Grace Yue's Silent Strength: The Pillar of Henry Yuan's Guar Chapter 6

Beating was a common form of punishment used in the court and the army. It was mainly used as a warning and supplemented by punishment, but beating to death or crippling was also common.

If the beating is sincere, twenty strokes are enough to kill the person, but if it is intentional, a hundred strokes will only cause flesh wounds. This depends on whether the executioner can understand the intention of the person who gives the punishment, or whether the money of the person being punished can weigh the weight.

Anyone with a discerning eye could see that Richard Feng didn't really want to do anything to Henry Yuan, so he just fought twenty battles and called it a day.

Henry Yuan's B*tt was cut open. Although it was a minor injury, the location was critical and he would have to stay in bed for some time.

Simon Yan knelt in front of his bed and refused to get up, his eyes were red and swollen.

Max Yuan was so angry that he kept pacing around the room: "Who gave you the courage? Ah? Who gave you the courage! You caused such a disaster. If it weren't for the kindness of King Jingyuan, not only would your life be in danger, but your father would also be implicated!"

Simon Yan lowered his head and said nothing.

Henry Yuan waved his hand: "Shao Xu, forget it, you can go out." He looked at Grace Yue and Lily Yuan, "You can all go out."

"father..."

Max Yuan was about to say something, but Henry Yuan emphasized, "Get out."

Max Yuan was so angry that he stormed out.

Simon Yan actually knew that Max Yuan had never liked him. Although Henry Yuan was a fifth-rank officer, his annual salary was only 190 shi. He was upright and honest, and had no extra "income". He had to support a family of old and young, and several servants. His daily expenses were not abundant, and feeding one more person was a big burden.

Now that he had gotten into trouble, not only had Henry Yuan been beaten, but he had also been fined three months' salary. This meant that winter was approaching and they might not even be able to afford charcoal.

So Max Yuan was right to scold him, it was all his fault.

Henry Yuan looked at Simon Yan and said helplessly: "Okay, get up."

Simon Yan shook his head and choked up, "Dad, punish me, anything is fine."

"The purpose of punishing you is to make you realize your mistakes. Don't you already know your mistakes?" Henry Yuan said, "Get up."

Simon Yan still shook his head.

Henry Yuan simply stretched out his arms, pinched his shoulders, lifted him up, and pulled him to sit on the edge of the bed.

Simon Yan wiped his tears.

"Kong'er, do you remember when I looked up your background? You passed the exam at the age of nine, which was exactly the year we met, right?"

"Um."

"You also said that your father would not allow you to take the imperial examination for ten years."

Simon Yan nodded again.

"Do you know why?"

Simon Yan calmed himself down for a moment: "Even if my father didn't say so, I wouldn't go. My father didn't pass the exam, so how can I overstep my authority?"

Henry Yuan shook his head: "Do you think your father didn't let you take the exam just to save face?"

Simon Yan blinked, not knowing how to respond. He had always thought so.

It is true that his father was diligent and smart, but perhaps not diligent enough or smart enough. There were thousands of scholars in the world who dreamed of "learning both literary and martial arts and serving the emperor". Those who could enter the court as officials were all outstanding, and there were also many who failed in their lifetime. But he firmly believed from a young age that one day he would stand in the Baohe Hall and face the questions of the current emperor, citing classics and answering them fluently.

Henry Yuan touched Simon Yan's hair and looked into his eyes quietly: "Kong'er, you are too smart, but your mind is still young. You can't fully control such a gift from heaven. Too much praise will ruin you. Your father is afraid that you will be arrogant, that you will confuse right and wrong, that you will be successful at a young age and cannot understand the suffering of the ants, and that you think you understand people's hearts but are actually blinded by one leaf. Because you are still young, even if you have read thousands of books, you will not understand the world if you have not really lived. If you pass the imperial examination at a young age, it will be a great honor, but Huan Chi tore you into pieces. Your father wanted to protect you."

Simon Yan nodded blankly, thinking of his father's gentle and elegant appearance. Four years have passed, but it is still so clear.

"This time, it was all thanks to the magnanimity of King Jingyuan, otherwise the consequences would be disastrous. You cut open a dead horse, which is no big deal, but you hit his son, the son of King Jingyuan who has 200,000 troops under his command, do you understand?"

Simon Yan nodded again: "Dad, I will never be reckless again."

Henry Yuan sighed: "That young prince is no ordinary person, I hope he is not someone who bears grudges."

Simon Yan pursed his lips, hating that B@st@ard in his heart. If he hadn't gone to the horse farm when he had nothing to do, and hadn't wandered around and caught him dissecting a horse carcass, there wouldn't have been so many bad things. He was indignant and muttered in a low voice: "Why did King Jingyuan take him to fight?"

"We also feel that it is inappropriate. We have inquired and heard that the little prince was raised by wolves and can understand wolf language. Prince Jingyuan brought him along because he was afraid that he would get lost."

Simon Yan was surprised: "Really?"

"It should be true. War is no joke. Otherwise, why would King Jingyuan bring a little kid to chase the enemy?"

No wonder King Jingyuan called him "Wolf"...

"Okay, go and keep Yu'er company. He must be bored." Henry Yuan lay back on the pillow.

"I want to be with Dad." Simon Yan moved closer to Henry Yuan and whispered, "Dad, is it still painful?"

"It's just a flesh wound, nothing serious, just rest for a few days and you'll be fine."

Simon Yan gently lay on Henry Yuan's broad back: "I want to be with Dad." Although he never showed it on weekdays, he actually relied on Henry Yuan very much. Four years ago, the man who held him in his arms and took him away from hunger, cold and death, held up a sky above his head. When he was with Henry Yuan, he felt warm and at ease, as if the troubles of the world could not hurt him at all.

Henry Yuan chuckled: "You usually act like a little adult, but now you act like a child."

Simon Yan said softly: "Dad, don't blame Kong'er. Kong'er will never make a mistake again."

"It's good that you know your mistake. Dad won't blame you."

"When Kong'er grows up, he must become a high-ranking official and let our family live the best life possible."

Henry Yuan hummed, but there was some worry in his eyes.

"...father."

"Um?"

"Winter is coming, and you have been fined three months' salary..."

"This is not your concern. Go and help Xu Hu finish the work. Choose each horse carefully and don't be careless."

"I understand, child." Henry Yuan blinked, his eyes unusually bright in the dim light.

---

When Simon Yan came to the horse farm again, Xu Hu and Zhao Dayou's attitude towards him changed. They became somewhat respectful. After all, he was the one who beat the prince's son and was personally taught that he could dissect a horse's corpse.

Zhao Dayou escaped the disaster, feeling both relieved and scared. He had always thought that Simon Yan was going to achieve great things, and now he was even more convinced. As soon as he saw Simon Yan, he tried to get close to him: "Simon Yan, uncle was really worried about you. Fortunately, you turned the danger into safety. If there are any horses dying in the horse farm in the future, I will take care of them all for you."

"Thank you, uncle." Simon Yan said calmly, "Uncle, I have a favor to ask."

"You can say it, just say it."

"You also know that my father was fined three months' salary..."

"No problem, it's a small matter, leave it to Uncle Shi." Zhao Dayou hurriedly said.

"Uncle, you don't know my father's temper. Has he ever taken a penny from you in all these years?"

"So what you mean is..."

"I follow Uncle Xu to raise horses, and Uncle Shi also pays me every month. I want to ask Uncle Shi for an advance so that I can get through this winter. From now on, Simon Yan will not charge a penny for raising and treating horses."

"Simon Yan, you are being too polite. I will give you a hundred taels first, and I will pay your wages and medical fees in the future... no, I will only pay half each time. In time, you will be able to pay it back. Even if your father finds out, it will be reasonable, right?"

"Thank you, uncle. Simon Yan only took twenty taels, so I can explain to my father."

"Okay, I'll do as you say."

Simon Yan bowed again and Zhao Dayou hurriedly returned the greeting. He felt that this young man had an extraordinary mind and bearing, and that sooner or later he would soar into the sky.

---

Simon Yan naturally would not give the silver directly to Henry Yuan, but gave it to Grace Yue. Even if Henry Yuan knew about it, he would not be willing to blame Grace Yue. The twenty taels were enough to alleviate the emergency in mid-winter.

Although the incident was over, Simon Yan didn't dare to relax for a moment, because King Jingyuan hadn't left yet, and that brat Ethan Feng obviously hated him and would definitely not let him go. As long as they didn't leave, he wouldn't be free.

Sure enough, three days later, Simon Yan was choosing a horse in the stable when he heard a peculiar sound of hooves behind him.

His heart tightened.

That was not the hoofbeats of Liaodong horses. Their horseshoes were made of ordinary iron, which made crisp sounds when hitting the ground, but the hoofbeats behind them were dull and heavy, which was the sound of sand iron. Xu Hu said that there was only one army that could afford to use sand iron as iron hoofs, and that was the Feng family army.

Simon Yan turned around and crawled on the ground, with a bad feeling in his heart.

"Lift your head up." A childish and arrogant voice came from above my head, which sounded very unfriendly.

Simon Yan muttered something, thinking that what was coming would come, so he slowly raised his head and said respectfully and humbly: "I greet the young general."

Ethan Feng sat on a sturdy tall horse. Although there were still bruises on his face, he still looked delicate and noble. However, the horse was too high for him. He looked like a filial son wearing adult clothes. I didn't know how he could control it and whether he could get off.

Ethan Feng frowned: "What do you mean by calling me Major General? Are you mocking me?"

"I dare not." Simon Yan just wanted to flatter him. He could see that Ethan Feng admired his father very much.

"Don't call me Major General. I want to earn the title of General myself. It's not your turn to flatter me."

"I know I am guilty." Simon Yan lowered his head, "I didn't know that your Highness was coming, and I failed to welcome you from afar."

Ethan Feng snorted coldly and looked down at Simon Yan: "Stop talking nonsense. Didn't you say that you dissected horses to treat them?"

"yes."

"My horse is feeling a little sick today and has a poor appetite. Can you cure him?"

"I will give it a try..."

Ethan Feng's eyes flashed with malice: "Very good, if you cure it, you will be rewarded. If you fail, I will punish you severely!"