The Original Reason (Continued)

Si Jingyu was both shocked and frightened. She had never imagined that her kind and gentle grandmother could be so cold and ruthless at heart.

"Grandma, please, make them stop! Yutao and Siyan have never practiced martial arts; if this continues, they'll really be beaten to death!"

Si Jingzhi said gently, "So be it. Only by killing them both will you remember this lesson. Otherwise, you might forget it in the blink of an eye."

The gentle gaze and cruel words created an eerie contrast, but Si Jingzhi seemed oblivious, smiling as she endured her granddaughter's rage.

Suddenly, Si Jingyu realized she was wrong. Her grandmother wasn't cold-hearted; rather, in her eyes, some people were human, and some weren't human at all. Of course, she wouldn't have any sympathy for those objects or livestock.

In a daze, Si Jingyu felt as if she had unveiled the glamorous exterior of something and seen the darkness hidden beneath. An unimaginable chill surged from the soles of her feet, making her feel as if she were in an ice cellar.

The screams of the two maids brought her to her senses. Quickly thinking, she threatened the executioners, "I'll remember your faces. If you dare swing your whips again, no one can save your lives!"

The martial artists stopped and turned to look at Si Jingzhi.

Before her grandmother could speak, Si Jingyu immediately said, "I am the next clan leader. Can others protect you for a while, or for a lifetime? As long as I give the word, there will naturally be people willing to help me to curry favor with me."

Seeing that Si Jingzhi remained silent, the martial artists hurriedly begged for mercy, "Young clan leader, we were forced into this situation, please have some understanding!"

"I understand you, but who understands them?"

Si Jingyu knew these martial arts masters were innocent, but she couldn't care less at this point; if the fighting continued, those people would truly die.

"Well done. You know how to assess the situation and make full use of your position to control it, instead of just standing by and yelling 'Stop!' You are the young patriarch of the Si Clan. People should be asking you for help. When you ask others for help, your status as the young patriarch becomes invalid. Remember, if you actively maintain the dignity of your position, it will bring you benefits."

Although Si Jingyu's actions were defying his orders, Si Jingzhi still greatly appreciated them and did not forget to instruct her on the art of political maneuvering.

While the act of pitifully crying out, "Please, stop!" may be touching and make bystanders think the person is kind-hearted and compassionate, it is actually a sign of weakness and incompetence. It is tantamount to handing over the initiative and placing oneself in the position of the beggar, letting the other party decide the fate of the victim.

To act in such a manner in front of someone like Si Jingzhi would undoubtedly be to invite humiliation.

"Get out of here, don't get in my way."

The samurai, feeling as if they had been granted a pardon, hurriedly packed their belongings and fled as fast as they could.

Just as Si Jingyu breathed a sigh of relief, she saw Si Jingzhi stretch out his palm and suck in a whip, then slap it twice onto the bodies of the two maids, Yutao and Siyan.

These two whips were imbued with full internal force, each carrying the weight of a thousand pounds. The backs of the two maids made a sound as if their spines were being broken. Their bodies stiffened at first, and then they collapsed to the ground, their eyes completely losing their luster.

"Why!"

The anger in Si Jingyu's heart broke through her fear, and she questioned Si Jingzhi sharply.

Si Jingzhi chuckled softly, gently stroking Si Jingyu's head, and said, "Remember, these two died because of you."

The remaining dozen or so men lay trembling on the ground, not daring to utter a sound despite the excruciating pain in their backs. Only when they saw Si Jingzhi his hand did they show great joy, repeatedly kowtowing in gratitude before staggering away.

"These people live because of you," Si Jingzhi whispered in Si Jingyu's ear, "Do you understand the lessons I'm about to teach you?"

Taking advantage of the weakening of the binding force, Si Jingyu struggled to break free and ran to the two maids. She pressed her chest and poured in her True Qi, trying to stimulate their hearts to save them again—this was knowledge she had learned in her medical class.

However, the injected True Qi all vanished without a trace, circulating within the opponent's body before dissipating outwards.

Si Jingyu stretched out her trembling little hand and closed their eyes, then looked up at her "kind and amiable" grandmother and said, "If I become the clan leader in the future, I will definitely change all those rotten rules and smash all those ugly things to pieces!"

Si Jingzhi wasn't angry. He smiled and said, "Silly child, such words should be kept in your heart. How can you say them out loud? If a ruler is not discreet, he will lose his ministers; if a minister is not discreet, he will lose his life; if important matters are not kept secret, they will lead to disaster. Therefore, a wise man is cautious and does not speak out. Didn't we learn this in class? You must remember it well."

She didn't take the threat to heart. After all, once her granddaughter grew up and inherited the position of clan leader, she would know how naive this idea was. The rules of the Aristocratic Clan are the result of thousands of years of accumulation and cannot be changed by one person alone. Unless one is determined to destroy the entire Lineage, it is impossible to make any difference.

Young people, newly appointed to high positions, are full of vigor and ambition. They always feel that they can make sweeping changes and change all the old and unpleasant rules, as if there is nothing they cannot do. But reality will always teach them to realize that the things left by their ancestors are actually very reasonable and are the crystallization of the wisdom of their predecessors.

This is why people often say that reality is always cruel.

"Thank you for your guidance, Grandma. I will keep it in mind."

To Si Jingzhi's surprise, Si Jingyu showed no Qi Ingestion whatsoever and quickly calmed down, her previous anger vanishing and her eyes becoming angry yet resolute.

Could it be that she really can...?

Si Jingzhi shook his head slightly, banishing the thought of panic from his mind, and continued to instruct, "Remember, it is because you are the young clan leader that you can save these people's lives. Once you lose your status as the young clan leader, not only these people, but many others will lose their lives because of you. So, don't be willful anymore."

"Grandson understands and will not let Grandma down."

Si Jingyu pursed her lips slightly, revealing a smile identical to Si Jingzhi's, yet it sent a chill down Si Jingzhi.

She had seen many children hailed as child prodigies, but they mostly relied on their talent for a living. Aside from the jobs bestowed upon them by God, they were no different from other children their age. But her granddaughter, at such a young age, possessed such a mind. She believed that even without talent in martial arts, she would surely achieve great things in the future... and with her martial arts talent, she might even grow into a terrifying monster!

Is her becoming the clan leader a blessing or a curse for the Lineage?

Si Jingzhi seemed to see the darkness in her granddaughter's heart coalesce into a venomous dragon, grinning maliciously at her and mocking her for reaping what she sowed.

Perhaps I was too hasty, and the consequences of forcing things to grow too fast... I should report this matter to my grandmother. As long as she is here, the Lineage will not be in trouble.

Despite a hint of worry in her heart, Si Jingzhi did not believe she had done anything wrong; everything she had done was for the sake of her Lineage.

The next day.

"Take this letter to the west bank and give it to the girl waiting there. Return quickly."

Si Jingyu knew she absolutely couldn't leave today, otherwise her grandmother wouldn't mind killing a bunch of people to remind her, so even though she was unwilling, she had no choice but to break her promise that night.

To avoid leaving Si Huaruo waiting in vain, she handed a letter to the nanny who had taken care of her since childhood, instructing her to make sure the letter was delivered.

"Young clan leader, rest assured, I will definitely deliver the letter for you."

The nanny quickly hid the letter, made sure no one was around, and secretly slipped out of the house.