For a time, everyone's attention was focused on the appraisal results.
Jia Yansong and Jia Yankang, the brothers, turned deathly pale.
In truth, they had already anticipated the outcome. What awaited them now was the punishment they would receive.
Meng Chuzheng and Jia Huaixu exchanged a look, and finally walked out.
"If you want to survive, just behave. Big brother, second brother, this is my advice to you." Jia Yanzhen watched his reluctant brothers walk out, a sneer on his lips.
Meanwhile, in another room, Zhou Jinbai couldn't be bothered with what was being said outside. His heart was entirely with Lin Xingwan.
"Her wounds have all been bandaged, but she'll have to stay in bed for the next few days. I've applied pain relief ointment, so she doesn't feel the pain as much. But once the medication wears off, the pain will return. She'll just have to endure it. If she can't bear it, I'll give her a painkiller injection."
After saying this, the doctor wiped the sweat from his brow.
Lin Xingwan, on the other hand, looked at Zhou Jinbai and said, "The appraisal results are out. Go out and see."
"There's no need to go out. The final appraisal result will be just as Jia Yanzhen said."
Zhou Jinbai didn't understand why Jia Yanzhen was helping him tonight for no apparent reason. But it was strange; he had no deep impression of the Jia Yansong and Jia Yankang brothers since childhood. Yet, Jia Yanzhen was the only one Zhou Jinbai felt was like a persistent little tail he couldn't shake off.
Jia Yanzhen even used to like going to their house for meals when he was young. Back then, the Old Madam was still quite young, and Jia Yanzhen's constant "Grandma" softened the Old Madam, who initially disliked him, to the point of indifference.
On a few occasions when Jia Yanzhen wasn't around, the Old Madam even asked Zhou Jinbai why Jia Yanzhen wasn't coming for meals.
When the Old Madams gathered, Jia Yanzhen also heard them sigh, wishing Jia Yanzhen were a child of the Dongfang family. But his birth meant that no matter how much the Old Madams liked Jia Yanzhen, it would ultimately be useless.
"You should still go out. After all, someone was fanning the flames tonight. Jinbai, you are the future patriarch of the Dongfang family; you represent authority." Suddenly, the Old Madam's voice sounded from beside Zhou Jinbai. Although she spoke very gently, everyone present understood the implied meaning.
"If it weren't for that child Yanzhen, you would have surely died tonight. Jinbai, sometimes your kindness only harms yourself and others." The Old Madam had never imagined Meng Chuzheng to be such a wicked woman. They say even a tiger doesn't eat its cubs. It was one thing for her to live happily on her own all these years, ignoring Jinbai. But now, at a moment of life and death, in such a critical situation tonight, she could remain so calm.
No!
It wasn't a matter of remaining calm!
It was that the woman intended to watch Jinbai die.
In this world, how could there be such a wicked mother?
"You go out. I'm a bit tired too, so I can rest." Lin Xingwan gave Zhou Jinbai a reassuring smile.
Zhou Jinbai nodded. "Alright, I'll be back soon."
The man turned and left.
As he passed Liu Mengqin and Xue Manting, he said, "The two of you go in and keep her company."
Xue Manting and Liu Mengqin nodded vigorously. They dared not disobey the imperial decree issued by Zhou Jinbai, their emperor.
When Zhou Jinbai emerged from the room, he saw Jia Yanzhen also coming out of another room.
Their eyes met. Zhou Jinbai's gaze towards Jia Yanzhen was no longer filled with the usual disdain and contempt, but even carried a hint of complexity.
Jia Yanzhen quickly averted his gaze. He admitted he was nervous.
Being looked at by Zhou Jinbai with such a 'tender' gaze made him feel extremely uncomfortable all over. He wished this man would treat him as he used to.
After all, he was a masochist.
In the ancestral hall, Zhou Tianqiong and the others were still seated in their original positions.
However, the atmosphere in the ancestral hall was no longer as oppressive and suffocating as before.
On the contrary, although Zhou Qingcang and Zhou Tianqiong had stern expressions, their eyes betrayed obvious joy.
Yet, while some rejoiced, others grieved. Zhou Bingwen, Zhou Chengde, and some less prominent elders, mostly wore solemn expressions.
"It seems everyone is here." Zhou Tianqiong roughly counted the attendees. The ancestral hall was no longer filled with people chattering and gossiping like sparrows. In fact, their gazes towards Zhou Jinbai were filled with fear and respect. Some, due to the recent 'unfair' remarks, were now filled with apprehension.
"Father, please tell everyone the appraisal result. If my grandson Jinbai has violated the family rule of harming his siblings, I, Fu Cha Wanrong, will be the first to uphold justice and enforce family law. But if my grandson was indeed harmed by villains, I implore you to give Jinbai justice, especially since Jinbai lost his parents at a young age and endured all hardships on his own."
The Old Madam was the first to walk to Zhou Jinbai's side and said to Zhou Tianqiong with a solemn expression.
Everyone present was shocked by Fu Cha Wanrong's words. She hadn't been so decisive and straightforward earlier, even willing to abet her grandson if he had gone astray.
"As the next patriarch of our Dongfang family, Jinbai has made great contributions to our family over the years. I, Zhou Tianqiong, believe in rewarding and punishing fairly. If Jinbai is wrong, he must accept punishment. If Jinbai is falsely accused, I will surely seek justice for the descendant of our Dongfang family."
Zhou Qingcang felt a sense of nausea listening to Zhou Tianqiong's words. He couldn't stand it when these people became hypocritical.
However, watching Fu Cha Wanrong and Zhou Tianqiong's act, it seemed to echo his inner thoughts.
"Enough of the nonsense, quickly read the appraisal result. Reward the deserving and punish the guilty. My old bones still need to go back to sleep."
Zhou Qingcang urged, casually taking out his gold-inlaid jade pipe and smoking it contentedly in front of everyone.
Zhou Tianqiong was not hesitant. He held the appraisal report in his hand and said, "The appraisal report in my hand states that Jia Yansong and Jia Yankang are indeed not the children of Meng Chuzheng and Jia Huaixu. Therefore, Jinbai did not harm his siblings and did not violate the family rules."
With Zhou Tianqiong's words, Zhou Jinbai's unjust accusation was immediately cleared.
"Since the misunderstanding has been resolved, let's conclude tonight's events. All the elders are over seventy years old, and their bodies cannot compare to us youngsters. The temperature is low at night, and it wouldn't be good if you catch a cold."
Zhou Bingwen let out a long sigh, as if he had narrowly escaped death.
"I always believed Jinbai wouldn't do such a thing." Zhou Bingwen cast a proud gaze at Zhou Jinbai, and many others in the hall looked at Zhou Jinbai with admiration.
Jia Huaixu, at this moment, still wore a faint smile. "I didn't expect our Jia family's biggest secret to be revealed. It seems the issue of my infertility will be all over the city tomorrow. Since the truth is out, can we leave now?"
Jia Huaixu deliberately emphasized the words 'infertility' and looked at Zhou Bingwen as he spoke.
Zhou Bingwen felt uneasy. The reason he hadn't found a partner all these years was due to his own physical issues.
But he believed there was absolutely nothing wrong with Jia Huaixu's body. This man said this purely to humiliate him.
If he had had a son or daughter, where would Zhou Jinbai have any standing?
Over the years, watching Zhou Jinbai become more and more outstanding, he wished he could destroy him in an instant.
But he couldn't. He had to use Zhou Jinbai's prestige to pave his own path, otherwise, his decades of meticulous planning would have been in vain.
"Leave? After bullying my grandson, if you leave so easily, then the people of our Dongfang family will be a laughingstock today." The Old Madam was now filled with sternness.
"Yansong, Yankang, why aren't you two brothers apologizing quickly?" Meng Chuzheng immediately commanded.
Jia Yansong: "I'm sorry, Zhou Jinbai."
Jia Yankang: "I'm sorry."
After the brothers finished speaking, they lowered their heads, like two children who had done wrong and were filled with anxiety.
"Old Madam, although they are not my biological children, we have treated them as our own for all these years. Aside from the lack of blood relation, we are closer than family. You are a living Bodhisattva who recites Buddhist scriptures. Please show them leniency today."
Jia Huaixu spoke while slightly bowing, a subtle gesture of submission to Fu Cha Wanrong.
However, Fu Cha Wanrong was also a formidable character. The matter tonight required a warning to others.
But before Fu Cha Wanrong could speak, Zhou Jinbai directly said, "Each will receive fifteen strokes. If they survive, it will be as if nothing happened; if they die, they will have deserved it."
Zhou Jinbai's words instantly made everyone present gasp.
As the saying goes, "Silence is golden, but a roar can shake the heavens." Zhou Jinbai had spoken the least tonight, but acted the most ruthlessly.
Let alone the fragile hearts of the brothers Jia Yansong and Jia Yankang, which shattered into pieces, even Zhou Tianqiong, with his old bones, almost fell apart from shock at Zhou Jinbai's words.
Indeed, this boy was always the most ruthless.
"Fifteen... fifteen strokes? That could kill someone! Zhou Jinbai, I've apologized to you. If you're not satisfied, I'll kowtow to you right now." Jia Yansong immediately knelt on the ground, his flabby flesh trembling with the movement.
Jia Yankang glanced at him and quickly knelt down as well.
The brothers kept kowtowing. Zhou Bingwen looked at these two useless individuals. If he had known this would be the outcome, why would he have gone to so much trouble?
"What, are you not listening to my orders?" Zhou Jinbai didn't even look at the brothers but commanded a group of his subordinates behind him.
These subordinates quickly tied up the brothers and began the lashing.
The entire vast ancestral hall was filled with the brothers' screams, and the air was thick with the smell of blood.
Jia Yansong fainted after the fifth stroke; Jia Yankang did not last beyond the eighth.
After the brothers fainted, a subordinate asked, "Young Master, they've both fainted."
"Continue hitting," Zhou Jinbai's expression was cold, and his words carried no warmth.
Only after everyone had received fifteen strokes did Zhou Bingwen speak to Zhou Jinbai, "Jinbai, since they have paid the price for their foolish actions, shouldn't tonight's matter be concluded?"
Zhou Bingwen, with a Bodhisattva's face and a viper's heart, was impossible to discern his true cruel and venomous nature from his actions and appearance over the years.
Especially since Zhou Bingwen had treated Zhou Jinbai very well over the years. In Zhou Jinbai's heart, Zhou Bingwen had long been like a father.
"Uncle, there are still two matters to attend to." As Zhou Jinbai spoke, his hawk-like gaze fixed on Zhou Chengde.
Zhou Chengde, who had been minimizing his presence since the appraisal results came out, felt as if he were being coiled by a python, unable to move.
The python was tightening its grip, ready to crush him at any moment.
"What matters?" Even though Zhou Bingwen had guessed what Zhou Jinbai was about to do, he pretended to be confused and asked.
"Some people in the Dongfang family have lived too comfortably for too long, severely affecting their intellect. I was almost subjected to family law just now, but it was all thanks to Grandpa Chengde."
Zhou Jinbai sneered.
Zhou Chengde's face turned extremely grim. He said, "I was merely acting according to procedure."
"Acting according to procedure? May I ask if Grandpa Chengde had conclusive evidence? Or was it malicious intent? The first rule of our Dongfang family is not to harm siblings. And you? You wanted to put me, a junior, to death. Such brutality and inhumanity. I think you should go to Beishan to reflect properly."
Zhou Jinbai's words caused Zhou Chengde to stagger backward several steps.
"Bei... Beishan?" The Beishan of the Dongfang family was not only barren but also inhabited by all sorts of wild beasts.
Sending him to Beishan to reflect meant directly sending him to his death.
And after his death, his bones would not even be found.
"What, Grandpa Chengde is not satisfied? Then go to Xishan. Xishan has been environmentally pleasant in recent years and can cultivate one's character." As soon as Zhou Jinbai finished speaking, Zhou Chengde's complexion could no longer be described as pale.
Xishan was even more perilous than Beishan, as it was a place specifically for breeding marine beasts like sharks and crocodiles. Moreover, Xishan had only one cemetery, surrounded by seawater.
Throwing him into Xishan, he wouldn't survive a day.