The playboy county magistrate

Li Xuanjing was rendered speechless and utterly humiliated. He stood frozen in place, his eyes burning with even greater jealousy.

Li Dehai was furious and slammed his fist on the table, shouting angrily.

"Zhang! You've gone mad! Clan rules and the greater good of the family are not for your petty, womanly views to arbitrarily discuss!"

"The bigger picture?" Zhang's eyes reddened, and she gave a cold laugh, her voice filled with sorrow.

"The 'big picture' that Lord Bo speaks of always seems to favor Li Xuanjing! They're both legitimate sons, why such favoritism!"

"Over the years, my son and I have lived cautiously and timidly in this household. We dared not contend, dared not seize, dared not complain, dared not be angry!"

"But whenever there's something beneficial or respectable for the family, it's always Li Xuanjing who prioritizes it! He only tells me and my son to consider the bigger picture!"

"Xuanzhi's current position is the result of his own diligence in serving the people and his many brushes with death. It wasn't given to him by the Earl's Mansion, much less bestowed upon him by you, his own father!"

"Why should he ruin his reputation for integrity and his future for your selfish desires?"

"I'm putting my words out here today!" Zhang turned to look at her son, who stood tall and silent beside her, her eyes filled with heartache and determination.

"My son is upright and honest, with his heart set on serving his country. He owes neither the Marquis of Cheng'en nor Li Xuanjing a single penny!"

"There is absolutely no way my son would be so self-serving as to ruin his future by helping others or compromising his principles!"

The main hall was deathly silent.

Li Dehai's face was ashen, his chest heaving violently. He was trembling with rage after being publicly refuted by Zhang, feeling utterly humiliated.

Li Xuanjing stood to the side, filled with shame and hatred. He stared intently at Li Xuanzhi and her son, his malice and resentment deepening.

In the ensuing silence, Li Xuanzhi slowly raised his eyes. He looked at his father, who sat at the head of the table, his tone calm yet unwavering.

"Father."

"I am willing to maintain harmony within my family."

"Public duty and private matters must never be confused."

"If my elder brother truly repents, performs his duties diligently, and benefits the people, I will recommend him impartially and promote him according to regulations."

"But if you remain mediocre and incompetent, with a narrow mind, even if I bear the name of being cold-hearted, I will never bend the law for personal gain or violate the rules of the court."

Marquis Chengen, Li Dehai, looked at his second son, who was resolute in his will and had a rebellious streak.

Looking at Zhang, who was protecting her son in public and refusing to budge an inch.

I finally realized something—

This son, whom he had looked down upon for over a decade, had long since broken free from the shackles of the Earl's Mansion.

Li Dehai's face was ashen, and his chest heaved violently.

He was publicly contradicted by Zhang, who exposed his selfish motives. His decades-long authority as head of the family was shattered; how could he tolerate this?

He could tolerate estrangement from his family and the rift between the two brothers.

However, he absolutely could not tolerate the women of the inner court publicly defying him and ruining his plans. He would also be betraying all the hard work he had put into finding ways to maintain the family's reputation.

Li Dehai stared intently at Zhang, his eyes flashing with a fierce rage, his voice as cold as ice:

"Great, very good!"

"She's just a second wife, yet she knows no respect, no virtue. She barges into the house, incites her own children, openly defies the head of the household, and disgraces the family!"

Li Dehai suddenly raised his hand and shouted sternly, "Do you really think that after more than ten years of marriage, I wouldn't dare to punish you?!"

Zhang trembled slightly, but still stood tall with her back straight, her eyes bloodshot, and refused to budge an inch.

"I have acted uprightly and honestly, and I have done nothing wrong in protecting my son! If Your Excellency wishes to punish me, then so be it! It's not like this has happened once or twice!"

Li Dehai's gaze suddenly shifted to Li Xuanzhi, his authoritative eyes concealing blatant coercion, his voice icy and chilling:

"Xuanzhi, I'll ask you one last time."

"Are you willing to put aside your personal grudges and prejudices, and to properly mentor Xuanjing in the future, considering the overall interests of the family?"

Li Xuanzhi's gaze was calm, and his posture remained unmoved.

"My son still maintains the same stance—he clearly distinguishes between public and private matters and will never show favoritism."

Stubborn, upright, and unyielding.

Despite his respectful tone, his words were more forceful than any argument.

The last shred of restraint in Li Dehai's eyes shattered completely. He roared in a deep voice, each word like a knife.

"Very well! Since you are so cold-hearted and disregard the family, then I, your father, will properly establish the family rules for the clan!"

"Your mother, Zhang, is morally deficient, disobedient to the head of the household, instigates conflict among her siblings, and disgraces the Cheng'en Marquis's family! Today, I, your father, will divorce her!"

"From this day forward, Zhang is expelled from the Zhang family, removed from the family genealogy, and forever forbidden from setting foot in the Cheng'en Earl's residence!"

Zhang was jolted, her face turned deathly pale, and she staggered back half a step.

The anger and stubbornness in his eyes faded away, leaving only an unbelievable sadness.

She anticipated being reprimanded, and possibly even being grounded or penalized.

But I never imagined that after more than a decade of companionship and forbearance, I would ultimately be given a letter of divorce and be kicked out of the house.

It doesn't matter if he ruins his own reputation, but if he implicates his son and others find out that his mother is a divorced woman, how can he face the court?

Li Xuanjing's pupils suddenly lit up, and a surge of pleasure welled up in his heart.

He knew that his father's most valuable asset was never the clan rules, but Li Xuanzhi's mother!

Despite his arrogant demeanor, which made Li Xuanzhi the eldest son of heaven and the second eldest son of earth, he was actually extremely filial to his mother, Zhang.

He didn't believe that Li Xuanzhi could be so indifferent to his mother, still uphold his integrity, and disregard the family's reputation!

By controlling Zhang, they had seized Li Xuanzhi's only weakness.

Li Dehai stared coldly at Li Xuanzhi, his coercive intent undisguised:

"Xuanzhi, you see clearly now."

"As long as you refuse to back down, refuse to support your elder brother, and refuse to compromise for the sake of the family, this letter of divorce will remain in effect!"

"You want to maintain an upright official reputation, uphold justice, and disregard family ties? Then you'll just have to watch your mother be expelled and your reputation ruined!"

"I'm giving you one more chance."

"Support Xuanjing, and all past transgressions can be forgiven."

"Otherwise, you will be condemned for eternity as a heartless and unfilial person who abandoned his mother to protect his career!"

As a father, although he cared more about Li Xuanjing, it didn't stop him from understanding Li Xuanzhi.

Since the second son is out of control, he only cherishes the kindness of his birth mother the most.

So it doesn't matter if his only weakness is poked a couple of times.

At worst, he could wait until Li Xuanzhi compromised, and then slowly coax Zhang Shi.

Li Dehai was certain that he would be able to force his second son to obediently compromise and be at his mercy today.

Zhang's eyes instantly reddened, and she hurriedly turned to look at her son beside her, choking out a sob.

"Xuanzhi... Mother is alright... Mother would rather be banished than be a burden to you... You must not compromise, you must not ruin your future..."

She would rather suffer disgrace and ruin herself than drag her family down with her and be forced to wander in a foreign land.

They also absolutely did not want their son's reputation and integrity to be tarnished by these cannibalistic clan rules.

Li Xuanzhi raised his eyes, his dark eyes showing no emotion, yet surging with boundless rage.

He looked at his biological father, who sat in the main seat, wielding familial affection as a weapon and threatening to divorce his wife.

He glanced at his elder brother, who was secretly pleased and taking the opportunity to exert pressure.

Looking at this cold, austere, and hierarchical mansion.

After a long silence, he slowly spoke.