Lin Xingwan let out a pained groan. The anticipated pain didn't come; instead, she heard the voice of the person she longed for.
Zhou Jinbai immediately turned his head, his previously angry and agitated face freezing in stunned confusion.
He couldn't understand why his wife, whom he had been searching for, was here. But when he saw the blood continuously seeping from Lin Xingwan's waist, he became fierce and wild.
"Xingwan—"
"Sister-in-law—"
"Precious granddaughter-in-law—"
The others snapped back to attention, their hearts filled with concern and worry as they focused on Lin Xingwan.
Lin Xingwan felt immense pain, an extreme agony that made her feel as though her waist had been broken.
Weakly, Lin Xingwan slid from Zhou Jinbai's body to the ground. Liu Mengqin and Xue Manting quickly rushed to her side and embraced her.
"You are the woman who caused Jinbai to be in this state?" Upon seeing Lin Xingwan, Zhou Qingcang's eyes filled with disgust. "As expected, beautiful women are all vipers. I will kill you, this viper, right now, and see how you harm the descendants of my Dongfang family in the future."
Zhou Qingcang had a short temper, and seeing Lin Xingwan reminded him of a woman from his past.
She had a face that could melt anyone's heart, and he had fallen for her the moment he laid eyes on her.
But who would have thought that the person he had given his all to would ultimately bring him such disgrace?
Zhou Qingcang… harbored a deep hatred for women!
"Calm down… calm down. You're an old man, don't get agitated."
The others sitting beside Zhou Qingcang quickly restrained him.
An old man like him still wanted to cause trouble; wasn't the scene chaotic enough?
"Hurry and send Xingwan to the hospital," Liu Mengqin dared not touch Lin Xingwan's waist, but she could clearly see the blood gushing out.
She could imagine the bloody mess beneath the clothes.
Xue Manting remained silent, but she felt enveloped by the scent of blood.
"Xuanyin—" Zhou Jinbai called out.
Without a word, Xuanyin immediately took out a knife from his person and cut the ropes.
Zhou Jinbai swiftly scooped Lin Xingwan into his arms and turned to rush towards the castle's hospital.
Zhou Tianqiong said nothing. If this incident could allow Jinbai to escape or delay his punishment, it was what he hoped for.
Zhou Bingwen glanced at an old man sitting in the farthest corner. He was the youngest among the elders of the entire Dongfang family.
He was ninety years old this year and his name was Zhou Chengde.
Zhou Chengde narrowed his eyes dangerously, nodded slightly, and then sternly reprimanded, "The family law has not concluded, how can you allow them to leave? This is blatant disregard for the rules set by our ancestors, a slap in the face. You unworthy descendant, you have truly disgraced our Dongfang family."
At Zhou Chengde's command, the most skilled bodyguards of the Dongfang family gathered from afar, directly blocking Zhou Jinbai's path.
"Get out—" Zhou Jinbai, looking at Lin Xingwan's increasingly pale face, roared at the people in front of him.
Even if that blow hadn't landed on him, he knew how painful it was.
Even a strong and healthy man would need months to recover after one blow, let alone the delicate Lin Xingwan.
She was so foolish. Zhou Jinbai wished that the blow had landed on him. He even regretted why he hadn't admitted fault earlier.
If he had admitted fault, none of this would have happened.
"I'm fine. Don't go against the family for my sake, Zhou Jinbai. I'm really fine."
This was the first time Lin Xingwan had seen Zhou Jinbai so enraged. He was like an enraged beast, ready to deliver a fatal blow at any moment.
Zhou Jinbai looked at the woman in his arms, her pleading expression suppressing his anger. He turned and addressed Zhou Chengde, "Tell these people to get out of the way. After I take her to the hospital, I will come back to accept my punishment."
Zhou Jinbai disliked Zhou Chengde. This elder not only disliked him but also his father.
His father had once been subjected to family law, receiving five blows precisely because of Zhou Chengde's machinations.
"Accept punishment?" Zhou Chengde sneered. "Is the family law of our Dongfang family something you dictate? A person who has made a mistake dares to be so arrogant in front of so many elders. What? The entire Dongfang family cannot do anything to you?"
After speaking, Zhou Chengde turned his gaze to Zhou Tianqiong. "The prince is subject to the same law as a commoner. Surely you are not going to show him favoritism? If Zhou Jinbai, who is so cruel, is shown special leniency, then I, Zhou Chengde, will resign my position as an elder. I will no longer be a member of the Dongfang family."
After Zhou Chengde spoke, the Jia brothers, Jia Yansong and Jia Yankang, seemed to have been injected with a stimulant.
"In front of so many of us, if your Dongfang family dares to bend the law for personal gain, the outside world will laugh their heads off."
Jia Yansong spoke.
"Yes, we thought your Dongfang family could give us justice. If tonight's matter is not handled properly, I will definitely expose it to the media." Jia Yankang grew more angry the more he thought about it. If he couldn't regain his lost dignity, how could he continue to mingle in the capital's circles?
Jia Yanzhen, who had been silent all this time, looked at the clamoring Jia Yansong and Jia Yankang and sneered inwardly.
These two fools were indeed digging their own graves.
If Meng Chuzheng and Jia Huaixu wanted to seek justice for them, they would never have remained silent from the beginning until now. Yet, these two actually believed they could truly kill Zhou Jinbai tonight.
Their actions would only bring them closer to death.
Jia Yanzhen didn't know how he felt at the moment, but he had been waiting for this day for a very, very long time.
After tonight, everything would cease to exist.
Zhou Tianqiong looked at Zhou Chengde, intending to intimidate him with his imposing presence, but Zhou Tianqiong found that Zhou Chengde showed no signs of fear. Instead, he spoke again, "If you truly shield Zhou Jinbai, how many hearts in the Dongfang family will be chilled? We revere you as the head elder precisely because of your fairness and your willingness to punish your own kin."
After Zhou Chengde spoke, some members of the Dongfang family who were watching the spectacle couldn't help but start to mock:
"I used to think the elders' words were as good as gold, but after wasting so much time tonight and Zhou Jinbai not receiving a single blow, it's clear how biased the current family rules are."
"Shh… speak softly, lest you also be subjected to family law. Others can harm their kin and get away with it, but if you say anything bad about them, your head will roll."
"I dare not speak anymore, I dare not speak anymore. Whatever they do, I'm tired of watching. It's all just an act."
These words clearly reached the ears of everyone present, and even the faces of several elders darkened.
Especially Zhou Tianqiong, whose murderous gaze seemed as though he wanted to devour Zhou Chengde alive.
If he were to protect Zhou Jinbai now, it would be a blatant defiance of the Dongfang family's rules, destroying the very thing that bound all the clan members. If he died, he would have no face to meet his ancestors.
"This is all because of me. Are you going to let Jinbai become a coward who tolerates his wife being humiliated?" Lin Xingwan spoke. Her voice was not loud, but it was filled with questioning. "You'll never know pain until the knife is in you. Even blood brothers can turn against each other, let alone a group of beasts who want to humiliate a wife? Family law, family law, it's meant to protect family, not for a group of ignorant people to punish Jinbai under the guise of family law."
Despite Lin Xingwan's small stature, when she erupted, her determination was so brilliant that people couldn't look away.
Zhou Jinbai looked at the woman in his arms. That she could stand before so many people without fear and speak for him, he would willingly die for this woman.
"Disrespectful to elders, utterly uncivilized, a mere shrew from the marketplace. How can an outsider like you run amok in front of the Dongfang family ancestral hall?" Zhou Chengde's gaze towards Lin Xingwan was as if he were spitting fire. At this moment, the old madam walked to Zhou Jinbai's side.
"Zhou Chengde, Xingwan is not an outsider. She is Jinbai's wife, and she is a daughter-in-law of our Dongfang family. She has the right to be here!" Fu Cha Wanrong detested Zhou Chengde. The reason this man became an elder was purely due to his age. Most people his age were already dead; otherwise, given the scoundrel deeds Zhou Chengde had committed in the past, let alone being an elder, not being kicked out of the family was already an extreme act of leniency.
"We do not acknowledge her!" Zhou Chengde said dismissively. "A daughter-in-law of the Dongfang family must be recognized by the entire clan, not just any Tom, Dick, or Harry."
Zhou Chengde's words enraged many.
"Heh." Zhou Jinbai suddenly let out a cold laugh. His expression was unfathomable, and his eyes, filled with a chilling glint, stabbed towards Zhou Chengde like flying daggers.
Zhou Chengde could initially meet Zhou Jinbai's gaze, but as time passed, he felt a chill run down his spine. He could no longer withstand the pressure emanating from Zhou Jinbai and reluctantly averted his gaze.
"So, tonight, am I supposed to fight my way out to leave?" Zhou Jinbai asked Zhou Chengde, a cruel curve forming on his lips.
Zhou Chengde felt an image of Zhou Jinbai dismembering him flash through his mind.
"Jinbai, do you know what you're saying? This is the ancestral hall, you mustn't speak nonsense." Zhou Bingwen anxiously reminded Zhou Jinbai. At this moment, his anxiety was more evident and exaggerated than that of Fu Cha Wanrong and the others.
"Uncle, I just think our Dongfang family's rules need to be revised."
Zhou Jinbai didn't spare Zhou Bingwen a glance and instead called out Xuanyin's name again. "Xuanyin—"
"Yes, Young Master—" Xuanyin replied, and then actually took out a whistle and blew it.
The clear and melodious whistle carried a soul-piercing power, making the cold air in the entire ancestral hall seem even more intense.
A group of black-clad bodyguards quickly ran from different directions, each holding a gun.
The killing intent in these bodyguards' eyes was even more intense than those who had blocked Zhou Jinbai's path earlier.
Zhou Jinbai's personal bodyguard, Xuanzhu, also emerged from the darkness, aiming his gun at Zhou Chengde.
No, not just Zhou Chengde. As the number of black-clad men increased, everyone present had a gun pointed at them.
With just one command from Zhou Jinbai, within three seconds, this place would be littered with corpses.
Those who had been mocking moments ago dared not say another word; their faces were filled with terror, fearing that a bullet might suddenly fly out and kill them.
Zhou Tianqiong and Zhou Qingcang's expressions also turned grim. The situation had escalated to a point they had never anticipated.
A hint of joy flashed in Zhou Bingwen's eyes. He hoped that tonight's events would escalate further, ideally making Zhou Jinbai an eternal sinner of the Dongfang family.
This would not be in vain for the grand net he had cast.
The old madam wanted to stop her grandson, as what he was doing tonight was too rebellious.
However, on the other hand, she also began to anticipate.
It was time to revise many of the Dongfang family's unreasonable rules, using today's opportunity.
Especially Zhou Chengde, this troublemaker, should be dealt with.
Therefore, the old madam closed her mouth. No matter what, she stood by her grandson's side.
"Since this family's rules cannot accommodate me, I will change these rules; and for those who usually dislike me, I give you face, so you should behave. If you want to be ungrateful, I will oblige you. You all are inconsequential to me."
At this moment, Zhou Jinbai was like a king who ruled everything.
If it were just him, he could accept punishment and pay for his actions.
But when it involved his woman's interests, he was willing to become an eternal sinner rather than let her suffer the slightest harm.
"You… you are exactly like your father, stubborn and foolish. This woman will be the death of you sooner or later." Zhou Tianqiong coughed violently in anger. He couldn't understand why Zhou Jinbai, knowing what happened to his father, would still walk into danger step by step.
Was love truly a fatal calamity?
"I can't just watch Jinbai act so recklessly. He'll be hunted by the entire family." Meng Chuzheng pushed Jia Huaixu away, intending to go to Zhou Jinbai's side. However, as she passed Jia Yanzhen, he grabbed her arm.
"Mom, let me handle this," Jia Yanzhen said, a faint smile on his androgynous face. At this moment, he looked so harmless and pure.
"Do you know what I'm going to say?" Meng Chuzheng widened her eyes, realizing she had never truly understood her son.
"I know," Jia Yanzhen replied, then released Meng Chuzheng's hand and addressed everyone. "I don't understand why you are making such a fuss over a problem that doesn't even exist?"
"What do you mean by that?" Zhou Bingwen immediately cast a wary glance at Jia Yanzhen. Everything was developing according to his plan, but Jia Yanzhen's sudden intervention was an unexpected variable for Zhou Bingwen.