24: If you can't kill him, beat him to death.

Slap! Madam Zou struck Xu Fengzhang across the face fiercely, then continuously kowtowed to Empress Shen: “Your Majesty, this child, this child has been spoiled rotten by this subject...”

"Spare us, Madam Xu. If you aren't tired of saying that, we are certainly tired of hearing it." Luo Yongan's gentle voice carried a chilling sharpness. "Being spoiled is a reason? A reason to be forgiven? A reason to rely on ancestral merits to disrespect my mother, the Empress? When will his crimes become unforgivable? When he raises an army to rebel, or when he attempts to assassinate The Emperor?"

"Yongan speaks correctly, Madam Xu. If I were you, I would let the Young Marquis take these forty strikes." Empress Shen picked up the teacup in front of her and took a delicate sip. "I do not have the authority to execute him, a Commander. Otherwise, here in the Western Suburbs today, I would certainly strangle this beast on the spot and tear him apart by five horses!"

"No matter how meritorious your Xu Family is, it has been ruined by this beast and the two of you! I'll say it again: if you don't want him sent to the Imperial Prison, have the Marquis of Anding present the iron certificate of immunity, or else wait for him to take a nice tour of that Imperial Prison, the place even evil spirits avoid! Guards, drag the Young Marquis away and give him forty strikes!"

Mo Yingqi couldn't help but want to laugh. Every time he had successfully played tricks on Xu Fengzhang in the past, it was because this man had been spoiled by his parents to the point of being lawless, arrogant, and utterly empty-headed.

He didn't like studying. Although he was literate and could recite a few poems, he only learned them because his father forced him to. His parents spoiled him without limits, and he received unique favor at home. Even the soldiers in the army indulged him in every way because he was the only son of the Marquis of Anding.

A person like this was destined to completely ruin the Xu Family. It was laughable that Madam Zou was simultaneously pleading for mercy and hoping her son wouldn't even receive a single strike, saying one moment that she hadn't taught him well, and the next that he was just young and spirited.

Luo Yongning was right; if he could have been taught, he would have been taught long ago. An only son should be given even more attention, because you don't have the luxury of choice. He understood the feelings of the Marquis of Anding, but understanding did not equal approval. Putting aside his personal desire for Xu Fengzhang to die immediately, the Xu Family should not have doted on him so much, for the sake of their family's honor.

Xu Fengzhang had never been beaten since childhood. Although he had been injured following his father onto the battlefield, this was the first time he had been held down and struck with a plank.

The idiot actually remained defiant, standing up without permission: "Why?!"

"Because I am the Empress, is that enough?" Empress Shen's eyes were now devoid of warmth. "You truly have been spoiled into lawlessness. The Emperor has refrained from excessive scrutiny because of your ancestors' merits. Young Marquis, you are welcome to continue causing trouble. I want to see if your family's iron certificate of immunity will still be useful in the end!"

"Why do I feel like Your Majesty is deliberately provoking Xu Fengzhang?" Mo Yingqi asked Luo Yongning, who was fussing beside him trying to feed him grapes. "Wouldn't it be easier just to deal with him directly?"

"Silly, the Xu Family are old officials spanning several dynasties, and their foundation is solid. Naturally, the more charges we have against them, the better for dealing with them, right?" Luo Yongning blinked. "His Imperial Father certainly doesn't want to gain a reputation for being harsh on veteran officials right after ascending the throne. Furthermore, Grand Chancellor Zhou and the Marquis of Anding are close allies. Throwing a rat might break the vase—His Imperial Father can't suppress Grand Chancellor Zhou immediately, so he has many considerations."

"So, the bigger a scene Xu Fengzhang makes, the more charges of great disrespect he accumulates, and the more his father will lose when he eventually presents the iron certificate of immunity. On the imperial court, the power struggle between the sovereign and his ministers is inherently part of the game. Especially in this situation, I fear even Grand Chancellor Zhou must be feeling despair now, right? No matter how cunning and resourceful he is, alas, the one thing people can never calculate is the human heart..."

At this point, Luo Yongning exchanged a glance with her elder sister. The human heart is unpredictable... then they just needed to hold that heart in their own hands, ensuring Mo Yingqi could never leave them.

Mo Yingqi didn't notice the silent exchange between the two sisters; he was still pondering Luo Yongning's words. It was true. On the surface, hundreds of officials knelt before The Emperor, shouting “Long Live!” but in reality, who could truly be loyal to the sovereign and devoted to the country without reservation?

Now that he was an Imperial Son-in-Law, he was naturally tied to The Emperor and the interests of the Imperial Family. Of course, having this status also made his path to revenge much easier.

No matter how stupid Xu Fengzhang was, he could only grit his teeth and allow the Imperial Guards to drag him away. After the sound of the planks rapidly striking him faded, Mo Yingqi did not see him or his mother again.

However, the Eunuch reported back to Empress Shen that Xu Fengzhang had been carried away, reportedly with blood staining his backside.

"My subordinates really don't know how to exercise restraint." When Empress Shen heard this, her eyes intentionally or unintentionally glanced at her two daughters. "Forget it, forget it. If he's been beaten, he's been beaten. Such a person wouldn't be worth pitying even if he were beaten to death."

"Mother Empress, why don't Yongning and I take Yingqi out for a walk?" Luo Yongan acted as if she hadn't noticed her mother's scrutinizing gaze, pulling Mo Yingqi up, ready to leave. "Yingqi is good at archery. Yongning always used to drag him along to play. It's been a long time since we've done that!"

"Go on, go on."

Empress Shen waved her hand, but couldn't help but smile internally. *Please. You have to maintain appearances in front of me. Go find a private spot where no one can see you, and cause whatever trouble you like.*

"Your Majesty, the Young Marquis seems to have been badly beaten..." Only after the three had left did Qingzhu speak softly. "I heard his tendons and bones were injured, and the planks tore his skin and flesh. The people below must have intended to kill him..."

Qingzhu did not continue speaking, but secretly glanced at Empress Shen, who unexpectedly chuckled aloud: "I didn't give the command. Most of the Imperial Guards were replaced after His Majesty ascended the throne. The current Imperial Guards are elites drawn from my Maternal Family, and many are skilled fighters from Partridge Sky."

Qingzhu wasn't actually concerned about Xu Fengzhang—such an idiot deserved to be beaten to death. She was just worried that the subordinates had acted without explicit command, since Her Majesty hadn't ordered it.

"You know what kind of temper Yongan and Yongning have," Empress Shen smiled. "When they aren't acting crazy, they prefer to use a dull knife to cut flesh—they must tire of playing with the person and torment them enough, driving them to a mental breakdown before finally delivering the killing blow. Anyway, he's just an animal. If he doesn't die, beat him till he does."

"But if the Xu Family truly intends to protect him, I fear the Marquis of Anding will harbor resentment..." Qingzhu was still worried. "Does His Majesty not plan to try and win him over again?"

"If he could be won over, would His Majesty allow him to continue secretly colluding with Grand Chancellor Zhou?" Empress Shen gave a cold smile. "The close relationship between the Marquis of Anding's family and the Zhou Clan is one thing. During the succession struggle, although the Old Marquis didn't openly take a side, he was unwilling to favor His Majesty in his heart. In fact, if the overall situation hadn't been decided in the end, it's possible he might have suddenly intervened to help another Imperial Prince ascend the throne."

"Why is that?" Qingzhu was confused. "His Majesty has no past grievances or recent enmity with him, and his ascension was legitimate. Why would he..."

"Because of my Maternal Family." Empress Shen shook her head. "The Shen Clan also followed the Founding Emperor to expand the territory. Now, my father holds the rank of Duke, commanding the military forces of the entire realm. In contrast, the Xu Family remains only a Marquis."

"That is utterly ridiculous." Qingzhu was almost angered into laughter. "The Duke has been stabilizing the interior and repelling foreign threats for years, and Your Majesty's brothers also have outstanding military achievements. Not to mention, during the succession struggle when the court was turbulent, the Duke simultaneously protected The Emperor and ensured the borders were safe from foreign invasion. Naturally, he is deeply relied upon by His Majesty and the Late Emperor."

"People are just like that. Instead of reflecting on whether they have failed, they feel others are at fault when they succeed." Empress Shen sighed. "In terms of status back then, the Founding Emperor cared more about the Xu Family. But the Xu Family's talents gradually withered, while my Shen Family remained absolutely loyal and adhered strictly to our duties. Otherwise, how could we have attained our current status?"

"Qingzhu, human nature can be beautiful, but sometimes... it is sickeningly ugly."