Shangguan Ke found a corner by himself, drinking alone, his face grim, no one knew what he was thinking, after all, human joys and sorrows are not shared.
Shangguan Hui did not want to let him go, he had long disliked him. Back then at the border, he was the young master, but upon returning here, he suddenly became the second young master, and the son of a concubine. If it weren't for his mother's intervention, he would have taught him a good lesson long ago.
Seeing his unhappy demeanor, he felt nothing but smugness and gloated, "Brother is unhappy, are you displeased with today's banquet, or do you object to my mother becoming the primary wife?"
Shangguan Ke looked at his provocative stance and sneered, "Even if you become the legitimate son, you will still have to kneel before my mother's memorial tablet during festivals. After all, she is the original wife. Don't provoke me; at worst, we'll perish together."
Shangguan Hui was a little scared when he saw that Shangguan Ke wasn't joking. He only wanted to anger Shangguan Ke, make him lose control of his emotions, and do something wrong to showcase his own intelligence. Although his face showed disbelief, he was actually somewhat apprehensive in his heart.
"You are really not someone to befriend. I just wanted to chat with you and foster some brotherly affection, but you're talking about life and death with me." He then put on a helpless expression, shook his head, and left dejectedly.
If he could laugh off this matter, she couldn't laugh at what came next, nor could she get over the hurdle in her heart. In front of the guests, Master Shangguan actually asked him to kowtow and offer tea to the new madam.
Shangguan Ke endured it again and again, then smiled and said, "Kowtowing to the new madam is proper, as she will be my mother from now on. However, before she kowtows to me, shouldn't she also kowtow to my birth mother? At the very least, she should express some respect for the original wife."
Master Shangguan's smiling face immediately stiffened. He said in a voice so calm it was terrifying, "Today is a joyous occasion. Don't ruin the atmosphere. Just do as you're told."
Shangguan Ke saw everyone looking at him with an air of amusement. In Qian Han's eyes, there was triumph; in Shangguan Hui's eyes, provocation; in Master Shangguan and Madam Shangguan's eyes, indifference. Only Lu Yuntai and her son looked at him with some concern.
He was silent for a moment, enduring the humiliation, and slowly began to kneel. Just as everyone thought he was about to submit to reality, with lightning speed, before anyone could react, he plunged the knife into him.
Master Shangguan had not taken him seriously at all and certainly didn't feel any vigilance. By the time he reacted, it was too late. Although his resistance caused the knife to deviate and not hit his heart accurately, he was still severely wounded.
The banquet ended abruptly amidst everyone's exclamations. What happened in the Shangguan family quickly became the talk of the town; such an incident was unheard of.
After a near-death experience, Master Shangguan was finally brought back from the brink of death by the doctor. However, he was severely injured and much weaker, likely to suffer from chronic ailments for the rest of his life.
The first thing he did after waking up was to order the construction of an iron cage. He had already thought about it: his son was beyond saving. Daring to attack meant this had been premeditated for a long time. If he went mad one day, he couldn't guarantee he'd be so lucky. Expelling him directly felt too lenient. He was determined to lock him in a cage and torment him.
Thus, his arrival came to be. The reason he came was that the original owner was disillusioned with this world, had no will to live, and voluntarily gave up his body. His only wish was to avenge his mother and make those who had bullied her pay.
Upon accepting this body, Shangguan Ke began practicing martial arts. No matter when or where, one must have the ability to protect oneself.
Master Shangguan could finally walk again, but with every step, his chest ached, and his whole body trembled. He thought about how if he hadn't reached out to block the knife, it would have plunged directly into his heart, and even the greatest physicians couldn't have saved him. The rage in his heart was indescribable. If he was uncomfortable, naturally, he had to find the culprit.
Hearing the commotion, Shangguan Ke opened his eyes and glanced. Seeing Master Shangguan being carried before him, he continued to meditate. Without even thinking, he knew this man had come to cause trouble.
Seeing how Shangguan Ke ignored him and showed no concern for his predicament, Master Shangguan's chest pain worsened. He hissed in a low voice, "You unfilial son, you still haven't repented."
Shangguan Ke slowly opened his eyes and calmly looked at him, "Repented for what? I only regret not killing you."
Master Shangguan was so enraged he almost fell backward, coughing incessantly. He quickly patted his chest, "Today, I will teach you a good lesson, you unfilial son. Killing you wouldn't be a loss."
Master Shangguan's anger surged whenever he thought about how a joyous occasion had been turned into a scandal throughout the city, making him a laughingstock in the capital.
Several servants behind him quickly took out keys, unlocked the iron door, grabbed him, and pulled him out towards a nearby pillar.
At that moment, to everyone's astonishment, Shangguan Ke broke free from their grasp and stood aside triumphantly, saying, "If you want to teach me a lesson, catch me first. If you don't want others to know, don't do it. I will definitely get justice for my mother."
The servants had held on tightly. They didn't know how the young master had broken free. Without waiting for Master's orders, they rushed forward to grab him.
Shangguan Ke no longer held back, kicking each of them to the ground. Master Shangguan watched in shock, not knowing when his son had acquired such skill. These personal guards had followed him through thick and thin and were exceptionally skilled, yet they couldn't last a single round against his son.
Shangguan Ke opened the door, looked back at him, and said disdainfully, "It's not that retribution won't come, it's just that the time hasn't arrived. Wait for my next move."
When the servants chased him to the door, they could only watch helplessly as he leaped over the wall and disappeared from their sight. They quickly mobilized the servants in the mansion to search for him, but found nothing.
After this ordeal, Master Shangguan's illness worsened, partly from anger and partly from worry. He had initially thought he understood his son well, but he had hidden his true strength. Such a person was the most terrifying. He regretted pushing his son too hard. With his skills, if he were to do anything detrimental to the Shangguan family, he himself would be the sinner.
Shangguan Ke, having left the Shangguan mansion, walked through the bustling streets. He knew without a doubt that his reputation was ruined. After all, in this era, even the slightest defiance towards elders was considered unfilial, let alone him drawing a bloody knife.
An ordinary teenager would have been devastated by such a blow, but who was he? He didn't care about gossip and rumors; he only wanted to find Wu Caiwei.