The fool has become a spirit, and she can speak

On the other side, Cheng Feng had actually noticed that Cheng Youning was walking towards him, but he pretended not to see it and didn't even turn his head. He waited until Cheng Youning knelt down in front of him obediently, and then Cheng Feng turned his head slowly with a gloomy face to look at Cheng Youning.

Cheng Youning put on a look of deep sorrow and repentance, and then said to Cheng Feng respectfully: "Dad! I know I was wrong! Yesterday, I saw those poor people starving and living in poverty, and I couldn't bear it, so I wanted to give them a bowl of hot porridge. But who would have thought that when night fell, you ran around and couldn't borrow food. So I was confused for a moment and even had the crooked idea of ​​stealing. The result is not only a disgrace to you, but also a shame to our Wan family! Please punish me severely, so that I can feel better."

Cheng Feng saw that Cheng Youning sincerely repented, but he still said in a gentle and persuasive way: "A country has its own laws, and a family has its own rules! Dad knows that you have a kind heart since childhood, but doing good things must not be based on doing evil! Our Wan family has always had strict family rules, and your behavior is simply a disgrace to our Wan family! Although you are spared the pain of having your hand cut off today, in order to make you remember the lesson, Dad is determined to punish you with thirty rulers. But there is no ruler here, so Dad can only use a wooden stick instead for the time being."

Cheng Youning looked obedient and slowly stretched out his little hands. Cheng Feng bent down and picked up a willow branch about the thickness of a finger. At this moment, a commoner in the crowd could not hold back and shouted, "Oh my, the royal family law is too harsh! I have never seen such a small child being beaten with thirty sticks! Please don't beat him anymore, or he will be crippled! Besides, this child is all for us common people. If you really want to beat him, let us be the Master Cheng!"

At this time, another commoner shouted in agreement at the top of his voice: "Yes, this kid is just robbing the rich to help the poor. He is kind-hearted. I beg you, Master Cheng, to have mercy on him and stop punishing him! If you really want to punish someone, just beat us. We the people are willing to suffer for him." As soon as the words fell, responses rang out all around, one wave after another like a tide, echoing throughout the street.

Facing such ardent protection from the crowd, Cheng Youning was deeply moved. He immediately bowed to everyone and said respectfully: "Thank you all for your care and protection, but this time I have committed an unforgivable mistake. The thirty strokes of the cane just now were already a mercy outside the law. The next thirty strokes of the cane are the family punishment of my Wan family. I hope you will not pity me. These thirty strokes of the cane are relatively lenient. After all, I made the mistake first, and I should accept the corresponding punishment." After saying this, Cheng Youning resolutely turned his head and looked at his father Cheng Feng who was standing in front of him. His eyes were firm and fearless, and he said slowly: "Dad, please do it."

However, despite the endless and increasingly intense cries of pleas from all around, Cheng Feng remained unmoved. He tightly grasped the slender willow branch in his hand, stared expressionlessly at his stubborn son, then raised his arm and lashed at Cheng Youning's hands fiercely. Every time a willow branch fell, it made a crisp and piercing sound. In full view of the crowd, each of the thirty willow branches landed on the right spot, and every time it was lashed, a bright red blood mark would instantly be left on Cheng Youning's hands.

Looking at Cheng Youning's swollen hands, Cheng Feng didn't show any heartache. Instead, he said to Cheng Youning with a serious face: "When your hands are able to pick up a pen, you must copy the family rules a hundred times as a punishment for your mistake this time."

Hearing this, Cheng Youning endured the pain and said respectfully: "Thank you, father, thank you, Master Zhai, and thank you all the people for giving me, Cheng Youning, a chance to reform!" After that, Cheng Youning knelt on the ground with both hands and kowtowed three times to Cheng Feng respectfully. Then Qiao Rong stepped forward and helped Cheng Youning onto the carriage.

After entering the carriage, I heard Sui Dan groaning faintly. Sui Dan was too embarrassed to scream in pain, so he could only groan quietly. But in comparison, Cheng Youning was much more miserable than Sui Dan. Cheng Youning's buttocks had just recovered from being beaten by the military, but today he was severely beaten with thirty sticks. The piercing pain was so painful that it was worse than death. Looking at his hands, they were even more swollen, three times the size of before, like two steamed buns.

At this time, Sui Dan saw that Cheng Youning was gloating, and said to him with a smile: "Hey, good job, you really know how to act! Look at how you scared those people. They all want to take the beating instead of you!"

Cheng Youning said seriously, "Although the people are poor, most of them are reasonable people. They know that we stole food to help them through the difficulties. When they see us being punished for this, they will definitely feel uneasy and guilty. I went to my father to accept the punishment just now, not to win the sympathy of the people and make a good reputation. It was because I realized that this behavior brought shame to my father and discredited the entire family. Therefore, thirty strokes of the cane is a light punishment, and I have no complaints."

Sui Dan couldn't help laughing after hearing what Cheng Youning said, "Don't say it, your set of great principles really sounded so real, true and false, I don't know if it was from the heart! Hey, Cheng Youning, are you blaming me for leading you to steal food now?"

Cheng Youning shook his head, sighed like an adult, and said, "I only blame myself for being too reckless and impulsive, and even failing to distinguish right from wrong. Anyway, I won't trust you so easily in the future."

Qiao Rong, who was standing by, heard this and quickly agreed, "Young Master is right. You should never play with Sui Dan again. He is not a good person at all!"

Sui Dan was not happy to hear this, and he immediately puffed out his chest and retorted loudly: "Hey! What you said is not right! I am someone close to the emperor, how dare you say that I am not a good person?"