Li Ruizhe’s death had successfully intimidated the group, so killing another was unnecessary. Still, he was furious at them for making him wait an hour for nothing. They had wasted his precious hour. He simply couldn’t let them off so easily.

Despite feeling this way, he remained undecided on the severity of the punishment. If he were too harsh and they were injured, it would affect the performance of the entire team during the contest. However, if he made it too light, they would just shrug it off.

In the end, he decided to leave the matter of punishing the group to Jin Tuantuan. She immediately came up with the brilliant idea to spank them. When the noble children heard her suggestion, they hastily requested Han Wu to punish them harshly instead.

Stripping their pants down to be spanked was simply too humiliating for the young masters to bear. Although it wouldn’t hurt them all that much physically, their egos would take a tremendous blow. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Unfortunately for them, Han Wu thought it was a great idea. Not only was it humiliating enough that they would remember the lesson, but he could also vent his anger through spanking too. He decided to personally dish out the punishment and grabbed a willow twig to aid him in the endeavor.

By the time he was finished, the young masters’ faces were redder than their butts, and the twig had been snapped in half. Once the punishment was over, he casually gauged their overall strength.

After that, he informed them of their next meeting time and location before allowing them to head back. Upon returning to their respective households, the young masters tearfully reported what they had endured to their parents.

That night, all the noble families besides the Jin family sent representatives to a secret meeting.

“He’s just an outsider, yet he dares to kill the third young master of the Li family! He’s too arrogant and ruthless. I suggest that we force the Jin family to hand him over to be punished. That way, we can avenge the third young master.”

“That bastard caned my son’s butt! Isn’t that the same as caning my honor?”

“Jin Buhuan probably invited that outsider to cull the strength of our younger generation. We cannot keep him around any longer.”

The representatives grew increasingly angry as they discussed, until eventually they had unwittingly outlined Han Wu’s execution date. Only the representative of the Li family, who had actually lost their third young master, said nothing.

Unable to bear the humiliation, the others were on the verge of marching to Jin Buhuan’s mansion and forcing him to cripple Han Wu so they could vent their anger.

“Everyone, please calm down and listen to me,” the representative from the Li family finally said.

“Old Li, your family’s child was killed. You should be the first in line for this hunt.”

“Old Li, we aren’t instigating anything, but if this had happened to me, I wouldn’t be able to take it lying down. I would’ve gone and killed that bastard myself.”

“Patriarch of the Li family, what are your thoughts? You should tell us.”

The group stared expectantly at the Li family’s patriarch.

“My son’s death pains me greatly, but I also know that Han Wu could only act so wildly because of the city lord’s support! As long as Jin Buhuan remains in power, we cannot do anything to avenge my son.”

The others nodded in agreement. Even so, Jin Buhuan and his family had survived in Everlight City for many years. It would be incredibly difficult to take them down.

“I have a plan,” said Old Li. “I hope everyone can give their thoughts on it.”

He then explained his shockingly devious plan.

His idea was to have everyone continue to send their children to Han Wu’s so-called training, only to restrict them from joining the day of the contest itself. This would surely pull the rug directly underneath Jin Buhuan.

Everlight City would fall in rank, and the Jin family would be weakened. By then, the noble families could get rid of the Jin family once and for all. Everyone would get a piece of the pie.

“Are you sure that’s appropriate?” one representative asked hesitantly. “The Jin family has treated us well. Our main income is earned through fulfilling their labor requests.”

“Treated us well? Do you like being their slave? Have you considered that they think of you not as people but as dogs to do their bidding?” The Li patriarch sneered. “I know that your family has close ties with the Jin family, but have you not wondered why they pay you so little, even though you do so much? The Jin family looks down on you, and yet you’re defending them. Are you dumb?”

The other families murmured in agreement. They all had some form of collaborative agreement with the Jin family, but the Jin family did indeed treat them like disposable partners.

“Damn it! It’s time to overthrow them!”

“Yeah! The Jin family has drained us dry!”

“The Wang family will note down this grudge. The Jin family will pay!”

The flames of rebellion had been fanned. The Li patriarch’s smile grew with every furious remark. He could practically already see the Jin family’s downfall.