Can't You See How Much Thought Your Big Brother Has Put Into This?

"Don't change the subject. I'm asking what you're doing." Ye Yang couldn't be bothered to play along.

[ Ding! Xue Beng is under pressure. Dignity +1 ]

"Th-this..." Xue Beng hesitated, then quickly replied, "It's nothing serious. This lowly maid is clumsy and spilled the basin of water, dirtying my new robe. I... I lost my temper and gave her a couple of slaps."

"Servants need to be taught a lesson if they don't know their place, right?"

As he spoke, he kicked the overturned basin by his feet, trying to pin all the blame on the maid. But he didn't dare meet Ye Yang's eyes.

Hearing Xue Beng twist the truth, the maid on the ground trembled all over. She stifled even her sobs, staring at Ye Yang in terror, as if convinced that the Crown Prince would only take his younger brother's side.

Ye Yang smiled, as though he found Xue Beng's reasoning sound, and nodded. Then he said to the maid, "Go outside for now. I'll deal with you later for dirtying the Fourth Prince's new clothes."

[ Ding! Deceived two people. Acting +1 ]

Xue Beng breathed a sigh of relief and quickly kicked at the maid. "What are you waiting for? Get out! Big Brother has spoken. He'll let you off for now and punish you later!"

The maid felt as if the sky had fallen, but there was nothing she could do. She could only crawl out of the room, hunched over.

After she left, Ye Yang glanced at the messy floor and looked at Xue Beng. "What, your big brother came to see you, and you're going to make me talk to you in a place like this?"

Xue Beng stared at him in confusion. He had thought Xue Qinghe had come to stand up for the maid, but now it seemed that wasn't the case. Otherwise, he wouldn't have just helped him out. So what was he trying to say?

Xue Beng thought back over everything he'd done, but couldn't recall anything that might have offended Xue Qinghe.

Seeing Xue Beng remain silent for a long while, Ye Yang's face showed a hint of displeasure. "What? Do I have to do it myself?"

[ Ding! Xue Beng is under pressure. Dignity +1 ]

Xue Beng's heart jolted. He hurriedly called out, "Someone, come here!"

Soon, two attendants came in carrying cleaning supplies. They seemed to have done this sort of thing before, but the moment they saw Xue Qinghe standing at the front, their faces changed.

"Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince!" the attendants hurriedly saluted.

Ye Yang nodded. "Rise. Just get on with your work."

[ Ding! Ordered two people. Dignity +1 ]

"Yes, Your Highness."

The attendants exchanged glances with their heads lowered, then hurried to their feet and began cleaning with practiced ease. With Ye Yang standing there, though, they were both under immense pressure, afraid of getting caught up in a conflict between the Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince.

Once they finished, Ye Yang took a seat. Though this was Xue Beng's bedroom, Ye Yang sat in the place of honor as if he were the master of the room.

Xue Beng was displeased, but said nothing and sat to one side.

As soon as he sat down, Ye Yang spoke. "What, you're not even going to pour me a cup of tea? Am I, the dignified Crown Prince, not worthy of a cup from you?"

[ Ding! Xue Beng is under pressure. Dignity +1 ]

Xue Beng was speechless. You're never this demanding on ordinary days.

But he said nothing and hurriedly replied, "Your younger brother has been negligent, Big Brother. I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

He stood up, picked up the hot teapot, and began pouring tea into Ye Yang's cup. Ye Yang was the first person to make the spoiled Xue Beng pour tea for him.

As Ye Yang watched the tea flow into the cup, he suddenly seemed to lose his grip. As if he'd been scalded, the cup fell onto the table with a clear clink.

The tea spilled everywhere, splashing over Ye Yang.

[ Ding! Tea spilled on body. Adaptability +1 ]

Xue Beng hurriedly came to his senses and set the teapot down. His face filled with shock and surprise. "Big Brother, I-I didn't mean to."

"I-I'll get someone to bring a cloth right away."

Xue Beng was about to call out when Ye Yang said, feigning anger, "Xue Beng, how dare you dirty my favorite casual robe!"

"You even tried to scald me with hot tea! You've gone too far!"

[ Ding! Pressured and deceived Xue Beng. Dignity +1, Acting +1 ]

That accusation made Xue Beng's face turn pale. He hurriedly shook his head. "I didn't! I didn't, Big Brother! I really didn't mean to. I didn't know the tea would be so hot."

"I-It must have been those guards. They did it on purpose. I had no idea!"

Xue Beng rushed to explain, his face twisted with misery, as though he'd suffered some terrible injustice.

Hearing this, Ye Yang seemed to believe him, and his expression softened. "So that's what happened. I knew you wouldn't do something like this, Fourth Brother. Someone must have framed you."

[ Ding! Deceived Xue Beng. Acting +1 ]

Only then did Xue Beng breathe a sigh of relief. Still, why did something about those words seem off?

The next moment, Ye Yang said coldly, "But you did dirty my clothes and nearly scald me, didn't you? If I don't punish you for that, wouldn't I be a completely useless Crown Prince?"

Xue Beng's expression, which had just relaxed, turned ugly again. Ye Yang's sudden shifts between warmth and coldness were torture.

"Of course," Xue Beng said. What else could he say? Ye Yang had even invoked his position as Crown Prince. He could only agree.

Ye Yang nodded. "Since you agree that you should be punished, and you've shown such a good attitude about admitting your mistake, I won't ask Father to deal with you. I'll handle it myself."

"Very well." Xue Beng nodded without thinking. After all, punishments weren't imposed on high officials, let alone on a prince like him. What could Ye Yang possibly do?

But when he realized what Ye Yang had said, his expression froze. He stared at Ye Yang in disbelief. "W-what?"

Ye Yang broke into a radiant smile, but to Xue Beng, it looked no different from a demon's grin.

"Every state has its laws, and every family its rules. I wouldn't be too harsh on you, Fourth Brother, but some punishment is unavoidable."

"Besides, you agreed to it yourself, didn't you? Are you going to deceive me, the Crown Prince?" Ye Yang's words were light, but they struck Xue Beng like a bolt of lightning.

[ Ding! Xue Beng is under pressure. Dignity +1 ]

"Your younger brother wouldn't dare. I only..." Xue Beng tried to argue, but Ye Yang gave him no chance. "Good. Someone, bring me a thorny branch!"

The attendant outside heard the Crown Prince's order and hurried to find a thorny branch, then brought it inside.

The attendant didn't understand why the Crown Prince wanted a thorny branch. But once he handed it to Ye Yang, he seemed to realize something and stared at him in shock.

Could the Crown Prince be planning to use it to punish the Fourth Prince?

Ye Yang took the branch. When Xue Beng saw its dense, sharp thorns, his whole body began to tremble and his face went deathly pale.

"B-Big Brother, even if you're going to punish me, surely you don't need a thorny branch?" Xue Beng could hardly believe that the usually benevolent Crown Prince would be so ruthless when it came to punishment.

"Don't I? I think it's just right." Ye Yang put on a helpless expression. "You won't remember unless it hurts, Fourth Brother. Ah, Fourth Brother, can't you see how much thought your big brother has put into this?"

[ Ding! Deceived Xue Beng. Acting +1 ]