Chapter 32: Reporting a Grievance

Little sister Zheng Shan seemed to realize she had said the wrong thing, covering her small mouth as she looked at Zheng Fa.

Zheng Fa glanced at the Seventh Young Master beside him, whose face wore a look of eager spectatorship, then lowered his head to smile at his little sister, stroking her small head.

His little sister understood immediately, lifting her face to start reporting:

"Wang Gui is the worst! In the entire manor, he is the one who loves to bully people the most!"

"How did he bully you? Tell me, I will settle this for you."

The Seventh Young Master put down his bowl, smiling as he looked at Zheng Shan, who wore an expression of seeking justice.

"He snatched my pig fodder leaves! I spent two hours picking them, and he took them all!"

"Pig fodder leaves?" The Seventh Young Master looked at Zheng Fa.

"Used to feed the pigs in the manor." Zheng Fa lowered his gaze and said, "Our family eats them too."

"..." The Seventh Young Master held his rice bowl, looking at the white rice inside, and for a moment seemed unable to speak.

"He didn't even eat what he snatched; he threw it on the ground and stepped on it!"

His little sister had only intended to report a grievance, but speaking of this matter still made her unable to hold back her anger, tears swirling in her large eyes.

From her expression, one could see that compared to Wang Gui snatching her pig fodder leaves, the fact that the leaves were trampled made her sadder.

"Is that so?"

The smile on the Seventh Young Master's face slowly vanished.

"It's not just that; the new cloth others gave my brother, and the beautiful new clothes mother made for me, were torn apart by Wang Gui and his people as soon as I wore them out!"

Zheng Fa looked at the old clothes on his little sister, and his gaze grew deep and dark.

When he was at home, although Wang Gui was unfriendly toward his family, at most he would only isolate him and his little sister.

Now that he was staying in the Zhao family courtyard, Wang Gui probably felt in his heart that Zheng Fa had stolen his position as a book boy, harboring resentment, and his actions had become even more reckless.

"Is there anything else?" Before the Seventh Young Master could ask, Zheng Fa spoke up.

"Yes, he also spoke ill of the Seventh Young Master and my brother!" Zheng Shan pouted and said, "He said the Seventh Young Master has a strange personality and is hard to serve, that he only got lucky with his birth, and that my brother would definitely be beaten to death by the Seventh Young Master!"

Zheng Fa looked at the Seventh Young Master, whose face had grown even darker, then gave his little sister, who wore an expression of indignant righteousness, a very complex look.

This little rascal even knows how to stir up trouble!

More importantly, even Zheng Fa believed that a child of his little sister's age could not have come up with such words—it could only be that Wang Gui had truly said them.

In this world, words of praise usually contain little sincerity, but insults are often filled with honesty.

This complaint about the Seventh Young Master was absolutely from the heart...

Coincidentally, the Seventh Young Master also knew what kind of person he was; indeed, speaking from the heart, he might even think Wang Gui was very right!

Wasn't that even more infuriating?

At the doorway, Wang Gui held a basin of freshly cooked chicken, staring blankly at Zheng Shan, his face whiter than the peeled chicken legs in the basin.

Behind Wang Gui, Manager Wang directly dragged him to the ground, not even daring to utter a single word begging for mercy.

The Seventh Young Master looked at the father and son kneeling on the ground, pressing his lips together.

He lowered his head, forcing a smile for Zheng Shan and said, "Wang Gui is so bad; how do you want me to punish him?"

Zheng Shan's eyes lit up as she asked, "You'll listen to me?"

"I'll listen to you!"

"I..." The little rascal bit her finger, struggling for a long time: "I can't think of anything!"

"Then shall I give you an idea?"

"Mm! My brother said the Seventh Young Master is the smartest!"

Zheng Fa:... I never said that!

The Seventh Young Master looked at Zheng Fa in surprise, and the expression on his face became much brighter.

After all, children don't lie, right?

"Last time my mother beat him with a board, and it seems he hasn't changed." The Seventh Young Master glanced at Wang Gui, who was kneeling and trembling on the ground: "Shall we beat him again?"

"Good, good!" Zheng Shan clapped her hands, then looked a bit dissatisfied: "But after he was beaten last time, he became even worse."

"Don't worry, this time we'll beat him to death."

As he said this, the Seventh Young Master's expression did not change at all.

Wang Gui at the doorway could no longer hold himself up; he collapsed onto the ground, his face full of despair, yet his mouth still unconsciously repeated in a whisper, "Young Master, spare my life."

"Die?" Little sister Zheng Shan was also startled: "Like my father?"

Her concept of death came almost entirely from her father, who died early; thinking of this, a trace of conflict appeared on her face, and she carefully tugged the Seventh Young Master's sleeve, saying, "Don't beat him to death."

"Oh?" The Seventh Young Master looked at Zheng Shan, who was pleading for Wang Gui, a hint of amusement in his eyes: "Aren't you the one who hates him the most?"

"I hate him, I hate him, but... I can also forgive him!" Zheng Shan patted her small chest, showing she was generous, then her voice lowered: "Father died; mother said I was too small then and don't remember him."

The Seventh Young Master stroked her bowed small head, remained silent for a long time, then nodded and said, "Since you have already forgiven him, I will spare his life."

"Thank you, Young Master!"

Tears hung on Wang Gui's face; it was unclear whether they were tears of joy. Behind him, Manager Wang's face also bore a look of relief after escaping disaster.

"Thank her." The Seventh Young Master pointed at Zheng Shan.

Wang Gui and his son bowed their heads repeatedly toward Zheng Shan.

Little sister Zheng Shan actually looked a bit frightened, hiding behind Zheng Fa.

The Seventh Young Master suddenly spoke to Manager Wang: "You are Wang Gui's father; if a son is not taught, it is the father's fault. You should not continue in your position as Manager!"

Manager Wang trembled, yet he did not dare to speak.

"Get out."

Wang Gui, his face full of relief, followed Manager Wang away, but he did not notice the slightly desperate expression on Manager Wang's face.

Zheng Fa, however, guessed the worry of Wang Guanshi: having built such a vast household over five years, his methods were naturally not entirely upright; losing his position as steward might well bring about a backlash.

As for Wang Gui... Zheng Fa, having experienced similar rises and falls in life, could only hope he could truly endure this sudden drop in fortune.

He glanced at the Seventh Young Master, feeling in his heart that this young master probably understood his handling of the matter; perhaps it would make Wang Guanshi more despairing than killing Wang Gui.

It might even have been intentional.

After finishing the meal, the Seventh Young Master and Gao Yuan still had to stay overnight at Wang Guanshi's house—the Zheng family truly had no room for them.

Zheng Fa escorted the two, and when they reached the crossroads, the Seventh Young Master suddenly spoke:

"Zheng Fa, I envy you very much."

"Hmm?"

"I am a young master, you are a peasant, yet I envy you very much." The Seventh Young Master looked at the night sky: "Your mother worries deeply about you; when you return in glory, she will first see how well you are living, whether you are well cared for. Your sister, at such a young age, also knows how to speak well of you before me."

Zheng Fa nodded, unable to see the expression on the Seventh Young Master's face.

"This is something I seek but cannot obtain." The Seventh Young Master waved his hand: "Today I did it for them; go back!"

Zheng Fa watched the two depart, turned around, and headed toward the lamp shining in his mother's room.

Reaching the door, he heard Zheng Mother scolding his younger sister, Zheng Shan.

"Why are you disobedient again?"

"Mother, where was I disobedient!" Zheng Shan's tone held a hint of grievance.

"Didn't I tell you not to let your brother go and complain?"

"I didn't let brother say it! I said it myself!"

"Then what if you offended the young master? Don't you want to implicate your brother?" Zheng Mother still seemed to feel her daughter's boldness was a bit too great.

"I'm only six! Would the young master really mind?"

Zheng Fa pushed open the door, picked up his wide-eyed younger sister who was speaking with great conviction, and smiled: "Mother, don't scold my sister; the Seventh Young Master praised her."

"Exactly!" The younger sister lifted her head, proud and triumphant, looking as if she was also proud of her acting skills.