Beat The Dog Servant!

Rushing home with Sophia, Eddie was filled with uncertainty. Could it be that his family had arranged a new marriage for him? Or perhaps it was for Sophia or Little Frost, his other sister? He couldn't have been more wrong.

Upon entering their home, they found several maids surrounding Mother Grace, chattering about something. A few sturdy guards from the Yew family and a clean-shaven middle-aged man sat arrogantly at the table, being carefully tended to by old servant Uncle Lan and others. Mother Grace's eyes were slightly red, holding little Frost in her arms, shaking her head in apparent disagreement but refraining from arguing with the maids.

As soon as Eddie and Sophia entered, the maids quieted down. Mother Grace tried to suppress her emotions, not wanting to show them openly. Her body trembled slightly with excitement, yet there was a sense of relief in her eyes. Her children were finally home, safe and sound.

In normal circumstances, Mother Grace would have embraced her children returning from afar. But the situation prevented her from doing so. Instead, she nodded slightly, her voice choked with emotion, "It's good that you're back, it's good."

Little Frost, usually playful, broke free from her mother's embrace and ran into Eddie's arms, crying as if she had found her long-lost family.

Old servant Uncle Lan and others came forward excitedly, taking the large bag from Eddie's back. 

The middle-aged man, however, didn't even bother to stand up, sipping his tea indifferently. 

He finally spoke, "So, the Third Young Master of the Yew family has returned. You have come at the right time. 

I am here on orders from the patriarch to inform you that within two days, you must bring your family back to the Yew family castle. 

Not only to pay respects to the patriarch and the elders for the New Year but also to meet your father's new bride. 

She is not just any ordinary concubine but a legitimate wife from the Feng family of Kinwind City. 

From now on, she will be addressed as the Fourth Lady or Fourth Mistress of your branch."

Eddie and Sophia were shocked. "My father is getting married?" Sophia asked, incredulous.

Eddie felt a sense of foreboding. This wasn't just a simple marriage; it seemed like a plot, a scheme specifically targeting their branch of the family.

Eddie couldn't fathom how his father, who had always been respectful and loving towards Mother Grace, could suddenly decide to marry someone else.

 According to the notes left by the unfortunate man he replaced, his father was far from a womanizer. 

Instead, he was a good man who cherished his family and never quarreled with his wife despite his lack of strength compared to his brothers. 

With such noble character, it seemed impossible for him to abandon his lifelong partner for a new love. There had to be something fishy going on.

The news of the wedding, scheduled for the 28th, was a shock. With only two days left and no direct transportation to the Yew family castle, it seemed impossible for Mother Grace and the family to attend the wedding. 

This left Eddie boiling with rage. He had already planned to defend Mother Grace's honor at the Yew family castle, and now this forced marriage was an outright provocation.

"I refuse to accept this! My mother is the legitimate wife of the Fourth Branch. How can they just bring in another woman as the wife? That would reduce my mother to what, exactly?" Sophia was equally furious. 

The idea of the Feng family's daughter being forced into their family and being made the legitimate wife was outrageous. If they allowed this to happen, their branch would lose all standing within the Yew family.

The middle-aged man, who had been sipping his tea, spoke up. "Everyone knows of Mother Grace's virtuous nature. The problem is the lack of a male heir. 

The patriarch believes that while your father is still young, and with his fondness for Miss Feng from the Feng family, it is best to marry early. 

It would be indecent if a child was born out of wedlock. 

Miss Feng, understanding Mother Grace's long-standing contributions to the family, didn't wish to see her demoted. 

Therefore, she proposed recognizing Mother Grace as her elder sister, serving your father together and ensuring the prosperity of the Fourth Branch."

A well-spoken middle-aged maid echoed these sentiments, elaborating on the Feng family's daughter's willingness to share her husband with Mother Grace, all in the name of family harmony.

Eddie and Sophia were left to grapple with this unexpected turn of events, realizing the deep-seated intrigues within the Yew family and the challenges that lay ahead.

Sophia was incredulous at the maid's explanation. "Are we supposed to be grateful she's not throwing my mother out?" she exclaimed. "My mother was also a well-matched bride from a respectable family. How can they say our branch has no heirs? What about Eddie? Isn't he an heir?"

The maid shrank back under Sophia's furious glare, but the pale-faced middle-aged man scoffed dismissively. "Seven misses, who officiated your mother's wedding? Who witnessed it? Who gave the dowry? It was only to save face for your father that the third brother claimed to have arranged the marriage. Strictly speaking, your mother just followed your father home. Her status was never officially acknowledged. It would be a joke if it got out."

Mother Grace interrupted, her voice filled with emotion, "If the Yew family insists on this marriage, I won't stop it. But don't slander me. The marriage was indeed officiated by my sister and Eddie's uncle, witnessed by the respected Elder Songhe, with gifts from the Hundred Flowers Valley Master. Both my sister and I were married into the Yew family, with hundreds of powerful figures in attendance. Has the Yew family forgotten all this? Where is the justice in suddenly denying my status after all these years?"

The man replied coldly, "Mother Grace, it's not my intention to belittle Eddie. I'm merely carrying out the patriarch's orders. If you wish to dispute this, please take it up with the patriarch, not us servants."

Eddie, who had been listening silently, finally understood the situation. It was a blatant attempt to undermine the Fourth Branch. They thought he was still the same weakling and wouldn't dare to retaliate. Handing Little Frost over to Sophia, who was seething with anger, Eddie strode forward.

The middle-aged man continued sipping his tea, arrogantly ignoring Eddie. The Yew family guards positioned themselves protectively behind him, exuding a sense of superiority.

"Well, looks like it's all clear now," Eddie said, his anger reaching its peak. "They think they can bully the Fourth Branch, huh?" He slapped the

middle-aged man across the face, sending him flying through the air. Blood and broken teeth scattered across the floor as the man crashed onto a table, shattering it. He let out a painful howl, but before he could react further, Eddie grabbed a chair and smashed it onto him with relentless force.

The Yew family guards, shocked by Eddie's sudden outburst, hesitated for a moment before moving to intervene. But Eddie, fueled by a burning rage, was not to be stopped. He turned to face the guards, his eyes blazing with fury.

"You think you can intimidate us with your presence? The Fourth Branch is not to be trifled with," Eddie declared, his voice ringing with authority.

Sophia, still holding Little Frost, looked on with a mix of shock and admiration. Mother Grace, though distressed by the violence, couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in her son's bold stand against the injustice being forced upon their family.

The pale-faced man, now lying amidst the wreckage of the table, groaned in pain. He realized too late that he had underestimated Eddie, who was no longer the timid boy they had once known.

As the dust settled, Eddie stood firm, ready to defend his family's honor against any further attempts to undermine them. The Yew family's ploy had failed, and Eddie had sent a clear message: the Fourth Branch would not be pushed around.

Eddie's actions were swift and brutal. His hands moved like lightning, raining down a hundred punches on each guard's face. By the time they hit the ground, not a single tooth remained intact.

The two guard captains, who had been on high alert with their enhanced combat beasts, charged at Eddie. But he intercepted their fists with a cold, deadly look in his eyes. With a powerful twist, he turned their arms into a twisted mess of bone, muscle, and skin. Before they could scream, Eddie kicked them squarely in the groin, rendering them unconscious from the excruciating pain.

Seeing his guards defeated, the pale-faced man tried to escape, but Sophia, still holding Little Frost, tripped him with a kick. She would have crushed him with her hundred-year tree guardian had Eddie not planned to deal with him personally.

"You dare to kill me? I was sent by the patriarch!" the man howled incoherently, his face half destroyed by Eddie's blows.

"Oh, look, it's our dear steward," Eddie mocked coldly, kicking the man's head and spine relentlessly. "Who dared to beat our steward into such a state? Who's so bold to lay hands on our Yew family's dog? Even if he's to be beaten, it's our right as his masters!"

Eddie's fury reached its peak. "How dare you, a lowly servant, try to harm and manipulate my family? You even attempted to assassinate my Mother Grace in broad daylight? You ungrateful cur, what punishment do you deserve? Someone, drag him out and beat him to death, then chop him into eighteen pieces to feed the dogs!"

Uncle Lan and the other servants, initially shocked, were emboldened by Eddie's commanding presence. At his order, they rushed forward and dragged the bloodied, unconscious guards out. Eddie grabbed a table leg and methodically broke each guard's arms and legs with resounding cracks.

The female servants who had come to persuade were terrified, collapsing to the ground, some even fainting from the sheer terror of the scene. The chaos and Eddie's unwavering determination made it clear: no one could bully the Fourth Branch of the Yew family without facing dire consequences.

Seeing Eddie approaching with the bloodstained table leg, Mother Grace quickly wrapped her arms around him, pleading, "Enough, Eddie. These people are just malicious servants, acting on others' orders. I know you're trying to defend me, and I appreciate it, but don't go too far. Just let them slap their own faces, but please, no more violence."

The female servants, still conscious, didn't need to be told twice. They began slapping themselves frantically, knowing the alternative was far worse at the hands of Eddie, who was known for his ruthless justice.

Eddie, held back by Mother Grace, could only kick the nearest servants, instilling even more terror in them as they begged for mercy. Mother Grace held her son tightly, preventing him from using the table leg on the women.

Tears that she had been holding back now streamed down her face, overwhelmed by the support and protection of her son. Eddie's actions moved her deeply, and she wept uncontrollably.

Sophia and Little Frost rushed over, and the three embraced, crying together. Eddie reassured them, "Don't cry. I'll take you back to the Yew family estate and sort this out with Uncle Blaze. Don't worry, Mother Grace. As long as I'm here, no one can bully you." His words only intensified Mother Grace's tears, but they were tears of relief and gratitude for having such a brave son to stand up for their small family in these trying times.