Master and Madam Fang, their faces beaming with pride, walked towards the boisterous group of young men still reveling in their hard-won victory, their cheers echoing across the field.
"Young men," Master Fang announced, his voice warm and inviting, cutting through the celebratory din, "I've reserved some seats at Dragon Inn for your celebration! A feast awaits!"
Fang Weisheng, his excitement bubbling over, latched onto Master Fang's right arm, his eyes wide with admiration. "Grandfather, did you know we'd win?" he asked, his voice filled with youthful wonder.
Master Fang chuckled, a gentle smile playing on his lips. "We still have to celebrate, whether your team wins or loses, my boy. It's rare for our family to gather for a meal like this, so let's all eat dinner together tonight. Yaoting and Shuchun, you two should come too. It's a family affair."
Fang Yaoting smiled wistfully at Lee Dachin, a private message in his tone. "Don't wait for me, my love, I'll be back in a while," he said, a promise in his eyes.
Lee Dachin nodded, then turned to the students, a kind smile on his face. "If anyone doesn't wish to go, return to the school. I'll ask the students there to prepare hot baths and dinner for you. Rest well."
"I wrestled with Senior Brother this morning, and my whole body's still sore," Guozhao Zhaohui muttered, his voice laced with feigned exhaustion, though a stubborn refusal rooted in his deep affection for Lee Dachin and his lingering resentment towards Master Fang was the true reason. He was a man who loved fiercely those who loved him, protecting them with the same intensity he protected himself, and he wasn't afraid to show his disdain for those he felt had wronged his beloved teacher. "I think I should go rest."
"Us too," Tian Xian said, glancing at Yu Lei, who nodded in agreement.
Fang Weimin knew Guozhao Zhaohui wouldn't go, given his history, but he hadn't expected his other brothers to decline the invitation. He scanned the faces of everyone still standing on the field. "I suppose none of you are coming to the Dragon Inn?" he asked, a hint of disappointment in his voice.
"Brother Fu and Brother Ho, you two can go with them," Zheng Yaozu suggested, trying to be helpful.
"Why aren't you coming, Brother Yaozu?" Fu Yongrui asked, genuinely confused by their refusal.
Fang Weisheng, already annoyed by the rejections, snapped, "Forget it! If you want to go back to school, just go with them! Don't ask questions!"
As Fang Weimin walked towards his father and mother, he glanced back. Fang Weisheng still stood rooted beside the group, waiting. He stood, frozen, for his brother, a silent plea for him to join.
Lee Dachin smiled gently at Fang Weisheng, sensing his distress. "Don't miss this opportunity, Weisheng. Family reunions don't happen every day. Even if they don't go, you should. Your grandfather wants you there."
Fang Weisheng's agitation flared, his frustration boiling over. "Since it doesn't happen every day, Uncle Lee, why don't you go to family gatherings?! You belong to this family too! Tell me, Uncle Lee, do you truly hate Grandfather and Mother that much?!" his voice rising with raw, desperate frustration.
Lee Dachin sighed, a profound weariness in the sound, his gaze distant. "I don't hate anyone, Weisheng. Not a soul."
"Then why?!" Fang Weisheng's voice rose, edged with desperation, tears pricking his eyes. "Why do you never attend our family gatherings? I truly wish our family could eat together, just once!" His gaze, filled with deep sadness, met Lee Dachin's, demanding an answer. "Are we even a family, Uncle Lee, if you constantly exclude yourself?"
"We're family, Weisheng," Lee Dachin stated, his voice calm, yet firm, unwavering.
"What kind of family are you?!" Fang Weisheng retorted, his voice trembling with anger and hurt. "You pass by our house and refuse to enter. You choose to stay outside and wait for Father, but never step foot inside our home! Unless you hate Mother and Grandfather, I can't think of any other reason! It makes no sense!"
"There are some things that children should not be involved in, Weisheng," Lee Dachin said, his voice even, despite the boy's furious outburst, a quiet dignity in his tone.
Fang Weisheng let out a heavy, frustrated sigh, his anger radiating from him. "Family is everything to Father, yet you constantly exclude yourself from the Fang family! You hurt him by doing so!" He clenched his teeth, his fists shaking. "Do you think you are worthy of Father's love, Uncle Lee?! Do you deserve him?!"
Guozhao Zhiqiang gnashed his teeth, a low growl escaping him, his patience snapped. "You! Apologize now, Fang Weisheng! Immediately!"
Fang Weisheng stubbornly jutted out his chin, defiance burning in his eyes. "Senior Brother, I'm not wrong, why should I apologize? I'm speaking the truth!"
Guozhao Zhiqiang lunged, grabbing Fang Weisheng by the front of his collar, his grip iron-hard, his eyes blazing with fury. "Apologize immediately, Fang Weisheng! Or face the consequences!"
"Zhiqiang, let go of his robe," Lee Dachin urged, his voice surprisingly calm, a quiet authority.
Fang Weimin, witnessing the escalating scene on the field, suddenly realized the gravity of his brother's words, the danger they were in. He sprinted back to the team, his face pale with panic.
Guozhao Zhiqiang pulled Fang Weisheng closer, his voice shaking with furious intensity, barely contained rage. "I will not let you and your Fang family disrespect Teacher Lee! He is a good man! Now... you apologize to him!"
"Weisheng, apologize now!" Fang Weimin pleaded, his voice tinged with panic, grabbing his brother's arm. "How could you say that to Uncle Lee? Quickly apologize, Senior Brother is getting angry! He's serious!"
Fang Weisheng, fueled by defiance and his own deep-seated hurt, provoked further. "I'm not wrong, I won't apologize!" He yanked his robe free from Guozhao Zhiqiang's grip with a forceful, angry motion.
Guozhao Zhiqiang, his face a mask of cold fury, his eyes narrowed to slits, drew his whip, the leather hissing as it uncoiled in his right hand, a sound of deadly intent. His voice, dangerously low, cut through the tension, chilling them to the bone. "Nianzu, what is the third rule of the principle of Guozhao?"
Lee Nianzu looked at Guozhao Zhiqiang, worry etched on his face, his voice barely a whisper. "Don't be disrespectful to your elders, Senior Brother."
Guozhao Zhiqiang's whip lashed out, a blur of motion, striking Fang Weisheng with brutal force. The blow sent Fang Weisheng flying ten feet through the air, a cry of pain escaping him. He landed hard on the ground, a raw, bleeding flesh wound appearing on his right shoulder, the fabric of his robe torn. The joyous celebration of victory had shattered, dissolving into a stark, painful family conflict.
Fang Weimin moved to rush to his injured brother, his face contorted in anguish, but Guozhao Zhiqiang's icy gaze locked onto him. He shook his head, a silent, unyielding warning. "You, don't move, Weimin. He deserves this." Fang Weimin knew that when it came to punishment, Guozhao Zhiqiang's strictness rivaled even Guo Baiyu's, the harshest of them all. He could only stand, helpless, and watch, tears welling in his eyes.
Fang Weisheng snorted in pain, blood steadily dripping from his right shoulder, staining the ground. His voice, frantic and broken, choked out, "You hit me! You never hit me, Senior Brother!" Tears, hot and furious, streamed down his face, fueled by anger and disbelief at Guozhao Zhiqiang's unprecedented action.
Just as Guozhao Zhiqiang raised the whip for a second strike, Tam Qiu, with a desperate cry, threw herself in front of him, shielding Fang Weisheng with her own body. "Senior Brother, please! He's bleeding! That's enough!" she begged, her voice thick with pleading, tears in her eyes.
Xiao Mei also joined in, her voice trembling, stepping forward. "Senior Brother, he can't withstand the punishment of ten whips! He's still too young!"
Everyone cherished the twins. As the youngest additions to the family, they were viewed as precious jade, doted upon and protected by all the older hunters.
Lee Dachin rushed to Fang Weisheng's side, dropping to his knees, his face grim. "Zhiqiang, that's enough," he commanded, his voice sharp with urgency, his authority clear. He pulled out a handkerchief and pressed it firmly over Fang Weisheng's bleeding wound, trying to staunch the flow.
Fang Weisheng, his face contorted in pain and rage, pushed Lee Dachin's hand away with a furious shove. "Don't touch me!" he screamed, his voice raw, fueled by his deep-seated resentment. "I know you hate my mother and you hated us! You're only good to us because of Father! You don't care about us!"
"Brother, don't say that!" Fang Weimin cried out, horrified, rushing to pull his brother away.
Guozhao Zhiqiang's anger boiled, threatening to consume him, his body trembling with suppressed fury. "Do you think that if everyone loves and cares about you, you can be disobedient and be exempt from punishment every time?!" he roared, his voice trembling with fury. "Do you think you are above the rules?!"
Fang Weisheng burst into fresh sobs, his body shaking. "You don't need to love me either! Just whip me to death to satisfy your cold heart! I don't care anymore!"
"You think I dare not hit you?!" Guozhao Zhiqiang seethed, his hand tightening on the whip, his eyes blazing.
The other brothers, sensing the escalating danger, quickly jumped in front of Guozhao Zhiqiang, forming a protective barrier, their faces grim.
"What are you waiting for?!" Fang Weisheng challenged, his voice hoarse with defiance, still provoking.
Yang Bao grabbed Guozhao Zhiqiang's right arm, his grip surprisingly strong, holding him back. "Senior Brother, enough! Weisheng is still a child! He doesn't know what he's saying!"
Lee Dachin, his voice calm amidst the chaos, looked at Fang Weimin. "Take him away, Weimin. Now."
Fang Weimin quickly helped his injured brother to his feet, and the two, followed by a few others, began to leave, heading towards Dragon Inn, a somber procession.
Lee Dachin turned to the remaining students, his voice calm and steady, bringing a sense of order back to the tense scene. "Everyone, don't take this to heart. Weisheng is upset because he wanted to celebrate with everyone, and he's hurting. I want you to go to Dragon Inn to celebrate with him. If not all of you, at least the eight of you should go, because you eight are part of the team. You won together."
"Teacher Lee is right!" Zheng Yaozu declared, rallying the others. "For the Brotherhood Team! Let's go!"
Guozhao Zhaohui frowned, his stubbornness evident, his arms crossed. "I'm not going. Not after that."
"Zhaohui," Lee Dachin said, his voice firm but gentle, "we have to consider it from Weisheng's point of view. As your teacher, I order the eight of you to go. This is important."
"I would rather get hit with ten whips than go!" Guozhao Zhaohui retorted, still unyielding, his face set.
"Anyway, he's still our little brother, Zhaohui," Zheng Tingfeng reasoned, trying to persuade him.
"Also, he's still a child," Tam Liang added, trying to lighten the mood. "He'll learn."
"We just have to love him less in the future and be harsher toward him," Tian Xiang said with a wry shake of his head, a half-hearted threat.
"Then let's go," Tam Kun decided, pulling Guozhao Zhaohui along, literally dragging him towards the inn.
Tam Qiu took out a small bottle of medicine from her robe and handed it to Tam Liang. "Make sure he uses this on his shoulder," she instructed softly, her eyes filled with concern for Weisheng.
"Next time Senior Brother lashes out with his whip, try not to block it, Ah Qiu," Tam Liang teased Tam Qiu gently, a playful jab.
"I couldn't help it," Tam Qiu shrugged, a tender expression on her face, her gaze following Weisheng. "He's my little brother too."
"Okay, everyone, return to the school," Lee Dachin instructed, his voice bringing a sense of closure to the tense scene.
The Zheng brothers, Ho Jinhai, Fu Yongrui, and the Tam brothers walked towards the Dragon Inn, a somber but determined procession. Tam Kun and Tam Liang literally dragged Guozhao Zhaohui with them, pulling him towards the inn, ensuring he complied.
The rest of the students began to walk towards the school. Guozhao Zhiqiang looked at Lee Dachin, his expression troubled, his gaze searching. "Why didn't you tell him the truth, Teacher Lee? Why didn't you explain?"
Lee Dachin smiled, a gentle, melancholic expression, his eyes filled with profound wisdom. "There are some things that children should not be involved in, Zhiqiang. Some truths are too heavy for young hearts."
"Aren't you angry with him, Teacher Lee?" Guozhao Zhiqiang pressed, still struggling to understand the depth of his forgiveness.
Lee Dachin smiled and shook his head, a profound wisdom in his eyes. "No, Zhiqiang. Master Fang loves the boys dearly. The boys are his pride and joy. It's better not to get involved in a family conflict. No need to be the reason that breaks a family apart, especially when it's already fragile." His gaze shifted to Guozhao Zhiqiang and Deming, and his smile softened, a gentle warmth. "Have you found what you were looking for, Zhiqiang? Have you found your peace?"
Guozhao Zhiqiang nodded, a quiet understanding passing between them, a silent affirmation.
Lee Dachin looked at him, his voice filled with poignant advice, a gentle warning. "Treasure it, Zhiqiang. Time flies by in the blink of an eye. Before you know it, your hair will already turn grey and white, and youth will be a distant memory." He then turned and followed his students towards the school, leaving Guozhao Zhiqiang and Deming standing together, a silent promise hanging in the air, a future stretching before them.