Pei Ruoqing tactfully did not ask any more questions. They did not tell them the time when they came, so no one was waiting for them at the main entrance of the Shi family home. Pei Yuan Shao skillfully entered a string of password to open the door. He pressed the confirm key and the door opened.
Pei Yuan Shao was silent for two seconds. He looked at the password plate on the door with sadness in his eyes. The password to open the door was the last two digits of their birthdays plus Shi Yuting's birthday. It was personally set by Shi Yanjie back then. The purpose was to make sure that none of them could forget each other. Whoever forgot would not enter the Shi family's door.
Shi Yihong was not surprised by Pei Yuanshao's arrival at all. He had already said what he needed to say. If this bastard was still so stubborn, he would really doubt his teacher's taste in accepting disciples back then. In the living room, everyone who should be here was already here.
"Elder brother." Pei Yuan Shao bowed and looked at Lin Xiran beside him. He smiled and greeted," Sister-in-law."”
Lin Xiran looked at the two of them, her eyes full of surprise." You're finally willing to come back?”
Her teasing words instantly smoothed out the distance between them. Pei Yuan Shao smiled and continued," Without my brother's pardon, how would Mingqiao dare to come back?”
Shi Yihong, who was sitting on the small sofa, snorted coldly." How dare you."”
Shi Yunshu and An Chengxi stood on his left and right. After greeting Pei Yuanshao, they did not speak. They looked at each other with smiles in their eyes.
Who was the person who had been waiting for Uncle-Master to come? Of course, they didn't dare to laugh at their father (teacher), so they could only curse in their hearts.
Compared to the Pei family, the atmosphere here was very relaxed and harmonious. After dinner, Pei Ruoqing and Shi Yunshu stayed behind to help, while An Chengxi accompanied the two big shots out for a walk.
The sky was clear and the wind was gentle. The moonlight tonight was even clearer than last night. Shi Yihong clasped his hands behind his back and walked leisurely along the man-made lake. As if he was taking care of a certain " wounded person ", his steps were not fast, and there was even a hint of laziness.
Pei Yuanshao was half a step behind. The short distance made him feel like he had walked out of a long journey. His forehead was covered in sweat, but he was chatting and laughing with Shi Yihong without feeling anything.
After five years, this moment of peace seemed to have been stolen from a gap in time, and he couldn't bear to waste it.
An Chengxi followed behind him and supported him without batting an eyelid. Pei Yuanshao looked at him gratefully and shifted a portion of his weight over.
After turning a corner, there was a vast man-made lake in front of them. The surface of the lake was like a mirror, and the lake was illuminated by the autumn moon. The lights fell into the water, making it look blurry.
"Don't you feel heavy wearing too much armor?”Shi Yihong's soft sigh was drowned in the darkness of the night by the lake wind.
Pei Yuan Shao's body stiffened for a moment. He naturally understood that these words were directed at him. He lowered his eyes and his voice seemed to carry a weight of a thousand catties," I…have no other choice.”
Those bloody lives, eyes filled with hope or begging, those buried truths, and neglected grievances all pushed him forward with a heavy burden.
Commander Qi Minghua, Qi Xiuzhu, his teacher and mother, as well as those who had died or survived, were all waiting for someone to give them an answer.
Everything started after Qi Minghua's death. Everything that happened later seemed to have been woven into a tight net that covered everyone involved. He could only take one step at a time to find the source.
But now, Shi Yihong turned around and looked at him. His eyes, which were as deep as an ancient lake, shone with a certain light under the moonlight. His tone was not heavy, but it was enough to make Pei Yuan Shao's heart tremble." Teacher…what did he leave for you back then?”
To make you disregard everything, to distance yourself from the capital, to disregard everything and cut off all ties with the people and things in the capital. He isolated himself, or rather, he put himself in a dangerous situation with a lone courage. He didn't know what made him change his mind, what made him willing to return to the capital, what made him carefully reveal a corner of the plan and layout that he had spent so much effort to hide.
Pei Yuan Shao's face suddenly turned pale and his body tensed up uncontrollably. He didn't ask Shi Yihong how he knew. The head of the Shi family naturally had his own information channels and methods.
The wind blew past her ears, and the moonlight was so quiet that it seemed like it had been a lifetime.
After a long while, his thin lips parted slightly." Half a year after my teacher passed away, I received a delivery. It was a recording pen. I don't know who the sender was.”
The three of them walked to a bench. Shi Yihong did not seem to have any intention of continuing walking. He crossed his legs and leaned against the bench. He raised his eyebrows slightly and said to the two," Sit down and talk."”
Pei Yuan Shao hesitated for a moment." I'll stand.”
"Heh, you're looking for a lecture, right? What bad temper? If you don't sit, don't implicate others." Shi Yihong raised his eyebrows and looked at him. His tone was not harsh, but it still made Pei Yuan Shao, who had lived for more than forty years, twitch his eyelids.
He turned his head to look at An Chengxi. An Chengxi quickly smiled and said," I'll accompany Uncle-Master."”
Pei Yuanshao shut his mouth and sat down next to Shi Yihong. His back was straight and his hands were placed on his knees. He did not know where to start.
Shi Yihong turned his body sideways and faced Pei Yuanshao." Tell me, what's in the recording pen?”After a pause, he opened his mouth again, almost blocking all of Pei Yuan Shao's words. He said," Since you're back, don't hide it. Whether you admit it or not, we are all related to you. I may not have much influence in the political world, but I can still say a few words in the education world.”
Pei Yuan Shao gently closed his eyes. The blood that had been frozen earlier was slowly warming up. It was as if a lonely traveler had seen an oasis in the desert, and there was a companion waiting for him on the oasis.
If only…if only the three of them were here? However, he knew that some expectations were destined to be disappointed.
He was silent for a moment before speaking again. His voice was heavy." That audio was recorded by the teacher. He mainly asked me to take good care of Yuting and bring her out of the capital. Then, he would let his brother be the head of the Shi family, and all the assets of the Shi family would belong to his brother.”
Shi Yihong seemed to have thought of something as he narrowed his eyes." So, be it the inheritance incident thirteen years ago or the rejection of Yuting from entering the Pei family cemetery five years ago, they were all manipulated by you?”
Pei Yuan Shao paused for a moment before softly nodding.
Shi Yihong leaned back and changed into a more relaxed posture than before. He did not seem to want to dwell on this matter." Continue."”
"The teacher's recording was very strange. His words were very subtle. He only said that if I wanted to go into politics, S City would be a good choice. He also said that he would entrust Yuting to me. It was as if he had already seen his own ending.”
When Shi Yihong heard his words, he keenly sensed that something was amiss." Why…didn't Teacher mention Ah Xiu?”
Who knew that a small question would actually make Pei Yuan Shao's face turn even paler than before. Shi Yihong became suspicious and straightened his legs, staring straight at him.
Pei Yuan Shao's fingers curled up as more and more beads of sweat gathered on his forehead due to his long tensed back. When he spoke again, his voice was already a little hoarse." At that time, I was already suspicious, but Second Senior Brother…had already passed away. I didn't want to be disrespectful to him, so I didn't plan to investigate further from his lead. It was not until later on when he was tidying up his teacher's belongings that he found the three seals.”
As he spoke, Pei Yuan Shao took out a simple and unadorned Zhang Zi from his bosom. It was made of ivory and was engraved with different zodiac patterns. This was the gift that Shi Yanjie had promised to give to the three of them.
Below his seal were four small characters: Thousands of miles.
He looked up at Shi Yihong." Yours is the 'Bright Moon Entering the Hubs', right?”
"Yes." Shi Yihong replied expressionlessly.
"Every word chosen by the teacher corresponds to each of our personalities or expectations of us. But…Ah Xiu only said one word.”Pei Yuan Shao seemed to not know how to express the emotions in his heart and fell silent.
Shi Yihong did not rush him, and An Chengxi waited quietly.
After a long while, Shi Yihong finally spoke with difficulty." He said 'forgive'.”
He did not know what Shi Yanjie wanted Qi Xiuzhu to forgive. In everyone's eyes, Qi Xiuzhu was an extremely gentle and refined person. Even strangers would feel warmth when they saw his smile. She was gentle and humble, and she was talented in medicine. It could be said that among the three of them, Qi Xiuzhu was the one that Shi Yanjie valued the most. His words and actions were more like the Shi family than the two of them.
However, it was such a seemingly modest and gentlemanly person that his teacher had given him the word 'forgive'. This could not help but make people feel strange.
In the end, Pei Yuan Shao's words almost made Shi Yihong lose his composure." I suspect that…Qi Xiuzhu is not dead!”
He didn't call him brother or second senior brother. His tone was as calm as a pool of stagnant water.
At this moment, An Chengxi continued," Second Uncle-Master is indeed not dead. I found his traces in Country M.”
Shi Yihong's gaze suddenly turned sharp as he shot An Chengxi an oppressive gaze. An Chengxi suddenly felt a chill down his spine. He braced himself and stood up." I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hide it from you.”
"Heh, so the two of you have been 'colluding' together since a long time ago?”
Even Pei Yuan Shao, who was currently in a low mood, twitched his mouth when he heard the word 'collude'. He could no longer sit still and stood up." After I had my doubts back then, I wanted to verify it, but I couldn't leave. After thinking about it, only Yi Zhi was the most suitable. Coincidentally, he was pursuing Xiao Lin at that time, and Xiao Lin had applied to study in Country M. Therefore, I asked him to use this excuse to leave the country and investigate the laboratory where Teacher and Qi Xiuzhu worked together.”
Shi Yihong snorted coldly and stood up after patting his clothes. He suppressed the surging emotions in his heart and looked at the two of them." Please, the two of you. We still have to settle the score slowly."”
Pei Yuanshao and An Chengxi looked at each other. Under the moonlight, both of them saw the same word in each other's eyes. It's over!
Shi Yihong turned around and looked at the two of them who were still rooted to the ground." Secretary Pei, I don't want to touch you. Go back and take care of yourself." For example, he could copy the Yan Family's Family Precept, Zhu Xi's Family Precept, Caigen Tan, and so on, so as to avoid not knowing the rules. At the very least, he could copy the Disciples 'Rules, the Analects of Confucius, the Three Character Classic, and so on to see how primary school students learned etiquette.”
Pei Yuan Shao's eyelids twitched violently at Shi Yihong's sarcastic words. His old face turned red as he replied respectfully with a twitch of his lips," Yes."”
Shi Yihong's gaze landed on An Chengxi. He clasped his hands behind his back and raised his eyebrows." As for you, scram back to the study room and wait."”
In the study, An Chengxi stood there for a full 20 minutes before Shi Yihong slowly walked over in his sleeping robe. The ends of his hair were still wet with water droplets, making this usually noble and carefree person look a little more gentle and peaceful.
However, An Chengxi knew that people who usually didn't show off were more terrifying when they acted up. This was especially true for people like Shi Yihong, who usually joked around and spoke casually but was actually well-mannered. When he was really angry, it was like lightning striking the earth and fire. It was absolutely unbearable.
And he had never been able to grasp his teacher's personality. Shi Yihong walked around him and sat on the small sofa by the window. He slowly picked up an academic magazine as if An Chengxi didn't exist.
The room was air-conditioned, and the temperature was lower than outside. Shi Yihong had a problem that was neither too big nor too small. He did not like to wipe his hair after washing it, or rather, he habitually forgot about it.
An Chengxi sighed and turned to leave. When he came back in, he had a white towel in his hand. He stood behind Shi Yihong and slowly wiped his hair. Shi Yihong did not stop him, which was rare. He glanced at him with an indecipherable expression before his gaze returned to the newspaper.
In less than five minutes, Shi Yihong put down the obscure academic journal in his hand." Alright, stop."”
An Chengxi stopped what he was doing, folded the towel, and placed it on the coffee table. Then, he stood with his hands down.
Shi Yihong looked up." Tell me, how have you been 'colluding' with your Uncle-Master all these years?”
Colluding with evil…
An Chengxi's mouth twitched. His teacher's use of language arts always refreshed his worldview, but at the same time, he had to admire him. However, An Chengxi was hesitating. This matter was not only his own, but also related to Pei Yuan Shao. Moreover, Shi Yanjie did not want Shi Yihong to be involved in this matter, which was why he gave the clue to Pei Yuanshao and not Shi Yihong, whom he viewed as his son.
From another perspective, this was also a form of protection.
"There's not enough time. Do you still need to think about it?”Shi Yihong's words were emotionless. He had been suppressing his emotions by the lake earlier, but now, it seemed like a storm was about to come.
An Chengxi's body stiffened for a moment. He looked at Shi Yihong's calm face and said," Teacher, the decision was made in a hurry back then. Without a complete plan, we…went to M Nation based on a few guesses and clues. There are many things that are uncertain, so Martial Uncle and I…didn't dare to tell you.”
Shi Yihong lifted his eyelids and looked at him coldly." An Chengxi, how dare you say such an excuse. Are you looking for a beating?”
She didn't dare to tell him back then, and she kept it a secret after that. In fact, she didn't intend to tell him in the first place.
"I don't dare." An Chengxi answered obediently.
"I know you have another purpose for going abroad, and I also guessed that it might be related to your grandmaster. But Yizhi, I trusted you so I didn't ask, but do you think I'm a fool with a clear conscience?”The last sentence was already shouted out.
An Chengxi panicked and knelt down." Teacher, I didn't mean it that way. I didn't dare to deliberately lie to you. It's just that some things…I can't explain them.”
"Do you know what it feels like to be excluded from your family? Your Martial Uncle has too much on his shoulders, and I can only watch helplessly. You can spend nearly ten years in a plot, and I don't know what you're enduring in a place I don't know. What kind of person do you take me for?”Shi Yihong rarely said such emotional and self-deprecating words. Perhaps it was because of Pei Yuanshao's past, which had brought up some old memories, or perhaps it was because of the news that Ye Xiu Zhu was not dead that his emotions were in turmoil. As a result, those pretentious feelings that he had not had for many years appeared one by one.
In An Chengxi's eyes, Shi Yihong had always been the kind of person who would remain unmoved like a mountain and could move freely even if thousands of troops were pressing down on him. When had he ever seen him laugh at himself like this? For no reason, a sense of guilt rose from the bottom of his heart. He restrained his voice." You…don't be like this. It's my fault."”
"You're not wrong, I'm the one in the wrong. As someone else's teacher and senior brother, you're actually relying on your own student and junior brother to protect you.”
The art of war says that attacking the heart is the best, attacking the city is the worst. Shi Yihong's self-deprecating words completely made An Chengxi panic. He took off his belt and held it with both hands." I'm unfilial and made you feel uneasy. I really deserve a beating." If you are angry…"
"An Chengxi!" His deep voice carried unconcealed anger.
An Chengxi felt a chill in his heart and didn't dare to speak again. Shi Yihong hated that his disciples liked to take the blame for their mistakes. In Shi Yihong's words," Don't make yourself look like a warrior who is ready to die. In my eyes, you are stupid."
Shi Yihong's admonitions had always been based on reason and evidence. In his eyes, unjustified venting of anger and killing without teaching were blasphemous to education. He had obviously offended his teacher by admitting his mistake in a panic today.
Shi Yihong looked at him sharply, and the corners of his mouth curled up into a faint smile. However, the words he said made one's heart skip a beat." Slap your mouth."”
He didn't even leave him any face!
"Teacher?" An Chengxi looked up helplessly. He had been abroad for seven years, and even before he went abroad, he had rarely been punished so shamelessly. Moreover, he had a wife and a junior brother now. He could not be as calm as he was when he was young and go out with a face full of palm prints.
Shi Yihong's anger had started to gather by the lake. When he realized that he had been kept in the dark by his disciple and junior brother for so many years, his anger had already accumulated. At that time, he didn't explode because of his cultivation and his misgivings towards Pei Yuan Shao. Now that he was behind closed doors and was the child he had raised, his temper, which had been spoiled by the people around him, rose.
"It's difficult to do, right?" As soon as he finished speaking, Shi Yihong raised his hand and slapped him. The crisp sound of the slap made the air tremble.
An Chengxi didn't even dare to turn his head and took it head-on. He did not expect Shi Yihong to be so angry, but it was understandable. His teacher had always thought that although he had other motives in coming to M Nation, his main goal was to pursue his studies. He also did not expect that his martial uncle, who had cut off all ties with the capital, would also participate in this. He was even completely in charge. Being deceived by someone he trusted, An Chengxi thought to himself that he wouldn't feel so good either.
He tugged at the corner of his numb lips and whispered," Teacher, I was wrong. I shouldn't have deliberately deceived you, and I shouldn't have admitted my mistake.”
" Ha, you're organized now." Shi Yihong looked at him coldly, not knowing if he was mocking or mocking him.
At this moment, someone knocked on the door.
Shi Yihong did not even turn his head." I have something to say."”
It was impossible for Lin Xiran or Chu Junyi to come to the study at this time. It could only be Pei Yuanshao, who was worried that An Chengxi would be beaten up. As expected, Pei Yuan Shao's low and slightly hoarse voice came from outside the door." I'm here to bring Brother some calming tea.”
"Come in."
Pei Yuan Shao changed into a set of home clothes and walked towards the window with a tea tray. His gaze secretly swept across An Chengxi's swollen face. He placed the calming tea next to Shi Yihong's hand and stood there with his hands by his side. He said in a gentle tone," This is the 'Zhongyue Immortal Tea' that I brought from home. It was picked from wild jujube trees in Mount Song. Its leaves and buds fully absorb the brilliance of Mount Song and are rich in nutrients. It had the rich nutrition of wild jujube, and it also had the effect of calming the nerves and improving sleep. It could be said to be the new nouveau riche in tea. Elder brother, please take a look."
Shi Yihong stared at the clear and refreshing cup of calming tea on the coffee table. He lost his usual nonchalance and his eyes darkened." Are you done?"”
Pei Yuan Shao said,"…It's over."
"Get out if you're done."
"Brother, I'm not telling you this to make you feel guilty.”Pei Yuan Shao did not feel good either. Before he decided to confess today, he knew how much of an impact these things would have on Shi Yihong. Back then, the person who suffered the most from his teacher's death was not him, but Shi Yihong, who had been as close to Shi Yanjie as father and son since he was young.
Moreover, the truth of this matter might be too cruel, so cruel that it was unacceptable.
An Chengxi didn't understand what Shi Yihong cared about, but he did. Everything could not escape the word love, especially for Qi Xiuzhu and his teacher.
Shi Yihong looked up at him." You're not getting lost, are you?”
Pei Yuan Shao helplessly sighed." Brother, you…" Why must you do that?
Before she could finish her sentence, Shi Yihong interrupted her and his tone turned colder." Pei Yuanshao, what did I say before?”
Pei Yuanshao was speechless. Shi Yihong had said too many things, some of which were meant to teach him a lesson, but not at all. How would he know? He lowered his head and spoke in a more respectful tone," Please instruct me, Elder Brother."”
Shi Yihong crossed his arms and leaned back against the sofa. His eyes were cold." I warned you not to play your system in front of me.”
Pei Yuan Shao was stunned for a moment before he reacted. His words about "Zhong Yue Immortal Tea" were too deliberate. She clearly wanted to plead for An Chengxi, but she was playing Tai Chi with him. Pei Yuan Shao was a little helpless. He was used to testing the waters before doing anything, and it really wasn't intentional.
However, Shi Yihong had never said that he did it deliberately or not. It would be too boring to investigate the reason after doing it. Pei Yuan Shao decisively bowed and apologized," Elder brother, don't be angry. I know I was wrong.”
Shi Yihong stopped looking at him and kicked An Chengxi." I don't want to hit you today. I'll ask for punishment from your Uncle Master. You two have been 'loving' each other for so many years and you know how many things you've hidden from me. So, you should know how much punishment you should receive!”
An Chengxi glanced at Pei Yuanshao and his eyes flashed with helplessness. Shi Yihong had never played by the rules. This seemed to be punishing him, but it was attacking his uncle's heart.
Pei Yuanshao had lived for more than forty years and had been in the officialdom for nearly twenty years. He naturally understood Shi Yihong's meaning.
"Brother, Junyan hid it from you because of me. Now that I've implicated you, you can punish me if you want.”
Shi Yihong looked at him and asked in a deep voice," Do you remember the opening of the poem 'Farewell to Uncle Yun at Xie Lou in Xuanzhou?'”
A sentence without a beginning or an end made Shi Yihong kneel down and call out in shock," Brother!”
Hesitation, uneasiness, and even panic. Secretary Pei, who had always been as calm as a mountain in front of outsiders, lost all his composure in Shi Yihong's casual question.
"Do you remember?" Shi Yihong ignored his loss of composure and asked again.
An Chengxi reacted and broke out in a cold sweat for Pei Yuanshao. The teacher was obviously forcing his martial uncle to confess everything, and also to let them understand his determination to enter the trap. He didn't want to be excluded by them anymore. He was determined to participate. Rather than saying that he was forcing his martial uncle, it was more like he was making his stance clear.
Pei Yuan Shao's face turned pale and his body stiffened. His hands that were hanging by his side trembled uncontrollably. After a long time, he said in a hoarse voice,"'Those who abandon me, I can't stay behind yesterday. What troubles my heart is that today's day is full of worries.'”
Although the original intention of the poem was to express the meaning of the sun and moon not resting, the depth of the depression and the anger could be clearly conveyed.
Moreover, Shi Yihong had only said this to express the most superficial meaning. There was no need to keep those who had abandoned him, and there was no need to worry about those who had messed up his heart.
They had spent ten years doing the same thing, but they had excluded Shi Yihong, the person who should know the truth the most. How could he not be angry or disappointed?
Pei Yuan Shao finally realized that all his wishful thinking was just self-righteous. Never selfishly make decisions for others, even if you were to protect them. All of them had tacitly chosen to hide the truth from Shi Yihong. They did not want him to get involved in these conspiracies and disputes, but they had neglected the fact that he, as a son and a disciple, wanted to clear his father's name.
Back then, after Shi Yanjie committed suicide, he was suspected of leaking national scientific research secrets. In the end, he did not even have a good reputation. Although not many people knew about this, it was a thorn in Shi Yihong's heart. He had been investigating for many years, but he had not found any clues. Pei Yuan Shao was in the system and it was more convenient for him to do things. He also had his own guesses, but he had always kept it a secret. He couldn't tell if he was disappointed or something else. Looking at Pei Yuanshao's pale face, Shi Yihong smiled, a little sorrowful." Secretary Pei is really amazing. You've been carrying the burden silently for more than ten years. Even if you confess today, you're still half hiding and half spitting. Why are you so cautious? Don't tell me it's 'teacher's instructions' or something like that.”
It was obvious that this well-mannered man was in a mess.
Pei Yuan Shao's face was so pale that he could not speak. Shi Yihong did not want to give him a chance to ease up at all." Why don't you just tell me that you suspect that the person behind this is Qi Xiuzhu? Why do you have to be so careful and give me a precaution? If you can take it, why can't I?”
Shi Yihong's words rained down like rain, causing Pei Yuan Shao to be unable to breathe. He closed his eyes in pain, as if someone had poured a basin of ice on a raging fire. White smoke was rising, and his lonely heart was shattering into tiny stones that rolled into the abyss without any echo.
However, a voice filled with pity dispersed the smog, revealing a ray of sunlight behind the dark clouds. He said," Yuan Shao, since we're brothers, let's shoulder it together!”
His heart trembled and he opened his eyes. He looked at that pair of eyes. They were calm and tolerant, just like many years ago. He replied,"Alright."
Shi Yihong lowered his gaze when he heard the word " okay ". He seemed to heave a sigh of relief and his tense body relaxed a little. He said tiredly," Go back to your room first. I'll come back after I'm done."”
Pei Yuan Shao paused and glanced at An Chengxi apologetically. He was the one who implicated him. At this moment, he also understood that asking him to punish An Chengxi earlier was just a bait to make him speak. Once he pleaded for mercy, Shi Yihong's questions would follow.
In fact, he was not as good as his elder brother in terms of controlling people's hearts.
An Chengxi smiled and shook his head, indicating that it was fine. Although his teacher was sharp-tongued, it was impossible for him to kill him.
Pei Yuanshao stood up and bowed to Shi Yihong." Regardless of yesterday or today, you are my elder brother. This will never change.”
Shi Yihong looked at him deeply and waved his hand, indicating for him to leave. Pei Yuan Shao didn't stay any longer and turned to leave.
"Alright, I've said what I need to say. Find a suitable place to hold on!”Shi Yihong massaged his brows tiredly as he instructed the remaining people in the room.
Looking at the tiredness on Shi Yihong's face, An Chengxi felt guilty. He stood up swiftly and leaned against the sofa." Teacher, please take responsibility."”
Shi Yihong picked up the belt on the coffee table, walked behind him, and whipped his thigh." Pants, let me remind you next time, double the amount."”
An Chengxi's handsome face was suspiciously red, but he didn't dare to hesitate. He pulled his pants up to his ankles and said," It's my fault for making you worry. If I do it again, even if I can't tell you clearly, I'll do it in a different way."”
Shi Yihong did not respond to his words. He swung his belt down as if it was carrying a thousand pounds of force. Every time it landed, it hit the right spot. In just ten hits, his buttocks quickly swelled up and became bloodshot.
An Chengxi was in so much pain that he almost bit his tongue off, but he could only tighten his legs and grit his teeth, not daring to loosen his grip.
"Do you feel wronged? Speaking of which, you're just an accomplice. I punished you heavily but let your martial uncle off. Do you think it's unfair?”
An Chengxi was stunned. When he realized what Shi Yihong meant, he felt a little sad. In the past, when Shi Yihong punished him, he would never care about his feelings. He would suffer what he deserved and keep it in his heart. He had no right to be wronged even if he made a mistake.
Now, Shi Yihong's change made him feel sad. In fact, they were not the only ones who were afraid of losing him. His teacher was also afraid of losing him. He had been away from home for seven years, and Martial Uncle Pei had not returned to the capital for nearly five years, let alone Second Martial Uncle Ye Tan, who had disappeared for more than ten years. No matter how deep the relationship was, it would still make people feel uneasy over time.
He chuckled and pretended to be relaxed." Teacher, I have never felt unfair or wronged. From the day I acknowledged you as my master, I treated you like a father. What's wrong with a father teaching a child? Even if you really wronged me, I have to accept it obediently, right?”
Shi Yihong snorted lightly and laughed." You're a glib talker.”
He continued," Your Uncle-Master's thoughts are too heavy. It's useless to beat him. Only by letting him relax his heart can he not be so tired. As for you..." At this point, he looked at him up and down." You're simple-minded. You don't have a good memory.”
An Chengxi was speechless.
Alright, whatever the teacher said. He exhaled slightly. He was delighted that Shi Yihong had recovered so quickly.
Shi Yihong looked at his eldest disciple's reddened ears and chuckled. He swung the belt in his hand without holding back." An Chengxi, you should be glad that you've made some achievements while you were overseas and that you didn't completely deceive me. Otherwise…I'll beat you to death!"”
"... Thank you for the light punishment, Teacher."
"Heh." Shi Yihong did not speak. He lowered his waist and swung the belt in his hand like a whip.
An Chengxi felt as if he was in a deep abyss of suffering. The pain behind him gnawed at his nerves, and large drops of sweat rolled down his forehead. The rules he had followed since he was young made him afraid to shout.
In fact, compared to the severe punishments he had suffered in the past, this time was really not too harsh. However, after seven years, his body's resistance to beatings was far from what it used to be. Moreover, he had suffered twice in a row after returning to the country. He really wanted to cry but had no tears.
After an unknown amount of time, just when An Chengxi felt that he could not hold on any longer, Shi Yihong stopped." Forty hits. The remaining half of your punishment, plus your Uncle-Master's share, I'll bear it for you if you change to other punishments.”
" No..." An Chengxi stopped her without thinking. He got up and knelt down while enduring the pain from his back." Teacher." Are you trying to make your students and Uncle-Master feel ashamed?”
"It has nothing to do with you. It was my fault. I didn't fulfill my responsibility as a teacher and brother. Although you've been hiding it from me all these years, I clearly had doubts in my heart, but I didn't spend any effort to investigate. Especially about your Martial Uncle. Back then, because of Yuting's matter, I couldn't help but be angry and never asked him again.”Shi Yihong turned around and looked out of the window with his hands behind his back. The moon was as bright as water and the twilight was deep. It was quiet and desolate.
"…Teacher, I don't understand.”An Chengxi's voice was extremely hoarse. Even the cold air could not calm the restlessness in his heart.
Shi Yihong did not turn around. His clear voice traveled into An Chengxi's ears along with the night breeze." I'm taking responsibility for you because I want you to remember that your punishment is not over yet. You're right. If I want to make you feel guilty so that you can remember, I don't mind using this method.”
"As for self-punishment…you've been abroad for many years. If I've paid enough attention to you, I wouldn't have missed the problem. Besides, it hasn't been smooth sailing for you all these years, right?”Shi Yihong's voice was very faint, as faint as the moon in the sky. In a place he didn't know, his junior brothers and students were facing great danger and pressure from the front, while he was enjoying the peace and prosperity behind them with a clear conscience.
An Chengxi knew that he couldn't persuade her. He suppressed the burning regret in his heart, pulled up his pants, and knelt down." I understand."”
"When the time is up, apply the medicine yourself." Shi Yihong turned around and left.
Tonight was destined to be long.
Shi Yihong turned the hallway and stopped at Pei Yuanshao's door. He rested his arm on the door frame and rested his head on his forearm. His eyes were covered in extreme fatigue and pain." Ah Xiu…Qi Xiuzhu, if it's really you…"
So what if it really was him? Shi Yihong did not know that. He took a deep breath and rubbed his glabella to suppress the anxiety and fear in his heart. He collected his emotions and knocked on the door.
No one knew what kind of topic these two brothers would start, what kind of conclusion they would come to, and what kind of choice they would make.
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]