[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-i-am-the-xu-family-s-son":3,"chapter-i-am-the-xu-family-s-son-i-am-the-xu-family-s-son-chapter-30":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","I Am the Xu Family's Son",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2307808,4510,"Chapter 30: Mother Sun Beats Her Son","i-am-the-xu-family-s-son-chapter-30",30,"\u003Cp>“Return to Mother, I have certainly learned it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Shi asked in a flat, almost cold tone: “Oh? Then perhaps my two good sons can help Mother clear up a confusion?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two brothers exchanged another glance and said: “Mother, please speak.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tell me about ‘Longyang Crying Over Fish’ from the ‘Strategies of the Warring States: Wei Strategy IV’?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaihang: “Mother, this is easy—Longyang Crying Over Fish refers to how, during the Warring States period, King Wei and Lord Longyang fished together on the same boat—Brother, why are you tugging me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaiduan: “Mother, we know we’re wrong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother, the idiom from this passage is ‘Longyang Crying Over Fish,’ meaning mostly being cast aside—why are you apologizing to Mother?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaijing was also curious, but seeing his elder brother’s shame and his younger brother’s complete ignorance, it didn’t seem like a serious matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet hearing the words “Longyang,” Xu Zaijing’s heart tightened—he knew where the problem lay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bianjing was crowded, filled with noble families, and even more so with the wealthy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When warm and full, lust arises; the private, filthy affairs of rich households were absorbed by children through constant exposure, learned unconsciously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps one of his two elder brothers’ academies had students indulging in such things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps this was also why Lady Sheng, born of the Yongyi Marquis House, avoided noble families and instead chose a scholarly household.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Sheng had seen too many sordid affairs among the nobility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in Xu Zaijing’s view, Lady Sheng—then still the only daughter of the Yongyi Marquis—had viewed the matter too narrowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only narrow, but also arbitrary, practicing occupational discrimination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who told her that sons of military nobles were all weaklings, while sons of scholarly families were pure streams?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps when she was still a naive maiden, she had read a few brilliantly written essays and developed an occupational idolization,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>blinded by the filter of scholarly refinement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had thrown herself into fits, determined to marry a third-place imperial scholar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm, given that third-place scholars were often handsome, Lady Sheng was still someone who judged by looks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaving aside that old story, Mother Sun Shi before Xu Zaijing’s eyes grew increasingly grim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Extend your hands.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two brothers reluctantly extended their hands, trembling slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Zhu, Sun Shi’s personal maid, stepped forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Strike.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Slap! Slap!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ouch.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It hurts, Mother!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Strike again!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Slap! Slap!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your father toils in the freezing northwest frontier, fighting for your future—yet you two squander your time in Bianjing’s soft embrace, indulging in such base behavior!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Strike again!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mother, stop! Neither I nor Brother participated!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Didn’t participate? If such things happened, why didn’t you speak up?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaijing hurried to his mother’s side and pleaded:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mother, as nobles, it’s already difficult for us to shift toward scholarship—Brother and Second Brother feared telling you might cause you distress.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Shi cast a glance at him, lips curling in a cold smile: “You little brat, what nonsense are you spouting? If you want a beating, kneel right there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaijing quickly clapped his hand over his mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“From now on, you’ll study at home—I’ll arrange for a tutor to come and teach here! I heard from your servants that last month you went to Qiyun Pavilion to drink with courtesans?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mother, that was a group outing funded by classmates, just to see the world.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Second son, shut up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elder brother Xu Zaiduan said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Strike again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The previous two strikes had already reddened the brothers’ palms;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>in the time they spoke, their hands had grown even more sensitive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the third strike, tears welled in both brothers’ eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know why you’re still being beaten?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaiduan frowned, thought, then shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I ask you—how much did you pool together?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Myself and Second Brother each contributed thirty taels, all given to the Ling Guo Gong family.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So you’ve mingled with the Ling Guo Gong family? Strike again!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Four more blows landed—the brothers were now writhing in pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“First offense: pooling money to drink with courtesans. Second offense: thirty taels, and all you got was a night with a courtesan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jing’er, don’t smirk—once the tutor arrives, you’ll study alongside your two brothers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I find you’ve neglected your martial training, your beating will be worse than this one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Zaijing grinned foolishly and pleaded:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mother, rest assured.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day, the two Xu brothers stopped attending the academy\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and began studying at home instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They read with medicated hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Shi even sent someone to buy calligraphy copybooks from the streets near the National Academy, instructing Xu Zaijing to practice them after completing his spear and bow breathing exercises.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Afternoon came.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the main lady’s chamber in the courtyard, Bai Shi walked up behind Xu Zaijing, who was absorbed in copying calligraphy,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and said with evident curiosity: “Sister, I thought Jing’er, who loves horseback riding and archery, would never sit still—but today, I was wrong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Shi glanced at the focused Xu Zaijing, then bent to soothe Bai Shi’s daughter, Gu Tingyi:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ooh, good little Yi-jie.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked again at Xu Zaijing, who hadn’t noticed, and whispered: “Yesterday I severely punished the eldest and second son, making him watch.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Shi quickly covered her mouth with a handkerchief, fearing her laughter might carry over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a case of “killing the chicken to scare the monkeys.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Bai Shi said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I truly can’t use this method—Gu’s eldest son has always been frail. I’ve tried everything these past years, but Yu’er’s health remains as weak as ever.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry—I see your Ye’er is sensible and fiercely determined. The other day, seeing his brother’s good handwriting, he quietly sat down to practice too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t speak of him—he’s quiet only when you’re here. Once you leave, he’s back to causing chaos.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mine is much the same as your Ye’er—well-behaved in public,” Sun Shi whispered to Bai Shi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You say that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wah-wah-wah!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Tingyi in Sun Shi’s arms began to cry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Shi took her daughter, rocking her gently:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Dongchang Marquis House frequently sends medicine to my eldest son.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Shi glanced at her own younger son.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her tone hesitated:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister, there’s something I’ll say only to you—don’t let a third person know, all right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sister, don't worry—I'll never mention it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see you were raised in luxury—your father must have held you in his hands for fear of dropping you, kept you in his mouth for fear of melting you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Your bearing and grace—I, a woman from a modest Bianjing household—can’t match.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yet your golden upbringing has left you lacking in vigilance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister? What do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know the old Marquis of Dongchang has passed away, and now Qin Dalang runs the household?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister, you mean—he’s her own nephew.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Shi shook her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re an only daughter—everything good in your home was yours. You’ve never known siblings fighting over possessions. In your natal home, your mother followed your father’s military discipline, and since our family is all soldiers, things were still manageable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She adjusted Gu Tingyi’s clothes and continued:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But I know children from other families—favored ones dressed well, ate well, were kept close by their parents; the unfavored, or illegitimate sons and daughters, were treated like stray cats and dogs.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Wanshu, so sheltered by her father, stared at Sun Shi in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve heard rumors, but never seen it myself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then do you know some children deliberately feign illness—or even make themselves truly ill—to win favor? Or some precocious, morally confused children push their siblings into ponds?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Shi stared, stunned, glancing at her maid Chang Mama behind her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chang Mama nodded solemnly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Esteemed readers, the trial run is complete.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Please support me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The editor told me to call out a couple times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1292,"2026-06-20T10:32:38.675Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","3f3a2e33693ace9a3c06390d4d00f36b2a96b88796490b78a4e8301eb5a460b3","i-am-the-xu-family-s-son-chapter-31","i-am-the-xu-family-s-son-chapter-29",790,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-am-the-xu-family-s-son-cover.jpg"]