Forcing the Zhennan Marquis Estate's Children to Admit Fault and Apologize

Just then, several Imperial Guards clad in armor and armed to the teeth arrived. The leading general radiated an aura like that of a dragon, along with a murderous air of battle.

"Everyone, stop!" the leading general shouted majestically. "Fighting is forbidden aboard the ship!"

Jiang Ping'an immediately stopped, lowered his hands, and resumed the appearance of a quiet, harmlessly handsome youth.

Zhao Jinglian and the other children of the Zhennan Marquis Estate climbed to their feet. Though they did not make another move, their gazes toward Jiang Ping'an brimmed with killing intent and fury.

They had actually been beaten by a Mortal Body good-for-nothing. It had to be because the cabin corridor was too narrow, preventing them from fighting properly.

The leading general barked, "For fighting inside the cabins, regardless of who is right or wrong, everyone will receive one hundred military cane strikes—including those in cabins on the same level who did not participate!"

At the words "military cane strikes," every child of the Zhennan Marquis Estate went pale.

Military caning was carried out by someone of equal cultivation to the punished person, using their full strength. After one hundred strikes, even if the Imperial Guards did not dare beat them to death, they would still be bedridden for several months.

The leading general paused, taking in everyone's expressions, before continuing, "Since this is your first offense and you were unaware of the military rules beforehand, I will spare you this time. If you fight again, both offenses will be punished together. Every one of you will receive two hundred military cane strikes!"

After saying this, the Imperial Guards ignored everyone's reactions and turned to leave.

Unable to fight any further, Zhao Jinglian and the others could only glare viciously at Jiang Ping'an, as if they wished to kill him with their eyes.

Jiang Ping'an smiled faintly and pointed at one of the Zhennan Marquis Estate youths with the fiercest gaze. "You dare look at me with such vicious eyes? I'm very angry. I'm going to beat you!"

As he spoke, he strode furiously toward that Zhennan Marquis Estate youth.

The youth backed away in panic and shouted, "Don't come over! If we fight, the Imperial Guards will give us two hundred military cane strikes!"

The other children of the Zhennan Marquis Estate hurriedly stepped sideways to block Jiang Ping'an with their bodies. "Zhao Ping'an, have you gone mad? Are you trying to get everyone killed?"

"Fine, we don't have to fight," Jiang Ping'an said, folding his arms across his chest with the look of someone who had everyone in the palm of his hand. "Make him come over and give me a smile. Or all of you can smile for me."

The Zhennan Marquis Estate youths ground their teeth in fury. They refused to accept their defeat to Jiang Ping'an and dearly wanted another fight, but they truly feared the military cane.

"Zhao Ping'an, don't go too far!" Zhao Jinglian threatened coldly. "You can't fight in the cabin, but once we get off the flying ship, do you think you can escape?"

"That's right! If you don't want to die, get on your knees and beg for mercy immediately!" the other Zhennan Marquis Estate youths clamored.

Jiang Ping'an curled his lips and chuckled. "Then let's fight first and talk later!"

With that, he made as if to attack, frightening Zhao Jinglian and the others into hurriedly retreating.

Jiang Ping'an had merely been putting on a show, so he stopped and pointed at the vicious-eyed Zhennan Marquis Estate youth. "Are you going to smile for me or not?!"

The vicious-eyed youth's expression turned incomparably ugly. Smiling apologetically at a concubine-born Mortal Body good-for-nothing in front of so many people was too humiliating. Rage surged within him. "Even if I get caned, I'll fight you to the death!"

With that, he lunged at Jiang Ping'an.

The other children of the Zhennan Marquis Estate were so frightened that some grabbed him while others blocked him with their bodies.

"Hongguang, endure it."

"Brother Guang, you'll get all of us caned if you do this."

After a noisy commotion, the Zhennan Marquis Estate youth named Zhao Hongguang finally calmed down.

But Jiang Ping'an had no intention of letting up. "I'll count to three. If you don't give me an apologetic smile, I'll make my move—and whoever stops me, I'll beat them too!"

"One!"

"Two!"

Zhao Jinglian ordered Zhao Hongguang, "Zhao Hongguang, give him a smile. Whatever grudges you have, settle them after we get off the ship!"

The other Zhennan Marquis Estate youths also urged Zhao Hongguang to do so.

Left with no choice, Zhao Hongguang swallowed his humiliation, walked up to Jiang Ping'an, and gave him a fierce-looking smile.

"That's not an apologetic smile. That's a threat!" Jiang Ping'an said, thoroughly dissatisfied. "Smile again."

Zhao Hongguang's face swelled red with rage, veins bulging on his forehead.

"Zhao Hongguang, smile for him again," Zhao Jinglian said.

Zhao Hongguang could only force another smile at Jiang Ping'an.

Once he was done, he turned around and stalked away angrily.

Jiang Ping'an did not continue finding fault with him. Instead, he pointed at Zhao Baokun, who was clutching his stomach with both hands. "You kicked my door. Come over and sincerely apologize to me right now!"

Zhao Baokun's face flushed crimson at once. He cursed angrily, "You kicked this young master too! This young master hasn't even settled that score with you yet!"

"Hehe, looks like you're unconvinced. Very good. Let's fight again!" Jiang Ping'an mocked, striding toward Zhao Baokun.

The other Zhennan Marquis Estate youths hastily formed a human barrier between Jiang Ping'an and Zhao Baokun.

Jiang Ping'an said coldly, "Are you apologizing or not? I'll count to three!"

"One!"

"Two!"

Zhao Jinglian had no choice but to speak. "Zhao Baokun, apologize to him."

"I..." Zhao Baokun was instantly filled with grievance. He had kicked Jiang Ping'an's door for Zhao Jinglian's sake, and Jiang Ping'an had kicked him too. His stomach still hurt terribly.

For a moment, he was deeply disappointed in Zhao Jinglian.

The other Zhennan Marquis Estate youths urged Zhao Baokun to apologize, telling him to endure it so Jiang Ping'an would not go mad and drag everyone down with him.

Jiang Ping'an was only a Mortal Body good-for-nothing. Even if the military cane beat him to death, it would not matter, while they were far too precious.

Zhao Baokun had no choice but to brace himself and say to Jiang Ping'an, "I'm sorry."

After saying that, he left the corridor without looking back and returned to his room.

Just as everyone thought the matter was over, Jiang Ping'an pointed at Zhao Jinglian. "And you. You started all of this. You must apologize!"

All at once, every gaze fell upon Zhao Jinglian.

Zhao Jinglian flew into a rage. "Zhao Ping'an, do you believe that once we get off the flying ship, you'll die without a burial place?"

"Getting off the flying ship is a matter for later. I only want you to apologize now!" Jiang Ping'an refused to yield in the slightest. "I'll count to three."

"One!"

"Two!"

The other Zhennan Marquis Estate youths could not help urging Zhao Jinglian to apologize.

If Jiang Ping'an's earlier demands for smiles and apologies had been somewhat unreasonable, demanding that Zhao Jinglian apologize was perfectly justified.

Besides, the previous two youths had both yielded to Jiang Ping'an's threats at Zhao Jinglian's urging.

Zhao Jinglian's pretty face flushed red as she declared imperiously, "No one is allowed to persuade me! I will never apologize to a good-for-nothing!"

The other Zhennan Marquis Estate youths had no choice but to fall silent.

However, one displeased voice called out, "Zhao Jinglian, weren't you the first one to urge us to suffer his humiliation just now? Now you refuse to apologize, and you're getting everyone dragged into receiving two hundred military cane strikes!"

Zhao Jinglian spun around and glared furiously. The one speaking was Zhao Hongguang, the youth who had been forced to give Jiang Ping'an an apologetic smile.

"Zhao Hongguang, are you looking to die?" Zhao Jinglian pointed at Zhao Hongguang and shouted threateningly.

Zhao Hongguang gave two cold chuckles. Though he did not dare openly trade insults with Zhao Jinglian, he was unwilling to bow his head either.

"What happened?" A clear, handsome voice came from nearby, making everyone turn their heads.

The newcomer stood tall and graceful as a jade tree in the wind, strikingly handsome and exuding nobility. It was Zhao Zhenming.

Zhao Jinglian immediately ran to Zhao Zhenming, grabbed one of his arms with both hands, and complained, "Brother, someone is bullying me!"

Zhao Zhenming first reached out affectionately to stroke Zhao Jinglian's head and comforted her softly, "Be good. Don't speak."

Then his gaze fell upon the other children of the Zhennan Marquis Estate. He said apologetically, "Jinglian is only twelve this year, and she is a girl besides. She is still immature. What she did just now was indeed wrong..."

Before he could finish, Jiang Ping'an loudly interrupted, "Hey, I'm about to count to three! I'm about to make my move!"

"You may count to three if you wish. You cannot threaten us!" Zhao Zhenming turned his gaze to Jiang Ping'an, his eyes resolute.

Jiang Ping'an burst into laughter. "You guessed right! Unfortunately, someone was sold out by Zhao Jinglian. She was only afraid of getting caned herself..."

"Zhao Ping'an!" Zhao Zhenming immediately cut Jiang Ping'an off and said solemnly, "Stop trying to sow discord here. We will not fall for your tricks!"

Jiang Ping'an smiled at the other Zhennan Marquis Estate youths. "I am sowing discord! When we get to Yujing, don't blindly trust these siblings, or that whoever and that whoever from just now will be your example—and it will only be worse!"

After saying that, regardless of how those Zhennan Marquis Estate youths reacted, he turned and returned to his room.

Before entering, he stopped, raised his voice without looking back, and said, "That whoever and that whoever, if Zhao Zhenming offers you benefits as an apology, remember to demand more. Your dignity is not so cheap!"

With that, he slammed the door shut with a bang.

Zhao Zhenming remained calm on the surface, but inwardly, he seethed with hatred.

He walked up to Zhao Hongguang and said sincerely, "Brother Hongguang, my sister truly was too young and immature just now. I will certainly discipline her strictly in the future. What happened today will never happen again."

As he spoke, he took out two Superior Spirit Stones that glowed with a lustrous treasure light and pressed them into Zhao Hongguang's hand.

"These two Superior Spirit Stones are a small token from Jinglian and me. I hope they will help Brother Hongguang reach the great perfection of the Primordial Sea Realm soon, then advance into the Divine Treasury Realm." His tone was exceedingly sincere.

The other children of the Zhennan Marquis Estate stared at those two Superior Spirit Stones with burning envy.

One Superior Spirit Stone was worth three hundred thousand taels of silver. Two of them amounted to six hundred thousand taels of silver.

Before departure, all the Cultivation Resources distributed by the Zhennan Marquis Estate had only totaled a little over one hundred and fifty thousand taels of silver.

Receiving two Superior Spirit Stones after suffering a little humiliation was far too worthwhile.

Zhao Zhenming was so generous, truly worthy of being the Young Lord's legitimate son.

Zhao Hongguang clutched the two Superior Spirit Stones tightly, excitement surging in his heart. He said to Zhao Zhenming, "True Fate Young Master, I am convinced by you. If anyone wants to sow discord within our Zhennan Marquis Estate, I will be the first to refuse!"

After saying that, he turned to the other Zhennan Marquis Estate youths and shouted, "Isn't that right, everyone?"

"That's right!" the other Zhennan Marquis Estate youths responded one after another, whether sincerely or with other thoughts in mind.

Zhao Zhenming smiled at them. "Because of Jinglian, everyone was injured. I have some Essence Pills here for everyone to use in treating your wounds."

With that, he took out more than a dozen bottles of Superior Essence Pills and gave one bottle to each person.

After receiving a bottle of Essence Pills each, the children of the Zhennan Marquis Estate were mostly won over.

After placating the Zhennan Marquis Estate youths present, Zhao Zhenming went on to knock at Zhao Baokun's door and gave him two Superior Spirit Stones, soothing Zhao Baokun as well.

Thus, after paying a heavy price, he finally resolved the crisis of trust.

At last, Zhao Zhenming faced the children of the Zhennan Marquis Estate and said, "Alas, misfortune in the family. That concubine-born brother of mine lacked proper upbringing from childhood and has a perverse, violent temperament. He has a Mortal Body and can only resort to such petty, beneath-contempt schemes. Just ignore him."

"Still, please rest assured. Once we reach Yujing, I will discipline him properly and not let him disgust everyone."

"Everyone, disperse."

The children of the Zhennan Marquis Estate then dispersed, most returning to their rooms to rest.

Zhao Zhenming brought Zhao Jinglian into his room. Just as he was about to lecture her, he discovered that her eyes were already brimming with tears.

"Why are you crying, little sister?" Zhao Zhenming asked with concern, reaching out to wipe away her tears.

Zhao Jinglian seemed even more aggrieved as she choked out, "Dad and I agreed that I would make that good-for-nothing kneel and admit his mistakes, and keep kneeling all the way to Yujing. But why wouldn't that good-for-nothing obediently listen? He clearly knows he is worthless, yet he still dared resist. He even wanted to hit me, and used schemes to drive a wedge between us and the other children of the Zhennan Marquis Estate..."

"Brother, he made me break my promise to Dad. Doesn't he deserve to die?"

"Of course his crime deserves ten thousand deaths. Even one hair on your head is worth more than ten of his lives," Zhao Zhenming comforted her. "Once we reach Yujing, I will let you vent your anger."

After a pause, Zhao Zhenming said, "However, I spent four Superior Spirit Stones and more than a dozen bottles of Superior Essence Pills just now. You need to bear the cost of two Superior Spirit Stones."

Taking out so much at once was quite burdensome even for him, despite the ample Cultivation Resources the Zhennan Marquis Estate had given him.

With a pained heart, Zhao Jinglian took out two Superior Spirit Stones and handed them to Zhao Zhenming. Her hatred for Jiang Ping'an grew even deeper.