Chapter 37: Overpowering the General's Estate

"Li Wenxuan, you have some nerve! How dare you steal the official robes of a disciplinary centurion of the Eastern Depot? Do you not know how to write the word 'death'?"

Li Siming burst out with these curses as soon as he opened the door, but halfway through, he suddenly noticed that the area outside was packed with the idle nobility of the capital. Many of these young men were his usual companions, with whom he had frequented brothels and listened to music at the Ministry of Rites. What on earth was going on with these guys?

However, those in the crowd who knew Li Siming were equally stunned. What was wrong with this fellow? When had he become so brave? To look a disciplinary centurion of the Eastern Depot in the eye and ask if he knew how to write the word "death," or even to slander his official robes as stolen?

"Who is this guy, being so bold? Starting off by cursing a centurion of the Eastern Depot?" a young noble who didn't recognize Li Siming whispered.

"The eldest son of the General of the West... well, his rank is at least a level lower than the old man of our brother Tang's family!"

"Then how can he be so daring?"

"He's even braver than the General of the Vanguard, who is undefeated across the Northern Camp!"

Ignoring the whispers, Li Wenxuan strode forward, his head held high, looking at Li Siming with a look of utter contempt. "You are not qualified to speak to me!"

"Li Wenxuan, do you know what kind of madness you're spewing?" Li Siming barked, his face flushed with rage as he glared at Li Wenxuan.

"Noisy!"

Li Wenxuan raised his hand and struck him across the face.

*Smack!*

The crisp sound of the slap echoed in everyone's ears. A sudden silence fell over the scene; everyone's eyes widened. This kid was truly brave! To slap the second son of the General of the West in front of so many people?

"Tell General Li and the Lady Cui to come out! Stop hiding inside like cowards. Since you dared to make a wager with me back then, why are you hiding now?" Li Wenxuan’s voice boomed like a bell, vibrating in everyone's ears.

At this moment, everyone's eyes lit up. Today, they were definitely going to get a front-row seat to some heavy-duty drama!

Li Siming clutched his cheek, momentarily stunned by the aura emanating from Li Wenxuan, and he staggered back two steps. Had a large, powerful hand not caught his back at the critical moment, he would have surely tumbled to the ground and lost all face.

General Li Hu’s burly, imposing figure appeared at the main entrance. His gaze swept across the crowd behind Li Wenxuan. When he saw Tang Qi, he was momentarily taken aback. This man was technically his subordinate—the two had shared many drinks in the past, the kind that were strictly against military regulations, so they were on decent terms. Given the awkwardness of the situation, he merely nodded at Tang Qi before turning his gaze to Li Wenxuan.

No matter how hard he tried to conceal it, he couldn't hide his inner shock. This rebellious son... had he actually become an official? And not just any official, but a disciplinary centurion of the Eastern Depot, a name that made everyone in the Martial State tremble in fear? Unlike his wife, Lady Cui, he knew that these blood-red robes could never be stolen.

Suppressing the tidal wave of shock in his heart, Li Hu forced a stiff, strained smile. "Wenxuan, we are all family. If you have something to say, let's say it behind closed doors. Why let outsiders make a mockery of us?"

"General Li, now you remember we are a family?" Li Wenxuan fought back the urge to retch and asked coldly, "By saying that, are you admitting to our wager?"

Li Hu looked at the crowd of gossips and felt his face burn. "Wenxuan, how could your father not admit it?"

"Oh? Centurion Li, you are the son of the General of the West?" Tang Qi stepped forward in surprise, glancing at Li Hu. "General Li, didn't you say you only had two sons? How did such a grown son suddenly pop up?"

"Uh, this..." Li Hu’s eyes darted around, unsure of how to answer.

"Since General Li cannot answer, I will answer for him," Li Wenxuan said with a mocking laugh. "My mother was abducted from another land by him, defiled, and insulted."

Tang Qi was stunned by this revelation, his expression shifting entirely. "General Li, you play that kind of game? If my father heard about this, I fear he would purge the military discipline!"

"Cough, cough, cough—" Li Hu nearly choked on his own breath. He waved his hand dismissively. "Captain Tang, don't listen to his nonsense. That's not how it happened..."

"Ha! Dare to do it but dare not admit it? Do you dare to stand before the ancestral tablets of the Li clan and swear that you did not force my mother?"

"You—" Li Hu almost spat out "you rebellious son," but glancing back at the sea of onlookers, all with widened eyes and pricked ears, he realized that in less than half a day, every word said here would be embellished and spread across the entire capital. *This is a disaster!*

This rebellious son was out for blood. He was going to be ruined!

Li Wenxuan sneered, "Since General Li cannot speak, I will. Because of my background, General Li has always been ashamed of me, which is why he claims to the outside world that he only has two sons." He raised an eyebrow and looked at Lady Cui, who had emerged with a face full of fury. "Lady Cui, am I wrong?"

"Absurd!" Lady Cui shrieked. "How can you be so disrespectful to your parents?"

"Haha! How ridiculous. Are you still trying to use 'righteousness' to suppress me? Lady Cui, don't you realize that you look like a clown?" Li Wenxuan retorted. "All these years, you instigated Li Siming and Li Sicheng to beat me daily, withheld my food and money, and kept me locked in the woodshed."

"A few days ago, when the heavy snow fell, I asked you for a padded coat, but you had your men throw me into a water well to freeze overnight. You wanted to freeze me to death, but you didn't expect that not only would I survive, but I would also see through the ugly faces you hide behind your fine appearance!"

"You... you are slandering me! This is pure fabrication. When did any such thing happen?"

"If you say it didn't happen, Lady Cui, that is simple. Just have the General bring out his ancestral tablets and have him swear before them that this never happened. I will then bind myself and await my punishment!"

"You—you sharp-tongued brat!" Lady Cui’s face, still holding traces of beauty, flushed red with rage, but she couldn't find a single word to counter him. As for Li Hu, he remained silent, his expression grim.

Seeing this, the onlookers became even more convinced that Li Wenxuan was telling the truth. Tang Qi widened his eyes. *Good heavens, you have such a sharp tongue? I never would have guessed! The disciplinary centurion of the Eastern Depot is truly a man of many talents!*

"General Li, there is no point in saying more between us. Please fulfill our wager."

"Ah? This?" Li Hu looked distressed and tried to persuade him, "Third son, the previous wager was just heat-of-the-moment talk. How can you take it seriously?"

"Oh? Is that so? Just heat-of-the-moment talk?" Li Wenxuan laughed in anger. "Then, if I hadn't returned today wearing these blood-red robes and carrying an official blade, would you and your wife have dismissed this wager—which concerns my very life—as mere 'heat-of-the-moment talk'?"

Li Hu’s expression was awkward, and he stammered, unable to speak.

Lady Cui stared at Li Wenxuan with venomous eyes. "So, that means there is nothing to discuss?"

"Discuss? How ridiculous. Do you think I came back to negotiate terms?" Li Wenxuan raised his three-foot official blade, his eyes cold and sharp. "I am only here to notify you that it is time to fulfill your wager!"

"And what if I say no?" Lady Cui took a step forward, meeting his gaze with arrogant defiance. "Do you know who you are standing in front of?"

Li Wenxuan looked up and laughed wildly. "I truly do not know who you are, Lady Cui!"

Lady Cui’s eyes were filled with a fierce threat. "I am going to pay my respects to that slut today, and by tomorrow, someone will have scattered her ashes to the wind. If you don't believe me, feel free to try!"