After all, a person would eventually run out of mystic energy. Moreover, the soldiers flogged him at the exact same spot, so even a man made of iron wouldn’t be able to continue enduring it over time.

  After mystic energy helped him shield a little over a hundred blows, the remaining seventy to eighty blows genuinely struck flesh, hurting Shi Guangjin so much that he continuously grimaced and yelped in pain.

  The eldest prince consort Shu Quan who was watching from a distance also felt her eyelid jerking. An alarm rang loudly in her mind, and she secretly warned herself:

  The maidservant Xi’er felt even more apprehensive because of the pompous comments she had made just now.

  She had to be prudent in whatever she did and said. With a single misstep, she would end up just like this State Duke of Qing’s Estate’s third young master—not only thoroughly discredited but also beaten black and blue.

  Those royal court officials and their family members who alighted from their carriages also only dared to watch from a distance.

  This was the crown prince consort angrily denouncing the third son of the State Duke of Qing’s Estate. Who dared to mediate such a big showdown, and who dared to stand out from the flock to do so?

  After taking 170 blows, Shi Guangjin only felt that his butt hurt so much that it was about to emit smoke, and he guessed that the flesh was probably festering.

  Furthermore, the two minor soldiers’ flogging techniques were a real torment.

  They would bounce the military cane off the flesh in the direction of their blows. It seemed like quite a light strike, but in reality, it caused heavy bruising underneath the skin. Despite the fact that Shi Guangjin was a level-eight mystic cultivator, it would still be unbearably painful for him.

  At this time, there started to be a clamor among the crowd.

  The carriages far away moved to the sides, making way for the several people who were dashing over.

  The one in the lead was a man in his fifties. He was in hale and hearty spirits, with bright and penetrating eyes. When he flew over in his court attire, his vigorous strides seemed as if they would create waves.

  Following closely behind him was a man around thirty years of age who had an imposing air about him.

  Upon seeing the newcomers, Lightning’s expression shifted slightly, and he bent down to whisper into the crown prince consort’s ear. “Crown Prince Consort, the State Duke of Qing and the Eldest Young Master have come.”


  Qiao Mu raised her eyes and icily swept a glance over, but her gaze settled on a young man wearing a white fox-fur coat behind the two people.

  Even though this person looked a bit sickly, he had superb looks, with upturned and bright, black eyes. He was currently supporting an elderly woman over.

  Now, behind those two people followed five to six madams and misses. When one of the madams saw Shi Guangjin, who was being flogged while sprawled on the ground, she promptly moaned in grief, and it looked as if she was about to scramble over.

  Yet after being glared at coldly by the State Duke of Qing and the elderly woman, she could only freeze on the spot.

  Qiao Mu stood up, her eyes flashing with a cold glint, and she didn’t back down even when facing the State Duke of Qing. “State Duke of Qing has brought his entire family with him here. Is this to censure me?”


  “Father, save me, Father! Father, save me!” Upon seeing that his father and brothers had come, he shouted as he struggled with all his might.

  Hui Feng, who was standing behind Qiao Mu, felt all his cold sweat streaming down his forehead.

  He silently prayed in his heart:

  He felt that if this crown prince consort was set on punishing someone, then she would definitely carry it through to the end.

  Fortunately, the State Duke of Qing was completely unlike that brainless third son of his. He had come to beg for forgiveness.

  “Bastard, shut up!” The State Duke of Qing rebuked angrily, resentful that his third son failed to meet expectations.

  “This official deserves to die ten thousand times for being lax in his discipline. This official was alarmed to hear that his son had offended the crown prince consort at Huabei Gate. Please, pardon this offense.”