Liang Family Siblings: Harmony Is Precious; Thanks to "Duidui Rabbit" for the Alliance Leader Reward!

Ever since Grandfather died in the Battle of Heavenly Gorge, and Father and Uncle died in the Yunxiang Battle, the Liang Family had no adult men left. Only Mother, Li Caiyun, remained to hold up the household.

The Liang Family was said to be filled with loyal martyrs, and there was not the slightest falsehood in that.

Hardships were unavoidable while growing up. From a young age, the three children had quietly formed an understanding: when something happened, they would not tell Mother first. Li Caiyun's combative nature, never yielding an inch to anyone, was certainly frightening to outsiders, but to her own children, it only made them feel all the more heartache for her.

So whenever they suffered grievances outside or encountered any difficulty, the three siblings would gather for a small meeting first to see whether they could handle it themselves. As time passed, it became a habit for all three of them.

"What exactly happened?" Liang Yue asked gravely.

Given how kind-hearted his younger brother and sister were, they rarely clashed with anyone in daily life. So when something like this happened, his first thought was that someone had maliciously bullied Liang Peng.

"I had originally been safe and sound at the academy, but recently, a girl suddenly said she liked me for no reason at all." Liang Peng frowned as he recounted it.

"Isn't that a common occurrence?" Liang Xiaoyun said.

Liang Peng was handsome, refined, gentle, and more mature and intelligent than others his age. Ever since he entered school at seven, little girls had constantly expressed their affection for him.

His evaluation of it had always been only four words... It affects my studies.

"But this girl is different. Her looks and family background are both good, and she has a group of admirers of her own as well," Liang Peng said. "Among them is that official's son. Ever since he discovered that she liked me, he has repeatedly looked for trouble with me."

"Didn't you explain it clearly to him?" Liang Yue asked as well.

"I already told him plainly that I don't like that girl at all, and I clearly rejected her." Liang Peng sighed. "But after hearing that, he became even angrier."

"Mm..." Liang Yue and Liang Xiaoyun exchanged a glance. After thinking it over, they understood that emotion.

The goddess he loved but could not have liked someone else, which was already heartbreaking enough. But the person she liked even looked down on her. That might have made him even more furious.

"I yielded to him many times, but today, he joined forces with several friends and snatched away my book basket before burning it in front of everyone. All our classmates saw it. If I still did not strike back, there would be no place for me to stand in the academy from now on," Liang Peng said calmly.

"Right. When forbearance reaches its limit, there is no need to endure any longer." Liang Yue nodded.

An academy might be an ivory tower removed from the outside world, but it was also a savage wilderness where rules could scarcely descend. Once everyone discovered that you were weak and easy to bully, they would all come to bully you for amusement.

"But he had more people with him at the time, so I did not say anything for the moment. After classes ended, I fought him at the academy gates when he was alone," Liang Peng continued blandly.

"But you don't look like you were in a fight?" Liang Xiaoyun examined Liang Peng.

If someone had gotten into a brawl, they should at least have some dust or dirt on them.

"That fight... I put a sack over his head from behind and used a brick as a weapon, smashing it against his head several times," Liang Peng said.

"Did he fight back?" Liang Xiaoyun asked.

"He tried, but failed." Liang Peng gestured. "I studied grappling techniques for an entire class beforehand and twisted his arm behind him."

"..."

After a moment of silence.

Liang Yue finally said, "Third Brother, according to how we Imperial Capital Guards handle cases, that cannot be called a fight... It should be called an assault."

Going by Liang Peng's description, there had not been the slightest bit of self-defense throughout the entire fight. It had all been one-sided intentional injury.

"When... you fought him, did anyone see it?" Liang Xiaoyun asked.

"Probably several hundred people passed by at the time," Liang Peng said. "I considered whether I should avoid the crowd before making my move, but I meant to take revenge and establish my authority, so it would not have been right to deliberately hide."

"You were far too careless on that point," Liang Xiaoyun said.

"I had actually considered how to deal with the aftermath beforehand. I always ranked first in the academy's major examinations, while his schoolwork had always been terrible. I have always been respectful toward teachers and classmates, while he is notorious for being unruly and hard to tame. This time, too, he provoked me first. Even if a fight happened, the teachers should have sided with me when handling it." Liang Peng said, "But there was one thing I never expected..."

"Afterward, a classmate told me that his father is Zhen Changzhi, a Section Chief in the Ministry of Works and a sixth-rank official of the current court."

"How could that be?" Liang Yue asked. "Aren't all the students at Nanshan Academy from commoner households in this southern part of the city? At most, there might be families engaged in trade or minor official posts. How could there be a sixth-rank court official? If he did not send his child to Sword Dao Academy, then at the very least it should have been Wen'an Hall, the Imperial Academy, or one of those more famous academies in Dragon Abyss City. Why come to Nanshan?"

"It was precisely because I did not expect that that I made this oversight." Liang Peng shook his head, seeming somewhat regretful. "I made further inquiries. Zhen Changzhi is famous in the Six Ministries for having clean sleeves and an empty breeze. Because he is too incorruptible and often gives generously to charity, his household struggles even to make ends meet. That is why he sent his son to the ordinary Nanshan Academy."

Clearly, what he regretted was not making his move, but failing to investigate the other party's family background beforehand.

"How is that person now? Are his injuries serious?" Liang Xiaoyun asked again.

"I don't know. He was carried home," Liang Peng answered.

"Then it sounds quite serious..." Liang Yue was slightly troubled. That was a sixth-rank official. Even if he was in the Ministry of Works, he surely had countless connections. He was not someone a mere subordinate guard of the Imperial Capital Guard could afford to provoke.

"Third Brother, you need to go to his house and apologize," Liang Xiaoyun immediately said. "The sooner, the better."

"Xiao Yun is right." Liang Yue echoed her. "The most important thing now is to win their forgiveness. Even if he provoked you first, we are weaker after all, and we are not especially in the right at present."

"Even if they want to beat or curse you, even if they humiliate you, you must endure it all. No matter what, you must settle this matter." Liang Xiaoyun said. "If you have resentment in your heart, we can wait and seek a chance for revenge afterward. But for now, we must lower our stance as much as possible."

"You are right." Liang Peng nodded.

The three siblings were all clear-minded people, and they reached a consensus at once.

"If we are to take revenge afterward, I recently learned of a medicine. Two nonpoisonous medicines can be mixed together, yet produce an effect that makes one's yang energy fade away while yin energy flourishes day by day." Liang Xiaoyun said calmly. "This medicine is colorless and tasteless. If he eats it, he can unknowingly lose all masculine ability and become a hermaphrodite."

"No." Liang Yue quickly stopped her. "Drugging someone leaves traces too easily. And this is only a momentary conflict between classmates. Ruining someone's life would be going too far... I happen to know a method of arson that gods would not know and ghosts would not perceive. If we seek revenge then, we can use it to administer a small punishment."

"Big Brother is still the kindest." Liang Xiaoyun praised.

"There is no need to rush about revenge. This time, it can be considered that both sides have given as good as they got. If the other party is willing to settle this peacefully, then I will not bear any resentment toward him either." Liang Peng said. "Mother often teaches us..."

The three siblings said in unison, "Harmony is precious."

"Then I will personally write a letter of apology now, explain the course of events, and express my remorse... At the same time, I must tell the truth. Since his father is famous as an incorruptible official, he must value his official reputation. If he learns that his own child was at fault first, he should not make things too difficult for me." Liang Peng guessed.

"That makes sense." Liang Yue agreed. Then, resting a hand against his chin, he said, "To maintain a reputation for incorruptibility in a yamen of the Ministry of Works, where the grease is so thick everyone knows it, this Section Chief Zhen is quite remarkable."

Thanks to "Duidui Rabbit" for the Alliance Leader reward, the third super youthful and beautiful Alliance Leader of this book. Thank you, thank you.