Marquis Cheng'en thought that he had already discussed it with Zhou Wencan and the others last night, so the matter was settled.
Unexpectedly, the next afternoon, the third son, Zhou Wenfu, went out on horseback and came back with a broken leg. The first reaction of the Marquis of Cheng'en was not to go to see the third son, but to send for the eldest son, Zhou Wencan.
As Zhou Wencan entered the study of Marquis Cheng'en, an inkstone flew towards him. Zhou Wencan was not going to stand there and let the inkstone hit him, so he dodged to the side swiftly.
In fact, Zhou Wencan was very skilled, even comparable to the generals in the army. This was all due to his efforts since childhood to beat his younger brother. However, as an unfavored child, he had to pretend more.
Therefore, Zhou Wencan has always been a gentle and easy-going civil official.
Zhou Wencan was not frightened by his father's anger at all. Instead, he smiled and bowed to Marquis Cheng'en, "Who made father angry?"
Marquis Cheng'en slammed the table in front of him loudly, "Did you do what happened to your third brother?"
"Father, you have to provide evidence when you speak. You can't slander your son without any evidence, okay?" Zhou Wencan said this more calmly.
He was sure his father would not be able to find the evidence. He was no longer the child he once was. He had grown up. But his father was old!
If Marquis Cheng'en could find evidence, he wouldn't be so angry. A big part of the reason he was so angry was because he realized he could no longer control his son.
"Do you think I dare not do anything to you?"
"It's nothing more than those methods. Anyway, if father punishes me, I will make sure that my third brother will suffer more than me. As for the position of the crown prince, father, if you dare to give it to me, do my two younger brothers dare to accept it?"
Zhou Wencan casually played with the jade pendant around his waist, and even his tone was gentle, except for the rather domineering content.
The second son Zhou Wenjun: I don’t dare to accept it. Father, it’s okay if you don’t love me, but please don’t harm me.
The third brother Zhou Wenfu: I actually want my life more.
"You..." Marquis Cheng'en felt that his anger had rushed straight to his brain, but he found that he really could do nothing now.
He knew his offspring well. Zhou Wencan was a ruthless man, capable of such a thing. Especially his eldest grandson, who, despite appearing gentle and easygoing, was actually just as bad as his father in private, even worse than his father could tolerate. Then he thought of his granddaughter, who refused to suffer any loss.
Marquis Cheng'en felt that there were too many ruthless people in his eldest son's family, and he really didn't dare to confront his eldest son head-on.
If he were to stand in the Marquis's shoes, he would be so happy that the Cheng'en Marquisate would have such an heir and two generations to come. But from the perspective of the third brother, it was like a death warrant, and there was no chance of resistance.
Zhou Wenfu: I just want to make more money, I don’t want anything else. Can you all just be quiet?
Marquis Cheng'en tried hard to calm himself down. He couldn't let anything happen to him, otherwise it would be a good thing for this annoying brat.
Marquis Cheng'en had to soften his tone recently and advised Zhou Wencan, "The Third Madam is in charge of everything concerning Yue girl, and the Third Madam is also in charge of the household expenses. Why are you looking for trouble with the Third Madam?"
Zhou Wencan couldn't help but sneer in his heart when he heard his father's words, but his face still looked confused, as if saying, "Father, what are you talking about? Isn't this matter already in the past?"
Marquis Cheng'en looked at his eldest son pretending not to understand, and sometimes he really wanted to tear off his son's mask. It was so infuriating to watch.
"Okay, let's go see your brother together!"
Marquis Cheng'en could only comfort himself in his heart. The eldest son had gone with him to visit the third son, so he took it as an apology from the eldest son, and he would give Quan'er some more money privately! Children are all debts!
Zhou Wenfu, whose leg had just been reconnected by the imperial physician, fainted from the pain. The first thing he did when he woke up was to look at Sun, who was standing beside him, and ask in a vicious tone, "Tell me! What did you do to make Big Brother angry?"
Zhou Wenfu is quite self-aware. He only eats, drinks and has fun outside. He is never arrogant, never offends anyone, and certainly never messes with any big shots.
After all, there was an evil spirit in his house, and he knew all too well what would happen if he provoked the evil spirit. To say that even if he cried out to the heavens, no one would answer was an exaggeration.
So it could only be that Sun or her mother Liu had done something to anger the evil spirit in the family. Zhou Wenfu felt like he was going to be mad.
Seeing Zhou Wenfu like this, although Sun was afraid, she didn't dare to lie. After all, there were many loopholes in this matter! As long as Zhou Wenfu wanted to know, he would definitely find out.
"With so many weddings happening in the mansion lately, we're short on money. Mother has discussed with me about keeping Yue'er's coming-of-age ceremony simple. Maybe my eldest brother and his wife won't be happy about that!"
Sun Shi felt that what she did was not right, but the money in the Duke's account was not enough for the expenses. What could she do? She couldn't just conjure money out of thin air.
"What? You're not going to hold a coming-of-age ceremony for that girl Zhou Qiongyue? Haha..." Zhou Wenfu was so surprised that he accidentally moved his painful leg and he almost fainted from the pain.
What they meant by "just do it simply" was not the same as not doing it at all. Zhou Qiongyue was the favorite of her elder brother and his wife, and the rite of passage was a major ceremony marking a woman's coming of age. It would be strange if her elder brother and his wife were not furious.
"Are you and mother crazy?" Zhou Wenfu felt like he wanted to hit the woman again.
Just as Sun was about to explain, Liu rushed in crying with her men, "Fu'er, son! How are you?"
Sun was pushed aside in an instant. While Liu was crying, she also took the time to glare at Sun.
Sun wished she could retreat into a corner so that no one would remember her!
"Fu'er, how are you? Does it hurt? Who did this? Don't be afraid. Mother will ask your father and brother to avenge you."
Liu looked at her son's legs and cried intermittently, uttering harsh words while crying.
Zhou Wenfu turned his face away in hatred. He really didn't want to see his parents now. They always said they loved him the most, but they could never protect him, and in the end, he was the one who suffered.
"Fuer, does it hurt a lot? Why don't you pay attention to your mother? Fuer..." Liu was extremely panicked. If the maid hadn't stopped her, she would have grabbed her beloved son.
When Marquis Cheng'en came in, he saw this chaotic scene and shouted, "What are you doing?"
Liu immediately burst into tears and fell into the arms of Marquis Cheng'en, "My Lord, Fu'er, our Fu'er has become stupid. He doesn't even recognize me? My Lord, our Fu'er!"
Upon hearing this, Marquis Cheng'en quickly pushed his wife aside, walked over to Zhou Wenfu, and said cautiously, "Fu'er, I'm your father!"
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