The crisp sound of the slap echoed through the ward.
Everyone was caught off guard, no one expected General Bai to strike Bai Yujing.
Bai Yujing stared at him in shock, “Grandfather, what are you…”
Another resounding slap landed hard on Bai Yujing’s face.
A bright red handprint bloomed instantly on his cheek.
Seeing his son struck, Bai Jianjun felt a pang of distress, “Father, let’s talk this out, don’t hit Yujing…”
“Shut up!”
General Bai shot Bai Jianjun a fierce glare, then slapped Bai Yujing again, barking, “Do you know why I’m hitting you?”
“I don’t know, Grandfather.”
Another slap.
“Do you know now?” General Bai demanded.
“I still don’t know.”
Slap!
Slap!
Slap!
A flurry of slaps rained down on Bai Yujing’s face, “Do you know now?”
“I don’t know.”
Bai Yujing’s temper flared, with outsiders in the room, he glared at General Bai, cheeks puffed with anger, “Grandfather, if you’ve got something to say, just say it.”
“Fine, I’ll say it plain.”
General Bai began, “I’ve told you since you were young, a real man stands tall and acts with honor.”
“Especially us Bai family men, we never break the law, no matter the circumstances.”
“But you? You had the gall to arrange an ambush to kill Ye Qiu, unbelievable nerve.”
Bai Yujing protested, “Grandfather, I did it for the Bai family…”
“Quiet!” General Bai roared, cutting him off, “Trying to kill Ye Qiu is just your first crime.”
“To secure an alliance with the Pei family, you imprisoned Xiao Bing, are you even human?”
“Don’t you know who Xiao Bing is? She’s your cousin!”
Bai Jianjun interjected, “Father, about that…”
“You were in on it too, don’t think I don’t know,” General Bai pointed at him, scolding, “You two are quite the pair, pulling every dirty trick to get your way, I’m not dead yet, and you dare treat Xiao Bing like this, if I were gone, you’d turn the world upside down!”
“Father, you can’t pin it all on me and Yujing, the Pei alliance had your approval,” Bai Jianjun argued.
That only stoked General Bai’s fury, “You dare bring that up? How did you two sell it to me?”
“You said Xiao Bing and the Pei kid were in love, that she was too shy to ask, and begged me to arrange it with Old Pei, that’s why I agreed.”
“How was I supposed to know it was all your lies?”
“To tie us to the Pei family, you sacrificed Xiao Bing’s happiness and locked her up, is that something humans do?”
“Bai Yujing, do you see your mistake now?” General Bai snapped.
To his surprise, Bai Yujing met his gaze squarely, “I don’t think I did anything wrong.”
“The Pei family’s a top-tier power in the capital, with vast influence, Pei Jie’s a fine match and likes Bai Bing, marrying into their family would be her blessing.”
“And Grandfather, you were on death’s door, for the Bai family’s future, Father and I allied with the Pei, what’s wrong with that?”
“You fought so hard to make us a capital elite, do you really want us to crash and burn after you’re gone, erased from the elite ranks?”
“Grandfather, Father and I did all this, and instead of support, you question us, aren’t you afraid of breaking our hearts?”
Bai Yujing’s words stabbed into General Bai like a knife.
His face turned livid with rage.
Before he could respond, Bai Jianjun chimed in, “Father, Yujing’s right, we did this for the Bai family’s future.”
“You know the situation now.”
“Bai Bing refused to marry Pei Jie and had Ye Qiu crash the wedding in front of the capital’s elite, now we’re a laughingstock, our reputation in tatters.”
“Worse, Yujing got expelled from the Underworld Palace by the War God, and I’m stuck at home with nothing to do.”
“All of this isn’t our fault, it’s Ye Qiu’s.”
“If you want to hit or curse someone, it should be Ye Qiu!”
“Father, everything we did was for the Bai family.”
“I know you’re not really blaming us, you’re worried about me and Yujing.”
“Rest assured, we’ll listen to you from now on, whatever you say, we’ll do, we won’t go against you.”
“Father…”
“Enough!” General Bai cut Bai Jianjun off with a wave, signaling silence.
Bai Jianjun shut his mouth.
General Bai looked at Bai Yujing calmly, “When did you join the Forbidden City?”
“Ten years ago.”
“I was still lucid then, why didn’t I know?” General Bai pressed.
“I didn’t want anyone to know,” Bai Yujing replied.
“Am I ‘anyone’? I’m your father’s father!” General Bai erupted, pointing at him, “You’re a real bastard.”
“You know, I once thought you’d be the Bai family’s hope, I had high expectations, never imagined you’d pull all this crap and join the Forbidden City.”
“Bai Yujing, you’ve let me down completely.”
Taking a deep breath to steady himself, General Bai continued, “Xiao Tang, Xiao Zhang, today, with you here, I’m making a decision, be my witnesses, any issues?”
“No issues.”
Tang Lao and Zhang Jiuling answered in unison.
“Good,” General Bai nodded slightly, raised his right fist to his temple, and declared solemnly, “Today, I, Bai Jingyao, swear to the heavens: I sever all ties with Bai Yujing as grandfather and grandson.”
What?
Bai Yujing trembled, staring at him in disbelief.
Bai Jianjun hurriedly pleaded, “Father, whatever Yujing did wrong, punish him however you want, but he’s your grandson, don’t cut him off!”
Unmoved, General Bai pressed on, “I also declare that from this day, I sever all father-son ties with Bai Jianjun, a clean break, no contact, even in death.”
Bai Jianjun froze, “Father, you…”
General Bai finished, “Bai Jianjun, Bai Yujing, I officially expel you from the Bai family.”
“You’re barred from returning.”
“From now on, whether you live or die has nothing to do with me!”
