Chapter 972: Disciplining (2) Chapter 972: Disciplining (2) Editor: Atlas Studios The children never knew that kneeling in the ancestral hall was so uncomfortable.

Tiger Head carefully moved his knees, feeling that his legs were numb and his stomach was rumbling with hunger.

At this moment, Fan Zijin walked over in the morning light.

He glanced at the five children one by one and was satisfied when he saw them lower their heads under his gaze.

When it came to disciplining children, reasoning with them was important.

However, corporal punishment was also very important.

Prior to this, could these five boys have calmed down and listened to them?

Fan Zijin looked down at them and asked, “Can you heed my words now?” The five boys nodded repeatedly and looked at him timidly and pleadingly.

Satisfied, Fan Zijin said in a low voice, “Then start reflecting from now on.

What exactly did you do wrong this time?

Think about the dangers and possible consequences Little Treasure will encounter when he leaves the palace.

When you’ve thought it through, you can start eating.” Fan Zijin took out a piece of paper from his sleeve and threw it in front of Little Treasure.

“This is a letter from your Royal Father.

Take a look.

This time, you broke his heart.” It was not only Fan Zijin’s idea to take the opportunity to discipline the children, but also Qi Xiuyuan’s.

These children were really lawless.

Little Treasure picked up the letter, and his eyes gradually filled with tears as they fell drop by drop.

Little Bear looked at him anxiously and asked in a low voice, “Brother Little Treasure, don’t be sad.

Let’s beg Royal Uncle to forgive you.” Little Treasure shook his head.

“Even if Royal Father forgives me, I still broke his heart and made him worry for a long time.” In the letter, Qi Xiuyuan asked Little Treasure, “You said that Royal Father will be heartbroken if you and your brothers killed each other, and you didn’t want to see that happen.

But now, you’re putting yourself and your brother in danger.

Doesn’t that break my heart too?” Qi Xiuyuan said, “Royal Father is very sad now.” Little Bear was conflicted, not knowing how to comfort Little Treasure.

Little Treasure wiped his tears and said, “It’s our fault.

Even if Royal Father didn’t agree, I could’ve rolled around and begged him.

I could also think of ways to convince him or even find an excuse to leave the capital, but I shouldn’t have left without saying goodbye.” Little Bear scratched his head, then rolled up his sleeves to wipe Little Treasure’s tears.

“Brother Little Treasure, don’t cry.

We’ll write a letter to Royal Uncle to apologize to him later.

We can promise not to do this again.” Little Treasure nodded.

The three little ones held their stomachs and knelt at the side.

Feeling that they were about to starve to death, they apologized to the adults for mercy.

The five children were brought to the reception pavilion.

The dining table was filled with small steamed buns, porridge, and exquisite side dishes.

The five children swallowed their saliva at the same time.

The hunger made Little Treasure and Little Bear’s sadness fly away as they stared at the delicacies on the table.

There were four adults sitting at the table.

Fan Zijin picked up the bowl and said, “Since you’re here, just watch.” Hence, the five children stood in a row at the side and watched the four adults eat breakfast.

The three children could not help but cry.

They looked at the adults eagerly and sobbed softly.

“Father, Mother, I’m hungry…” Fan Zijin put down his bowl and chopsticks and looked at them.

“Does it feel good to be hungry?” The five children shook their heads at the same time.

Fan Zijin said, “It’s dangerous on the road.

If Little Treasure runs away from home and encounters thieves or robbers who snatch all his money, then he can only starve.

If you stay at home and complain to your parents that you’re hungry, your parents will give you something to eat.

But when you’re all alone outside, without your parents by your side, you can cry until you turn hoarse and nobody will care about you.” Tiger Head opened his mouth and looked at Little Treasure.

Between sobs, he said, “Brother Little Treasure is so pitiful.

He’s hungry and no one cares about him.” Little Lion promised, “Brother Little Treasure, don’t worry.

We’ll let you eat first before we eat.” Little An squeezed between them and glared at them from both sides.

The two children instantly knew that they had said the wrong thing and immediately lowered their heads to acknowledge their mistake.

Fan Zijin glanced at his son and snorted.

Pointing at the remaining food, he said, “Eat.” The five children immediately rushed over.

Only Qi Wensu stood at the side, completely at a loss.

Fan Zijin said, “Although you’re young and were exempted from punishment because you didn’t know anything, you didn’t dissuade your brother on the way here.

Therefore, you’re also in the wrong.

That’s why I punished you to starve with them.

Now that the punishment is over, you can go and eat too.” Little Treasure didn’t expect him to implicate his young second brother.

He quickly grabbed a small steamed bun and stuffed it into his mouth.

“Brother, eat quickly.” Holding the small steamed bun, Qi Wensu quietly moved to Mu Yangling’s side and leaned against her.

He glanced at Fan Zijin fearfully.

Fan Zijin could not help but think to himself in annoyance, ‘Am I a ferocious beast or something?’ Mu Yangling couldn’t help but carry Qi Wensu to sit down beside her.

She personally scooped porridge for him and took care of him at the breakfast table.

After breakfast, Fan Zijin brought the six children out, under the excuse of bringing them to let them deeply understand their mistakes.

Qi Haoran hurriedly followed.

He first brought the children to the foot of the city wall to look at the beggars squatting there.

He said, “Little Treasure, if you don’t have secret guards by your side and your Royal Father and the others can’t find you in time, if anything goes wrong on the way, this could be the best outcome for you—become a beggar.

Do you know what they eat, wear, and sleep every day?” The six children’s faces gradually turned pale.

Fan Zijin continued as if he didn’t see that.

“Maybe you’ll be fine since you’re already eight years old.

In a few years, even if you can’t find your way back to the palace, you can still find some simple work to support yourself.

But your brother is only four years old.

What about him?

If he falls sick, he’d have no money for medicine.

With no food and clothes, a small cold can take his life.” “Little Bear, Little An, Tiger Head, Little Lion, how will you feel as accomplices?” After letting the six children watch the beggars for a long time, Fan Zijin turned around and brought them to the prison of the government office to meet the prisoners.

He said, “I’ve said before that being a beggar is the best outcome.

The second possibility is that you fell into the hands of the human traffickers.

Do you know where the human traffickers will sell you?” Qi Haoran frowned slightly.

Just as he was about to say that he shouldn’t traumatize the children like this, he met Fan Zijin’s icy gaze.

“They aren’t ordinary children.

Other than Little An, which one of them isn’t royalty?

Since Tiger Head and Little Lion aren’t fearless, my son naturally isn’t afraid either.” In this era, other than a few human traffickers who would sell the trafficked people to become servants, most of the human traffickers sent them to brothels and other filthy places.

Most girls did not have a good ending, let alone boys.

Most of them did not live past 20 years old.

Some were even sent to the palace to be castrated as eunuchs.

As a magistrate and a businessman, Fan Zijin knew a lot of people.

He knew these things the best.

Fan Zijin brought them to see the human traffickers to let them know how they handled children.

This way, they wouldn’t think that Huang Ren and Huang Chan could help them with everything.

If it weren’t for the secret guards helping them clear some obstacles along the way, would they have been able to reach Guangzhou so smoothly?

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