

Pangu Chen looked at this stepmother, thinking how shrewd she was. Not only did she defuse the situation with a light touch, but she also turned it around, using the ancestral precepts to subtly slap Pangu Chen in the face.

Pangu Chen inwardly acknowledged her skill but was not about to admit defeat easily, "May I ask how old the man for the arranged marriage is?"

Pangu Chen's stepmother inwardly knew it was not good but still answered, "He is already eighteen, of marriageable age."

Pangu Chen interrupted her before she could continue, "I remember that among my sisters, there is a pair of twins who are also eighteen and of marriageable age. Speaking of my sister Pangu Yu, she is only fifteen, so marriage seems a bit early."

The twins Pangu Chen mentioned were this stepmother's two daughters, who were also Pangu Chen's sisters. However, Pangu Chen detested these two, even considering whether to eliminate them.

Do not blame Pangu Chen for being so ruthless. Even if he did not like them, they were still related by blood. The problem was that these twins were extremely vicious.

Pangu Chen had never understood why young girls could be so cruel. This was a matter from long ago, when Pangu Chen and Pangu Xing were very young, and the twins were around ten years old.

At that time, Pangu Chen and Pangu Xing were still very young, and these two sisters often came to see them, not to play but to torment and humiliate them.

For example, they made Pangu Chen and Pangu Xing eat feces. If Pangu Chen had not been reborn, he might have fallen for it. Pangu Chen still remembered the situation; if he had not reacted quickly, Pangu Xing might have really done it.

One can imagine that if such a thing had really happened, it would have become a lifelong shadow, unbearable for anyone. Moreover, there were other things, like making the brothers lick their toes. If Pangu Chen had not been there, Pangu Xing might have even committed suicide.

There were many similar incidents, but none of them succeeded. Every time the twins tried to harm Pangu Chen and Pangu Xing, Pangu Chen would cry loudly, which prevented the tragedies from happening.

Later, these sisters stopped tormenting Pangu Chen and Pangu Xing but became even more vicious, trying to make the brothers die young. For example, they would bring things that could cause death if eaten, though not poison, as that would be too obvious.

Usually, these were things like metal or large objects that could get stuck in the throat. These twins were extremely cruel, and their attempts to harm Pangu Chen and Pangu Xing were not just once or twice.

Fortunately, the family had many members, especially those protecting the main branch. Any significant disturbance would attract attention, so the twins never acted.

Pangu Chen was very busy as a child, spending his days saving himself and his brother Pangu Xing. Later, his sister Pangu Yu learned about these incidents. Although she was still young, she took on the responsibility of a big sister, fighting the twins many times to protect Pangu Chen and Pangu Xing.

Pangu Yu was no match for the twins, even one of them, as they were older. When both of them attacked, Pangu Yu could only take the beating. However, she often stayed with her two younger brothers to protect them.

How could Pangu Chen not have thoughts of killing them? Even Pangu Xing, after learning about these incidents, was ready to kill, and if not for their mother's intervention, he would have already done it.

The stepmother clearly knew that Pangu Chen was trying to shift the blame to her daughters, "My two daughters are already engaged, so there's nothing I can do. Otherwise, for the sake of the Pangu family, I would certainly support it and not hesitate, as I am also a Pangu."

Pangu Chen could not help but admire her again. What a clever mind, indirectly insulting him while pointing out that the other woman was not a Pangu, showing her concern for the family.

Pangu Chen was not an ordinary person, having experienced much hardship before his rebirth, "I'm sorry, but my sister Pangu Yu is also engaged. There's nothing we can do, so let's change the person."

This made the person who had been silenced by Pangu Chen suddenly excited, jumping up and gesturing wildly, "What a bold move! To act without the family council's approval, do you still respect the family? Are you planning a rebellion? Come, take them to the punishment hall and await judgment."

This person felt extremely satisfied, as if all his previous grievances had been vented. He seemed quite confident, as if everything was under control.

Unfortunately, this person's self-satisfaction was a bit over the top. He did not notice the looks of amusement, helplessness, and even disgust from the others. The guards did not appear, clearly indicating that this person did not have the authority to make such decisions.

Pangu Chen sneered, "It's not that easy for you to catch me. I was just using you, and you cooperated so well. I really have nothing to say about you."

Pangu Yu looked at Pangu Chen, perhaps not expecting that such a young person could be so calculating. However, Pangu Yu remained silent, as did the others. The stepmother also looked at Pangu Chen, clearly surprised.

Pangu Chen's goal was achieved, and he would not miss this opportunity, "Oh, are you asking the stepmother? I'm also curious. In my memory, those two sisters don't seem to be engaged. Stepmother, they are asking you. If you have nothing to say, you might be punished."

That person, upon hearing Pangu Chen's words, looked as if he had swallowed a fly, his face turning from red to green, quite a sight. The stepmother, fearing that the fool would say something more, quickly laughed, "That was my mistake. We just discussed the intention and were about to apply for a family council meeting. It was my oversight."

This stepmother was very shrewd, defusing the crisis by taking responsibility and insisting on the engagement. If Pangu Chen asked who the person was, it would be overstepping and unreasonable.

Pangu Chen understood and did not continue to press the issue, as it would not help the current situation. If he insisted on the engagement, it would just become a pointless argument, causing more trouble.

Pangu Chen was also very anxious, but without a good reason, it would be difficult to gain support. Once marginalized, no one would help him. He suddenly thought about leaving the family.

With no other choice, Pangu Chen decided to confront the issue directly, not by fighting, as that would be useless without strength. He decided to bring the marginalization issue to the surface, which was also a form of confrontation.

Having made the decision, there was no need to hesitate. Pangu Chen glanced at the people in the meeting, especially his father Pangu Yu, who he stared at for a while. Pangu Chen did not know what Pangu Yu was thinking, but he had already aroused his hatred.

Pangu Yu remained silent, as if he knew nothing, and did not see the hateful looks from Pangu Chen and his sisters. Pangu Chen said coldly, "According to the family rules, the main branch must arrange marriages with the collateral branches to maintain family cohesion."

Everyone listened to see what Pangu Chen would say next. Pangu Chen directly stated, "We, the three of us, are from the main branch and should enjoy the privileges of the main branch. However, for many years, we have not enjoyed these privileges. We have been marginalized, which is a known fact in the family, no need for me to elaborate."

Everyone did not understand why Pangu Chen was saying this, as it seemed irrelevant. The stepmother quickly responded, "If it's about privileges, a new meeting needs to be held. The family must have its reasons for this decision, and it is not related to today's discussion."

The stepmother did not know what Pangu Chen meant but still tried to disrupt the conversation. If she let this child lead the discussion, it would be troublesome. Changing the topic would be detrimental to today's goal.

Pangu Chen smiled, "Don't worry, we'll get there soon. We have been marginalized, which everyone in the family knows. If my sister is to be married, wouldn't that contradict the ancestral precepts of maintaining family cohesion? Are you trying to unite the family or to make people feel cold?"

Now everyone understood. This young man had circled back to the ancestral precepts, a bold move. Confronting the issue head-on was a risky strategy, as it would cause significant damage to both sides.

Although Pangu Chen and his sisters had been marginalized, it was done quietly. While they could not compare to the main branch, they were still treated like ordinary family members. If this was brought to the surface, it would be embarrassing for the family.

If this news spread, it would be a laughingstock. Therefore, Pangu Chen's confrontation would result in a lose-lose situation and dissatisfaction within the family.

Now that it was said, everyone could only think of the lose-lose situation, but two people clearly understood the implications: Pangu Yu and the stepmother. Pangu Yu glanced at Pangu Chen again, while the stepmother frowned slightly.

The previous fool, seeing no response, jumped in again, "Who said that? As long as someone is willing to marry, they will be happy. How can they be dissatisfied or feel cold? Don't you know that the man is a fool?"