Lodging a Complaint

Little sister Zheng Shan seemed to realize she had said something wrong. Covering her little mouth, she looked at Zheng Fa.

Zheng Fa glanced at Seventh Young Master, who wore the expression of someone eagerly watching a spectacle, then lowered his head and smiled at his little sister, stroking her small head.

Little sister understood at once. Tilting up her face, she began to complain:

"Wang Gui's family is the worst! In the whole village, he loves bullying people the most!"

"How did he bully you? Tell me. I'll stand up for you."

Seventh Young Master set down his bowl and smiled at Zheng Shan, whose face was practically screaming that she wanted justice.

"He stole my pigweed leaves! It took me two hours to pick them, and he took them all!"

"Pigweed leaves?" Seventh Young Master looked at Zheng Fa.

"They're used to feed the pigs in the village." Zheng Fa lowered his eyes. "My family eats them too."

"..." Holding his bowl, Seventh Young Master looked at the pearly white rice inside, seeming unable to speak for a moment.

"After stealing them, he didn't even eat them! He threw them on the ground and stomped on them!"

Little sister had only wanted to complain, but as she spoke of it, she could not help growing angry. Tears swirled in her big eyes.

From her expression, it was clear that compared to Wang Gui stealing her pigweed leaves, seeing them trampled to pieces hurt her even more.

"Is that so?"

The smile on Seventh Young Master's face slowly vanished.

"And that's not all! Someone gave Brother new cloth, and Mother made me a pretty new outfit. The moment I wore it outside, Wang Gui brought people to tear it apart!"

Zheng Fa looked at the old clothes on his little sister, and his gaze deepened.

When he had been home, though Wang Gui had not been friendly toward his family, at most he had only isolated Zheng Fa and his little sister.

Now that he was staying in the Zhao Residence compound, Wang Gui probably felt that Zheng Fa had stolen his position as a bookboy. Harboring resentment, he had actually become more and more unscrupulous.

"Is there anything else?" Zheng Fa asked before Seventh Young Master could.

"Yes, and he said bad things about Seventh Young Master and Brother too!" Zheng Shan pouted. "He said Seventh Young Master was strange and hard to serve, that he was only born into a good family, and that Brother would definitely be beaten to death by Seventh Young Master!"

Zheng Fa looked at Seventh Young Master, whose expression had worsened even further, then gave his indignant little sister a complicated look.

This little thing had even learned how to sow discord!

More importantly, even Zheng Fa believed that someone Zheng Shan's age could not have made up such words—it could only mean Wang Gui had truly said them.

In this world, praise was seldom sincere, but insults were often brimming with honesty.

That jab at Seventh Young Master had absolutely come from the bottom of Wang Gui's heart...

And Seventh Young Master knew perfectly well what sort of person he was. Deep down, perhaps he even thought Wang Gui was right!

Didn't that make it even more infuriating?

At the doorway, Wang Gui stood holding a basin of freshly cooked chicken, staring blankly at Zheng Shan. His face was even whiter than the skinned chicken legs in the basin.

Behind Wang Gui, Steward Wang directly dragged him down to kneel on the ground. He did not even dare utter a single plea for mercy.

Seventh Young Master looked at the kneeling father and son, his lips pressed together.

He lowered his head, forced a smile at Zheng Shan, and said, "Wang Gui is so bad. How do you want me to punish him?"

Zheng Shan's eyes lit up. "You'll listen to me?"

"I'll listen to you!"

"I..." The little girl bit her finger and wrestled with it for a long time. "I can't think of anything!"

"Then shall I give you an idea?"

"Mm! My brother said Seventh Young Master is the smartest!"

Zheng Fa: ...I never said that!

Seventh Young Master gave Zheng Fa a surprised look, and his expression brightened considerably.

After all, children would not lie, right?

"Last time, my mother had him beaten with a plank, but it seems he didn't change." Seventh Young Master glanced at Wang Gui, who was trembling on the ground. "How about another beating?"

"Okay, okay!" Zheng Shan clapped her hands, then seemed somewhat dissatisfied. "But after he was beaten last time, he became even worse."

"Don't worry. This time, we'll just beat him to death."

Seventh Young Master's expression did not change in the slightest as he said it.

But Wang Gui at the doorway could no longer hold himself up. He collapsed to the ground, his face full of despair, while his lips unconsciously kept murmuring, "Young Master, spare my life."

"Death?" Little sister Zheng Shan was startled too. "Like my father?"

Almost all her understanding of death came from her father, who had died young. Thinking of him, a trace of conflict appeared on her face. Tugging carefully at Seventh Young Master's sleeve, she said, "Don't beat him to death."

"Oh?" Seventh Young Master looked at Zheng Shan, who was pleading for Wang Gui, amusement hidden in his eyes. "Don't you hate him the most?"

"I do hate him, but... I can forgive him too!" Zheng Shan patted her little chest, showing how magnanimous she was. Then her voice lowered. "Father died. Mother said I was still little then, so I don't remember him at all."

Seventh Young Master stroked her lowered little head. He remained silent for a long time before finally nodding. "Since you've forgiven him, then I'll spare his life."

"Thank you, Young Master!"

Tears hung on Wang Gui's face. It was impossible to tell whether he was weeping with joy. Behind him, Steward Wang's face also carried the relief of someone who had survived a calamity.

"Thank her." Seventh Young Master pointed at Zheng Shan.

Wang Gui and his father repeatedly kowtowed toward Zheng Shan.

Instead, little sister Zheng Shan seemed a little frightened and hid behind Zheng Fa.

Seventh Young Master suddenly said to Steward Wang, "You are Wang Gui's father. When a son is not taught, it is the father's fault. You need not continue as steward!"

Steward Wang shuddered, but he did not dare speak.

"Get out."

Wang Gui followed Steward Wang away with a face full of relief, failing to notice the faint despair on Steward Wang's face.

But Zheng Fa could guess Steward Wang's worries. He had spent five years building such a large household fortune, so his methods naturally could not have been entirely aboveboard. Having lost his position as steward, he might soon face a backlash.

As for Wang Gui... Zheng Fa, who had experienced similar rises and falls in life, could only wish that he would truly be able to endure such a plunge.

He glanced at Seventh Young Master and felt that this young master probably understood perfectly well that this punishment might make Steward Wang even more despairing than Wang Gui being beaten to death.

Perhaps he had done it deliberately.

After dinner, Seventh Young Master and Gao Yuan still had to stay the night at Steward Wang's home—there was simply no room for them at the Zheng family's house.

Zheng Fa saw the two off. When they reached the crossroads, Seventh Young Master suddenly spoke.

"Zheng Fa, I envy you."

"Hm?"

"I'm a young master, and you're a village peasant, yet I still envy you." Seventh Young Master looked at the night sky. "Your mother worries deeply about you. Even when you return in glory, the first thing she looks at is whether you are well, whether you have been properly cared for. And though your sister is so young, she already knows to speak well of you before me."

Zheng Fa nodded. He could not make out the expression on Seventh Young Master's face.

"This is something I can seek but never obtain." Seventh Young Master waved a hand. "Today, I did it for them. Go back."

Zheng Fa watched the two walk away, then turned toward the lamp still lit in his mother's room.

Before he reached the door, he heard Mother Zheng scolding little sister Zheng Shan.

"Why are you being disobedient again?"

"Mother, how was I disobedient?" Zheng Shan sounded a little wronged.

"Didn't I tell you not to let your brother complain?"

"I didn't make Brother say anything! I said it myself!"

"And what if you offended the young master? Wouldn't you drag your brother down with you?" Mother Zheng still seemed to feel that her daughter was far too bold.

"I'm only six! Would the young master really have the nerve to hold it against me?"

Zheng Fa pushed open the door, picked up his wide-eyed little sister, who was arguing her case with great conviction, and smiled. "Mother, don't scold her. Seventh Young Master even praised her."

"Exactly!" Little sister raised her head proudly, looking rather pleased with how good her acting had been.