Chapter 20: Purging the Jiang Family
Chu Lianmo paused, his expression becoming more serious. “General Jiang, do you remember your third son’s attitude in this matter? He’s always been close to the Crown Prince, and that day, he repeatedly spoke up for the Crown Prince, wishing that his second brother would plead guilty immediately… He probably knew about this beforehand.”
Jiang Zhenxiong’s heart trembled violently.
The son he had always trusted and loved, his true nature was so unbearable?!
Chu Lianmo continued, “The Crown Prince orchestrated this whole play, and his purpose probably also includes helping Jiang Yingnan achieve his wish.”
“This subordinate will definitely investigate this clearly and strictly discipline my son! Please rest assured, Your Highness.”
“Good, I believe you,” Chu Lianmo nodded. “Also… this is your family matter, and I shouldn’t interfere, but things have turned out like this, and I still can’t help but say… your second son, although the eldest son, is really not suitable for taking on important responsibilities. No wonder others covet the position of heir apparent. Of course, someone with extremely questionable character is even more unsuitable. Your eldest son, though his talent is mediocre, seems better than the other two in my opinion.”
“This subordinate remembers, thank you for your guidance, Your Highness.”
Jiang Zhenxiong suddenly remembered that he had indeed neglected his eldest illegitimate son, Jiang Pingzhong, for a long time.
As Chu Lianmo said, Jiang Pingzhong had been mediocre in both literature and martial arts since childhood. Not to mention the exceptionally intelligent Jiang Yingnan, even Jiang Chengjin was more intelligent than him, although Jiang Chengjin rarely used his intelligence for the right purposes. However, Jiang Pingzhong was honest and reliable. Although he lacked presence, he never caused trouble. If carefully cultivated, he might not be incapable.
As for Jiang Yingnan, it could only be said that his intelligence was his undoing.
At this time, Jiang Yingnan was tossing and turning in his room, reading a letter.
The weather was already cold, and his hands holding the letter paper trembled constantly. What was even colder, however, was his heart.
The letter was from Chu Ziqian:
“Two days ago, Chu Lianmo adopted Chu Yunxuan, and now only I am the one without offspring, the pressure is really immense… I want to choose a day to consummate my marriage with the Crown Princess, you must understand me, right? – Your loving Chu Ziqian”
Jiang Yingnan really wanted to shout: Understand what?! Love you?!
But he didn’t dare to reply like that. Even now, he still couldn’t bear to completely sever his relationship with Chu Ziqian.
While he was racking his brains trying to figure out how to reply to this letter, Jiang Zhenxiong stormed in with a ruler, “Kneel!”
“…?!” Jiang Yingnan was startled. He rarely saw his father so stern.
He could only obediently kneel down and trembled, “Father, what’s wrong?”
“I ask you, did you already know who hired the assassin to assassinate His Royal Highness Prince Rui?”
“…Ah? Why would Father think so? I don’t know!”
Jiang Zhenxiong sneered, “It’s useless for you to protect him, His Royal Highness Prince Rui has already informed His Majesty, that person is finished.”
“What?!” Jiang Yingnan blurted out, “What happened to Ziqian?!”
“You really know!” Jiang Zhenxiong struck Jiang Yingnan with the ruler, “Did I mention the Crown Prince?!”
“…” Jiang Yingnan realized that his father was trying to trick him.
“Don’t worry, we can’t do anything to the Crown Prince for now, but he will eventually get his comeuppance! As for now, you should worry about yourself!”
Jiang Zhenxiong struck Jiang Yingnan twice more, then threw away the ruler. “Someone! Drag Jiang Yingnan away and give him thirty lashes, then expel him from the Jiang family!”
“Father!” Jiang Yingnan was terrified at the words “expel him from the Jiang family,” his face pale, he kowtowed heavily on the ground, “I have no complaints about being beaten or punished, just please don’t abandon me! I know I was wrong!”
Jiang Zhenxiong said sternly, “My Jiang family will never tolerate a treacherous villain who colludes with outsiders to plot against his brothers!”
Jiang Yingnan wanted to continue kowtowing and begging for mercy, but he was already dragged to the punishment bench by two strong servants, the lashes falling upon him.
The power of those thick lashes was far greater than a small ruler. A few lashes had already caused Jiang Yingnan’s buttocks to bleed.
Jiang Zhenxiong’s discipline was strict, but he rarely used lashes. Such a commotion quickly alarmed Mrs. Ruan, Jiang Yingnan’s elder brother Jiang Pingzhong, and Jiang Chengjin, who had just been released from his room by Jiang Zhenxiong.
“Father!” Jiang Pingzhong knelt at his father’s feet and pleaded, “Third Brother is usually frail, he really can’t withstand the lashes! Even if he made a mistake, punish him with other methods.”
At this time, Jiang Chengjin also chimed in, “Yes, Father, the thirty lashes I received before haven’t healed yet, and Third Brother is not like me, he’s been beaten by you since he was young, his skin is thick.”
Jiang Zhenxiong then suddenly realized that, not to mention Jiang Pingzhong, even Jiang Chengjin was kinder than Jiang Yingnan at heart.
Alas, he had been blind before, and he still regarded Jiang Yingnan as his favorite son.
“He wanted to harm you, and you still speak for him, are you stupid?” Jiang Zhenxiong glared at his second son, “No one is allowed to intercede for him, otherwise, I’ll beat you all.”
Jiang Pingzhong wanted to say something else: “But Father…”
“Shut up!” Jiang Zhenxiong struck him with the ruler, “Are you ignoring my words?”
“…This child dares not.” Jiang Pingzhong immediately shut his mouth. His father was both strict and dismissive towards him, so he was somewhat timid in front of his father, and never dared to disobey.
“Alright, Zhong’er,” Mrs. Ruan went over and helped Jiang Pingzhong up, “This is a major mistake your third brother made himself, and he must bear the bitter fruit himself.”
Mrs. Ruan knew very well that compared to the mistake Jiang Yingnan had made this time, only thirty lashes was already the greatest mercy Jiang Zhenxiong could show, considering their years as father and son.
The count of the lashes had already reached more than twenty.
Jiang Yingnan gritted his teeth and endured the severe beating without making a sound, only his blood-stained lips and the deep marks scratched on the bench by his fingernails betrayed how much pain he was in.
When the thirty lashes finally ended, Jiang Yingnan’s body was covered in blood and flesh.
He was about to faint from pain, but he forced himself to stay awake. When the lashes finally stopped, he even managed to stand up shakily from the bench.
Jiang Zhenxiong sighed inwardly. He also knew that the seemingly weak youngest son was actually prouder than anyone else. With his intelligence and temperament, he could have achieved great things, but alas, he had an evil heart and chose the wrong people to associate with.
“Nan’er,” Jiang Zhenxiong couldn’t help but walk over and hand him some silver notes, “Take this, it should be enough for you for a while. After you recover from your injuries, find a job, with your talent, you can support yourself and shine anywhere…”
“Enough!”
Jiang Yingnan suddenly snatched the silver notes from Jiang Zhenxiong’s hand, tore them into pieces, and threw the fragments in Jiang Zhenxiong’s face.
“I don’t need your hypocritical kindness! You claim to love me, but because I am an illegitimate son, you’ve never given me what I truly wanted! If I had any chance of obtaining the position of heir apparent through legitimate means, why would I have to take such risks?! You forced me to do this! Why can’t an illegitimate son be the heir apparent?!”
“…You’re still stubborn even now!”
Jiang Zhenxiong was utterly disappointed with his youngest son’s lack of remorse. He smiled coldly and glanced at Jiang Pingzhong, “Do you really think an illegitimate son can never become the heir apparent through legitimate means? Have you made enough effort? I’m going to announce right now – from today on, Jiang Pingzhong, your elder brother, is the heir of the Jiang family!”
“What?!” Jiang Pingzhong was shocked, “Father, I’m afraid I can’t take on this responsibility!”
Jiang Chengjin had a disgruntled look on his face, but he didn’t dare to speak. He had been beaten and confined recently, and he was already badly punished, he just wanted to return to his peaceful life.
Jiang Zhenxiong said to his eldest son, “I say you can, and you can. You need to have more confidence in yourself.”
“…” Jiang Yingnan looked at Jiang Pingzhong in disbelief, and then at Jiang Zhenxiong in disbelief.
“Good! Very good! Your whole family is harmonious, only I am the biggest joke in the Jiang family! I should have disappeared from the Jiang family long ago!”
As soon as Jiang Yingnan finished speaking, he limped away.
He left the gates of the Jiang Mansion without looking back and wandered aimlessly in the streets.
It was already dark, the long night had just begun, but Jiang Yingnan didn’t know where he could find a place to stay in this vast world.
Finally, Jiang Yingnan stumbled to the gates of the Crown Prince’s mansion.
“Young Master Jiang?” The guards of the Crown Prince’s mansion recognized him at once.
“Get out of the way! I’m going in!” Jiang Yingnan roared, completely devoid of his usual elegance.
Seeing his pale face, disheveled clothes, and the blood still flowing from his body, the guards knew he must have encountered great difficulties and quickly appeased him, “Young Master Jiang, please calm down, let this servant report it.”
“Report what! I said I’m going in!” Jiang Yingnan said, then rushed straight inside.
“…” Actually, many people in the Crown Prince’s mansion knew that the Crown Princess was not favored, and Jiang Yingnan was the apple of the Crown Prince’s eye, so the guards didn’t dare to offend him and let him in.
Jiang Yingnan rushed to Chu Ziqian’s room, but he wasn’t there.
He grabbed a passing servant and asked, “Where’s Chu Ziqian?!”
“Uh… His Highness is in the Crown Princess’s room.”
“…” In an instant, Jiang Yingnan, whose body was already cold, felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head.
So, the “choose a day to consummate the marriage” Chu Ziqian spoke of was today? He didn’t even wait for his consent?
Jiang Yingnan rushed to the Crown Princess’s room door like a madman and kicked the door open, “Are you enjoying consummating the marriage?!”
Chu Ziqian hadn’t started consummating the marriage yet.
Actually, he had some hesitation about it, worrying that Jiang Yingnan would no longer want to have anything to do with him.
“Anan?!” Chu Ziqian was startled by Jiang Yingnan’s sudden appearance, “Why are you here?”