“Do you even have any regard for this family? Coming back so late—what kind of behavior is this!”
Xiao Yaozu chewed his meat and mumbled, “Father, I actually accomplished something great today.”
Xiao Yaoye sneered sarcastically, “Oh, you? Accomplishing something? Who would believe that? Aside from fooling around with prostitutes at Hua Lou and ruining Father’s reputation, what else are you capable of?”
This guy truly took after Liu Yuanniang, shifting the blame onto her with just a few words.
Xiao Yaozu retorted, “Believe it or not, I don’t even care to tell you. You can’t go three sentences without mentioning Father—are you lacking milk or a beating? Why don’t you just have him tuck you in at night?”
Master Xiao roared angrily, “How dare you speak to your brother like that! If it weren’t for you being the eldest son, this official position would never have been yours!”
Xiao Yaoming chimed in from the side, “Elder Brother, you should really rein it in. Stop fooling around all day and bringing shame to our Xiao Family.”
Xiao Yaozu replied provocatively, “I serve the court, and you call it shameful? If His Majesty heard such words, how many heads do you think you’d keep?”
Xiao Yaoye shot back, “You’re just a Compiler—a mere songster. Do you really think you’re something special?”
Seeing the situation, Liu Yuanniang pretended to mediate: “Alright, alright, we’re all family here. Let’s not argue. Yaozu, why don’t you apologize to your father and brothers, and we can let this matter pass.”
Xiao Yaozu glanced at Liu Yuanniang and transformed into Xiao the Retorter.
“Consort Liu, I address you as Yiniang out of respect because you’re my father’s concubine. After eating human food for a few days, you actually think you’re human? Even a dog knows it’s a dog—how dare you meddle in your master’s affairs?”
“You!!” Consort Liu’s face darkened. How dare he insult her like this!
Just because he was of legitimate birth—she had managed to drive him away before, and she would make him disappear without a trace again.
After retorting to Liu Yuanniang, he turned in another direction:
“And you, Xiao Yaoye—think about your own status before you speak. How dare a mere dog like you bark in front of me?”
Xiao Yaoye deeply resented being born a concubine’s son, and he hated Xiao Yaozu’s existence most of all—a constant reminder of his own lowly status.
Why was he born from a slave!
Master Xiao pointed at Xiao Yaozu’s face, trembling with rage that he would dare insult his beloved concubine and son.
“You unfilial son! Yaoye is your own brother! Get out—get out of here—!”
Xiao Yaozu acted as if nothing had happened, calmly eating and picking dishes.
“You—!!”
Seeing that he was being ignored, Master Xiao was so enraged that he fainted.
“Master, Master, are you alright?” Liu Yuanniang, seeing that he had collapsed, immediately threw herself over him. “Master, if anything happens to you, what will I do~~”
A flurry of people carried Master Xiao out.
Finally, some peace and quiet.
Then, Madam Xiao’s slightly reproachful voice sounded:
“Yaozu, how could you speak to your father like that? He is your father.”
Xiao Yaozu cast a cold glance at Madam Xiao. He wasn’t the original owner of this body and held little affection for her.
“Are you sure you want to argue with me here instead of checking on your husband? If someone whispers in his ear, your position as the primary wife might not be secure.”
Hearing this, Madam Xiao immediately sensed the danger. As a very traditional woman, she always put her husband first. The thought of Master Xiao fainting with Liu Yuanniang by his side made her uneasy, and she didn’t dare stay any longer, rushing off to see him.
With Madam Xiao gone, only Xiao Yaozu and Xiao Yaoming remained at the table.
As for this younger brother, Xiao Yaozu’s thought was: he hadn’t been beaten enough.
“What do you think you’re doing?!” Xiao Yaoming tried to intimidate his older brother, who had always been a coward—how had he become so terrifying after just one day?
“Doing what? Doing your father.” Xiao Yaozu directly grabbed Xiao Yaoming by the collar.
[System, add my unused life points to my fists.]
[Yes!]
“Ahhh—!”
“Xiao Yaozu, I’ll kill you!”
Xiao Yaozu didn’t respond, simply throwing punch after punch, smashing them hard into Xiao Yaoming’s face.
“I’ll teach you to defy the natural order.”
“I’ll fix your twitching eyes.”
“I’ll make you understand who your father is!”
“…Xiao Yaoming screamed in despair, his eyes filled with hatred as he stared at his eldest brother. Why hadn’t he just died outside back then?
Why did he have to come back?
Why make things difficult for Mother?
Why doesn’t he just die?!
Since he went missing, he should have died out there!
[Host, Xiao Yaoming doesn’t seem convinced.]
[Unconvinced? I’ll beat him until he is.]
Punch after punch landed on Xiao Yaoming’s face, targeting every painful spot. If not for limited stamina, she could have kept it up all night.
After finishing, she ordered the steward to bring a basin of water.
“Xiao Wei, bring water for Lang Jun to wash his hands.”
“Did you not hear what I just said? Steward Wu!”
“This servant misunderstood, Lang Jun.”
The steward trembled as he brought the water over.
Xiao Yaozu leisurely washed his fingers while making Steward Wu hold the full basin without setting it down.
She let out a cold laugh, causing Steward Wu to nearly drop the basin.
Though it was the same face, the Xiao Family’s eldest young master seemed different somehow—sinister, like a vengeful ghost.
[Host, isn’t this a bit immoral, bullying an old man?]
[This Steward Wu has helped Liu Yuanniang do plenty of things against the original host. Feeling sorry for him now?]
After washing up, she continued eating heartily.
The fight had drained much of her stamina.
Not a single person at this table was easy to deal with—even the original host’s birth mother hadn’t spoken a single word in her defense from the beginning.
Subservient to her husband, possessing the same quality as Wang Baochuan who dug for wild vegetables.
An inexplicable irritation surged in her heart—this was the original host’s lingering resentment.
Xiao Yaozu sighed softly and coaxed:
[Xiao BaoBao, don’t be angry. Aren’t I here?]
[Host, who are you talking to? Who is BaoBao?]
The system scanned 360 degrees, quite certain there was no one else around. Who exactly was the host speaking to…
Xiao Yaozu paid no mind to whether the original host could hear, continuing with sweet nothings.
It would be best if the original host could reincarnate. If she was still lingering nearby, then she could watch how revenge would be carried out.
In Master Xiao’s room
The physician applied an acupuncture needle, and he gradually regained consciousness.
“Physician, how is my husband?”
Liu Yuanniang asked urgently from the side, her voice carrying traces of anxiety and concern.
The physician set down the silver needle, straightened up, and said calmly:
“The master suffered from acute anger affecting the heart, but it’s nothing serious. He simply needs to take the medicine I prescribe according to the instructions, rest peacefully and recuperate.”
“Thank you, physician.”
Liu Yuanniang carried herself with the demeanor of the mistress, making Madam Xiao appear completely invisible.
She lightly dabbed at nonexistent tears with her handkerchief, then quickly walked to Master Xiao’s bedside, saying softly:
“Master, you’re finally awake. You frightened this humble wife terribly.”
Master Xiao patted Liu Yuanniang’s hand, appearing even more fragile as he comforted: “Yuanniang, don’t be afraid, I’m feeling much better now.”
But when his gaze turned to Madam Xiao standing nearby, his expression suddenly darkened as he said sharply:
“Look at the fine son you’ve raised—defying his father, utterly unfilial!”
“How can we ever entrust this household to him? When will he ever possess even a fraction of Yaoye’s sense of duty!”
Madam Xiao, having been publicly shamed, grew pale. She lowered her head, not daring to meet her husband’s gaze, and murmured softly:
“I’ll have Yaozu come apologize. Please don’t upset yourself further, Master.”
Master Xiao snorted coldly, clearly unsatisfied with Madam Xiao’s response.
He thundered, “Have him kneel in the ancestral hall—I don’t want to see his face again!”
Liu Yuanniang cast a mocking glance at Madam Xiao:
“Sister, Yaozu truly grows more unruly by the day. Daring to talk back to his elders—if this continues outside, I fear he’ll stir up endless troubles.”
Hearing Liu Yuanniang’s words, Master Xiao’s fury intensified. He glared at Madam Xiao:
“Look at you, the lady of the house—you’re less sensible and thorough than Yuanniang!”
Master Xiao ordered Xiao Yaozu seized and forced to kneel in the ancestral hall.
Steward Wu, acting as if he’d received an imperial decree, bustled noisily with a crowd of servants to Xiao Yaozu’s chamber door.
They pushed it open.