In the palace of the Great Qian Dynasty.
Outside the Zhaixin Hall.
Fang Li looked unusually excited.
Ever since he was a kid, he had never been bullied.
Yet, someone actually beat him up today.
That made Fang Li furious and extremely upset.
However, fortunately for him, his grandfather would stand up for him all the time and so he thought that he would teach Su Changyu a lesson too.
As for Princess Xu Yang and his father, Fang Li didn’t care at all. As long as he could get revenge for himself, everything would be alright.
Not far away, Princess Xu Yang knelt on the ground and looked at the emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty with great excitement.
“Father, Senior Su merely did it in a moment of impulse. There must be some misunderstanding here. Father, you must find out clearly.”
Princess Xu Yang spoke up and pleaded for Su Changyu.
The crown prince of the Great Qian Dynasty also immediately came forward and knelt before the emperor.
“Father, Xu Yang has already told me about it. There must be some misunderstanding.”
“Fang Li is naughty and unruly. No matter what happened, Senior Su has saved Xu Yang’s life, and if we punish him, we will be labeled as ingrates who repay kindness with hostility if word about it gets out.”
The crown prince of the Great Qian Dynasty was very understanding. After Princess Xu Yang went to see him and explained the situation clearly, he knew that his son Fang Li must have caused huge trouble.
No matter what, Su Changyu was not to be blamed for this.
After all, Su Changyu saved Princess Xu Yang, thus making him the benefactor of the Great Qian Dynasty despite the fact that he had really beaten up Fang Li.
However, it wasn’t a big deal either. He would at most give Su Changyu some gifts before letting him go.
There was no need to be brutal.
This time, the crown prince of the Great Qian Dynasty was a little furious and angered by Fang Li.
In fact, this was not the first time that something like that happened. However, Fang Li had been really unruly just because he was young and favored by the emperor.
Hence, the Crown Prince had no choice but to beg the emperor to let Su Changyu off.
“There is no misunderstanding here, he just thinks I’m a pushover because I’m a kid.”
“Grandpa, I can’t let this go.”
Fang Li was also very stubborn. He felt that he couldn’t let himself get beaten up for nothing.
At this moment, the emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty could not help but look at Fang Li whom he pampered dearly.
However, Su Changyu’s words made him come to his senses.
He used to spoil and dote on Fang Li because he was still young, and also because of the fact that he was his grandson. In addition, Fang Li’s aura was a little similar to that of Princess Changling’s.
Those were the reasons why he doted on Fang Li so much.
However, it was different now.
Fang Li was already 14 years old and would be having his coming-of-age celebration in two years’ time. If he continued being so unruly and snobbish, he would really turn out like what Su Changyu said.
Hence, the emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty planned to discipline Fang Li today.
“You can’t accept it?”
“Fang Li, let me ask you, why did Changyu beat you up?”
The emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty asked in a calm tone.
After hearing his words, the Crown Prince and Princess Xu Yang couldn’t help but be slightly shocked.
They could tell the different meanings in his words.
‘Why did Changyu beat you up?’
‘Why did the emperor call him Changyu? That sounds quite affectionate.’
Unfortunately, Fang Li couldn’t understand it. In fact, he completely failed to realize that. Indeed, he was still too young.
“Grandpa, maybe he’s jealous that I look more handsome than him.”
Fang Li replied.
At that moment, the emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty could not help but continue to speak.
“Fang Li, let me ask you, have you crossed the line and done anything too outrageous?”
“No.”
Fang Li insisted that he hadn’t done anything overboard, even if he had.
He had to deny no matter what.
“Really?”
At this moment, the gaze of the emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty suddenly became sharper.
He stared at Fang Li.
Fang Li immediately felt a chill down his spine.
It was the first time he saw such a gaze in his grandfather’s eyes.
It was really intimidating.
The emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty held great power and authority to decide the lives of the people in his country.
Even his children and the civil officials of the imperial court, as well as some marquises, dared not breathe loudly when faced with such a gaze from him.
Naturally, Fang Li was scared but he was very puzzled too.
“Grandpa, I… I may have said some awful things to him but that’s not a valid reason for him to beat me up.”
Although he was scared, Fang Li was still indignant and insisted that it was Su Changyu’s fault.
“Unbridled!”
In an instant, the voice of the emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty filled the air, giving Fang Li a great shock. Even Princess Xu Yang and the Crown Prince couldn’t help but shudder.
They had never seen the emperor being so furious towards Fang Li before.
Usually, the emperor would turn a blind eye to Fang Li’s actions and downplay the issue even if he caused a huge trouble.
They didn’t expect the emperor to be so stern this time.
“Grandpa!”
Fang Li exclaimed sobbingly. He was really stunned this time but he was mostly bewildered.
‘Why has Grandpa changed? He usually isn’t like this.’
Fang Li really couldn’t figure it out but he knew that he couldn’t babble nonsense anymore.
“Fang Li, you are my grandson and I pamper you greatly because of your father, and I also indulge you because you’re still young and ignorant.”
“You repeatedly make mistakes and act lawlessly in the palace but I never reprimanded you for your actions because you’re still young. I don’t want to restrict you too much or discipline you too excessively.”
“I just want you to be happy, but you’re getting more and more arrogant and unbridled. You don’t respect anyone at all, be it your parents or the servants and ministers.”
“I’ve spoiled you rotten, but now, you’re already 14 years old. You’re not young and clueless anymore.”
“Today, I must teach you a good lesson and take you in hand.”
After hearing those words, Fang Li was dumbfounded.
‘Something’s wrong.’
‘Why is it my fault?’
However, before he could think any longer, the emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty had already pulled out a golden rattan whip.
It was meant for whipping the royals.
If the whip was used on an ordinary person, it would not hurt regardless of how many times they were whipped because although there would be immense pain, a stream of spiritual energy would be injected immediately afterwards to heal the wound.
The whip was an heirloom of the royal family that was used exclusively for disciplining some disobedient princesses and princes.
After all, he couldn’t be too harsh and hurt him badly.
However, if he didn’t go harder on him, Fang Li wouldn’t learn his lesson.
Hence, this whip was the best tool for choice. It wouldn’t kill but it would make him feel incredible pain.
“Grandpa, Grandpa…”
Fang Li was dumbfounded to see that whip.
However, he was soon whipped.
“Oww!!!”
He shrieked in misery like an animal that was being slaughtered.
He was in so much pain that he began to doubt life.
The pain was even more agonizing than the pain he got from Su Changyu’s beating. It seemed to penetrate his bones.
In the next moment, a stream of surging spiritual energy entered his body and immediately healed his wounds but the pain did not subside.
Smack!
He was whipped again.
Fang Li began shrieking hysterically as he laid on the ground and wailed. In fact, he even ignored the fact that he was the emperor’s grandson.
“Grandpa, stop hitting me. Grandpa, stop.”
With tears and snot all over his face, Fang Li cried and begged the emperor to stop hitting him.
However, the emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty spared no mercy and instead hit him even harder.
“I’ve only whipped you twice and you can’t stand it anymore. Do you know how many lashes your father received back then?”
“These years, you’ve been lawless and I’ve spoiled you rotten, so much that you’ve become tyrannical and arrogant.”
“You were born into a noble family with a golden spoon in your mouth, and you have been fed and clothed well in the palace. You get to play and eat whatever you want because there’ll always be someone to prepare them for you.”
“But do you know that some people become orphans soon after they’re born and end up staying in a small sect without enough to eat or wear? At the young age of only 14 years old, they might be forced to make a living for themselves.”
“You have no idea at all because you’re so self-centered that you only pay attention to yourself.”
“Rebellious grandson!”
“Don’t cry,” the emperor said while whipping him.
He had imagined most of the things he said because in his opinion, Su Changyu must have had a miserable childhood.
He thought that Su Changyu must have lived in harsh conditions where his meals were irregular, unlike his grandson Fang Li who lived and ate well but would still cause trouble for nothing.
Of course he had to beat him up.
“Grandpa, stop hitting me, please stop. If you continue, I’ll die.”
“Grandpa, I know my mistakes, I really do!”
“Grandpa, I really know I was wrong, stop hitting me or I’ll die.”
Fang Li lay on the ground, howling and bawling loudly. The pain from the whip made him feel like dying.
At this moment, Fang Li looked at Princess Xu Yang and his father.
“Aunt, Aunt, help me, help.”
“Father, Father, Father, save me.”
Fang Li was weeping miserably.
After Princess Xu Yang saw it, she didn’t take any pity on him at all.
When she was young, she had also been beaten by the imperial whip, and hence, she knew how painful it was. However, she also knew that some people had to be whipped, like naughty children who wouldn’t learn their lesson unless they were hit.
On the other hand, the Crown Prince, Fang Li’s father, couldn’t help but look at the emperor after seeing that scene.
“Father.”
He seemed to be pleading for mercy for Fang Li.
“What?”
“Do you want to be hit too?”
The emperor questioned angrily.
Hearing this, the Crown Prince shook his head. Ever since he was a child, he had been hit by the whip from time to time, but even now, he still felt somehow terrified.
Hence, the Crown Prince was flustered after hearing those words.
On the other hand, Fang Li somehow felt touched to see that. Although he often contradicted his father, he didn’t expect that his father would stand up for him at the critical juncture.
Indeed, a father’s love is boundless.
‘Father, you’re so manly.’
Despite feeling touched, Fang Li was still in pain.
However, the Crown Prince really wasn’t begging for mercy.
He knelt on the ground with a serious expression.
“Father, you’re mistaken. What I mean is, let me do the beating.”
The Crown Prince said seriously.
Everyone was stunned.
Fang Li was dumbfounded.
The emperor was speechless.
So was Princess Xu Yang.
The imperial guards too.
In particular, Fang Li initially thought that his father was going to help him plead for mercy, but he didn’t expect his father to want to be the one to hit him instead.
‘You’re really my father.’
“Spare the rod and spoil the child. You’re Fang Li’s father after all, go ahead and hit him.”
“However, if you go easy on him, I’ll hit you too.”
The emperor thought about it, but he eventually agreed and tossed the whip to the emperor.
He was scared that the Crown Prince would try to defend his son and hence, he gave that warning.
The latter took the whip and looked at Fang Li.
When Fang Li saw his father’s expression, he couldn’t figure out what he meant.
Smack!
He smacked him again.
At this moment, an even more miserable shriek sounded.
“Ah!”
“Father!!!”
“Are you serious?”
Fang Li shrieked in misery, making everyone frown.
Even the emperor was dumbfounded.
He could tell at a glance that his son wasn’t pretending and was instead hitting Fang Li with greater force.
He was very ruthless.
He hit Fang Li harder than the emperor did.
Even the emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty could not help but frown.
“Who told you to be disobedient!?!”
“It’s your fault for creating trouble all day!”
“You deserve this for being so arrogant all the time!”
“Are you still going to be arrogant?”
“Are you still going to be disobedient?”
The Crown Prince was furious. He had been getting beaten up since he was a child as the emperor would hit him whenever he was displeased.
Yet, the emperor spoiled and pampered his grandson, Fang Li, so much that no one dared to provoke him.
As Fang Li’s father, he would discipline him sometimes but Fang Li would always tell on him and complain against him.
In particular, when he scared Fang Li previously, the latter even went to complain to the emperor.
He ended up being whipped several times.
This time, his father seemed to have suddenly had a change of character.
‘That’s great.’
‘Is he going to hit him hard this time to make up for all the times that he spared the rod previously?’
‘Spare the rod, spoil the child.’
‘This kid has to be taught a lesson or he will not behave himself.’
He knew that Fang Li had to be taught a lesson.
Hence, the Crown Prince lashed him again without further ado.
Fang Li’s scalp began to turn numb.
He was convinced that his father was an expert at lashing others.
He was even more brutal than the emperor.
In the end, the more the Crown Prince hit him, the harsher he was. Sensing that the situation was getting out of hand, the emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty immediately stopped him.
“Stop hitting him, or he’ll die.”
The emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty pulled his son back, looking rather amusing.
He really didn’t expect that his son would be so ferocious even though he usually looked mild-mannered and civilized. He wondered who he had inherited it from.
The Crown Prince was really furious and when hitting his son, he didn’t feel guilty at all.
If his father hadn’t stopped him, he would have beaten Fang Li even harder.
At the same time…
In the Zaixin Hall.
Su Changyu heard the sounds of wailing.
He somehow found it familiar.
However, at this point…
In the Great Xia Dynasty palace.
The emperor of the Great Xia Dynasty couldn’t help but speak up.
“What? Did you say that Changyu has gone missing?”
