Chapter 11: Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire

To raise without teaching is the father's fault!

Their elderly father has already passed away.

And their old mother is a strange one.

The eldest brother is like a father!

Shen Shen has the responsibility to guide this wayward third younger brother back onto the right path.

As the saying goes, what you do not wish for yourself, do not impose on others.

Shen Shen wants to lead his own brother onto the right path, so he must lead by example.

A board—only when it strikes the body does one feel the pain.

Shen Gui, under Shen Shen's stare, can only grit his teeth and go forward.

As the steward who oversees the household rules, he normally just disciplines disobedient servants, and even then the punishment is at most a month's silver fine or simply selling the person off.

Whipping and board‑beating, since he took on this duty, he has never actually put them into practice.

What a good fellow, truly a good fellow!

My first time taking action, and the targets are the two masters of the house.

But there's no way to refuse!

"Elder brother, I was wrong!"

"I'll change, I will change everything!"

Third Uncle Shen saw Shen Gui actually pick up the whip, and his expression changed instantly.

At first, he thought his own elder brother was just trying to scare him.

But now, Shen Gui has already taken up the whip, which means his own elder brother is serious this time.

"Changing is fine!"

"Don't be afraid; after the whipping, you'll remember it more vividly!"

"Don't worry, it won't hurt."

"Elder brother will be with you!"

Shen Shen smiled at the now pale Third Uncle Shen, feeling quite pleased.

"Ah Gui, act, be swift!"

"Yes!"

Shen Gui could only act.

Whack!

The whip struck Third Uncle Shen's body, causing him to grimace in pain, tears streaming down.

Yet, no matter how he howled or begged for mercy, the thirty lashes came without missing a beat.

…

"Miss, miss, something terrible has happened!"

"The Eldest Uncle had someone seize Third Uncle, hang him up, and whip him!"

Cuiyu burst into Shen Yunyao's study in a panic; the moment she entered, the words were already out of her mouth.

"Why?"

Shen Yunyao, hearing the news Cuiyu brought, was also unsettled.

Two days ago, her own eldest uncle had captured that rake's father once, but her eccentric grandmother pressured him and released him.

Just a few days later, why capture him again?

Even more astonishing, this time they actually invoked family law.

"Miss, would you like to go take a look?"

"Look at what?"

Shen Yunyao was speechless, "I'm just a junior, a mere woman—going to watch the elders' farce?"

"Then, I'll try to find out more!"

Cuiyu finished, and without waiting for Shen Yunyao to reply, she rushed out.

That fiery temperament, in her case, has been corrected countless times by her several cousins, though she can no longer recall how many lessons she received.

However, Shen Yunyao didn't think of overly restraining Cuiyu.

She herself is already a caged bird.

But she also wants freedom.

Cuiyu, like her, is also a caged bird, but she lacks that awareness.

Shen Yunyao simply let her be; for now, she can at least protect a little girl.

Cuiyu left quickly and returned even faster, her expression rather odd.

"What's up? What did you hear this time?"

"Miss, you could never imagine!"

"The Eldest Uncle captured Third Grandfather, had him hung up for whipping, and then he himself took a lash, saying the eldest brother is like a father, he didn't teach Third Grandfather properly, so he deserves punishment!"

"Miss, did the Eldest Uncle get so angry at Third Uncle that he became confused?"

Anyway, Cuiyu couldn't understand—this Eldest Uncle is the head of their Shen family, how could he be so bewildered as to let others whip himself?

"My eldest uncle, he's amazing!"

Shen Yunyao had always thought her eldest uncle was a conservative type, but now sees that he had never faced such matters before and hadn't awakened.

Now, after this incident, he has directly opened his Ren and Du meridians.

"The Shen family is about to get lively!"

Shen Yunyao can imagine what will become of the Shen Family next.

Her father was also whipped.

That was Li Shi's most favored son.

No!

Shen Shen even had himself whipped; that's leading by example, so who else could escape it?

Her second uncle runs a business abroad, has some achievement, and should be able to avoid this whipping.

As for the fourth uncle, he should definitely take this whipping!

Her father, Shen Third Master, though famed as free‑spirited, only frolics in Liu Cheng, whereas Shen Fourth Master spreads merriment across the world.

"By the way, there are a few cousins—tch, they'll suffer!"

The elders set an example by taking the whip; if the juniors don't work hard, can they end up well?

At this moment, Shen Yunyao feels immensely grateful; she is just a Shen Family lady.

Wenxi Hall.

The elderly Lady Li Shi didn't know that Shen Third Master had been captured again and also whipped.

She was confined to Wenxi Hall; outside news couldn't get in at all.

Those who once served by her side, except a few accompanying maids, were all sent away by Shen Shen, the unfilial son.

Although Lady Li Shi had plenty of personal silver, the subordinates dared not accept it.

If before there were still people who, for money, would take reckless risks and gamble, after the news of Shen Third Master being hoisted and whipped spread, everyone became honest.

After all, Shen Shen himself was also whipped.

The subordinates know clearly that if anyone at this time incurs Shen Shen's bad luck as family head, it would be like the old lucky star being hanged, lamenting his long life.

"Wang Mama, I've been feeling uneasy, always sensing something is happening."

"Come up with a plan for me, to investigate!"

Wang Mama is Li Shi's accompanying maid, never married in her life; in old age she still serves Li Shi, being the most capable and respectable person by Li Shi's side.

But that was before.

Since Shen Shen completely seized power and placed Li Shi under house arrest, Wang Mama hits wall after wall in this Shen Family Courtyard.

In the past, others respectfully gave her silver and voluntarily told her the household's affairs.

But now, even if she holds silver, no one dares to speak.

The senior master now seems a bit mad; no one wants to be unlucky.

"Miss, I have no way!"

"These days, I've been wandering outside; those who once flattered me now can't help but want to know me."

"Unfilial son, unfilial son!"

"How could I have given birth to such an unfilial beast!"

Lady Li Shi harbored extreme hatred toward Shen Shen, the eldest son.

After the old man of her family passed away, she in this household is, so to speak, the unquestioned ancestor.

Although the eldest son is the family head, she is the biological mother of the head!

"Miss, I think you should be lenient with the master!"

"Between mother and son, what knot is unsolvable?"

"Why must you, why suffer?"

Wang Mama actually could no longer endure.

Being shunned by the household servants feels truly painful.

She also wondered why her own miss suddenly became so aggressive; clearly the master is the head, why can't she understand?

(End of chapter)