Chapter 4

This kick came without warning, yet with astonishing force. Yang Rui let out a惨叫, his entire body flying into the air and landing with a thud in the courtyard.

Before he could stand up, Yang Shouwen was already by his side, stepping on his face.

"Yang Er, did I give you permission to enter?"

"Yang Achi, are you crazy?"

"Am I crazy?"

A sinister smile appeared on Yang Shouwen's face. He suddenly lifted his foot and kicked Yang Rui's stomach hard. Yang Rui screamed again, curling up like a large shrimp, unable to speak for a long time. At this moment, Lady Yang also reacted and hurried over, "Big Brother, don't hit him. If Father finds out, he will surely scold you."

Before Lady Yang could finish speaking, Yang Shouwen placed Young Lady in her arms.

"Scold me?"

"Even if I don't hit him, he won't treat me any better." As he spoke, he pushed Lady Yang aside and said in a deep voice, "This house was built by Grandfather, and he left it to me. It's my property. I want this guy to know that in this family, it's not his turn to bully others. A bastard, do you really think you're someone important?"

"Yang Achi, I won't let you off."

Yang Rui struggled to stand up, pointing at Yang Shouwen and cursing.

Before he could finish speaking, Yang Shouwen grabbed his arm, pulled him forward, and made Yang Rui stagger. He then lifted his leg and kicked Yang Rui again, sending him sprawling on the ground.

"You won't let me off?" Yang Shouwen sneered. "Good, I don't want to let you off either."

"Yang Achi, what are you going to do?"

Yang Rui was thirteen, while Yang Shouwen was already seventeen.

Most importantly, Yang Shouwen had practiced martial arts with Yang Dagang since he was young. Even when his mind was unclear, Yang Rui was no match for him.

But the old Yang Shouwen wouldn't hit people casually.

Grandfather had once said that he was born with great strength and an unclear mind. If he fought, he couldn't control his strength and could easily cause trouble.

The reason he taught him martial arts was to strengthen his body and also to treat his condition.

Now that Yang Shouwen's mind was clear, he wouldn't be gentle with Yang Rui.

"Yang Achi?" Yang Shouwen stepped on Yang Rui's chest and said viciously, "Do you think a bastard like you can call me that? Yang Er, don't think I'm unaware of everything just because my mind is unclear. I know very well what you've been up to... If you hadn't come to provoke me, I wouldn't have bothered with you. But since you've come, don't blame me for settling accounts with you... Tell me, who made up that nursery rhyme? Who spread it?"

Yang Rui struggled desperately under Yang Shouwen's foot, but Yang Shouwen's foot was like a mountain, immovable no matter how much he struggled.

"What are you talking about?"

Hearing Yang Shouwen's words, Yang Rui's heart skipped a beat.

Yang Shouwen sneered, "Yang Er, last year, Ma Yaotzi retired, and a position as a servant was vacant by Father's side. Even if I were foolish, that position should have been mine. How could it be given to a bastard like you?

But at that time, Little Huang ran away!

And that nursery rhyme spread in the county, leaving Father with no face... After that, you became Father's servant. Don't tell me it was all a coincidence. If there were so many coincidences in the world, you might be dead tomorrow."

"You..."

Yang Rui looked at Yang Shouwen in horror, unable to swallow his saliva.

This servant position, originally just a servant, took on a new meaning from the Sui Dynasty onwards.

The "New Book of Tang" records: General Zhang Xutuo of the Sui Dynasty led troops against bandits, and Luo Shixin, at the age of fourteen, served as a servant...

In the Tang Dynasty, the position of servant became more widespread and became a symbol of status. Generally, only officials of a certain rank would have servants, who could be exempt from corvée and receive a salary. According to Yang Chenglie's rank, he would have two servants, registered with the government, and receive eighty coins monthly.

Therefore, many low-ranking officials would assign the servant position to their relatives.

This way, they could have an additional income and also cultivate their relatives...

In the Tang Dynasty, any male between the ages of eleven and twenty-one could serve as a servant.

If it were based on age, Yang Shouwen, as the eldest legitimate son, would be the best candidate for the servant position.

But because of that nursery rhyme, Yang Chenglie ignored Yang Shouwen and chose Yang Rui. Without that nursery rhyme, Yang Chenglie's decision might have been opposed by other officials. But because of the nursery rhyme, Yang Rui becoming a servant was justified, and even the county magistrate, county clerk, and chief clerk had no objections.

As for the originator of the nursery rhyme, it wasn't hard to guess.

Now that Yang Shouwen was clear-headed, he could easily deduce the truth.

Who benefited the most from that nursery rhyme? Most likely, the originator... To be honest, Yang Shouwen didn't care about the servant position. The key was that Yang Rui was too arrogant, even scaring Young Lady to tears, which Yang Shouwen couldn't tolerate.

Yang Chenglie lived in the county and ignored him.

For seventeen years, the closest people to Yang Shouwen were Grandfather and Lady Yang and her daughter.

Young Lady was not just a servant to him but his sister, his family. Yang Rui scaring Young Lady was like touching his sore spot. In this situation, Yang Shouwen wouldn't be gentle with Yang Rui.

"You what?" Yang Shouwen sneered. "Do you find it strange that I can guess the truth?

Er, it's not that I'm smart, but that you're too stupid! You thought your plan was foolproof, that you could spread the nursery rhyme through some children and get away with it? I'll tell you, everyone in the city, anyone with a brain, knows who did it. It's just that it's our family's business, and they don't want to get involved."

As he spoke, Yang Shouwen squatted down and patted Yang Rui's face.

"The reason I didn't expose it is that I know family matters shouldn't be aired outside.

You thought you could get away with it by blackening my name? I'll tell you, everyone in Changping, including Father, knows what happened. It's just that Father and I can't afford to lose face for the Yang family."

"You're not..."

"I'm not a fool, right?"

Yang Shouwen said sinisterly, "But you never thought that the lightning strike a few days ago would cure my condition... By the way, recently many people in the village say I was a bad person in my past life, which is why I was struck by lightning. I'm sure it's related to you.

But Er, do you know what 'a blessing in disguise' means?

If you had come here honestly, I wouldn't have cared, and you could have pretended to be a young master. But you were too arrogant, and I felt that if I didn't teach you a lesson, I would be letting down the lightning strike."

With that, Yang Shouwen slapped Yang Rui several times.

These slaps, though not full force, still left Yang Rui's face bloody.

"Brother Nizi, stop."

Young Lady ran up and hugged Yang Shouwen's arm.

"Brother Nizi, don't hit Second Master anymore. If Father finds out, he will blame Brother Nizi."

Young Lady's eyes were filled with tears, looking at Yang Shouwen pitifully.

Her pitiful appearance softened Yang Shouwen's heart, and he stopped, picking her up.

"You're the best, Young Lady. It's my fault for hitting him.

But some people need to be taught a lesson... Er, today I won't hold it against you for Young Lady's sake. Next time, if you want to be hit again, remember, I'm not the old Yang Achi anymore. You can try me."

Yang Rui was dazed.

His cheeks were swollen, and blood flowed from his nose and mouth.

He was cunning, smart, and even made up a nursery rhyme... But no matter what, he was still a thirteen-year-old child. The slaps from Yang Shouwen had truly frightened him. Seeing Yang Shouwen stop, Yang Rui got up, holding his head, but glared at Yang Shouwen viciously.

"If you keep glaring, I'll gouge out your eyes."

Yang Shouwen turned and said sinisterly.

Yang Rui's face turned pale, and he quickly lowered his head, not daring to meet Yang Shouwen's gaze.

"Come inside."

Yang Shouwen said, bent down to put Young Lady down, and held her hand, walking to the main hall, saying, "Aunt, we can eat now. I'm hungry!"

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