Chapter 271: Torture
“If you’re too embarrassed to come forward directly, just let Bai Yu contact him. Interactions between peers are naturally more natural.” Cui Yan was meticulous and could very much understand the difficulties of his subordinates.
“Father is overthinking it,” Cui Pingzhi smiled and said: “I’ve met that kid; he’s mature beyond his years and very interesting.”
“Hehe.” Cui Sheng laughed upon hearing this: “You brat want to get the moon first from the rooftop by the well, don’t you? Don’t hog all the benefits. When you have time, invite him to our home as a guest and let your brothers and nephews all get acquainted with that high disciple of Half-step Xiantian.”
The higher-ups of the Cui Clan burst into hearty laughter upon hearing this, all saying that what the Great Elder said was absolutely right.
“I’ll listen to Uncle.” A trace of bitter smile appeared at the corner of Cui Pingzhi’s mouth. He indeed harbored the idea of using Lu Yun to see if he could connect with Lu Xian. After all, he had been stuck at Earth Rank for many years; if he could advance to Grandmaster, the Clan Leader position would be an object in one’s bag.
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In stark contrast to the amiable Cui Clan, the atmosphere in the Xiahou Clan’s Lingyun Hall was one of deadly solemnity.
Xiahou Ba, Xiahou Li, Military Advisor Zhu Xiuyi, Chief Instructor Moro, Xiahou Bushang, Xiahou Bupo, Xiahou Bumie, and other core figures of the Xiahou Clan were all gathered in the hall.
Eighteen burly and robust warriors of the Xiahou Clan, clad in black armor, held sandalwood staffs and stood solemnly on both sides.
The usually arrogant and domineering Xiahou Bubai, who considered himself invincible, was dressed in a single garment and knelt straight in the hall below.
“Xiahou Bubai, do you know your crime?!” Xiahou Ba looked coldly at his second son; anyone could hear the volcanic anger contained in his icy tone.
“This son knows his crime.” Xiahou Bubai lowered his head dejectedly and said: “This time’s failure to achieve success was entirely due to this son’s negligence first and cowardice later.”
“Is it as simple as failure to achieve success?!” Xiahou Ba shouted sternly: “You nearly destroyed the connections that our Xiahou Clan has cultivated for years! You placed our Xiahou Clan under public condemnation! You forced our Xiahou Clan’s grand plan to be postponed against our will!”
“Yes…” Xiahou Bubai’s face turned ghastly pale; every word from the Clan Leader hammered his heart like a heavy blow, making him terrified and almost suffocating.
“Since you know your crime, then receive your punishment!” Xiahou Ba said in a deep voice.
“Clan Leader, please wait.” Zhu Xiuyi suddenly stepped forward and knelt shoulder-to-shoulder with Xiahou Bubai: “This matter was entirely planned by this subordinate; the consequences should be fully borne by this subordinate!”
“Mister Zhu, no need for this.” Xiahou Ba was harsh and unfeeling toward his clansmen, but he always treated advisor guests like Zhu Xiuyi with respect. “Capturing ten Grandmasters proves your plan was excellent, and you weren’t present during the actual execution, so it has nothing to do with you.”
“Shameful.” Zhu Xiuyi shook his head: “This subordinate’s crimes are three: first, failing to anticipate that Zhou Huan and the other would fish in troubled waters; second, failing to make the plan seamless, allowing others to exploit loopholes.” He paused, then said gravely: “Moreover, such an important matter was likely scouted in advance; this subordinate’s failure to keep it secret is the third.”
As he spoke, Zhu Xiuyi turned to look at Xiahou Bubai: “No one could have expected those people to escape from the underground river, so Second Master not staying in the underground palace is truly blameless. Moreover, Second Master’s remedial actions afterward were appropriate, already dispelling considerable doubts from the various clans, so at least his merits can offset his faults. Clan Leader, please heavily punish this subordinate and lightly reprimand Second Master.”
“…” Xiahou Bubai gratefully looked at Zhu Xiuyi, and any resentment he had toward him before instantly vanished.
“Military Advisor, no jests under Lingyun Hall. Since you’ve said so, this old man has no choice but to reluctantly order your caning.” Xiahou Ba looked at Zhu Xiuyi with reluctance and sighed: “It’s all because of this worthless son harming the chief general.” He then glared at Xiahou Bubai: “Since the Military Advisor is sharing your punishment, it’ll be reduced to two hundred strokes.”
“Thank you, Father; thank you, Military Advisor.” Xiahou Bubai breathed a huge sigh of relief; two hundred strokes were terrifying, but earlier it was going to be a thousand, and without circulating true qi to resist—even as a Grandmaster, he would have been beaten into pulp.
Only Xiahou Bupo chuckled inwardly; actually, the Old Master had intended to beat Xiahou Bubai two hundred strokes all along. The reason for the pretense was to get Zhu Xiuyi to take the blame voluntarily… This matter was indeed thorny; not punishing Zhu Xiuyi would fail to convince the crowd, but Zhu Xiuyi had a special status and immense merit—the Xiahou Clan owed its current position to his advocacy ten years ago for launching the Baoen Temple Incident.
Thus, Xiahou Ba had always treated him as half-teacher half-friend; punishing him outright would inevitably chill the heart of this mastermind… The Xiahou Clan’s future path was long and arduous, and they still needed to rely heavily on his wisdom; they absolutely could not afford discord at this time.
In the end, Xiahou Ba used this ploy to draw the snake out of its hole, sparing Zhu Xiuyi’s face while enhancing his reputation in the Xiahou Clan; naturally, he would willingly step forward to take the beating, with no aftermath issues.
The Old Master’s political tactics had reached the level of perfect mastery and profound subtlety… Xiahou Bupo’s recent worries dissipated into nothing; he believed that with the Clan Leader there, the Xiahou Clan could overcome any obstacle!
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Firelight flickered as iron-hard sandalwood sticks rose and fell relentlessly, each strike producing a chilling thud. That was the sound of the wooden sticks hitting Zhu Xiuyi and Xiahou Bubai’s bodies.
This was a scene unseen anywhere under heaven. A majestic Heavenly Rank Grandmaster, exalted and lawless wherever they went, yet in the Xiahou Clan’s Lingyun Hall, had to obediently bare themselves for punishment. Allowing heavy wooden sticks to humiliatingly strike one after another on bodies containing terrifying power…
Xiahou Bubai didn’t dare to mobilize a trace of true qi; each staff strike brought long-forgotten pain. At first, he could act as if nothing happened, but later he could only grit his teeth to uphold a Grandmaster’s dignity, enduring motionlessly and silently…
Beansized sweat beads rolled down, soaking him entirely; his buttocks were a bloody mess, yet Xiahou Bubai had no thought of rising in resistance, only silently enduring the punishment given by the clan.
Because “debts must be repaid” was the iron rule of the Xiahou Clan; this iron rule applied not only externally but internally to everyone without exception. For Xiahou Clan disciples, family law was like a mountain, a belief etched into their bones—no matter one’s status or merits, mistakes must be punished; this was why the Xiahou Clan was powerful to a suffocating degree.
Of course, it was also because the Xiahou Clan had far too many Grandmasters; if Xiahou Bubai were the only one, see who would dare touch a hair on his head?
Actually, unless absolutely necessary, Xiahou Ba was unwilling to punish Zhu Xiuyi and Xiahou Bubai, but this trouble was simply too great!
The situation had originally been very clear: the Xiahou Clan and its allies held absolute advantage; as long as they kept Heavenly Master Dao out of it, they could confront the Initial Emperor at any time. But this operation, meant to further weaken the Imperial Family and other various clans’ strength while further establishing the Xiahou Clan’s unchallenged invincible image, had changed everything…
In the Xiahou Clan’s original plan, the Xiahou Brothers would bring the Grandmasters of the Cui Xie two clans out. This would make the two clans endlessly grateful and greatly clear the Xiahou Clan’s suspicion. Even the Pei Clan, which was planned to lose two Grandmasters and suffer a major strength discount, seeing the Cui Xie two clans closely united by the Xiahou Clan’s side, could only swallow their broken teeth with blood and obediently serve the Xiahou Clan.
