Chapter 117: The Wang family is gone. Do you understand what I mean?

The bailiffs strode inside with cold expressions, not sparing even a glance for the gatekeeper.

The servant, fearing that any dereliction of duty might draw Wang Tao’s wrath—the next victim of which would surely be himself—hurried forward to inquire. "Good sirs, has something happened?"

The lead bailiff asked, "Where is Wang Tao?"

The servant sensed the ill intent in the man’s tone. If Wang Tao had truly fallen into trouble, he reasoned, even if he were to be sold off as a servant elsewhere, it would still be a better life than this. Clenching his teeth, he decisively pointed the way, and the bailiffs marched off with long, purposeful strides.

Wang Tao was lying on a couch, a maidservant feeding him fruit. The maid kept her head bowed and eyes lowered, not daring to even breathe heavily for fear that Wang Tao might suddenly fly into a rage and take her life.

At the sound of clamorous footsteps outside, Wang Tao sat up and kicked the maid, sending her sprawling a great distance. "Go out and see what is happening!"

"Yes!" The maid, ignoring the pain in her body, hurried out with her head lowered.

Just then, the bailiffs walked in. Upon seeing them, Wang Tao felt no fear; instead, he furrowed his brows. "Who gave you permission to enter?"

The lead bailiff ignored his attitude and asked, "Are you Wang Tao?"

"Is my name something the likes of you can utter?" Wang Tao stood up in a fury.

"That’s him. Take him down," the lead bailiff commanded.

The bailiffs behind him swiftly pinned Wang Tao to the ground. As he struggled, he bellowed, "Are you all tired of living? Do you know who my father is? Even the Governor has to be respectful when he sees my father—how dare you treat me this way! Release me at once and kneel to apologize, or I swear I will make sure you suffer a fate worse than death. And you wretched servants, why aren't you helping me? Do you want to die?"

Wang Tao was frantic, his face twisted with impatience.

The lead bailiff said coldly, "Your father? You will be reunited with him soon enough. Take him away!"

"What do you mean by that?" Wang Tao asked, his heart sinking. Had something happened to his father? Why had he received no word?

Wang Tao had heard nothing partly because the incident had been so sudden that his father had been arrested while still completely bewildered. Furthermore, Xi Sheng had deliberately intercepted all news to prevent Wang Tao from catching wind of the situation and going into hiding, which would have complicated the arrest.

The lead bailiff offered no explanation, dragging Wang Tao out of the estate.

On the road, Wang Tao continued to struggle until a sound thrashing taught him to be a little more compliant. Internally, however, he was already plotting to tear these bailiffs limb from limb.

The servants at Wang Tao’s estate felt no sadness at his arrest; they felt only relief. Not a single person, including his personal page, wanted to step forward to rescue him from the bailiffs. As for his secret guards, they had already been dispatched to lie in wait for Li Su at Mingyue Academy.

...

By the time Wei Shi’an heard the news, Wang Tao was already being escorted back to the capital.

Wei Shi’an raised an eyebrow. "Xi Sheng’s methods are truly exceptional."

"Go capture that secret guard Wang Tao dispatched; he’ll make a perfect sparring partner for Li Su." Wei Shi’an had always been aware of the guard's presence. Knowing that a man like Wang Tao would surely harbor a grudge against Li Su after being expelled, Wei Shi’an had naturally kept someone watching him. He had written to the Wang family hoping they would deal with Wang Tao themselves, but he was prepared to intervene if their methods were unsatisfactory. He had not expected the entire Wang family to be thrown into prison before his letter even arrived.

Xi Sheng was adept at these things, effectively wiping out the entire Wang clan. If it had been left to Wei Shi’an, he would have simply resorted to brute force, leaving it to fate whether the targets lived or died.

When the secret guard was captured, he was still bewildered—was his ability to remain hidden truly that poor?

Wei Shi’an sealed the guard’s internal energy. "I will not kill you for now."

The guard stared at him in horror. "What do you want?"

"I want you to spar with Li Su. You know Li Su, right? When you exchange blows, he may injure you, but you are not permitted to injure him."

The guard: "..."

"Are you afraid I might kill him?"

"I will be watching from the side. You are welcome to try," Wei Shi’an said with a smile. "You know the methods of the Wei Army, don't you?"

The guard shivered. He had heard of how the Wei Army treated their enemies—keeping them on the brink of death while ensuring not an inch of their bodies remained unscathed.

"The Wang family is finished. Do you understand what that means?" Wei Shi’an said, sipping his water leisurely.

The guard’s eyes widened. The Wang family was finished?

...

Wei Shi’an was not the type to lie; he felt it beneath him. The guard was not a fanatic loyalist to the Wang clan, so he had no reason to be steadfast.

"I agree!" the guard said in a rush.

Wei Shi’an nodded. Letting the guard train with Li Su was perfect; using his own men would be overkill, and his guards did not deserve such a chore. Using one of the Wang family’s guards was ideal—he wouldn't feel any pity if the man were injured, and with him watching, the guard could never harm Li Su. It was a gift Wang Tao had delivered right to his doorstep.

...

The journey was a misery for Wang Tao. He endured three small beatings a day, a severe one every three days, and only enough food to keep him clinging to life. He had no prior grudge against these bailiffs, yet they always found excuses to strike him. At first, it was because he struggled or hurled insults, but eventually, he stopped resisting—not out of choice, but because he lacked the strength.

When he stopped cursing, the bailiffs would claim he chewed his food too loudly or that his snoring disturbed their rest, using any excuse to beat him. Wang Tao thought to himself that by the time he reached the capital, his father would surely have cleared their names, and he would make these men pay back every grievance tenfold. He would have his secret guards capture Li Su and bring him to the capital, where he had far more ways to torment people in his secret chamber.

When Wang Tao was finally tossed into the prison with the rest of the Wang family, they barely recognized him. He was a shadow of his former self: filthy, weak, pale, colorless of lip, and disheveled.

Lord Wang and his wife felt their hearts ache as they identified their youngest son. Madam Wang reached out to touch him but pulled her hand back. "My son, how have you come to this? Weren't you at Mingyue Academy?"

Seeing his parents, Wang Tao began to weep and recount his suffering. Lord Wang’s knuckles turned white as he listened—those animals, to treat his youngest son this way!

At that moment, the second Miss Wang spoke up. "Wang Tao, have you offended someone again?"

Wang Tao turned and glared at her. "I am in this state, and instead of showing concern, you ask if I offended someone? We are miles away from the capital; who could I have possibly offended? I merely dealt with a penniless scholar from the boondocks, and for that, that old fool Wei Shi’an expelled me from the academy."