Meng Shuyang was startled—how did Meng Shuping know he was the one who dosed him?
But moments later, he quickly regained his composure and put on a bewildered expression. "What are you talking about, Fifth Brother? What drugging?"
Meng Shuping raised an eyebrow. "Aha, so it really was him! Stop pretending—I've already figured it out. Hahaha!"
"Well, well, Sixth Brother has really improved! He used to be all about acting like a brainless brat, but now he's switched to playing the sneaky little snake! Not bad—he's finally using his brain!"
"Hahaha, but he never expected this, did he? Not only am I completely fine, I even made a lucky break and got a few hundred taels out of it! That's a few hundred taels! A few hundred taels!"
"I'm laughing all the way to the bank! I was just worrying about not having money to spend, and Sixth Brother found a way to deliver it right to me. He's got a good heart after all! I really misunderstood him before!"
Meng Shuping struggled to suppress the excitement on his face and sincerely thanked Meng Shuyang. "It's nothing, nothing. Anyway, thanks a ton this time, Sixth Brother."
Meng Shuyang was so angry his face almost contorted. Who's brainless and childish? Who's a sinister villain? This Meng Shuping—how does he get so lucky!
After returning to the manor, Meng Shuping took a short rest before heading to Ruiwei Hall. Even though he'd got off easy this time, Meng Shuyang had repeatedly picked on him. It wouldn't make sense not to retaliate.
Seeing Meng Shuping arrive, Meng Houliang was a little surprised. "Why has Ping Geer come?"
Although Meng Houliang had always been kind to him and backed him up every time, Meng Shuping still felt a little nervous in his presence. He mumbled sheepishly, "Grandfather, today when we were at the Marquis of Cheng'en's residence, Sixth Brother slipped me a lust potion and nearly caused me to offend a prince."
"What?" Meng Houliang was furious. "Are you all right?"
Meng Shuping coughed twice weakly, clutching his chest. "I'm fine, I'm fine. I was just almost beaten within an inch of my life by the prince."
He thought to himself, knowing full well, "Although I'm partly to blame for this, you can't say Meng Shuyang is completely innocent, right?"
Hearing this, Meng Houliang grew even more concerned. "Have you seen a physician?" he asked Meng Shuping.
Meng Shuping shook his head. "Not yet!"
"Who has time to call a physician at a time like this? Of course, the first thing to do is to tattle! If I wait any longer, the welts on my body might fade completely!"
Meng Houliang: "…"
He was about to scold Meng Shuping for not taking his injuries seriously and being too reckless, but then he heard this. Meng Houliang was at a loss for words—this child, could he please not say such frightening things?
But Meng Shuyang still needed to be taught a lesson. How could he use such dirty tricks against his own family? This time, they were lucky nothing happened, but what if there was a next time?
The thought of what could have happened made Meng Houliang's blood boil. He immediately ordered someone, "Go fetch Yang Geer."
Meng Shuyang had assumed this incident would be like all the previous ones—even if he provoked Meng Shuping, Meng Shuping wouldn't dare do anything about it, and no one would stand up for him.
To his surprise, just as he relaxed, someone from Ruiwei Hall came for him. Nervous but pep-talking himself, he thought, *Maybe Grandfather wants to see me for something else?*
Even if it was about this, Meng Shuping had no evidence. If he denied it outright, what could they do?
With that thought, Meng Shuyang cooled his nerves again. He followed the servant into Ruiwei Hall, playing it cool. Seeing Meng Shuping there, he steadied himself and greeted Meng Houliang with an unchanged expression. "Greetings, Grandfather. What did you summon me for?"
Meng Houliang said sternly, "I heard from Ping Geer that you slipped him an aphrodisiac at today's banquet. Is this true?"
Meng Shuyang deliberately put on a wounded act. "What? I drugged Fifth Brother? Where did this come from?"
He glared angrily at Meng Shuping. "I know I've offended Fifth Brother before, but Fifth Brother can't just pin it on me without any evidence, can he?"
Meng Shuping was astonished. "Oho, I never knew Sixth Brother was such a smooth operator. I really underestimated him. Is this also a required skill for children of influential families?"
"Tsk tsk tsk, as expected, no one from a prominent family is simple. Even Sixth Brother, who has a dumb face, is so cunning!"
"Yikes…"
"Could it be that Sixth Brother is actually very shrewd, but someone is out to harm him, so he pretends to be empty-headed to protect himself?"
"Wow! I get it! It must be because of the struggle between the main wives and concubines! Poisoning! Framing! Setting others up! Stirring the pot!"
"…So, what's the point of taking so many wives? Nothing but a total mess!"
Meng Shuyang glared furiously at Meng Shuping. *Who looks like a fool? You're the one who looks stupid!*
Meng Houliang: "…" *Thanks, I feel offended.*
Seeing Meng Shuping's thoughts drifting further and further, Meng Houliang quickly coughed to interrupt him. "Ping Geer, what are you zoning out for? Yang Geer is talking to you!"
Only then did Meng Shuping stop his train of thought. He said righteously, "It's precisely because Sixth Brother has a grudge against me that he has a motive to do this!"
"Otherwise, who would have nothing better to do than mess with me? I'm so easygoing—aside from Meng Shuyang, Meng Ziyun, Meng Huiyun, and Meng Shuqi, oh, and also Third Madame and the Old Lady, who else would oppose me?"
"Eh? Now that I think about it, quite a few people in the estate have it in for me."
"Hey, say what you will—I actually love how they can't stand me but can't do anything about it!"
Meng Shuyang: "…" *Listen to yourself—have you offended few people?*
Meng Houliang: "…"
He was genuinely curious how Ping Geer, with his introverted and timid nature, had managed to offend so many people in just a few days since returning to the manor.
After listing all the people he'd clashed with, Meng Shuping returned to the original topic. "Forget it, never mind. It has to be Meng Shuyang—mainly because no one else was sitting at the same table as me!"
Meng Shuyang snorted. "Plenty of people have grudges against you—I'm not the only one. And do you have any evidence? If not, don't falsely accuse me without proof!"
*He's offended so many people—it's not like he's the only one with a motive!*
Meng Shuping said with full confidence, "Of course I have evidence! Sixth Brother is suffering from kidney weakness from too frequent bedroom antics, so he has this kind of medicine on hand!"
Meng Houliang's sharp gaze turned to Meng Shuyang. *Too frequent intimate activities? Kidney deficiency?*
Meng Shuyang ducked his head, both embarrassed and nervous. He seethed at Meng Shuping—*why did this bastard have to bring this up again!*
Meng Shuping sighed. "Ah, see? I didn't want to do this. Who told you not to admit it earlier? Now you've given yourself another reason to be beaten."
"Hmm, let me think—what other secrets does he have? Oh right, he once also wanted to…"
Meng Shuyang dropped to his knees. "Grandfather, I know I was wrong! I won't dare do it again!"
Meng Shuping snorted. "What 'won't dare again'? Today he dares to drug me with an aphrodisiac; tomorrow he'll dare to sell out his own family, disrespect Grandfather, wreak havoc in the capital, and trample over anyone! He's just too arrogant! Too audacious!"
"If he isn't severely punished, is there still law? Is there still order?"
"And does he think that humiliating me only shames me? It shames the estate, it shames Grandfather! Has he considered Grandfather's dignity? If I'd been publicly humiliated today, where would that leave Grandfather's reputation? Grandfather wouldn't be able to show his face in public!"
Meng Shuyang gritted his teeth in rage. How could there be someone like Meng Shuping who loved exaggerating and adding fuel to the fire? It was utterly detestable!
Meng Houliang: "…"
Although he knew Meng Shuping was exaggerating a bit, why was his fist clenching? He slammed the table. "Someone come! Press Meng Shuyang onto the bench and give him twenty strikes!"
"Whoa!"
Meng Shuping was thrilled, "Grandfather is as mighty as ever! You rock, Grandfather!"
Meng Shuyang panicked and blurted out, "Grandfather, Grandfather, I truly know I was wrong! Please let me off this time!"
Meng Shuping couldn't resist taunting, "What 'knowing you're wrong'—you're just afraid of being beaten! If you ask me, this time he really needs to be punished hard, otherwise he'll dare to do it again next time!"
"Children should be beaten a few more times while they're still young; otherwise, when they grow up, you can't just beat them anymore!"
Meng Shuyang glared hatefully at Meng Shuping. *Meng Shuping, you're asking for it! Just wait—I will definitely get revenge for this!*
Meng Shuping was startled by the fierce glare. "Whoa! His eyes are so scary! Is he defiant? Could he still be thinking of taking revenge on me?"
"Tsk, should I throw in some lies? Since we're already enemies anyway, wouldn't it be more worthwhile to get him a few extra whacks?"
Meng Houliang: "..."
*Why does this child's way of speaking sound so weird?*
But after Meng Shuping's comment, he also noticed Meng Shuyang's murderous look. He said sternly, "What? Are you still defiant?"
Meng Shuyang quickly lowered his head. "Grandfather, I'm not, Grandfather, Grandfather, please spare me this time! My kidney deficiency hasn't healed yet—if you beat me, it could cause problems!"
Hearing this, Meng Houliang hesitated somewhat. What Meng Shuyang said couldn't be ignored—his body was weak now, and if he were truly injured from the beating, it would be bad.
Unexpectedly, Meng Houliang only hesitated for a moment before hearing Meng Shuping's voice say, "How could beating him cause problems? After recuperating for so many days, with both ginseng and deer antler velvet, he should have recovered long ago."
At that, Meng Houliang had no more concerns. By then, two servants had already pressed Meng Shuyang onto the bench. Seeing that Meng Houliang did not object, they began beating him with a series of loud cracks.
Meng Shuping gloated but thought to himself, "Hitting him so lightly—did they not eat? Hit him! Hit him hard!"
The two servants thought Meng Shuping was speaking aloud. They glanced at Meng Houliang and, seeing that he did not stop them, had no choice but to increase their strength, beating Meng Shuyang until he was howling in pain.
By the time the twenty strokes were finished, Meng Shuyang was in too much pain to speak. He was helped up weakly by the servants when Meng Houliang added, "After you return, copy the family rules twenty more times. I hope you learn your lesson this time and never do such a thing again."
Meng Shuyang was furious but had no energy to argue with Meng Shuping. He replied obediently, "Yes."
After Meng Shuping returned to his own courtyard, he received 250 taels of silver sent by Jiang Cihe. Meng Shuping was absolutely delighted—today was truly a wonderful day!
However, his good mood didn't last long. Two or three days later, while Meng Shuping was thinking about how to spend the silver, someone from Ruiweitang came to summon him, saying that Prince Zhao had arrived and wanted him to come over.
Meng Shuping had a bad feeling. *Could it be that prince wants his money back again?*