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Responsibility
T/N: Translated by Jen on Broken Jinsei! Please do not repost my translations! All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
“Give it here!” Xun Che angrily shouted, immediately seizing the rattan whip.
“Swoosh!” Closely following the piercing sound of the rattan whip breaking through the air was Xun Cong’s painful scream. That sound was practically just like a chicken getting stepped on the neck.
“Shenzhi!” Ming Jincheng hurriedly went forward, going to pull Xun Che.
And in this brief moment, Xun Che had already pulled back and swung another whip. Xun Cong’s entire body was practically rolling on the ground, painfully screaming and crying. The two whip lashes on his body were further like knife cuts. For a moment, he couldn’t even beg for mercy.
“Shenzhi, take it easy!” Seeing how Xun Che still wanted to continue, Ming Jincheng finally grabbed him.
Who knew that Xun Che would suddenly turn back, his gaze extremely cold, “Today, I must let this bastard know, no one can protect him under the sun! Back off!”
Ming Jincheng has also never seen Xun Che this furious before, similarly both startled and angry, “It’s fine if you want to teach him a lesson, but there ultimately needs to be a limit. What if you cripple him like this?”
Xun Che violently flung Ming Jincheng aside, “I’d rather cripple him myself than to let him court death outside and get the whole family killed!”
Ming Jincheng’s martial arts although far surpassed Xun Che, it still wasn’t good to actually have him forcibly pressed down. As such, Xun Che was immediately able to shake him off, going forward and beating two more times. Xun Cong’s cries were already breaking up as he held his head and rolled around on the ground crying.
Xun Ying was long frightened into tears, so at this time, she further didn’t dare to continue watching, her entire body clinging onto Ming Jinrou’s shoulder shivering.
Even Ming Jinrou, who was usually very daring, similarly tensed up following Xun Che’s movements. After instinctively retreating two steps with Xun Ying, she helplessly gazed towards Yu Lingxin.
When Xun Che had Ming Jincheng flung aside, Yu Lingxin had already went forward. At this time, seeing how this situation was truly inappropriate, she hurriedly called out, “Shenzhi, you———”
“You also don’t interfere!” Xun Che turned around and angrily rebuked, even more unrestrained than towards Ming Jincheng. Immediately after, he just turned his hand and swung another whip.
Ming Jincheng was increasingly unable to watch. Just as he was about to speak again, he just saw Yu Lingxin get anxious first, charging before Xun Che in a few steps, practically half blocking the endlessly wailing Xun Cong, “Xun Che! Have you gone crazy?!”
“I’m crazy?” Xun Che didn’t push Yu Lingxin aside, instead directly asking back, “What all he’d said just now, did you not hear? Pei Ziyuan, Su Liang, Zhu Jinbei, and also those Pan family descendants, what kind of people are these? Has he not courted death enough in this half year!? The one that’s crazy is him!”
“He isn’t crazy. He’s just not sensible!” Facing Xun Che’s anger, Yu Lingxin didn’t have the slightest intention of yielding. Instead, because of feeling anxious inside, her voice was also a bit higher than usual, “What use is there in just beating him? If you as the older brother don’t teach him, you even count on outsiders to teach him in your place? If you properly explain to him yet he still doesn’t listen, then beating and scolding is fine. Using force like this, are you not afraid of hurting your relationship as brothers!”
Xun Che coldly snorted, “If he can grow a brain from this and remember this lesson, then even if he hates me to death, it’s also fine! Move aside!”
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
“What nonsense are you saying?” Yu Lingxin naturally wasn’t willing to move, instead continuing to question, “What do you want him to remember at this time? Is it remembering how those people outside use good words to coax him, praise him, and indulge him, or let him remember you, this older brother, beating him death at home? Xun Shenzhi, calm down! Right now, he still hasn’t experienced anything major yet!”
The last line finally knocked on Xun Che’s heart, the rattan whip in hand also slowly getting placed down. He knew what Yu Lingxin meant. On one hand, Xun Cong’s experiences were simple, so his thoughts naturally were also simple. Additionally, those matters in the past life still haven’t happened yet. He shouldn’t have the anger from the last lifetime all vented out at this time.
Although understanding, but when looking at the Xun Cong before him, Xun Che was still filled with an indescribable anger. He slowly exhaled a breath, his tone still not yielding in the slightest, “What does he need to experience in order to understand? When I was at this age of his, I already——–”
“How can you use yourself to compare?” Yu Lingxin directly interrupted him, “If everyone in the world is like you, how will others be able to live?”
Xun Che got choked up again and couldn’t help but dryly cough a few times. At this time, he finally swept a glance at everyone to the side with the corner of his eyes. Ming Jincheng, Ming Jinrou, Xun Ying, and even Xun Cong who was still groaning on the ground all carried a complicated expression as they looked to him and then to Yu Lingxin. Shortly after, they looked to one another, not a single one saying a word.
At this time, they all heard a cold sneer coming from Qingyu Pavilion’s courtyard gate. Everyone once again all changed in complexion.
“The heir really is impressive, such murderous rage!” Ming Huayue quickly entered the courtyard with a heavy face. After seeing clearly Xun Cong’s appearance, she was immediately startled again, hurriedly letting the servant girls and Chen Qiao have Xun Cong carried away to get treated. Afterwards, she just turned around and fanned Xun Che a slap, “You bastard!”
Xun Che’s head tilted from the slap. Although he didn’t fall to the ground, his face still turned red.
Because Ming Huayue’s appearance was truly too sudden, even if Yu Lingxin, whose position was just two steps from Xun Che, wanted to step back a little, it was also too late. If there really were any movement, it would just appear more conspicuous. As such, Ming Huayue’s slap that landed on Xun Che’s face, Yu Lingxin saw exceptionally clearly. Her heart just jolted in pain, immediately lowering her head.
Ming Jincheng, Ming Jinrou, and Xun Ying all knew that Ming Huayue’s temper was unyielding, everyone all lowering their heads on the spot and bowing, respectively calling out ‘paternal aunt/mother’, further not daring to move.
However, Ming Huayue seemingly completely didn’t notice Yu Lingxin, just pointing at Xun Che’s face and scolding, “Even if your younger brother commit an enormous mistake, what is there that you can’t tell me first? Or could it be that with your father away, you just really put on the ‘eldest brother like a father’ act, not even taking me seriously?!”
“This son doesn’t dare.” Xun Che lifted the front overlap of his gown, lowering his head and kneeling before his mother.
“Don’t dare? What is there that you don’t dare to do?” Ming Huayue coldly sneered, “The words just now, I’d also heard. When you were Cong’er’s age, what enormous feat did you achieve? Let me hear too, let me also gain some knowledge, and see exactly how impressive our family’s heir is, to even disregard your brotherly relationship, just wholeheartedly set on beating your brother to death!”
Xun Che knelt with his head lowered, not daring to respond. Yu Lingxin also couldn’t see the expression on his face, but hearing Ming Huayue’s words, her heart nevertheless turned sour, sorrowful like getting cut up by a knife.
Xun Che indeed beat Xun Cong a bit too heavily today, but he ultimately loved his younger brother and sister very much in his heart, thus he would be this angered at him for failing to live up to expectations, and be overly impatient when reproaching. Never mind if Ming Huayue had just scolded him and blamed him for being too heavy-handed, why must she use this kind of mocking tone? Could it be that Ming Huayue doesn’t even want to ask exactly what Xun Cong did?
“Why don’t you speak! Where’s your temper just now?” Ming Huayue angrily said, “Speak!”
“Mother…” Xun Che spoke with his eyes lowered, “It was I that was too irritable today. Regarding the disgraceful things Cong’er did, no need for mother to worry over, I will take care of it. If mother is worried about Cong’er, blaming me for being too heavy on him……” He paused for a moment, turning around and having that rattan whip on the ground behind him picked up, offering up to Ming Huayue with both hands, “Asking mother to punish as one pleases, this son will willing shoulder the blame.”
“Punish as one pleases?” Ming Huayua snatched over the rattan whip, shaking it loose. Probably because the wrist strength of those that practice martial arts was exceptionally outstanding, that sound was actually even more penetrating than when Xun Che was beating Xun Cong earlier.
Ming Jincheng and Ming Jinrou were both greatly startled, lifting their heads at the same time and calling out, “Paternal aunt——-”
Ming Huayue shot a glare over, “What, you two also want to rebel?”
“Today’s matter, there’s a reason for it.” Ming Jincheng went forward half a step, deliberating over his words as he persuaded, “Shenzhi was indeed a bit irritable, but it was also for Cong’er’s sake. It’s best for paternal aunt to not blame him too much.”
“What reason is there for him to have Cong’er beaten like this in front of you all, really not leaving any face at all?” Ming Huayue coldly reprimanded. As she spoke, she looked around at everyone again, “Also, you two, as his cousins, do you not know to block Che’er a little?” She turned her gaze towards Yu Lingxin, that look increasingly profound.
Yu Lingxin directly met with Ming Huayue’s eyes for merely an instant, yet immediately just lowered her head again, her entire person feeling both awkward and nervous. In terms of identity, she was merely a guest. Standing here watching Xun Che angrily reproach Xun Cong was already very inappropriate. Moreover, from Ming Huayue’s meaning, she’d actually stood outside Qingyu Pavilion for a while. Then, she must have heard those words that can practically be considered a quarrel between her and Xun Che……..
“This son was impetuous, asking mother to punish.” Xun Che didn’t explain more. Moreover, today’s matter can’t be explained clearly with a few words. As such, he just lowered his head and bowed his body.
“Hmph!” Ming Huayue swung the rattan whip, the piercing sound breaking through the air, ‘Swoosh!’
Yu Lingxin practically inhaled a cold breath on instinct, turning away her head. She really can’t bear seeing Xun Che suffer.
However, she just heard a ‘pah tah’ sound. The rattan whip didn’t land on Xun Che’s body, but instead got directly thrown onto the ground.
Ming Huayue cold spoke, “Stupid brat, putting on this appearance for who to see? Could it be that I care for your younger brother and don’t care for you? It’s fine if you want to discipline him and beat him, but there ultimately needs to be a limit. And if there’s no bystanders today? Could it be that you really plan on crippling Cong’er? What ‘punish as one pleases’, you have him beaten down, then I have you beaten down, and then what? Let me and your younger sister hold up the household?” Both grumbling and disdaining as she scolded a few more words, but her tone also gradually softened, “Alright, alright, stupid brat, get up.”
“Yes.” Xun Che slightly bowed in response and then finally stood up.
“Miss Yu, there’s quite a mess at home today, to have let you see a laughing matter.” Ming Huayue turned towards Yu Lingxin again, her complexion softening even more, “Fortunately not an outsider, this matter———”
“Paternal aunt, Yu older sister came over to discuss about the next club meeting with Ying’er and I.” Ming Jinrou quickly opened her mouth to explain, “Older sister has always been cautious, so won’t gossip about this matter!”
Yu Lingxin actually sensed Ming Huayue’s burning gaze, her heart increasingly beating like a drum. Afraid this matter won’t be this easily brushed over. However, at this time, she could only harden her head and follow up Ming Jinrou’s words first, “Madam, please rest assured.”
“Since you all have matters to discuss, then it’s best to go to Ying’er courtyard to discuss.” Ming Huayue nodded, and then gazed towards Xun Che, her tone once again turning cold, “You come with me, I have something to ask you!” With that said, she just turned and left with her servant girl Bishu supporting her.
Xun Che bowed in response, and then followed his mother outward. Just, when passing by Yu Lingxin’s side, he quickly gave a signal with his eyes, making Yu Lingxin startled again.
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oof!!!
the trauma baggage is absolutely huge
He doesn’t know how Yun Cong behaved after he died. She does.
He’d likely be more furious if he saw how his brother behaved after he died because even their mother refused to see him by that point. The ml was bedridden and slowly dying from poison and he still managed to look after the emperor and protect their family, the least the brother could do was defend his sister in law from the rest of the clan.
+1 he’ll be equally, if not much, be even more disappointed at xun cong. bc at his last life, even their mother refused to see him. xun cong’s compensation thru defending lingxin and their adopted son, was already way too late. he indirectly caused his sisters lives to be lost and ruined, xun che’s disappointment and doing everything he can even in deathbed but he (xc) wasn’t able to help in anything, his mother’s refusal to see him, all of it, he wasn’t able to compensate and he can only drown in regret. thus, he transferred those guilt and compensate his widowed sister in law and adopted son.