Aftermath, The One Who Started It Must Clean It Up

As soon as they arrived at Sun Estate, Sun Zhengdao took one look at Serena Feng and her party, hurriedly settled them in, and led Serena straight to his study—giving her no chance to greet Simon Sun or Madam Sun at all.

It wasn’t that Sun Zhengdao was overreacting; it was just that the sixteen guards beside Serena looked terrifying—built like tigers, eyes like wolves, clearly fresh from killing, with an aura of bloodlust that made people instinctively keep their distance.

Sun Zhengdao was worried something had happened to Serena, but when he learned the details, he could only clutch his forehead, looking utterly pained.

He was mistaken—Serena was never the one to suffer losses. The only ones who suffered were those foolish enough to provoke her.

“Serena, how could you be so reckless? Do you realize that ordering a public massacre is a capital crime? No one will be able to save you if this gets out.

You killed so many people in broad daylight—there’s no way to hide it. This won’t blow over quietly. Couldn’t you have handled it some other way?

Even if you had to act, killing one or two would’ve been enough to send a message. Killing so many will stir up public outrage, and even the Emperor can’t ignore that.”

Yet deep down, he felt a flicker of pride and secret delight. Serena truly was the blood of the Feng-Li Clan—arrogant and noble to the core.

Faced with such petty scheming, the only proper answer was to kill as a warning. In the Former Dynasty, it would’ve taken more than slaughtering a few hundred beggars to settle the score.

When the Emperor was enraged, corpses would litter the land for miles; when the Feng-Li Clan was enraged, the fields would be strewn with the dead.

Anyone who challenges the authority of the Feng-Li Clan deserves death—no exceptions!

A noblewoman of the Feng-Li Clan should always stand above the masses, should always be decisive and ruthless—only then does she honor the name 'Feng-Li.' But now, in this new era, the name 'Feng-Li' can’t protect Serena; it’s become her death sentence instead.

“I never planned to hide it. What’s there to hide?” Serena said indifferently, sipping her tea with enviable composure.

For a moment, Sun Zhengdao didn’t know whether to be angry or secretly pleased.

That kind of poise, that kind of presence—very few people possess it. But...

Right now, Serena’s only official identity is as the daughter of the Marquis of Loyalty.

“Serena, the Emperor’s birthday is coming soon. Shedding blood at this time is extremely inauspicious. The Emperor will surely be displeased.” When you’re under someone else’s roof, you have to bow your head; Serena isn’t in a position to be proud and reckless yet.

“Let him be displeased—I never expected the Emperor to spare me.” If the Emperor wanted to protect her, he wouldn’t have let the rumors run wild.

Did they really think she was an idiot? Without the Emperor’s tacit approval, how could the gossip about her and Ninth Royal Uncle flood the city? Times have changed. Before, she was powerless against rumors, with no one to help her. But now...

With the Grand Heir, Dominic Zhai, and even Ninth Royal Uncle on her side, quelling these rumors would be easy.

“Do you have a plan to deal with this?” Sun Zhengdao asked nervously, looking at Serena.

Serena didn’t answer, but gave Sun Zhengdao a meaningful look: “Are you really worried something will happen to me?”

Normally, she wouldn’t notice, but whenever her life was at stake, she found Sun Zhengdao became very serious.

Sun Zhengdao awkwardly turned his head and coughed, feeling embarrassed: “You’re my son’s master. Of course I’m worried. If something happens to you, my son won’t fare well either.”

“If you really cared, you wouldn’t have let your son apprentice under someone with such a terrible reputation as me.”

People with good reputations can get away with anything, while those with bad reputations aren’t forgiven for even the smallest mistake—and even their good deeds go unacknowledged.

These days, no one wants to associate with someone of ill repute. Take William Wang Jinling, for example—people line up from one end of the street to the other to meet him, but no woman wants to be friends with me, branded as 'unchaste before marriage.' The few who do are women who need my help.

A master’s reputation is crucial for a disciple’s future. If the master is respected, the disciple is valued; if the master is despised, the disciple is looked down upon too.

If Sun Zhengdao truly cared about reputation, he wouldn’t have sent Simon Sun to be my apprentice. Just because I don’t say anything doesn’t mean I don’t know. Some things, once spoken, can cause trouble.

“I only chose you as my son’s master because of your medical skills. I’m not one to cling to worldly prejudice.” Sun Zhengdao’s words were true, but his confidence was lacking.

Serena stopped pressing, and just as Sun Zhengdao relaxed, thinking he’d escaped, she flashed him a smile that said, 'I know you’re not telling the whole truth,' making his heart race.

What a monster! She really is a monster. Maybe only someone like Ninth Royal Uncle, whose mind turns a thousand times a day, can handle her.

Sun Zhengdao lamented inwardly but didn’t dare show it. He asked again, “Serena, do you have a way out of this?”

Sun Zhengdao didn’t care about the dead; he only worried about whether Serena would be implicated. Dying because of those people wasn’t worth it.

“A way out? That’s not my problem. If you have the nerve to stir up trouble, you’d better have the ability to clean it up. Those rabble insulted a noblewoman in broad daylight—they deserved to die, so I killed them.” Privilege unused is privilege wasted.

“Weren’t you the one who stirred up trouble?” Only Serena in Eastlyn could kill people and still be so self-righteous.

Serena shot Sun Zhengdao an annoyed look—casual, but it made him feel a wave of invisible pressure bearing down on him.

“The one who stirred up trouble is Ninth Royal Uncle, not me. Don’t worry—if Ninth Royal Uncle can’t handle something this small, he’s not worthy of the name.”

“Are you really so sure Ninth Royal Uncle will step in?” Sun Zhengdao couldn’t understand Serena’s confidence—didn’t she know the imperial family was the most ruthless, and that expecting compassion from them was madness?

In the face of power, even fathers and sons can kill each other—what chance does an outsider like her have?

“This is about his reputation, so of course he will.” It looked like she’d killed people, but in reality, it was a contest among the powerful. If she was punished for this 'little matter,' it would mean Ninth Royal Uncle had lost.

Sun Zhengdao suddenly understood and relaxed. “You’re right—this is about Ninth Royal Uncle’s reputation. He won’t let you take the blame. Losing his life over a few rabble isn’t worth it.”

“Don’t worry, I value my life dearly. I’m the only one left in the Feng family—if I die, there’s no Feng family anymore.” Serena had always longed for a family; she’d wandered in her past life, and now she finally had one—she wouldn’t give it up.

Sun Zhengdao’s eyes reddened, and he nodded repeatedly: “You’re right. There’s only one person left in the Feng clan. You mustn’t let anything happen to you—if you die, the Feng bloodline ends.”

Back then, the Feng-Li Clan was so glorious—just the direct line had thousands of members. But now?

Of the vast Feng-Li Clan, only one lonely girl remains.

Every time he thought of this, Sun Zhengdao’s heart was filled with grief.

When will the Feng-Li Clan be able to walk openly under the sun again...?

When will the Feng-Li Clan regain its former honor...?