Feng Jin cast a glance at Ling Mohan, saying irritably, "Aren't you going to check on your dear brother? Otherwise, if I bully him, your grandfather and second uncle will come looking for trouble with me."
"Deal with him however you wish. If they come looking for trouble, I will bear the responsibility for everything."
Ling Mohan had learned to be clever this time, his words sounding very satisfactory. A smile curved Feng Jin's lips, and her mood brightened considerably.
Before Feng Jin could say anything more, Cai Qing hurried in, gasping for breath, "Bad news... bad news..."
"What is it? Speak slowly," Feng Jin handed Cai Qing a cup of water, urging her to calm down before speaking.
Her breathing steadied, Cai Qing slowly said, "Young Madam, it's... it's the young master. He fell into the basin while washing vegetables just now, and they've carried him back to his room."
Falling into the basin while washing vegetables, Feng Jin's lips twitched. Could such an outrageous thing truly happen?
The world was vast indeed, full of wonders.
"I'll go take a look." Ling Mohan was also helpless, as his grandfather insisted on foisting Ling Muzhu onto him.
This boy had never done a single proper thing since he was little, but he was constantly getting into trouble, big or small.
After Ling Mohan left, Cai Qing sidled up to Feng Jin and asked, "Young Madam, should we go and see as well? What if the young master exaggerates things to the young general later, and the young general believes him and blames us..."
"Blame us? If he dares to believe Ling Muzhu's words, then he's finished."
Feng Jin said fiercely, but her feet moved swiftly. She wanted to see what trickery Ling Muzhu was up to.
When she arrived, Ling Muzhu lay weakly on the bed, his eyes unfocused, looking truly like he was gravely ill.
"Brother, I... cough... I'm dying..." Ling Muzhu held Ling Mohan's hand, as if making his dying declaration.
Ling Mohan was also a bit bewildered. Hadn't they said he fell into the basin? Why did he look worse than if he'd fallen into a river?
"Doctor, how is Muzhu?"
"Reporting to the Young General, the young master merely caught a chill..."
Before the doctor could finish speaking, Ling Muzhu let out another violent cough.
'Cough... cough... cough.'
Feng Jin, standing at the doorway, curled her lips into a cold smile and looked at Ling Muzhu on the bed, "Since you are ill, then rest well."
A flicker of light flashed in Ling Muzhu's eyes, gone in an instant as he met Feng Jin's gaze. He weakly said, "Grandfather wants me to learn from my brother and sister-in-law, but my body is too... cough, too uncooperative..."
He was acting so convincingly. Feng Jin rolled her eyes and suddenly shouted loudly, "Ah! There's a snake on the bed, a snake, ah!"
The sharp cry startled Ling Muzhu. He quickly threw off the covers and leaped off the bed, shouting, "Guards! Catch the snake... catch the snake!"
He ran around energetically, showing none of the previous near-death appearance.
Feng Jin watched the scurrying Ling Muzhu with a cold expression. "Stop running. There's no snake on the bed; I just tricked you."
Hearing this, Ling Muzhu's face froze. He bravely looked at the bed, which was empty. There was no snake, not even an ant in sight.
"You tricked me!" Ling Muzhu, feeling deceived, instantly became angry and pointed at Feng Jin.
Feng Jin slapped away Ling Muzhu's finger pointing at her. "Yes, I tricked you. Weren't you just about to die from catching a cold? Now you're full of life. You don't look sick at all. Your acting was truly superb."
Ling Muzhu's face showed a trace of embarrassment as he was exposed. He turned his head and mumbled, "I... I was indeed very ill before. It's just... it's just that I've just recovered."
After all, he had indeed fallen into the basin, and many people had seen it.
"You actually have the nerve to say that. A grown man, washing vegetables, falls into a basin and then pretends to be half dead. You're not ashamed to have such a story told."
"Who are you calling that? I want to see who dares to laugh at me," Ling Muzhu retorted indignantly.
"Indeed, no one dares to laugh at you to your face. But behind your back, do you know how others mock you? You're just lucky to be born into a good family. Otherwise, with your disposition, if you were born into an ordinary family, you'd be worse off than a beggar on the street."
Feng Jin's words, sharp as knives, belittled Ling Muzhu to nothing.
"You... you're going too far!"
Ling Muzhu was furious. He was, after all, raised in pampered luxury. Never in his life had anyone dared to speak to him like this, yet he dared not offend Feng Jin.
Seeing Ling Mohan standing authoritatively behind Feng Jin, his face filled with anger, Ling Muzhu immediately dared not make any further move.
"Going too far? I'm making you face reality. You can do whatever you want in the Ling family. In the capital, relying on the Ling family's influence, you act arrogantly and no one dares to offend you. But the world is vast, and the capable are many. If you go out like this, you'll inevitably be bullied and humiliated. What will you do then? Will you still use the Ling family's power to oppress them?"
Feng Jin spoke in a deep voice, her words exposing Ling Muzhu's weaknesses one by one, immediately leaving him with no color in his face.
"Everything your sister-in-law says is for your own good. Think about it carefully."
Ling Mohan lowered his voice and said sternly. It was indeed time for this boy to face reality. If he remained as naive as before, he would suffer greatly sooner or later.
Rather than letting him suffer and be beaten by others, it was better to take this opportunity to let him experience the harshness of reality.
"You've worked hard, teaching Muzhu with such effort. I hope this boy can truly take it to heart."
"I'm not teaching him because I have nothing better to do. I simply can't stand him and want to teach him a lesson," Feng Jin said stubbornly, a hint of awkwardness flashing across her face.
Ling Mohan lowered his head and chuckled softly, not exposing Feng Jin's little intentions. He followed her words, "My lady is always right. If he dares to disrespect you, just tell me, and I'll deal with him."
"I don't need your help to deal with him. Actually, Ling Muzhu isn't completely irredeemable. He's just spoiled and willful by Second Master Ling, and he's indecisive, easily swayed."
In the past, most of his conflicts with her were instigated by Ling Yan, but she had never done anything excessive to her, mostly just verbal sparring.
As long as he was taught properly, he could be guided onto the right path.
Ultimately, Ling Muzhu lacked the harsh lessons of society. He needed to recognize reality and step out of his sheltered world.
As for Ling Yan, she was capable of murder and arson; she was beyond hope, only knowing how to complain. Why didn't she reflect on her own problems?