Gu Kaiping and Gu Kaichen now understood who these people were, and the two of them were so frightened that they dared not make a sound, let alone Liu Yun and the others.

Gu Baihu sneered at this group of people, "You’ve brought us to such misery, from now on there’s no rest until death. Father, shouldn’t we start with the clan law first?"

Supported by his two sons, Gu Li came before Gu Baijiang, "You’ve committed such a wicked deed, today, I, on behalf of our ancestors and the entire family, will punish you. Do you admit your guilt?"

Gu Baijiang lay on the ground, "Uncle, I know I’m wrong, but I’m also wronged.

I believe one day my injustices will be cleared, and by then I will compensate everyone for their losses."

"You speak so lightly, but how shall we account for the suffering and fright we’ve endured, beside the losses?"

A few women nearby immediately disagreed, fearing the clan leader would once again be persuaded by this hypocritical man, forcing them to swallow another secret loss.

"The emperor has already issued a decree, how could it be wrongful?" Gu Li did not expect that even at this moment, Gu Baijiang would try to drag the entire Gu Family into the mire with him.

"Never forget one’s roots in success, and never forsake righteousness in pursuit of profit.

...

Hold justice in your hands, bear righteousness on your shoulders; a gentleman loves wealth, but acquires it rightfully.

Do you remember these principles?

Because of your greed, you have shamed the entire family. Do you admit to this?"

Gu Baijiang dared not answer, harboring resentment in his heart, wondering how these country bumpkins he had long since discarded could have the courage to berate him.

But he could not refute, nor resist, for this was the clan leader representing their Gu Family, unless their branch was to abandon officialdom in the future.

"If you don’t answer, I’ll take that as your confession of guilt. Second and Third Brothers, for such a disgraceful and harmful member of the family, give him a beating he deserves."

"Yes," the Gu brothers were excited, having held this anger in for so many days and finally finding a release.

"Uncle, do you really have to be so heartless?" Gu Baijiang raised his head now, realizing that if he didn’t fight for himself, he couldn’t avoid this beating today.

"This is the consensus of the entire Gu Family, and it was agreed upon by them before." Gu Li now didn’t worry about offending Gu Baijiang and wanted to vent all the frustration he had endured over the years.

Back then, he had exhausted great efforts to persuade the entire Gu Family to support this boy, but after achieving great success, Gu Baijiang had only taken dozens of Silver Tael to renovate the ancestral hall, where his ancestors were also worshipped.

Yet, for the clan members who had helped him greatly, he never mentioned them nor repaid them in the slightest.

If it weren’t for the reputation he had built in the clan over the years, he would have long been removed from the position by the clan members.

"Father, but there’s no punishment stick here," Gu Baixi reminded.

Gu Li looked at Ma Zhi and his group, staring intently at the whips in their hands. "I wonder if you gentlemen could lend us a whip?"

Liu Pingkang gave Ma Zhi a look. He had long been displeased with Gu Baijiang, and since they were already delayed, he didn’t mind this either.

Ma Zhi handed the whip to Gu Li, who received it with both hands and thanked him repeatedly.

"Since there’s no punishment stick, let’s use a whip instead.

Oldest Brother, you know how to handle a whip, you do it."

Gu Baihe took it, weighed it in his hands, "Good whip, a hundred times better than the ones we make ourselves."

Ma Zhi was pleased that the other recognized its quality, "It’s custom-made by the government, sturdy as can be."

Onlookers chuckled, forgetting that they knew best whether this whip was truly sturdy.

"Father, is it still a hundred lashes?" With this whip, there was no way to control the force, and it was nearly a death sentence.

"Uncle, you can’t do this to me, or how will you answer to my father?" Gu Baijiang was filled with hatred, wondering how a father’s older brother had the right to whip him.

"Shouldn’t you be answering for how your branch has dishonored the Gu ancestors," Gu Li’s face was dark, and even now, Gu Baijiang was using the dead to pressure him.

Even if his cousin were to come out and face him now, he wouldn’t hesitate to use the whip, wanting to ask how he raised such a treacherous and unfilial child.

"Do it!"

As soon as the words fell, Gu Baihe already stood behind Gu Baijiang with the whip, swinging it through the air with a chilling tearing sound.

"Stop," from behind them, a carriage curtain was lifted, and a handsome young man stepped out. Although his expression was gentle, there was an innate authority about him.

"Who are you? This is a Gu Family matter, I hope you don’t interfere carelessly."

"You’re conducting private punishment," Rong Ruiyuan had not intended to show himself, but Gu Baijiang could not be harmed yet.

Intervening now might even leave Gu Baijiang with a debt of gratitude.

"Sir, you must not know the full story, we are dealing with a rebellious member within the clan, where is this private punishment?

According to our laws, the clan leader has the right to punish members violating clan rules, even to the point of death, and even if I were to kill Gu Baijiang today, the authorities could not interfere."

One wonders from where this hot-headed fool came, speaking up for Gu Baijiang without knowing the laws well.

He scrutinized Rong Ruiyuan, having long known that Gu Baijiang had three sons, could this be his youngest?

"Are you also a descendant of the Gu Family?" Gu Li squinted at the young man, not waiting for a reply and continued, "No need to rush, I’ll deal with you all properly after I finish with Gu Baijiang."

Seeing this young man step out, Liu Pingkang had a momentary grimace, realizing that since he was hiding inside, he shouldn’t come out to show off. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Rong Ruiyuan was stuck by the old man’s words; these were ancestral laws and regulations that he could not rebut.

"Uncle, aren’t you all just looking for compensation? If you truly beat me to death, you’ll get nothing."

"You come to compensate? What can you offer us? Can you give us back our home, or cover our losses?"

"Yes, because of you, the marriage I just arranged fell through."

"I just bought dozens of acres of good land..."

"My unfortunate daughter was sent back divorced..."

If it were only about silver, that would be something, but these?

The crowd fell silent.

Because the guilt of these people inevitably implicated their family and clan members, those living nearby had already been caught, and those far away would eventually join them in Lingnan.

Everything the Gu Family was facing today, they would all confront in the future.

"Tell me how you plan to compensate? So much, can you afford it?" Gu Li finished, raising his cane, striking several times at Gu Baijiang, while those who were originally standing behind him, like Liu Kaiping, were scared into retreating several steps, and now not a single Gu Family member stepped forward to protect Gu Baijiang.

"Then what do you want from me? If I give my life for compensation, what will you gain?" Gu Baijiang lowered his head, tightly shielding his face, knowing if the scabbed skin cracked open again, he would truly lose his face.