"Father, why waste your breath arguing with him? Seize him and give him a beating. Once you've beaten him into submission, he'll do whatever you say!"
The woman strode inside. The wound on her neck had already been treated and wrapped in white gauze, with faint streaks of blood seeping through.
She continued in a mocking tone, "No matter how defiant he is, he's still your son, Father. Since ancient times, it has been a father's rightful duty to discipline his son. Who would dare fault you for it?"
Shen Zhi gave a heavy snort and clasped his hands behind his back, having already accepted her argument.
The woman narrowed her eyes with a smile, covered her face with her sleeve, and beckoned toward the entrance.
A group of guards hurried in, weapons in hand, eyeing everyone present like predators.
Shen Mother went deathly pale. "Shen Zhi, are you even human anymore?"
"You wretched woman! I should never have let you give birth to a son like this. Being utterly useless was bad enough, but now he dares walk all over me!"
"Seize every last one of them!"
"Yes, master!"
Shen Mother had brought too few guards, and some had been forced to remain outside, leaving them unable to come to her aid in time. She spoke urgently:
"Shen Zhi, I don't expect you to remember all our years as husband and wife, but surely you remember how my family helped you!"
Shen Zhi scoffed. "Helped me? What have any of you ever done besides hold me back?"
The guards surrounded Shen Yangge and the others, reaching out to restrain them.
Shen Yangge suddenly shouted, "How dare you! The Crown Prince is here! Who dares lay a hand on us?"
A rustle swept through the room-
Everyone's gaze landed on