Chapter 24 : Two Punishments

Zhang Zhiyuan was livid when he received the message from the Golden Dragon Palace.

"Kneel!!!" he shouted at his son, who wordlessly went on his knees in the main palace courtyard, just in front of the main Longjing Palace building.

"If I don't punish you today, I am not worth the palace master title!"

Zhang Fengxi winced every time the leather whip made a sharp sound in the air. It was his way to prepare for the incoming lash against his naked back.

If not for the piece of cloth that a servant pushed into his mouth before the whipping started, he might have bitten off his tongue.

Zhang Fengxi did not know how many times the whip rained down on him. He must have fallen unconscious in the middle of it, because the next time he regained consciousness, he was lying on the ground, the warm stone pavement pressed against his cheek.

"Dear, it is enough," Lady Song begged on her son's behalf.

"Fengxi did not mean to attack the crown prince. Fengxi, tell your father that you regret it..."

Zhang Fengxi was not even able to mutter a word before his eyeballs rolled backward and he fainted again.

At night, Lady Song came to rub medicine on her son's back. Despite begging her husband for leniency in the afternoon, she did not bother being gentle at all. She slapped the medicine right on top of Zhang Fengxi's wounds, causing the latter to cry out from the torment.

"Oh, stop being so dramatic," Lady Song snapped. "If your father had been completely heartless, your back would be minced meat."

"Isn't it, Mom? Oh, jolly," Zhang Fengxi replied sarcastically. His remark earned him another slap on the back.

"Oh, Heavens. Oh, Gods. Mom, please, please don't hit me anymore," he then wailed.

Lady Song snorted.

"Fengxi, why must you be involved with the Crown Prince so often? Do you hate him or..."

...fancy him? Dear Gods, please say that you hate him, Lady Song fervently prayed in her heart.

"It was an accident," Zhang Fengxi lied through his teeth. "It's normal for two alphas to spar, right?"

He did not see his mother exhale out of relief.

"Sparring? Yes, no I mean, it is perfectly normal. Say, Fengxi, it is about time for you to get serious about martial arts. Your father is going to invite a new teacher to teach you."

If martial arts could make his son roll less often with another alpha, Lady Song would make him train day and night.

To her greatest delight, Zhang Fengxi showed his genuine interest. Turning his head to face his mother, he said, "I want Commandant Jiang to teach me."

Lady Song looked surprised to hear the unfamiliar name from her son's mouth.

"Who is Commandant Jiang? Your father kept mentioning General Fu. He is a renowned martial artist, you know. Besides, he is a general."

Zhang Fengxi shook his head.

In his previous life, he wasted one year under General Fu's tutelage to no avail. That rotten old man never planned to teach him anything. In the end, Zhang Fengxi found a mentor in Commandant Jiang. When Zhang Fengxi ascended as the Supreme General of the Heavenly Empire, he promoted Commandant Jiang to a general position.

"Fengxi, one more thing... you need to go to Fuxi Palace tomorrow to apologize to the Crown Prince," Lady Song said in a low voice.

"Mom, I can barely move," Zhang Fengxi complained. "Can the apology wait???"

"The Emperor made him kneel in front of his palace for half a day today. Mom heard that he had to be dragged back into the palace once it was done."

Zhang Fengxi's mouth dropped open.

Had the Emperor gone mad? An omega's body was not made to sustain such heavy punishment!!!"