The playboy county magistrate

After praising him, Li Dehai's second sentence was not so pleasant to hear.

"Your resilience at a young age far exceeded my expectations, and even more so Xuanjing's. Your current success is due to your own abilities, but it is also a source of pride for my Cheng'en Marquis's mansion."

These words made even Li Xuanjing, who was standing to the side, clench his teeth slightly, feeling a bitter and unpleasant ache in his heart. However, he could only force himself to endure it and dared not interrupt.

Li Xuanzhi was able to daydream for a moment at this time, and he chuckled to himself.

The cheapskate father only had two legitimate sons, and in just a few words, he offended them both.

Seeing that Li Xuanzhi could still be distracted at this moment, Li Dehai was so angry that his beard trembled. He changed the subject abruptly, getting straight to the point, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"But no one can live in this world without being separated from their family. Now that you hold power and have a bright future, you must also know how to consider the bigger picture and maintain harmony within the clan."

"You had just returned to the manor today when you argued with your elder brother, Xuanjing, and the two were at loggerheads. This has become known to all the servants in the manor, which is far too inappropriate."

Li Xuanzhi raised his eyes and spoke softly.

"The premise of brotherly love and respect is brotherly love. The younger brother should learn from the elder brother's behavior. He provoked us first; he harbors resentment and launched an attack without cause. What does that have to do with me?"

"As your father knows, Xuanjing is narrow-minded and excessively jealous, which is unbecoming of an elder brother."

Li Dehai was extremely tactful, and at this moment he became a master of maintaining balance.

"But he is still your elder brother, and the one who will inherit the title of Earl's family in the future. There is an order of seniority, which is the rule of the clan."

"Now that you hold a high position, your vision and perspective are far broader than his. You should be tolerant and take the initiative to put aside any grudges."

At this point, Li Dehai's tone became even more authoritative.

"Xuanzhi, today I want to speak from the bottom of my heart to you."

"You are currently enjoying the Emperor's favor and wield great power, seemingly living a life of unparalleled glory. However, the political landscape of the court is unpredictable, with the old and new factions locked in a bitter struggle. You are born into a noble family, yet you do not side with the old faction. This means you have no real foundation. Only by relying on the Earl's Mansion, supporting the eldest son, and uniting your family can you maintain a long-term foothold in the court and secure your position."

"Xuanjing is the eldest son, of noble birth, and of legitimate lineage. He simply lacks opportunities and has no one to support him. Now that you have both ability and power, you should consider the family's interests, set aside past grievances, and lend your elder brother a hand."

"In the future, you two brothers will support each other in the court. One of you will stabilize the old faction, and the other will stabilize the new faction. Only then can our Marquis's mansion return to the peak of our ancestors' reign and stand firm."

To put it bluntly, it means that Li Xuanzhi should abandon his principles and use his power to pave the way for the narrow-minded and incompetent Li Xuanjing, and to make way for the so-called succession of the Earl's Mansion.

Upon hearing this, Li Xuanjing was no longer angry. A glint of light instantly appeared in his eyes, and a smug smile quietly crept onto his lips.

He knew that his father would never let Li Xuanzhi overpower him and would eventually force his younger brother to bow down and compromise, and obediently serve him.

Even if Li Xuanzhi wins the three-year agreement, what difference does it make? At home, he still has to listen to his father and brothers.

Li Xuanzhi's eyes were slightly cool, his mind was clear and unwavering.

"Father." His voice was calm, yet every word was firm. "Serving in the court is for the public good, not for personal gain. As the Left Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, I must be even more impartial and upright, without showing favoritism."

"If my elder brother has no real talent, no achievements, and no ability to perform his duties, then if I were to deliberately promote him, it would be an act of favoritism and abuse of power for personal gain. I would not only betray His Majesty's grace, but also the people of the world, and would violate the duties of an imperial censor."

"At home, I can yield for the sake of so-called brotherly harmony and tolerate my older brother who is a few years older than me but still has the mentality of a child. But in matters of the court, there is absolutely no room for kinship or personal feelings."

The refusal was straightforward and decisive, leaving no room for negotiation.

Li Dehai's face instantly darkened, and his gentle expression vanished completely.

"What are you saying?!"

"The saying goes, 'When brothers are of one mind, their strength can break metal!' Now that you've gained power, you intend to abandon your family? You only care about your own upright conduct, letting your family decline? This is selfish and heartless!"

"Xuanjing is your own brother, helping him is just a small thing for you! If it brings stability to the family, why not do it?"

The atmosphere inside the hall instantly became tense.

Li Xuanjing, standing to the side, lowered his head at the opportune moment, feigning grievance and forbearance. But his eyes were full of smug satisfaction at his successful scheme, quietly waiting for his father to force Li Xuanzhi to compromise and give in.

Just as the father and son were locked in a stalemate, and the atmosphere became tense, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the courtyard, accompanied by a woman's suppressed roar of anger.

"My lord! What a fine example of brotherhood! What a peaceful and stable family!"

Li Xuanzhi's mother, Zhang, dressed in a plain-colored dress, hurried into the main hall.

His eyes were red and he was furious.

His former gentle and tolerant demeanor had completely vanished, replaced by a fierce protectiveness towards his child.

She had rushed over and stood quietly outside listening the whole time. She had heard everything that was being said inside the hall, and the grievances and anger in her heart could no longer be contained.

Over the years, she and her son had been extremely cautious and patient in the Earl's mansion, enduring every step with utmost restraint. Judging from Li Xuanjing's expression, they had suffered endless cold treatment.

His son had no one to protect him when he was young and suffered Li Xuanjing's contempt.

Li Dehai, as a father, only had eyes for Li Xuanjing. He seemed to give Li Xuanjing whatever he wanted, but in reality, he didn't care about his education at all.

Even the servants, after seeing the situation clearly, knew that only the eldest son, Li Xuanjing, had the most promising future. As his mother, she saw how much she neglected her son and felt pain in her heart.

Watching her son climb out of the mud step by step, relying on his pride and ability to break through the encirclement, he finally earned his current status.

Now that he's successful and in power, he doesn't ask for a single penny from his family. Instead, this old bastard Li Dehai is forcing him to sacrifice his future—why should he?!

When Li Dehai saw her barging into the hall and angrily rebuking him, his face suddenly turned cold.

"How dare you! Women of the inner courtyard, how dare you trespass into the outer hall for a meeting! Get out of here!"

"Why should I back down? I won't back down!" Zhang said, her back straight, her words filled with resentment that had been building up for years.

"Today I will ask you, Lord! My son Xuanzhi, why must you endlessly cater to the eldest son and sacrifice yourself?!"

"As the eldest son, Xuanjing has been pampered and honored since childhood. He has access to the best resources of the family, yet he has accomplished nothing!"

"Why should my capable son pave the way for my incompetent elder brother? Why should my son have to bow down and tolerate his narrow-mindedness and jealousy? Why should my son's future be used as a stepping stone for this good-for-nothing Li Xuanjing?!"

A series of questions, each word dripping with blood, each sentence piercing the heart.

The grievances, injustices, and forbearance that Zhang had accumulated over more than a decade finally erupted today, resounding throughout the main hall.

Li Xuanjing's face turned deathly pale instantly, filled with both shame and anger.

"Stepmother, stop talking nonsense! How dare you, a mere woman, presumptuously interfere with family rules!"

"Shut up!" Madam Zhang turned and glared at him. "You're narrow-minded, jealous of talent, and you even try to force my son to back down by hiding behind our father! As the eldest brother, you have no elder brotherly demeanor whatsoever; you only know how to bully your siblings because of your title. You're the one spouting nonsense and don't deserve to speak!"