The Person Behind It All

The Second Young Master strode into Wang's room. The door opened, Tao Yuan saw two people standing beside Wang: Qin Rang and Wang Ding.

They were clearing the table with their heads down. The three of them exchanged a brief glance before lowering their heads to minimize their presence, though their ears were already perked up.

"Second Older Brother." The young Wang stood up, the single chain earring on his right ear sparkling under the light.

The Second Young Master looked him up and down with concern. "I just found out that your Eldest Sister made things difficult for you again yesterday, making you ride such a wild horse. Luckily, you have exceptional talent and didn't fall off."

"Although my mother always says that's just her personality, she's really gone too far these past few years. How are you feeling today? Does anything feel uncomfortable?"

The younger one laughed and said, "It's alright. Eldest Sister and eldest brother can't stand us and always want to vent their anger. I have no hope, but Second Older Brother, I think you can—"

"Shh!" The Second Young Master quickly made a hushed gesture, but did not stop him from continuing.

"Second Older Brother," Wang looked at him, "In short, whatever decision you make, I will definitely support you."

The Second Young Master hesitated for a moment. "But, can I really do it?"

Wang's smile faded. As he picked up the teapot on the table to pour water, he casually remarked, "I think there's something wrong with that Darren guy. He's a little too close to Mother."

The Second Young Master was somewhat bewildered by his sudden leap into a new topic. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean is, Second Older Brother, Eldest Sister has our mother's support, eldest brother has our father's support, but what about us?"

Wang paused, glancing towards the door. "Because Kane is the result of Father's sins, Father always feels guilty towards Mother. But if Father knew that Darren was Mother's Illegitimate Son, how would Mother react...? Do you understand?"

A brilliant idea flashed through the Second Young Master's mind.

Yes, he can use this as an excuse to go to his mother!

Even if he can't compete with his Eldest Sister then, he won't be as powerless in the family as he is now.

The Second Young Master left in a hurry, Tao Yuan followed Second Young Master. Before leaving, she gave Qin Rang and Wang Ding a wink.

Is this Young Master the one instigating their conflict?

"Qin Rang."

Qin Rang looked up and saw the Young Master smiling at him. He asked, "You were listening so attentively just now. Do you think what I said is right?"

Qin Rang immediately lowered his head and said, "Young Master says is naturally correct."

"That's good." Wang said, "If you want to survive here, you have to pretend to be blind, deaf, and mute, understand?"

"Yes."

Not long after, Wang calculated that it was about time and went out for some fresh air. When he went out, he ran into the Eldest Young Master, Eldest Young Master was standing next to Luo Jiayu and Tang Pin.

After passing each other, Tang Pin and Luo Jiayu followed the Eldest Young Master Eldest Miss. The Eldest Miss had always been arrogant since she was a child, and she was even more arrogant when she was young. She would quarrel with the Eldest Young Master at the slightest disagreement.

Beside the Eldest Miss were Sheng Qingqiao and Bai Ao. The four of them exchanged glances and then quietly lowered their heads.

The Eldest Miss was angered by the Eldest Young Master and left. On her way to the Garden, she bumped into Wang, who was drinking tea at the stone table on the Lawn.

Thump!

The Eldest Miss angrily kicked Wang's table, spilling water from the teapot all over him.

"Hmph." The Eldest Miss felt much better seeing Wang's disheveled appearance and turned to leave.

"Is your Eldest Sister really that angry?" The arrogant voice made her stop in her tracks.

The Eldest Miss turned her head, and her usually tolerant younger brother actually showed her a mocking smile that was different from usual.

She said incredulously, "Are you talking to me like that?"

He glanced at the Castle gate, his expression unchanged, but his words ignited the Eldest Miss's fury.

"Eldest Sister, if you want to surpass eldest brother, you'd better control your temper. Father doesn't like your personality."

The Eldest Miss laughed in anger, rushed forward, and raised her hand to slap him. "You've really grown bold, haven't you? Looks like I didn't lock you up long enough last time?"

Wang Ding instinctively stepped forward and blocked Wang's slap.

At this moment, both the Eldest Miss and Wang turned to look at him in surprise.

Upon seeing this, Qin Rang quickly stepped forward, reached out and pulled Wang Ding back, and the two bowed their heads in greeting. "Greetings, Madam."

Wang lowered his eyelashes, a hint of regret flashing in his eyes, which allowed her to avoid the situation.

The Eldest Miss turned around upon hearing the sound.

She saw her mother standing not far away, her once gentle eyes now filled with heavy disappointment.

Behind his mother stood the Second Young Master quietly.

The mother's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority. "Gui Ding, I'm warning you, you must never mistreat your brother again. You share the same blood; you are both pillars of the Count's Estate's future, understand?"

Gui Ding lowered her head, her long eyelashes concealing the cold glint in her eyes, her voice gentle yet tinged with just the right amount of grievance. "Yes, Mother, Gui Ding understands."

"You should learn from your younger brother, learn to temper your brilliance, so that you can uphold the glory and responsibilities of the Count's Estate."

Gui Ding her lips tightly. "Okay."

Only when her mother's footsteps faded into the distance did the Eldest Miss raise her eyes, her gaze fixed on the Second Young Master behind her mother, her eyes seeming to be filled with venom.

"Walk."

The Eldest Miss left, seething with anger.

Wang took in all of this, a slight smile playing on his lips, his eyes practically brimming with interest.

Qin Rang, who had been observing everyone's expressions without showing any emotion, turned his head and whispered to the Young Master, "Young Master, you seem very happy?"

Wang just smiled and said, "Take the door really tight tonight when you sleep."

In the middle of the night, half asleep and half awake, Qin Rang heard a shrill scream and was instantly jolted awake.

The flickering candlelight cast distorted shadows, and an iron hook swayed slightly on the beam, with a still-warm, blood-soaked human skin hanging from it.

The candlelight blazed, the heat carrying a heavy, pungent, and putrid stench, while the candlelight illuminated a bloody, mangled mass on the chair.

The thing didn't seem to be dead yet; it was limp and indistinct, its muscles twitching uncontrollably, and its throat was still emitting hoarse screams.

Qin Rang steadied himself before he could clearly see his surroundings.

He and his teammates were all there, along with many unfamiliar servants crammed into the cage, all locked in iron cages with their hands and feet shackled and thrown together.

Although no one covered their mouths, not one dared to make a sound, and they even tried their best to suppress their trembling.

Outside the iron cage, the two boys were tightly bound together with hemp rope.

The Young Master stood ramrod straight, his expression calm and composed, while the Second Young Master was deathly pale and his body trembled uncontrollably.

Wang coldly watched as the Eldest Miss threw the peeled human skin to the servant beside her, blood dripping from the servant's hand.

She then randomly selected another servant from the cage, ordered the flesh and blood on the chair to be cleaned away, and pressed the newly chosen servant onto the blood-stained chair, replacing the dying mass of flesh and blood.

The servant was terrified and begged for mercy, but the Eldest Miss impatiently covered his mouth.

Sheng Qingqiao and Bai Ao stood behind the Eldest Miss, their expressions extremely unpleasant.

I'm tired.

The Eldest Miss's dagger made only two shallow cuts. Watching the blood droplets roll down, she suddenly lost interest and took a few steps back.

Before the servants could even breathe a sigh of relief, she handed the knife, covered in bits of meat, to Sheng Qingqiao and Bai Ao, then turned and sat down on a chair nearby.

"Come on in, just like usual."

Sheng Qingqiao and Bai Ao stood frozen, watching the servant struggling and begging for mercy with his mouth gagged, unable to take the knife no matter what.

Qin Rang and the others noticed their hesitation and silently clenched their fists, feeling a pang of worry for them.

If they agree now, that would be torture.

This is a psychological trauma for both the viewers watching the live stream and for Sheng Qingqiao and Bai Ao themselves.

If it is not allowed, then that is a violation of the rules.